An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Wow.  I am a little speechless from this book.  It’s funny, too, because I started this book awhile ago and put it aside.  It felt very dense and I wasn’t sure it was worth the “work” of reading it.  Needless to say, I am glad I returned to it as it very quickly became not work but almost a driving force and kept me up to all hours of the night (luckily it’s vacation time!), needing to find out what happened next.

This is the story of the Dreyfus Affair, which if you are not acquainted with it, is the frightening, true story of a Jew, Alfred Dreyfus, who served in the French army in the late 1800’s who was accused and convicted of treason and punished in an absurdly inhuman way.  This historical fictional version of this dark episode in French history, is told from the perspective of a Colonel, Georges Picquart, in the army who was assigned to be the head of intelligence for France and who uncovers the true traitor.  The story is a brutal, gradual revelation of a top-level cover-up of a shabby investigation with the unsurprising victim a Jew.  Because of the persistence of this lonely officer, the case is reopened in spite of all the efforts of his superiors to suppress his work.

Here is another story of French anti-semitism, something that is echoed today.  Reading this leads one to wonder if anything has actually changed since the turn of the last century…

China Dolls by Lisa See (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Three Asian girls — Helen, Grace and Ruby — seeking to reinvent themselves, meet as they each are auditioning for a dance club in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1938.  They instantly develop a friendship, a new experience for each of them.  The story follows them through the second world war, during which the paranoia over the Japanese, as well as each of their own secrets/ghosts, almost tear them apart.

Lisa See creates a heart-wrenching experience for the reader – each character is so lovingly portrayed and it is easy for the reader to be drawn in.  She also creates a real experience of the time in our history, the impact of a cruel war and its resultant prejudices on each of its individual citizens.

I heartily recommend this book – a definite “must read,” especially for those of us obsessed with historical fiction!

Yes Please by Amy Poehler (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

In the tradition of Bossy Pants, by Tina Fey, this book is a compilation of musings by her friend, Amy Poehler.  In fact, I liked this one better.  Amy Poehler speaks about her roots in improv and comedy, her earlier, hungrier days, and her experiences on SNL and on Parks and Rec.  She speaks about her family, her marriage, and her children in sort of random order.  She is funny, smart, honest and a little philosophical and the book definitely held my attention all the way through.

A nice little break from the serious stuff I’ve been reading…   Shout out to my daughter who is her biggest fan and who lent me her pre-ordered book!

This Common Secret: My Journey as an Abortion Doctor by Susan Wicklund and Alex Kesselheim (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

This stirring memoir is the story of Susan Wicklund, MD, who performed abortions in multiple states for over 20 years.  It begins with an account of her personal experiences that lead to her decision to do this work and it takes the reader through the course of her tumultuous and dramatic career.  No other type of doctor is hunted and intimidated the way these brave physicians are.  No other doctor is forced to subject their families and friends to the kind of outright brutality that these doctors are — and ironically in the name of God!  They deserve all the recognition that this book begins to achieve.

It truly brings to light the hypocrisy of the protestors who plagued her.  In their urgency to protect “rights” of the unborn, for example, they completely trample over the rights of ACTUAL LIVING PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE PROTECTED!  Staggeringly, some of the people who protested actually came in for services and then went  back out and protested again.  And you can be sure that their sisters, mothers, cousins and friends had probably used the services as well.  But go and shoot at the doctor and go and burn down the clinic so that you can make your empty, cowardly statement.

As you can see, I am passionate about this topic.  But I think no matter what your view on this subject, this book is a fascinating real-life story of a heroine.  An important book for us to be reading especially in the current, right-wing, conservative political climate in which we are, sadly, living.

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler (Migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Isabelle, an elderly white woman, has befriended her hairdresser, a younger black woman named Dorrie.  They have fallen into a comfortable routine, a weekly visit by Dorrie to Isabelle’s home, for Dorrie to fix Isabelle’s hair and truly to check in on her.  But even Dorrie is surprised when Isabelle asks Dorrie to accompany her on a mysterious journey to Isabelle’s hometown for a funeral. Dorrie embraces this opportunity to take a brief hiatus from her own family troubles, and she drops everything to help out Isabelle, Through their journey, they each share their own stories and the two come to understand each other in a deeper, almost mother/daughter way that truly tugged at my heart.

The story, almost prophetic in its timing, is about race and racism and in its tender way shows how while many things have changed over the years, many things have unfortunately remained the same in terms of black-white relations.  The women in this story defy the stereotypes and are so beautifully and realistically depicted that you can’t help falling in love with them both.  It is just remarkable to me that this is this author’s debut novel — I can’t wait to read her next!

My favorite part is the ending.  Not only is there a build up of suspense and a definite twist, but the author also finishes the novel.  All the pieces are wrapped up neatly in an incredibly satisfying, albeit sad, way.  It’s really a beautiful story.

Highly, highly recommend this book – and can’t wait to discuss it in our book club!

