What’s it about? The novel begins with the line, "My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist." So the story had me from the first line. Tayari Jones is most well-known as the author of An American Marriage, but I enjoyed this earlier book as well. The story is told from two different points of view. James Witherspoon's has two daughters from different marriages and they each serve as narrators. Both stories are compelling. What did it make me think about? Secret lives... Should I read it? Tayari Jones can tell a story! This novel takes place in Atlanta in the 1990's and portrays a world I didn't know much about. That is always appealing to me. Quote- "And this is how it started. Just with coffee and the exchange of their long stories. Love can be incremental. Predicaments,too. Coffee can start a life just as it can start a day. This was the meeting of tow people destined to love from before they were born, from before they made choices that would complicate their lives. This love just rolled toward my mother as though she were standing at the bottom of a steep hill. Mother had no hand in this, only heart." If you liked this try- Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo The Turner House by Angela Flournoy The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinit Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward 8 1/2 stars |
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ABOUT HOME FIRE“Ingenious… Builds to one of the most memorable final scenes I’ve read in a novel this century.” --The New York Times WINNER OF THE 2018 WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION FINALIST FOR THE 2019 INTERNATIONAL DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE
WINNER OF THE SUNDAY TIMES (UK) YOUNG WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD • NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY VOGUE AND SLATE AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY BUZZFEED AND ELLE
One of the TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR New York Times Book Review One of the Best Books of the Year The Boston Globe ● The Washington Post ● Time ● Entertainment Weekly ● San Francisco Chronicle ● Financial Times ● Minneapolis Star Tribune ● NPR ● The Economist ● Bustle ● The Dallas Morning News ● Slate ● Kirkus Reviews One of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of the Year
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
325 pages What’s it about? Elanor Oliphant is a thirty year-old office worker living a very small life in Scotland. She goes to the office each day and avoids any social interaction. On the weekends she looks forward to a Tesco pizza and a couple bottles of vodka. People find her odd and they are often disdainful of her- as she is puzzled by them. This all changes one day when she sees a random man and decides he is the one for her- he will change her life. This starts her on a path towards making some changes. At about the same time she is thrown into a relationship with the IT specialist at the office, Raymond. She and Raymond are walking out of the office together when they happen upon a gentleman in need of medical attention in the road. Sammy is his name and he is a big-hearted man who is grateful for their help. Eleanor, Raymond and Sammy soon become friends and these friendships will change Eleanor's life. What did it make me think about? Loneliness. Should I read it? I must admit that I was expecting a funny, light book. I was mistaken. Gail Honeyman has written a character in Eleanor Oliphant that makes laugh out loud observations- but this book is so much more. I loved this book! This novel tackles some really hard subjects. I would say it is every bit as sad as it is funny. Somehow, the author has managed a fine balance and given us a novel that makes you both laugh and cry. I will miss Eleanor and Raymond! Quote- "These days, loneliness is the new cancer- a shameful, embarrassing thing, brought upon yourself in some obscure way. A fearful, incurable thing, so horrifying that you dare not mention it; other people don't want to hear the word spoken aloud for fear that they might too be afflicted, or that it might tempt fate into visiting a similar horror upon them." If you liked this try- Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman 9 1/2 stars A TIME and NEW YORK TIMES TOP 10 BOOK of the YEAR * New York Times Notable Book and Times Critic’s Top Book of 2018 NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2018 BY * Elle * Bustle * Kirkus Reviews * Lit Hub* NPR * O, The Oprah Magazine * Shelf Awareness
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― Charles William Eliot
ratings
3 to 4- I found some aspect of this book redeeming but would not recommend it.
5 to 6- I really enjoyed something about this book (characters, plot, meaning etc.) but it was uneven. Some aspects were stronger than others.
7 to 8- It was a good book. I liked lots of aspects of this book. I would recommend it.
9 to 10- I was sorry to turn the last page. I highly recommend this book!