by Nicola Barker
Yips - nervousness or tension that causes an athlete to fail to perform effectively, especially in missing short putts in golf. The Free Dictionary
This book was a Man Booker listed item this year. I read it because of some reviews talked about how clever/quirky it was.
It is a long book, over 500 pages. I generally avoid books that long, I find them hard to read. I found it very labourious to read the first 300 pages, because I so disliked the main character, but after that I got hooked on the antics of the kooky cast of characters. The writer has a fabulous way of expressing things.
The book is about a washed up golf pro who is totally self-centred, rude to all those who care about him and help him, and totally oblivious of the needs of others. He cannot show any concern or sympathy for anyone.
In the story we meet his long-suffering agent, whom he fires; several of his "hanger-ons". We also meet a young woman who works in a bar at a hotel and her workmate who has survived cancer 7 or more tiimes. We also meet the workmates wife, a minister who is going through a crisis of life/faith. The most tragic characters are a family that Ransom has devastated but to whom he feels no sorrow or responsibility -- he injured an old woman in a car accident and now she is demented and drives her daughter and son crazy. The daughter is a talented tatoo artist who is agrophobic. A muslim sex therapist and his burka wearing wife contribute to the humour and craziness of the plot.
Ransom's agent is giving birth to her third child, father unknown, she has complications in her delivery. While it appears her devotion to him is more than to his talent, he shows no interest in her condition, just in getting publicity.
All the characters interact with each other in different ways, most of them are suffering from angst or anger, and things get weirder as the story goes on.... They seem to be sad about how their lives have turned out or lives not lived, one of the women, a Minister, is relieved when she finds out her husband has had an affair because he is no longer a saint.
It was a frustrating book, because of the egotisim of the main character, ridiculously funny at at times; the lives of most of the characters don't seem to change for the better, but the jerk main character "gets the girl". However, it was certainly entertaining by the end.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Thursday, 18 October 2012
The Orchard
by Theresa Weir
This book is a memoir, written by a an author who seems to have had quite good success as a romance writer.
I picked the book up because I thought it was a book I heard reviewed on CBC, but it was The Orchardist, that I had heard about.
This book tells the story of the author's very tragic life. Her mother and father divorced when she was young and her mother went through numerous boyfriends after that. She didn't really want the two children she had and eventually tries to send her daughter to a girl's home, from which she runs away. The author then lives in a drug house for a while and is abused by men she meets. She finally goes to stay with an uncle who went to prison for abetting a murderer. He is running a greasy spoon restaurant. She works for him for room and board and sleeps on a mattress in the back room.
One day a young local farmer comes in. He is handsome and she stops to talk with him. Her uncle tells her to stay away from as his family is cursed... lots of deaths in the family. She and the young man start going on picnics and walks in the woods and discover a mutual love of drawing. The farmer asks her to marry him and she doesn't hesitate to say yes. They get married and move into a small house on the farm property. His parents don't like her and she finds her husband isn't as attentive nor affectionate as he was before they got married. He is out late at night and when he comes home he isn't hungry. She is shocked and hurt when she finds out that he goes to eat supper with his parents. She fills her lonlieness by trying to write fiction. She eventually finds a publisher for her book and develops a successful career as a writer.
Her husband is trying to breed a new type of apple. The farm specializes in apples including making cider. The family uses a lot of chemical sprays on the trees. Sadly the man's trees when they finally bear fruit are infested with worms and he destroys all he trees. The couple eventually have two children and have a "normal" life compared to the family lives they were raised in.
Then her husband's father dies of cancer, and a few years later her husband is diagnosed with cancer and he dies too. The mother-in-law accuses him of getting cancer so he doesn't have to run the farm.When her husband dies the woman immediately gathers up her children and goes far away from the farm.
Fortunately she has money from her success as an author to make the move. If it wasn't a true story it would be hard to believe that the relationships would be so weird as they are in this book.
This book is a memoir, written by a an author who seems to have had quite good success as a romance writer.
I picked the book up because I thought it was a book I heard reviewed on CBC, but it was The Orchardist, that I had heard about.
This book tells the story of the author's very tragic life. Her mother and father divorced when she was young and her mother went through numerous boyfriends after that. She didn't really want the two children she had and eventually tries to send her daughter to a girl's home, from which she runs away. The author then lives in a drug house for a while and is abused by men she meets. She finally goes to stay with an uncle who went to prison for abetting a murderer. He is running a greasy spoon restaurant. She works for him for room and board and sleeps on a mattress in the back room.
