Three Books I Highly Recommend
I decided to try some genres I haven’t read in a while- so here’s a dystopian story, a mystery thriller, and a historical memoir. Try something different and happy reading!
Our Life in the Forest by Marie Darrieussecq
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In the near future, a woman huddles and grows colder. She is writing her thoughts in a notebook. Author Marie Darrieussecg has created a spellbinding tale from the woman’s internal thoughts.
This dystopian tale is told in the first person and unlike most sci-fi fantasy, it is not an action thriller. Instead, it will haunt you as the horror slowly grows.
The narrator Viviane, is a psychotherapist and she has a lived a typical life for the times. She has an electrical unit in her head, and two other body implants like everyone else. Her every movement is recorded and categorized. Yet, her thoughts seem to be her own. And she shares her thoughts with us through a stream of consciousness style of writing.
She is an educated person; she is able to remember quotes from the previous centuries (18th- 20th). She can also be wry, like when she explains to a patient who is trying to visualize, that a safe place is a familiar place, not a screensaver.
Viviane tells us that much of her life has been consumed with caring and thinking about her “half.” At first, we don’t know what a “half” is, until gradually the body part project is revealed.
By the end of the book, the Viviane concludes that, “It requires a radical change of thinking really, to no longer see yourself at the center of things…”
The author is a good storyteller. One of my favorite passages in this book was about the army of terra cotta soldiers in China. I wish there had been even more to the book. I am glad I read this book and I recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for an ARC.
Murder In The Med by Peter Mayle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Peter Mayle, this romp through Marseille and Corsica was a delight!
Only the French can handle an impending murder with the proper je ne c’est quoi. American friends, Sam Levitt and Elena Morales can help with the troublesome details, but as billionaire Francis Reboul knows, a fine champagne helps even more. And only author Peter Mayle can tell us their story with his master blend of signature characters, exotic locals, wry dialogue, and cuisine!
“Activity is the next best thing to progress” and the mystery and thrills are just for entertainment as Reboul and the Americans bait the trap to catch the would-be killers with the assistance of the Corsican underworld. Who is the evil killer? None other than a mysterious Russian billionaire, whose hobbies include bear hunting, chess, and ballroom dancing.
The book ends with a rapturous luncheon celebration. Take a peek at the menu- coquilles saint-Jacques, accompanied by chives and a ragout of new peas and broad beans. Next, a filet de Saint-Pierre, a raised rumpf of Corsican veal and a fricassee new potatoes, followed by the cheese course. Chocolate cake with splendid toppings completed the dessert.
As Sam Levitt concludes, “Guys just like to have fun.” And so do readers. This is a delightful frolic of story. Bon appetit!
Hazelet’s Journal by George Cheever Hazelet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The author’s great-grandfather, George Cheever Hazelet joined thousands of other hardy men would who ventured to the Alaskan frontier to seek gold. He kept a journal and recorded his thoughts and adventures. I suppose he did it for himself and his family. I wonder if he ever thought that people in the year 2018 would read his words from 1898-1902?
Thanks to the author, we can see what daily life was like for his intrepid ancestor. George Hazelet had a successful life as an educator, businessman and man of influence in Nebraska and Iowa. He had a family he dearly loved. But when the economy faltered, he joined the rush to find gold in the Klondike.
He wrote that his goal was to provide the best in life for his family. But part of his decision seem to be fueled by the times- the feeling that a man would want to take on challenges and adventures. Going to Alaska was a test for the rugged and the strong, in both mind and body.
Reading about his struggles against rivers, glaciers, weather, and long distances was epic. Hazelet was a good writer and shared many details of the actual work of prospecting as well as he thoughts, goals and guiding principles. He had a sense of humor, too. “Since we have had to lay off, I’m just about insane, in fact I guess I’m entirely so and always have been, but have just reached a point where I have found it out.”
In addition to the actual journal, the author added a prologue and epilogue. These were so well written that I wish the author had not just published the journals word for word. The author could have created a full and vibrant portrait of the life and times of his heroic ancestor using his own words. If you are interested in history, and especially exciting history like the Alaskan Gold Rush, this book is a great resource.
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