_Oryx and Crake: A Novel_ by Margaret Atwood

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Aug 132013
 

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

_Oryx and Crake: A Novel_ by Margaret Atwood

I have a read a few of Margaret Atwood’s novels and really enjoyed them, but as they are more science fiction, I do not often think to read more of her novels. During one of our BBQ parties, we were talking about the future world and overpopulation, etc. (We might be a bit nerdy… ;)) This title came up and I was curious to give it a read.

The story goes back and forth from the current ‘post-apocalyptic’ world with Snowman and the Crakers to the time building up to the current when Snowman was Jimmy and growing up with his friend Crake. Woven between the two stories comes the character of Oryx – a girl/woman who captures the love of both young boys when they are at a very impressionable age (14). They are always in a future time, but both have dysfunctional families and struggle through their youth until they part ways when it comes time for university. Crake is extremely intelligent and works to create an ideal world. Jimmy is an average fellow who is not a ‘numbers’ person, but a ‘word’ person and so he follows the path with less hope. It is a nice dynamic to create and show the extremes that we may continue to see of our society.

Ultimately, Crake and Oryx have come together to help create a perfect kind of people to survive and reproduce in the world. However, along with this comes a plague that is meant to make people sterile through vitamin supplements, but is then set off to destroy the current world population. Before this, Crake has brought Jimmy into his world and made him the protector of the Crakers. Thus, the story goes.

It is an apt story with its pointings towards issues such as overpopulation and how to control it to avoid the world being destroyed, yet also considering what is going too far. This is the first of a trilogy, so I will read something else next, but imagine I shall go back to this series soon!

-T πŸ˜€

_Heroes and Monsters: An Honest Look at the Struggle within All of Us_ by Josh James Riebock

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Aug 112013
 

Heroes and Monsters: An Honest Look at the…

_Heroes and Monsters: Β An Honest Look at the Struggle within All of Us_ by Josh James Riebock

I am not sure where I found this title. Maybe it was a recommended read from Susan Cain about an introvert. Or maybe it came from someone else that I follow on FB. Sometimes I lose track of where my thoughts, recommendations, information, etc. come from…. πŸ˜‰

In any case, this was a beautifully written work. Written in first person, Riebock takes us through his journey of self-discovery and acceptance of who he is as an artsy, sensitive, introvert trying to make in this world despite all of the negatives that have come in and out of his life. There was much to relate to both as an introvert and an unusual start to life. However, it was also fascinating from the male perspective – reminding me of a number of people whom I know.

It has been a long while since I have read writing that so intelligently mixes pop culture, literary references as well as descriptions of the times (as a fellow 80’s child). It was really so nice to read this novel and also so strange considering I have no idea how I came across it.

While probably not on the top of many reading lists, I highly recommend this one.

And now, we are caught up….I’ve slowed down with my reading due to trying to write more….

-T πŸ˜€

_The Time Keeper_ by Mitch Albom

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Aug 102013
 

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

_The Time Keeper_ by Mitch Albom

So, in my continued reading spree, I thought I would try Mitch Albom’s latest book or latest to my knowledge.

This was really an interesting read and a bit different from his past work. The book follows the path of Dor from the past, known now as Father Time, and two people from the modern day – Sarah and Victor – both at the opposite ends of life.

With Dor we see the beginning of the idea of time. Dor is fascinated with counting and understanding the passage of numbers. He supposedly lived when the Tower of Babel was being built and then upon the death of his wife, he climbs the tower to gods and tries to stop time so that he can hang on to his love. In doing so, Dor gets trapped in the space of no time and hears how the world changes due to his invention of time.

The world has become obsessed with time – wanting more, wanting it to be faster or slower, wanting it to stop. As Sarah and Victor represent the starting of life (Sarah as a young teenager) and the end of life (Victor as a very rich man who is dying of cancer), we see how their obsession with time affects their quality of life and those around them. With such a focus on time and trying to outlive it, they forget that there is no way of controlling or knowing what will happen over time.

Dor comes into the present to show them what will happen to their loved ones if they continue on their particular paths versus if they let time be. Through this, Dor also realizes his own fault in obsessing over the discovery of time.

