Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Say You're One of Them

Say You're One of Them  By Uwem Akpan   Short stories from life in Nigeria. As Mr. Akpan was growing up in a small village, he experienced and witnessed an extraordinary amount of love and compassion in this turbulent land. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest later in life and then continued on with and MFA in creative writing. This interesting mixed education brings his short stories to life. Some of these are incredibly sad. This writer has an intense connection to his characters that enables the reader to both visualize and care about each and every one of them. There is so much turbulence in Africa, yet the people can still stare up at a beautiful starry night and appreciate the beauty in which they live. If you enjoy reading about Africa, this is a good read. It is not necessarily enjoyable as much as deeply thoughtful.

Friday, April 1, 2011

March

March  By Geraldine Brooks     If you are a fan of Little Women, By Louisa May Alcott, there is no doubt you have wondered what Mr. March was like, where he went during the war and how it affected his lovely girls. This story is a gift for a reader that treasures those last few pages slowly and does not want the story to end. Finally, more! What an interesting mix of historical fiction during the civil war, our beloved March sisters and the small town of Concord , MA. Throw in Thoreau and Emerson and portray Mr. March on the real life of Bronson Alcott. In addition if all this history intrigues the reader you must read American Bloomsbury By Susan Cheever for the real life saga that is the birth of American Literature.