Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus ------------- 3 Stars

I had heard a few people have very positive things to say about the recently released Lessons in Chemistry. And while the cover should have given me pause about what I might be getting into; ultimately, I appreciated reading this novel.

Lessons in Chemistry came out last year and was a popular book. Set in the 1950s, the book makes a strong statement about feminism and questions so many of the archaic decisions and policies that existed half a century ago. The main character, Elizabeth, is a highly intelligent and impressive scientist who, mostly because of her appearance, has to settle for a television show to demonstrate her intelligence, rather than a science lab, or classroom, or many other more appropriate places that she lacked access because of her gender.

On a positive, the book is fairly short and a moderately entertaining story. There were memorable twists and turns and the author did a good job of rounding out most characters. The book also offered enough mystery to keep the reader interested until the end and wanting to understand why certain actions were taking (or taken) place. Also impressive was how thoughtfully the author checked so many of the poorly created, or just plain stupid, rules and norms that existed many years ago.

Unfortunately, while I did enjoy the ending and general story of the book, I found the pace to be a bit slow for me. There we multiple chapters where I struggled to keep my interest as, I found the plot slowed to a nearly standstill. I do think that my gender may have something to do with this. As this book takes on gender norms and deals with the joys and challenges of motherhood, some of those experiences did not resonate with me as deeply as other experiences might.  My other observation that made this book less desirable was the change in constant change in style. I found that much of the book was playful and "fun" yet there were other very serious parts (rape, death, etc.). It seemed confusing to me, though, as to what type of book this was trying to be (in defense, when I offered this critique to someone else, they countered that this is what life is like too!).

As a whole, I think this book may be enjoyable for many. It's a fairly accessible plot and the author tells the story in an entertaining way. While there are gaps that the plot and storyline slow down notably, the highs more than make it up and the high praise this book received from many readers seems genuine. 

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak ----------------------- 3 Stars

A popular book that has been on my list to read for a while, I was happy to finally pick up and breeze through The Book Thief. Beloved by many, I was a bit split on how much I enjoyed it but understand the allure the book provides to many.

While less than 20 years old, The Book Thief has as solid reputation and made a great impression on many readers. Often a required text in some classrooms, it tells the story of an orphaned girl in Germany at the beginning of World War II. To make even more interesting, as you could likely glean from the title, she enjoys stealing books and the narrator of the story is Death. While a bit quirky, the novel is actually a fairly easy read that is fairly linear and clear.

On a positive, it's an intriguing book to read and written in a playful manner. The characters are beautifully crafted and the general premise of the story keeps the reader's attention.  While I had some frustrations about the pacing (more below), generally, I found the story moved forward appropriately and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. I also thought the author really nailed the ending, which could have gone a much darker way with some of the competing themes throughout the novel.

On the downside, I didn't actually feel this book had that much take place. While there were some big, notable and highly impactful parts, much of the novel read as a description of "normal" life of a young girl (albeit in pre-WW2 Germany). Going to school, playing with friends, making the occasional bad choice - none of it was boring per se, and it added more roundness to the characters, but I felt parts were either repetitive or weren't written in a way that was an enduring as other parts of the novel. Also, to be candid, I find it hard to enjoy novels about the Holocaust. While it added much depth to the novel, it created a level of emotional commitment that can be hard.

As a whole, I didn't really love this book. While I got through it and ultimately earned an average 3 stars, I stuck with it with the understanding that so many others do love it. After finishing, I did review different viewpoints about this book on the internet. Not surprisingly, most were quite positive, and I found this one notable. Besides making strong arguments about the power of words and stories, I thought one of her final lines to be accurate- "Whether you love or hate The Book Thief, I don’t think many can deny the emotional power of the novel." 

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty - Patrick Radden Keefe ------------------- 4 Stars

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty came out recently and had some good buzz, which is how it got on my radar. In addition, I really enjoyed Radden Keefe's last book, Say Nothing (review here) which was about The Troubles in Northern Ireland, though I didn't realize until about 10 pages in it was the same author. As you can tell from both ratings, I'm a big fan of his books and writing style.

Like Say Nothing, I really enjoyed this book, albeit a totally different focus. Empire of Pain, as the second part of the title describes, is about the philanthropic Sackler family who grew to be an American dynasty working on pharmaceuticals. This book tracks the beginning of this (large) family who migrated here in the early 20th century from Europe and their eventual rise to becoming of the wealthiest and philanthropic families in recent American history. Underlying all the wealth, however, was a drug company that knowingly sold and helped people become addicted to opiods. One could argue, they were the single biggest force in creating the opioid (and now fentanyl) crisis currently in the country.

While a long and incredibly detailed history covering nearly 100 years, I really struggled to put this book down. Like any clearly told story, there were a few parts that ran too long or didn't hold my interest as much as other parts. On the whole, though, it was a fascinating read. And, like his past book, I felt so many of the passages were critical to understanding that thrust of the story that I read closely and was engaged throughout. So much of the book felt like the author was building a case (which he was) to demonstrate how negligent, deliberate and (really) evil the Sackler family has been in beginning and perpetuating the opioid epidemic.

