I am currently 1/2 way through Country People by Daniel Mason and I am not sure if I’ll finish it. I am finding this book aimless and rambling. It is a character driven book and I simply cannot connect with the main character. Having LOVED North Woods, I am disappointed with Country People.
1 Like
So sorry to hear this about Country People. It’s one I been looking forward to reading. I’m nearly a Daniel Mason completist so we’ll see how it goes.
1 Like
You might enjoy Country People. I have read many of Mason’s previous books and loved each one. This one was just not a good fit for me.
2 Likes
I finished Captain Blood. A good story, too. I’m reading How to Kill a Crime Writer for the upcoming discussion plus started All the Little Houses by May Cobb last night. This is a new novel set in Texas in which there’s a murder. We don’t know the victim, murderer or motive, yet. Numerous references to Dallas are familiar as I live in this massive Metroplex!
2 Likes
I’ve seen mixed reviews about Country People, too.
Often I have an opinion about a book while I’m reading it, another after I’ve finished it, and another one still weeks or months later. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is one of those. I hasn’t really stuck with me much, so I kind of feel like it ended up being a so-so read in the long haul although I really liked it at the time.
1 Like
I don’t mind The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny when I’m reading it—don’t love it either. However, when I put it down I feel zero motivation to pick it up in my next reading time. I don’t care about any of these characters and that is usually my clue to let it go. If I didn’t feel a commitment to my irl book club I’m afraid I would have abandoned it quite a while ago.
1 Like
That’s an apt description of my experience. I liked the book while reading it, but it became forgettable.
What’s a girl to do? I’m not even particularly enjoying it while reading. I’ve reached halfway so it’s downhill from here.
I raced out this morning to grab a library book so that I can entertain myself with something more to my liking. While I am loving W&P it perhaps doesn’t make a great offset from The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny.
Nobody’s Girl
A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts Giuffre
A difficult sobering read but she died to tell this story and most of the men involved have not been stopped or punished. I truly hope there is a hell awaiting some of them.
4 Likes
I recently read Travels with Charley and thought it was wonderful. Even though it was written in the 60s, it seemed so current to me. But mainly I just loved Steinbeck’s writing. It made me want to read more of his work. Also, in addition to reading it, I listened to it. Gary Sinese was the reader and he did a wonderful job. You might enjoy listening to it too, especially since it’s a fairly short read.
3 Likes
I just recently listened to Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck and Gary Sinese also narrated it. Being a novella, the audiobook was only a little over 3 hours long so it is easy to fit if you have a heavy schedule. Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors and Gary Sinese’s narration was wonderful.
2 Likes
@Elizabeth_L I belong to a group of ladies who meet weekly to discuss current affairs and to make connection with others who share our world view so we don’t feel so alone living in a part of our state and country that is overwhelmingly aligned with a different political party. Several members of the group have read Nobody’s Girl and said it was the hardest book they’ve ever read. I’ve hesitated to start it because at this stage in my life other’s suffering seems to eat away at me more. What was your experience?
4 Likes
Hello Lana,
It was a very, very compelling and emotional read and immediately brought tears and outrage. I had to set it aside sometimes just for a few hours. However, what Virginia and so many other women went through, not only at the hands of Epstein and Maxwell, but so many other, very wealthy, high profile, public figures was one of the worst travesties I have ever heard or read about in my life. The number of people who turned a blind eye or most likely suspected that something was not right starting with family members, neighbors, and teachers is staggering!
I believe books like this must be read just like we need to remember all the horrific injustices that have occurred in the world such as the Holocaust. I think every woman and parent at the very least should read this book. I immediately started thinking about how I could be even more aware of looking for signs of abuse around me and anything else I could do to further her goal of stopping this abuse from happening in the world and making the perpetrators pay. As she so eloquently states at the end of the book, “…if it helps just one person- I will have achieved my goal.”
The fact that she took her own life was most heartbreaking for me. So, please read the book and encourage all your friends to read it as well.
2 Likes
@Elizabeth_L Thank you for taking the time to reply and pointing out why it’s so important to not avoid this topic. I’m adding my name to the hold list at my local library.
1 Like
Well said, @Elizabeth_L. I thought Nobody’s Girl was a remarkable and important book. The story of what happened in Thailand was completely new to me and fascinating.
One surprising takeaway was how smart J Epstein was. He could have done so many things to make a positive impact with his intelligence instead of scheming, crime-ing, and ruining lives.
2 Likes
I finished Toxic Exposure: The True Story behind the Monsanto Trials and the Search for Justice by Chadi Nabhan. It’s an easy, well-written read and I recommend it.
I am now reading The Traveler: One Man’s Quest for Humanity from the South Seas to Revolutionary Paris by Andrea Wulf. The library finally got a copy and I was fortunate enough to get first dibs at it! I’d been looking forward to reading it as I had read and enjoyed another book of hers, The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World.
I completely agree that he was very smart but very disturbed. I’ve often found that mental illness and strong or gifted, cognitive skills often go, hand-in-hand, unfortunately!
1 Like
Glad you wrote this – I’ve been meaning to check it out but have been wondering about that YA label.