One day a young local farmer comes in. He is handsome and she stops to talk with him. Her uncle tells her to stay away from as his family is cursed... lots of deaths in the family. She and the young man start going on picnics and walks in the woods and discover a mutual love of drawing. The farmer asks her to marry him and she doesn't hesitate to say yes. They get married and move into a small house on the farm property. His parents don't like her and she finds her husband isn't as attentive nor affectionate as he was before they got married. He is out late at night and when he comes home he isn't hungry. She is shocked and hurt when she finds out that he goes to eat supper with his parents. She fills her lonlieness by trying to write fiction. She eventually finds a publisher for her book and develops a successful career as a writer.
Her husband is trying to breed a new type of apple. The farm specializes in apples including making cider. The family uses a lot of chemical sprays on the trees. Sadly the man's trees when they finally bear fruit are infested with worms and he destroys all he trees. The couple eventually have two children and have a "normal" life compared to the family lives they were raised in.
Then her husband's father dies of cancer, and a few years later her husband is diagnosed with cancer and he dies too. The mother-in-law accuses him of getting cancer so he doesn't have to run the farm.When her husband dies the woman immediately gathers up her children and goes far away from the farm.
Fortunately she has money from her success as an author to make the move. If it wasn't a true story it would be hard to believe that the relationships would be so weird as they are in this book.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Istanbul Passage
by Joseph Kanon
World War II is coming to an end and the main character, Leon Bauer, does some undercover work for the American embassy. On one mission he is trying to get a Romanian into Turkey and pass him on to the Americans. On the first evening the weather is bad so the boat cannot make the journey to the rendevous. On the second night the boat arrives and as Leon is trying to get his man shots ring out. Leon has never fired a gun before but he shoots in the direction of the shots and hears a person drop to the ground.
He takes the Romanian to a holding place, and is told by a friend who has been assisting him, that the man they have "rescued" is a war criminal who has killed thousands of Jews.
Leon's wife was involved in activities to rescue Jews from Europe and get them to Israel. On one mission a boat is sunk and many people die. She has a nervous breakdown and is now in a care facility. Leon loves her deeply and visits her often to tell her about what he has been doing.
Leon finds out that the man he shot was in fact the American Embassy contact who recruited him for the mission. He is puzzled as to why his contact would be wanting to kill their "cargo" but he continues to hide and support the "cargo", despite things he is hearing about him.
Leon keeps trying to get the cargo sent on but the death of a second embassy staff person complicates things and the planned plane for the cargo is cancelled.
I couldn't figure out why Leon didn't just turn the cargo over to the Americans. He thinks he is free of any involvement but then the fisherman who brought the Romanian to Turkey in his boat comes to the embassy and asks for his full payment and identifies Leon as a contact. Leon has been asked to try to help find out who killed the Embassy employee (the man he killed).
Leon keeps trying to keep his involvement in the murder/espionage quiet but he soon finds out that others know what he has done. He doesn't know who he can trust. He wants to get out of the "espionage" business... but they keep his crime hanging over his head.
I really enjoyed this book, the plot kept building in suspense. I couldn't understand why Leon kept being so committed to the Romanian, but later it turns out that he thinks he could use him as a bargaining chip to gain his own freedom. The ending is unexpected.
World War II is coming to an end and the main character, Leon Bauer, does some undercover work for the American embassy. On one mission he is trying to get a Romanian into Turkey and pass him on to the Americans. On the first evening the weather is bad so the boat cannot make the journey to the rendevous. On the second night the boat arrives and as Leon is trying to get his man shots ring out. Leon has never fired a gun before but he shoots in the direction of the shots and hears a person drop to the ground.
He takes the Romanian to a holding place, and is told by a friend who has been assisting him, that the man they have "rescued" is a war criminal who has killed thousands of Jews.
Leon's wife was involved in activities to rescue Jews from Europe and get them to Israel. On one mission a boat is sunk and many people die. She has a nervous breakdown and is now in a care facility. Leon loves her deeply and visits her often to tell her about what he has been doing.
Leon finds out that the man he shot was in fact the American Embassy contact who recruited him for the mission. He is puzzled as to why his contact would be wanting to kill their "cargo" but he continues to hide and support the "cargo", despite things he is hearing about him.
Leon keeps trying to get the cargo sent on but the death of a second embassy staff person complicates things and the planned plane for the cargo is cancelled.
I couldn't figure out why Leon didn't just turn the cargo over to the Americans. He thinks he is free of any involvement but then the fisherman who brought the Romanian to Turkey in his boat comes to the embassy and asks for his full payment and identifies Leon as a contact. Leon has been asked to try to help find out who killed the Embassy employee (the man he killed).
Leon keeps trying to keep his involvement in the murder/espionage quiet but he soon finds out that others know what he has done. He doesn't know who he can trust. He wants to get out of the "espionage" business... but they keep his crime hanging over his head.
I really enjoyed this book, the plot kept building in suspense. I couldn't understand why Leon kept being so committed to the Romanian, but later it turns out that he thinks he could use him as a bargaining chip to gain his own freedom. The ending is unexpected.
