Tonight is the first event for the new book, and I've spent most of the afternoon at home with curlers in my hair and cucumber circles on the eyes...
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A beautiful first novel, this has dazzling shades of Nabokov and Bulgakov. Telling the tale of a Russian art critic who has shaped his whole life around the demands of The Party, the style of the narrative follows Sukhanov's mental state. As Russia opens up and Perestroika begins to change their society, Sukhanov begins to question the purpose of his self-sacrifice, and to wonder whether stifling his artistic convictions was worth it after all.
This was the best science book I've read in a long time. Extremely well written, full of the drama and excitement of the birth of quantum physics, and told in a gossipy tone which makes you feel like you're getting to know all the strange quirks of the scientists involved. I've been recommending it to everyone I know -- you will laugh and be entertained while learning about the history of physics. (And you'll come away with lots of oddd facts to use for dinner party conversation)
This was an entertaining and well written biography of the great experimental physicist, Rutherford. The science was clear, not dumbed down but still comprehensible to a non-scientist like me. Full of fascinating tidbits about the great figures of early 20th century scientists (Einstein, Bohr and so on.)Illuminating and fun reading!
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Desjardins' gothic imagination is in full flight here, as in her first novel, featuring mummified bodies, clandestine births, jealous violence, musty old houses, and family secrets. The major symbol of the book is salt itself, its many properties elucidated by our main character, Lily, or by others such as the local Bishop, who introduces Lily to the delights of salt-sniffing. Salt's preservative and seasoning abilities are important, but so is its blighting effect on growth. Lily's focus on her past, her looking back, has biblical overtones; she is like Lot's wife who for looking back at Sodom and Gomorrah was turned into a pillar of salt. Desjardins has made a habit of writing brief novel about varied elements; crystal and ice, then gold, and now salt. I can only wait to discover what she will fasten upon for her next book.
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(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
This is a short novel, set in Flanders during WWII. It gives a nod to the codes and mysteries of books like The Da Vinci Code, but is told in a surreal manner. One of the characters, a nurse named Nell, is an expert at suturing wounds; she embroiders images on to her patients' skin. It makes sense to use this time period for this story, and Desjardins paints a clear picture of opportunists at war. The writing style is brief and unsentimental, which adds to the feeling of dissociation from society that all the participants seem to feel. The combination of war, secrets and codes, hidden treasures, and the strangeness of embroidered skin are woven together to make a fascinating reading experience.
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(4 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
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Melwyk has commented on (24) products.
The Dream Life of Sukhanov by Olga Grushin
Melwyk, January 5, 2010
A beautiful first novel, this has dazzling shades of Nabokov and Bulgakov. Telling the tale of a Russian art critic who has shaped his whole life around the demands of The Party, the style of the narrative follows Sukhanov's mental state. As Russia opens up and Perestroika begins to change their society, Sukhanov begins to question the purpose of his self-sacrifice, and to wonder whether stifling his artistic convictions was worth it after all.Faust in Copenhagen: A Struggle for the Soul of Physics by Gino Segre
Melwyk, June 11, 2009
This was the best science book I've read in a long time. Extremely well written, full of the drama and excitement of the birth of quantum physics, and told in a gossipy tone which makes you feel like you're getting to know all the strange quirks of the scientists involved. I've been recommending it to everyone I know -- you will laugh and be entertained while learning about the history of physics. (And you'll come away with lots of oddd facts to use for dinner party conversation)A Force of Nature: The Frontier Genius of Ernest Rutherford (Great Discoveries) by Richard Reeves
Melwyk, June 11, 2009
This was an entertaining and well written biography of the great experimental physicist, Rutherford. The science was clear, not dumbed down but still comprehensible to a non-scientist like me. Full of fascinating tidbits about the great figures of early 20th century scientists (Einstein, Bohr and so on.)Illuminating and fun reading!(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
A Covenant of Salt by Martine Desjardins
Melwyk, March 28, 2009
Desjardins' gothic imagination is in full flight here, as in her first novel, featuring mummified bodies, clandestine births, jealous violence, musty old houses, and family secrets. The major symbol of the book is salt itself, its many properties elucidated by our main character, Lily, or by others such as the local Bishop, who introduces Lily to the delights of salt-sniffing. Salt's preservative and seasoning abilities are important, but so is its blighting effect on growth. Lily's focus on her past, her looking back, has biblical overtones; she is like Lot's wife who for looking back at Sodom and Gomorrah was turned into a pillar of salt. Desjardins has made a habit of writing brief novel about varied elements; crystal and ice, then gold, and now salt. I can only wait to discover what she will fasten upon for her next book.(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
All That Glitters by Martine Desjardins
Melwyk, March 28, 2009
This is a short novel, set in Flanders during WWII. It gives a nod to the codes and mysteries of books like The Da Vinci Code, but is told in a surreal manner. One of the characters, a nurse named Nell, is an expert at suturing wounds; she embroiders images on to her patients' skin. It makes sense to use this time period for this story, and Desjardins paints a clear picture of opportunists at war. The writing style is brief and unsentimental, which adds to the feeling of dissociation from society that all the participants seem to feel. The combination of war, secrets and codes, hidden treasures, and the strangeness of embroidered skin are woven together to make a fascinating reading experience.(4 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
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