Great satirical novel about race and culture in modern America...

 

 

The Sellout by Paul Beatty

Satirical Fiction, Paperback

289 pages

4 1/2 out of 5 stars ★★★★1/2

 

 

A brilliant novel that is more than worthy of your time. Awarded the Man Booker Prize and named one of the best books of 2015 by Newsweek and The New York Times, The Sellout is a satirical riff on race and culture in modern America. Paul Beatty writes with such a sharp wit that it's hard to imagine how he was able to sustain that kind of genius, but to be sure, he was able to do just that. From start to finish, Beatty achieves brilliance, creating a story, characters, and dialogue that will not disappoint. For anyone looking for a unique, enormously entertaining, and funny take on race in today's America that never dips into disrespect or irrelevance, then The Sellout is deserving of being placed on your 'to read' list.

West with the Night -- The beautifully compelling memoir of adventurer, aviatrix, Beryl Markham





West with the Night by Beryl Markham
Memoir, Paperback
294 Pages
5 out of 5 stars

My previous post was about a historical novel about adventurer, aviatrix, Beryl Markham.  This post is about her memoir.

Beryl Markham's lyrically beautiful memoir, WEST WITH THE NIGHT, speaks so movingly of the wonder that was and I suppose still is in many ways, Africa, that it would be unjust not to be humbled.  Markham was an English born adventurer; a woman ahead of her time; an acclaimed  horse trainer, and the first person, man or woman to fly solo from West to East.  Born at the beginning of the 20^th century, Beryl was formed as much by her circumstances as by her surroundings.  Abandoned  by her mother, she was raised by her unconventional horse-training father in modern day Kenya.  Her father's love of horses was passed on to her, leading her to be the first woman in Africa to receive her horse training license.  A  non-conformist by nature, Beryl engaged where others were tentative.  She didn't shy from the unknown; she thrilled  in it.  If a memoir is to be worth its weight, the person writing it must  have a life worth telling.  This indeed was the case with Beryl Markham.  It seemed she was one of those unique individuals who was able to master whatever she set out to achieve...first with horses, then with planes, and finally, with writing.  It was Ernest Hemingway who openly and famously expressed admiration and envy for her writing style. 

WEST WITH THE NIGHT is in many ways a  commentary not only on Africa, but on life.  It seems the spiritual ties Markham felt to the land of Africa were very much seeped into her being.  This certainly came through in the style of her prose.  Her passages were often deeply moving and thoughtful, while at other times, shaped by sharp wit and humor.  I found myself rereading certain phrases repeatedly because of their profound nature.  When a book can move you to that level, it's something worth recommending. For me, only Alan Paton's CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY speaks as majestically to the soul, bringing Africa alive with such passionate intensity that it would be impossible not to be moved.  There are very few books that I give 5 stars ratings.  Beryl Markham's WEST WITH THE NIGHT is certainly deserving of that and much worse.  Her friend Isak Dinesen's memoir OUT OF AFRICA may have achielved more notoriety, but of the two, I much prefer Markham's.  The depth of her connection to and understanding of Africa is unparalleled.  In many ways, Beryl and Dinesen were both trailblazing women, but it's Markham who, to me, had the greater grasp of depth and lyricism.  WEST WITH THE NIGHT is a magnum opus of spiritual beauty, wonder, and adventure.  To me, it's a MUST read.

Circling the Sun -- Historical Fiction

     

4 1/2 - 5 stars
Paperback, 363 pages

In the hands of the right author, historical fiction transports the reader into the past so seamlessly that one begins to not only imagine the time period in which the story is set, but to also become a part of it.  Paula McLain has done just that in her vivid portrayal of the extraordinary life of adventurer Beryl Markham.  I'd previously read McLain's work, having enjoyed her novel, THE PARIS WIFE, about Ernest Hemingway's first wife, but found CIRCLING THE SUN infinitely more powerful.  McLain seems to BE Beryl Markham in this beautifully written historical fiction memoir.  Her first person voice works perfectly as we the reader hear Beryl speak to us in almost poetic tones about her unconventional upbringing and coming of age in Kenya at the beginning of the twentieth century.  Readers might find it interesting to know that Beryl was involved in a relationship with the already involved Denys Fitch Hatton of OUT OF AFRICA fame -- the same man whose love inspired Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen) to pen her autobiographical book of that name.

