Samurai's Garden
Is Harry Potter 6 really the last book I read? That's bad.
The Samurai's Garden was a simple novel about a young Chinese boy who spends a year in a quiet tourist village in Japan during the invasion of China by the Japanese.
While there, he succeeds in insulating himself from the horrors of war and in developing some of the closest relationships he has ever had in his life. Stephen felt he was close to his sister and his parents before he went to the island. But after meeting his family's servant, Matsu, at their summer home in Japan and after meeting Matsu's friend, he realizes what close really means. These people have few expectations of him and they live for others instead of themselves.
Little is said of the title through the book giving the reader the added benefit of trying to tie the title to the story. In what way was this book about a samurai's garden?
After searching the internet for about an hour for information on samurai gardens, I came across this quote on a landscaper's website. "We rarely reveal the whole garden at once." The landscaper specializes in Japanese zen gardens.
The quote very much symbolizes this book. No character is revealed at once. Even the main character gives more of his identity to others as the book develops. It is that unfolding of new scenery that makes each character compelling not only to the reader, but also to the characters in the book.
Harry Potter 6
Wow. Another great book by JKR.
There have been so many comments in so many places about HBP. It's hard to take a different take on it. But I was really appreciative of the work and feel that the main focus of this book was to tie up some loose ends and set a groundwork for book 7.
Though thick, it was a great read. Can't imagine firstborn getting through this one any time soon. It clearly addresses an older audience. I'm quite sure much would be lost on him.
I'm sure I have a bit of time though as he has been slogging through book 4. I think he will appreciate a break from the HP tomes for a while.
The Namesake
Juhmpa Lihari.
This was a very interesting tale of a woman who marries a student not quite knowing what she has gotten into and then lives the best life she can given the material she has been given. The story then seems to contrast against that of her son, born into a different time and a different country with more options, but maybe less happiness.
Ashira, a young girl from India is feeling pressure from her parents to choose a suitor. When she meets the exotic Indian born MIT student, she sees a possibility of excitement in her life. She is attracted to his clothes and mannerisms which are so different from so many of the men in her own country. Yet he is Indian and therefore safe and blessed by her parents.
While she sees her life in America as temporary, he sees his as permanent. They never seem to work this out either before or after marriage.
But after her son is born, she realizes that living for this dream will only make her unhappy and she must pull herself together and muddle through the life she has been given.
You see both characters muddle through their lives holding a strong tie to India and tradition, knowing they are so far away from the people they know and love, forging weak friendships with other Indians and never building a connection with the Americans they are surrounded by.
Ashoke has the easier time, surrounded by Academia and its tolerance of differences as long as there is a strong mind. Ashira has a tougher time. Outside of Academia, there is less tolerance for differences and more expectation of fitting into an American norm.
Lihari weaves a beautiful tale of a simple immigrant family into a rich tapestry of family stories and images of places and people and smells and foods. Never did I regret giving my time to a passage or page.
definitely, the perfect summer read.
Harry Potter book 5
The order of the phoenix was another great HP read. Many had warned me that it was becoming dark, Harry was becoming angry and the main kids were becoming somewhat hormonal.
The book didn't strike me as strongly that way as my reviewer friends made it out. As a matter of fact, I'm continually impressed with the way JKR can weave a tale that both adults and children can enjoy. Of course HP is angry, his elders are putting him in perilous situations and not telling him enough to keep his but safe.
I'm finding the continuing romance between Ron and Hermione to be very fun and realistic. It's just so teen. The guys don't have a clue what to do with themselves and the girls are angry that the guys seem to be snubbing them.
So is snape on Dumbledore's side or on Voldemort's. Still we don't know. I tend to want to believe that he is on Dumbledore's side, but, like Harry, I see evidence that makes me wonder. Very well done.
The new characters introduced to Harry's world were great too. Looney Lovegood, Tonks. Both great characters. I look forward to the two of them unfolding into far more complex characters as time goes on.
Overall, another great work by JKR. Bravo.
Evening
By Susan Minot.
Wow. From the first page this book gripped me. Though why I can't figure out. Right from the beginning, I knew that the book was a bout the final days of a woman dying of cancer. Not too uplifting. Yet well written. The visions, somewhat MTVish as they swirled around in her mind with her consciousness waxing and waning were well done.
I found some of the characters hard to unravel. Though I suspect that was part of the literary method. Sometimes, characters were clearly painted. They came in and out of her visions, sometimes peripherally, sometimes in center stage. Through the whole thing Harris Arden. Also not a well developed character. Was he just a ladies man or did he really have feelings for Ann. You will never know because she would never know. You get the sense that his ghost is sitting with her in her final moments. Or is that just her desire to be back with him?
Minot did not take the easy way out. It would have been a beautiful thought for the main character to decide that if she were to let go, she would end up in heaven with the love of her life. But throughout there is this feeling that there is no hope, she has no way of making things go her way and she is resigned to it.
The party with all the people in her life who have died is also interesting. A very short vision. She sees Buddy (who died young) as middle-aged, graying and thick-in-the waist, her son is crying, her parents together and well dressed. Again, not your presupposed vision of meeting up with the people who have died before you. And holding onto each other's hips to do a conga line. Was it a vision mixed with memories or her real take on what she would see after death?
At times, I flashed back to scenes from
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Gallileo's Daughter
this book was neither a novel, nor about Gallileo's daughter. It would have been a very interesting read if it had actually been about her.
Instead, it was a very boring treatise on the man we have all already heard so much about. I would not have picked up this book if the title had been a bit more descriptive. Say, "boring treatise about Gallileo, which used letters from his daughter as reference, but cared little enough about her character to delve into that subject."
This was for the local chapter book club. I will be attending for the ice cream.
In which I explain
why I'm doing this.
As age progresses, the memory becomes less capable of the task assigned it. Is it that the circuits are too full or that the ability to process, store and recall slows with the overall reduction of body capability.
I have no idea, but I will not succumb!
So, I'll use this blog to keep a record of my reading. This way, I can read my books well in advance of book clubs, review my notes and not look like a total air head who is only attending for the ice cream.
