An autobiographical story about a boy hit by polio, and thus crippled (a word used in the book). I expected to learn more about growing up as a disabled person, instead, I learnt a lot about living in the Australian bush, and how to ignore the disability. And about hospital life, sometimes so lively described […]
A historical, early 19th century, novel based not on the writer’s home country — although I understand Dunmore lived in Finland for a while. The characters are quite believable, the events interesting and exiting, it is a pleasure to read. But, but, it’s not enough to live in a country, it’s better to look up […]
On 27th February 2006 I learnt that Octavia E. Butler, one of my favourite SF writers, had died. The same day I read this short story collection, her only one. Yes, her novels were great. But so are also the short stories, especially the ‘Bloodchild’ and “Speech Sounds”, the latter will stay with me for […]
Second reading, for the bookclub.
I still agree with my earlier notes on the book, I still love it. Also the covers — my airport edition has the morning scene Henry Perowne has at the start of the book, but in the back cover, we see Henry Perowne in the window, looking out but also at […]
I wasn’t very keen on Miss Garnet’s Angel, read for the book club, so this books was pleasant surprise, much better than the first.) Also read for the book club. The main character and his profession and so on aside, this a piece of real living, lost of interesting characters, although it took time […]
Recommended as a different view from Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs and Steel, this time culture and economics being more influential on people’s development. Well, yes, but a very American Free Trade Saves All -view, and with optimism that really has no base on reality. One critique from Hungary commented that the facts weren’t quite right, […]
A story of an unusual friendship, that of Brian Keenan and John McCarthy, based on their shared imprisonment in Lebanon. Now, in freedom, they do something they dreamt about in those dark days; go to Chile. (Although not quite make the yak farm planned.) Interesting going, in parts very funny, lets the reader at least […]
Somehow, with a book situated in Russia, former Soviet Union, I expected it to be longer, although not necessarily boring. But it isn’t, its an Anglo-American book. A good one, too, the hell of the 41/42 winter in that time Leningrad gone through with one family. I ate a bit of cake, when I read […]
With some books by Barnes I’ve really had hard time with, but some, like this one, I can buy gobble it up, read and read and enjoy every moment. This is a story of two men, Arthur and George, who are born and live worlds apart, but whose lives cross for a moment, when Arthur […]
Contemporary — yes. But of our time and life? I am not so sure… In the Toronto we know, we have Alan (or any other first name starting with the letter A, his mother, a washing machine, wasn’t very good with names), a bookseller and writer and a builder of communities — and people who […]