"Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali



My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been reading here (http://www.goodreads.com/) through other reviews, especially the ones who rated it low. Hirsi Ali has a way of remembering her childhood so vividly you feel you are experiencing it with her. You follow her emotional and rational life step by step until she reaches the point of apostasy.

For those who say Islam is similar to all religions, and time will soften the rough edges, I say look at her statistics. In just two regions of Holland they collected statistics of girls killed by their families in "honor killings" -- it came to 11 girls in one year -- out of what, 40 regions? In Holland? In this day and age? As she says, how long does a young girl have to wait? Looking at statistics from all over the world, I would agree with Hirsi Ali that this is a major issue of our time.



View all my reviews >>

Lionsgate releases "The Dead"

Lionsgate released "The Dead" on video to a chorus of complaints that 10 vital minutes in the beginning of the film were inexplicably missing.  They have recalled the DVD and will re-release the video later in November of 2009.

Here are some reasons to love this production:

James Joyce's "The Dead"—the final story in Dubliners—is considered one of the great short stories. It was also considered impossible to translate to film. It's a story of thoughts and interior monologues, a period piece without melodrama or pretty much anything in the way of action. The story climaxes with a middle-aged woman weeping over a memory of lost love triggered by hearing a folk song, and her husband ruminating to himself about the meaning of life. How could this ever be filmic and true to the spirit of Joyce?

It's the stuff of legend now—Huston directing from an oxygen tent, would not live to see the film's December 1987 release. His son, Tony, wrote the script (and received an Oscar nomination) and served as his father's assistant. Huston's daughter, Anjelica, was cast in the pivotal role of Gretta, and her scenes at the end—her quiet, pained reverie on hearing the song, and later, her emotional telling of the story of a young man who died for love of her—are just beautiful.

Donal McCann is very good as the slightly too-assured and responsible Gabriel. McCann is tasked with delivering the closing monologue, an almost five-minute speech taken almost verbatim from the story, which plays over simple scenes of a snowfall mixed shots of the actor's face and the character's thoughts and memories of the evening. Wisely, McCann and Huston let the words speak for themselves; as such, the words retain their power, unadorned.

Many of the roles are played by Irish stage actors and actresses (though Carroll is originally from Scotland), and their modestly heartfelt and authentic performances fit the bill very well. Huston's camera is unobtrusive, like another party guest, gliding from this face to that, panning slowly to an old woman's face as her eyes sparkle with the memory of an exceptional tenor she once heard, slipping at one point away and peeking around a room at the souvenirs of a life, the inconsequential things that tell so much about people. Huston knows these people, and he presents them with such affection. Through small talk and quiet interactions, Huston opens up an entire world, and by the end, these people are as familiar as they'd be if we'd always known them.

Castro Valley Library Grand Opening

Castro Valley Library Grand Opening

Review of "Cheri" for Netflix

I enjoyed this tremendously and Sal found it disturbing and somewhat boring. What can I say? I was madly in love with Colette and all her novels and writings as a teenager -- especially Cheri and the Last of Cheri. I felt Michelle Pfeiffer was a little too much the modern idea of a beautiful woman. I imagined Lea as a plush, comfortable woman (like Polly Walker from the series "Rome") who dealt with the loss of Cheri with more equanimity - as a woman ready to give up all the work of being constantly attractive to a man, letting herself go. Anyhow, the basic premise is fascinating -- a totally babied and cosseted young man is totally unprepared for life and cannot and will not face it. It is supposed to be a sad story. I thought Rupert Fried was perfect for the role. In fact, none of the reviews prepared me for the fact I did indeed very much enjoy this film though it could have been better.

Review of movie "Gone Baby Gone"

We watched this tonight while channel surfing. This was our second viewing of the movie and if possible, was even more engrossing because now we knew the ending, we could re-evaluate the whole story. This was a great movie! Casey Affleck was so good as the young, sure-of-himself young man, Amy Ryan perfection as the airhead, druggy mother. This was good casting for so many actors, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, and so much fun to see Michael K. Williams in another role after playing Omar in The Wire. The setting of Boston was a great realistic backdrop for the story. The basic conundrum of the story makes you feel sad for a long time. OCT09

Colds and Flu

THIS IS A KEEPER TO REFER TO

H1N1 flu is about to be upon us and we need to be on top of information regarding it. Here is a comparison to the normal cold symptoms that was sent to me. I'm not sure how accurate it is.

