Ok, this is part one of me trying to catch up with my reviews of books. I've been reading a ton over the summer and haven't had the time or inclination to jot down any notes. More to come...
Fiction...
"The City and the City" by China Mieville is classic Mieville but this time he spins the story as a detective novel. Two cities are occupying the same space (and maybe a third one is there too?) and the cop on the beat trying to solve a murder has to navigate the differences, the blindnesses, the seen and unseen while crisscrossing the borders. Kind of slight, but I enjoyed it.
"Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri is a collection of short stories about growing up as the first generation of indians in a new land, and the family expectations and realities that go along with the challenge. Good writing by the author of "The Namesake."
"Sandman Slim" by Richard Kadrey is just a playful take on going to hell and coming back (because you're just too much of a badass to be left in hell) to clear things up (particularly around the murder of your girl).
"My friend Leonard" by James Frey is a follow up to his story about being put in a rehab center. In this case it's about the friend he made in there that helped him after he left. Leonard is a character that is rich from dubious means, forceful, connected, loves a fine wine and a good meal, and tries hard to get James back on track. I don't think it hit me with the power of "A million little pieces" but James is a good writer so I'll read anything he makes (though I liked it better when I thought all his stories were true).
"Angel's Game" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a story about lovers of books, writers of words, Barcelona, the Devil, star crossed lovers, and a haunted house on a hill. A good book by a very good writer.
"The Magicians" by Lev Grossman is the first book I've read by this author and overall it was enjoyable and engaging. I wasn't entirely happy with the ending (in fact the latter half of the book seems to wallow a bit in things). It is the coming of age story of a teen who practices magic and stumbles into a secret world of real magicians, schools for budding sorcerers, and all of the usual troubles of becoming an adult (heightened by the fact that these particular young adults can kinda do anything). Feels like its trying to have its cake and eat it too in a sense because it wants to be another Harry Potter, but wants to do it in a sort of knowing, adult, referentially cool way too. On balance worth reading if you like a flight of fantasy in the streets of New York.
Non-Fiction...
"Eiffel's Tower" by Jill Jonnes is a history lesson in world fairs, building the impossible, learning about the unknown world of a newly discovered and robust new country, cowboys and indians, and the art and politics of engineering. Fun read if you're interested in Eiffel, his tower, Buffalo Bill, or Annie Oakley (who was the most surprising part of the story). Kinda reminds me of "The Devil and the White City," minus the serial killer, but plus the occasional nubian king offering to buy the pretty lady with the straight shooting style.
"My Life in France" by Julia Child is a wonderful snapshot of the rigor and science of french cooking (and the social dynamics and vibrant lives of Julia and her husband and all of her friends). She was a pioneer. It is also a quiet story of a lifetime of love. Worth reading even if you don't cook.
"The Age of Wonder" by Richard Holmes is a bit long and drawn out (with many asides to poets and parallels between poetry, writing, and the romantic age of science) but worth the read. It basically covers the next generation of scientists (the first to call themselves scientists rather than natural philosophers in fact) after Isaac Newton. It follows a brother and sister who literally mapped most of the night sky throughout their lives (discovering Uranus and too many other celestial bodies to count) all via telescopes that they hand made in the basements and workshops of their home. It also touches on the discovery of Tahiti by the western world, the first aeronauts who took to the sky in balloons made of silk, and the general period of time where any mildly wealthy lay about could discover something fundamental about the world.
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