L V
This was our very first pick for book club and I might have made my reading partner a little nuts flip-flopping from liking a character to disliking him/her and then liking them again. An unreliable narrator and events that keep building up and leaving you with questions you need answered, like right now, make for a good read because it keeps you reading until you get to the answers. I tacked on an extra star because having someone to share my thoughts about this read provided me with some insight and different perspectives on the characters that I would not have come to had I read on my own.
How, after all these years, King continues to churn fresh and engaging page-turners is beyond me. I can only suspect that the tale of the Two Talented Bastids is based on his life story, and that the character of Laird Carmody is based on none other than the distinguished master himself.
I read this book on my e-reader and listened to the audiobook at the same time (I highly recommend for the best reading experience). The audiobook’s narrator is outstanding, and the timbre of his voice will pull you in. In one of the stories, a character uses a voice-altering device when making a phone call, and one is used in the audiobook version; it made for a nice touch.
An entertaining read loaded with humor, evidence and sharp insight. The author covers a wide variety of topics in sizable chunks, making this a quick and fun read. There are so many things I was fascinated to learn, I mean, this author covers topics dating back to before 49 B.C.E. up to about 2019.
The wealth of information I learned, however, kept getting overshadowed by the realization that throughout the vast span of history, we haven’t made that much progress . Two quotes from his March chapter come to mind:
( March chapter: March 25, 1911) “Rights come from fighting for them, not asking nicely. Advancements in society are made because people are pissed about not being treated with a modicum of decency, and they’re willing to reveal just how pissed they are. Those with power will ignore anyone petitioning for change that doesn’t serve the interests of the powerful. They must be forced to change by making it more costly to ignore demands than accede to them. Across areas and eras, it has repeatedly been shown that this is how the world works.”
And…
(March chapter: March 5, 1953), “If people are beholden to a leader rather than a system of government, not only does it allow leaders to get away with whatever the fuck they want, it makes transition to new leadership all the more challenging…It places a nation under the whim of a very mortal ruler…They may be great, they may be horrible, but either way, they eventually die. Strong systems of government, however, can survive no matter who is in charge.”
Yup.
Oof. What a powerful read.
When doing the right thing doesn’t seem like an option for most because the powers that be are too evil and mighty and can make one’s existence pure hell, that’s when you discover what you’re truly made of. For “was there any point in being alive without helping one another? Was it possible to carry on along through all the years, the decades, through an entire life, without once being brave enough to go against what was there and yet call yourself a Christian, and face yourself in the mirror?”
We all need to channel our inner Furlongs. We need more Bill Furlongs in the world. Make this book a mandatory daily reading.
Not sure what I was expecting. The beginning started off strong and it seemed like there was a to-be revealed purpose to the siblings going back to the House. Things then take a shift and the story kind of loses a little something, as do the characters. But maybe that’s the point the author is trying to get across. That life has its highs and lows. And to quote Danny, “disappointment comes from expectation.” My takeaway: so long as you have at least one person who truly loves you unconditionally and is always there for you, then you’re always home.
Many years ago I came across the film of the same name, I almost changed the channel, but upon seeing Baby Jane played by Bette Davis, wearing insane makeup and laughing with that throaty smoker’s voice, I dropped the remote and watched the rest of the film. I thought it was the most insane thing I had ever seen, and loved every minute of it. I loved the film even more when I learned through older members of my family that it was rumored that Davis and Crawford couldn’t stand each other.
Mitch Douglas, Farrell’s literary agent, confirms the rumors in this book’s introduction: <i>Henry Farrell and the Story of Baby Jane</i>. Both actresses agreed to take the parts with the intention of mopping the floor with the other. On set, Davis “accidentally” kicks Crawford. Crawford retaliates by adding weights under her clothes, causing Davis’ back to give during a scene in which she has to carry and drag Crawford. Later, the actresses were to star in another film together. By this time, Crawford was married to the president of Pepsi. So what does Bette do? Before Crawford arrives, she gets the crew to replace all the Pepsi machines with Coca-Cola machines. She even takes pictures with some of the crew drinking Coke.