An engaging and, at times, exciting read, the book was also a downer in many ways. First, the Sackler family really are not shown in a positive light. Beginning with the elder Sackler brothers who began the companies, all the way through to their grandchildren who continue to prop up and support this billion dollar company no matter the harm caused, these people are constantly shown as being much more interested in money than any positive social good. He also makes a strong case that the millions donated to museums and medical centers created a front to ensure people had a good impression of them while they made billions at the expense of so many Americans. Second, the book, albeit in not great depth, demonstrates the power and addictive nature of opioids. Moreso, it shows how these addictions destroy lives (literally and figuratively). Finally, and perhaps most apparent, the book demonstrates how the rich and powerful in society are truly above the law. As noted above, Radden Keefe works to create an unassailable argument that the Sackler family has spent decades obfuscating laws and making billions off of the addictive nature of their pills. Yet, throughout the past 20-30 years of legal proceedings and even bankruptcy claims, the family maintained its wealth and never faced any jail time for clear instances of laws being broken. Perhaps the only thing they have lost, is the acceptance of the Sackler name.

While a heavy book (again, literally with the hard cover, and figuratively with content), it's an engaging, educational, and enjoyable read. I recommend it wholeheartedly with the understanding that it may hit too close to home for some and will likely infuriate many.  To conclude with Lord Acton, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." 

The Right Stuff - Tom Wolfe ---------------- 3.5 Stars

I've had The Right Stuff on my "to read" list for a number of years, which isn't surprising as the book has been around for many years and is well reviewed. While I had a bit of a misconception (explained below) about the book, I did enjoy the read.

While this book came out in 1979, I really wasn't aware of it until much more recently. A popular book by the well regarded Tom Wolfe, it tells the story of the beginning of the US's space program. First, focusing on Chuck Yeager, the first person to break the sound barrier, and then the Mercury 7 astronauts. The book included deep research about the early start of NASA, the family of these famous astronauts, the background behind many of the space goals, and trying to explain why some people may have the "right stuff" to be pilots or astronauts.

What surprised me about the book was the way Wolfe told these stories. Incorrectly, I had assumed it would be a much slower and "academic" read than it turned out to be. Perhaps because of the dates covered, I figure this would read a bit more like a history book. So, imagine my surprise, when I picked up the book and quickly had to adjust to, what Wolfe dubbed, "new journalism." This included using many first person, point-of-view from characters, more slang and unique jargon, and a general informality that was unanticipated. 

Mostly because of this style, I found myself unable to put the book down after starting. Between his playful writing style and fascinating stories about Yeager's piloting skills, I was exhilarated by the story. As the book moved on, I continued to be interested in the fascinating details that Wolfe brough to many aspects of the story along with his interesting writing style. It was such a welcome and enjoyable surprise.

Unfortunately, as the book moved on, I found this style to begun to becoming grating. While fun and novel at the begin, it did begin to wear thin throughout the story. Sometimes I felt Wolfe just went too long with certain parts and didn't move on quick enough. Perhaps a better editor would have helped.

As a whole, I found this an interesting book that was fun to read (until it wasn't). It rekindled my interest in space and the early astronaut program (I wish he would have gone through the moon landing) and I am tempted to watch the movie based on the book now too (though, 3+ hours makes me think otherwise). While I know I am a bit late to enjoying this popular book, I am happy I circled back to it and was able to enjoy it.

Streets of Laredo - Larry McMurtry -------------------- 2 Stars

I think I made an error in deciding to read this book. I had recalled about 10 years ago reading Lonesome Dove and loving it. And, while that memory is fairly accurate, I misremembered giving it 5 stars when, in fact, it only was a 4 (review here). In retrospect, I think I loved the TV miniseries, though the book was still solid. Hoping that this sequel might provide a similar level of enjoyment, I deep dove into Streets of Laredo.

If you are not aware, Lonesome Dove and Streets of Laredo both tell the story of Captain Woodrow Call, a bounty hunter in the West in the late 1800s. Both books include a variety of interesting characters and interesting story arcs for most main players. Also, we get some great action based on the interaction between the "good"
and "bad" guys. Usually this includes killers and/or other types of lawbreakers and Captain Call and others who are trying enforce the law.

In general, I really enjoy the "old west" genre of books. Again, Lonesome Dove was one of my favorites and I figured this would be an entertaining and enjoyable read like many others. Unfortunately, I really struggled to enjoy this novel. While there were occasional exciting passages and chapters, I really struggled with slow pace and meandering drama (or lack thereof) throughout the story. Besides Captain Call being featured like a secondary or tertiary character, I found the other featured characters uninspiring and unengaging.

My other complaints come from the author's writing style. Again, I found Lonesome Dove so exciting and engaging but found this novel to constantly be disjointed and wandering. There were multiple characters that seemed to have little to no background that would be lightly featured for no apparent reason. There were many chapters that were included that I didn't feel moved the novel forward. And, while the ending was slightly satisfying, a long epilogue was offered seemingly to ensure that every character casually mentioned had some sort of finality. I found it unnecessary.

