Shannon's Review - The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman

Title: The World That We Knew
Series: Not At The Moment
Author: Alice Hoffman
Illustrator/Book Cover Design: Unknown

Genre: Fiction, Literature, Magical Realism
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Received: Free For Honest Review
Release Date: September 2019
Pages: 372
Rating:





Author’s Official Websites:



Website:
https://alicehoffman.com/

Blog:
None Found

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AliceHoffmanAuthor/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ahoffmanwriter

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/ahoffmanwriter/






Shannon’s Thoughts:

During the beginning of WWII, two young girls’ futures collide. A Jewish mother plans an escape for her daughter Lea. Her mother’s heart breaks as she can not go with her daughter but she wants Lea to be protected as if she were there herself. The mother conspires with Ettie, a rabbi’s daughter, to create a mystical being named Ava to care for Lea as if she were the girl’s mother. The other girl Ettie goes in hiding preparing to fight for freedom.

This was the first time reading Alice Hoffman and I enjoyed the magical realism within the book. I also read this soon after reading House Of The Spirits by Isabel Allende which also has some magical realism. Even though the story and messages were different the enchanted way they had interwoven the supernatural with real-world problems and family situations makes these stories so interesting. I love pretty much anything with fictional or semi-real magic. I never realized that the Jewish religion has mysticism and rules about women using said mysticism. This made me want to learn more about the religion and what was true and what was false.

The World That We Knew was not a comfy cozy read, meaning there was quite a bit of darkness in what is happening in Lea and Ettie’s world. It was like plants reaching for a sun they can not see. I enjoyed it and the characters were nice to read about like the magical being Ava. I felt for Ava she had a melancholy way about her.

Any book with magic and realism is more than likely a book I would be sold on reading. I hope to read more by Hoffman and other books like this.

Shannon's Review - The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon

Title: The Yiddish Policemen’s Union
Series: No
Author: Michael Chabon
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: HarperCollins
Received: Bought through Life’s Library Book Club
Release Date: May 2007
Pages: 414
Rating:






Author Michael Chabon’s Official Websites


Website:
https://www.harpercollins.com/authors/michaelchabon/

Blog:
None found

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/michaelchabonauthor/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/michaelchabon

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/michael.chabon/



Shannon’s Thoughts:


Meyer Landsman is a police detective. He and his partner are investigating a murder in the Jewish community. The farther they dig the more strange this murder seems. Some believed the man who was murdered was the savior. As Landsman struggles with finding leads he makes connections with what went wrong with his own marriage and how he's dealt with negative events that have happened in his life.

This was a book recommended in the Life’s Library group. I probably would not have read it otherwise. I really did not know what to expect when I started it. I had heard of author Michael Chabon but have never read anything by him. I wish I could say that I want to read more by him, but alas.., No. The fact that I finished this is a great feat because I am still not sure I understand what was completely going on. Here is what I gather… The area it takes place in Alaska is mostly Jewish neighborhood who like to play chess. There is a murder and the detective isn’t a great detective nor a sober one. They spend most of the book trying to find out why the victim was murdered which apparently doesn’t matter because the character never finds out and neither does the reader.

This is the first book that I wished I had read as an ebook because of all the Yiddish words. I had no idea what characters were talking about some times. I sorta flipped to the back looking for a glossary and I did not see one my first look( which is my bad because there was one). I had just missed the glossary my first flip through but on a second look when I more than halfway through there it was. Everything in this book never has a payoff. The people annoyed me, and the fact that Meyer’s sister was suddenly thrown into the mess at the end.

The book was just very frustrating for me. The not understanding of the words and the fact that by the time I was connected with the characters we get a cliffhanger and instead of thinking, “I need the sequel” as I would with a book I liked. I instead thought, “f this author and characters” and threw the book across the room.

Shannon's Review - The Sense Of An Ending by Julian Barnes

Title: The Sense Of An Ending
Series: None
Author: Julian Barnes
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Literature
Publisher: Vintage
Received: Paperback Swap
Release Date: August 2011
Pages: 163
Rating:


Author Julian Barnes Official Websites:


Website:
http://www.julianbarnes.com/

Blog:
None

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Julian-Barnes-307118768275/

Twitter:
None


Shannon’s Thoughts:

The Sense Of An Ending follows the parts of the life of Tony Webster. As a teenager, he and his two friends are avid readers and compare there lives to that of books. A new kid comes to school and the group of three become 4. They all go to college. Tony starts to date a woman named Veronica, who later dumps him and starts dating one of his friends. Then Tony who is now divorced, a father and a grandfather contemplates on the way his memory works as he recalls what happened with his life including he time with Veronica and his old friend.