No matter to what extreme their animosity ran for each other, the final film product shows nothing but professionalism on both their parts. Knowing about their personal rivalries and reading the book cover to cover, I can’t imagine who else might play the roles of the Hudson sisters. For those of you who have only seen the film and are curious, the book is pretty much the same as the film, with very minor differences – such as Blanche is blonde and Baby Jane has dark hair. In the book, the neighbor watches the old Blanche Hudson movies with her neighbor, not her daughter.
Long story short: If you love the movie, you’ll love the book!
What a bittersweet little story. The sacrifice and power of love and friendship battles despair and hopelessness. I’m amazed at how such a short story with a minimal amount of characters can be so—substantial. A near perfect short story.
I just picked up reading again (after a too long stretch of listening to audiobooks that I’d managed to tune out and had to repeatedly play back. I couldn’t even be bothered to take notes or write reviews like I used to) and I’ve found the two stories I’ve read so far to be so refreshing.
Nothing compares to reading the details for yourself and envisioning how the characters should appear and sound. O. Henry’s vivid depiction of all of the characters and the Greenwich apartment really come to life. I mean, Behrman’s accent. His beard. The ivy. I can see it all so clearly. No more audiobooks for me. Thanks, Elwira for giving me that spark to want to read physical/digital books again!
My takeaway: where there is hope, there is a chance to see things through. Hang on to it. Behrman had enough hope for all. That was his masterpiece.
This story takes place in a cafe in which time travel is possible—with limitations. In this cafe, time traveling begins once the customer is served a hot cup of coffee, and it ends right before the coffee gets cold. The customer can’t extend the visit and faces severe repercussions if they do.
Characters in the story all have different reasons for wanting to go back in time. Some wish to change how a past confrontation ended. Alas, another limitation to time traveling here is that it is not possible to alter a course of events (Think of Marty in Back to the Future. There’s nothing he’d be able to do to prevent Doc from getting shot and dying). Well, that’s a twist. I was excited to see how the characters’ lives would change without them being able to just undo or create an event in the past that would provide a much better outcome to their present or future.
The premise is beyond intriguing. So good. The execution, however, is lacking. I’m not a Japanese lit snob by any means, but this book lacks the soulful depth, sorrow and insight I’ve connected with in the very few Japanese books I’ve read in the past. I’m chalking it up to poor translation. However, the repetition splattered throughout is unforgivable (pretty sure not the translator’s fault). For such a short book, the writer spends most of his time re-explaining minute details and not enough time on plausible storylines and emotion.
The characters could be a lot more developed and relatable with just a bit more care. The last story is the most touching. Just when the character is developed enough to tug at my heartstrings, the writer strays and begins to over explain things we just read. He focuses in on how it’s a ceremony and how carefully the coffee is served. The going back to the clocks and re-referencing the coffee getting colder, which are key elements up to a point, I can’t help but feel are repeatedly mentioned as a means to skip over chunks of plot and feeling he just couldn’t build upon enough to put into words . It’s a bit of a cop-out.
The moral of the story is clear enough though: Don’t wait until it’s too late to do a thing. And even though some things can’t be undone or unsaid, if you have a chance to listen and speak honestly, perhaps you’ll get some closure and come out a better and more enlightened being. Life will still go on either way, but we must remind ourselves that it is short and the coffee is getting colder by the second. And that’s a piece of advice worth a 3.50 star rating.
Holy cow did this author make a meal of getting to point! The story begins with a hint that something dramatic took place at a barbecue and that this event had deeply impacted the lives of all those who had attended in very painful and solemn ways.
Flash backs from that particular event to the present occur throughout story providing teasing glimpses of how each individual had been personally transformed. What actually took place at the barbecue, however, is not revealed until chapter 47. And at this point, one of the characters - who cannot recall an important detail of what happened on that day- remembers all on chapter 78.
The characters are very much believable, and the storyline is extremely interesting, but the road to get to the meat of the story was long and winding - almost causing me to cheat and look for spoilers on more than one occasion!
What kept me going was how the story unfolded through the point of views of each individual character. Because they are so realistic and believable, one gets invested in their journey. A solid read overall that could've done without a bit of the past-to-present ping pong.
