Train Dreams is one of those books that has seemed to crop up on "Best of" lists at the end of each year for the last few years. I first had the chance to read Denis Johnson in graduate school when I was assigned to read Fiskadoro for a class on the post-modern Twentieth century … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: Train Dreams
Category: Fiction
Reader’s Journal: November Road
Lou Berney’s The Long and Faraway Gone was an amazing surprise for me in 2017, so when I heard he had a new book coming out this year, I immediately made it a priority. Of course, I make lots of books a “priority”—that’s how I ended up with 266 unread books in my possession. I … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: November Road
Reader’s Journal: UNSUB
I could say that I picked up Meg Gardiner’s UNSUB on a whim, but that wouldn’t be exactly true. For one thing, I read her first book, China Lake, back in 2011. That was the first in her Evan Delaney series, and the only one I read—not because I didn’t enjoy it (I did!), but … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: UNSUB
Reader’s Journal: Why you should read Anthony Marra (if you haven’t already)
This year I’ve read both of Anthony Marra’s books, The Tsar of Love and Techno and A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. Both works were on so many ‘Best of’ lists the years they were published that I was wary, but I needn’t have worried. They both live up to the hype, especially The Tsar of … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: Why you should read Anthony Marra (if you haven’t already)
Let’s Talk about Manhattan Beach
I finished Jennifer Egan's Manhattan Beach yesterday, and I wish I had someone to talk to about it, spoilers and all. I’ve seen lots of lower-than-expected ratings for this book, but I generally thought they were due to most people only having read her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel A Visit from the Goon Squad. As a … Continue reading Let’s Talk about Manhattan Beach
Reader’s Journal: Norwegian by Night
At the age of 82, Sheldon Horowitz has been transplanted from Manhattan to Oslo, Norway. Sheldon's granddaughter Rhea brings Sheldon to Oslo to live with her and her husband Lars after the death of her grandmother, Mabel. Rhea believes, as did the late Mabel, that Sheldon is suffering from dementia that started when his son … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: Norwegian by Night
A Few Favorite Books of 2017 (So Far)
I have long been meaning to get back to this blog. Every book I read, I think, "This is a good one...so much to say!" And then I say nothing at all, just move on to the next book. I think part of my lack of drive has to do that I've almost dropped social … Continue reading A Few Favorite Books of 2017 (So Far)
Reader’s Journal: The Seas
Sometimes I feel like a mystery even to myself. When I went to the library a few weeks ago to pick up a bunch of holds, I thought for sure that the one book I had waited for the longest would knock my socks off (turns out I was wrong). If anything, I was probably … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: The Seas
Those Books I Cannot Deny
Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and The Bookish) this week asks us to list the top ten things that will make us instantly want to read a book. This is a tough one—I think next week’s topic about what makes us NOT want to pick up a book is easier—but I’ll give it … Continue reading Those Books I Cannot Deny
Sometimes I Just Can’t
Last Friday I picked up a book from the library that I put on hold five months ago. I was surprised to find it in my stack. (I may or may not have done a small fist pump of victory as I was leaving the library. I'm not a sporting person, so fist pumps go … Continue reading Sometimes I Just Can’t
The Evening Reader 