2023 #3: A Particular Kind of Black Man (Folarin)

A Particular Kind of Black Man: A Novel by Tope Folarin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a memoir -- at least in the first part of the book, all narrated in the first person. This isn't really (just) a coming-of-age story, and this is beneficial as it allows the author to keep the deeper themes as a through line. There's a lot here about identity and particularly, agency--agency to define oneself (outside of and inside of categories), agency to grow, to move. It is a book about distances, both metaphorical and geographical. The story is multiple stories, although Tunde is the protagonist. It is a story of many lives and the choices that shape them. As Ravi Howard describes it, the books shows the "deeply personal geography of migration." That's a beautiful description. What happens when "home" constantly moving, shifting, and perhaps absent or wholly constructed from fragile memories?

There is a brief interlude that switches to an altogether different style to relate Tunde's first experience of falling in love. Because of the impact and deeply insightful narration up to that point, these passages (often one or two sentences to a page) felt forced--as though I was reading a different book. Perhaps that was the point, but as a reader I found myself engaging less and moving quickly to get back to Folarin's full and deep writing. And finally, in a (potentially comic) turn that seemed to come out of nowhere but ends up leading us to one of the most beautiful (yet heart-wrenching) moments, Folarin tells us what home truly is.



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2023 #2 The Monk Who Vanished (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #7

 

The Monk Who Vanished by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this seventh installment, Fidelma seems to have come into her own. Tremayne doesn't need to remind us as often that she is a dalaigh, sister to the King, etc., etc. The mystery here has all the right ingredients: a robbery, an assassination plot, political intrigue, multiple locations, shady-but-not-really characters and wholesome-but-not-really characters. It was a good time, and I'll admit being a bit surprised at the end, which is a bonus! The violence seems to be greater than in previous books, but not particularly gory. The relationship between Fidelma and Eadulf grows (slowly) more complex, and there are good passages wherein Eadulf clearly has to grapple with the pagan ideas that inform and are present in medieval Irish Christianity (for some, it turns out), but Tremayne never gets too heavy-handed with the theological musings, so they are important bits of context, not the story itself. I still get mildly frustrated (as do some of the characters) with the final court/tribunal scene (in many of the books) wherein Fidelma relishes the slooooooooooow reveal, but there's enough elsewhere to make this a worthwhile and engaging read.

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2023 #1: The Violin Conspiracy (Slocumb)

 

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book tries to cover a lot of ground and does some of it quite successfully. The important messages about the still-prevalent racism in classical music are sometimes spoon-fed to the reader via prose that might feel a bit obvious to a few, but is probably sorely needed by most. As a mystery/thriller it fell a little flat for me--the rhythm felt a bit too random, as if the through line of the plot was sometimes forgotten until it popped back up again. The "reveal" was a rather big disappointment as it seemed rushed and trivial by the time we get there. The musical interludes in the audiobook were a nice touch, and JD Jackson's character voices were extraordinarily compelling -- especially Grandma Nora. The basic narration, however, could have used more emotion is some places, particularly in Slocumb's more poetic descriptions of music. Classical musicians might get a bit tired of the explanations put in there for non-musicians, but this is a small issue. I think I might have enjoyed this one more in print, but it was worth the audiobook for the vivid characters that Jackson really brought to life. This isn't really a book about a stolen violin, but instead a violinist and the elitism and racism that drive much of the classical music world.

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2022 #40 The Heartbeat of Trees (Wohlleben)

The Heartbeat of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't typically like the word "accessible" (at least in this context) because I think it comes loaded with bias and subtexts that don't really serve anyone, but this book does a remarkable job of blending solid research (yay! there are endnotes!), personal anecdotes, and let's say inspirational sensibility, if such a thing exists. Particularly wonderful is the way that Wohlleben tests his own cynic at times. I was prepared for a diatribe against some of the more touchy-feely assertions made by the tree-loving community, but Wohlleben's success lies in his willingness to explore all facets of an issue. He patiently explains how voltage works when it comes to touching trees, but also how our touch can impact plants through thigmomorphogenesis. Somehow the author manages to introduce a term like thigmomorphogenesis without losing his inviting tone. Part of this is because it is a story of Wholleben's learning instead of a simple narrative of what he has learned. There are a few awkward bits of English translation, particularly for English speakers in the US, but they shouldn't disrupt one's ability to appreciate this book.
Most valuable is how Wohlleben disrupts conventional/popular notions: e.g. using wood is NOT carbon-neutral. He seems to believe we all have a part to play -- forest-bathers, foresters, lumber companies alike-- and he often offers an idea of a solution (though we lack the blueprint for said solutions). A good read, and perhaps mildly frustrating as there were many times I wanted to put it down to go walk in the forest. :-)

