Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth
by Lisa Napoli
Disappointing tale (1/30/2011)
Perhaps I bring a bias. I have been to Bhutan in the past year and eagerly awaited the depiction of the warm serenity that engulfs the region. Instead, I found a breezy novel with little insight that might appeal to those looking for an entertaining "find yourself' book.I was hoping to hear much more about what she actually did at the radio station and the difficulties she encountered,but again, I found her text to be insubstantial. She talks about various love relationships gone wrong,but brings you to a climax and then drops the stick, never further elucidating what happened. All in all, one might find it a good beach read, but I left it feeling disappointed and wanting more.
The Last Jew of Treblinka: A Memoir
by Chil Rajchman
Painful (1/30/2011)
At the beginning of the book, a partial quote from Vasily Grossman states," to turn away, to close one's eyes and walk past is to insult the memory of those who have perished.".That said, as painful as this was to read, it ranks high among Holocaust memoirs. Although this is a short, sparse novella, I had to take several breaks from reading this,as my mind could not take in the horror..To pay tribute to all who have been lost, one cannot afford NOT to read this..
Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy
by Melissa Milgrom
Mixed feelings (12/19/2009)
I had hoped to really enjoy this novel, but was so put off by the writing of the first two chapters, that I had difficulty pursuing the rest. I counted 2-3 digressions in parentheses per page that were annoying and irrelevant. That said, there were amusing tidbits on the minutiae of what is sold in trade fairs,and interesting snapshots of taxidermists' lives. This is a book that you will either love or hate.