Stephen Dau's The Book of Jonas is a marvelous, lyrical debut that examines the effects of war on everyone involved. Dau weaves together the stories...
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Not a bad book, per se, but I doubt that anyone younger than a baby boomer will recognize many of the comedians Ms. Thomas mentions throughout. I did enjoy the mini-interviews with some contemporary comedians (Jon Stewart, Conan O'Brien, Whoopi Goldberg, among others). The only grating part, at least to me, was Ms. Thomas's seeming ignorance of how privileged a life she's lead because of her and her father's fame and wealth. Still, it's fairly well-written, if not very deep, and is an enjoyable, light read.
One of the best books I've read in the past year. The story of the redemption of Golden Richards, a man with a failing business, four wives, twenty-eight children, and an almost-mistress, is one that I read voraciously. Brady Udall, the author, does an excellent job, weaving the different narrators' viewpoints throughout. At times heart-breakingly sad and uproariously funny, the book moves along at a quick pace as it details Golden's life at a critical juncture. This is one I'll read again.
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(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
Set in the future, where there is no poverty, violence, hunger, or hate, there is also no free will. Lowry does an admirable job in creating a utopia that hovers on being dystopian. This is a good read, thought-provoking for teens and adults both. There are a couple of strong scenes that may be too much for readers not in their teens yet. Still, an excellent book that could provide something to talk about with your teenager.
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(3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
An interesting, if not entirely successful, book by Irving. A reader can see what’s going to happen well in advance, which, to me, doesn’t bode well. I prefer to be surprised when I read a book, and this one didn't surprise me at all. Without giving away too much about the plot, a young man and his twelve-year-old son spend decades on the run because of an accidental death. However, they never stray too far from where the accident occurred, which is strange and, to me, unbelievable. Overall, Irving doesn’t disappoint in the sentences he creates; he does disappoint in what he does with them.
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(12 of 41 readers found this comment helpful)
The greatest book of the 20th century, IMHO. I read this every eighteen months or so just to savor the writing. Everything in it is just about perfect: the characterizations, the settings, the descriptions, the plot lines - I can't think of any weak spots.
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(6 of 14 readers found this comment helpful)
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bookguy has commented on (6) products.
Growing Up Laughing: My Story and the Story of Funny by Marlo Thomas
bookguy, October 12, 2011
Not a bad book, per se, but I doubt that anyone younger than a baby boomer will recognize many of the comedians Ms. Thomas mentions throughout. I did enjoy the mini-interviews with some contemporary comedians (Jon Stewart, Conan O'Brien, Whoopi Goldberg, among others). The only grating part, at least to me, was Ms. Thomas's seeming ignorance of how privileged a life she's lead because of her and her father's fame and wealth. Still, it's fairly well-written, if not very deep, and is an enjoyable, light read.The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
bookguy, June 3, 2010
One of the best books I've read in the past year. The story of the redemption of Golden Richards, a man with a failing business, four wives, twenty-eight children, and an almost-mistress, is one that I read voraciously. Brady Udall, the author, does an excellent job, weaving the different narrators' viewpoints throughout. At times heart-breakingly sad and uproariously funny, the book moves along at a quick pace as it details Golden's life at a critical juncture. This is one I'll read again.(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
The Giver by Lois Lowry
bookguy, December 21, 2009
Set in the future, where there is no poverty, violence, hunger, or hate, there is also no free will. Lowry does an admirable job in creating a utopia that hovers on being dystopian. This is a good read, thought-provoking for teens and adults both. There are a couple of strong scenes that may be too much for readers not in their teens yet. Still, an excellent book that could provide something to talk about with your teenager.(3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving
bookguy, December 21, 2009
An interesting, if not entirely successful, book by Irving. A reader can see what’s going to happen well in advance, which, to me, doesn’t bode well. I prefer to be surprised when I read a book, and this one didn't surprise me at all. Without giving away too much about the plot, a young man and his twelve-year-old son spend decades on the run because of an accidental death. However, they never stray too far from where the accident occurred, which is strange and, to me, unbelievable. Overall, Irving doesn’t disappoint in the sentences he creates; he does disappoint in what he does with them.(12 of 41 readers found this comment helpful)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
bookguy, September 11, 2008
The greatest book of the 20th century, IMHO. I read this every eighteen months or so just to savor the writing. Everything in it is just about perfect: the characterizations, the settings, the descriptions, the plot lines - I can't think of any weak spots.(6 of 14 readers found this comment helpful)
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