I acknowledge that may viewpoint on this book may be flawed. While I believe it's universally accepted the Lonesome Dove is the far superior novel, this book has strong reviews on Amazon and Goodreads so clearly many others enjoyed this book more than I did. As always, I leave up to readers to draw their own conclusions.   

King of a Small World - Rick Bennet -------------------- 4 Stars

Perhaps the least well known book that I have read/reviewed, King of a Small World got on my radar after listening to a recent podcast that called it among the best fictional depictions of poker and real life gambling. This is not the glamor you see in Hollywood, but rather a seemingly non-fictional (it's not) depiction of what gambling looks like at a smaller and local level. In this case, the local is near me as the setting was mostly in Prince George's County Maryland. Overall, happy I picked it up.

While this book was released in 2011, it was a bit difficult to find and only has twelve reviews on Amazon. However, it was an entertaining read. Since I assume most won't be familiar - the book is about a young but talented poker player living outside DC and struggling after the death of one of his colleagues (can "colleague" be used if your job is playing poker and you see the same player multiple days a week at games?). In addition, a couple unexpected life events happen which make him question his own values and trajectory of what he does. 

On a positive, the book is told in a very matter of fact way. The language is very simple, Hemingway like; with short, staccato deliveries and a lot of dialogue. The content was fascinating and the overall arc of the story was entertaining. I enjoyed pickup the book each time to read and was truly looking forward to the ending and what would happen last. Also strong, the ending was impactful and brought the story around full circle, which was welcome.

A few things could have improved the book. First, I actually wish there was more detail about the poker playing. There is a ton about what it's like to play poker (lack of sleep, cigarettes, type of games. etc.) but not as much about strategy and how a good player approaches hands. While I like simple style of the storytelling, it can seem plain sometimes and lacking deep thought. However, when the offer does offer something noteworthy, it stands out. It's a short book and a quick read but that also leads to a lack of character depth. When the conflicts escalated in the last third of the book, I actually struggled to remember all the characters fully enough to understand motivations which made the payoffs a bit lighter.

On a whole, super fun read and a great book if you have any interest in poker or gambling. And, not gambling in the everyone is winning sense, but often the opposite. It depicts the horrors of real gambling addiction and what losing money does to people and lives. 

The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How. -- Daniel Coyle ------------ 3 Stars

The title (full one) and premise for the Talent Code is interesting to me. Basically, the book is about why people end up being talented. Specifically, talent at the absolute highest level - be it - music, sports, chess, etc. Unfortunately, as I continued through the book I realized it reminded me a lot of a book I read ten years ago, so not that much new covered.

Because I'm tired as I write this and Amazon explains it better than me, below are the three key elements that is included in the book that accounts for why people become talented:

• Deep Practice. Everyone knows that practice is a key to success. What everyone doesn’t know is that specific kinds of practice can increase skill up to ten times faster than conventional practice.
• Ignition. We all need a little motivation to get started. But what separates truly high achievers from the rest of the pack? A higher level of commitment - call it passion - born out of our deepest unconscious desires and triggered by certain primal cues. Understanding how these signals work can help you ignite passion and catalyze skill development.
• Master Coaching. What are the secrets of the world’s most effective teachers, trainers, and coaches? Discover the four virtues that enable these “talent whisperers” to fuel passion, inspire deep practice, and bring out the best in their students.

Reading the book and the summary of these elements explains a lot of why people become great at what they do. The book, of course, if chock full of anecdotes and stories that make the book a fairly enticing read that keeps the reader's attention. I especially was drawn to the author's tales of describing burgeoning talent and how it looks in those three different domains.

As I stated in the introduction, I realized mid-read that a previous book I read carried a lot of similarities with this book. Talent is Overrated (review here) covered much of the same information (for example, that book called it "deliberate practice" and this one "deep practice.") And, while I think either book is a worthwhile read, I would probably suggest The Talent Code as it includes more updated research and has better anecdotes. 

Our Country Friends - Gary Shteyngart ---------------- 3 Stars

I'm not sure how Our Country Friends made my reading list. It's certainly the most recent novel I've read in a long time, released in late 2021. And while I appreciated how topical it was, I couldn't ever say I really enjoyed reading much of it.

The book was set in a mid-pandemic retreat for a set of, mostly, friends who immigrated to the United States. Both their experiences as immigrants and living during the pandemic were major plot points of this novel. In addition, the novel also included multiple aspects that brought up the "woke" world we currently live in. As such, this was certainly the most topical novel I probably have ever read. The plot was fairly simple - a half dozen friends (some close and some more extended) landed at a largeish bungalow retreat to isolate in the early part of the COVID pandemic. While there, their relationships develop while also are further challenged. 