Know the Difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms

Fever -- Fever is rare with a cold. Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.

Coughing -- A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).

Aches -- Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold. Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.

Stuffy Nose -- Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week. Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.

Chills -- Chills are uncommon with a cold. 60% of people who have the flu experience chills.

Tiredness -- Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold. Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.

Sneezing -- Sneezing is commonly present with a cold. Sneezing is not common with the flu.

Sudden Symptoms -- Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days. The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.

Headache -- A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold. A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.

Sore Throat -- Sore throat is commonly present with a cold. Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.

Chest Discomfort -- Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold. Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

Cooking

I'm a lousy cook. Any recipe with more than 3 ingredients and over a paragraph of description and it becomes science fiction reading for me. My friend Dolores will often find an EXTREMELY simple recipe and give it to me. I love her pastina soup -- broth, pastina or orzo rice, shredded fresh zucchini -- boil a little, sprinkle on some parmesan. Heaven! I do love simple vegetable recipes (that's my assignment, along with cleanup). Sal usually decides what he'd like and cooks it and I always love it.

"Lean on Me" Twenty Years Later - Netflix Review

We saw this last night while channel surfing. It is hard to believe it's been twenty years since Morgan Freeman made this film. It is a rah-rah approach to the problems of the inner city schools, though, and time has proved the problem is more complicated, but Freeman is a joy to watch. His great sense of warmth and dignity may well be the reason we (some of us) feel comfortable with a black President. The story seems a little simplistic now -- for a real depiction of the problem of the decaying inner city school and the hapless students and teachers, you have to see "The Wire" -- season Four I think. Still, we enjoyed every minute of "Lean on Me" last night. The subject was discipline, not actual learning, but we are always suckers for this kind of story. OCT09

"Capitalism: A Love Story"

We fully support Michael Moore and always wish his films could be more successful. We came out of the theater yesterday feeling depressed. It is a sad situation -- the continuing and growing gap in this country between the very rich and the poor -- and the puzzling fact that the poor support the policies that are absolutely grinding them down and keeping them there. Moore genuinely cares that people should be given safeguards for their health, jobs and homes. But we felt he is making a weaker case for his views with each film he makes. We wanted so much for "Sicko" to have been a better film for instance. "Capitalism" misses the mark somehow. Despite his valiant efforts, I can't see the very people he is trying to help abandoning Fox News, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Lou Dobbs, Pat Buchanan, Sarah Palin. These people have a firm grip on the psyche of people who want to blame their problems on immigrants, "welfare cheats", people who are pro-choice, Hollywood degeneration of morals and god knows what else rather than see that they are being manipulated. Still, he keeps trying. We can only hope he doesn't give up. But the subject here, especially the specifics of the Bailout/Goldman Sachs, etc. seems too big, too global. Moore is hoping that people wake up, take control, stay in their homes, fight the system. He interviews several churchmen who discuss how greed and the tenets of Christianity don't mix. We need Michael Moore. I wish more people had been in the theater yesterday when we saw the movie.

Tosca Simulcast - with touches of Eurotrash

First I have to say we thought Saturday's (October 10) simulcast of Tosca at the Hayward Theater (I hope not too many more people will discover this wonderful place to see Opera) was the most exciting, emotional and physical production of Tosca we have ever seen! After reading the Tommasini (New York Times) and Ross (New Yorker) reviews we thought we were going to hate it.


ACT ONE: Too dark, but Karita Mattila and Marcelo Alvarez just tore up the stage with their passionate singing -- you could believe these were two mature lovers who adored each other. It was annoying that the painting Cavaradossi was working on, a Madonna, had one bare breast, nipple obvious. Well, you try to ignore it -- the singing is so good. When Gagnidze comes on as Scarpia, he is gangbusters!!!! A large figure at the head of the stairs with touches of Javert and Mussolini! Great presence, great voice (remember we are talking movie theater here). The Te Deum a bit of a downer with too many people squeezed into a little space. Did Scarpia have to kiss the black Madonna? Oh well, try to ignore that.

ACT TWO: Scarpia is terrific,but do they have to show him dallying with prostitutes? His great aria is sung with one blond lady obviously giving him a blow job. Worst thing in the opera to me. Totally distracting and annoying. Tosca/Mattila is wonderful. The death scene is OK. Wouldn't want to see it that way again, though. And Alex Ross is right, after the murder she just dithers around. Downer.

