We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas. A highly touted, notable book. I read it through to the end and when I finished, I wondered why. I just kept thinking there must be a reason it was called outstanding. I thought it was good in the beginning, but stopped caring. I had to quickly go to a Joseph Finder crime novel for relief. Found an old one in the pile, Buried Secrets. I am not an intellectual and maybe that’s why I couldn’t get We are Not Ourselves. Cheers for Joe Finder.
I haven’t blogged in a long time, so I never mentioned a beautiful book my book group chose: The Girl From the Garden, by Persian writer Parnaz Foroutan. I loved how she drifted back and forth between yesterday (a Jewish enclave in Iran during the Shah) and today (Los Angeles) without double spacing or an *. The transitions seemed smooth and lovely to me, but my book group found them confusing. Maybe it’s because I am the only writer in the group. I am filled with admiration.
We are now reading the NYTimes notable Fates and Furies. I hate to disagree with President Obama, who says it’s his favorite of the year, but I have read 75 pages and I’m at a loss again. It’s twee and arch. Full of parentheses and brackets so the author can comment on the characters’ behavior. And I have to finish it before the next meeting in January. Eeeks.
I was really disappointed in Rutgers when it became one of the Big Ten. I don’t like football. It’s a gladiatory “sport.” My academic friends assured me that it was good for the university and would bring in money and students. Well, no money and how about a coach, who pressures professors not to fail players, and players who break the law? Ugly. Ugly. Ugly.
Ruby will be 9 months old on December 17th. Amazing. I bought her a 3-step to the bed from Bed Bath & Beyond and last night, taught her with treats how to go up and down. Today she was running up and down, even when I moved the steps away from the bed.
A&E dropped “Longmire” from its schedule and put on “Unforgettable.” Why? Why? Why?
Speaking Volumes has made The Kingsbridge Plot available as both e and Print on Demand and the covers for this and The High Constable coming soon are gorgeous.
I am still upset by a careless, or not so careless writer named Lisa Q. Mathews’ using characters called Smythe & Westin in her first book. I chalked it up, at first, to her being a new writer and unaware, but guess what? She’s been in publishing for many years with major houses. Not so unaware. Coal in her Christmas stocking.