It is a poignant message and was somehow very ‘timely’ in my reading of it as I was thinking about my time home last month. As usual, Albom’s books make me think and are such a quick and easy read, but with a lot of punch!

One more and then I will be caught up on my reading frenzy. Unless, of course, I finish the current one before then. πŸ˜‰

-T πŸ˜€

_Inferno_ by Dan Brown

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Aug 082013
 

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_Inferno_ by Dan Brown

It may be wrong to admit that I have read all of Dan Brown’s books and enjoyed them immensely. Although I am not alone in admitting to liking his work, I do wonder if he has been more lucky then talented. Even still, I think his writing has improved and so I was pleased to read this new novel.

Of course, I might be a little bit biased as I love Dante’s Divine Comedy as a lover of classical literature. Also, I am amazed at the immense influence his work has had on religion and literature over the lifetimes since he published this work.

Brown’s taking of Dante’s masterpiece and weaving history with the modern is both entertaining and reasonably written. Although I kept imagining Tom Hanks saying phrases or running with some new female heroine for the characters, I was engaged with a mix of Hollywood and literature in my head.

The storyline holds its own for the most part. I am not certain about the fairy tale-esque ending, but I guess if Brown wants another movie made it is suitable. Plus, I enjoyed reading about Florence and Venice, having been there recently.

Overall, a thrilling read for quick entertainment and reminders of how good literature can affect the world.

(I have nearly caught up with my reading!)

-T πŸ˜€

_The Round House_ by Louise Erdrich

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Aug 052013
 

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

_The Round House_ by Louise Erdrich

Back in my literature major days, I was introduced to the name of Louise Erdrich as a prominent and talented Native American writer. In those days I was not interested in contemporary or modern fiction and was not really sure that I cared to read about Native American culture, even though I have always held a fascination with their history.

So, when I was trying to prepare for my summer reading, I looked up top reads and this title kept popping up. Since I am starting to run out of classics and my interests are coming more into the modern-day, I thought it was time for me to give this genre/style a try.

I’m glad I did.

When I heard the title, I imagined a house that was round or that it had some sort of symbolic meaning. In reality, both are accurate. However, a round house is also known as a sweat lodge in our world. I associate new age thinkers and free spirits with sweat lodges, going there to sweat out the negative energies. Then, I recalled the importance of these round houses to the Native Americans.

The story revolves around the mystery of capturing a man who rapes the main character’s mother. Seen through the eyes of a young boy (maybe 10?), the complications between Native American and white relationships, legalities of reservation life and events, and family issues are intertwined throughout the story.

Overall, it was a beautifully written story and gave me more insight into a world that I do not often pay any attention to. I think there will be more books on my reading by this author in the near future! πŸ˜‰

-T πŸ˜€

_12th of Never_ by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

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Aug 042013
 

12th of Never (Women's Murder Club) by…

_12th of Never_ by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Continuing the Women’s Murder Club series, Patterson and Paetro did another decent, but not fantastic job of creating both suspense and progression of the characters’ lives.

While the suspenseful parts were good, I felt as if most of the storylines were disjointed, which I know I have mentioned before in this series. In some of the books, certain characters are the main focus while the others are brought in marginally. This works much better than trying to hit the events of each characters’ lives at that point. With so many ‘sub-main’ characters, it is basically impossible to fully develop all of them together especially if they are in different jobs and different points in life – marriage, children, single, etc.

So, although I continue to enjoy the series, I read this one very quickly and it wasn’t from a matter of being super-engaged as a page-turner. Rather, it was an easy read and just enjoyable enough to keep me going. I hope that the next ones will be a bit better, though….

-T πŸ˜€

_Public Apology: In Which a Man Grapples With A Lifetime of Regret, One Incident At A Time_ by Dave Bry

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Aug 022013
 

Public Apology: In Which a Man Grapples With…

_Public Apology: Β In Which a Man Grapples With A Lifetime of Regret, One Incident At A Time_ by Dave Bry

Due to my friend and college-mate being a very successful editor, I keep track of new novels that come out from her publishing company. This was one of her latest successful novels.

