Book Nook Cafe discussion

This the thread for general book discussions for June 2022

Tell us what you just read, are currently reading or plan to read. Tell us about your favorite author. Have you read some book news? Share it with the group. Anything related to books and reading, we want to hear all about it !
:)

Women’s Prize Trust names 'bold and ambitious' Discoveries shortlist

The Women’s Prize Trust has announced its Discoveries program 2022 shortlist, featuring six “ambitious and imaginative” authors at the start of their writing journeys.

The shortlist and their novels-in-progress are: Sui Annukka for Thursday, Sadbh Kellett for Hunt the Hare, Nikki Logan for The Last Card in the Suit, Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin for The Next Life, Katy Oglethorpe for Stitches and Ruth Rosengarten for Over.

The six were shortlisted from more than 2,500 entries by a judging panel chaired by Kate Mosse, novelist, playwright and founder-director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction.

All six writers will be offered a mentoring session with a Curtis Brown agent plus free enrolment on a Curtis Brown Creative six-week online course.

Source: The Bookseller

I'll be starting June reading:

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

~Synopsis
Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in Wembley, in West London after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again.

FYI David Sedaris fans.
He has a new book out. Today was the release date.

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris


He did a NPR Fresh Air interview.

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/31/110144...

Starting the month with A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark, so far quite funny.

Alias Reader wrote: "FYI David Sedaris fans.
He has a new book out. Today was the release date.

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris


He did a NPR Fresh Air..."

Putting this on my TBR list!

Julie wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "FYI David Sedaris fans.
He has a new book out. Today was the release date.

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
..."

I did too, Julie. I want the audio. I like listening to him read his books.

Today I finished reading
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

I enjoyed this heartwarming debut novel. If you love books, reading and libraries I think you will, too.

The story begins with Mukesh who is elderly and lives in London. He is recently widowed. His life has become sheltered and small.

Then there is Aleisha. She is a teen who has a summer job at the library. She hates the job and reading. Aleisha and her older brother are dealing with their mom who has psychological issues. Aleisha happens upon a book list and at the top of the list it says, ‘In case you need it'.

I had my doubts when I first started to read the book as the unfamiliar to me Hindu names was a bit hard for me to keep straight. But once I realized the books focus was mainly on a handful of people it was easy reading and I'm so glad I continued.

The novel is a tribute to the healing power of books and libraries.

Make sure you note the author's book list at the end of the novel.

This is the second novel I've read recently where the topic of closing libraries in England has come up. The other book was The Last Chance Library . So I googled and found this disheartening fact. "Public spending cuts have closed almost 800 libraries in the past decade – a fifth of the UK's total." 😢

I gave The Reading List 4/5 stars.

I think readers who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine are going to enjoy meeting Nita Prose's lovable Molly The Maid. She's a square peg who's much more genuine than most who fit in the round holes of the world.
4★ My review of The Maid

I finished a light, fun and interesting Medieval murder mystery, The Unquiet Bones.
The story was well plotted and the characters interesting. It was fun watching the story unfold in such an interesting time of History.

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I think readers who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine are going to enjoy meeting Nita Prose's lovable Molly The Maid. She's a square peg ..."

Good review, Patty !

I loved Eleanor Oliphant. I have The Maid on library hold.

Petra wrote: "I finished a light, fun and interesting Medieval murder mystery, The Unquiet Bones.
The story was well plotted and the characters interesting. It was fun watching the story unfold in..."


Sounds like an interesting read. I like the title.

Bill Gates just posted his 5 recommendations for summer reading.

I have a hard cover copy of The Lincoln Highway--Amor Towles that I got as a gift but haven't read yet.



Here is the article:
https://www.gatesnotes.com/About-Bill...

I am surprised to find a book on his list that I have read: The Power. It was quite an interesting thought play.

Alias Reader wrote: "Bill Gates just posted his 5 recommendations for summer reading.

I have a hard cover copy of The Lincoln Highway--Amor Towles that I got as a gift but haven't read..."

Alias, you find some great stuff! (I should amend that to "excellent resources", shouldn't I?) 😊

I loved the world/s of the characters in Gabrielle Zevin's latest, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. In games, you can get a new life, start over - extra tomorrows. In real life, they struggle like the rest of us.
4.5~5★ My review of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

PattyMacDotComma wrote:Alias, you find some great stuff! (I should amend that to "excellent resources", shouldn't I?) 😊
.."

