Tag: reviews

Book Talk: ON IMMUNITY, by Eula Biss
November 4, 2014 reading

Book Talk: ON IMMUNITY, by Eula Biss

On Immunity: An Inoculation Eula Biss Graywolf Press (September 2014), Hardcover (ISBN 1555976891 / 9781555976897) Nonfiction: Social sciences, 216 pages Source: ARC from publisher at Book Expo America 2014 On Immunity: An Inoculation, Eula Biss’ exploration of illness and vaccination filtered through a mother’s concerns for her young son, was one of only two works of nonfiction selected as “Buzz Books” at Book Expo America 2014. It’s absolutely worthy of that attention. The childhood immunizations that […]

Book Talk: REUNION, by Hannah Pittard
October 30, 2014 reading

Book Talk: REUNION, by Hannah Pittard

Reunion: A Novel Hannah Pittard (Twitter) Grand Central Publishing (October 7, 2014), Hardcover (ISBN 1455553611 / 9781455553617) Fiction, 288 pages A version of this discussion was previously published as a Starred Review in Shelf Awareness for Readers (October 21, 2014). Shelf Awareness provided me with a publisher-furnished galley to facilitate the review, and compensated me for the review they received and posted. Three ex-wives, one widow, and four sets of children ranging from in age […]

Book Talk: THE LUMINOUS HEART OF JONAH S., by Gina B. Nahai
October 28, 2014 reading

Book Talk: THE LUMINOUS HEART OF JONAH S., by Gina B. Nahai

The Luminous Heart of Jonah S. Gina B. Nahai (Facebook) (Twitter) Akashic Books (October 7, 2014) trade paper (ISBN 9781617753206) and hardcover (ISBN 1617753211 / 9781617753213) Fiction, 380 pages ———————————————————————————————————————- A version of this review was previously published in Shelf Awareness for Readers (October 21, 2014). Shelf Awareness provided me with a publisher-furnished galley to facilitate the review, and compensated me for the review they received and posted. A substantial Jewish contingent established itself in […]

(Audio)Book Talk: LANDLINE, by Rainbow Rowell, read by Rebecca Lowman
October 16, 2014 reading

(Audio)Book Talk: LANDLINE, by Rainbow Rowell, read by Rebecca Lowman

Landline Rainbow Rowell (Twitter) (Facebook) (Tumblr) Audiobook read by Rebecca Lowman St. Martin’s Press (July 2014), Hardcover (ISBN 1250049377 / 9781250049377) Fiction, 320 pages Source: Purchased audiobook (Macmillan Audio (July 2014), ISBN 9781427239334; Audible ASIN B00KAG8OZM) ‘ I haven’t been able to pull my thoughts about Rainbow Rowell’s return to adult-audience fiction, Landline, into a thematically coherent whole, so I’m recording my impressions in bullet-point format. Some of these points may be spoilers if you […]

Book to Movie Talk: GONE GIRL
October 9, 2014 randomness

Book to Movie Talk: GONE GIRL

WARNING: The following may contain potential spoilers for the novel and film Gone Girl, depending on your definition of “spoilers.” These are a few of the things I said about Gone Girl, the novel, two years ago: Gone Girl has been one of those “everyone’s talking about it” books for months. That said, it’s really not that easy to talk about, between the potential spoiler minefield of any plot discussion and the fact that…yeah, almost everyone’s talked about it […]

(Audio)Book Talk: THE TEACHER WARS, by Dana Goldstein, read by Nan McNamara
October 7, 2014 reading

(Audio)Book Talk: THE TEACHER WARS, by Dana Goldstein, read by Nan McNamara

The Teacher Wars: A History of America’s Most Embattled Profession Dana Goldstein (Twitter) Audiobook read by Nan McNamara Doubleday (September 2014), Hardcover (ISBN 038553695X / 9780385536950) Nonfiction: history/education, 368 pages Source: Purchased audiobook (Audible Studios, September 2014, ASIN B00M4LUO90) Dana Goldstein’s The Teacher Wars is not the comprehensive history of two centuries of American public education. In fact, this book strongly suggests that such a history may never be written, in part because there is […]

(Audio)Book Talk: HOW TO TELL TOLEDO FROM THE NIGHT SKY, by Lydia Netzer (read by Joshilyn Jackson)
September 23, 2014 reading

