Category Archives: Reader’s Journal

Reader’s Journal: The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg

Posted on April 8, 2013 by

The Middlesteins tells the story of Edie and Richard Middlestein; their two children, Robin and Benny; and Benny’s wife Rachelle and their two kids Emily and Josh. Edie has a weight problem. She’s eating herself to death, and even after … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Novels, Reader's Journal | 1 Comment

Reader’s Journal: Benediction by Kent Haruf

Posted on March 20, 2013 by

Truth: I loved Benediction. Truth: I was predisposed to love it because I loved Plainsong and Eventide. If you want a completely objective review (as if such a thing exists), you’ll have to go elsewhere to find it. In Benediction, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Novels, Reader's Journal | 2 Comments

Reader’s Journal: Life After Life

Posted on March 9, 2013 by

In November 1930, Ursula Todd assassinates Adolf Hitler. Ursula Todd is born on February 11, 1910. She is stillborn. Ursula Todd is born on February 11, 1910. The doctor has arrived at Fox Corner, the Todd family home, during a … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Novels, Reader's Journal | 10 Comments

Reader’s Journal: 11/22/63

Posted on January 17, 2013 by

11/22/63 is the first Stephen King book I’ve read in decades. It’s my book club’s February selection (selected by another member), but it’s a book I also put on my wishlist when it was published last year. Why, I’m not … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Novels, Reader's Journal

Reader’s Journal: Glaciers by Alexis Smith

Posted on December 12, 2012 by

About ten years ago I grew tired of chick lit and its tropes: the mini-skirted twenty- or thirty-something women who couldn’t love (or love the right person); the eating disorders; the sassy best friends; the nagging mothers; the jobs where … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Novels, Reader's Journal

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

Posted on November 16, 2012 by

On November 4, 2012, The New York Times ran an article, “The Permanent Militarization of America.” The article points out that when Dwight D. Eisenhower left the Oval Office, he voiced concern about the American military-industrial complex. Most pointedly, “He cautioned … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Novels, Reader's Journal | 2 Comments

The Story Behind the Story

Posted on November 6, 2012 by

I recently read Carol Sklenicka’s biography Raymond Carver: A Writer’s Life. The book is long and contains exhaustive detail about Carver’s life. I suppose it’s well researched, and it did well with the book critics, but having read it, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Biographies, Nonfiction, Reader's Journal | 2 Comments

The Album Project

Posted on November 2, 2012 by

As I may have mentioned 9,457 times on Twitter, I have been reading Nick Hornby’s Songbook (31 Songs to those of you outside of the U.S.). These essays are as much about each of the 31 songs he chooses to … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Nonfiction, Reader's Journal, The Album Project | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Reader’s Journal: Man in the Woods

Posted on February 14, 2012 by

I finished this book over three weeks ago, and for three weeks I’ve been composing this post in my head. The thing is, although I enjoyed reading Man in the Woods by Scott Spencer, I’m not sure how much I … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Novels, Reader's Journal

Reader’s Journal: The Postmistress

Posted on February 3, 2012 by

The trouble with trying to talk about a novel weeks after one’s finished the book is that one tends to forget a lot–then again, maybe that says more about the book than anything. Actually, if I were to go just … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Mt. TBR Reading Challenge, Novels, Reader's Journal, TBR Double Dare