Reviews

I begin at the end by reading this last novel, Silverview, by author John Le Carre as my first foray into his extensive stable of books. I was not disappointed.  

Julian Lawndsley buys a book store on the English shore, leaving his hectic life in the city behind him. A rather unusual man, Edward Avon, wanders into Julian's shop one day casually advising him on an idea for the store. Seemingly at random, they bump into each other next at a local cafe whereby Edward informs Julian he knew his father when they were at school together. This seems to cement the beginnings of a friendship and a circumspect mentorship between them. Avon has a wife and a daughter but their relationships appear fractured. Further behind the scenes, something subversive has happened. Avon appears to be at the center of an investigation taking place by Domestic Security.

The story is told from different angles, time-frames, and makes us work at paying attention to the details so that we can piece together the story. Is Avon a con artist? A spy? Who else in his circle is aware of his actions? Who else is complicit? How will this end? I can only imagine that these might be the type of questions someone in this business might need to wade through to get answers.

An afterword by LeCarre's son, Nick Cornwell, is included. In it, he tells the reader that he has not been privy to more information about his father's real-life spy career than the general public already knows. His role in getting his father's book published posthumously is to let it stand on its own merit. 

Chapter One opens with a captivating sentence: "Stranger, whoever you are, open this to learn what will amaze you."

Author Anthony Doerr has created a novel that is vastly different from his last major work. This one stands unique on its own. Reading this book required a time commitment; however, the narrative easily flowed along and pulled me into the stories of Konstance, Seymour, Zeno, Omeir, Anna and, of course, the book within a book, Cloud Cuckoo Land. From Constantinople to Idaho to Korea and to the future, Anthony Doerr's new novel is an invitation to "time travel", to connect the dots on how an ancient manuscript can play a role in so many lives. During the course of centuries, the main characters within the pages endure hardship, heartbreak, exploitation, disappointment, strife, war, love - basically, life. People who have endured these challenges inspired others around them to learn and to wonder and to crave understanding. I found this book to be intriguing and philosophical.

The author's note says that this novel is intended as a paean to books. This is the best kind of tribute.

For fans of Anthony Doerr and those who enjoy reading an uncommon novel.

Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke is a book set very much in the present; in particular, with the methods that office employees now communicate with their coworkers via electronic apps and devices. It is reminiscent of epistolary fiction with a modern-day twist. Those who use these services will recognize and relate how a conversation thread can be derailed and its meaning quickly lost by multiple people responding in quick succession and in different channels. Add in some drama with one of the staff members being "drawn" into the app itself, one of their public relations firm's accounts files being diverted/deleted, working from home, text abbreviations, emojis and the humor begins. Enjoy the escapades and disjointed conversations of Gerald, Pradeep, Doug, Kerolyn, Tripp, Beverly, Lydia and Slackbot.

This is a quick read for those who enjoy topical humor and a sense of the absurd.

Longtime friends, Cole, Bart, and Teddy are partners in a struggling business called True Triangle Construction. When a mysterious and intriguing woman comes into their lives seeking to hire them to build a house for her in a remote Wyoming location, they can't believe their good fortune. The catch is the unrealistic deadline. The trio is reluctant at first until her generous monetary bonus changes their minds. Once the project begins, unexpected challenges and delays cause pressures to escalate until a breaking point is reached causing a tragic turn.

Author Nickolas Butler has a way of writing about realistic, ordinary people facing obstacles in their lives. The book is about friendship and is also a study of how greed can take you down a dark road. A solid story.

If you have read any of the author's other books, you may also enjoy Godspeed; the word's definition is an expression of good wishes to a person starting a journey.

Trent Preszler grew up in a small town on a South Dakota cattle ranch. He left home for good after he went away to college ending up in New York. An estrangement with his father furthered the distance between them. After the death of his father, Trent's inheritance was a well-used toolbox. These inanimate objects still hold the essence of the man and the simplicity of what is necessary to get something done. The tools bring Trent an unexpected avenue to heal, to remember and to accept the lessons he learned from his family. He embarks on an extremely difficult woodworking project in which he has no experience that will take him close to one year to finish. As Trent uses each tool, he recounts memories of ranch life, reliving those days that are both good and bad.

Little and Often is plainly but eloquently written with doses of humor and pathos. It is an honest look at the complicated relationships that exist within families, how sometimes you will never really know them nor their challenges. Read through this book's page to find out the title's significance and to see if you might find yourself reflected there.

You don't need to be a woodworker to appreciate this memoir. Fans of Nick Offerman's Paddle Your Own Canoe might enjoy this book.

Whereabouts by author Jhumpa Lahiri is an introspective novel about a woman who observes the world around her. She appears to be stuck in a rut, she lives alone, goes to work, has a circle of friends but does not seem to be fulfilled. She mulls her life growing up and how different her parents’ life is from the one she leads. Thoughts and observations occur to her on the street, at the train station, in the waiting room. There is an undercurrent of something not quite named but something almost like sorrow, simmering just under the surface. Still, I was drawn into her world and her emotions as she navigates her daily routine in her beautiful unnamed city.

Pick up a copy of Whereabouts if you’re interested in reading a quiet book that feels like an exploration and assessment of how far you’ve come, what you have achieved when you have reached a certain age with each brief chapter revealing a little more. At only 157 pages, it is a quick read.

What is also interesting is that Lahiri wrote this novel in Italian, then translated it into English.

Time travel within a small coffee shop in Tokyo. Strict rules must be followed but you won't have much time. It is a little fanciful but it is not science fiction.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a quiet, unassuming story about people who seek to reach back in time, to have another chance to meet someone important to them; despite that when they do, nothing in the present will change. Each person must decide if the emotional journey is worth it.

This is author Toshikazu Kawaguchi's debut novel. His playwright writing style may be evident as readers learn more about the characters. Some of the writing is a little simplistic but translating the story into English probably plays a factor.

If you like gentle stories about ordinary people who are searching for important truths for themselves, you might like Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
 

Author Arshay Cooper grew up on the West Side of Chicago in a rough neighborhood with seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his way at almost every turn. While attending high school in the 1990's, a benefactor introduces the sport of rowing to his school. It was difficult to recruit a team of students willing to participate. Arshay was one of them. The assembled group of students quickly discovered how much physical effort and team coordination is required to row. They are ridiculed by their classmates and then by other rowing teams. Some didn't even know how to swim. With a combination of grit, dedication and determination their team improved. They get to be part of something together. Arshay became a team leader among his fellow students. You can hear in his voice the beginnings of the motivational speaker and activist he is today. This book is about the power of someone believing in you so that you can believe in yourself so that you can succeed and pay it forward.

Two shy friends, not quite a bromance, navigate the world in an understated and guileless manner. A feel-good story that does not need fireworks or high drama in the telling of it. In this unprecedented pandemic time, this suited me just fine. Leonard and Hungry Paul is author Ronan Hession's debut novel.

"You may wish to note the above."

In a very personal and candid memoir, Rebekah Taussig shares what it is like to navigate the world using a wheelchair. She writes about people being over-solicitous to help, about being ignored, and to still not have access to places she may want or have to visit. She reminds us that the Americans with Disabilities Act was only signed into law in 1990.

A term called "ableism" is discussed throughout the book. In Rebekah's words:  “Ableism is the process of favoring, fetishizing, and building the world around a mostly imagined, idealized body while discriminating against those bodies perceived to move, see, hear, process, operate, look, or need differently from that vision.” 

Sitting Pretty is an eye-opening book to read.