:) Thank you, Patty. I truly appreciate the feedback.

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I loved the world/s of the characters in Gabrielle Zevin's latest, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.

This has some of my favourite elements of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, A Little Life, and Ready Player One. "


Patty, I've read and enjoyed The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and A Little Life I've not read Ready Player One.

I was positive Kavalier wouldn't be for me. Boy was I wrong. It was wonderful. I also enjoyed A Little Life. Though it left me in tears. I've not read Ready Player One.

So I will put Tomorrow on my TBR list. I should note it's not published until July 5th. I've read and enjoyed Gabrielle Zevin's other book
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Alias Reader wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I loved the world/s of the characters in Gabrielle Zevin's latest, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.

This has some of my favourite elem..."

I liked Zevin's Elsewhere.

Finished Hamnet

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Simon wrote: "Finished Hamnet

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I enjoyed that book!

Julie wrote: "Simon wrote: "Finished Hamnet

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I enjoyed that book!"

It was really something :)

Simon wrote: "Finished Hamnet

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Good review, Simon ! I bet the novel with give you all lots to talk about.

John wrote: "I liked Zevin's Elsewhere.
.."

Elsewhere sounds interesting. Thanks for the title.

Alias Reader wrote: "Simon wrote: "Finished Hamnet

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Good review, Simon ! I bet the novel with give you all lots to talk about."

I think so too - thanks Alias :)

I finished reading Hello Darkness, My Old Friend: How Daring Dreams and Unyielding Friendship Turned One Man's Blindness into an Extraordinary Vision for Life by Sanford D. Greenberg.

Sandford while he was attending Columbia College lost his vision due to glaucoma. Mr. Greenberg’s roommate at college was Art Garfunkle, of Simon and Garfunkle fame. Art and many others were instrumental in helping Sandford finish college. He had to have all his textbooks read to him. He needed help navigating the campus and NYC, go to appointments and basically aid in his daily day to day activities.

To his credit Sandford worked tirelessly day and night to graduate. He then attended Oxford, Harvard Law School and was a White House Fellow. He became a successful businessman and married and had children.

I’m not quite clear why he refused to use a cane or guide dog and instead relied on people to help him. He was quite lucky to have such supporting friends and family. He even admits this was hard on his friends and family.

The writing was a bit choppy. I thought the first half of the book was the strongest. It sort of lost it’s way for me in the second half. Sanford explains that he lives a lot of his life in his head due to his blindness. I guess that is why one chapter towards the end was a fantasy party with famous people alive and dead who he says inspired him. This didn’t work for me. Still, I found Sandford’s determination to live life on his terms regardless of his disability inspiring. I think perhaps having a professional writer tell the story would have been a better idea. For Mr. Greenberg's unstinting determination and will power I give him 5 stars. The book though due to the choppy writing and style is 3 stars. Three is good but does not exceed my expectations.

I finished Wonder Beyond Belief: On Christianity. In this book, Navid Kermani writes in each chapter about a picture, sculpture, church, monastery or meeting he had with another person. In these chapters he writes what the picture/sculpture/whatever means to him and what makes it special.
That way, you can learn much about christianity, islam and people in general. Athough the author is muslim, he has a big knowledge about christianity and makes connections between christianity and islam quite often.

In the beginning, I found the book a bit difficult to read, but after I accostumed to the style I really liked it.

Florian wrote: "IIn the beginning, I found the book a bit difficult to read, but after I accostumed to the style I really liked it."

That's why I try not to give up on a book too quickly.

Annelies Marie Frank 12 June 1929 – c. 12 March 1945)
was a German-Dutch diarist of Jewish heritage. One of the most-discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust, she gained fame posthumously with the 1947 publication of The Diary of a Young Girl in which she documents her life in hiding from 1942 to 1944, during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II. It is one of the world's best-known books and has been the basis for several plays and films.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank

The Diary of Anne Frank: The Definitive Edition by Anne Frank


YouTube
Who was Anne Frank? | Anne Frank House | Explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o8jS...

Alias Reader wrote: "So I googled and found this disheartening fact. "Public spending cuts have closed almost 800 libraries in the past decade – a fifth of the UK's total."..."

