Natalia Voznesenskaya Voznesenskaya itibaren Grafenwöhr, Almanya
Fiction. This is the story of Bobby and Jonathan -- best friends, almost brothers, almost in love -- how they grow up together, how they grow apart, how they meet Clare, and how they all try to make a home together. It sounds cozy -- I love self-made families -- but this is an exceedingly lonely book. No one's able to make any lasting connections and everyone's alone in one way or another. It's sad, but written so well. Cunningham has an easy way with language; his prose is simple and honest, with wonderful spots of color and noise: If Bobby moved with the methodical, slightly bovine will of a vacuum cleaner, sucking up each errand and task, Jonathan clattered along like an eggbeater. That's Clare speaking -- several characters take turns narrating -- and you can sense her resentment even through the humor. Cunningham's prose is delightful, but cutting. As is this book. Three stars for affecting, sympathetic characters and Cunningham's effortlessly interesting prose.
Caleb Carr's stories always make me think of Criminal Minds. I love the thrill of the murder mystery and the psycho-analysis that goes with Carr's villians. The character of Libby Hatch is even more disturbing than the Beecham of The Alienist and I enjoyed this book all the more for her being a part of it.
Again, Murakami brings out bizarre metaphysical events and wraps them into a story. A good book but certainly not his best. After three of his books this year I think I'm done reading him for awhile.
Turns out my great grandmother traveled from Oklahoma to Kentucky to nurse one of my great uncles who was in an army base there during this epidemic. My grandfather, 12th of 13 and the 13th died, was conscripted into WWI and at 18 years of age was 'on the gangplank' when Armistice was declared. Seems long ago, but no Papa Joyce, no me.