An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
Posted: October 18, 2018 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: adventure, humor, New York City, science fiction Leave a comment
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
April becomes a celebrity after she encounters a large metallic statue late one night in Manhattan. Her friend Andy records a video with April and the statue they nickname Carl, and the video goes viral. Sixty-four identical statues have appeared in cities around the world, including one in Hollywood. April gets a publicist and makes the rounds of talk shows, yet doesn’t know how to maintain her relationship with Maya. April, now known as April May, has plenty of adventures trying to solve the mystery of the Carls. While she definitely has some weaknesses, April thinks the Carls are benevolent, and has high hopes for the future. Fast-paced and entertaining, this first novel is a compelling, quirky read. More, please!
Brenda
Northland
Posted: October 14, 2018 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: Canada, history, travel, United States Leave a comment
Northland: A 4,000 Mile Journey Along America’s Forgotten Border by Porter Fox
Porter Fox spent three years exploring the northern border of the lower forty-eight states with Canada. Raised in Maine, he begins in the waters off the coast of Maine and travels the 4,000 mile border by canoe, freighter, car, and on foot. Along the way to the Peace Arch in Blaine, Washington, he describes the scenery and history of the border region, and talks with many of the border residents, border patrol agents, and visits the Standing Rock pipeline protestors in North Dakota. Some border residents have been used to commuting across the border for work, school, or shopping and are finding the border harder to cross in recent years. Some of the most interesting chapters were a freighter voyage across four of the Great Lakes and canoeing and camping in the Boundary Waters. I found this book to be a good mix of history, scenery, and armchair travel.
Brenda
The Masterpiece
Posted: October 10, 2018 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: art, historical fiction, New York City Leave a comment
The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis
Clara Darden is a new art instructor at the Grand Central School of Art in late 1920s New York City, hoping to illustrate covers for Vogue magazine. Clara doesn’t get the same respect as male artists, and the Depression makes it increasingly harder for artists to make a living. In 1974 Virginia Clay, recently divorced mother of college-age daughter Ruby, gets a job at the information booth at the rundown terminal. Virginia discovers the abandoned art school, and a painting similar to one featured in an art auction catalog. While the painting may be valuable, the real masterpiece here is the Grand Central Terminal, which is about to lose its landmark status. Art, architecture, and the lives of the two women connect in a very satisfying way. Readalikes include Georgia by Dawn Tripp and The Art Forger by Barbara Shapiro. This appealing historical novel is sure to be popular with book groups.
Brenda
Rediscovering Travel
Posted: October 6, 2018 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: memoir, travel Leave a comment
Rediscovering Travel: A Guide for the Globally Curious by Seth Kugel
I enjoyed reading stories about Seth Kugel’s travel adventures, and learned some useful advice for future travel. He wrote the Frugal Traveler column for the New York Times for several years, and speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and some French. His suggestions are to spend more time in fewer places, to skip top attractions if they don’t really appeal to you, get suggestions from locals and fellow travelers, save some time on your trip for spontaneity, and try to be in the moment, not staring at your phone. Be skeptical of reviews and don’t spend more money than you need to for an enjoyable vacation. Many interesting anecdotes make for a quick read; suggested for armchair travelers and global explorers.
Brenda
Meet Me at the Museum
Posted: October 2, 2018 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: Denmark, England, epistolary, farming, grief Leave a comment
Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson
Tina lives on a farm in East Anglia where she cooks, does bookkeeping, and enjoys her young grandchildren. She writes a letter to the author of a book about prehistoric Tollund Man. The author has died, but her letter is answered by Anders, a widowed Danish museum curator. Tina had always planned to visit the Tollund Man exhibit with her friend Bella. Life got in the way, and Bella has recently died. The pair continue to exchange letters, then emails, and the reader learns about their lives and recent losses. Bittersweet and utterly charming, I didn’t want this book to end. Readalikes include Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole and Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf.
Brenda
