Simon Vincent's Blog

At first the book starts kind of slow, hard to follow the story line, but you keep on reading because of Hijuelos great prose and grasp of character development. Then you get hooked on the relationship between Twain and Stanley, which is what the story is about. Not really a biography but a study on these two men who eventually fall for the same woman. Victorian mores what they are they take their time in revealing their feelings. But what really got me was the underlying secret that is revealed at the end. I researched the men's stories and it is true. Even though Hijuelos story is fiction it is based on fact. It is a darn shame that Oscar has passed and we will not get that blockbuster novel that he was capable of writing. In this work he shows his skill and credentials that will someday make him a candidate for the Novel prize in Literature.

Pulitzer prize winning books should be a cut above, they should appeal to a broader audience than the critics and eggheads, and they should be entertaining and well written. Tinkers only covers one, it is well written with meticulous detail and craft. But as a story it lacks the interest that I feel a prize winner should have. Books like The Road by McCarthy and To Kill a Mockingbird, and In Cold Blood; these are well written books with a great story.How much detail do we need about the workings of a clock and its metaphoric link with the Universe? You want to read a great story about a dying man, read The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Tolstoy he addresses this topic in less than a hundred pages with style and a story line. Sorry but I could not award this albeit well written book the Pulitzer.

The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a fan of Yann Martel's Life of Pi I eagerly read his latest, I was not disappointed. I love his style of writing. I think he is as clever in using metaphors and imagery as Garcia-Marquez. Yann is at his best in this intriguing story about spirituality and loss. It is actually three stories in one. All tied up very neatly or perhaps not so neatly in the last and most memorable one. I actually cried at the end of this book I was so moved. I haven't done that since The Bridges of Madison County got me many years ago. But then I cry at movies. And I am not ashamed to say it. I wish I could write like that, and hey I can, several of my readers told me they cried at the end of Waypoint 90. And they all said they felt it was a very real story of Love and redemption. Anyhow back to Yann. I don't want to give you any spoilers but suffice it to say that I felt like I was on that search for spirituality after a devastating loss in my life. And what I found I am happy to say, is the same conclusion that Yann came to, we all need someone to love and to love us back. We need to believe in an afterlife and in a connection with our fellow man. Kudos to Yann Martel for making me feel wonderful and loved.


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Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A great novelization of the true story. Well done.


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The Martian by Andy Weir
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall I liked the book. It was daunting at times to decipher the technical aspect of the prose as I am not a techkie nor do I particularly like scholarly jargon such as chemistry and botany etc. But the story was sound and gripping and kept you reading. The writing is OK, not my favorite style. The movie was more enjoyable. One of those rare times that the visual was better than the written. I mean it took ten minutes in the movie to show the growing of potatoes what he takes to do for almost two hours of reading in the book!


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The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my top five books ever read. Perhaps because I'm Cuban I feel this book hit a nerve of what it is to be Cuban. The family experience, the music, the love and passion. This novel has it all and is extremely well written as well. Pulitzer Prize award was right on the money.


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Meet Simon Vincent                                             
Penname of Angel “Vince” Fernandez
 Reading from his new novel "The Weight of Sin"
The Author of  "Waypoint 90" & "Sea Lust"
                     Cordially invites you to his book reading/signing                 
            Wednesday June 10th at 7:30 PM              
At
                                                 Books & Books
265 Aragon Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33144
305-442-4408
 
If you cannot attend but want to buy the book it is available at:
www.booksandbooks.com
Or through the author at
www.simonvincent.com

My new Novel The Weight of Sin is now available through Amazon and through my website, www.simonvincent.com

April Special $20

Hey, finally my new novel is finished; "The Weight of Sin" look for my book reading/signing around the end of June or early July.


                The Weight of SinWritten in a highly visual style, The Weight of Sin is the story of four people. A man and woman from totally different countries and cultures, a jilted wife who refuses to forgive and becomes an FBI agent, and a priest with a sinful past who brings faith and healing to those in need.       A disillusioned young man, Alexander Garcia begins a life of crime after his beloved father is murdered and his mother kills herself. Years later, he visits their family home, terrorizes the new occupants, and leaves his wife, disappearing into a world of conspiracy and terrorism.       Illapa (in the mold of Lisbeth Salander) a young Peruvian woman, marches through the Andes with a group of “Shining Path” guerrillas. She excels as a crack terrorist. She finds and comforts her dying father. Her story is revealed in the words of her father. He is an army colonel who fell in love with an Incan princess and kidnaps her, ultimately marrying her. Politics and realities of power force him to abandon his family in the Andes. The abandoned mother and daughter languish in despair and poverty, drawing the young girl into the peasants’ struggle for a better life. A visit to her dying grandfather and the ancient city of Machu Picchu connects her to her past answers many questions about her family and her race and who she is. Meanwhile back in America Alexander joins a terrorist revolutionary group and becomes involved in horrific acts: bombing the Disney Castle, sinking an oil freighter in Venezuela and an assassination attempt on the President. Guilt weighs heavily on his mind as he struggles with his new life; he saves the life of the President. His life is a constant struggle to do right and still fight for a cause. Ultimately he must flee to save his life. He faces the consequences of his brutal past, a harrowing secret is revealed and he begins a new journey of awareness, faith, and love in the mountains of South America. In this journey he is joined by Illapa, who is also forced to flee for her life.  In the highlands they find each other and redemption with the help of a Priest. Fr. Crewes’ painful and sinful past lead him to this place and time for the purpose of saving his fellow man, as he was saved. Linda Garcia-Vitale, abandoned wife and newly-minted FBI agent, pursues her target zealously. When she finds him a totally different person, she has to make a difficult decision. The story and the lives of the four people come into final focus in the Epilogue.

CHUBASCO
(SUMMER SHOWER)
By Simon Vincent

The palm leans forwardGets its face washedAs each raindropFalling, scrubbing,Pelts the green leaves,Sets them trembling,Leaves them laughingOn their boughs-While gently, gentlyThe rain moves on.