Alias, i liked learning about the Adams novel. What disheartening numbers for UK libraries, though. I had no idea. I wonder about the US. I haven't heard that this is a trend here, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening.

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I think readers who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine are going to enjoy meeting Nita Prose's lovable Molly The Maid. She's a square peg ..."

Patty, your review of the Prose novel is similar to my own thoughts. I liked reading it, not expecting more than it was. It's nice when i read a review from someone who has read a book i have.

Petra wrote: "I finished a light, fun and interesting Medieval murder mystery, The Unquiet Bones.
The story was well plotted and the characters interesting. It was fun watching the story unfold in..."

Sounds like a good one, Petra. I like when i learn history, as well as have a mystery to "solve". :-)

Simon wrote: "Finished Hamnet

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Great review, Simon. Thanks for filling us in. I've wondered about this novel.

Alias Reader wrote: "I finished reading Hello Darkness, My Old Friend: How Daring Dreams and Unyielding Friendship Turned One Man's Blindness into an Extraordinary Vision for Life by [author:Sanford D. ..."

Alias, as usual, i appreciate your honest evaluation of the book you are reviewing. The story does, indeed, sound rewarding, even if the writing is less strong. Thanks for filling us in.

Florian wrote: "I finished Wonder Beyond Belief: On Christianity. In this book, Navid Kermani writes in each chapter about a picture, sculpture, church, monastery or meeting he had ..."

Thanks for you review of this book, Florian. I haven't heard of it but looking at Christian art through Kermani's eyes would be a neat experience. Your comment about taking time to really get into the cadence of the writing rings true for me. Sometimes it's tough not to get so discouraged with the writing that i want to quit. Again, thank you.

Alias, i appreciate the reminder of Anne Frank's birthday. Her diary has moved millions over the years. Such a promising writer.

I have not heard of any library closings near me.....to the contrary, quite a few new ones are being built!

The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "I have not heard of any library closings near me.....to the contrary, quite a few new ones are being built!"

Terrific news, JoAnn. In this part of Texas (northern) the only new libraries are those where almost entirely new towns are being upgraded for voracious home buyers. There are several Dallas County Libraries which seem to be closed but the signs are still up. I think it's still a COVID issue.

Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: " The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/......"

Sandy, this line from your review says it all, "Although this is a 400+ page book, I read it overnight, totally engaged in the mystery and invested in the characters." Nothing more need be stated. That is some calling card! Thanks for the review & the "warning" that this was not to become a series due to the untimely death of the author. Good thing to know, imo.

Over the next few days i will be mentioning some of the book i read on my cruise. The first was somewhat appropriate to our Greek island visits, despite the fact Crete was not one of our stops.

In The Riddle of the Labyrinth: The Quest to Crack an Ancient Code author Margalit Fox tells readers about the work entailed (& the people attempting) in decoding what is known as Linear B writing. Tablets with this writing was found in Crete early in the 20th century by Sir Arthur Evans. Certain he could somewhat quickly decipher the words, which were clearly a sort of accounting system, Evans kept most of the symbols away from the public eye. As it turns out it wasn't until the middle of the century.

Fox tells the story of the three best known people who worked on the tablets--Evans himself, the man who actually succeeded, Michael Ventris and a woman seldom credited by others, including Ventris, Alice Kober. And what a story hers is. Working at her dining room table, using all sorts of ad hoc filing papers (due to the WWII paper shortage), such as cigarette cartons and recycled paper, Kober struggled years in her "off hours" to find the secret of the code.

It's a good story for those of us who are enamored with codes and methods of deciphering. Others, who are less interested in the breakdown of the painstaking symbols, pronunciations and such could easily skip those bits. I really liked the story itself but i'm a fan of archaeology. Kober was amazing.

madrano wrote: " Working at her dining room table, using all sorts of ad hoc filing papers (due to the WWII paper shortage), such as cigarette cartons and recycled paper,..."

So many obstacles that one would never even think of ! A paper shortage ! I've never heard of that with WWII. The only things I can recall reading about are women's nylons and I think butter.

I was surprised to learn about a paper shortage, too, Alias. Kober was granted a Guggenheim Fellowship and used it to visit England in 1946, at which point she came to realize in what distressed conditions the nation was living. Like Helene Hanff details in 84, Charing Cross Road, upon returning to the US, Kober sent care packages to a man who helped her out when she working in the UK. Tea and sugar were two items mentioned, which surprised me, as well. Tea?!

