I started and finished A Sense of Direction in one evening; I couldn't really stop thinking about it, so I couldn't put it down. I found it...
Continue »
Ugh. I hate writing negatively about a book. But, this is one of the rare books where I feel compelled to do so. The topic (teen-angst-ridden-girl) is a rich field to be mined. But, for the love of all that is bibliographically holy, this book is dripping with excessive adjectives. Sometimes, I only need to know that the car is blue. I don't need to know that it is the azure blue of Meditteranean coastal waters on a mid-afternoon in Spain five days after a lunar eclipse (alright, she didn't actually write that, but this is similar to the type of descriptions on page after page). Seriously, if you want a heavy read, this book is for you. Otherwise, go for something more fun. On the bright side, this is the first book in many years that gave me the freedom to stop reading half-way through without finishing.
I tend not to read too many fiction novels because I don't suspend disbelief so easily. But, this is one book with which I suspended disbelief and thoroughly enjoyed the very touching storyline. The book came highly recommended by a friend and I am glad I read it.
For those of us who wished we could take our children around the world - or wish our parents had taken us - this is a true-life story of a single father lovingly trying to instill into his two children an appreciation for other cultures and their environmental roots. Along the way, he battles his emotions over the break-up of his marriage, the loss of his brother to cancer, and the trials of raising two adolescent children who are intimately linked to the conveniences of modern Western culture. The love of the father for his children is evident and is inspiring.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(0 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
Is it possible to enjoy a book with such a difficult premise? We can read about murder. We can read about rape. But, if you are like me, pedophilia has been beyond where I want to go. But, I did. And, I'm grateful. "Edinburgh", by Alexander Chee, is about more than a despicable act. It is about the transformation of a man. No child should have to go through what Fee goes through in this story. But, children do. And, this novel puts a face on it and gives us hope and beauty. It teaches us what we already know - that a person can be more than a victim.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
While browsing through the stacks at Powell's, I stumbled across this book. I hadn't heard of the author or the book. I'm so glad I decided to buy it. The description and "review comments" on the back of the book were nothing special, but I was intrigued by the title. Judging from it's description, I thought this would be a story connecting me to a child, perhaps giving me insight into my own childhood. That is partly what happened. But, I also gained some perspective regarding parenting and how children, even siblings, perceive their parents differently. Additionally, I gained some insight into how parents with the best intentions can be largely misunderstood by their children (and misunderstand their children!).
I found each of the main characters (a mother, a father, and two sons of an upper-middle class suburban Philadelphia family) likable and interesting in their own right. Peripheral characters, as they came and went, were also interesting and kept me engaged.
I found this book in the gay and lesbian section, but I wouldn't say it is necessarily a gay-themed book. Because the main character is a child through a good portion of the story, sexuality has only a limited role. But, there is a growing up and "coming of age" context that I think gay men, lesbians, transgendered, and heterosexual men and women can all relate to. I think virtually everyone can read this book and identify with the characters and their situations on some level.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.
Don't Miss
Customer Comments
rusty97015 has commented on (5) products.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
rusty97015, June 30, 2010
Ugh. I hate writing negatively about a book. But, this is one of the rare books where I feel compelled to do so. The topic (teen-angst-ridden-girl) is a rich field to be mined. But, for the love of all that is bibliographically holy, this book is dripping with excessive adjectives. Sometimes, I only need to know that the car is blue. I don't need to know that it is the azure blue of Meditteranean coastal waters on a mid-afternoon in Spain five days after a lunar eclipse (alright, she didn't actually write that, but this is similar to the type of descriptions on page after page). Seriously, if you want a heavy read, this book is for you. Otherwise, go for something more fun. On the bright side, this is the first book in many years that gave me the freedom to stop reading half-way through without finishing.The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
rusty97015, January 1, 2010
I tend not to read too many fiction novels because I don't suspend disbelief so easily. But, this is one book with which I suspended disbelief and thoroughly enjoyed the very touching storyline. The book came highly recommended by a friend and I am glad I read it.Monkey Dancing: A Father, Two Kids, and Journey to the Ends of the Earth by Dan Glick
rusty97015, September 23, 2008
For those of us who wished we could take our children around the world - or wish our parents had taken us - this is a true-life story of a single father lovingly trying to instill into his two children an appreciation for other cultures and their environmental roots. Along the way, he battles his emotions over the break-up of his marriage, the loss of his brother to cancer, and the trials of raising two adolescent children who are intimately linked to the conveniences of modern Western culture. The love of the father for his children is evident and is inspiring.(0 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
Edinburgh
rusty97015, July 12, 2008
Is it possible to enjoy a book with such a difficult premise? We can read about murder. We can read about rape. But, if you are like me, pedophilia has been beyond where I want to go. But, I did. And, I'm grateful. "Edinburgh", by Alexander Chee, is about more than a despicable act. It is about the transformation of a man. No child should have to go through what Fee goes through in this story. But, children do. And, this novel puts a face on it and gives us hope and beauty. It teaches us what we already know - that a person can be more than a victim.(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
Big Book of Misunderstanding by Jim Gladstone
rusty97015, February 7, 2008
While browsing through the stacks at Powell's, I stumbled across this book. I hadn't heard of the author or the book. I'm so glad I decided to buy it. The description and "review comments" on the back of the book were nothing special, but I was intrigued by the title. Judging from it's description, I thought this would be a story connecting me to a child, perhaps giving me insight into my own childhood. That is partly what happened. But, I also gained some perspective regarding parenting and how children, even siblings, perceive their parents differently. Additionally, I gained some insight into how parents with the best intentions can be largely misunderstood by their children (and misunderstand their children!).I found each of the main characters (a mother, a father, and two sons of an upper-middle class suburban Philadelphia family) likable and interesting in their own right. Peripheral characters, as they came and went, were also interesting and kept me engaged.
I found this book in the gay and lesbian section, but I wouldn't say it is necessarily a gay-themed book. Because the main character is a child through a good portion of the story, sexuality has only a limited role. But, there is a growing up and "coming of age" context that I think gay men, lesbians, transgendered, and heterosexual men and women can all relate to. I think virtually everyone can read this book and identify with the characters and their situations on some level.
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)