In the Garden of Beasts - Erik Larson

The Periphery

It’s clear that Larson did a lot of research on his topic. In his notes, he indicates that the immersion into the atrocities of Nazi Germany “proved to be a uniquely trying experience.” I can imagine. Unfortunately for me as the reader, I think that shows in the final product. We are kept on the periphery, and thus spared the same trying experience as the author.

Part of my disappointment of this book lies in my own expectations of it. The jacket clearly says “The story of one family in the shadow of Hilter’s rise to power.” And the focus is on the family, and they are definitely in the shadow. What appealed to me about this book was that it was about Hilter’s first year in power. I wanted to know more about him, his motivation, the people around him. I realize now, that there are other books for that.

That being said, this is definitely a comprehensive look at the Dodd family. Borderline unremarkable people who found themselves in remarkable circumstances. I can’t say I felt anything much for Dodd, or his daughter Martha. I felt Larson spent way too much time on Martha’s affairs, and ultimately they did little to further the story. I’m not even sure how Larson felt about Dodd. Ultimately, I guess he portrayed him very impartially – which probably explains why I feel ambivalent about him.

That’s a lot of criticism for a book I gave four stars to (3.5 in actuality). I’m definitely in a period of fascination about WWII. Historically, I’ve avoided stories with a WWII foreground or background; now I’m at a place where I’m finding them increasingly fascinating. I want that “uniquely trying experience.” This is certainly a topic I would not have thought much about. American dignitaries living in Nazi Germany, so from that perspective it was illuminating.

Parts were choppy, parts were slow, parts were seemingly irrelevant, but in spite of that, Larson managed to tell a really interesting story, and definitely answered some of my questions. Gave me some additional food for thought. Not to get too political, but America is often criticized for “sticking their nose” where it doesn’t belong. I think of the movie “Team America, World Police.” The condemnation of our involvement in the Middle East, etc. (I’m not giving my position on that, merely stating the sentiments exist.) But one does wonder, if in the time of Hilter we were more “Team America, World Police”-oriented if we couldn’t have saved a lot of lives. What I got from this book was that we took a position of wait and see. And by the time we saw, it was too late.

3.5/5 stars

The Other Life - Ellen Meister

What if?

This is one of those Sliding Doors/Post Birthday World kind of stories, where you kind of get the answer to "What if you had made a different decision?" This isn't just a rehash of that concept, though, it's really done in quite a unique way. I'd almost say there's a magical realism type vibe to this book, but not in the truest sense of the genre.

In fact, this is women's fiction, most assuredly dealing with women's issues. With a sprinkling of moral dilemmas, and the thought provoking idea of knowing what could have been, and deciding - is that what I prefer?

I found the story fast paced and the writing good. I'm not much of a "women's fiction" reader, so that in part prevented me from totally loving it, but also there were some minor flaws in the duel storylines. I was completely captivated, though, right from the start. I liked the main character. She was flawed. People are. I liked the way Meister was willing to show her at her most selfish, at her most irrational, at her weakest.

I listened on audio, and I loved the narrator for the main character Quinn. She was quite laconic in her delivery, so if slow audio bugs you, I'd go for the written version. I also didn't love the voices she did, but the story was told primarly by Quinn so there wasn't an overabundance of the other voices.

Engaging! A very solid 4 stars.

The Peach Keeper - Sarah Addison Allen

Read one - read um all.

I feel it's an obligation of publishers and authors to stretch themselves, and always give readers just a little something different, something more than they've gotten before. There is absolutely nothing new here. In Garden Spells it was unique and fun, and now it's overdone. This will be my last Sarah Addison Allen book. It shouldn't have taken me 4 books, but I was giving her the benefit of the doubt.

The word that kept running through my head this whole book was "Trite." Characters, theme, story, dialog, prose.

i.e.

"Right now everybody is drinking bad wine made of sour grapes and hysteria."

"It was clear that he thought dinner with his family should have its own level in hell, but she thought it sounded nice."

(Sarah, a Dante reference doesn't elevate your blather.)

And my favorite, after watching "Colin" transplant a 150-year-old Oak tree:

"When it was over his color was high, his clothes were wet with sweat and he was out of breath. He looked positively orgasmic."

Did he? Did he look orgasmic?

I muddled through this book because I owed a review on it, and it was blissfully short and fast. The characters were totally one-dimensional; hard to tell one from the next; and falling into love and lifelong devoted best friendships in a matter of minutes.

It was trying to be something it couldn't even hope to be.

I realize my review is in the minority, and there is something to be said for consistency. But I will not support this kind of writing with my time or my money.

Yes, Virginia, I'm reviewing toilet paper.

I've never discussed toilet paper much. Particularly not on the internet for all to see. But I do have opinions about it, and certainly YOU must have an interest in it, otherwise, you wouldn't be reading my review.

You are probably thinking ... Lay it on me, Nicole. Regale me with your tales of toilet paper past. Fasten your seat belts, folks, here is my story.

Back when I was a kid, there was NEVER toilet paper in the bathroom. Where did we keep it? I don't know. This resulted in my two sisters and I forever sitting on the pot yelling "TOILET PAPER" until somebody brought us some. At any given moment, you'd see one of us wandering around the house, pants around our ankles, hands on our hips, asking another sister "Didn't you hear me?" Oh how we loved to ignore each other. That has nothing to do with THIS toilet paper, but it's part of my toilet paper past.

