Crossings by Betty Lambert
My aunt´s book. I read this when I was a teenager, but didn´t grasp all the tangles of sex, relationship and abuse. This is fiction, and yet it is not. Many of my relatives (prior to my birth) are in this. I am astounded by the power and truth in this prose. The writing is genius, in particular the dialogue. Being reprinted this year!
Between Planets by Robert Heinlein
A fun Heinlein juvenile. Starts on Earth, goes to Venus, ends up on Mars. Nothing profound, but plenty of momentum to keep me hooked throughout.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Read this in a day. My first Steinbeck, with a foreboding sense of the inevitable tragic end. Carefully drawn characters and lots of mood. Fate is a major, if invisible, character. Even with good and simple intentions life can lead one to disaster.
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
This book took me by complete surprise. Initially, I deemed this to be a revenge story set in the future where people can jaunte (ie. teleport). My interest waned. However, by the end my mind was sufficiently blown. This is a crazy book about (mis)perception, hate, love, wisdom and the final evolution of humankind. Strikingly imaginative.
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
A wild read. Hilarious at times, sometimes infuriatingly repetitive, and a resounding argument about the mad absurdity of war. Laughed out loud without restraint, especially at key dialogue that goes hopelessly round and round and round.
Red Planet by Robert Heinlein
This book annoyed me. It feels like Heinlein got lazy here. A few interesting ideas but it felt like a prep novel for Stranger in a Strange Land. And the ending is somewhat abysmal. After a quick google, I'm not surprised that this was one of his first novels. Henceforth, I have decided to be done with the classic science fiction authors. Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke, Heinlein...I have read them thoroughly in the past, and have also read their best. I love them dearly but am ready for the next chapter.
The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World (audiobook on ipod) by Eric Weiner
Never listened to a whole book before. An intriguing and often humorous take on how place and society affects our happiness. Iceland gets big points, maybe someday I'll go back. The author also discovers the importance of being creative, close to nature, resisting envy, and being embedded in culture. Yes, I took notes.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Original Swedish title: Men Who Hate Women) by Stieg Larsson
Compulsive reading. Sometimes felt like junk food, other times I was too engrossed to stop. Quite violent and disturbing at times. The mystery is told with finesse. The characters were intriguing, especially Lisbeth, though I seldom engaged with them emotionally. Perhaps because of the translation, I resonated much more with the rollicking story than the language of the prose. However, the next time I need a page-turner, I just need to pick up volume 2.
Martian Time-Slip by Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick passes the test. I'll still read him, even if he's old. Somehow his writings hold more resonance in the present than many other so-called grandmasters of science fiction. This book is about schizophrenia and society and the prejudices we hold towards both. Recommended.
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (currently reading)
This is entertaining. Myth and mayhem and a healthy dose of the bizarre. Not sure how much it will all add up to, but then, this book is about The Trickster, and by definition he is hard to pin down and define.
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