The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng
Published 2008 by Weinstein Books
This has to be one of my favorite books of the past year. It is an inspirational saga that has you mesmerized by its mystic messages regarding life and vivid imagery of a time and place so foreign, you can't help but be captivated. The slow initial pace of the story may put you off as it did me initially. The effort to stick with it is richly rewarded with an exciting tale of bravery in the face of the Japanese occupation during World War II. Mixing Chinese culture, British colonial imperialism, all within a pre-war Malaysia, you are truly transported to a world and time violently swept away forever.
While The Gift of Rain is a war novel, the very human consequences of this tale are front and center as they pull you in deeper and deeper to the consequences of choices made and paths chosen. The protagonist is a 16 year old boy of mixed race. His English and Chinese lineage offer us a view into these divergent class conscious cultures in a turbulent corner of the still emerging 20th century world. The young man's mentor, a Japanese diplomat and martial arts teacher, offers both desperately needed solace and respect along with a deep pain as Malay and the Panang Island are pulled toward war. Difficult choices with horrendous outcomes are the result.
The analogy to the world of Summerset Maugham has been made with the exception of being, "Tan Twan Eng looks upon (human nature) with compassion." - Cleveland Plain Dealer. The lushness of the tropical island of Penang coupled with and artist's eye for beauty and harmony are perfectly juxtapositioned against the brutality of war. Eng, within the 432 pages of this book, forces us into a deeper understanding of the personal journeys of these characters while offering heavy doses of physical and spiritual beauty. Despite the tragedy we are at times uplifted and inspired. Tragically, the Japanese military and a horrific war sweep away all that has come before it.
The Gift of Rain is a uniquely meditative and adventurous read. It transcends the large stage set by world events The story is beautifully told by someone with an insiders appreciation for all the subtleties of the human condition, despite a very brutal war.
-Marlon
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
For You Mother, Finally
For You Mother, Finally by Ruth Reichl
published in 2010 by Penguin
I’ll openly admit to being such a fan of former Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl, that if she wrote those arduous Privacy Statements you receive through the mail, I would read every single word. Her style is friendly and readable, and her descriptions are right on. But that’s not the reason why I love For You Mother, Finally. After reading Tender to the Bone, where Ruth describes in detail her unusual and less than fabulous childhood, and then Comfort Me With Apples which continues with her foray into the world of food, I had a certain vision of Ruth’s non-sympathetic and offbeat and kind of misfit mother. That’s because it’s the picture Ruth paints for you. All that changes with For You Mother, Finally.
Through Finally, the reader, along with Ruth, discovers amazing things about her mother. Through old letters and diaries Ruth had left unopened in her basement for years, we discover what her made her mother happy, her childhood aspirations, how she attempted to conform to society’s expectations of a wife and a mother, and how it was akin to fitting a round peg in a square hole. This short but powerful book is an eye-opener for those of us fortunate enough to be working mothers, and makes us realize that there was a time when the only expectation of you is that you keep house and tend to your children and your man.
I highly recommend this book that will only take an hour or so to read. To get the most impact from the story, I recommend treating yourself to Ruth Reichl’s Tender to the Bone first.
One last thought: This book would be great for a book group with mixed ages of women to get everyone’s views.
[review by ES]
Fall of Giants
Fall Of Giants by Ken Follett
Published by Dutton in 2010
Given that my preferred genre is historical fiction and that one of my favorite historical epics of all times, Pillars of the Earth was written by Ken Follett, I expected to love this book as well.
Fall of Giants covers a dramatically changing historical landscape. It includes World War I, a burgeoning class warfare, the errosion of the aristocratic class and the birth of the Russian Revolution. This 985 page book unfolds with the threat of war, follows the course of that war through to its conclusion. We are reminded of how the Allies dealt with Germany at the end of World War I, setting up for the rise of
Hitler and the second World War. Written as the first installment of a trilogy, it follows American, English, German Russian and Welsh characters. The second book will begin with World War II and pick up where
these characters have left off. The next book is expected later this year.
The book reads in many ways as a collection of personal accounts during the turn of the century and the early 1900's. With fictionalized characters fleshing out the human element of these events it still felt like reading an Introduction to Western Civilization review course. With a large cast of colorful characters and the need to cover each nation's perspective on the unfolding events, only a cursory review of these complicated times was attempted. While sticking with his successful formula of juicy romances, personal conflicts and dramatic world events, Follett seemed at times to gloss over or speed through many events. I always looked forward to picking up the book each time, wondering what would become of each of the characters. It's true to say that they were sufficiently interesting for me to feel invested in their eventual fates. Overall, I did feel somewhat let down by the cursory treatment of these characters and seemed too aware of their role of plot advancement.
Despite it's size and massive historic scope, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction, particularly of this time period. My largest criticisms are reserved for the over ambitious coverage of events and the relatively short shrift given to the lives of the main characters. Ultimately, Fall of Giants, is fiction. As a work of fiction, I felt Mr. Follett could have struck a better balance in creating interesting characters
with greater detail while still keeping the historical plot line advancing.