Perhaps McLain's greatest gift is her ability to get into the heart and mind of her central characters.  She doesn't just get at the essence of who Beryl Markham may have been, but more precisely, it's as if she became Beryl Markham. You can sense Beryl's bravery, complexity, and impetuosity. She was a maverick; a woman well ahead of her time.  Beryl defied convention, becoming the first licensed horse trainer in Africa, one of the first females to earn her aviator license, and perhaps most noteworthy, becoming the first woman to fly solo from east to west.  Later, like Karen Blixen to whom she befriended in Kenya, Beryl would write her own memoir, WEST WITH THE NIGHT, for which Ernest Hemingway envied for her writing style.

McLain's writing is so beautifully compelling that I felt very much in the time and place in which Beryl lived.  Ironically, it was in CIRCLING THE SUN more than Blixen's OUT OF AFRICA that I felt transported back to British colonial Kenya, feeling and understanding Beryl's pull to the equally independent and strong-minded Denys Fitch Hatton.  There is an almost lyrical ring to McLain's phrasing...deep, real, profound, and moving.  It would be impossible for this book not to have a lasting impact on the reader.

I like books that are well written.  Certainly, CIRCLING THE SUN is well researched and crafted, but more than that, it seeped into my psyche in such a way that I felt only a greater interest in learning more about its fascinating subject.  I highly recommend this book to readers of not only historical fiction, but of simply good writing and compelling storytelling.  Beryl Markham was a singularly impressive real life person worth the time to get to know.  In McLain's hands, you'll come to be grateful for the introduction.
                                                 
                                               
                                     

Two astoundingly beautiful novels on the theme of enduring love...

This post reviews two books about love that spans a lifetime; love that endures and overcomes impossible circumstances and insurmountable odds.  The first novel, Alyson Richman's The Lost Wife, is loosely based on the details of two young lovers in pre-WWII Europe who are torn apart as a result of Hitler's aggression and quest for his unholy annihilation of the Jews.  In the second novel, Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez takes the reader on a mystical journey to explore the notion of a patient, sustaining love that is willing to wait out time and circumstances to see love through to it's fruitful end.  Love in the Time of Cholera is Gabriel Garcia Marquez's masterpiece, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in Literature. Both novels reviewed here are lyrically beautiful, reminding the reader that there are times when writers know the power of their words, not just in theme, but in phrasing as well.

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The Lost Wife - A Novel by Alyson Richman -- Historical Fiction

4 1/2 - 5 stars ¶¶¶¶¶
Paperback, 368 pgs.

One of the most beautifully written, moving historical fiction novels I have ever read. The book deserves its 4 1/2 - 5 star rating. Alyson Richman evokes magic in her telling of the love story of Lenka and Josef, two Czechoslovakian Jews whose fate is determined by forces beyond their control.

Richman effectively pulls the reader in by creating interesting characters and an equally compelling story. It is hard to fathom what the Jewish population in Europe had to endure during the reign of terror under the Third Reich, but Richman does a more than admirable job. Her research is flawless and serves as a true testament to what those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis endured. The spirit and courage that the Jews possessed is documented well in this book.

For anyone who loves historical fiction, especially set in the era of WWII, this book is for you. The added bonus is that the story is written beautifully and with such a depth of compassion that you will find yourself forever changed after having read it. If that is not the true mark of outstanding writing, then I don't know what is.

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Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez -- Fiction

4 ½ - 5 stars ¶¶¶¶¶; Paperback, 348 pgs.

