The Egyptologist: A Novel by Arthur Phillips

This is an epistolary novel, told in a series of letters from several of the main characters. Those from Ralph Trilipush, Oxford grad, Harvard lecturer, archeologist, date from 1922 during a trip to Egypt to hunt for the tomb of Atum-hadu, whose existence most experts doubt. The letters reveal a man so confident that he is always right and destined for greatness that he filters everything through that belief and you quickly get the sense that there is only a grain of truth in his letters. His constant posturing and self-justification are very funny and cleverly written. The remaining bulk of the letters are from an Australian private detective who stumbles across Trilipush's trail and sets out to find him. Phillips is very clever to use this format to tell his story as the letters reveal the characters so clearly. It quickly becomes obvious that the letters are all self-serving and the truth somewhere in between. As the story progresses, you get a sense that it is headed for disaster. The ending does not disappoint. This is a very clever, beautifully written book.

Summer Crossing: A Novel (Modern Library Paperbacks)… by Truman Capote

There is a good reason this wasn't published during Capote's lifetime. It is more a sketch of a novel than even a novella. There are inexplicable plot jumps that a more mature writer would have fleshed out. But you can see the talent that was there at an early age. My reading was often pulled up short, arrested by a surprising image. It's a short book, worth reading to see the early effort of a very good writer.

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

This novel is set in 1950's American suburbia. The main characters, Frank and April, seem to have it all, home, children, successful career. What I found interesting is how the novel follows their internal thoughts and fantasies. Each believes they are unique and creative, superior to those around them, and their attraction to each other seems to be based on each encouraging that idea in the other. As the little disappointments in life chip away at their idea of themselves, they turn to increasingly desperate measures to keep the fantasy alive. In some ways, their attitudes reflect the contempt and rejection of middle class America that dominated the 1960s. A thought provoking book. (

Any Human Heart by William Boyd

William Boyd is an amazingly good story teller. In this novel, we follow the life of Logan Mountstuart from his school days to his death which covers most of the 20th century. A writer and art dealer, his life touches on most of the great writers and painters of the age as he moves between London, Paris and New York. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a fictional character because Boyd creates a character of such depth and dimension. I was sorry when the book ended.

Van Loon's Lives by Hendrik Willem Van Loon

One of my all-time favorite books, I go back to it time and again. Set in pre-war Netherlands, the author "finds" a way to invite famous people in history to come to dinner. A delightful discussion of the invitees, their history, what they might have eaten at a typical dinner, a fascinating fantasy. The first dinner with Erasmus was such a success that they arrange for him to visit for a few weeks, offering insights on some of their other guests.You can't help but start thinking about who you would invite!

The Ethical Assassin: A Novel by David Liss

A young teenager, selling encyclopedias door to door, gets caught up in assassination, drug sales, and animal abuse. In spite of murder and mayhem, this is a very funny book. The assassin turns out to be a very committed animal rights activist and gives a compelling defense for his actions. This book could turn you into a vegan! I really enjoyed it.

Providence of a Sparrow: Lessons from a Life Gone to the Birds… by Chris Chester

The author finds a baby sparrow that has fallen from the nest and manages to keep it alive. The book traces the effect this event has on his life. There is much information about sparrows; I had never guessed they were so interesting. He describes in detail his getting to know this bird he calls B and how their relationship flourishes. He ends up with seven wild birds, uncaged, living in his second story rooms. A large part of the books is a collection of memories, thoughts, quotes on life as his view of the world changes or is clarified, told with great wit and humor. A wonderful book.

Museum of Human Beings by Colin Sargent

In Museum of Human Beings, Colin Sargent follows the life of Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, the son of Sacagawea, from his early childhood with the Lewis & Clark Expedition to his death. Born to an Indian mother and her French captor, he is taken as a foster child by Clark and raised at his home. There he catches the eye of a visiting Duke and is taken to Europe. Why he agrees to go with Duke Paul and to put up with being treated as a savage introduces the core of the book. The narrator focuses on Baptiste's search for who he is and where he fits in his world. The story follows the actual travels of Baptiste and Sargent does an amazing job of creating a fascinating interior life for the man. Very well done.

Reputation: Portraits in Power by Marjorie Williams

Marjorie Williams was a contributor to Vanity Fair and the Washington Post. This is a collection of portraits of political figures, most of them written in the 1990s. They are well written, full of character revealing anecdotes. What struck me strongly was how short political fame and influence can be. She writes of Clark Clifford, James Baker, Terry McAuliffe, Lee Atwater, all well-known, powerful individuals. But will younger readers know of them? If you are interested in the Washington DC culture, this is worth a read.

The Whiskey Rebels: A Novel by David Liss

This is David Liss' fourth book and I think it's his best. In each of his books, he explores a period in history with great accuracy and attention to detail and then brings that era to life with a compelling fictional story line. In his latest book, he looks at early America, just after the end of the Revolutionary war. The Jeffersonians and the Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton are struggling for power. Hamilton establishes the US Bank and to raise funds, initiates a tax on whiskey, the only source of income and barter on the western Pennsylvania frontier. This leads to the Whiskey Rebellion. Against this backdrop, he weaves two stories which initially seem totally unrelated but then merge to form one fascinating story. Much of the plot line involves financial chicanery which might be confusing but he does an amazing job of making it clear for the reader. Liss is rapidly becoming one of our best writers and this one is definitely a must read.

The Coffee Trader: A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle)… by David Liss

As a big fan of David Liss, I had looked forward to reading this book. It contains the historical detail I expected, and an interesting story line, involving a Jewish commodities trader in 1659 Amsterdam who hopes to make a fortune trading coffee. Unfortunately most of the characters are so unpleasant that I found this slow going. It is so hard to care what happens to any of them. Aside from this, the book is as well crafted as his two earlier books and worth taking a look at.