On a positive, the author does a great job detailing the main characters and their varying motivations. Two Russians, two Koreans, an Indian, and two Americans make up the major players throughout the story. Unfortunately, though purposefully, none are much likeable, save one or two in certain situations. The book includes a lot of excess - food, alcohol, sex, relationship questions, etc. And, while the first third to half of the story is fairly captivating, it struggles to keep up into the last half of the novel.

While the book has some funny parts and can be tongue-in-cheek, I found it struggled to gain momentum and the cutesiness of the beginning struggled to hold up over the final 100 pages. While I know the intent was to really look at the small details of the normal lives of the characters, I found it difficult to maintain attention to these, sometimes, annoying individuals. Again, not a ton of action was taking place, and while the writing was engaging to read, the plot really struggled to move forward. Sadly, the last 10% of the novel most struggled. As I was hoping for an exciting ending or something to move the novel forward, the author decided to offer multiple dream like sequences (which didn't really exist anywhere else in the novel) as he killed off the most likeable character.

So, not my favorite book but it wasn't so boring I couldn't put it down. Perhaps if I had known going in that it was be a less eventful book and more of a think piece, I would have enjoyed more fully. Perhaps I helped a future reader out....

Smash!: Green Day, The Offspring, Bad Religion, NOFX, and the '90s Punk Explosion - Ian Winwood ----------------- 3 Stars

Not really sure how I decided to find this book and pick it up a few weeks ago. Most likely I was listening to some nostalgic 90's punk music (a good pastime) and was thinking what happened to some of these bands and came up with this book on a Google search. Besides have a long title, Smash!: Green Day, The Offspring, Bad Religion, NOFX, and the '90s Punk Explosion the book felt long on more than a few occasions though I really enjoyed much of the content and memories.

As you likely can infer from the title, the book is about the popularization of punk music in the early-mid 90s, aligning perfectly with when I really got into this type of music. I was excited from the title to learn more about some of the bands I really enjoyed listening to during my formative years. And, for the most part, the author does a good job hitting the highlights of most notable bands at this time. Early in the book he warns, however, that his focus will only be on bands that he believed really were "important" in the world of punk. So, some of my favorites, got little to no air time (even a band as popular as Blink-182). 

There were many enjoyable aspects of this book. I enjoyed his writing style and he has a gift for storytelling; which can be difficult with non-fiction focused writing that follows a timeline of events. I also really appreciated getting to know more about the people behind these bands. I've been a big Bad Religion fan for years but didn't realize their founding guitarists started Epitaph Records (one, if not the, most important independent record labels). I also really liked learning more about Offspring - a band I enjoyed but really didn't follow that closely after the first couple albums. Of course, I was hoping for much more about NOFX, my favorite punk band but they had little coverage.

Unfortunately, the book was heavily about Green Day and a lesser extent the Offspring. These are the two bands that I like the least and question how "punk" they really are. As the author accurately put it: Green Day are punks that don't play punk music and Offspring plays punk music but aren't really punks. And, I think that's reason I don't care for their music and for large parts of the second half of this book. However, I understand the author's purpose is to explain how punk became so famous; and, there is no way to have that focus without leaning into Green Day. To say they're popular is an understatement. They've sold 75 million albums! Back when these bands started and Rancid or early Bad Religion albums came out, they were lucky to sell 10,000. 

Nonetheless, the book was very nostalgic and made me go back to these old bands/albums and check them out. For Green Day especially, I went and listened to some of the popular ones that I missed. And.... I still don't like it. I mean, it's not terrible but there is no way that American Idiot is better than Punk in Drublic. Overall, super specific book that likely would only be enjoyed by a narrow window of people. But, if you were into punk music in the 90s and want to learn more, good book for you.

Cloud Cuckoo Land - Anthony Doerr ------------------ 2 Stars

I think I had forgotten how much I disliked Doerr's first book, All the Light We Cannot See, when I decided to pick up his newest novel, Cloud Cuckoo Land. I had incorrectly remembered that I enjoyed his first book (should have read by my blog first!), so I thought his newest novel might be a great read too. Well, deja vu all over again!

I don't what it is about Doerr's books, but I would imagine this is the last I will read. And, like his last book, Cloud Cuckoo Land is well regarded and positively reviewed by many readers. In fact, as I checked out people's thoughts about the book after finishing, I was shocked that people enjoyed the novel as much as they did. It was as if they were reading a different novel. While I do appreciate the book slightly more after finishing, I really can't come around to saying I enjoyed it.

Quick premise - the book is about five main characters who live in three different timelines but all interconnected by a story more than two millennia old that reaches them in their different lives. While all distinct and unique people, there are commonalities between them (outsiders who are facing significant adversity and challenge) that make their connections noteworthy. While it's a cumbersome and confusing structure, ultimately, it didn't take away from the story. Rather, it did add depth to the novel and kept me interested in learning more about the varying storylines. 

