I haven't read it, but my husband enjoyed it immensely when he read it many moons ago.
2024 AW Reading Challenge!
- Thread starter Chris P
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I’m pleased to report that I’ve procured a replacement for the book I gave up on. And I’m rather optimistic about this new one, as I greatly enjoyed The Postman Always Rings Twice.
The butler might have done it: A mystery - The Cocktail Waitress, James M. Cain.
The butler might have done it: A mystery - The Cocktail Waitress, James M. Cain.
Run for the border: Conquistadores: a new history of Spanish Discovery and Conquest by Fernando Cervantes.
Five centuries after Spain’s discovery and conquest of the Americas, two dominant narratives about these conquests still prevail: the romance and exoticism of adventure versus the cruelty and exploitation of innocent peoples in line with a political and religious agenda. In this fact-filled and scholarly book, Mexican historian Fernando Cervantes - himself a descendent of a Spanish conquistador – gives a detailed account of the conquests while steering a middle course between these two viewpoints. Seeking to understand the conquistadors on their own terms, he credits their bravery and endurance but does not whitewash their ambition, errors or cruelty. He argues that ,while they had undeniable faults, the tendency to condemn them says more about our modern sense of shame than it does about their original intentions.
Using previously untapped primary sources such as letters, diaries, chronicles, and treatises, Cervantes examines the Spanish conquest of the New World within the context of the late medieval world and the fluctuations in Spanish foreign policy, dictated initially by Isabel I’s religious designs but later by Charles I’s European Imperialist goals. With their epic ambitions and moral contradictions, the conquistadors defined an era, and this book provides a valuable insight into their mindset, however flawed it now seems in today’s post-colonial world.
Five centuries after Spain’s discovery and conquest of the Americas, two dominant narratives about these conquests still prevail: the romance and exoticism of adventure versus the cruelty and exploitation of innocent peoples in line with a political and religious agenda. In this fact-filled and scholarly book, Mexican historian Fernando Cervantes - himself a descendent of a Spanish conquistador – gives a detailed account of the conquests while steering a middle course between these two viewpoints. Seeking to understand the conquistadors on their own terms, he credits their bravery and endurance but does not whitewash their ambition, errors or cruelty. He argues that ,while they had undeniable faults, the tendency to condemn them says more about our modern sense of shame than it does about their original intentions.
Using previously untapped primary sources such as letters, diaries, chronicles, and treatises, Cervantes examines the Spanish conquest of the New World within the context of the late medieval world and the fluctuations in Spanish foreign policy, dictated initially by Isabel I’s religious designs but later by Charles I’s European Imperialist goals. With their epic ambitions and moral contradictions, the conquistadors defined an era, and this book provides a valuable insight into their mindset, however flawed it now seems in today’s post-colonial world.
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Tag team: A book by more than one author
Finished A Crowning Mercy by Bernard Cornwell and Susannah Kells. This novel started off with a degree of promise, but ultimately disappointed me. I do like the era it’s set in (English Civil War) and the prose is good enough. But the more crucial elements, such as the book’s characters, dialogue, and plot, never managed to get hot enough for me. (2.5 stars)
Finished A Crowning Mercy by Bernard Cornwell and Susannah Kells. This novel started off with a degree of promise, but ultimately disappointed me. I do like the era it’s set in (English Civil War) and the prose is good enough. But the more crucial elements, such as the book’s characters, dialogue, and plot, never managed to get hot enough for me. (2.5 stars)
My feelings exactly. I once read a book by Bernard Cornwell and was very disappointed.
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Finished 6. Coming to a theatre near you - The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Read this years ago, and definetly understood it much more now. Enjoyed it a lot.
Read this years ago, and definetly understood it much more now. Enjoyed it a lot.
John Irving once again does not disappoint with The Cider House Rules, taking place largely on an apple orchard in Maine. Raised in an orphanage in the 1930s, Homer Wells fails to maintain three foster homes through no fault of his own, and eventually ages out of the orphanage. But not before he learns the intimate details of obstetrics and gynecology, including abortion from the aging Dr Wilbur Larch. Taking up with a young rich couple who own an apple orchard and who sneak to the orphanage for the termination, Homer loves his new life on the apple farm, where he learns the cider house rules for the seasonal pickers who show up every summer. But, in exorable force continues to pull him back to the orphanage, while Dr Larch quietly prepares for the return he knows will eventually occur.
The book is as atmospheric and engaging as any of Irving's, with memorable characters, especially the strong-headed women (although I never understood the attraction Candy had for Homer). I'm sure there's a lot that I could pick up on a second read. For this read, it seems the cider house rules of all of our lives serve to limit our chances and opportunities in life, and each of us develops our own to make the best we can of where we find ourselves. An Irving or two ago, an online review pointed out that Irving likes to re-use elements across books, and now I can't unsee this--flying in a car with the lights off which was so famously presented in The World According to Garp, a butch-fem sexually explosive lesbian relationship very much like that in The Last Chairlift, etc. I noted that all of the non-upper crust characters had nouns for names. Also, since I saw the film 20 years ago, I cannot picture Homer as anyone other than Tobey Maguire, who I've never warmed up to. But, the reason I've never warmed up to him makes him perfect for the rather flat character of Homer.
I swapped out my freebie Pachinko by Min Jin Li for Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I got halfway through Pachinko and it just wasn't holding me.