(Audio)Book Talk: HOW TO TELL TOLEDO FROM THE NIGHT SKY, by Lydia Netzer (read by Joshilyn Jackson)

How to Tell Toledo from the Night Sky: A Novel Lydia Netzer (Facebook) (Twitter) Audiobook read by Joshilyn Jackson St. Martin’s Press (June 2014), Hardcover (ISBN 1250047021 / 9781250047021) Fiction, 352 pages Source: Purchased audiobook (Macmillan Audio, June 2014, ISBN 9781250047021/Audible ASIN B00K7KNEAG) Author Lydia Netzer is good at succinctly describing her own novels. This is how she summarizes How to Tell Toledo From the Night Sky on her website: “Two astronomers meet and fall […]

Book Talk: THE INTERESTINGS, by Meg Wolitzer
September 11, 2014 reading

Book Talk: THE INTERESTINGS, by Meg Wolitzer

The Interestings: A Novel Meg Wolitzer (Facebook) Riverhead (2014), Trade paper (ISBN 1594488398 / 9781594632341) Fiction, 481 pages Source: Purchased e-book (iBooks edition) I’ve been feeling for a while that fiction doesn’t call to me the way it used to, and that more of the books I get excited about reading these days are some variety of nonfiction. At this point, with fiction, I’m less inclined to try new-to-me authors without solid recommendations, but I still give new […]

Book Talk: AGAINST FOOTBALL, by Steve Almond
September 2, 2014 reading

Book Talk: AGAINST FOOTBALL, by Steve Almond

Against Football: One Fan’s Reluctant Manifesto Steve Almond (Facebook) (Twitter) Melville House (August 26, 2014), Hardcover (ISBN 161219415X / 9781612194158) Nonfiction (journalism/sports), 192 pages A version of this review was previously published in Shelf Awareness for Readers (August 29, 2014). Shelf Awareness provided me with a publisher-furnished galley to facilitate the review, and compensated me for the review they received and posted. Those who don’t care much for America’s favorite autumn-weekend pastime might be inclined to pick up Steve Almond’s collection of […]

(Audio)Book Talk: ALL JOY AND NO FUN, by Jennifer Senior
August 19, 2014 reading

(Audio)Book Talk: ALL JOY AND NO FUN, by Jennifer Senior

All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood Jennifer Senior (Twitter) Audiobook read by the author Ecco (January 2014), Hardcover (ISBN 0062072226 / 9780062072221) Nonfiction: Sociology, 320 pages Source: Purchased audiobook (Harper Audio, January 2014, ISBN 9780062308634; Audible ASIN B00H8QSIFS) Jennifer Senior’s provocatively-titled New York magazine article from July 2010, “All Joy and No Fun: Why Parents Hate Parenting” contained much of what makes up the introduction to her 2014 book, which reframes the proposition of “all joy […]

Book Talk: A SONG FOR ISSY BRADLEY, by Carys Bray
August 14, 2014 reading

Book Talk: A SONG FOR ISSY BRADLEY, by Carys Bray

A Song for Issy Bradley: A Novel Carys Bray (Twitter) (Facebook) Ballantine Books (August 12, 2014), Hardcover (ISBN 0553390880 / 9780553390889) Fiction, 352 pages, $26.00 A version of this review was previously published in Shelf Awareness for Readers (August 12, 2014). Shelf Awareness provided me with a publisher-furnished galley to facilitate the review, and compensated me for the review they received and posted. Faith, guilt, family responsibilities and cultural norms overlap and clash in Carys Bray’s debut novel. A […]

Book Talk: THIS IS THE WATER, by Yannick Murphy
August 12, 2014 reading

Book Talk: THIS IS THE WATER, by Yannick Murphy

This Is the Water: A Novel Yannick Murphy Harper Perennial (July 29, 2014), Trade paper (ISBN 0062294903 / 9780062294906) Fiction, 352 pages A version of this review was previously published in Shelf Awareness for Readers (August 1, 2014). Shelf Awareness provided me with a publisher-furnished galley to facilitate the review, and compensated me for the review they received and posted. In This Is the Water, Yannick Murphy (The Call) explores the effects of the shocking, seemingly random killing of one of its stars […]