So, why not a better rating? Well, at the end of most days reading, it just wasn't entertaining to me. The book was monotonous and the individual stories told were just not exciting. I kept waiting and hoping things would improve but it just never got traction for me,
and I found myself rarely being interested in what was going to next happen in the story. During the final few chapters and ending it did get slightly more interesting as it was the first time it was clear how the stories connected, and while it was the most interested I was during my entire read, I couldn't get over the previous hundreds of pages that were much less engaging.

Certainly I would not recommend this book to others but it feels like this author and I just don't get along. This novel, along with his first, are highly regarded by many, and like many things in life, people have different tastes. So, perhaps it is worth giving it a try, but just remember if you don't enjoy it, I tried to warn you :). 

Daniel Silva - First Four Books of Gabriel Allon Series ------------ 4 Stars

About two months ago I began reading The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva. It was gifted to me along with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th books of a series of spy novels about Gabriel Allon. At the time, I figured I would read one and blog about them as I have done with all my other reads over the years. After flying through the first book and beginning the second, I realized how addicting these books were and also how similar the stories. Realizing it would be four very similar blog posts, I decided to read them all and then review the lot of them; so here we are.

While all four novels are slightly different, they all revolve around an Israeli spy, Gabriel Allon, who is posing (and is) one of the greatest art restorers in the world. Through the different stories he gets torn out of his pedestrian life to help Israel and their CIA type organization go after or kill bad people. While his Jewishness is at the core of the books, the last few novels have a much stronger focus on bringing people to justice who supported or were Nazi's in the 40's. And, while these books are fiction, based on the acknowledgements and endnotes, it's clear that much of the story is based in fact and there are many, many people who never faced justice for their hand in supporting the deaths of 12 million people during the Holocaust. This includes those in a number of non-German countries and some non-Jewish religious organizations.

While Silva, the author, clearly attempts to make the reader aware of certain parts of history swept under the proverbial rug, these novels captivate the reader mostly due to the great storytelling. From the moment I started the first book, I was pretty hooked as the author has a knack for making the reader stays engaged while also layering enough background to really keep the reader interested in the characters. While there are some memorable actions sequences, much of the novel is most interesting because of the spycraft and details included. Understanding the preparation, strategy, and implementation of plans are often the most satisfying parts of the story.

As the link above noted, there are 22 books in the Gabriel Allon series. I read the first four. While I think the first two or three were my favorite (the fourth wasn't quite as strong in my opinion), I am going to give it a break for a while before taking on the other 18. While I think I probably would enjoy them and continue to be entertained and they are fairly quick reads, there are so many great books out there and want to keep moving on. Gabriel Allon - really enjoyed getting to know you! ☺️

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson -------------------- 2.5 Stars

On my list for many years, I finally got around to reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter Thompson's, classic 1971 book that started the idea of "gonzo journalism." While a famous book that shocked readers at the time (and led to a mediocre movie decades letter), I struggled to enjoy the book as much as I hoped.

I'm not sure if I've read a book quiet like this; though I am not sure it's a compliment. As I did some digging after finished, I learned that this story included a mix of fact and fiction. Shared from the first person narrative of the author, the story is a mix of real life events and fictional additions. And while this would sound like an engaging read, I struggled with the content of the story. To be frank, the book is incredibly explicit as it has atrocious language, constant and detailed drug references, and many examples of violence and sexual exploits. The plot in the book is quite limited and vaguely about a journalist needing to be in Vegas to report on a racing event (though, in part 2, hanging around to join an anti-drug conference).

Unlike my previous review which piqued my interest and made me want to watch the film based on the novel, I had no such interest here. While it was made into a major motion picture in 1998, between the content of the story and the poor reviews of the movie, I had no interest in watching. Ultimately, I think my dislike is based on my inability to feel connected or even care about the characters. While the story is somewhat interesting, this book is really detailing how to take drugs and how people feel on drugs. Further, it covers many drugs I was not even aware of. I literally had to Google many of the drugs referenced. In addition, there was a monotony about how the characters dealt with their drug use that became boring quickly into the story. On occasion, I would find myself somewhat interested in the characters escapades, but the author could rarely keep an interesting storyline going without defaulting back to details about a drug trip.

With all that being said, I can appreciate the novel for what it is. I understand that it was a commentary about the '60s and parts of that generation. I get that Thompson was trying to offer viewpoints about a multitude of issues. His hate of Nixon, the misunderstanding from many about the ills of using drugs, the problems with capitalism, what is the real goal of the "American Dream", etc. And even though I understand those items, I simply didn't find myself enjoying the book. And while I am happy I read it (and it was short), I am not confident I can endorse it strongly to others.

The World According to Garp - John Irving -------------------- 3.5 Stars

I am not sure why or how The World According to Garp made my "to read" list. I know it's been on there a long time (like 5 years) and I only picked it up as I was seeking a book in paper form and saw it in the library (perhaps a blog later about the digital vs. paper divide). Although I finished it a week ago, I've been struggling to figure out if: a) I liked it, b) why I did/did not like it, c) what it's really about.

