Zen in the Art of Writing (Ray Bradbury)

Paperback

This is a collection of previously published essays by Bradbury on the art of writing...or HIS art of writing, to be more precise. I ate up the first couple of essays, but then they just got a little repetitive, a little too specific, and kinda boring.

The guy's definitely likable and passionate about his craft, but he's also adamant that his way is the correct way and that just DOING (1,000 words a day for 20 years or so is his prescription) will turn anyone into a writer. Since I disagree that writing can be taught to just anyone, believing instead that inherent talent is a necessary part of the puzzle, it left me a little cold. I was also probably slightly chilly because I, myself, don't really aspire to be a writer.

Regardless, he was good company for a while, I just wanted to change the subject.

C+

House of Sand and Fog (Andre Dubus III)

Paperback

I saw the movie years ago, which is my preferred order. Going book then movie results, too often, in "but why'd they change this or that?" and "they totally missed the point of the blahblah!" Going movie to book means that I can enjoy the movie on its own terms and then go to the source to have the experience enriched rather than ruined.

And wow, was my experience enriched. Everything just felt so inevitable -- I was never doing the eye-rolling that occurs for me when reading so many everything-goes-wrong books. Usually the obvious avenue is ignored; the one thing that someone should obviously say or do goes unsaid or undone. Here, however, everyone behaved how everyone would and tragedy is around the corner... exactly where it would be.

It's a terrible, compelling piece of work.

A

City of Thieves (David Benioff)

Audiobook

Read by Ron Perlman?? I was skeptical, to say the least. But he turned out to be pretty good at it -- enough differences between the speakers so I knew who was talking and an easy-to-listen-to tone when it was straight narration.

There's an odd present-day intro that had a completely different vibe than the rest of the book. Once we get to the story, though, it's good stuff. Two young Russians are imprisoned during World War II -- one for looting and the other for desertion -- and, instead of being shot, are tasked by the commanding colonel with finding a dozen eggs with which to bake his daughter's wedding cake.

It's both charming and horrifying and winds up being satisfying to boot. This is a winner.

B+

Summer Comes Slowly (Rosemary Pollock)

Paperback

My first Harlequin romance ever! Oh, and also: my last Harlequin romance ever!

It's just truly terrible. Susanna is traveling with her grandfather/boss in Malta for his newest book. They meet the dashing and mysterious "ogre" Ramiro de Saez and become his houseguests. For no reason that I could divine, he goes from ogre to the love of Susanna's life in just a few short days. And Susanna goes from ignored nuisance to love of Ramiro's life in the same timeframe -- but literally seconds after his confession of love, he shoves her away and makes her feel like crap. Way to go Romeo...er...Ramiro.

Luckily the widower (of course he's a widower! how romantic!!!!1111) has a small son with a twisted foot to help these two see what's important to him had better damn well be important to them -- and, of course, what he wants is a Susanna-mommy.

Done. Ugh.

D (only escapes being an "F" because Gary started reading it to me in the car on a road trip. It was so funny that it's got to be worth something)

The Risk of Darkness (Susan Hill)

Hardcover

This is the third in the series of five (so far) "Simon Serailler" novels by Hill. I read the first two and, obviously, thought they were good enough to continue -- but this book may have just changed my mind. There's nothing wrong with the writing and I rather like feeling in-the-know about these characters. See, although the book wouldn't lose an audience who don't know what's gone on before, there's plenty of backstory referenced throughout to make me feel rewarded for having been faithful through the first two.

My problem isn't with style, it was with content, which was downright ugly. I have little patience for sensationalism and, frankly, that's what this felt like. Sure, Hill pulls punches when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of how, exactly, several children went from happy kids to piles of bones in a cave -- but I don't know why she bothered. I think it would've been easier to read that then to spend pages in the company of a dangerous madman searching for his dead wife in every poor woman who wanders into his line of sight. Even as I'm typing this, I'm getting annoyed remembering how I felt -- just icky.

I guess the truth is that I don't find Simon Serailler compelling enough of a character to wade through a distasteful story for.

C

Never Let Me Go (Kazuo Ishiguro)

Hardcover

Our narrator is Kathy H., who reveals the story in conversational flashback -- often starting an anecdote only to bounce back to an earlier time to explain pertinent pieces of the story she's telling. If I didn't like Kathy or if her words felt in any way stilted, this book would've been awful, but the author has a real ear for dialogue and for the way that young people are with one another. The relationships actually reminded me strongly of my own childhood...I couldn't help but wonder if it was because I, too, spent my adolescence and teen years in a rather sheltered environment. More likely it's that MOST teenagers talk this way and the recognition just made it seem more personal than it was.

Anyway, I guess it's obvious that I was blown away by the believability factor, something that's even more remarkable given that the subject is far beyond anything existing in reality. Too bad that this thing of beauty wraps up so unsatisfactorily. The final bit of action is just so ridiculous. I *think* it was supposed to be some big reveal, but it was pretty much the equivalent of a parent having "the talk" with their 16-year-old. Mom or Dad might fill in some blanks, but the kid's already beyond a huge speech.

The end of a book has got to be the WORST place for an author to lose his way and that's just what happens here. The last couple of scenes clunked so pathetically that when I closed the book, my overwhelming feeling was one of disappointment in the handling of the final scenes rather than the content.

B-

The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen (Jacques Pepin)

Hardcover

I've never seen any of Pepin's television programs nor have I read any of his cookbooks, so I brought nothing to this reading other than a slight familiarity with Pepin's name. I actually don't know if that colored my opinion of the book for good or ill... I guess it's possible I would've liked it more if it felt as though I were reading the history of an esteemed acquaintance; or perhaps I would have felt a keener disappointment at its barely-scratching-surface anecdotes.

It's not a difficult book to read, but it was very episodic "when I was x, this happened" (2-3 pages), "when I was x I did this" (2-3 pages), "I worked at this place for a chef that wasn't as charming or smart or good-looking as I" (4-5 pages -- but tweaked and pressed into service for several different job situations), and on and on. He's obviously an innovative chef with an interesting career behind him, but he's also vain and petty. His "me vs. him" narratives seem to assume that readers are in his corner by default.

The recipes included are probably the best part of the book, even though the one I've tried so far (Eggs Jeannette) was just OK -- I'll probably stick with the much-less complex but more flavorful deviled eggs in future. I have copied and plan to make a couple of the other dishes, but that doesn't mean I want to hear any more about the guy behind them.

C