Member Profile
| Name : | Cathy M. |
My Reviews
This is a quiet novel, and it took a while to grab me. I rate it highly for its ability to bring life to an era and location that I know little about. Anita Diamant captured the feeling of this bleak little town to the point that I could almost imagine the physical layout of the village.
There is no main character, but rather a focus on six or so strong personalities with about six additional secondary figures. Themes of family, poverty, race and class are illustrated with restraint. Read this and be transported back in time.
I'd long given up on reading Grisham after I'd read the first four or five legal-themed books. However, something in the synopsis of this book convinced me to give Grisham a chance, and I'm glad I did. The bleak setting (Oklahoma, mainly) and clear, dispassionate yet descriptive writing style reminded me of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. The main character was mildly unlikeable but eventually sympathetic. Truly horrifying is the dysfunction of the justice system as depicted in this tale. I will never look at someone on death row in quite the same way. That said, there's a great deal of DNA used in forensics today that would make Ron Williamson's saga obsolete. After I finished this book, I loaned it to two others who also enjoyed it a great deal. Highly recommend.
This book is touching and sort of sneaks up on you. For all of us who are afraid of getting old, it makes you think. It will make you think about how you view and treat the elders that you know currently.
The Depression-era setting of a third-rate traveling circus is easily visualized with lots of realistic details. Read this and enjoy! As a book club read, there are many different themes that different participants will interpret individually; making for good discussion.
Steve Almond (like there's no correlation between names and avocation!) loves chocolate. He writes about his obsession with candy so intensely you will be craving a candy bar after the first chapter!
Almond investigates and memorializes candy in five or six different factories. To say that doesn't do the book justice, though. It's a painstakingly researched yet laugh-out-loud funny in places ode to obscure candy manufacturers.
Caveat: I think you might have to be over 30 or so to enjoy this book, because many of the candy varieties he writes about no longer exist, or are rare, like "Annabelle". If you are young enough that your favorite candies are sour fruit things, you probably won't understand his obsession with the chocolate and nut varieties he writes about in Candy Freak.
This is a fast and fun read.
I found Little Heathens interesting because of the snapshot it provides to a time period long past. The level of detail sometimes was too much for me (how to butcher, for example), but I loved reading about the farm chores, school, and home life. Because I have a sentimentality for old-time traditions and values, I liked this book, but I don't view it as a book club pick.
Sky Burial tells the story of a woman in China who goes to search for her husband, reported missing in Tibet. Fascinating details about life in Tibet. Sweet story.
"Goon Squad" does feel like a collection of short stories, but it was fascinating to piece the various characters together. The themes of time, technology, connections, and loss will mean different things to different readers. I did end up making an index card cheat sheet for many of the characters as it helped me remember who-was-who. I understand if you go to Jennifer Egan's website you can watch the actual powerpoint depicted in the book.
Book Club HQ to over 88,000+ book clubs and ready to welcome yours.
Get free weekly updates on top club picks, book giveaways, author events and more