I ended up landing with 3.5 stars as I really couldn't figure out how much I enjoyed the book. There were parts I couldn't put down and read quickly, while other times I had wished I didn't pick it up. And, even with the parts that were highly entertaining, I wasn't sure often what to make of the content. The book has been out over four decades so it's been around a while and there was (I think) a pretty popular movie based on the book that starred Robin Williams and Glenn Close that I watched after in hopes that it would give me more insights into the book (it really didn't).

The book is mostly a story about the character Garp - literally from when he was born to his death. His experiences growing up, turning into a writer, raising a family, and having marital issues. And while the book is fairly straightforward, I would classify the book is weird. I was trying to figure out what it reminded me of and I think the closest comparison I could make connections with was David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest (review here). That book, unlike this, is a masterpiece and beloved but there is a similar oddness to it. Both have a make believe quality (that seems based in reality but not really) that makes you question what you are reading and the connections to the book's themes as a whole. I did Google parts of this book to see if the references were real or unreal (almost all were fictional). The book also has many explicit parts that I was surprised to see in this book - partly because of its age and partly because I just figured it would be more wholesome.

So all of this leads to the final part - what was this book about? Usually, I don't get too focused on that part. Mostly because it's usually easy to tell and I'm mostly reading for entertainment. But when I finished and didn't know, it bothered me. Ironically, the edition I read was the 20th anniversary and Irving, the author, attempted to answer this question himself. And he too struggled! While he waxed thoughtfully about whether this was a coming of age story, a feminist focused novel, or about the power of lust, he too was not able to fully answer the question.

Which, upon review, is probably why the book is well regarded. While not the most entertaining story, it did pull on many of my emotions (humor, sadness, etc.) and did make me think. I guess a book could do a lot worst.  

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage - Alfred Lansing --------------- 4 Stars

Oh, how I do love summer. So much time to read! This is the last book I finished prior to the summer coming to a close for me, and it was a good one. It also put me at over 2,500 pages in the past few months. No other time during the year do I get to enjoy so much uninterrupted reading time. So, back to this current review; Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage was a superb way to finish the summer.

Written by Alfred Lansing in 1959, this book tells the amazing story of the polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's adventure in Antarctica in 1914. The book is about how these explorers' boat was trapped, crushed, and their amazing journey to safety.  Interestingly, this book was not well received when it was released in the early 1960s to the point that hardly anyone was aware of it. Thankfully, the book was discovered and reviewed by the NY times many year later and became a bestselling novel well after Lansing's death. 

Upon looking back at my reviews, I clearly have a strong interest in these type of adventure stories. Here is my review of Alive from '09, which mentions my enjoyment of both Touching the Void and Into Thin Air previously (all books are tremendous and highly recommended). Likes those other books, this also tells the story of near death experiences for these amazing men. 

On a positive, the book is really well told and the author does an amazing job of explaining, in detail, the most critical parts of this nearly 24 month journey. This includes details of the 1,000 mile journey from start until finish. How you might ask? Well, many of these explorers kept copious journals. That, coupled with in-person interviews with many aboard, allowed him to recreate the experience that these men went through during those horrid two years.

Not too many downsides of this book. Some might find it to narrow in scope and repetitive. As I mentioned, the author was very detailed in his storytelling and there are parts that can bore from time to time. Similarly, while there was much adventure and danger during this incredible story, much of the two years was spent sitting and waiting or slowly moving from place to place. However, the fact that the author makes this story as exciting as it is, is a true testament to his strong writing. Finally, and this may be more a personal challenge, even by the end I was confused with some of the vocabulary. Much of the descriptions of parts of an early 20th century boat, odd foods, or types of ice were lost on me (examples - grog, pemmican, floes, ballast, forecastle, mizzen, keel, etc.). 

The adventure is beyond astounding. While the crew of the Endurance quickly realized they were not going to be able to carry out their mission, their strong faith in themselves and one another, makes for one of the greatest real-life adventure stories of all time.

PS - If you do happen to read this book or have any interest in it at all, check out the recent discovery made of the original Endurance boat earlier this year.

PPS - Also, watch this incredible documentary from 1919 with real footage from the adventure. Although a non-speaking movie, it's a fantastic viewing.

The Lincoln Highway - Amor Towles ------------------- 3 Stars

A few years ago I read the well reviewed and mildly entertaining A Gentleman in Moscow (review here), by this same author. I had seen The Lincoln Highway getting similar positive buzz, so I thought I'd give it a try. While a more accessible book, I did not find it nearly as enjoyable.

Set in the 1950s, the story is a coming of age novel for a set of brothers and two other teenagers that go on a number of adventures in search of different things. Unlike A Gentleman in Moscow, the book is set in American (both the midwest and New York City) and was an easier read to follow and engage with. 

Unfortunately, I found the story less strong and characters not nearly as easy to root for. While I would never call the story boring, it did move at a pedestrian pace and the "cuteness" and likeability of characters that is now becoming a hallmark of Towles storytelling was simply less apparent with this read.

