2019 #9: Born A Crime (Trevor Noah)

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My husband read this book earlier this summer and I thought it was going to sadly languish on my TBR pile until in a lovely coincidence, my workplace chose it for a community read. Noah uses humor to create a kind of distance from the sorts of everyday horrors of racism. As a memoir, it is a tribute to his mother and is full of stories that reveal how he had to navigate life growing up in a "post-Apartheid" South Africa, that really wasn't much of post-anything--at least not in terms of the socio-economic ramifications.

He intersperses moments of clarity and severity--you don't forget that your laughter enables you to turn the page. The narrative arc is more of a narrative wave, with the denouement more of an explosion at the end. It is a book about code-switching. It is a book about history and culture. And ultimately, I think it is a book about love. And hate.

2017 #6: Lost Worlds (Bywater)

Lost Worlds: What Have We Lost & Where Did it Go? by Michael Bywater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had a real love/hate relationship with this book, which is why it took me a year and a half to finish it. There are times when the author seems so completely self-involved and enamored of his own intellect that he forgets there is a reader at the other end. There are more instances, however, of sardonic humor and moments that remind us that nostalgia is indeed the rust of memory, not its steel. This isn't a book to read cover-to-cover in one sitting, but instead to be taken in small doses. The cross-referenced "entries" are a plus, a tongue-in-cheek nod to the idea that this would ever really be a reference book.

In some ways, it is true--we are defined by what we have lost. And lest you think this a frivolous book, the last three entries solidify its street cred as a philosophical examination of our existence.

2017 #1: To Say Nothing of the Dog (Connie Willis)

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If the genres of mystery, sci-fi, and historical fiction were able to conceive a love child, this book is it. Connie Willis deftly joins together humorous characters, intriguing timelines, and literary allusion in one easy-to-read volume. From the mysterious-yet-archetypal "Lady Shrapnel" to Cyril the dog, Willis' characters are a pleasure to meet, but are never overwritten (with the possible exception of Tossie). There are only two points that made it less than 5 stars for me. The solution to one of the micro-mysteries becomes glaringly obvious rather early in the narrative, and the "sleuths" (Verity and Ned) are far too slow to get it so that one reads the last 30% of the book with some annoyance. I think the author is making a larger point about assumptions, but for the non-Victorian Era reader, it is a bit unnecessary. There are other times where it feels like Willis is worried about her sci-fi cred, and we get lengthy explanations of timeline and time travel logistics that disrupt the flow of the story. That said, this was an incredibly enjoyable read, and fans of mysteries, literature, and history will find it especially pleasing.

50BC09 #3: Wheat That Springeth Green

Wheat That Springeth Green by J. F. Powers



1988, Washington Square Press, 335 pages
rating: 3 of 5 stars
I wanted to feel less ambivalent about this book. It is indeed humorous, but sometimes the characters are caricatures, so much so that the humor becomes less witty. Joe's early days in seminary are a study in the comedy of youthful bravado, poking fun at the earnestness of a sometimes misplaced faith.

While the comedy does at times seem forced, Powers' satirical observations are unmistakable and unapologetic. Ironies come out of hiding, like the dustbunnies underneath Joe's Barcalounger.


View all my reviews.

50BC08 #25: The Joy of Drinking

The Joy of Drinking by Barbara Holland


rating: 4 of 5 stars


This witty coffee table book in miniature is a fun, yet brief, ride through the historic and inexorable connection between alcohol and the human social spirit. Barbara Holland eschews the politically correct, exposing ironies of the sacred bottled water movement but admitting also the futility of dozens of hangover cures. Both the stumbling drunkard in the back alley and the elite wine connoisseur are given their due, taking their deserved places in Holland's pantheon of alcoholic engagers.

While the tone is anecdotal and tongue-in-cheek, Holland's sources are informed and intellectually intriguing. And, for those inspired by the history of moonshine and early American fermentation, the book includes two helpful how-to appendices--one with instructions for making various fruit wines, and the other on "Starting your own Still."

This would make a great gift for the most discerning of drinkers, as long as they have no fear of an author who calls it as she sees it.

50BC06 #6: Holidays on Ice

50 Book Challenge #6
BOOK REVIEW: Holidays on Ice
Author: David Sedaris

If you are looking for the literary equivalent of “It’s a Wonderful Life”—this book is definitely NOT for you. However, if you appreciate slightly cynical and sardonic commentary on the holidays, you will most likely appreciate this set of short stories by David Sedaris. From Jim Timothy, the extortionist who preys upon a Pentecostal church, to Dinah, the “Christmas Whore,” Sedaris packs his vignettes with unforgettable characters who will make you laugh—even though you know Clarence the Angel would disapprove. If you’ve had enough of family bickering and other such holiday treats, curl up with this offering and you’ll find a kindred spirit in David Sedaris.

Posted here on 9/12/08, original post 3/2/06.