A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd

This is the third book in the Bess Crawford mystery series. I hadn't read the two previous books but this one stands alone quite well. Bess is a nurse stationed in France during WWI and has returned home to London for a brief leave. She finds a woman huddled in the cold on her porch, apparently injured, and takes her in. She agrees to the woman's request to accompany her home, worried that she has a concussion. At the large country home, Bess meets the rest of the family, discovers a murder, and is caught up in the solving of it. My early reaction was annoyance that Bess would get so caught up with a complete stranger's family that she would postpone her trip to see her parents at Christmas, lie to the police to protect family secrets, even to the point of briefly incriminating herself. But once I got past that, I did get caught up in the story. Todd (the nom-de-plume of a mother-son writing team) does a good job of creating the feel of the place and time. The characters are fleshed out enough for the purposes of the story and the mystery has a satisfying resolution. I would certainly consider reading the first two books.

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

This is one of those stories that stays with you after you've finished reading it. It left me speechless, struggling to define my reactions to it. It is a powerful, disturbing and very satisfying book.
Set in North Korea, a place I know little about beyond what I've picked up in the news, Johnson does a good job of creating the day to day life there, a place where individuals exist only to support the collective whole, a society shaped by years of despotic rule by a psychopath. The first half of the book is narrated by Pak Jun do, who grew up in an orphan's work house run by his father. Pak had control over where orphans were sent to work, knowing some factories were death sentences. This gave him an early education on how power worked there. As an adult, he worked as a kidnapper, snatching people from South Korea that Kim Jong Il has targeted, and later working on a ship listening to foreign broadcasts. He learns something of the outside world and begins to explore the idea of freedom. He starts on a path that is the center of the novel.
The second half of the book is narrated by 'the Biographer', a torturer who justifies his trade to himself by writing a biography of each of his victims. His story, and that of Pak, are intertwined and Johnson moves between their stories and back and forth in time with a clear hand.
The stories about Kim Jon Il are fantastic but based on true events. It is hard to believe one man could be responsible for so much suffering. The author does a good job of describing how societies can be made to do almost anything through fear and loss of control. I strongly suggest this as a must read.

Nat Tate by William Boyd

Published in 1998, Boyd has written a very short biography of American abstract expressionist, Nat Tate, who committed suicide in 1960 after destroying most of his work.. He describes the artist’s meetings with all the leading painters of the day, including Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, Picasso, and Bracque, and leaders of the art world. Boyd includes quotes from Gore Vidal, John Richardson, and David Bowie. But all was quickly revealed as a hoax.
Reading it today, even if I hadn’t known it was a hoax, the use of the memoirs of Logan Mountstuart was a tipoff. This was apparently the first appearance of the hero of Boyd’s later novel, Any Human Heart.
Boyd has done an amazing job of creating a young artist, troubled background, drinking problem, and all. He does a good job of describing how Tate worked and a description of his paintings. The paintings in the books were apparently done by Boyd himself.
I believe this must have been one of the better hoaxes in the art world. But I’m always puzzled by hoaxes of this kind. I know sometimes the perpetrator just wants to see if he can get away with it. But I don’t think that was Boyd’s motivation. I wonder if he wanted to demonstrate to the art community how quick they are to jump on a bandwagon and go along with the prevailing opinion. If that was the case, he certainly succeeded.

The Bell by Iris Murdoch

I’ve read two of Murdoch’s later books and, although well worth reading, I think her writing was still developing when she wrote The Bell. This is the story of a lay community attached to an Anglo-Catholic abbey for sequestered nuns. There are a number of people in the community but the author gives us a look into the heads of only two. Michael owns the abbey, his decaying family home, and is the acknowledged leader. Dora Greenfield is the unfaithful wife of a man working there analyzing old manuscripts. Both are faced with ethical choices. Michael struggles with romantic and sexual feelings for two young male students and Dora struggles with her disintegrating marriage. The book is an exploration of the ethics of sexuality and power, and the religious or philosophical ideas that the characters use to justify their actions. Murdoch writes with lush descriptions of the sights and sounds that is very sensuous. This is somewhat ironic because the intent of the persons there was to strip their surroundings down to bare necessities, no personal possessions in their rooms, no flowers brought into the house, simple clothing and tasks. The problem with the book was that I didn’t like any of the characters. Michael seems deluded and pathetic , I had an urge to slap Dora most of the time, her husband, Paul, was a bullying brute and the others not much better. But Murdoch really excels at exploring religious and philosophical ideas. I read this as a book group read and I’m glad I did.