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2022 #39 We Travel the Spaceways (Black Stars #6) - LaValle

 

We Travel the Spaceways by Victor LaValle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Of the Black Stars series, this might have been my favorite. More magical realism than sci-fi given the proportions of the story, it is easy to fall in love with "Grimace", the protagonist. There's a pretty essential "plot twist" that moves the story into a new world, and the only real regret is that we never get to see it play out. This is one story that could benefit from being the length of a novel. We don't have enough time to recover from the reveal to invest in its meaning. But that's a small criticism. This is a worthy listen, tinged with humor (both sardonic and not), and a story that will stay with me for awhile.

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2022 #38: Say What you Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication (Sofer)

 

Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that I listened to as an audiobook but will probably get in print as it is full of useful and practical advice that I'll need to revisit (no doubt). Oren Jay Sofer grounds his work in the principles of Nonviolent Communication developed by Marshall Rosenberg. What I really appreciate about this book is how cleanly it intertwines philosophy and practice and maintains a realistic tone.

I found Chapter 4, in particular, really useful in terms of how he frames and discusses underlying beliefs and how those translate into exhibited behaviors. In Chapter 6, the discussion of empathy vs. sympathy was really eye-opening in the clear way that Sofer explains that empathy asks something of us, whereas sympathy is disconnecting from someone's pain, or could even be pity. I think a lot of people (myself included) can easily confuse the two, and empathy, frankly, requires some work. It is "three-dimensional": cognitive, affective, and somatic. He touches upon a similar topic in Chapter 13 where he focuses on sympathetic activation and what that looks (and feels like).

Sofer does understand that these techniques need to be paired with some sort of intuition. He pulls out anecdotes from his own life -- in this case a story about his grandfather and how his methodical application of questions to his grandfather got a bit lost in translation and his grandfather actually felt patronized. Sofer seems realistic that these things take practice and the ultimate goal is for organic communication. He offers exercises that can be practiced in a variety of situations, and a ton of added resources are available on his website.

There are a few extreme examples that didn't resonate as much. The story of the woman who "disarmed" an intruder using nonviolent communication principles irritated the cynic in me. Yes, certainly, I think it is always the right choice to try to communicate, if possible. But that's not always possible, and the intruder's response had a VERY high chance of being different, so I just don't find it that useful to use extreme examples as "evidence" for anything, ultimately.

Personally, the book helped me realize how often I have been a passive-aggressive communicator, and this is through the stories of everyday communication that Sofer shares. For Sofer, speaking, listening, and being in presence -- principles that Sofer outlines in the first chapter and then returns to in Chapter 12--are the key elements of the dance that is communication. I found it a helpful analogy to think of communication as a dance, and Sofer is fairly nuanced in considering contexts for those dances. Reaching mutual understanding first before heading into the problem solving phase of a conversation is one of the most potent aspects of what Sofer espouses. Sometimes we don't have the luxury of doing that, it is true, but to really let it inform a core understanding of communication might be a game-changer for some.

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2022 #37: Valley of the Shadow (Tremayne) - Sister Fidelma #6

 

Valley of the Shadow by Peter Tremayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is much improved character development for both Fidelma and Eadulf here (in contrast to The Subtle Serpent (Book #4)). Still, there are some issues of editing. The same EXACT sentence is used to describe a woman on two occasions: “face was slightly rounded, almost heart-shaped and not unattractive.” (P.4, then again on 33-34). If not for the big reveal at the end, this might be dismissed as just poor editing, but in light of the conclusion, it is even more aggravating.

Also tiresome is Eadulf’s hangover. The less said about that the better.

While I realize there is an attempt to make each book readable without the series chronology, there are far too many mentions of Fidelma’s status as a dálaigh qualified to the level of anruth, and all that entails. It becomes tiresome over the course of a single book.

Still, the mystery here is bold and complex. The twists and turns wind their way to the edge of our frustration, yet we continue to turn the page in the hopes that it will all make sense when our sleuth unravels the Celtic knot. There is a worthwhile subtext as well, regarding religion, that is as relevant to our current times as it was in 7th-century Ireland. Fans of Fidelma will enjoy the deep shadows and dark secrets, and can swiftly move past the bits of repetition.

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