Reading for Me

I returned to My Library Shelf project and read The Rosie Effect, the sequel to The Rosie Project. While I really enjoyed the first novel, The Rosie Effect left something to be desired. In the sequel, Rosie and Don are married and living in New York City. When Rosie finds herself pregnant, she begins to doubt if Don will be a suitable father given his “uniqueness” due to his obsessive personality. Don finds himself fighting for his future child as well as his marriage.

The Rosie Effect is littered with humorous scenes as Don attempts to learn what fatherhood is all about. However, the novel simply feels like a re-telling of the original novel and loses much of its charm in the process. I’m glad that I was reading the novel while I was extremely busy and was simply looking for something to read that would not require much brain power; The Rosie Effect fit the bill, but it’s not something I would recommend to my book-loving friends.

My reading life has been a bit slow so far this year, so when I found myself with some free time to dive into a novel, I wanted to make sure that I found something that was well-written and moving. That means I returned to My Library Shelf project and began reading Please Look After Mom, a touching story of love, loss, and family.

As you might guess from the cover art and the author’s name, the novel is set in South Korea. Mom and Dad are country people whose four children have moved to urban areas to pursue their careers. As the parents travel to Seoul by train, the two become separated in the busy train station and Mom is lost. The novel now revolves around the family’s efforts to locate their missing mother in this massive and fast-paced city.

As each child participates in the frantic search, the children reflect upon their relationship with Mom as well as numerous interactions with her throughout their lives. How did they fail to notice that she was becoming sicker with each passing day? Why did her questions frustrate them? Were they ashamed of her? Did they view her as an inconvenience and a nuisance instead of a treasure and source of wisdom?

Please Look After Mom came into my life while I was already struggling with being separated from my own parents. The novel’s messages have continued to resonate with me in light of my mother’s health challenges in the past week. (Thankfully my family was not facing that crisis while I was reading the novel; I’m certain that would have sent me over the cliff!) Shin’s novel is not an easy read. The English translation can sometimes be cumbersome while attempting to maintain as much of its distinctly Korean aspects as possible. Despite its occasional awkwardness, Please Look After Mom was a beautiful story of love, regret, and hope that is common to all families and will definitely stay with this reader for many years to come.

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The final book of 2016 was another novel from My Library Shelf project. The Rosie Project is a perfect example of why I'm doing the project; it was a book I would have never selected by an author with whom I was totally unfamiliar. The book was a joy.

The Rosie Project featured Don, a genetic scientist who also suffers from an obvious social disorder. In order to find the perfect wife, Don embarks on the Wife Project — complete with questionnaire and website. As Don sifts through the applications submitted to the Project (unbelievable!), he is introduced to Rosie. She is the antithesis of Don's ideal woman, but Rosie quickly challenges his expectations and the two begin a journey to find love that is anything but typical.

All I can say is that it was great to smile as I read of this unlikely couple's experiences together. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel as part of the Library Shelf Project as well.

It took me far longer than I had planned, but I finally finished my latest novel. I was fascinated by the story of Major Pettigrew, an English widower, and his growing relationship with the exotic Mrs. Ali, the Indian widow who operated the village market. Simonson’s novel examined the nature of growing love between mature adults while facing bigotry from an uninformed section of society. The plot further intensified as the impact the extended families — both English and Indian — upon the non-traditional union was considered.

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand is filled with humor as well as touching scenes. Simonson’s writing is actually quite beautiful. I especially enjoyed her statements about the importance of reading. Here are three passages that spoke to me so deeply that I had to stop my reading in order to write them down.

“There’s nothing useless about reading the classics,” said the Major, weighing the books in his hand. “I salute your continued efforts. Too few people today appreciate and pursue the delights of civilized culture for their own sake.” (Simonson, 46)

“. . .I tell myself that it does not matter what one reads — favorite authors, particular themes — as long as we read something.” (Simonson, 63)

“I think that even if you dislike them, knowing one’s parents helps a child understand where he or she came from,” said the Major.  “We measure ourselves against our parents, and each generation we try to do a little better.” (Simonson, 352)

I doubt that I would have read Simonson’s work if I had not decided to re-ignite the “My Library Shelf” project, but I’m certainly glad that I did. Now that I’m living in Plainview, I decided it was time to make a fresh attempt at the project and select a shelf in the Unger Library. (If you’d like to read more about the Library Shelf project, check out the blog post here.)

For those who might be interested, here are the books that are included in My Library Shelf.

1. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand (Helen Simonson)
2. The Summer Before the War (Helen Simonson)
3. Reality Check! (Rikki Simons)
4. Doomed to Die (Dorothy Simpson)
5. Anywhere But Here (Mona Simpson)
6. The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Cafe (Mary Simses)
7. The Rules of Love and Grammar (Mary Simses)
8. The Rosie Effect (Graeme Simsion)
9. The Rosie Project (Graeme Simsion)
10. Please Look After Mom (Kyung-Sook Shin)
11. The Jungle (Upton Sinclair)
12. World’s End (Upton Sinclair)
13. The Collected Short Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer
14. The Estate (Isaac Bashevis Singer)
15. Kiss of Snow (Nalini Singh)
16. Tangle of Need (Nalini Singh)
17. Shards of Hope (Nalini Singh)
18. Prep (Curtis Sittenfeld)
19. Sisterland (Curtis Sittenfeld)
20. Eligible (Curtis Sittenfeld)
21. The Whispering Muse (Victoria Cribb Sjon)
22. The Locked Room (Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo)

I have been slothful about writing my review for the latest book on My Library Shelf. I suppose I could chalk my delay in writing to the fact that I actually read the novel while on vacation at the end of July. As soon as I returned to Arkansas, my attention shifted entirely to the move to the Texas Panhandle. Those would be valid excuses to most; the only problem is that they are not true. The truth is that I simply didn’t know what I was going to say about the book.

Tomahawk was a thriller set against a naval background. It had moments of excitement that kept my attention. Mostly, I was plowing through lots of military jargon and situations that bored me. This was one of the few books that I’ve encountered in My Library Shelf project that I finished only because it was on the list. There were really very few redeeming qualities in this reader’s opinion. To be honest, it took me a few weeks to fully recover from this horrible reading experience. Thankfully, I’m now settling into Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee and enjoying my reading life once again.

Let me begin by stating clearly that this post should not be confused with my recommendation that anyone read the novel. It is explicit and only appropriate for an adult audience. Read the book at your own risk.

Reading Masked Innocence was what I had feared most when beginning the Library Shelf project. I was afraid I would find a book that I was uncomfortable reading. When I began reading this work by Alessandra Torre, I was blushing in the privacy of my bedroom as I read of orgies and sexual escapades. This is not a genre of literature that I naturally pick up. I felt as though I was reading Fifty Shades of Grey! For those who might be interested in reading the book, I did learn that it is the second volume of the Innocence Trilogy (what an ironic title). You can learn more about the author and the series at http://www.AlessandraTorre.com.

If it’s possible to separate the sex from the storyline, the premise of the book was quite interesting. Julie is a young college student who has fallen for Brad, a partner in the law firm where she is interning. While working late, Julie overhears her boss having a tense conversation that seems to suggest he is involved in business with the mob. After the man is found dead on the floor of his office the next morning, Julie shares her suspicions with the police. Things become dangerous when Julie learns that the mob bosses are aware of her reports to the police and have ordered her death as well. The only one who can possibly save her is Brad…..but is Brad really who he appears to be? Julie’s world is turned upside down as the masks are ripped off and truths are revealed.

I was riveted by the twists and turns once the story began to unfold. (I’m not a total prude, folks!) I’m just not sure that I would have continued through the opening chapters if this book wasn’t included on the library shelf I selected to read through on October 31, 2014! Here’s to hoping that my next reading adventure is a bit more tame….I need to recover from the time I spent with Masked Innocence.

I am loving having a little down time to dive back into My Library Shelf project! I returned by reading The Good Thief. Since I was unfamiliar with Hannah Tinti’s writing, I didn’t really know what to expect. I found myself immersed in a great story and a fan of the author’s writing style.

The Good Thief is the story of Ren. Ren is living in a Catholic-run orphanage in New England and is constantly getting in trouble. His hopes of being adopted are constantly dashed because potential parents view his missing hand as an insurmountable obstacle. Just as Ren begins to accept a future that will include being sold into the army when he reaches age 18, his fortune unexpectedly changes. A young man of questionable intentions arrives at St. Anthony’s to select a son. Ren is adopted in spite of his handicap and it seems his luck has changed…..or has it?

The Good Thief follows Ren and his mentor, Benjamin, as they struggle to stay alive while avoiding trouble with those who want to hurt them. The plot twists and turns unexpectedly and will keep the reader coming back for more. This book was one of my favorites of the year so far and I’m definitely looking forward to reading Tinti’s other novel, Animal Crackers, in the future.

For now, I have another book on the horizon. June’s selection of the Reading with Jacqs project is White Teeth by Zadie Smith. I’ll start this national bestseller later today.