There are many questions and thoughts on examining how a person remembers things. It is a very introspective book, which is usually not a good read for me. I wanted to hate the book but I did not. I did not love it either but I have a loose understanding, especially because I have such problems with my own memory.

I really disliked that we did not get to understand why the mother gave Tony the money and the reason Veronica kept telling Tony he did not get it and would never get it. I wanted to scream “JUST TELL HIM WHAT HE DOESN’T GET!” every time she said it.

I did expect that a book titled The Sense Of An Ending was not going to end in a satisfying way. It was also a short read and maybe not for everyone. I think the older you are when you read this the more you may relate.

Shannon's Review - The Dinner by Herman Koch

Title: The Dinner

Series: No

Author: Herman Koch

Genre: Fiction, Literature, Contemporary

Publisher: Hogarth

Received: Purchased

Release Date: November 2013

Pages: 310

Rating:

Author Herman Koch’s Official Websites:

(image grabbed from goodreads.com)

Website:

http://www.hermankoch.com/

Blog:

None

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/depaginavanhermankoch/

Twitter:

None

Shannon’s Thoughts:  

The Dinner starts with two brothers and their wives at a fancy restaurant in The Netherlands.  The one brother is a politician and the other a businessman out of work because of an illness. They both have teenage sons who seem to get along. The way the cousins get along and spend their time is what starts to bring the drama to the story.  It is mostly set at the restaurant and flashbacks other places where the story takes an unexpectedly dark turn.

I read this for a book club. This book was not technically picked, the theme for the month was “Food”. This was the closest I had on the subject. I was not sure what to expect because I had never heard of the book before. Reading the description of the characters and story did not interest me.  In fact, I think my husband picked up the book. The story was very different than anything I have read and with this one I consider it a good thing. I really did not expect the turn at the end. In truth, I figured the opposite was going to happen and most lived happily ever after. Nope, that was not the case.  The kids were juvenile delinquents who needed a kick in the ass and a trip to jail, as did other characters by the end. The book kept me interested. It was like watching an accident on the side of the road.

I do not usually read books with such dark and despicable underbelly unless it is so supernatural or fantastical that I know the happenings will not come to be.  This was a story about something that could happen and probably has. So my only dislike after reading this is me whining “why’d you have to make me think such dark thoughts?”

It was an interesting read but I think if I had the choice to read it again for the first time I would not. Reading a review would have been enough for me.  That does not mean I hated it and it was not interesting. I just feel like I spent more time then I want on this book.

Review - Drinking With Dead Women Writers by Elaine Ambrose and AK Turner

Title: Drinking With Dead Women Writers
Series: N/A
Author: Elaine Ambrose and AK Turner
Genre: Literature, Short Stories
Publisher: Mill Mark Publishing
Received: Purchased
Release Date: April 2012
Pages: 84
Rating:


What is it About?

Short stories featuring the writer with a famous dead woman author.

My Thoughts:

Two authors take turns writing short stories about different famous women authors who have passed on to the other side. The living author imagines what the conversation ,at a bar with wine, would sound like. They pretend to interview Louisa May Alcott, Margaret Mitchell, Jane Austen, Ann Rynd, and many more.

The idea of having a conversation with a favorite who is dead has potential. Unfortunately each story sounds the same as the last. Each story they drink wine, the deceased author hope that her family got rid of the letter she wrote, and ends after the deceased author is done complaining. I feel the living authors could have explored so much more, maybe about the world now, or ask how being dead was treating them.


Website:

Elaine Ambrose Official Site
http://www.elaineambrose.com/

A K Turner Official Site
http://akturner.com/

Review - The Power Of Myth by Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell

Title: The Power Of Myth
Series: N/A
Authors: Bill Moyer and Joesph Campbell
Genre: Mythology, Literature
Publisher: Anchor Doubleday
Received: Purchased
Release Date: 1988
Pages: 320
Rating:


What is it About?

Printed interview of show where host Bill Moyer interview mythology expert Joseph Campbell.

My Thoughts:

The Power of Myth is an excellent discussion of life verses mythology, how they connect and how many stories featuring the hero or heroine follow the ancient mythology stories and history of life.

The most memorable discussion is the comparing of Star Wars with ancient mythology.  Just the thought of comparing your life or the hero you are reading about with history that people believed makes you view life differently.   Not to mention the myths differently.  Joseph Campbell views mythology as lessons of life.   This thought just makes me want to study mythology even more.   

Reading something of Joseph Campbell should be required reading.

Website:

N/A