Most of you know that I rarely read non-fiction, but this book was a very rewarding excursion into the world of non-fiction literature. MacDonald has written a really excellent book with three interacting themes: (i) the human emotion of grief precipitated by the the death of her father, with a detailed description of her emotional paralysis; (ii) an intense human-bird relationship because she decides to train a goshawk as a coping mechanism; and (iii) an examination of the author TH White who had a tortured life and wrote a book about training a goshawk in the 1930s. (TH White wrote the exceptional novel called The Once And Future King, a book that I rank in the top-ten books that I have read in my entire life). MacDonald’s book is wonderfully introspective about both the psychology of humans and birds, and the physiology of birds in relation to flight. A section of the book about the shared responsibility of hunting and killing is truly remarkable. This is a great read.
Author: AJ
Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee
When this book was published about two years ago under somewhat mysterious circumstances, the reviews seemed mediocre to me. In fact, this is a really excellent book set about 20 years after the events described in To Kill A Mockingbird. This book is mostly about Jean Louise (Scout), now 26 years old, living in NY and visiting Macomb to see her elderly father Atticus. There is a heartbreakingly sad story at age 11, and a brilliantly funny episode from her high school grad. But the core of this book is about Scout’s relationship with Atticus, her saintly and principled father in the context of race relations. A wonderful read.
A Week In December by Sebastian Faulks
Faulks is a wonderful writer (Birdsong, On Green Dolphin Street) and his latest book is a worthwhile addition. The premise is simple: a diverse group of people are selected to attend a London party, so the book details the back stories. What is fascinating is the diversity: a Polish footballer playing for a new London team; a pot-head son of someone who is receiving an OBE and who needs a crash course in contemporary literature; a greedy hedge-fund manager (so lots about shady banking), and the list goes on – there is a related story of a woman Underground driver, a literate lawyer, and importantly a radicalized British-Muslim young man so a home-grown terrorist attack is planned. There is a wonderful rant about the decline of teaching in schools and so much more. Such rich story-telling – highly recommended.
Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving
This is one of Irving’s best books, with some familiar themes: a circus lion (Fourth Hand), a transgender character (In One Person) in an inventive story. This book details the life of Juan Diego in Mexico, Iowa and finally in a trip to the Philippines. Much of the back story is related as fractured dreams (which have an interesting and manipulatable cause). And there are magical/mystical elements involving mind reading by several characters, and some religious aspects, especially the competition between Virgin Mary and Our Lady of Guadalupe statues. This is a very entertaining and provocative read, and is highly recommended.
The Mountains Can Wait by Sarah Leipciger
There are two fine elements in this book. First, it is a BC book: Prince George, tree planting, Vancouver Island. The description of the physical environment is excellent. And second, this is a guy book, with a well-described look at male relationships, especially a father-son relationship with communication issues at its core. Overall, a very good read.
My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
This is a beautiful book. Elizabeth Strout writes like Elizabeth Hay, with great economy so there are no superfluous words. Part of Lucy Barton is about the relationship between a daughter and her mother; they reminisce during a 5-day hospital visit during an extended hospital stay for Lucy. But it is much more than that – about life under difficult circumstances and how that changes the meaning of love. This is a book that EVERYONE should read. Strout previously wrote the magnificent Olive Kitteridge.
The Lake House by Kate Morton
This book has been on bestseller lists for a long time so I finally decided to read it, and it is excellent. The story is a cold case mystery covering 70 years, involving a missing boy. The setting is mostly Cornwall with some London interludes, and the story telling switches between 1933 and 2003. The plot progresses in stages, so the slow reveal produces different stages of suspicion. The ending also includes some resolved sub-plots which are a bit predictable, but overall this is a very entertaining read.
Crimes Against My Brother by David Adam Richards
Another is a series of DAR books about the Mirimachi River area of New Brunswick, and like the others, this latest book is angst-filled. Friendships are countered by rumour, lies and deceit to create a vicious and manipulative environment. One of the chief characteristics in this story is that key people make incredibly bad decisions. So overall, a nasty story but compelling.
The Children’s Return by Martin Walker
Benoit Coureges (aka Bruno) is Chief of Police in a small town in the Dordogne region of France. Much of the book details the region (wine-making) and Bruno’s cooking. The police procedural part is topical with the search for jihadist radicals, but the actual police action is limited in terms of violence and body count. So a refreshing addition to the list of mystery writers where context is key.
What David Read 