What a concept! I read the rather short book Nutshell, written by Ian McEwan, an author whose work is a mixed bag for me. Sometimes i'm wowed, other times, i'm indifferent.

The conceit is that the narrator is still in utero, awaiting birth to a duplicitous mother. Based on Hamlet, the child listens in horror as events unfold in his family, leading him to wonder if he will be born and if he will be kept.

While i wasn't in love with this idea or the story, i admit that the final third of the book flew for me because i wanted to know how things would turn out. Very well accomplished.

Thanks for Julie, who mentioned having read this some time back.

Yesterday i read a short book from the 2022 Challenge, a nonfiction from Modern Library top 100, Janet Malcolm's The Journalist and the Murderer. Apparently the book is from a couple of articles she wrote about a court case between author/journalist Joe McGinniss and convicted killer Dr. Jeffery MacDonald and the book Fatal Vision.

I'm still not sure what i think about the book itself although when written it may have been more eye-opening. It's a mix of true crime, post the crime, a little is told of that awful event. Under her consideration is the way most people approached journalist in the late 20th century, particularly their belief in the honesty of such writers. Malcolm explores that part of the psychology, as well as the breach of trust McGinniss is accused of displaying in his post-trial evaluation of the murder and guilt of MacDonald.

Overall, though, it's as much about the author herself, her own case about journalism and the psychology of it all. There are a number of dichotomies that i cannot overlook. On one hand Dr. M is said to be too boring for a book yet it's mentioned numerous times that he impressed people with his personality. I think she meant that he was one dimensional, therefore a disappointment to an author writing a book about the case.

At the actual trial of the McGinniss case, William Buckley and Joseph Wambaugh testified on behalf of the journalist on the issue of "untruths" and lies. In Wambaugh's words, “What’s the difference between a lie and an untruth? Simple. With a lie, there’s malice involved, there’s ill will. With an untruth, there isn’t.” I suppose the question is from whose view? Dr. M felt quite betrayed.

madrano wrote:
" William Buckley and Joseph Wambaugh testified on behalf of the journalist on the issue of "untruths" and lies. In Wambaugh's words, “What’s the difference between a lie and an untruth? Simple. With a lie, there’s malice involved, there’s ill will. With an untruth, there isn’t.” I suppose the question is from whose view? Dr. M felt quite betrayed...."

It sounds like an interesting book. I'm not familiar with the case.

Congrats on checking off another 100 challenge book !

madrano wrote: "What a concept! I read the rather short book Nutshell, written by Ian McEwan, an author whose work is a mixed bag for me. Sometimes i'm wowed, other times, i'm indiffe..."

That really sounds like an interesting idea as I have never before read something like that. The narrator still in utero. As an author, you have to be able to write something like that.

Florian, it was a curious idea, i must say. There were little bits that were charming--the disappearing moving space as the child nears birth, the effects of his mother's heavy drinking and, due to being able to overhear conversations, worries about the future. The biggest problem i had was that this kid is so smart in utero vs. how newborns are once born. :-)

Alias Reader wrote: "madrano wrote: " Working at her dining room table, using all sorts of ad hoc filing papers (due to the WWII paper shortage), such as cigarette cartons and recycled paper,..."

So many obstacles tha..."

If you are interested in the effect of WWII on publishing and of books on the soldiers, is a good quick read, Alias. The paper shortage explains, among other things, why you can still occasionally find a paperback from that era with 6-point type!

Alias Reader wrote: "
It sounds like an interesting book. I'm not familiar with the case.

Congrats on checking off another 100 challenge book..."

Thanks, Alias. The murder case was heinous. He killed (still maintains his innocence) his pregnant wife and two under-5 daughters, claiming 4 Manson-like killers did it. At the time he was in the military, who exonerated him but her family kept up the campaign and a real trial resulted, where he was found guilty. This was quite the case at the time, thanks to that Mansonish aspect. Incidentally, no further murders like this were committed in Virginia or elsewhere.

The trial covered in the book was about that murder trial, not the crime itself, and what McGinniss reported. He apparently began believing Dr. M. Oddly, the decision was made to make McG part of the legal team, so he wouldn't share any confessional information. And on.