Saturday, 6 October 2012
The Shape of Water
by Andrea Camilleri
This is the first book in a mystery series involving the Sicilian Inspector Montalbano. I decided to read it after the series was recommended in the book I read recently about Sicily.
In this book, an important political figure is found dead, on the edge of a "lover's lane". It appears that he has had a heart attack, but the Inspector wonders why a man, who generally was very discrete, would turn up in a place like that, and he is convinced there is more to it when the man's wife points out that is underwear was on backwards. She tells the Inspector Water doesn't have an shape.... it takes the shape you give it".
The series does a great job of portraying the atmosphere in Sicily, the distrust of police, the corruption, etc. The Inspector tries to be an honest man, when most around him seem corrupt. Even when the corrupt are murdered he tries to solve the case. However, he is willing to manipulate things or destroy evidence to help the underdog and the wrongfully accused.
I certainly enjoyed the story, the flavour of Sicily and the plot twist. I will certainly read other books in the series in the future.
This is the first book in a mystery series involving the Sicilian Inspector Montalbano. I decided to read it after the series was recommended in the book I read recently about Sicily.
In this book, an important political figure is found dead, on the edge of a "lover's lane". It appears that he has had a heart attack, but the Inspector wonders why a man, who generally was very discrete, would turn up in a place like that, and he is convinced there is more to it when the man's wife points out that is underwear was on backwards. She tells the Inspector Water doesn't have an shape.... it takes the shape you give it".
The series does a great job of portraying the atmosphere in Sicily, the distrust of police, the corruption, etc. The Inspector tries to be an honest man, when most around him seem corrupt. Even when the corrupt are murdered he tries to solve the case. However, he is willing to manipulate things or destroy evidence to help the underdog and the wrongfully accused.
I certainly enjoyed the story, the flavour of Sicily and the plot twist. I will certainly read other books in the series in the future.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
The Beautiful Mystery
by Louise Penny
This is the latest book by Penny. In this book Chief Inspector Gamache and his protege Jean-Guy Beavoir are sent to investigate a murder in a monastery located in a remote wilderness location. One of the monks has been murdered, the prior (leader of the choir). The monastery is renowned for its Gregorian Chants, it gained worldwide fame when it released a CD of its chants.
Gamache and his assistant find it difficult to get any information out of the monks who for the most part operate under a vow of silence. However, it soon becomes obvious that there is a split in the monastery between the Prior, who wants to release another CD and take the monks on tour, and the Abbott who is strenuously against it.
While Gamache and Beauvoir are investigating the head of the Surete, Gamache's boss, who hates Gamache, shows up. They cannot figure out why he is there, but he takes the opportunity to test Jean-Guy's loyatly to and respect for Gamache.
The mystery story is well told, the issues of faith and loyalty, explored through the monks and the police officers added an additional level of complexity to the story.
I think this is my favourite of all the books I have read by this author.
This is the latest book by Penny. In this book Chief Inspector Gamache and his protege Jean-Guy Beavoir are sent to investigate a murder in a monastery located in a remote wilderness location. One of the monks has been murdered, the prior (leader of the choir). The monastery is renowned for its Gregorian Chants, it gained worldwide fame when it released a CD of its chants.
Gamache and his assistant find it difficult to get any information out of the monks who for the most part operate under a vow of silence. However, it soon becomes obvious that there is a split in the monastery between the Prior, who wants to release another CD and take the monks on tour, and the Abbott who is strenuously against it.
While Gamache and Beauvoir are investigating the head of the Surete, Gamache's boss, who hates Gamache, shows up. They cannot figure out why he is there, but he takes the opportunity to test Jean-Guy's loyatly to and respect for Gamache.
The mystery story is well told, the issues of faith and loyalty, explored through the monks and the police officers added an additional level of complexity to the story.
I think this is my favourite of all the books I have read by this author.
Seeking Sicily
by John Keahey
This is the second introduction to Sicily that I read to while on our trip to Italy/Sicily. This was by far the better book. The author describes the country of Sicily as he has discovered it during several visits to the country, interacting with the locals and through research about the country.
He does a great job of describing the complicated history of the country, describing the spirit of the people and giving an affectionate description of some of the towns and cities and local customs. He also talks about some of Sicily's most famous writers and other artists.
He includes some folklore, anecdotes and recipes. It was an interesting and engaging introduction to the country.
This is the second introduction to Sicily that I read to while on our trip to Italy/Sicily. This was by far the better book. The author describes the country of Sicily as he has discovered it during several visits to the country, interacting with the locals and through research about the country.
He does a great job of describing the complicated history of the country, describing the spirit of the people and giving an affectionate description of some of the towns and cities and local customs. He also talks about some of Sicily's most famous writers and other artists.
He includes some folklore, anecdotes and recipes. It was an interesting and engaging introduction to the country.
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