Ernest Hemingway was a fascinating man and troubled soul. He was man’s man, but a weak, needy, and unlikable person. He was self-absorbed and quick to anger, but fun-loving and desperate for love. He suffered from low self-esteem and alcoholism, but wrote vivid, earthy stories destined to become classics. All this per Paula McLain's research … Continue reading Book Review: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
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The Tenth Circle – A review
Much of The Tenth Circle, by Jodi Picoult, features the angst and confusion experienced by teenage girls. It rings true and makes me fearful for my granddaughters . . . and glad I raised boys. After a date rape, a young girl is further traumatized when she is ostracized by her friends, the town, and … Continue reading The Tenth Circle – A review
The Mirrored World – A Review
The Mirrored World, by Debra Dean, is a dense and ornate historical glimpse into the lives of nobility in St. Petersburg’s Russia in the 1700s. Through an old woman’s memories, we look at the lush, over-the-top, and frequently absurd social conventions of the royal court where cruelty and manipulations are disguised behind elegant facades. Strict rules … Continue reading The Mirrored World – A Review
Review: All the Light We Cannot See
I went into this story, by Anthony Doerr, not knowing what to expect; perhaps a love story between the German boy and the blind girl; perhaps a fantasy about the magic or curse coming from the diamond; perhaps a lesson about greed, or violence, or duty. As it turns out, all of those were small … Continue reading Review: All the Light We Cannot See
Review: Dust of Danakil
A Thrilling Adventure This true story, woven from Ian Mathie's daily journals while working in Africa, kept me turning the pages. The book showed me another world and took me out of my comfortable, Midwestern life. The memoir tells of the young man's time in the desert of Ethiopia during the 1970’s drought. The British government … Continue reading Review: Dust of Danakil