Category: Books

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy I read this in one day. It was so good, so captivating, I could not put it down! The story is dark and bleak, set in a post-apocalyptic world filled with grey, dusty air and a burnt-out landscape (while the catastrophe is unnamed, one gathers that it may be nuclear war that … Continue reading “Reading…”

The Taxidermist’s Daughter, by Kate Mosse I am so lucky to have a community of women who regularly drop off (or hand me) good books to borrow. I have a stack by my bedside table and am flying through them (especially after spending the entire day in jury duty yesterday, during which I sat much … Continue reading “Reading…”

Mislaid, by Nell Zink I just finished Mislaid last week and though I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it. Set in the 1960’s in Virginia, the comic novel explores issues of race, gender, sexuality, and identity in an absurd family story. Most of the book is funny, interesting, and thought-provoking, but I found the end to be underwhelming … Continue reading “Reading…”

The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds Milo has been reading and re-reading this one, though it’s probably a bit above his age (recommended 12 and up) because it is a bit gory. Though, after looking through it, it was nothing we hadn’t discussed before. Of course Greek mythology is brutal. The illustrations are … Continue reading “Reading…”

A Manual for Cleaning Women, by Lucia Berlin I am absolutely devouring this book of short stories by the late Lucia Berlin. I’m not usually a big reader of short stories, but now I’m questioning all that. This book is filled with the complexities of life — the hardships and the beauty, and the characters … Continue reading “Reading…”