I wanted to read this book, because I had loved Sing, Unburied, Sing that much. However, here the poetic language and the communication with spirits tI wanted to read this book, because I had loved Sing, Unburied, Sing that much. However, here the poetic language and the communication with spirits take over the reins more than once, which I find a shame as the story is painful, awful and seems hopeless most of the time, and the way the story is written sort of makes it all less real. Also, it makes it harder for the reader to put the pieces of the puzzle of Annis´ family story together....more
Not exactly what one expects from Bill Watterson, but the story is "mysterical" Not exactly what one expects from Bill Watterson, but the story is "mysterical" ...more
I guess my expectations - after reading The Vegetarian - were too high. The idea of the communication between someone who somehow has lost the will toI guess my expectations - after reading The Vegetarian - were too high. The idea of the communication between someone who somehow has lost the will to speak (has lost "language") and someone else who has lost the ability to see is fascinating, but it´s difficult for me to see that this idea has been fully converted in a "finished" story worth publishing. ...more
Maybe 2 months ago I read an article about the writer (I hadn´t heard of before) in El País, and what I read about 2 of her books (also Greek Lessons)Maybe 2 months ago I read an article about the writer (I hadn´t heard of before) in El País, and what I read about 2 of her books (also Greek Lessons) made me very curious. I mentioned it to my husband and he bought them when he went to UK for work at the end of October. I started with the Man Booker International 2016 winner : I like its structure a lot where 3 different people "narrate" the story from their personal viewpoint and with a different interaction. In the first chapter we can read the husband´s view that leads to the divorce, in chapter 2 we follow the brother-in-law whose fascination for a detail drives him to do what he does (no spoiler here ;-) ) and in the final chapter we get the context by the sister. Intertwined (especially in first chapter) with how the main character´s "madness" takes over. I must admit the story grew on me, as at first you´re being confronted with the typical "vegetarian" pro or contra, or you think it´s about that, but it really isn´t. It´s more about madness, about fighting against it or not, about where to be safe...fascinating!...more
Gonzalo likes reading memoirs of his favourite musicians, while I normally couldn´t care less ;-) but I do like reading about the history of certain mGonzalo likes reading memoirs of his favourite musicians, while I normally couldn´t care less ;-) but I do like reading about the history of certain music styles for instance. As I´m a huge fan of Lucinda Williams, Gonzalo surprised me with this book the day of our anniversary. I must admit that Lu´s memoirs are more than just another story of "drugs, sex and rock&roll" ;-) , although that´s certainly part of it. Also, a traumatic childhood which would really mess up a lot of people, but she managed - and music and poetry surely had a major role in it - to steer clear of fatal damage. Maybe because she didn´t "make it" until well in her 40s, her story is one many of the readers will be able to relate to. The strength of the memoir, in my opinion, is when she explains where some of her lyrics come from. I´m aware a lot of people only pay attention to the music part of a song, while I´ve always enjoyed strong lyrics, and the combination is without any doubt why I prefer my favourite singer-songwriters (John Hiatt comes to mind). You can tell the memoir is written by Lucinda Williams herself, no nonsense and straightforward, but sometimes also a bit chaotic which obliges the reader to jump ahead or back in time, or to read between the lines. I guess that´s how a brilliant songwriter goes to work, after all....more
Last August I visited The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and although I had decided to visit because of the Kokoschka and Yayoi Kusama exhibitions takingLast August I visited The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and although I had decided to visit because of the Kokoschka and Yayoi Kusama exhibitions taking place there as well at that time, it was the exhibition of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye´s work that most impressed me. Her paintings and drawings - of fictuous persons - are really beautiful so I took some time looking through the literature which inspired her ... and found this book! That the reprint had an introduction by Zadie Smith, one of the authors I like to read, was an extra motivation to get hold of it... and now, I´ve finally read it! Finally, because : 1/My husband got me the hardcover edition, with a really lovely cover print, so I didn´t want to ruin it taking it with me when I´m going into town. 2/ All dialogue is written in what ZS calls "the black-inflected dialect in which she [ZNH] was raised" which is sometimes hard to follow, and even more often hard to read, but it also obliges one to read the book slowly and intensely. This is basically the life story of Janie, a black woman who grew up with her grandmother (a former slave) and then followed through her 3 "marriages". Because of the setting (Florida, incl. Eatonville, the first all-black town) and time period (early 20th century), of course the book describes the racial politics, but even more the gender roles and how they evolve across the 3 relationships. I particularly like the way the story is told to us, by Janie telling her friend Pheoby, and so the book ends where it started. ...more