It took me a long time to get to this book only because my last experience with Gabriel Garcia Marquez was a disappointment (A Hundred Years of Solitude).  I'm glad I didn't let my previous disappointment dissuade me from reading this thoroughly breathtaking masterpiece.  Love in the Time of Cholera is a timeless love story that spans a lifetime, one that will speak to any soul open to the idea of never-ending, true love. In many ways, Love in the Time of Cholera is a love letter to a time and place that seems almost mystical in nature.  It's the kind of magic that I suspect had much to do with the reason why this book won the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature.  Sprinkled in the tale is some of the humor for which Gabriel Garcia Marquez was known.  But, unlike A Hundred Years of Solitude, the humor is not nonsensical or distracting. In Love in the Time of Cholera, the humor is endearingly connected to the love which compels the story forward.  I almost gave this book 5 stars, and in many ways, it deserves that rating.  Suffice it to say, Love in the Time of Cholera is the kind of book that will stay with you long after the last page has been read.

Boys in the Trees: A Memoir by Carly Simon -- Celebrity Memoir

¶¶¶¶ 4 out of 5 stars; Hardcover, 384 pgs.

It's clear from reading Carly Simon's memoir, Boys in the Trees, that Simon has an ear for lyricism. There is an almost poetic resonance to her words that goes to the heart of her life's journey. I've read other memoirs by celebrities, but probably none better written than Ms. Simon's. 

One gets the sense from reading Boys in the Trees: A Memoir that Simon has the ability to reflect on her life in a way that has not only allowed her insight, but also an inner peace. Through her writing, the reader can almost see Simon coming to terms with some of her life's circumstances -- circumstances that might have more readily, negatively impacted a less rounded person. In fact, it's refreshing to witness Simon's openness; her willingness to take the reader through her insecurities and struggles. Such openness might be deemed gratuitous in a less humble, grounded celebrity, but in the hands of Carly Simon, it comes across as evolved and admirable. 

Perhaps the most moving, beautiful portions of the book have to do with Simon's reflections on the years she shared with ex-husband and fellow musician James Taylor. Even when writing of periods that don't necessarily reflect kindly on her or him, she seems to have taken almost reverent care in evoking her memories of those years of her life. In a way, it's as if the reader is left free to consider that despite all the years that envelope the period of their meeting, marriage, break-up, and subsequent years, Simon still cares deeply for the man. 

I'm glad I read Boys in the Trees. In truth, I've always been a bigger fan of James Taylor's music than Simon's, but, if anything, this book has me revisiting her music with a fresh ear and newfound respect.

Carly Simon is rightly placed among the preeminent singer-songwriters of the 1970's. Whether you like her music or not, Boys in the Trees is a good read -- moving, meaningful, and deep.

Passionate Minds by David Bodanis -- Historic Biography

¶¶¶¶¶ 5 out of 5 stars; Paperback 384 pgs.

     A masterpiece of work by David Bodanis, Passionate Minds is the real-life retelling of the life of the astounding eighteenth century woman, Emilie du Chatelet, and the love affair she shared with perhaps the greatest known man from the Enlightenment -- Voltaire.  This book was recommended to me by my sister.  As I began to read, it became quickly evident that Du Chatelet was unfairly overshadowed by Voltaire in regard to the impact she had on the Enlightenment.  Here is a woman who defied the customs of her day to seek mathematical and scientific discoveries of the world and universe, all with the handicap of not being afforded the great education that was provided to men during her lifetime.  She not only survived in a man's world, she out-did the quickest minds of the men who ruled it.  Hers was a mind of passionate wonder.  Indeed, Bodanis seems to paint his subjects with a flair for understanding that both Du Chatelet and Voltaire were passionate human beings, driven towards each other and towards greater scientific discovery by an inner voice that guided them to become more than what their original stations in life seemed to offer them.

     Voltaire, a commoner, defied the bounds of his class to become the greatest playwright and wordsmith the French had ever seen, later to find himself among the elites of the French and Prussian courts.  And, despite Emilie du Chatelet's birth into an influential, aristocratic family, the time in which she was born indicated that limits would be placed upon her solely because of her gender.  Both would reach beyond the bounds of these circumstances to unite in their mutual search for scientific discovery.  Emilie's husband, understanding of her need to use her mind for greater gifts, not only seemed to encourage her need for intellectual pursuits, but seemed more than willing to accept and support her relationship with Voltaire.