ACT Three -- kind of a downer watching the soldiers march around pointing their rifles. I liked the productions that show morning sun coming up over the ramparts of the Castel Sant'Angelo -- and it makes the shepherd's song more moving. Again, Mattila and Alvarez tear up the stage, though it somehow deflates his last arias with stage business. The ending is weird with Tosca stuck in mid-air. I'm glad Ross warned us about this. Also, Ross was right that she can't attack the blood-curdling verbal thrusts such as, "Davanti a lui tremava tutta Roma" (I love that Steve Dimick uses this line to prove that Scarpia's first name is Louie). Anyhow, her softer diction slurs over these -- but that's OK, she is a wonderful Tosca. We used to have (probably still do, somewhere in the garage) several old 33 1/3 recordings of Tosca and Leontyne Price won the prize for her shriek of "Mario, Mario" when she discovers he is dead.

Ah, we Tosca nuts are legion.

The intermission interviews were just wonderful too. Loved Susan Graham. Loved that she pointed out that Mattila was wearing brown contact lenses over her blue eyes to make Tosca a latin beauty.

The whole experience restores your faith in art and life.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Netflix Review

We got really misty-eyed. This movie (made for TV) might be manipulative and sentimental but it hits a strong chord. Dermot Mulroney gives up his Downs Syndrome baby because he had a tragedy in his past with a baby sister who had it. Emily Watson plays a woman who keeps and raises the baby.  The baby  brings her great happiness (and difficulties too). Mulroney's wife is gradually distanced from her miserable, conflicted husband. Their son grows up confused by the problems in his parents' lives. I haven't read the book, probably won't. But this is a powerful and satisfying movie. What's the moral? Maybe that being open with your closest loved ones and sharing the decisions is not always easy to do. OCT09

San Francisco Opera's Il Trovatore

We saw Trovatore this Saturday night (September 19) -- it might be the only time we buy tickets this year, though I hope to see some dress rehearsals. We hope the people at the Ball Park enjoyed it as much as we did.

We saw three International Treasures sing, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Stephanie Blythe and the truly phenomenal Sondra Radanovsky. Her arias brought both Sal and I to memories of the days when we had season tickets in the 70's and 80's and saw (heard) the likes of Leontyne Price, Placido Domingo, Marilyn Horne, Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballe! She was just magnificent and her soaring "D'amor sull'ali rosee" brought tears to our eyes. Hvorostovsky was wonderful too in his signature aria, "Il Balen". We'd heard he was having voice problems, but we couldn't see (hear) it.

The staging was fine, but the costumes were iffy. Stephanie Blythe certainly didn't look like a gypsy -- no bangles, no earrings, no black stuff. She looked more than an amiable washerwoman who had come in from a production about the French Revolution. Marco Berti was good, but couldn't they have tarted him up a bit? A girdle, dark hair -- I know he's chubby, but when Leonora throws her life away for Manrico when sexy, virile, exciting Count De Luna is standing there radiating excitement (Hvorostovsky) it makes you wonder if she doesn't have a screw loose.

The fixed curtain/scrim (don't know what you call it) was wonderful with a huge copy of I think a Goya masterpiece of tortured, twisted faces.

I have included links to a couple of magnificent Youtube arias. It would be worth it to get a great audio system for your computer with woofer, and a good big screen. You might never go back to TV!!!



http://tinyurl.com/ngt4my Radanovsky sings "D'amor sull'ali rosee"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81z1YzH_994&feature=related



Radanovsky and Hvorostovsky, last act aria

My Reply to the Viral Email

I find this letter upsetting, especially coming from a loved relative. Why would someone spend such effort to encourage fear, confusion and lies at such a difficult time for our country as this is? I really wonder if the right wing is just hoping that Obama is shot and killed.


AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
written by Lou Pritchett
former Proctor and Gamble Executive

Dear President Obama:

You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived
and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.

You scare me because after months of exposure, I know
nothing about you.
 How could you know nothing about Obama? Unless you choose to ignore the continual press and exposure day after day and believe only the anti-Obama websites? There are many responsible Republicans who try to fight this flood of smear — even McCain had to chastise a woman who called Obama a Muslim and not to be trusted. Even George Will says he knows too much about Obama and wishes he would stay out of the news!!!

You scare me because I do not know how you paid for
your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale
lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.

 The Obamas had student loans, grants and scholarships to pay for their education. The smears that suggest Israeli agents or Muslim big shots paid are unbelievable and have not a shred of proof. Almost until Obama ran for President he was paying off his student loans. The hundreds of thousands of dollars he earned on his two best selling novels helped a lot.