1.In a dry and dusty land: A book taking place in a desert. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
2.Flights of fancy: A book in which airplanes figure prominently. The Great Circle – Maggie Shipstead
5.Elementally, my dear Watson: A book whose title contains one of the chemical elements. Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver
12.Down on the farm: A book featuring farmers, agriculture, or taking place in an agrarian setting. Cider House Rules – John Irving
13.Ballot boxing: A book centering on a political campaign. The Manchurian Candidate – Richard Condon
17.Old world charm: A book taking place in or about Europe. The Expats – Chris Pavone
21.Enabled: A book with a differently abled main character (blind, deaf, physically impaired, etc.). All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr.
24.War is hell: A book about war, on the lines or the home front, fiction or nonfiction. Desperate Engagement: How a Little-Known Civil War Battle Saved Washington, D.C. – Marc Leepson
28. I know exactly where that is!: A book taking place in a location you know well. DC Noir 2 – George Pelecanos (editor)
31.Back in the day: A historical fiction of any genre. Let Us Descend – Jesmyn Ward.
37.Ye olde booke shoppe: A book written before 1800. Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
44. Freebies: A book you (legally) obtained without paying for. Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The book is as atmospheric and engaging as any of Irving's, with memorable characters, especially the strong-headed women (although I never understood the attraction Candy had for Homer). I'm sure there's a lot that I could pick up on a second read. For this read, it seems the cider house rules of all of our lives serve to limit our chances and opportunities in life, and each of us develops our own to make the best we can of where we find ourselves. An Irving or two ago, an online review pointed out that Irving likes to re-use elements across books, and now I can't unsee this--flying in a car with the lights off which was so famously presented in The World According to Garp, a butch-fem sexually explosive lesbian relationship very much like that in The Last Chairlift, etc. I noted that all of the non-upper crust characters had nouns for names. Also, since I saw the film 20 years ago, I cannot picture Homer as anyone other than Tobey Maguire, who I've never warmed up to. But, the reason I've never warmed up to him makes him perfect for the rather flat character of Homer.
I swapped out my freebie Pachinko by Min Jin Li for Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I got halfway through Pachinko and it just wasn't holding me.
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44. Freebies: A book you (legally) obtained without paying for. Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
If I were to revamp my list to fit in the 16 books I've read/listened to this year... it'll look something like this
- Flights of fancy: When Heroes Flew by H. W. "Buzz" Bernard Started
- Verboten: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
- Setting sail: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty Started
- I spy: A Killer's Game by Isabella Maldonado
- Top of the Heap: Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes Started
- War is hell: Old Man's War by John Scalzi
Pixies and Dryads and Elves, oh my!: The Fellowship of the Ring by TolkienLaughing Matters: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly LemmingSkipping Time: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. SchwabEnabled: THE SPARE MAN by Mary Robinette KowalQUILTBAG: Spell Bound by F.T. LukensThe butler might have done it: And Then There were Noneby Agatha Christie
I enjoyed Cider House Rules when I read it years ago. And I recently saw the film, which was also good.
I've got Americanah on my TBR list, so I'm interested on your review, when you finish reading it.
Elementally, my dear Watson: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Not having ever read Dickens’ David Copperfield, I was able to enjoy Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead with no prior knowledge of the plot, though perhaps ‘enjoy’ might not be the best word to describe how I felt while reading it. In this book, Kingsolver – of whom I’m a big fan – explores the heartbreaking world of abject poverty, violence, abusive relationships, neglect, loneliness, drug addiction, and the broken foster-care system in the U.S.A. The mental and physical suffering of the characters is so vivid that I very nearly gave up quite early on. However, the language is so wonderful, the characters are so engaging and resilient, and the opioid scandal was such an eye-opener for me, that I kept going and was rewarded with a memorable read. I was a bit lost with all the stuff about American football, but I got the gist of what was relevant. As Chris P. said earlier, it’s such a good book that it almost – but probably not quite! - makes me want to read David Copperfield.
Not having ever read Dickens’ David Copperfield, I was able to enjoy Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead with no prior knowledge of the plot, though perhaps ‘enjoy’ might not be the best word to describe how I felt while reading it. In this book, Kingsolver – of whom I’m a big fan – explores the heartbreaking world of abject poverty, violence, abusive relationships, neglect, loneliness, drug addiction, and the broken foster-care system in the U.S.A. The mental and physical suffering of the characters is so vivid that I very nearly gave up quite early on. However, the language is so wonderful, the characters are so engaging and resilient, and the opioid scandal was such an eye-opener for me, that I kept going and was rewarded with a memorable read. I was a bit lost with all the stuff about American football, but I got the gist of what was relevant. As Chris P. said earlier, it’s such a good book that it almost – but probably not quite! - makes me want to read David Copperfield.
David Copperfield is great! It's well worth the time spent since it's kind of long. There are some amazing passages that read as fresh as anything written today, such as the description of the ship loading on the Thames and setting off (a slice of everyday life totally alien to us now), and how the entirety of David's wife losing the baby is a thickly veiled gut punch delivered in about 30 words. I'm also fascinated by the class dynamics Uriah Heep (very thinly veiled in the assistant coach character in Demon Copperhead) plays up. I was not much of a Dickens fan based on Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol, but Copperfield opened my mind.
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@Chris P That’s good to hear. I plan on reading at least two or three books by Dickens in 2025. Maybe David Copperfield will be one of them.