New York by Edward Rutherford

Epic, sweeping, panoramic are words that come to mind after reading this novel. Rutherford tells the story of New York City from the early Dutch settlers to the Revolutionary War to the Civil War and the waves of immigrants, right up to 9/11. The story begins with the van Dyck family in 1664 and the plot follows their descendents and other families that are connected through business and personal relationships . It is an engrossing book, very well written. The stories of these individuals really provide a clear picture of how each historical event affected the people living there. Rutherford did an excellent job of allowing the reader to clearly follow the story as it moved from generation to generation and I had a good sense of the history of each family.

The Hair of Harold Roux by Thomas Williams

First published in 1974, The Hair of Harold Roux won the National Book Award in 1975. I had never heard of Williams and feel like I’ve just made a great discovery. Williams is an amazing story teller and this novel is layered with story within story, each one as interesting and compelling as the others.

The narrator is Aaron Benson, academic and author, struggling to write a novel of his youth. He is married with two children and while he loves them and sees his need for them, he seems incapable of focusing on them and giving them the attention they need. He is struggling with his novel, working to recreate an unpleasant time in his life.

The main character in his novel is Allard Benson, at university after time spent in the military during WWII. He is clearly based on the young Aaron. Aaron does not romanticize his young self and looks at him with the same analytical knife that he uses to consider his current life. Allard meets Harold Roux, also in school after the war, who acts as Allard’s moral compass. Roux has high standards, is highly principled, and naïve. He has one weakness, his hair, which affects his entire experience at school. Both love Mary Tolliver, a beautiful, young student. Harold sees her as perfection, pure and to be protected. Allard also is drawn to her great beauty and sets out single-mindedly to win her.

Allard is basically so self-centered that while he might be drawn to friends, and tells himself he loves Mary, all his actions are directed toward the goal of getting what he wants. He wants Mary but plans to change her to be more like him. There is a lack of empathy in him; he might see that he is causing pain but that is something he observes and doesn’t really change anything for him. The final disaster of the novel within the novel is a result of his inattention to what is going on with the people around him.

Ultimately, the novel is about time, how we pass through it, carry experiences forward through it, and how eventually all our friends and family move away from us in their passage. A wonderful book.

Among the Missing by Morag Joss

A bridge in Scotland collapses and three people, a pregnant woman running away from her husband, a man just out of prison for causing the death of children in an auto accident, and a woman in the country illegally are all thrown together. The chapters alternate, each written from the perspective of each characters thoughts, and their history is disclosed gradually. The sense the reader has of being in their mind was almost claustrophobic since the characters are so disconnected from everyone and everything and try to pass through life without being noticed. Joss is a good writer and her descriptions of the setting and the characters are very vivid. But the characters are so depressed and without hope that she almost writes herself into a corner with no good way to end it. I had to read the ending twice to figure out what happened and then still wasn't sure. It was an interesting read but left me unsatisfied.

Robert Altman The Oral Biography by Mitchell Zuckoff

This was given to me by a friend who is a real film aficianado and with whom I share a love of Altman films. Zuckoff interviewed family, friends, co-workers, agents, and actors who had worked with Altman. Each described events from their own, and sometimes contradictory, perspectives and gradually a picture is built up of a very complex, very talented man. It reminded me very much of the structure of one of his films. The books starts with his youth in Kansas City and then follows his career, film by film. There were many films and TV shows he made that I had never heard of. I recently re-watched Nashville and McCabe and Mrs. Miller and was struck again by the amazing way he could capture the reality of the moment and avoid cliches. If you are interested in his films, this is a must read.

The Sticking Place by T. B. Smith

This is not a mystery in the usual sense of the word. But I think anyone interested in mysteries would like this book. The story follows two rookies in the San Diego police department, Luke and Denny. The reader follows along with them as they go out on patrol, confront criminals and other unsavory characters, deal with political pressures on the department, and personal struggles. Luke has a graduate degree in English lit and eases his stress by quoting appropriate lines from Shakespeare. At times this seems a little forced but its an interesting twist. You get a real sense of the emotional demands placed on them by this kind of work. This is a first novel, I think, but it reads like Smith plans more books about these two. My only knowledge of police procedures comes from tv shows but the action in this book seems very real.

The Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carlson

The story is of a family living in the rural south in the early 20th century. The father is a small town school teacher and he and his wife also work a small farm. They have four daughters. The first part of the novel describes a summer when three of the girls, adults now and living a distance away, come home for two weeks. It is a sweet story of a close family, not without tensions, but basically a happy story. In the rest of the novel, she devotes a chapter to each of them, peeling away a layer and looking at key moments in their lives. Needless to say, it adds great dimension to the story, some real surprises and is a very effective way to look at the characters. The writing is first rate.

Black Swan by Chris Knopf

This is the fifth in the series of Sam Acquillo mysteries. I have not read the first four and found that this book stands well alone. Much of the book takes place on a sailboat. Sam and his girlfriend Amanda are trying to deliver the boat to the Hamptons for a friend but have to take refuge in a harbor on a small, very private island. I am not a sailor and can't speak to the technical acumen but Knopf describes Sam's handling of the boat during a storm well enough for the average reader to follow. Sam and Amanda encounter hostility from some of the locals but the new owners of the hotel, the Black Swan, welcome them. While waiting for boat parts to be shipped to them, they become embroiled in two deaths and the disappearance of a very disturbed young man. The plot involves extremely advanced computer coding and the machinations of the owners of a large software company. As Sam becomes more and more involved, at the risk of his own life, he asks himself why he doesn't just leave. I found myself asking the same question. I could only conclude that Sam has an extremely finely honed sense of justice. In a genre where there are great extremes of writing ability, Knopf is among the better I've read. He gives Sam a strong, consistent voice and carries the reader along extremely complicated plot turns. It's a quick and enjoyable read.

Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey

Parrot is a lower-class English boy whose father is an itinerant engraver with no real home. After a series of misadventures, Parrot is separated from his father and rescued by the Marquis de Tilbot, a Royalist French spy. He is the link that connects Parrot and Olivier, a young French aristocrat born right after the Revolution. Olivier's parents had escaped the guillotine and still held their ancestral estate. Fearing another revolution, the parents send the by-then young man to America on the pretext of writing a book on the American prison system. Unwilling to go, he is tricked onto the ship by family friend, Tilbot, who also arranges for the older Parrot to go as his servant. The heart of the book then begins with the experiences of the two in America. Olivier sees the new, uncultured society through the eyes of privilege, used to having his comfort and wishes a priority. In letters to his mother, he comments on the strange ways of these people. This, of course, leads to comparisons with de Toqueville's book. Parrot finds himself a servant in a society that worships the principles of equality. Their very different experiences are what you might expect given their backgrounds. Carey surrounds them with fascinating characters. With surprising plot turns, the reader is swept along. This is the first book I have read of Carey's and was struck by his remarkable craftsmanship in telling this story.

Troubles by J G Farrell

The story is told from the perspective of an English soldier; a Major has just returned from WWI France and his story unfolds against the backdrop of the Irish uprising that led to the creation of the Republic. The Major goes to visit a girl he met prewar, whose English family owns a decrepit old hotel in an Irish coastal village. The title refers to the political unrest and fighting in Ireland and also to the unfolding of the Major's life. We meet some fascinating characters, her family, Irish hired help and the English aging guests who are fading as fast as the hotel. The Major is enough of an outsider to be able to step back from the contempt the English characters have for the Irish and the hate the Irish return. The decaying of the hotel mirrors the collapse of the society around it and the owner is just as oblivious to that as he is to his role in the village unrest In spite of this setting, parts of the novel are actually very humorous. The author's description of the slow collapse of the ancient hotel and how the occupants adjust is wickedly funny. I really enjoyed this one.

The Law and The Lady by Wilkie Collins

I was interested in reading this since it is described as the first mystery with a lady detective. Having enjoyed The Moonstone and the Lady in White, I was surprised at how dated this book is. The lady detective sets out to clear her husband's name of murdering his first wife and gets nothing but discouragement and anger from her husband and his mother. She carries on because she says she loves her husband so much. Frankly, it's hard to see why she is so devoted. He's a bit of a wimp and absolutely too sensitive for words. I wanted to slap him! Ultimately, the mystery is solved but the ending is absolutely unsatisfying!