You scare me because you did not spend the formative years
of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not
an American.
 Obama grew up with his WHITE MOTHER in Hawaii, with a few younger years in Indonesia. Formative years begin when? In one of Obama’s speeches he talked about how his mother got him up early to go over homework. When he complained she said, “Well, it isn’t any picnic for me either buster!”. This sounds pretty American to me.

You scare me because you have never run a company or met
a payroll.
 This is an old right wing conservative whine. I’m not sure how many of our presidents ran companies or met payrolls. Unless you count Bush who managed to bankrupt companies.

You scare me because you have never had military
experience, thus don't understand it at its core.
 Another bunch of baloney. Did Reagan ever carry a gun into battle? Obama kept Secretary of Defense Robert Gates when the Bush Administration left. It sounds as if he knows where to go to FIND military experience.

You scare me because you lack humility and
'class', always blaming others.

 Where is the proof of this? He has bent over backwards to listen to the people in the Congress who disagree with him. He has apologized on more than one occasion. This is ridiculous filler to me.

You scare me because for over half your life you have
aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and
you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to
see America fail.
 Obama’s first jobs were with poor black neighborhoods in Chicago. He was Editor of the Harvard Law Review in College. Harvard is hardly a hotbed of radicals who wish to see America fail!

You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the
'blame America ' crowd and deliver this message abroad.
 Obama went overseas and helped restore America’s image after a battering from the Bush Administration. When did he ever “Blame America”? He is a cheerleader for America, for Americans, for our values, inventiveness, hardwork and respect for other peoples of the world. I’m particularly proud of him for this.

You scare me because you want to change America to a
European style country where the government sector dominates
instead of the private sector.
Where again is the proof of this? After a colossal failure of our economy and after years of greed and mismanagement a crisis came while the BUSH ADMINISTRATION WAS STILL IN OFFICE!!!! Obama and his administration continued the Bush policies and poured money into the banks and the private economy to keep us from sliding into full scale Depression. How does this make us like a European Country? How is the government dominating? Obama has critics on his own side who wanted him to give government a bigger role.

You scare me because you want to replace our health care
system with a government controlled one.
This is one of the biggest lies of all. Obama doesn’t want to replace our health care system. He wants to make it fair. He wants to make the insurance companies be fair and not deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and drop people (who thought they had insurance) from having coverage just when it comes time to need it. Obama and many experienced health care experts including most doctors and hospitals know it is time, past time, to do something.
The idea of having a small piece of the pie be a “public” portion (like Medicare) doesn’t seem to be anything like a takeover of the whole system. Who is spewing these smears? Who stands to lose if things are cleaned up? Insurance Companies do you think? What is truly truly amazing is that the people who are buying this misinformation are just the people who would benefit from a better health care system!!!!!!!

You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills'
to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale
reserves.
 The Obama Administration is working WITH the oil and natural resources people to beef up our protections and from ruining the environment (and our serious dependence on foreign oil). The Oil and Gas people are not yelling from the rooftops because they know better than anyone hat needs to be done. There’s a lot more going on than “windmills” — this is trivializing the problem.

You scare me because you want to kill the American
capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the
highest standard of living in the world.
 Obama knows full well the workings of the capitalist system and is trying to strengthen them. Unfettered capitalism just recently ran on the rocks and needed a boost and got it from the Obama Administration. Many of our biggest capitalists want free markets when it suits them and the “socialization of risk” when things go bad — when the banks run out of money due to crazy loan practices. When millions of people are foreclosed and states go bankrupt, someone has to step up. Who else but government? Also see the Savings and Loan Scandals. Forty million people with no health coverage and families going broke to finance catastrophic health disasters might question the “highest standard of living in the world” statement. Maybe for those people in gated communities.

You scare me because you have begun to use
'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.
 During the meltdown pressure was put on Bank of America to buy Merrill Lynch. Is this what this means? I don’t think people realize now how close our whole system was to coming down, going over the edge with no money in any banks and no way to restart the economy. As for companies like GM and the auto industry meltdown, something had to be done and quickly. No one is accusing the Obama Administration of helping the unions too much!

You scare me because your own political party shrinks
from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible
spending proposals.
 Three words, “Blue Dog Democrats.” Not that I like it. Even Diane Feinstein has said spending that mandates programs for California (which is seriously hurting economically) without providing the funds will not meet with her approval. But this is a long way from agreeing that Obama’s spending proposals are “wild and irresponsible.” I hate to think what this guy would say if Obama did nothing to stem the disaster. Wimp?