Holy smokes does this play pack a punch! I did not see all of the twists and turns coming. I found myself having to reread a couple of passages over just to make sure I read what I had read. This is a gut-wrenching tale about how one man's actions forces others to see him, and how it quietly and secretly takes a toll over his family with time. Arthur Miller seldom disappoints in capturing the emotional dynamics of family life.
For a Victorian real-life murder of a mother, killed by her own son, this was a pretty bland read. The author's ideas were all over the place. I gather that she wanted the reader to understand that the struggles of the lower class in those times, coupled with kids reading ghastly violent and cheap comic books, and the thrill to see one's name make it in the paper, are all likely factors as to why the son killed his mother. Once we get to the part of how the mother is found dead, there is a lot of potential to make the reader riveted to the edge of their seats. However, the author fails to keep focused enough to make this a page turner. What is lacking in the details of the actual unfolding of the murder is made up by the colorful descriptions of overcrowded London in that era (even though this family lived in the country – away from the bustling crowds).
What can I say that hasn't already been said about this magical and delightful series? Absolutely nothing other than that I found reading it a second time was just as fantastic as the first. My favorite quote and biggest takeaway is from Professor Dumbledore to Harry: “...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.” Words of comfort I will take solace in whenever I miss those who are no longer with me.
I took a risk after being disappointed with Coben's last book or two. This one was pretty decent - a page turner for sure. With so many implausible events, however, it seems he continues to write to the blockbuster movie buff and not to the reader who pays close attention to details. I think I am outgrowing him and that is so sad. I used to love reading his work.
What did I take when I read this? I feel so high. The story takes places in a run down boardinghouse. Meg, the owner, calls out to her husband Petey to come get his breakfast - a bowl of cornflakes, and then asks, “are they nice?” as though she had slaved over making them all morning long. She's annoying throughout and doesn't let the poor man enjoy his measly breakfast in peace, but I guess that's her way of making small talk in a house/marriage where nothing much goes on. She then yells for the one and only lodger of the boarding house, Stanley, to come down. I mean this guy is lodger, and she treats him like her son by actually going up and waking him and threatening not to make him breakfast if he oversleeps. Because, you know, you must have your cornflakes now! Can't let those go cold. Meg and Petey have a discussion before Stanley comes down - two men are stopping by to take lodging at the boarding house. Stanley comes down, and in so many words, we learn that he doesn't go out much, if at all. We know he played the piano until the venue he played at closed down and that's pretty much it. Meg shares with Stanley the bit of news that two men will be staying over. When the men stop over, Meg runs her mouth at them and tells them that it's Stan's birthday. Although these lodgers do not know Stanley at all, Goldberg and McCann offer to throw a party for him. When Meg leaves the the room and they meet for the first time, the men start berating Stanley. At first it makes sense. It seems as though they do know him after all and came to save Stanley from his isolated and miserable existence. They tell him he's pretty much a waste of space, but then they start ranting and spitting out nonsensical things at Stan too, and this is where it starts to get trippy because nothing makes sense after this. Petey is out working or something and it's just the three lodgers, Meg, and her neighbor friend, Lulu, who was kind enough to pick up the gift that Meg presented Stanley earlier (a small child's drum) at Stan's party. Everyone is talking to each other except to Stan. Stan is completely ignored. When it is suggested that they play a party game, the lodgers blindfold Stanley and pretty much torture the guy and make him step on his gift. To add insult to injury, McCann breaks Stan's glasses for no reason at all. Meg doesn't remember much of what took place the night before and Lulu, who hooked up with Goldberg the night before, feels used and disgusted at the things Goldberg did to her. Whatever those things may have been, Lulu sees that there is a dark side to the man and she splits on the double. Meanwhile, Stanley is upstairs under McCann's watch, and when he comes down, Stan is a total mute. The two men try to take Stan away and Petey tries to stop them as he senses that they are the reason why Stan seems so ill. They continue to walk off with Stan when Meg comes down, wonders what happened to Stan, and then continues to make Petey his sad breakfast. And that's it - no one talks about who the two men were or where Stanley is off to against his will. Nothing. It's hard to rate this one. I kind of liked it, and I kind of didn't, and I can't explain why. If you enjoyed [b:The Trial 17690 The Trial Franz Kafka http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320399438s/17690.jpg 2965832], you'll like this play. It has the same type of fragmented dream like quality to it.