One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming

This is the latest in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series. As with most series, there is a slow development of character and relationships but I think this one would stand alone very well. Fergusson is an Episcopal priest, just returned from National Guard duty in Iraq. Van Alstyne, the chief of police and now a widower, has been waiting anxiously for her return. These two are the main focus of the story but this novel differs from earlier ones in that supporting characters get equal story time. Five newly returned veterans, including Fergusson, gather in a support group. They are all coping in different ways with the damage they brought back with them. The author does an amazing job of looking at the problems of returning home with physical and mental problems and trying to pick up the life they left. Against this, there is a murder to be solved. I think this is the best novel of the series and I couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward to the next one ( )

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

This book had been on my ToBeRead list for a long time then a friend gave me a copy with a strong recommendation. McCullers is a gifted writer (reminded me of Faulkner, in many ways) but her underlying view of the world is just too grim for me to appreciate. The characters are fascinating, a deaf mute on whom everyone projects their expectations but no one actually knows, a young girl who is apparently a musical genius growing up in poverty and low expectations, an itinerant traveler who sees all the injustice in the world and is driven to spread this message however futile, a black doctor who struggles with his treatment by whites in his southern town and is frustrated that all his friends and family don't see what he does. Each one of these people rage against their situation and try to reach out to each other but they are ultimately alone and inconsolable. There seems to be no hope for anything better.

Henrietta Sees It Through by Joyce Dennys

This is a sequel to Henrietta's War and covers the last three years of the the war. It was originally published serially during the war in Sketch. The book is in the form of letters written by Henrietta, a doctor's wife on the rural English coast, to a friend and neighbor who is away on the front. While she tells her friend she's sending along news of the village to give him a glimpse of something other than war, she details the effect of the war on the locals, from collecting metal for the war effort, to taking in evacuees from London, to the loss of family in combat. The author uses a dry, witty sense of humor to present the sacrifice and tragedies in a restrained way but the courage of the people comes through. The humor is distinctly British. The book gives a wonderful sense of place and people during this historical time.

At Mrs. Lippincote's by Elizabeth Taylor

Set in England during WWII, Julia and Roddy Davenant leave London and are relocated, along with their son and Roddy's sister, Eleanor, to a small town near the military base where he is posted. The novel describes each of their reactions to this new situation, focusing especially on Julia. She has a hard time settling in here, as I think she would anywhere, because she is too truthful to be very polite and "too busy, as a rule, measuring up and deploring other people to be in any way conscious of herself". This disruption of their lives destroys the fragile detente between Julia and Eleanor, and exposes the weaknesses of the marriage. I found it very difficult to care much about any of them although the ending gives much insight into Julia's state of mind. The book does give a good description of the disruption of war on home, friends and family.

Armadillo by William Boyd

I'm a huge fan of Boyd's work but this one took a little getting into. The main character is a London insurance adjuster who seems to need a slightly warped moral code to do his job but is ultimately a decent person. I found him hard to sympathize with at first but he did grow on me. He is surrounded by a supporting cast of wonderful characters. The novel looks at a very venal and corrupt business system, almost like a new class in England, people who are protected from ever getting caught or losing. The reader is carried along, as confused as the insurance adjuster, until the end when it is all wrapped up. Ultimately, well worth reading.

Kepler by John Banville

When I think about the great scientific minds of the distant past, I always imagine them constantly occupied with their lofty pursuits and all their needs somehow provided. Banville puts the reader right inside Kepler's mind which is so often caught up in the petty details of life, his unhappy marriage, deaths of his children, the constant search for a patron and money. But then occasionally you get a glimpse of his genius which leads him to look again at what was known about geometry and astronomy at the time. His Kepler sees the physical world and the people around him as alien and usually hostile. When he stops to take a look around, he is always an observer, never a participant. He lacks the most basic social skills. Yet there are those who see his genius and give him the time to do his work. Banville is an amazing writer and gives a good sense of life at the turn of the 17th century.

The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor

After reading Bleeding Heart Square, I dove into this book with great anticipation. I was not disappointed. The novel begins with a series of deaths in Cambridge and London in 1786. Struggling London bookseller, John Holdsworth, accepts a commission to find the true cause of student Frank Oldershaw's madness, presumably caused by seeing a ghost. He is thrown into a small community of secrets, power struggles, and tangled relationships. Taylor does an excellent job of creating an historical time and place. His characters struggle with both ghosts who appear to be apparitions of the recently deceased and ghosts who live in the minds of those consumed by guilt and regret. The ultimate resolution is very satisfying. My only criticism was finding myself confused in the opening pages by deaths of two ladies at Jerusalem college. I had to go back and reread it a couple of times.