“So much of life was the peeling away of illusions.” I had been very much looking forward to reading this book, but unfortunately it has been quite a disappointment. The first hundred pages, about the childhood and teen years of Eileen Tumulty, fly by and are quite promising. But something curious happens as she becomes … More Book Review: We Are Not Ourselves, by Matthew Thomas
Lilian Shang has been haunted by her father for many years. A Map of Betrayal is both of their stories, and in typical style for Ha Jin, it’s an elegant, restrained exploration of family, loyalty, and patriotism. Lilian’s father Gary immigrated to the US as a translator with the CIA, where he earned a stellar … More Book Review: A Map of Betrayal, by Ha Jin
I am instantly suspicious when dust jackets or book blurbs declare someone “the next …” The comparison rarely ever works, and usually only does the new author a disservice–establishing a comparison they just can’t hope to live up to. So you can imagine how my senses started twitching when I saw blurbs describing this book … More Book Review: The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing, by Mira Jacob
Not Your Typical Immigration Saga This is not your typical immigration saga. Stories of families relocating to another country, dealing with cultural displacement, and (hopefully) making a go of it have become increasingly commonplace. Yelena Akhtiorskaya would like to turn those conventions on their head. To be fair, she succeeds at that goal quite well–and … More Book Review: Panic in a Suitcase, by Yelena Akhtiorskaya
#WhiteBoyProblems As I said in my most recent review (of Fourth of July Creek), I’ve developed a serious impatience for novels that essentially come down to white boys who can’t get their act together. As such, Arts & Entertainments was another big struggle for me. You see, it centers on “Handsome” Eddie Hartley, a high … More Book Review: Arts & Entertainments, by Christopher Beha
“The world is a blade and dread is hope cut open and spread inside out.” I was really excited to read this book for a couple of reasons. First, it has a fantastic jacket description. Second, I’ve lived in Missoula, Montana for a year now, so I loved the idea of reading a novel set … More Book Review: Fourth of July Creek, by Smith Henderson
“You can’t erase history, or change it. It would be like destroying yourself.” At 36, Tsukuru Tazaki has settled into a determined rut. He has no close friends, no long-term relationships, and no pets. There is nothing tying him to anyone or anything else. His job is ostensibly what he has always been most passionate … More Book Review: Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage
“A body can’t prosper if a person don’t know who they are.” The Good Lord Bird is devilish entertainment. It’s a heady ride through a tumultuous time in American history that somehow manages the mean trick of making you laugh even as it deals with heavyweight subject matter. Its unique perspective is largely thanks to … More Book Review: The Good Lord Bird, by James McBride
Teju Cole has a novelistic style unlike many other fiction writers out there today. I guess whether or not you enjoy his work comes down to how you respond to that style. Because here’s the thing: nothing happens in terms of plot. That is true of both of Cole’s novels so far: Open City and … More Book Review: Every Day Is for the Thief, by Teju Cole
“There comes a time when you realize that everything is a dream, and only those things preserved in writing have any possibility of being real.” Hmmm. I’m of two minds on this one. On the one hand: WOW. James Salter is an incredible writer. His descriptive style is flawless: clear, concise, creative, and imparted with … More Book Review: All That Is, by James Salter
Supposedly Fun 