My other main complaint was with the logistics of his storytelling. While the book is a written in the third person, the author would change the focus, and perspective of the story, by chapter to focus upon a different main character. While this was a welcome technique in the early chapters, I found it frustrating by the end. Although it did give the reader varying perspectives about occurrences, I also found it retold actions multiple times to ensure the reader was clear about a different characters placement for a previously told part of the story. By the end, it felt like I was basically re-reading passages when it shifted to a new chapter.

On a positive, it's still a pretty engaging story. While not as good as his previous book, the author is still a good storyteller, and it's hard to not root for certain characters or feel the nostalgia of the 1950s and many pop references was over you. In addition, in the final pages you could finally understand more about certain characters motivations and more was illuminated about previous choices made in the story. 

You could do a lot worse than The Lincoln Highway; it's an easy read and enjoyable in many parts. Just be aware that for many it'll feel like a runner up to his previous work.

City of Thieves - David Benioff ------------------- 4 Stars

I heard about City of Thieves on a recent podcast, and the individual shared it was one of his favorite books. As I dug deeper, it was really difficult to find anyone who had a bad thing to say about this book. Those positive impressions combined with it's short length made it an obvious book to give it a try, and I'm pretty happy I did.

As I had not heard of this book before and others might also not have awareness, a quick synopsis - this book tells the story of two Russians during the siege of Leningrad during World War 2. After some surprising circumstances, these two strangers end up being close friends as they work to secure a dozen eggs for a colonel's daughter's wedding. 

As I mentioned earlier, this book is a quick read, coming in at only 280 pages (it reads even faster). More importantly, it's a highly engaging and entertaining read that is delivered enjoyably by this strong author (learned after I finished the book that Benioff is a co-creator of Game of Thrones). While a serious subject matter filled with many violent passages and war heavy themes, this book seems to never lose its way as a playful story. Much of this is due to the sharp storytelling, funny dialogue, and a rich main character who never lets the seriousness of the war overtake the joy that exists as part of life. As I've written many times before, I love good dialogue, and this book offers some of the best back and forths and retorts between characters. As you may also assume from the unlikely plot, the search for the eggs is an intriguing centerpiece as the reader is constantly reminded of the heartaches of war.

While I found this a great read and difficult to put down, a few things held it back. First, the themes are mature and can be difficult to get through at some parts. Death is a constant part of the book and some chapters were difficult to read as the author had a way of making the reader feel the anxiety and tenseness of situations. Sex was also a constant theme (and often funny distraction) of the story. Second, I found it difficult to give a much higher rating with the shortness of the story. While I don't know if a longer book would have actually made the story better, it's hard to feel the "fullness" of a story or it's characters when you only get to know them over a short period of time (in this case, literally only 5 days).

As a whole, it's hard to not recommend this book. What a great return on investment for the little time needed to read! It's hard to read this book and not feel interested in the characters and engaged in the story developing. That's really the magic of the book - a great story!

Hawaii - James Michener ---------------- 3 Stars

It's a bit difficult to try to give a rating to James Michener's Hawaii. There are parts of it that are exhilarating and difficult to put down; while, coming at nearly 1,000 pages, it often it drags and struggled to keep me engaged. So, let's split the difference with 3 stars. 

James Michener was a prolific author of over 40 novels, most of them large, sprawling fictional sagas about families living in disparate geographic areas. I had never read one of his books before, and this one caught my eye as reviewers shared that the first chunk of the book had no characters. Instead, it was a detailed description of the literal creation of the Hawaiian island manys years ago. Following that introduction, Michener details different immigrant groups that come to the islands, beginning with the Polynesians from Tahiti over a millennium. The book finishes not long after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the melting pot of persons from China, Japan, the Philippines, native Hawaiians, and ancestors of 19th century missionaries.

This book is really a book of stories. Michener, at his essence, is a storyteller. While the connection to Hawaii hooked me into the book and provided me motivation to begin, his layered and well told stories are what kept me going and are the the heart of this book. Based on the long length noted, much of these stories had great depth. This includes rounding out all of the main characters and going into great detail about the various elements that are part of the story.

The other side, of course, is that there can be too much or it turns boring or repetitive. Take, for example, his retelling of the creation and detailing of the Kalaupapa leper colony on Molokai. First, I was happy he included this footnote of history as it was a fascinating part of Hawaiian history that I remembered well learning about as I grew up there. In the novel, he retells about an outbreak of leprosy in a Chinese labor camp and the eventual necessity for one of the main characters to go with her husband, who contracts leprosy, to Kalaupapa. Unfortunately, like he does often in the book, there is an excessive number of details and stories about the leper colony. And, while I presume they are mostly accurate (I believe he thoroughly researched the novel), they are also disturbing and extravagant.

As a whole, I did enjoy many parts of the book. And, like any good long family saga, I appreciated seeing the lives of the main characters change and learn about all the developments. I do think it's likely that this book would be too slow for many or would not offer the same level of comfort if you don't have a strong connection to Hawaii. Learning about the development of the land, people and culture was my favorite parts of the book (though, when done well, the strong storytelling is a close second).

