Susan > Recent Status Updates

Continues to be a soft, embracing story; a coming of age.

Not sure I'll keep reading this as it too internal and self flagellating. How he could be so innocent yet empathetic is amazing.

Wonderful story by Molly Gloss of old Hollywood and the cowboy movies of the late 1930's. She carries the character of 19 year old Bud, who's the son of Martha and Henry from The Hearts of Horses into this book.

It's improving as he goes to Ireland from England and isn't doubting himself as much as a writer (Henry James). Ireland is in the midst of throwing off the Colonial yoke, though.

There's been many repeated character descriptions and the same question, why hockey? The answer remains the same and I wonder why it's repeated so often. And not knowing ice hockey, I'm left on the sidelines staring into space.

This is slow going, even for Toibin, who writes the inner world of people so thoughtfully. Not sure I'll get into it as it drags along.

Who knew ice hockey could be so interesting?

This has 323 pages, but there are notes and references at the end. I've read up to pg 189, almost 60%. Some of the stories are labored, with far too many names thrown in (artists, gardeners, underground helpers, conspirators against the Nazis, etc. It really deserves a stronger writer, I think to pull off the remarkable zoo, the owners, and it's inhabitants.

This is a gentle book that has a hesitant, shy quality, reflecting the main character, Martha. It's set in Oregon, 1917 and she's just 19 yrs old, tall and can break wild horses with her quiet manner. Lovely book.

This Polish couple are heroes and their story is remarkable.

Initially the writing seemed to skim over the horrendous events in 1938 when Franco took over Spain. Plenty of graphic detail but to much of a overview. Then it shifted and became more interesting like her other books.

Wonderful, lovely book