New Series from a Favorite!

I loved Madeline Roux's Asylum series so I was really excited to see House of Furies available as an audiobook and even more excited when I went to log it on goodreads and saw that it is first in a series!  I didn't give it a 5 star, but it would be a 4.5.  The only thing I didn't LOVE about it was that it isn't set in the US and I have a hard time with accents while listening to books and again, that is on me.  But this is a very interesting premise and one that seems really unique to me.  I am really interested to see where this goes.

I Stand Corrected! Shocking!

I usually do have to be corrected.  Here I was complaining, to everyone who would listen, including my book group, and I will have to remember to apologize and set the record straight next month.  I really didn't like The Professor and the Madman: a Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary.   And I kept telling myself and everyone that I thought it was just trying to capitalize on the success of The Devil in the White City:  Murder, Magic and the Fair that Changed America, which I LOVED!
Here TPATM came out before TDITWC!  Oh well.
Maybe it is just that I think that architectural history is WAY more interesting than lexicology!  WAY MORE interesting!
Also, I am not a big fan of British history or British arrogance, which seems to go hand in hand for me, whether it is British past, present or future.  That is probably the biggest reason why I didn't like this book.

Talking Politics

It's said that it is never good to talk politics or religion in mixed company.  But those are the most interesting topics, aren't they?  And the most important topics, aren't they?  Last year's American Presidential election was an emotional one.  There are many of my friends and co-workers who are depressed by and disillusioned by the outcome.  I myself was very sad and disappointed, but I maintain that since human nature is the same, we are no worse than the worst of times and no better than the best of times.  The Worst President: The Story of James Buchanan was interesting to me because I didn't know anything about him at all!  And after reading this book, I can see why.

The Trouble

There are a lot of lists of books that everyone should read.  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are on a lot of those lists.  I think I had to read it back in school, but I bet I never did.  Because it is supposed to be one of classics.  There is a huge problem with this book, however and that is the use of the n word.  There is perhaps no more vile word in the English language, I have come to believe, after reading Elijah of Buxton.  Check out this interview with the author, the incredible Christopher Paul Curtis.  I have done a lot of research about this and found this to be of particular interest.  Will I ever read Huck Finn?  I don't know if I can stand to read that word. I really don't think I could.  But I do understand what Dr. Dyson says about the word, "I think the Holy Ghost of rhetorical fire will insist that the N-word not be buried. I don't think you can bury words. I think the more you try to dismiss them, the more power you give to them, the more circulation they have."
The Trouble Begins at 8: a Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West was my introduction to the Twain the man.  It was very well done.  Fleischman was funny and Twain was a riot.  I guess he was maybe our country's first stand-up comedian?  It was neat to read about his lectures, which were pretty much stand-up comedy concerts.  Very much recommended.

Wild and Wonderful and Delightfully Odd!

West of the Moon is unlike anything that I have ever read before and probably will ever read again.  It is just lovely and yet it has many a sad and terribly awful parts to the story of Astri, a young Norwegian girl who lives with her evil aunt, wimpy uncle, cousins and little sister, Greta, after being pretty much abandoned by her father.  He just up and left Astri and Greta with this toad of a woman and set out for America. This book is just incredible.  Incredible.  I was also thankful to have the author's note at the end of the book that talked about the "America Fever" that hit Norway, when lots of folks thought that America was the place to be.  Once again, here is a remarkable piece of fiction, magical realism, I guess you would call it, that teaches so much.  The whole deal is about choices and forgiveness and this book reads like a beautiful, lovely sermon.  Now I know that word has negative connotations, but for someone who preaches, I don't mean it in any negative way at all!  This book is a thing of beauty.  Even though it has darkness in it, because that's life here on this side of the Jordan right?  The beauty with the ugly.