Beth > Recent Status Updates

DNF. I’m at the age where I’m not willing to dedicate whatever time I have left to read a book that seems boring and self-obsessed straight out of the gate. I live in the country. I love the simple beauty of the country and to watch the many critters that live here. I glory in the change of seasons and the beauty each one brings to those who pay attention. How can she make that boring?

I’ve read Tuchman’s The Proud Tower and The Guns of August. Both were outstanding. This is a slog. I chose to read the book because I know little about the history of China and nothing about Stilwell. Unfortunately, Tuchman’s writing, usually engaging, is rather bland in this one. I have the ebook and the audiobook so maybe between the two of them, I’ll be able to finish.

May be a DNF

Never in my life have a read a book with so much hyper-emotional dialog. In fact, the book is made up almost entirely of dialog. The main characters seem to exist in a state of semi-hysteria: sobbing, hissing, shouting, fainting. It’s all so overdone. Because D. chose to use dialog to such an extent, we can only follow the plot through these overwrought conversations. I’m 80% in so I’m not quitting now.