My friend from high school, Madison, is an inspiration. More well-read than any person I've ever encountered. So stealing from her...
April Reads
Devil in the White City - Erik Larsen
Dipping my toe into the non-fiction waters. I was pleasantly surprised. Alternating chapters describing the competition, struggle and artistic collaboration that went into the Chicago World Fair in the late 1890's and the gruesome story of serial killer H.H. Holmes. Has some dragging bits, but power through, it's worth it... all the best momentum of the H.H. Holmes story is saved for the end. A good recommendation: for history buffs and people who like Dexter.
A Fall of Marigolds - Susan Meissner
Light fiction. I'm a sucker for anything NYC... but this one tried too hard to be emotional. Swing and a miss. It ties tales of a woman who lost someone in 9/11 and a woman at the turn of the century who lost someone in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire. A good recommendation for: Mom and hopeless romantics.
The Contortionist's Handbook - Craig Clevenger
I read this because of the great book review by Chuck Palahniuk. Again - a swing and a miss. A lot of repetitive description again. I appreciate the amount of research that went into researching how to steal identities in the 1980's... buuuut... I never thought I'd say this, but that's enough drugs, sex and drugs and pathological lying to last me a lifetime. A good recommendation for: a short read if you're feeling like reinventing yourself.
The Chronology of Water - Lidia Yuknavitch
This was last month's book club book. Local Oregon writer delving into memoir. Great story in bits, great prose in bits, great contrasts and themes and then terrible name dropping. I think I liked her childhood self, but I'm not so sure if I met her in person if I would like her. Overall thoughts: maybe I'll try her fiction but I think I may have had enough of Grown up Lidia. A good recommendation for: lit students who pride themselves on being edgy and people who have a strong tolerance for sexual deviancy.
