Russian government agent in Cold War Era soviet union uncovers a serial killer killing young children all over the country. OK but kind of silly.
PJH Rating: ***
Author: eatonedgecliff
The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy; Rachel Joyce
The sequel… more like the companion novel… of The Unlikely Pilgramage of Harold Frye… tells the story of Queenie Hennessy in her death bed as she is awaiting the arrival of Harold Frye. Sad, but fun story (listed to book on trip).
PJH Rating: ****
Florence Gordon; Brian Morton
Florence Gordon is a cranky old academic living in NYC set in her ways… to say the least. Great charachter, great story, great book.
PJH Rating: ****1/2
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie’ Alan Bradley
Eleven your old Flavia investigates a murder in the garden of her old English Mansion in England. Told from the view point of this precocious eleven year old. Brillian.
PJH rating: ****1/2
Crossing to Safety; Wallace Stegner
Two academic couples meet while they are starting as Instructors at U of Wisconsin in the 1930’s and become lifelong friends. The novel, told from the point of view of one of the husbands, apparently very autobiographical, jumps around the decades starting and ending in the 1970’s during the death of one of the four. Such great writing and story telling. Very emotional. Written in 1987 this was Stegner’s last novel, written when he was in his late 1970’s. I’ve never heard of him – I wish I remember where I read to read this. Brilliant.
PJH Rating: **** 1/2 (and 3/4)
Remember Me Like This; Bret Anthony Johnston
A family has been dealing with the disappearnce of their 11 year old boy for four years when he miraculously is found and has been kidnapped and abused during that time. Told from the viewpoint of the parents, and brother, it’s a nicely written story dealing with a difficult subject.
PJH ****
Our Souls at Night; Kent Haruf
A 70’s year old widow knocks on the door of her neighbor, a 70’s year old widower and asks him if he would be interesting in sleeping over a few nights a week as she is lonely. An interesting courtship / family dynamics tale ensues. This was Haruf’s last novel before he died last year. I enjoy his sparse novels, the simple language, and while this is not one of his best, it’s a nice quick enjoyable read.
PJH Rating: ****
A Blue Spool of Thread; Anne Tyler
Tale of family in Baltimore whose matriarch is in early stage of dementia. The novel goes back and forth between three generations. A typical Anne Tyler novel, but definately not one of her best in my opinion. I think she needed a better editor – especially the sections going back to the 1940s towards the end. yawner. This was the first book I ever listened all the way through “on tape” in the car – actually on Overdrive on an iPad. We listened to it 15 hours out of our recent 17 hour straight drive from FLA. Painful – but doable. It took us another week and a half listening driving to and from work. Maybe that influenced my opinion… but I doubt it.
Anne Tyler is definately one of my favorite authors and I’m pretty sure I’ve read all of her novels. Anne Tyler trivia: she is now 73 years old; Her first novel was published in 1963; she has published 20 novels; She won the Pulitzer for Breathing Lessons in 1988 (so good); She doesn’t do book tours or interviews.
PJH Rating: ***1/2
Shotgun Lovesongs; Nickolas Butler
Enjoyable read about a group of friends who grew up in a small mill town in Wisconsin in the 1970s and 1980s. One is a farmer who still lives in the town, one became a world famous rock star, one became a trader in Chicago. Told from different point of views I thought it was well written and a nice story about friendship and love.
PJH rating: ****1/2
The Boys in the Boat; Daniel James Brown
The story of Joe Rantz who grew up basically an orphan in Washington State and eventually made his way through college as a star rower and …spoiler… won the gold medal at the Berlin Olympics of 1936. A great story about pre-war America, WW2, Nazi Germany and the sport of rowing. Was a bit rambling at times but a good read.
PJH rating: ****
Eat On Edgecliff 