Dave Bry has a very entertaining style with a personal touch in his stories that allows readers to feel as if the stories could be their own. It’s a clever idea to use the style of writing letters of apology to various people in our lives for events that either they knew about or did not, but had left some lasting impression on the writer.

It was a very nice book and I recommend it as a pretty quick and light read.

-T πŸ˜€

_Alex Cross, Run_ by James Patterson

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Aug 012013
 

Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson

_Alex Cross, Run_ by James Patterson

What is a vacation without some James Patterson novels? I have been waiting to read some of his latest releases until the summer break because I knew that I would enjoy them more.

This is another of the Alex Cross stories, continuing from previous storylines. There’s a bad guy, there’s death and sadness with victory in the end. Did I give too much away? πŸ˜‰

There’s not much more to say with this book really. It’s a typical story, but it was entertaining.

More books to come as I’ve been a reading machine the past month….

-T πŸ˜€

_The Pillars of the Earth_ by Ken Follett

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Jul 062013
 

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

_The Pillars of the Earth_ by Ken Follett

This is a book I have heard a lot about and an author who has gotten a lot of attention, yet I have never really paid any attention to either one. However, when a friend at work read another book by him (don’t remember the title), I thought I would try this one since I had heard it mentioned many times.

Usually I try to know what the book is about before I start to read, but in this case I merely went off of title, name and fame. πŸ˜‰

It was written in historical fiction style with elements of a fantasy novel, but not fantastical in any way. I suppose one might say it is set in medieval times or at least early medieval times when religion, kings, knights and small villages were the norm.

The story revolves around the characters of Prior Phillip, Tom Builder and his family – Alfred, Jack, Ellen, Martha -, Aliena and her brother Richard, and Bishop Waleran Bigod. The names are interesting as they relate to the characters with common names in today’s world and ones that are representative of the character’s personality.

As is common in many contemporary stories, there are a lot of overlapping incidences and what one might call coincidences of events in the lives of the characters that bring them together. Their world is indeed small, so feasible in reality, yet also dramatized for the sake of the story.

Overall, it was an entertaining read and definitely not one I probably would have chosen had I paid attention to the content. So, it was a good new kind of novel for me and I will consider future Follett books later. πŸ™‚ Most interestingly is that there is a mini series of this novel and as I was reading it, I kept thinking – this would make a good movie or TV drama…. So, I will be looking for it to watch later as well!

-T πŸ˜€

_The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle

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Jun 242013
 

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_The Power of Now: Β A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle

I think I’m on a bit of a self-help kick these days. Mostly, it’s to avoid doing my dissertation work, I think. However, after reading _A New Earth_ a few months ago, I decided that I wanted to keep exploring this idea of finding peace within oneself and controlling the self in the moment.

While not exactly the same as _A New Earth_, the themes are similar in _The Power of Now_. This one, though, focuses on keeping your mind in the present and not allowing the past or worries of the future affect your responses to the world around you. Tolle speaks about Being and suggests that our concept of God or the spiritual is not to be found in some external energy force, but rather that we are God within ourselves. Now, this is not like a cult following, but rather that we should embrace that we are all part of God’s creation and that our search for heaven/paradise can be found within ourselves when we acknowledge the Now and are present.

Some people might take this as seizing the moment, but that is not at all what the purpose and point is. Rather, if we acknowledge our feelings and responses in the moment, then we can also pause and reflect enough to see how these feelings and responses affect our identity, our relationships, our interactions with the world. Tolle makes an interesting point of how not everyone is willing to embrace this way and that it is okay. Those who do should remain patient and aware that others do not think or feel the same. This awareness can then cause a change in our interactions so that fights do not occur, but understanding can evolve.

I’m sure that I am not explaining it well enough, but I do feel as if this is the spiritual understanding I have always felt was missing in churches and those who are ‘religious’.

Anyway, I highly recommend this for those seeking enlightenment. There is one more in his series and I will probably read that over the summer holidays. πŸ˜‰

-T πŸ˜€

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