You scare me because you will not openly listen to or
even consider opposing points of view from intelligent
people.
 This is ridiculous. Obama has had a steady STREAM of opposing viewpoint visit the White House and talk at length to him and his Administration. Some of his own party thinks he listens to opposing viewpoint TOO much.

 You scare me because you falsely believe that you are
both omnipotent and omniscient.
 I fail to see the truth of this statement. In an emergency he consulted with members of the previous AND new administration before taking action.


You scare me because the media gives you a free pass
on everything you do.
 I don’t see this. If anything, I think the media bends over backwards to present “both sides of an issue” to the point where sometimes they balance an intelligent point of view with sheer idiocy just to prove they are being “fair and balanced” — except for Fox News, of course.

 You scare me because you demonize and want to silence
the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who
offer opposing, conservative points of view.
This isn’t true either. How has he ever “demonized” these people? How has he ever tried to silence them? He may not like them, but he has always answered their criticisms fairly — such as the attempt to keep him from speaking to schoolchildren as Reagan and Carter did.

 You scare me because you prefer controlling over
governing.
I fail to understand this comment. We still have three branches of government.

 Finally,
you scare me because if you serve a second term I
will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8
years.
Let’s hope we have a chance to find out (if you haven’t encouraged some nut case to shoot him before that day comes). I think our chances are better to express our views openly with Obama in office than with Dick Cheney for instance.

Lou Pritchett

This is a retired Proctor and Gamble Executive (Lou Pritchett) as the Snopes “True Check” shows. Big deal, the man himself is real, nothing he says has been proven by Snopes or anyone else. The email goes on to say: “All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.” He suggests this is why his letter should be forwarded on and on. It was enough to motivate me to do something.

TRUE CHECK:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/youscareme.asp


This letter was sent to the NY Times but they
never acknowledged it. Big surprise! Since it hit
the internet, however, it has had over 500,000
hits.
Keep it going. All that is necessary for evil to
succeed is that good men do nothing. It's happening
right now.

The Proctor and Gamble Viral Email

> > Please read, even if you are an Obama fan. It
> > is legitimate, written by respected, Lou Prichett, formerly of
> > Proctor and Gamble. Lou Pritchett is one of corporate
> > America's true living legends- an acclaimed author, dynamic
> > teacher and one of the world's highest rated
> > speakers.
> >
> > Successful corporate executives everywhere recognize
> >20him as the foremost leader in change management. Lou
> > changed the way America does business by creating an audacious
> concept that came to be known as "partnering. " Pritchett
> > rose from soap salesman to Vice-President, Sales and Customer
Development for Procter and Gamble and over the course
> > of 36 years, made corporate history.
> >
> >
> > AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
> >
> > Dear President Obama:
> >
> > You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived
> > and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.
> >
> >You scare me because after months of exposure, I know
> > nothing about you.
> >
> >You scare me because I do not know how you paid for
> > your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale
> > lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.
> >
> >You scare me because you did not spend the formative years
> > of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not
> > an American.
> >
> >You scare me because you have never run a company or met
> > a payroll.
> >
> >You scare me because you have never had military
> > experience, thus don't understand it at its core.
> >
> >You scare me because you lack humility and
> > 'class', always blaming others.
> >
> >You scare me because for over half your life you have
> > aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and
> > you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to
> > see America fail.
> >
> >You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the
> > 'blame America ' crowd and deliver this message abroad.
> >
> >You scare me because you want to change America to a
> > European style country where the government sector dominates
> > instead of the private sector.
> >
> >You scare me because you want to replace our health care
> > system with a government controlled one.
> >
> >You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills'
> > to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale
> > reserves.
> >
> >You scare me because you want to kill the American
> > capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the
> > highest standard of living in the world.
> >
> >You scare me because you have begun to use
> > 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.
> >
> >You scare me because your own political party shrinks
> > from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible
> > spending proposals.
> >
> >You scare me because you will not openly listen to or
> > even consider opposing points of view from intelligent
> > people.
> >
> >You scare me because you falsely believe that you are
> > both omnipotent and omniscient.
> >
> >You scare me because the media gives you a free pass
> > on everything you do.
> >
> >You scare me because you demonize and want to silence
> > the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who
> > offer opposing, conservative points of view.
> >
> >You scare me because you prefer controlling over
> > governing.
> >
> >Finally,
> >you scare me because if you serve a second term I
> > will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8
> > years.
> >
> >Lou Pritchett
> >
> > TRUE CHECK:
> http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/youscareme.asp
>
> >
> >This letter was sent to the NY Times but they
> > never acknowledged it. Big surprise! Since it hit
> > the internet, however, it has had over 500,000
> > hits.
> > Keep it going. All that is necessary for evil to
> > succeed is that good men do nothing. It's happening
> > right now.