The Book of Air and Shadows: A Novel by Michael Gruber

After a bookstore fire, letters are discovered written by Richard Bracegirdle, an anti-papist who claims to have spied on William Shakespeare. Also found are some encrypted pages that seem to be the clue to finding a lost play by Shakespeare. The story follows a bookstore employee and an IP lawyer and their families as they hunt for the treasure and encounter Russian and Jewish gangsters also in on the hunt. The plot contains many twists and turns and surprises. It is a very well-written story with lots of ideas. I really enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery as well as being intrigued by the characters even though not many were really likeable. The ending left a little to be desired, I had a couple of unresolved questions but it is still highly recommended.

In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson

This is one of a series of 16 books about Inspector Alan Banks. Set in the English Midlands, each book follows the solving of a crime and also follows the events of his private life. In a Dry Season is the best of the series, taking place when his marriage has ended and he is struggling in his professional life. The mystery involves a murder committed at the end of World War II and it is fascinating the way pieces of the puzzles are slowly fit together. A really first rate mystery writer.

CLEVER GIRL by Lauren Kessler

This is a biography of Elizabeth Bentley, born in New England to a conservative family and Vassar educated. She was in her 20's when she fell in love with a KGB agent and embraced communism. The book is well-researched and tells the detailed story of her spying (clever girl was her code name) and how her identity was uncovered during the McCarthy years. The first part of the book is an interesting look at what kind of person she was but towards the end gets bogged down in detailed descriptions of the HUAC hearings in Washington.

A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer

Georgette Heyer is generally considered to have invented the Regency Romance genre. But her novels are much closer to Jane Austen than the bodice rippers that we typically think of. In this book, one of her best, she looks at the phenomenon of landed but cash poor nobility marrying wealthy daughters of tradesman. In this case, a young man returns from the Peninsular Wars upon his father's death, to discover the estate is bankrupt. Faced with losing the family home and being unable to take care of his sisters, he is talked into marrying a young daughter of an immensely wealthy man who is anxious to improve her social standing. Heyer looks at the culture clashes and how this mixing of the two worlds unfolds. The characters are very well-drawn and complex. A fascinating story.

A Risk Worth Taking by Robin Pilcher

The main character in this novel is Dan Porter, a middle-aged Londoner working for an American based investment company. He loses his job during the dot.com bust and then watches as many of his American co-workers die in the 9/11 attack. Forced to look at his career, marriage and life direction, he makes some decisions for change. As the story unfolds and his life takes unforeseen directions, he has to look at how his decisions affect his wife and children and decide if his decisions are really for the benefit of his family or just self-indulgent. A few pages into the book I thought it might develop into a totally cliched novel best suited to a Lifetime TV channel movie. But I was pleased to see it develop into an interesting character study. I enjoyed it very much. This is the first book I have read by Robin Pilcher who is the son of novelist Rosamund Pilcher.

A Spectacle of Corruption: A Novel by David Liss

This is a sequel to David Liss's first novel A Conspiracy of Paper. Ben Weaver finds himself accused and found guilty of murder. His attempts to clear himself lead him into a labyrinth of political intrigue involving Whigs, Tories, and Jacobites. He gives a good look at the English political system of the times. Liss is an exceptional story teller who does amazing research for each of his books. I look forward to reading more.

Three cups of tea : one man's mission to fight terrorism and build nations-- one school at a time… by Greg Mortenson

This is the story of American mountain climber, Greg Mortenson. In Pakistan for an attempt to climb K2, he discovers a small village and finds his purpose in life. The book details his efforts to raise money for schools for boys and girls in this poor region. It is very inspiring and a testament to the power of the individual. The second half of the book drags somewhat as the writers get caught up in describing the political chaos in Pakistan but still well worth reading. Very uplifting.

Baker Towers: A Novel by Jennifer Haigh

In her second novel, Jennifer Haigh sets her story in a Pennsylvania mining town beginning with the last years of WW II. The story centers on the Novak family, a Polish father and Italian mother, and their five children. Each child is featured, as they grow up and begin struggling to leave this small company town. It is a good read and the characters are interesting. But this is a story that has been told so many times that I wondered why Haigh had chosen to retell it since there were no fresh insights into the times or the characters.

Loving Frank: A Novel by Nancy Horan

This novel is based on the relationship between Frank Lloyd Wright and Maymah Cheney. I think most readers would be drawn to the book because of the interest in Wright. However, the book touches only superficially on his career, describing his philosophy of architecture in very general terms. I was left with the impression that he did not do much work during this period (1903-14) because so little is included. The pace of the novel is very slow, dwelling at great length on Mayma's self-justification for leaving her husband and children to live with Wright. She touches on the women's movement during this period but, again, only superficially. Surprisingly, the ending was more satisfying than I expected. Mayma reached a great degree of self awareness that had a ring of truth.

Angle of Repose (Contemporary American Fiction)… by Wallace Stegner

Stegner has to number among America's best writers. He has an understanding of the west and an ability to describe the land and life there that is unsurpassed. In this book, he weaves two stories, one taking place in the 19th century and one in modern times. In 1868, Susan Burling leaves New York and follows her mining engineer husband out to South Dakota and Wyoming. The story details her slow acceptance and appreciation of life there. Her story is related by her grandson, Lyman Ward, as he struggles to accept his old age and physical infirmity. The earlier story is the stronger one, maybe because the characters are more interesting and distinct. A wonderful read.

March 25, 2009

This is my initial posting on my new blogspot where I intend to post my book reviews from Librarything and Amazon. I like the idea of having them posted on one site and hopefully available to more readers who might be interested. This is a bold new adventure for me, not being particularly savvy about hi tech matters. So, here we go ....