My next review will be on The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng. Weinstein Books, 2008. I don't know if CRL has this book but I plan on donating my copy.
Marlon
Published by Dutton in 2010
Given that my preferred genre is historical fiction and that one of my favorite historical epics of all times, Pillars of the Earth was written by Ken Follett, I expected to love this book as well.
Fall of Giants covers a dramatically changing historical landscape. It includes World War I, a burgeoning class warfare, the errosion of the aristocratic class and the birth of the Russian Revolution. This 985 page book unfolds with the threat of war, follows the course of that war through to its conclusion. We are reminded of how the Allies dealt with Germany at the end of World War I, setting up for the rise of
Hitler and the second World War. Written as the first installment of a trilogy, it follows American, English, German Russian and Welsh characters. The second book will begin with World War II and pick up where
these characters have left off. The next book is expected later this year.
The book reads in many ways as a collection of personal accounts during the turn of the century and the early 1900's. With fictionalized characters fleshing out the human element of these events it still felt like reading an Introduction to Western Civilization review course. With a large cast of colorful characters and the need to cover each nation's perspective on the unfolding events, only a cursory review of these complicated times was attempted. While sticking with his successful formula of juicy romances, personal conflicts and dramatic world events, Follett seemed at times to gloss over or speed through many events. I always looked forward to picking up the book each time, wondering what would become of each of the characters. It's true to say that they were sufficiently interesting for me to feel invested in their eventual fates. Overall, I did feel somewhat let down by the cursory treatment of these characters and seemed too aware of their role of plot advancement.
Despite it's size and massive historic scope, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction, particularly of this time period. My largest criticisms are reserved for the over ambitious coverage of events and the relatively short shrift given to the lives of the main characters. Ultimately, Fall of Giants, is fiction. As a work of fiction, I felt Mr. Follett could have struck a better balance in creating interesting characters
with greater detail while still keeping the historical plot line advancing.
My next review will be on The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng. Weinstein Books, 2008. I don't know if CRL has this book but I plan on donating my copy.
Marlon
Thursday, January 12, 2012
An Invisible Thread
"An Invisible Thread" by Laura Schroff
Published Novemeber 2011 by Howard Books
A good story. Uplifting which seems such a rare thing these days. Readable, and by that I mean somewhat simple. When I read memoirs I always feel the protagonist is whining. I know this isn’t a fair statement. They are writing about their lives and if they didn’t have things to whine about, it wouldn’t be much of a story. I understand why Laura compared Maurice’s life to her own but the harsh reality of Maurice’s made her complaints (serious though they were) seem frivolous. I almost think in this case it would have been better to keep hers out of it, or briefer, and instead break the story line up with statistics and facts, really focus in on what life was like for a kid like Maurice.
What I liked about “An Invisible Thread” was that it was honest, and that made the story precious. Only once did Laurie step into Maurice’s world and she continually questioned the good she was doing, if any at all. She weighed options and spoke with him about what it meant to live this double life. He did have to break away from her for a few years to figure out how to stand on his own. All that made the story seem real and true and simple. You don’t have to venture onto the streets on New York to help someone, you don’t have to visit the welfare apartments, you simply have to care and give a person the chance to do something different, to see the world as other people see it. Of course, you do also need a very special kid like Maurice. Wise and unafraid. And the idea of an “invisible thread” that connects people is beautiful. This story does almost make you believe it can be true.
This is a quick read. Worth it for a glimpse of something good, even with the whining. After reading so many tales of abuse and neglect and simply frightening stuff, it is so refreshing to read a story about people doing good, about people trying and being rewarded for their efforts.
Published Novemeber 2011 by Howard Books
A good story. Uplifting which seems such a rare thing these days. Readable, and by that I mean somewhat simple. When I read memoirs I always feel the protagonist is whining. I know this isn’t a fair statement. They are writing about their lives and if they didn’t have things to whine about, it wouldn’t be much of a story. I understand why Laura compared Maurice’s life to her own but the harsh reality of Maurice’s made her complaints (serious though they were) seem frivolous. I almost think in this case it would have been better to keep hers out of it, or briefer, and instead break the story line up with statistics and facts, really focus in on what life was like for a kid like Maurice.
What I liked about “An Invisible Thread” was that it was honest, and that made the story precious. Only once did Laurie step into Maurice’s world and she continually questioned the good she was doing, if any at all. She weighed options and spoke with him about what it meant to live this double life. He did have to break away from her for a few years to figure out how to stand on his own. All that made the story seem real and true and simple. You don’t have to venture onto the streets on New York to help someone, you don’t have to visit the welfare apartments, you simply have to care and give a person the chance to do something different, to see the world as other people see it. Of course, you do also need a very special kid like Maurice. Wise and unafraid. And the idea of an “invisible thread” that connects people is beautiful. This story does almost make you believe it can be true.
This is a quick read. Worth it for a glimpse of something good, even with the whining. After reading so many tales of abuse and neglect and simply frightening stuff, it is so refreshing to read a story about people doing good, about people trying and being rewarded for their efforts.
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