Maybe I just don´t like memoirs as a style, maybe this is better to "experience" as an audiobook (as I read in one of the reviews), but I thought the Maybe I just don´t like memoirs as a style, maybe this is better to "experience" as an audiobook (as I read in one of the reviews), but I thought the "story" of 275 pages here could have been just as well presented in a short essay of a few pages. Indeed this is an inside portrait of an industry and a generation "breaking" with previous industries and generations, not only presenting us the wonderful tales we can all witness on social media, but also the freshly caused social problems relative to it all. After having read the book, I´m just relieved to have visited San Francisco before Silicon Valley really "took off"......more
I read this book in bits and pieces while caring for - and then having to say goodbye to, unfortunately - and I´ve never come to follow the entire ploI read this book in bits and pieces while caring for - and then having to say goodbye to, unfortunately - and I´ve never come to follow the entire plot (although there are other reviews with a similar observation). Well aware that my personal circumstances weren´t optimal to read a spy novel, I really should read this book again. So far, I´m just getting back to being able to concentrate on a good story, which means that sometime next year I´ll pick this one up again. To be continued. ...more
I must have heard from Ben Lerner through the New Yorker fiction podcast where writers read short stories published in the New Yorker Magazine. When II must have heard from Ben Lerner through the New Yorker fiction podcast where writers read short stories published in the New Yorker Magazine. When I heard one of his novels was called "Leaving the Atocha Station", I was curious of course, as I live near Madrid and often pass by the Atocha station. The title refers to the Madrid bombings of 11th March 2004 when near to 200 people were killed, the major part in the Atocha station. However, it´s of little connection to the rest of the story, that of a young American poet on a fellowship. Personally, it made me think of Catcher in the Rye but without the continuous swearing ;-) : a young guy, very unsure of his own talent and capacities, very nervous about the relationships with the Spanish (women especially), ignorant of his connections with fellow-Americans in Madrid, mixed up and confused...and trying (but not really very much) to cope. The comments on the back cover say the book is funny, I think it´s rather sad....more
Although I love reading/listening to (The New Yorker Fiction podcast is a favourite of mine) short stories, this collection by Zadie Smith is very irrAlthough I love reading/listening to (The New Yorker Fiction podcast is a favourite of mine) short stories, this collection by Zadie Smith is very irregular in quality if you ask me. Some stories are recognizable to ZS novel readers but others seem more trials in postmodern creative writing, and the plot more than once was completely lost to me....more
I finished reading this book more than 10 days ago, but I needed to give myself this while to get an idea how to score it : for 300 pages it seems an I finished reading this book more than 10 days ago, but I needed to give myself this while to get an idea how to score it : for 300 pages it seems an endless story of the "harsh" conditions of living on the Texas-Mexico border about mid- 19th Century, including a lot of violence, most of it quite unnecessary (to include it in all of its details, over and over again), but as a reader I´m willing to accept it because of historical accuracy; and then, in about the final 50 pages, it seems the author wants to include a plot, and although I understand that a lot of people having reviewed the book, get this plot, in my case it left me even more wondering what the intention of it was. There are some interesting characters in the book, but it´s not always easy to follow them through the story, as the timescale is not steady. I read somewhere that the short summary of the chapter´s action at the start of each chapter is a reference to Paradise Lost, but at a certain moment, I noticed that it was almost sufficient to read the summary before continuing to the next chapter (I did read everything, I only want to indicate that the summaries added clarity to the story). I sincerely hope the other books of CMC I have in my "to read" pile will be more enjoyable / less frustrating reading experiences....more
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