Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell

This is one of the best historical novels I have ever read. It makes history so relevant for our times and for this war we find ourselves in. I never knew how Iraq came to be and I never understood fully why the middle east affects so much of our economy. But with this great little novel I learned these things without realizing it, which is the mark of a good historical novel. I groped the pages following Agnes Shanklin on her journey through life and love and her adventure to Egypt (oh how I love a good adventure.) Without realizing it, my eyes had opened to so much more policy than I understood before. I feel gratified by the story, I feel wiser for the insight, and I feel a bit dusty and sunburned from the desert adventure. A great book! Wish I could meet the author and get it signed! Or even greater, I wish I could take the adventure to Egypt myself!

Marvellous!

jlw

Allen Tate: Collected Poems 1919-1976

I'm not actually finished reading this but I might as well write my review because I'm not sure when, if ever, I will finish this book. Not to say it is bad, it's just...intelligent and really written in an american language that I was not around for, so it is hard for me to follow the thinking. Allen Tate was brilliant, let me just say. A very schooled boy from the south that watched his country collapse after the civil war and felt so collapsed himself that he wrote, profoundly. And those words should be read by all of us. We should remember the greif of our country, we should hold to it like our own rich history. Americans today are so NOW, so caught up in what is happening now that we lose pieces of our heritage with each generation. I am determined to remember what I was not there for, to remember for my ancestor's sake, to know better who I am and what pieces our society gingerly together.
This is a book that avid readers, poets, and historians should all have on their shelf. Reading this is like finding an old mortise key while digging in your garden.

jlw

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

This book I picked up at one of those tables just by the checkout. You know, the "gotta get rid of it, now it's cheap" pile. But it was an Agatha Christie and how can you go wrong with her? So I paid like four bucks for this little masterpiece and enjoyed every night of reading it. It was fun and clever and I haven't cracked an Agatha Christie case yet before learning the end. Go ahead, try for yourself!

THE PEOPLE LOOK LIKE FLOWERS AT LAST by Charles Bukowski

This is my second attempt at tackling modern poetry. And I have to say that I am impressed, shocked and at the same time not so surprised. These are the ramblings of an old man, which I particularly enjoy. Wars, whores, and living alone, Charles Bukowski was not afraid of himself, he was not ashamed to simply be who he was. His poetry is his heart, his self. He doesn't try to impress with big words or long narratives that exemplify intelligence. He just simply is. And I simply enjoyed it.

But be forewarned, Charles can be pessimistic to the point of unbearable. I kept plenty of lighthearted material close by for those times when I just had to roll my eyes and gently lay down this sad book and grab up something to make me smile. Though I'm not as down-hearted a soul as Bukowski I respect and admire his work and enjoy it all the same.

jlw

The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coehlo

This is a tale. Just like any Paulo Coehlo novel, a really good tale. It is as deep as the blue on it's cover. I might be partial here in this review. First, I am a Coehlo fan, second I have been searching out certain forgotten and ancient pieces of worship, something I am driven to do, for nearly three years. This book happened to be one of the links in bringing understanding to some of the misatched pieces of information I have, like many other books have been. I loved the main character, I loved the plot, and though the ending is given away in the first chapter, still I loved the ending and found it surprising. After reading this it has taken me awhile to pick up a new novel, it leaves so much on your mind, so much to sort out that you can't really just pick up the next thing. Really a good story, heartfelt, motivates you to search out your own spirit and what connects you to it with out lectures and sermons and a map that says there is only one way. There is a lot of liberation in this book, it is bound to rub off on it's reader.

jlw

The Best American Poetry 2007

This is a clever collection of poetry gathered together by Heather McHugh and David Lehman. I mostly enjoyed it but must admit that some of these poems had me feeling very small and unsure if I knew what poetry was at all. But others took me to a place in the poets soul that I was glad I went to, wishing I could snap a few pictures like a bubbly tourist. Some of my favorite poems in this collection: Where He Found Himself by Stephen Dunn, Language Police Report by Denise Duhammel, What Every Soldier Should Know by Brian Turner, and The Home of the Brave by Joe Wenderoth. There were others that I enjoyed but too many to mention in my small paragraph here. Point being: they are all American and I see it as a beautiful collection of our varied differences, highlighting that year in history, taking us to a history not written in books but only written in that fleeting moment of time, shedding light on that passable soul of America. Even when I didn't understand the poem, I enjoyed it. So I highly recommend a pick up of this book. If only to get you out of your box.


jlw

The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson

This is a good book. Creatively written in letters from Olivia Hunt to the people she loves, she hates, and the people she works with. The Characters are colorful and lead colorful lives and remain true to themselves. I enjoyed the varied back drops in this story - Rome, Spain, California, New York. And I especially like the fact that the main character, Olivia, is a Hollywood Producer, an industry I know nothing about. The other big thing in this book is the devastating sickness of her sister. Being in health care myself put me at a disadvantage here. Elisabeth's research on the subject was pretty good but the few places where she made a mistake, on obvious mistake to me, was quite a turn off. However, the story was great and if you have no idea what a Hickman is then you will have no problem enjoying this book.


jlw