I wouldn't have met Piti if it hadn't been for a chichigua. To translate chichigua as a kite does not do justice to these beautiful creations of...
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I first read "Lost City Radio" two years ago and some of the images stayed with me so vividly I had to read it again. There are some amazing surprises that will take your breath away. Daniel Alarcon is a young writer and is already one of the most vivid voices of literature from Latin America, and in fact from anywhere. Even if you have not been to Lima or the Peruvian jungle, after you read this book, believe me, you will have been there.
"Moth Smoke" draws you in slowly, like a deep concentrated drag on a seductive narcotic substance which becomes all too familiar to the book's protagonist. Is he a sympathetic figure or not? The strength of Hamid's writing is such that we feel and understand his multi-faceted characters. We descend, along with his decline, into loss of self and ultimately tragedy with a surprise ending that defies clear definition. There are no simple answers in Hamil's portrait of modern Pakistan, a world far more complex than what we read about in the news every day. A taut, engrossing tale well told!
This book is riveting from start to finish. Although it depicts unspeakable horrors of the German siege of Leningrad, desperation, cannibalism, random slaughter and more, the principal characters are portrayed with dignity, humanity, irony and a healthy dose of humor. Like an edge-of-your-seat movie, it's almost impossible to put down.
I began the book expecting a lightweight thriller that would also include some insight into the border region, but discovered the book was far more profound that that. It's, first of all, a riveting thriller, and Kem Nunn's prose style keeps you constantly hooked with his flair for action as well as thoughtful, philosophical views. He brings to life the border region, both sides of it, and writes about the waves and surfing (which I knew nothing about) with great descriptive power. His hero is multidimensional and as unlikely a hero as anybody would ever find in fiction. His villain is unique -- not just a bad-guy killer, but flesh and blood, a guy who started out with good intentions but was twisted by tragedy. Nunn's characters, from the central ones to the minor ones that just pass through, all are multi-dimensional and somehow reminiscent of people you might see walking down the street, in San Diego, in Tijuana, in Imperial Beach, in fact, almost anywhere.
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Michael Roth has commented on (4) products.
Lost City Radio (P.S.) by Daniel Alarcon
Michael Roth, September 9, 2011
I first read "Lost City Radio" two years ago and some of the images stayed with me so vividly I had to read it again. There are some amazing surprises that will take your breath away. Daniel Alarcon is a young writer and is already one of the most vivid voices of literature from Latin America, and in fact from anywhere. Even if you have not been to Lima or the Peruvian jungle, after you read this book, believe me, you will have been there.Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid
Michael Roth, October 30, 2009
"Moth Smoke" draws you in slowly, like a deep concentrated drag on a seductive narcotic substance which becomes all too familiar to the book's protagonist. Is he a sympathetic figure or not? The strength of Hamid's writing is such that we feel and understand his multi-faceted characters. We descend, along with his decline, into loss of self and ultimately tragedy with a surprise ending that defies clear definition. There are no simple answers in Hamil's portrait of modern Pakistan, a world far more complex than what we read about in the news every day. A taut, engrossing tale well told!City of Thieves by David Benioff
Michael Roth, October 10, 2009
This book is riveting from start to finish. Although it depicts unspeakable horrors of the German siege of Leningrad, desperation, cannibalism, random slaughter and more, the principal characters are portrayed with dignity, humanity, irony and a healthy dose of humor. Like an edge-of-your-seat movie, it's almost impossible to put down.Tijuana Straits by Kem Nunn
Michael Roth, July 14, 2009
I began the book expecting a lightweight thriller that would also include some insight into the border region, but discovered the book was far more profound that that. It's, first of all, a riveting thriller, and Kem Nunn's prose style keeps you constantly hooked with his flair for action as well as thoughtful, philosophical views. He brings to life the border region, both sides of it, and writes about the waves and surfing (which I knew nothing about) with great descriptive power. His hero is multidimensional and as unlikely a hero as anybody would ever find in fiction. His villain is unique -- not just a bad-guy killer, but flesh and blood, a guy who started out with good intentions but was twisted by tragedy. Nunn's characters, from the central ones to the minor ones that just pass through, all are multi-dimensional and somehow reminiscent of people you might see walking down the street, in San Diego, in Tijuana, in Imperial Beach, in fact, almost anywhere.(5 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)