The Wren, the Wren: A Novel
by Anne Enright
Difficult to Read (8/11/2023)
I had no idea what to expect when I requested this book, but I thought it sounded interesting.
Unfortunately, I soon discovered it was not for me.
It was very difficult to get into and the author's writing style did not appeal to me at all. I almost gave up after the first chapter, but I was determined to stay with it. It did get better about halfway through, but not enough for me to recommend it.
Perhaps it would appeal to a younger audience, e.g. college age, but it did not appeal this this avid reader in her 70's.
The Sunset Route: Freight Trains, Forgiveness, and Freedom on the Rails in the American West
by Carrot Quinn
Sunset Route (7/7/2021)
A wonderfully well written story that grips your emotions with each page. Carrot shares her struggles to survive in a world that seems to reject her. She makes you feel her deepest emotions from this rejection and isolation. The tragedy of mental illness and how it can change and destroy people and families is heartbreaking. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and her story gave me a whole new understanding of those unfortunate souls I saw on the streets of Portland and near the railyards, as well as the backpacking hitchhikers I've seen all over the country, who are struggling and homeless. This is a scene repeated all over the country. It helps you realize just how many people are "lost" out there. The strength of this woman, to continue on through the depths of despair and come out the other side is so inspiring. She was able to maintain a positive attitude and eventually accept and forgive those who rejected her. It reminded me a little of "The Glass Castle", which remains one of my all-time favorites. I recommend this book highly.
The Twelve-Mile Straight: A Novel
by Eleanor Henderson
Thought Provoking- Twelve Mile Straight (5/5/2017)
This book is well written and the characters very well developed. It was a little hard to follow at first, but it didn't take long to become fully immersed in the story.
The author captures the essence of life in the south during the Great Depression. It follows the lives of two girls, one black and one white, growing up together on a sharecroppers farm in Georgia, and sharing their lives and darkest secrets. The brutality and severity of their lives is difficult to fathom, although not hard to believe.
This is an outstanding read and one that continues to provoke thought and regret that humans can treat other humans so badly. Yet, through all this, there is a hopeful message that justice and morality can prevail.
Before the War
by Fay Weldon
Before the War (10/27/2016)
This is the first and only book I've read by this author, so I don't know if this is her typical style, but I found it disappointing. The book is written in third person. The characters could be quite interesting although I couldn't find a main character. They were all equally developed, but not much depth.
The story jumps back and forth in time and is confusing and often distracting as she goes from vocabulary and phrases of the time to modern and back, often in the same paragraph. It only gave brief snippets of the turmoil in Europe at the time. I don't think the story has a lot of depth or interest. I read the whole thing, waiting for something to develop, but it never did. Some may find this great literature. I found it to be a poor effort. I wouldn't recommend it.
The Witch of Painted Sorrows: A Daughters of La Lune Novel
by M. J. Rose
The Witch of Painted Sorrows (3/15/2015)
This was the first book I've read by this author. It was well written and had some historical interest, however I had difficulty connecting with it. There was far too much going on and not real depth except for the graphic sex, which frankly, detracted for me. I like to read stories that could be believable. This wasn't at all.
Enduring Courage: Ace Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker and the Dawn of the Age of Speed
by John F. Ross
Portrait in courage (3/31/2014)
Driven by his poverty-stricken, abusive childhood, Rickenbacker's courage and determination carried him through an extraordinary life. It's an amazing story and an example of how true life can be more incredible than fiction.
The book chronicles more than just the life of Eddie Rickenbacker. It's an amazing journey through the history of car racing and the rapid evolution of the airplane.
We forget the cost and sacrifice for so many things we rely on in our daily lives today and take for granted. Reading this historical account definitely makes one aware of that dangerous journey and those courageous men whose vision and guts brought us to this point.
The book hit a few slow spots (for a non-mechanical female), but overall it was wonderful and kept me glued to its pages.
The First Affair
by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
First Affair - Really??! (6/2/2013)
Change the names and some minor details and it's the Monica Lewinsky story. I have no problem with the idea, but the authors weren't very creative, in my opinion. You could google all the media from the Clinton period and you'd basically have the story. They could have been more original in their storytelling. What a disappointment. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
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