     In Passionate Minds, one cannot help but note that there always seemed a sense of insecurity with Voltaire.  History paints him as a man of words, science, and moral acumen.  Bodanis provides enough evidence to suggest Voltaire was indeed secure in his greatness, but goes further to describe Voltaire as a boastful man who was sometimes stymied by vanity and insecurity; a man willing to take credit when credit was not solely his due.  Bodanis paints Emilie, on the other hand, as a passionate intellectual, who was brilliant in languages, astronomy, physics, and mathematics.  If given her proper due from history, history would see that she was perhaps the intellectual equal of the men whom she studied -- notably John Locke, Sir Isaac Newton, and Gottfried Wilheim von Leibniz; certainly she was intellectually more superior to Voltaire (Bodanis goes as far to suggest that this truth was known by Voltaire himself and perhaps was one of the major factors that eventually led the insecure Voltaire to break his affair with Emilie).

     Emilie du Chatelet's story is one filled with passionate love affairs and intellectual endeavors and discovery.  Her teaming with Voltaire was most fruitful, providing for each a safe haven in which they could engage in their scientific labors of love.  Their story is not free of disappointments, however, and most certainly, it was Du Chatelet who was at the receiving end  of the more heart-breaking let downs that would ultimately lead to her death.  Even her once beloved Voltaire was not exempt from hurting her, but through it all, what remained was a friendship, devotion, and bond that stood against all disappointments and betrayals. 

     It is sad that Emilie du Chatelet is most noted in history as the lover of Voltaire.  Bodanis attempts to change Du Chatelet as a footnote in history to a more relevant character by introducing us to the true genius that she was.  Her translation of Newton's work stands the test of time and is proof of her greatness.  The work she did and the discovers she made would set the foundation for other great minds, most notably, Albert Einstein (in fact, Bodanis discovered Du Chatelet while researching his book, E=mc2).  Emilie was superior to Voltaire and any of the mathematical and scientific men of her day in the breadth and depth of her intellectual prowess and understanding.

     Bodanis should be commended for shedding more light on the amazingly astounding Emilie du Chatelet.  Through Bodanis's Passionate Minds, I hope the world finally pays due respect to the wonderful, richly fascinating historical figure that was Emilie du Chatelet.

A new book review blog for discerning readers...

Being an avid reader, I've always found thoughtfully written book reviews as a great way to discover new reading material.  Any voracious reader will be able to discern a worthy book based on how difficult it is to put down.  Many of us have had many a sleepless night thanks to a good page-turner.   Great writing is that elusive gift a talented writer brings to the page in the form of compelling storytelling.  This blog is devoted to the discriminating reader -- the one drawn to the written word through imaginative or well composed stories.  Stories may be engaging in a didactic or entertaining way (or both), but no matter what, a good story compels us to continue to read.  And, if a story is compelling enough, it can stay with us long after the last page has been read.  In fact, isn't that the true mark of a great book?  Those that are lastingly impressionable and formative are those we find ourselves more often than not sharing with those around us, inviting through the statement, "Boy, do I have a great book for you!"  I hope this blog will serve as a way for readers to discover new books, and perhaps, in the process, find themselves opening up to books they might not have considered reading previously.

Because I enjoy history, the reader of this blog may notice that many of the books reviewed are either historical fiction or historical non-fiction.  This is not to say that all the books reviewed here will have their roots in history, but it is worth noting, especially for those who enjoy the written form of the subject as much as I have.

Perhaps American intellectual Charles William Eliot stated it best: “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” 

Books may inform us, engage us, challenge us, or simply entertain us.  No matter what, a good book changes us in even the most subtle ways.  We transform our world when we choose to engage in a writer's.  This blog will serve as my testament to how the books reviewed have engaged me as a reader.  I can only hope that the blog will engage you as the potential, future readers of the books reviewed here.


NOTE: Reviews will be based on a 1-5 stars rating scale.