Maureen Dowd - New York Times

She tells it as it is.

Oleander, Jacaranda

Oleander, Jacaranda: A Childhood Perceived by Penelope Lively


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is one of those unadulterated joys. Penelope Lively shares her emotions, feelings, confusions and sensations on being a young child growing up an English Expatriate in a warm, rich cultural climate (Egypt) with free rein to explore and think and absorb impressions. This is a memoire, of course, I had only read her exquisite fiction before, but this is a treasure to read.

View all my reviews >>

Book Club - "Bone"

Bone: A Novel by Fae Myenne Ng


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
We read this as a book group selection this September ('09). Our group had mixed feelings but I thought it well worth reading. The story is so personal and immediate. It seems as if it is a memoire. The action takes place in San Francisco, the family is stuck between first and immigrant generations. I felt the honesty and confusion of these people and the author. The problems of making a living, keeping ties to the family are strongly portrayed. The author has some lovely language, but mostly it is a day to day portrayal of people struggling mightily with understanding each other, why one daughter jumped off a building to her death, why the father, Leong, could not find a secure place in the economic order. The mother, father, three sisters and the "sewing ladies" draw us into the daily life of a San Francisco life.

View all my reviews >>

Still Alice

Still Alice by Lisa Genova


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I just gobbled this book up. "Still Alice" was suggested by the Goodreads discussion group and I thank them for it. This was a story written from the point of view of a 50 year old Harvard professor with early onset Alzheimer's. Though we have lived with the long decline of a neighbor and friend, I felt I learned a great deal from this book. For instance, despite the loss of language and despite the confusion, Alice still felt very strongly the emotional climate of her family -- in fact was especially sensitive to physical clues of her loved ones and friends. She developed a closeness to her actress daughter lacking in her life before. Her daughter was able to learn things from her mother that helped her in her life and career. Yes, it's a sad story, but well worth reading -- simply written, clear, humorous and caring.


View all my reviews >>

July Book Group Reading

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is my first time reading Margaret Atwood and I enjoyed the book. I don't think I would have chosen it if it hadn't been a Book Group selection -- which is one of the wonderful reasons to belong to a good book group. The book was a "grabber" which means in my lexicon that when you start it, you have to finish it. The writing was beautiful, leisurely and evocative. My favorite parts of the book were the scenes of life in the city and country in Canada in the 1860's. I loved one description of a maid's duties first thing in the morning -- emptying the chamber pot, starting the fire, pumping water from the well, feeding the chickens and horses, milking. With her descriptions of the weather, the scents of the countryside -- it was delightful. The mystery was well done, the characters all interesting and fully formed. There were enough layers of meaning and suggestion in the work to make for a good discussion and varying points of view.


View all my reviews.

June Book Club Reading

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a wonderful book I think, but I'm not sure why I respond to it so strongly. I've been waiting several days to post my review and though I'm still unsure what it all means, here goes. First of all, the language is beautifully spare and evocative. Consider this passage:



" 'Lucy is our benefactor' says Petrus. A distasteful word it seems to him (i.e. David), double-edged, souring the moment. The language he draws on with such aplomb is, if he only knew it, tired, friable, eaten from the inside as if by termites. Only the monosyllables can still be relied on, and not even all of them."



David Lurie is a man who refuses to be accountable for his actions and his daughter Lucy is almost too accountable -- trying to deal with disgrace by taking on the problems of South Africa by abasing herself, going with the "flow" as it were. Our experience of living in Africa showed us how complicated a white person's response to a black person can be. Add in a little guilt and people do strange things. Incidentally, in the book when the character of Petrus is introduced, the author doesn't mention he is black -- the reader has to assume. The role that the dogs play is still a bit mysterious to me -- are they the lower rung of man's inhumanity to man? Does David begin to assume responsibility at this point? I'm still puzzled by his giving up his favorite dog at the last. Anyone who wants to email me their thoughts can reach me at greenridge10@comcast.net!!!


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