Details, details...

The Archivist is a great book. Simply put. It really is. I started reading this book and wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. I must have been about 40 pages in, and yep... I knew that I had to keep reading. Not to go too far off topic, but I have a slight neurosis myself... that is, I HAVE to finish reading what I pick up. I am trying to get better at this though; since come on... I want to ENJOY what I am reading. My rule of late has been to get through the first 65 pages. If at that point, I cannot go on, I am forced to put the book down. It doesn't mean that I might not start it again, but I need to move on. The "spirit" isn't there... and I want to be in the right mindset when I read a book. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was one where I hung in there... past the first 50 pages... and, "BAM!" I was hooked. I think it is fair to say, The Archivist didn't take me too many pages. The book is well written. Throughout it, I didn't know if I should feel worse for Matt or for Judith. I wondered about their relationship. I LOVED that the poetry so perfectly matched the emotions that went through the characters. It is a thought provoking book that hints of a romance, yet speaks of ultimate sacrifice and love. It talks about all the things you aren't supposed to at a fancy dinner party... sex, politics and religion. Etiquette manuals/articles everywhere will tell you to avoid these topics... but in a fictional setting, these topics are anything, but inappropriate! Great read!!

Little Bee - Anything, but Small...

A very compelling tale about a young woman's journey from Nigeria. I had to remind myself that I was reading fiction... and while I am somewhat knowledgeable about history, I ended up researching whether or not the information within this book was in fact "based on a true story." That, I leave up to you... what I can tell you is that this story is a quick read and one that makes you want to keep going and going. Not sure if I have mentioned this in previous posts... but I do like when stories flip between past and present. That being said, it is not something just any author can pull off. In this particular case, it is very well executed. The characters who you think you like, may not be characters you like at the very end of the book. And, when all is said and done, you are left with one very simple, playful, yet realistic thought... "are you a goodie or a baddie?" If you need a story that is very real, sad, inspiring and a story that restores your faith in mankind (well to an extent), pick this up!!

Bold Face Names

I read an article about Shinan Govani in Toronto Life a few months ago, and thought... what an interesting guy, and a Torontonian!! I was impressed at his wit and also found he was a pretty interesting guy... but aside from that, I didn’t really know much about him, nor did I really remember him, or follow his column or anything. Talk about coincidence!

As you know, my good friend, “the Librarian” leant me a number of books that I am in the midst of reading while she travels (remind me in my second life that the summer off is totally worth the crazy stress of being a teacher!)... Bold Face Names was one in the bag she left for me. I chose this (I have chosen 9 books total) because of its quick synopsis on the back cover... I thought... looks like a fun, quick read. One that doesn’t have a depressing storyline, and also a book that I could read and enjoy without feeling like a small bit of my intelligence just died!

Turns out – yes – it was written by Shinan... wonder if I can call him that? Anyhow... Shi is a great author... I have to say, I like his style... it’s easy to follow and a fun little read. This book won’t provide you with a different outlook on the world and will not introduce you to any overly profound thoughts... but it’s a great read and a good tale. I wonder if there are THAT many stars trotting around Toronto on a daily basis? What I do believe is that people invite “gossip” columnists to their parties with the expectation that they will be mentioned. Yes. Great read, especially for the summer!

PS - You will love it when "Mummy" calls to check in on him! Reminded me of a few old friends' parents... sigh.

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh left little to wonder about...

Wow. Michael Chabon's, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh confused me, intrigued me, and at times left me with my mouth gaping open in shock. While it had many twists and turns, like a curvy woman in a low-cut dress that is two sizes too small, there really wasn't much left to the imagination. I asked myself whether or not this was an appropriate high school student read (remember... this came from a high school library)... and then realized that it was published in the late '80s and I am a 62-year old, trapped as a 34-year old... so I am sure that it's not too racy for teenagers.

There were a couple of different plots within the book, but the focus was really around Art Bechstein, the main character. This guy struggled so much with his identity, his father's identity and the loss of his mother at such a young age, that his actions truly spoke louder than the words on the page. Wow. Is that the second time I am saying this? Yes.

Worth a read... but if you're an old woman like me, brace yourself... lots of sex and lots of "okaaaaaaay" moments. You may be left saying more than "wow," but you will definitely be surprised as each moment within the book unravels. Enjoy! 2 books down -- what, whaaat?!

The Effects of Light

The first book from my Librarian friend I cracked open. The verdict is........................................... WINNER/GAGNONS! Yes. This was a truly amazing story. The book is written in two voices and takes place in two times... the far away past and the very real present. There are serious details about art that the author either really searched for, or has an amazing interest in. When I read the book, I felt like it should have had the tag line, “based on a true story,” and yet, it has such sad elements in it that I was glad it wasn’t.
This would definitely be available at the library or any book store for that matter. It really is worth the read. It was a quick read too... one that is nice for those hot summer days where concentration may not be at its finest. It’s an easy read, without being flaky. Really. Check it out. If you have a sister, it makes you appreciate that you have that bond with someone. If you don’t have a sister (like me), it emphasizes the fact that your relationship will never be perfect, but it’s a lifelong bond that you will miss once it’s gone.

I don’t know what to say............. this book was over 800 pages and yet I was intrigued by each one! When I first started reading the book, I was a little concerned that perhaps this was a little above my level...... insert “high five your forehead duh” here. Seriously! The story line begins with some journalistic court case... and although I may have a major in Criminology, and love to watch a good episode of Law & Order, this was a little different. I quickly got past those pages and right into the thick of this book. While some critics will tell you that it is not as well translated (mother tongue is Swedish), I found the writing to be just fine. The storyline was gripping and just when you thought you had solved an issue, there was a twist. I was really sad to see this story end.
My Librarian friend so graciously took out a bunch of books from her library prior to departing on her month-long journey to Italy (gotta love teachers!). So, over the next few weeks, the titles you will be exposed to may not be on the “best seller” shelf at Chapters. In fact, I don’t think I have heard of quite a few of the books in the bag she dropped off at my house. I have to tell you though – once again – you can’t always judge by the “best selling” stickers... sometimes great books don’t have the publishing budget for the best table or shelf placement. I promise to give you an honest anecdote of what I read.