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Eilis, a young woman who lives with her mother and sister, has a good head for math and dreams of being a bookkeeper, but cannot seem to find a job in her home town in Ireland.  When an Irish priest from Brooklyn, NY comes to visit the town, he notices Eilis and promises to take her under his wing and help her get to Brooklyn where there are more opportunities.  Eilis struggles with the different culture and the absence of her family, but in many ways she is very successful.  When she is confronted with a serious trauma in her family, her newfound confidence is tested and she must prove herself once again.

The beauty of this book is the writing, which is uniquely simple, calm and straight-forward.  There is little description, but everything is depicted clearly enough to visualize it all.  There are certainly facts to the story but it is also filled with the thoughts and conjecture that Eilis has.  It is a pure and intelligent writing style that is easy to read and flows smoothly.

The story is also valuable as a history lesson.  It is the immigrant experience of a lone newcomer to a foreign land where everything is different, from the foods to the clothing styles, to the basic customs and it is an adjustment at each and every step.  Even as Eilis has support from the priest who sponsored her, she still has to cope with the judgement of those around her and she struggles with this.  It is really the story of all Americans, as most of us have been or come from immigrants, no matter how many generations ago.

Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

True confession:  the Shopaholic books are usually my secret, guilty pleasure.  The previous ones have been silly but fun and cute and highly entertaining.  This is why I am so sad to say that this latest one was an utter disappointment!

Becky Brandon, who is entranced by fashion and shopping and has been a personal shopper for Barney’s, now finds herself in the middle of LA with a possible connection to the “star du jour,” Sage Seymour.  As she fantasizes about becoming Sage’s stylist, and even a stylist for the “red carpet,” she becomes entangled in a brawl between Sage and her arch enemy, Lois Kellerton.  As Becky’s is thrust into the media frenzy that is LA, she is forced to choose between her loyalty to her husband and her best friend and her career, and she is seeing the less-than-glamorous side of fame.

It’s a cute idea for the story, but the writing actually becomes boring.  It is lacking the usual, amusing twists and turns, and it feels as if even the author gets bored because she just stops writing.  The ending arrives with a THUD with no resolution of the most interesting part of the story!

I was really looking forward to this book and was painfully disappointed.

Really – don’t bother!

Leaving Time by Jodi Piccoult (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Once again, one of my favorite authors has moved me.  This story is about a girl named Jenna who is in search of her mother who disappeared when she was 3 years old.  Jenna hunts down a detective and a psychic who are both, in spite of themselves, committed to helping her.  And because Jenna’s mom, Alice, was a scientist who studied elephant behaviors, the reader is also given an extensive education about the surprisingly beautiful and evolved behaviors of elephants.

Jodi Picoult always researches her topics so completely that you always learn so much from her.  But it’s the best kind of learning — it is woven into a fictional story that has so much tenderness and grace that you remember the facts without effort.  There is always a great deal of suspense and twists and turns that keep you engaged until you turn the very last page.

The twists in this story are really zingers, though — just wait till you reach the end!  I for one did not see this one coming!

Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan (migrated from bookblogger)

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

This is a fictionized biography of Robert Louis Stevenson told through the life story of his wife, Fanny.  Louis and Fanny meet after Fanny has brought her family away from America to Europe to start a new life away from her philandering first husband.  They begin a very difficult and romantic life together, he overcoming his poor health and she overcoming her own personal tragedy.  They travel the world in search of climate that supports his health and it is clear that their experiences shape Louis’s writings.

The writing in this story is excellent, if a bit long.  It also appears to be well-researched, based on a number of books about the lives of both Louis and Fanny, as well as from their journals and the writings of their family members.  There are a number of colorful characters, but none more so than Louis himself.  He is both gregarious and private, both warm-hearted and self-indulgent — a true artist in every sense of the word.  Fanny’s character is a bit sadder, as she sacrifices a great deal to be the caretaker and the loving wife of such a great man.  (I wonder how they would fare if they were alive a century later, as Fanny seems to have suffered loneliness because of how independent she was for the time in which she lived.)

All in all, it makes for an appealing novel from which I felt I learned a great deal.

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

This is the story of a painting with a past.  The Girl You Left Behind is this painting, a portrait of Sophie by her husband, who has been sent to fight for France during the first World War.  While he is away, Sophie is living with her sister, Helene, helping her run a small hotel in a tiny town outside Paris.  This town is now occupied by the Germans who are using the hotel for their nightly fare.

Fast forward to the current day and this same painting is owned by Liv, who lost her husband only four years ago and is still immobilized by this loss.  The only thing keeping her going is the hope and strength in the eyes of the woman in the portrait.  Circumstances call into question the origin of the painting and if Liv can be the rightful owner of this precious portrait. The only thing that can help Liv is to solve the mystery of the history of this painting and the actual events in the lives of the people surrounding it.

While this story is hard to read because of all the sadness – a story about war cannot be otherwise — but it is also hard to put down because the main characters are so inspiring in their sense of hope and strength.  It is also so well-written that you cannot help getting personally invested in both stories, especially as they are sewn together.

I highly recommend this book, especially for those who love historical fiction as I do!