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Sep. 1st, 2016
Sarah's Summer Reads (July & August)
Sep. 1st, 2016 09:07 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
sk8eeyore.livejournal.comFather by Elizabeth von Arnim
Since Elizabeth and her German Garden, I've been on a bit of an Elizabeth kick. I wasn't expecting as much from this book, but it was still a pleasant little read for my commute. Jennifer is a "taciturn, undecorative" thirtysomething spinster getting her first taste of freedom from her tyrannical writer father. I found her an endearing protagonist, even though some of the other characters were a bit too flat and the ending too odd for my taste.
One Second After by William R. Forstchen
This is a disaster novel about what happens to a small North Carolina town after the United States is the victim of a terrorist attack using Electro Magnetic Pulse, permanently shutting down the electrical grid. The premise is interesting, but the writing isn't very good; even though I knew he'd exaggerate the community's descent into chaos for maximum terrifying effect, I still found it off-puttingly unrealistic, and none of the characters are lovable enough to redeem it.
Mr. Skeffington by Elizabeth von Arnim
Elizabeth von Arnim certainly knew how to create interesting female characters. Having just turned fifty, Fanny is faced with the realization that she is no longer a beauty with a succession of men at her beck and call. She finds herself crossing paths with several spurned lovers before having an unexpected reunion with the husband she'd tossed aside in her twenties. It's not quite the reunion you expect, and she reevaluates her whole self-perception in the process. The thing I liked is that, by all rights, I felt I should despise Fanny, yet she manages to be sympathetic, even funny. And she does, finally, mature a bit.
Knowing Christ by Mark Jones
If you are familiar with the Christian classic Knowing God by J. I. Packer, this is a similar kind of book, except it focuses on many different attributes of Jesus Christ. It's quite excellent; I recommend it highly. I appreciated that it isn't an overly introspective book that pressures you to have lots of "feels" about Jesus and your personal walk with him. Drawing on Scripture and historical theology, it just keeps directing your gaze back to the beauties of who Christ is. Best read slowly and meditatively.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Another novel I likely wouldn't have read if not for this community. I loved it! After reading my share of so-so fiction this year, it was refreshing to devour a book like this. Moriarty draws characters well, and I liked the way she dealt with serious topics with sensitivity and humor. I also enjoyed reading fiction set in Australia; I'm not sure that I ever had before. If there is more "chick lit" like this, I'd like to know about it!
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
Now, that said... Because I enjoyed Big Little Lies so much, I immediately checked out one of her earlier novels. I didn't enjoy this one as much--I didn't like the what-ifs at the end, and the characters weren't nearly as sympathetic in this book; I really disliked a couple of them. I'm still looking forward to reading more of her books.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
My aunt gave me this book years ago, and I finally got around to reading it. Of course it's really clever and charming, and having been on a WWII kick recently, I enjoyed the setting. I'm also on a roll with bookish thirtysomething protagonists, as noted before. And letters! I like epistolary novels. But...it's a tough thing to pull off well, especially with multiple characters, all of whom are "characters" and soon become tricky to distinguish. It also felt like Juliet was too perfect as a character, in the sense that everyone automatically seems to love her (and if they don't, they're probably a loser character). The resolution was too far-fetched for me, and it's hard to to do justice to some of the wartime horrors in this format. So reading it was a fun experience for the most part, and I can see why it was such a hit, but it didn't totally work for me.
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
A nonfiction book touted by several bloggers I admire. I didn't think it quite lived up to its hype (in fact, I'd love to read a revised and updated version ten or fifteen years from now--the author is younger than I am!), but it's well worth a read. It's a series of memories and reflections about Vance's upbringing among poor Appalachian migrants and the slow self-destruction that such "hillbilly" communities are facing. I'm not a hillbilly, but I grew up in the greater Appalachian region, and some branches of my family aren't so far removed from what Vance describes. Could be eye-opening for readers who aren't familiar with the struggles (such as cycles of poverty, violence, substance abuse, and serial marriages) of some working-class families, and why they don't find much relief in political solutions.