“In June of 1968, after graduating from Macalester College, I was drafted to fight a war I hated. I was 21 years old. Young, yes, and politically naive, but even so, the American war in Vietnam seemed to me wrong. Certain blood was being shed for uncertain reasons...“
This story is a frank account about the author's experiences in the war and his observations on how it shaped the rest of the men of Alpha Company. He survives the war and years later goes back to Vietnam to pay honor to those in Alpha who didn't. “It was very sad, he thought. The things men carried inside. The things men did or felt they had to do.”
Fortunately, I never fought in a war. My brothers and other loved ones haven't either. With that said, I want to thank those who have - the ones mandated by the government, and the ones who have out of a sense of duty. Thank you. It is because of you that I've lived a happy and fulfilling life and I hope that you do too. You, above anyone else, deserves it most of all. And for those who weren't as fortunate to make it back home, let us not forget them. Let's keep them alive by sharing their stories, their dreams and aspirations. Their quirks and vulnerabilities. Their smiles. Their joy for life. For as the author points out: “...in a story, which is a kind of dreaming, the dead sometimes smile and sit up and return to the world.”
I just finished reading [b:Truly Madly Guilty 26247008 Truly Madly Guilty Liane Moriarty http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491249206s/26247008.jpg 49997474], and the character of Ove is reminiscent of that story's crotchety old neighbor, Harry. Ove, a cranky widower, has a very hard shell -he keeps to himself and couldn't care less whether people like him or think of him at all. As the story unfolds, the reader gets a glimpse as to why Ove keeps himself so guarded. Though he is set in his ways and lives strictly by a well-scheduled routine, circumstances force him off-track. It's delightful to read as he's transformed by these unplanned circumstances, and in turn, how he transforms others.
I didn't like the book in the beginning - I felt like I was in a nonsensical dream. The priests in the story really threw me off, but once the story got going, though the dream-like quality remained, the story began to take shape. For one fleeting moment in the story, I sympathized with February. Then my body stiffened and my fingers grew numb from the cold weather I was experiencing real-time as I read, and I got over it real quick. Die, February, die!
I'm not sure if it was a smart move picking this cold time of year to read this particular book on the coldest of NYC train platforms, but that's what I get for choosing to read books blind and without having read the backstory from reviews or the inside jacket.
Lawson's ups and downs with depression are...inspiring. Even through the worst of times she forces herself to understand and realize that it is not always going to be bleak and painful. She is a fighter - what I like most is that she is not one bit pretentious. She is delightfully quirky - she knows she's not perfect, and she doesn't try to be. Her husband deserves mad props as well. He's so supportive and calls her on her BS without being mean about it. They share a lovely relationship. They are both hysterical and bring out the best in one another. I look forward to reading more about their journey together.
Let me just start off by mentioning that I did not actively go searching for this particular book. I didn't even know it existed until I searched Goodreads for a humorous book recommendation. I'm pretty tickled that I was led to this one - it delivered chuckles with each scroll of the page (you can find pics posted of each online. Wink. Wink). And despite many saying that this is indeed totally a kid's book, I wouldn't take my chances reading it to one! Go ahead - read this book and have a ball! See what I did there :-)
A child who has known no other life other than a life of privilege is faced with having to overcome some harsh difficulties after a tragic event leaves her and her mom to fend for themselves. It is a story of tragedy, overcoming obstacles, and ultimately, appreciating what really should matter most – what one can and simply cannot live without. This book is written for 9-14 age range, but I would recommend it to all. The spoiled and entitled especially!
I am not a gamer at all and yet this book still managed to keep me interested in its story. It has something for everyone – video games, 80s pop culture references, action, danger, humor. If you're not into gaming and can't relate to the references, it's still a good read. I treated it like an Easter egg hunt and Googled references I didn't know too much about. It made me feel like a competitor in the game, and it made the read much more enjoyable. It was so much fun to dive into the history of the references and how they connected to the plot. The movie adaptation I created in my head while reading this action-packed book was awesome, and I am hoping the movie to be released in 2018 does this great page-turner of a read justice.