I'm a loyal toilet paper buyer. Sales and coupons aren't on my Toilet Papery radar. I find a brand I like, and that's it. I was a Charmin girl first, (back in the days when people couldn't resist squeezing it), and then I discovered Northern. For many years Northern and I, yes, we had a thing. But then one day, at a friends apartment, I met Charmin Ultra. It was kismet. I never looked back.
(Thank you Dena!)

What I like about Charmin. It's soft. It's strong. It doesn't tear ... you know, during use. What I like best about Charmin, is how little of it you need. And it takes a bit of getting used to. Taking just three little sheets of paper for a "big job" - well, that may seem like a risk. Not with Charmin!

You might want to watch the kids though, they don't seem to get the concept that "less is more."

Comparing Charmin Sensitive to my beloved Charmin Ultra, honestly, I don't see any differences. It's the same general texture and you use the same number of sheets (three cheers for "green" TP!). It says it has gentle and soothing lotion with a touch of aloe and E. I actually don't care for that in a tissue (but THAT is a whole other exploit!), but here you don't really notice it. I'm not sure the lotion is a necessary addition, but it certainly doesn't detract.

(if you enjoyed my review, please click here and vote "yes" on my Amazon Review)

Books I Read in 2011

1. Ella Minnow Pea - (1/1) - Mark Dunn 224p
2. A Stranger on the Planet - (1/2) - Adam Schwartz 336p
3. The Imperfectionists: A Novel (Random House Reader's Circle) - (1/9) - Tom Rachman 304p
4. The Fates Will Find Their Way - (1/15) - Hannah Pittard 256p
5. The Crying of Lot 49 - (1/22) - Thomas Pynhcon 192p
6. The Pearl (Centennial Edition) - (1/29) - John Steinbeck 92p
7. This Is Where I Leave You: A Novel - (2/2) - Jonathan Tropper 352p
8. Unwind - (2/6) - Neal Shusterman 352p
9. The Host: A Novel - (2/20) - Stephenie Meyer 656p
10. Tanglewreck - (2/26) - Jeanette Winterson 414p
11. Flight: A Novel - (2/27) Sherman Alexie 208p
12. Night - (3/2) - Elie Wiesel 120p
13. The Picture of Dorian Gray - (3/13) - Oscar Wilde 178p
14. We Have Always Lived in the Castle - (3/19) - Shirley Jackson 160p
15. Little House in the Big Woods - (3/20) - Laura Ingalls Wilder 256p
16. The Collector - (4/1) - John Fowles 320p
17. The Peach Keeper - (4/3) - Sarah Addison Allen 288p
18. Bossypants - (4/22) - Tina Fey 288p

Audio

1. Freedom - Jonathan Franzen 5/5 stars
2. All Clear - Connie Willis 3/5 stars
3. Dracula - Bram Stoker 4/5 stars
4. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Audiobook): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race - Jon Stewart et al 4/5 stars
5. The Contortionist's Handbook - Craig Clevenger 5/5 stars
6. The Oracle of Stamboul: A Novel - Michael David Lukas 3.5/5 stars
7. The Other Life - Ellen Meister 4/5 stars

A Stranger on the Planet - Adam Schwartz

A Stranger on the Planet - Adam Schwartz
5 stars

(Pub date: Jan 25, 2011)

"We'd be the happiest family in the world if no one remembered anything."

The dust jacket of this book gives really very little to go on, so choosing this book was sort of a shot in the dark for me. But this line "In 1969, twelve-year-old Seth lives with his unstable mother..." made me choose it. I was thinking "Summer of Love". I was thinking Woodstock. I was wrong.

When I first started the book I was pretty convinced I wasn't going to like it. I felt like I was reading a news article with facts just being thrown at me. The next thing I knew, it was midnight and I was 100 pages in.

It's not like this is a thriller. There's not a lot of action. It's a life written in a way that made it engaging and compelling.

Seth's life.

I've always been attracted to Jewish culture, so I think that's one of the appeals of this book. And I do mean the culture, not the religion. Seth is definitely a product of his environment. He's a fantastic character. Interesting, hurt, flawed, funny.

There were a few funny moments in this story. Mostly I found it sad, sweet, beautiful and authentic. I feel like I just read a true account of someone's life. The writing was stellar, those initial concerns immediately went away. The characters were quirky, relatable, interesting, human.

I loved it. I want to give it a big hug.

I know it's only the second day of 2011, but I have a feeling this book will make my top ten list for this year.

Bravo!

My top 10 books of 2010.

In the order I read them


The End Of Alice - (2/28) - A.M. Homes 272p

The Things They Carried - (4/10) - Tim O'Brien 256p

A Gate at the Stairs - (5/7) - Lorrie Moore 336p

The Help - Kathryn Stockett 5/5 stars (audio)

Super Sad True Love Story - (6/6) - Gary Shteyngart - 352p

Gone with the Wind - (9/26) - Margaret Mitchell 860p

Little Bee - (9/30) - Chris Cleave 304p

Room - (10/9) - Emma Donoghue 336p

Lolita - (12/10) - Vladimir Nabokov 336p

Columbine - (12/19) - Dave Cullen 464p


I read a total of 50 books, listened to 21 on audio. My complete list can be found here