I have started The Universe versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence, my next book club book. I have heard positive comments about the book from many quarters, so I am looking forward to the read. Here’s the blurb:
Alex Woods knows that he hasn't had the most conventional start in life.
He knows that growing up with a clairvoyant single mother won't endear him to the local bullies.
He also knows that even the most improbable events can happen - he's got the scars to prove it.
What he doesn't know yet is that when he meets ill-tempered, reclusive widower Mr Peterson, he'll make an unlikely friend. Someone who tells him that you only get one shot at life. That you have to make the best possible choices.
So when, aged seventeen, Alex is stopped at Dover customs with 113 grams of marijuana, an urn full of ashes on the passenger seat, and an entire nation in uproar, he's fairly sure he's done the right thing.
27 Sept 2016
So Much for That - by Lionel Shriver
My faith in Lionel Shriver keeping me turning the pages is intact. This book is, at times, an uncomfortable read, but that is intentional. I was aware that the healthcare system in the US is rather inhumane, but I was unaware of quite how bad it is. Describing it as “survival of the fittest” would not be unreasonable. That is OK - if you are fit. If I bring one thing away from the book, it is gratitude for living in a civilized country - i.e. one with a social healthcare system that actually works [imperfect sometimes, but amazing at others].
The story in the book is quite complex with a rich selection of characters. It is not told from a single viewpoint, though it is largely from Shep and Jackson’s perspectives. There are some nice twists, which kept me interested all the way to the end.
The story in the book is quite complex with a rich selection of characters. It is not told from a single viewpoint, though it is largely from Shep and Jackson’s perspectives. There are some nice twists, which kept me interested all the way to the end.
12 Sept 2016
What I'm reading ...
I have started reading So Much for That by Lionel Shriver. I needed some solid holiday reading, so turned to a firm favourite. Here’s the blurb:
What do you pack for the rest of your life?
Shepherd Knacker is bored with his humdrum existence. He's sold his successful handy-man business for a million dollars and is now ready to embark on his 'Afterlife' - a one way ticket to a small island off the coast of Africa. He tries to convince his wife Glynis to come with him, but she laughs off the idea as preposterous. There's no way she'll let Shepherd uproot the family to some far-flung African island.
When Glynis is diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer, Shepherd's dreams of an exotic adventure are firmly put on hold. He devotes himself to caring for his sick wife, watching her fade before his eyes.
Shepherd's best friend Jackson knows all too well about illness. His sixteen year old daughter has spent her life dosed up on every treatment going while he and his wife Carol feed their youngest daughter sugar pills so she won't feel left out. But then Jackson undergoes a medical procedure of his own which has devastating consequences …
So Much For That is a deeply affecting novel, told with Lionel Shriver's trademark originality, intelligence and acute perception of the human condition.
What do you pack for the rest of your life?
Shepherd Knacker is bored with his humdrum existence. He's sold his successful handy-man business for a million dollars and is now ready to embark on his 'Afterlife' - a one way ticket to a small island off the coast of Africa. He tries to convince his wife Glynis to come with him, but she laughs off the idea as preposterous. There's no way she'll let Shepherd uproot the family to some far-flung African island.
When Glynis is diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer, Shepherd's dreams of an exotic adventure are firmly put on hold. He devotes himself to caring for his sick wife, watching her fade before his eyes.
Shepherd's best friend Jackson knows all too well about illness. His sixteen year old daughter has spent her life dosed up on every treatment going while he and his wife Carol feed their youngest daughter sugar pills so she won't feel left out. But then Jackson undergoes a medical procedure of his own which has devastating consequences …
So Much For That is a deeply affecting novel, told with Lionel Shriver's trademark originality, intelligence and acute perception of the human condition.
The Shack - by William P. Young
I am really not sure what to make of this book. The quality of writing was, I felt, excellent. The characters were quite well drawn and the description of places and event quite vivid. However, ultimately I do not know what it was about. My interpretation is that Mack headed for the shack, had the serious road accident and his brain invented a set of false memories, synthesised from his sketchy religious beliefs and emotional turmoil. In the end, this is not such a bad thing, as it made him a better person.
I think that the book is simply a vehicle for the author to describe and publicise about their person perspective on God, the meaning of life, etc. It made for an OK, and sometimes entertaining, read.
I think that the book is simply a vehicle for the author to describe and publicise about their person perspective on God, the meaning of life, etc. It made for an OK, and sometimes entertaining, read.
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