Moss - Joe Pace ---------------- 4 Stars

This is a special post, as I believe it's the only book I have reviewed which I know the author. The author is Joe Pace, a former colleague, and excellent writer of the impressive Moss. I know he would only want a genuine critique and no favoritism, so here you go:

I think his first couple of books were science fiction, but Moss is about a man who is fledlging author, teacher, and son of, perhaps, the most famous author of modern American novels - Isaiah Moss (a Hemingway type). The novel begins with his father dying and follows his story walking in the footprints off his father (literally in a lake cabin) and meeting an intriguing woman.

Unlike many other books that get high ratings based on explosive actions or intriguing plot developments, Moss is more of a slow burn. Pace is in no hurry as he carefully and thoughtfully develops the main characters. While it is a bit of a slow start, it's worth the payoff later, as it's clear for the reader the motivations and choices of these fully formed characters. Other
than one shocking development later in the book, the novel is not going to wow the big actions scenes. Instead, the subtlety of the writing and dialogue is where the magic is. As noted above, the writing is exquisite and there are many passages where the words come to life. 

Other than the lack of scene stealing activity, it's hard to offer many negative critiques. There a few parts where it does drawl on for a while, with the plot slowing down for more expository writing. There are also a few passages with curses that feel a little off with the classic writing style he offers (though, it also makes the book more relatable, so perhaps a wash). 

As a whole, it's a real engaging read. The story is told at such a smooth pace, and the characters are developed so fully. The book also makes you think about one's own mortality and how one wants to live. Exposing the challenges of trauma, parental expectations, and finding one's way in the world, it's difficult to finish Moss and not think more about how you look at life. I definitely feel like this book could be enjoyed by many - and I'm not just saying that because it's a friend who wrote it.  Congrats Joe!

Yearbook - Seth Rogen ------------- 3.5 Stars

Yearbook is the first book I've ready by Seth Rogen (and likely only). The book is short and funny and this blog post will be similar (except for the funny!).

This book is a collection of essays and stories about Seth Rogen's life. I am presuming you all know the very funny Seth Rogen but may not know as much about his time growing up in Canada or his early journeys through Hollywood. This book mostly covers those areas by relling many funny stories that have occurred to him over the years. 

It's a genuinely entertaining read thanks to his humorous writing style and variety of playful stories. Like most books that are attempts to be funny, I would imagine one's level of appreciation is highly correlated to how much one finds that person funny. I happen to enjoy Seth Rogen so I found most of this book interesting (like any comedian, some jokes don't land quite as well). If you are not a fan of his, I would not recommend this book. 

I do think the cover is pretty cool....

 

1Q84 - Haruki Murakami ----------------- 4 Stars

I've read a few other Murakami books over the last few years (reviews here) with the hope that I would build up and eventually be able to take on 1Q84. Well, I finally felt I had the time and energy to take on his behemoth of a novel. Unfortunately, like the last couple of books of his, the read didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Some regard 1Q84 as one the best sciencey ficitiony books of the last 25 years (I say "sciency fictiony" as it's certainly not pure science fiction; rather, it's much more magical realism or surrealism but is labelled otherwise). As a whole, it's a pretty solid read with some fantastic parts. There were times when I was so enthralled I could not put the book down and felt this may be one of the best books I'd ever read. There were other times where I was falling asleep as Murakami repetitively offered the same parts over and again.

To describe it briefly - its about two main characters who, eventually, become a love interest. Set in 1984 and a deritivate universe called 1Q84, the book is part mystery, action adventure, religious/cult focused, and an existential quest. Really, the whole thing is a lot to grasp and share, while at the same time, in the span of the 6 months of 1984 this book encompasses, not that much actually takes place (at least for the 928 pages it offers).

What I loved - the characters are amazing and fascinating. I loved to learn about their uniqueness an couldn't want to find out what some would do next. I also deeply enjoyed how entertaining Murakami can make mundane tasks. Pages and pages can go by with truly nothing happening but, because of his superb narrative skills, I would continue to be engaged. The story is told in 3 parts and the first two are really strong. As I read the last 50 to 100 pages of the second part, I truly couldn't put the book down.

What I disliked - the length. It's hard to get past the 900+ pages, especially as the third part slowed the narrative down notably. Relatedly, the ending had a lot to be desired as, after the large investment to get there, it was a bit of a let down. I also struggled with understanding what was real and what was magical. While that is part of the allure and joy of the novel (the mixing of reality and fiction), it could also lead to frustrations. Besides not being clear on occasion of what was happening, it did seem to leave the author too easy of a reason to move the plot in any possible direction.

I was really hoping this book might be better than it was. This continues to be a frustration that my style and interest don't jive as closely with Murakami's books as I would like. In general, it's hard to fully recommend this book; especially if it's your first foray into Murakami. Besides the length, it can be a tough style to get used to. However, it's really quite a story and there are tremendous highs. I certainly don't regret reading it but I did know what I was getting into before giving it a go. I hope this might help some of you if your thinking about taking it on. Good luck!