This book is a great read if you enjoy questions more than ready made, spoonfed answers. No Dr. Phil here. Only a lot to think about concerning the meaning of life, God, what we choose to believe and that we are responsible for what we choose to believe.
The story is odd and unusual, but very well told. I was very skeptical when I picked it out, because of the preposterous premise, but I was hooked. In a literary world in which most books aim at putting your thinking abilities to sleep, this will keep you wide awake. It is funny, stimilating, sometimes even annoying. What it is *not* is a waste of your precious time.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(10 of 20 readers found this comment helpful)
This could have been an interesting story on issues of medical ethics, family obligations , disability and society. What a disappointment. Picoult gets off the hook with some highly implausible plot twist that will leave the philosophically-minded reader utterly unsatisfied. There is nothing to learn from this book about wisdom, ethics and family. This book is a promise not kept.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(11 of 30 readers found this comment helpful)
"The Dante Club" is not the kind of book that leaves an indeledible mark on your psyche as a reader. Contrary to what the reviewers think, the Dante scholarship shown by Pearl is not remarkable at all (Wikipedia anyone?). However, it is a fun read, if gruesome. You spend time with remarkable figures such as Longfellow, Wendell Holmes Sr, the biologist Agassiz. You hear about certain notions of "American purity" that apparently are still around (tho not in academe). It is a well constructed story against a well reconstructed background. If you want to know more about Dante, this is not the book. If you want a worthwile read, this will do the job.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(6 of 13 readers found this comment helpful)
gunnercade has commented on (3) products.
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
gunnercade, August 29, 2006
This book is a great read if you enjoy questions more than ready made, spoonfed answers. No Dr. Phil here. Only a lot to think about concerning the meaning of life, God, what we choose to believe and that we are responsible for what we choose to believe.The story is odd and unusual, but very well told. I was very skeptical when I picked it out, because of the preposterous premise, but I was hooked. In a literary world in which most books aim at putting your thinking abilities to sleep, this will keep you wide awake. It is funny, stimilating, sometimes even annoying. What it is *not* is a waste of your precious time.
(10 of 20 readers found this comment helpful)
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
gunnercade, August 29, 2006
This could have been an interesting story on issues of medical ethics, family obligations , disability and society. What a disappointment. Picoult gets off the hook with some highly implausible plot twist that will leave the philosophically-minded reader utterly unsatisfied. There is nothing to learn from this book about wisdom, ethics and family. This book is a promise not kept.(11 of 30 readers found this comment helpful)
The Dante Club: A Novel by Matthew Pearl
gunnercade, August 29, 2006
"The Dante Club" is not the kind of book that leaves an indeledible mark on your psyche as a reader. Contrary to what the reviewers think, the Dante scholarship shown by Pearl is not remarkable at all (Wikipedia anyone?). However, it is a fun read, if gruesome. You spend time with remarkable figures such as Longfellow, Wendell Holmes Sr, the biologist Agassiz. You hear about certain notions of "American purity" that apparently are still around (tho not in academe). It is a well constructed story against a well reconstructed background. If you want to know more about Dante, this is not the book. If you want a worthwile read, this will do the job.(6 of 13 readers found this comment helpful)