Total for July and August: 8
Total for 2016: 36
Since Elizabeth and her German Garden, I've been on a bit of an Elizabeth kick. I wasn't expecting as much from this book, but it was still a pleasant little read for my commute. Jennifer is a "taciturn, undecorative" thirtysomething spinster getting her first taste of freedom from her tyrannical writer father. I found her an endearing protagonist, even though some of the other characters were a bit too flat and the ending too odd for my taste.
One Second After by William R. Forstchen
This is a disaster novel about what happens to a small North Carolina town after the United States is the victim of a terrorist attack using Electro Magnetic Pulse, permanently shutting down the electrical grid. The premise is interesting, but the writing isn't very good; even though I knew he'd exaggerate the community's descent into chaos for maximum terrifying effect, I still found it off-puttingly unrealistic, and none of the characters are lovable enough to redeem it.
Mr. Skeffington by Elizabeth von Arnim
Elizabeth von Arnim certainly knew how to create interesting female characters. Having just turned fifty, Fanny is faced with the realization that she is no longer a beauty with a succession of men at her beck and call. She finds herself crossing paths with several spurned lovers before having an unexpected reunion with the husband she'd tossed aside in her twenties. It's not quite the reunion you expect, and she reevaluates her whole self-perception in the process. The thing I liked is that, by all rights, I felt I should despise Fanny, yet she manages to be sympathetic, even funny. And she does, finally, mature a bit.
Knowing Christ by Mark Jones
If you are familiar with the Christian classic Knowing God by J. I. Packer, this is a similar kind of book, except it focuses on many different attributes of Jesus Christ. It's quite excellent; I recommend it highly. I appreciated that it isn't an overly introspective book that pressures you to have lots of "feels" about Jesus and your personal walk with him. Drawing on Scripture and historical theology, it just keeps directing your gaze back to the beauties of who Christ is. Best read slowly and meditatively.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Another novel I likely wouldn't have read if not for this community. I loved it! After reading my share of so-so fiction this year, it was refreshing to devour a book like this. Moriarty draws characters well, and I liked the way she dealt with serious topics with sensitivity and humor. I also enjoyed reading fiction set in Australia; I'm not sure that I ever had before. If there is more "chick lit" like this, I'd like to know about it!
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
Now, that said... Because I enjoyed Big Little Lies so much, I immediately checked out one of her earlier novels. I didn't enjoy this one as much--I didn't like the what-ifs at the end, and the characters weren't nearly as sympathetic in this book; I really disliked a couple of them. I'm still looking forward to reading more of her books.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
My aunt gave me this book years ago, and I finally got around to reading it. Of course it's really clever and charming, and having been on a WWII kick recently, I enjoyed the setting. I'm also on a roll with bookish thirtysomething protagonists, as noted before. And letters! I like epistolary novels. But...it's a tough thing to pull off well, especially with multiple characters, all of whom are "characters" and soon become tricky to distinguish. It also felt like Juliet was too perfect as a character, in the sense that everyone automatically seems to love her (and if they don't, they're probably a loser character). The resolution was too far-fetched for me, and it's hard to to do justice to some of the wartime horrors in this format. So reading it was a fun experience for the most part, and I can see why it was such a hit, but it didn't totally work for me.
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
A nonfiction book touted by several bloggers I admire. I didn't think it quite lived up to its hype (in fact, I'd love to read a revised and updated version ten or fifteen years from now--the author is younger than I am!), but it's well worth a read. It's a series of memories and reflections about Vance's upbringing among poor Appalachian migrants and the slow self-destruction that such "hillbilly" communities are facing. I'm not a hillbilly, but I grew up in the greater Appalachian region, and some branches of my family aren't so far removed from what Vance describes. Could be eye-opening for readers who aren't familiar with the struggles (such as cycles of poverty, violence, substance abuse, and serial marriages) of some working-class families, and why they don't find much relief in political solutions.
Total for July and August: 8
Total for 2016: 36
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