Marilynne Robinson, Gilead (2004) One long episodic letter from father to son, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson received much critical acclaim. It is full of symbolism and I would not have read it, if it were not for one of my classes at school. It has it moments that I enjoyed and the premise of theContinue reading “From Gilead, Iowa”
Category Archives: Book Reports
Mountains Beyond Mountains
Tracy Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains (2004) Mountains Beyond Mountains considers the story of Dr. Paul Farmer and, what at times appears like a solo mission to provide the best healthcare and support to the poorest communities in Haiti, Peru and Siberia to name a few. Kidder writes from experiences both following Farmer as well asContinue reading “Mountains Beyond Mountains”
Hills Like White Elephants
Ernest Hemingway, Hills Like White Elephants Continuing the recent trend of short stories this is another selection from various suggestion lists. For next week I am reading Tracy Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains, I have already started but needed slightly longer to read it while having work and school assignments to manage. Hills Like White ElephantsContinue reading “Hills Like White Elephants”
The Celebrated Jumping Frog
Mark Twain, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, 1865 Another short story by Mark Twain, this work is told from the perspective of a narrator retelling a bartenders story. The story could be considered a somewhat whimsical tale of a gambler Jim Smiley. The bartender simply tells the story to the narrator without anyContinue reading “The Celebrated Jumping Frog”
Getting Better?
Charles Kenny, Getting Better: Why Global Development is Succeeding – And How We Can Improve the World Even More, Basic Books (2012) Kenny’s intention with this book is to largely address an increasingly and ever present cynicism around international development. The issues surround Western dominated largely supply led initiatives that are seen to fail providingContinue reading “Getting Better?”
A Dog’s Tale
Mark Twain, A Dog’s Tale (1904) My father was a St. Bernard, my mother was a collie, but I am a Presbyterian. As a follow up to Eve’s Diary from last week I found A Dog’s Tale another Mark Twain work that went through the same treatment. Originally an entry in Harper’s Magazine it wasContinue reading “A Dog’s Tale”
Wheresoever she was, there was Eden.
Mark Twain, Eve’s Diary, (1906) Eve’s Diary was originally a Christmas release in 1905 and was then followed with a full book release in 1906. It is a supremely fun and comic story placing a humorous and personal perspective on events in the Garden of Eden. Primarily from the view of Eve the story becomesContinue reading “Wheresoever she was, there was Eden.”
Life in Service is a Gift
Richard Gunderman, We Come to Life with those we Serve, Indiana University Press (2017) What do Victor Frankenstein, Ivan Ilyich, Albert Schweitzer, Rebecca, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, John Wooden, Bill Cook, Ebenezer Scrooge and Vincent van Gogh all have in common? Well in the case of We Come to Life with those we Serve theyContinue reading “Life in Service is a Gift”
Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
Maria Semple, Where’d You Go, Bernadette?, Little, Brown and Company (2012) Compared to The Girl on the Train last week Semple’s work is wonderfully refreshing, inspirational and fun. Both are wonderful examples of their genre and just like The Girl on the Train, this book sold exceptionally well and was translated into a number ofContinue reading “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?”
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins, The Girl on the Train, Riverhead Books (2015) The Girl on the Train gripped readers worldwide when it was published and released in 2015 topping the New York Times bestseller list. This is with good reason as its reputation preceded my reading and it certainly fulfilled its reputation. The concoction of its majorContinue reading “The Girl on the Train”
The Weekly Book Report 