I'm one of the lucky ones who has a four-day weekend ahead of me. Four whole days....
I'm taking a break from my life, including blogging. See you next week!
Friday, June 30, 2006
July's Online Book Club Pick Is....
...The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Throughout the month, I'll post tidbits about the book and author. On the last day of the month, I'll post my review and hopefully you'll post comments letting me know what you thought of it.
Happy reading!
Learn more about the Tampa Book Buzz Online Book Club.
Throughout the month, I'll post tidbits about the book and author. On the last day of the month, I'll post my review and hopefully you'll post comments letting me know what you thought of it.
Happy reading!
Learn more about the Tampa Book Buzz Online Book Club.
Online Book Club Review:Maps for Lost Lovers
Maps for Lost Lovers examines the Muslim faith, Pakistani culture and the human struggle for love and acceptance through the microcosm of a small immigrant neighborhood in England. Jugnu, a Muslim Pakistani immigrant, and his lover Chandra have disappeared and are believed to have been murdered by Chandra's brothers as punishment for their adultery and rejection of their religious values.
As the story of the couple's lives and deaths unfolds, author Nadeem Aslam tells the story of Jugnu's brother Shamus, his wife Kaukab and their family. Each family member is secretly unhappy for a different reason. Shamas both resents and respects his wife's adherence to strict religious beliefs, but longs to be free to question his upbringing and the world without fear of retaliation.
Kaukab hates living in England, where her children are endlessly exposed to Western culture and encouraged to forsake their upbringing and reject her. Her religion and culture make her feel superior to the "whites" she encounters, while at the same time making her feel embarrassed by her limited English, her clothes that reek of pungent spices, and her lack of knowledge about Western society's rules. Shamas and Kaukab's children have each rejected their upbringing in ways ranging from the quietly subversive to the openly hostile.
Author Aslam, himself born in Pakistan and living in London, imbues Maps with the lush details and nuances of Pakistani cooking and fashion, describing spices and fruits and gold threads and rich tapestries in exquisite detail. The sensuality present in meals and clothing stands in stark contrast to the repressive and regimented rules that govern everything else in the characters' lives. Through his various characters, Aslam questions the Muslim and Pakistani traditions of arranged marriages, honor killings, the status of women, the rules of divorce, multiple marriages and limited contact with Westerners.
He doesn't provide any answers to these questions; almost nothing in the novel gets resolved. Most of the characters end up just as unhappy as they were at the beginning of the book, if not more so. I found this a little unsettling, but perhaps Aslam wants us to be exposed to the questions so that we might find the answers on our own. I found the pace excruciatingly slow and at times wished for less detail about the many colors, textures and flavors mentioned frequently. I also found myself getting a few of the characters confused because so many names started with "S" or "K."
Maps for Lost Lovers presents challenging -- and to some, inflammatory -- questions about faith, religion, love, culture, prejudice and acceptance. Those questions, however, are buried beneath the overly detailed lives of unsympathetic and unlikeable characters.
What did you think?
Learn more about the Tampa Book Buzz Online Club.
As the story of the couple's lives and deaths unfolds, author Nadeem Aslam tells the story of Jugnu's brother Shamus, his wife Kaukab and their family. Each family member is secretly unhappy for a different reason. Shamas both resents and respects his wife's adherence to strict religious beliefs, but longs to be free to question his upbringing and the world without fear of retaliation.
Kaukab hates living in England, where her children are endlessly exposed to Western culture and encouraged to forsake their upbringing and reject her. Her religion and culture make her feel superior to the "whites" she encounters, while at the same time making her feel embarrassed by her limited English, her clothes that reek of pungent spices, and her lack of knowledge about Western society's rules. Shamas and Kaukab's children have each rejected their upbringing in ways ranging from the quietly subversive to the openly hostile.
Author Aslam, himself born in Pakistan and living in London, imbues Maps with the lush details and nuances of Pakistani cooking and fashion, describing spices and fruits and gold threads and rich tapestries in exquisite detail. The sensuality present in meals and clothing stands in stark contrast to the repressive and regimented rules that govern everything else in the characters' lives. Through his various characters, Aslam questions the Muslim and Pakistani traditions of arranged marriages, honor killings, the status of women, the rules of divorce, multiple marriages and limited contact with Westerners.
He doesn't provide any answers to these questions; almost nothing in the novel gets resolved. Most of the characters end up just as unhappy as they were at the beginning of the book, if not more so. I found this a little unsettling, but perhaps Aslam wants us to be exposed to the questions so that we might find the answers on our own. I found the pace excruciatingly slow and at times wished for less detail about the many colors, textures and flavors mentioned frequently. I also found myself getting a few of the characters confused because so many names started with "S" or "K."
Maps for Lost Lovers presents challenging -- and to some, inflammatory -- questions about faith, religion, love, culture, prejudice and acceptance. Those questions, however, are buried beneath the overly detailed lives of unsympathetic and unlikeable characters.
What did you think?
Learn more about the Tampa Book Buzz Online Club.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Photos From June 24 Book Signing--Part 5
Here's another photo from last Saturday's local author book signing at the South Tampa Barnes & Noble (my computer is acting up today, so I'm posting each photo separately).
local authors Skip Allen (Out of the Ashes) and Barbara J. Sorey (Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!)
local authors Skip Allen (Out of the Ashes) and Barbara J. Sorey (Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!)
Photos From June 24 Book Signing--Part 4
Here's another photo from last Saturday's local author book signing at the South Tampa Barnes & Noble (my computer is acting up today, so I'm posting each photo separately).
local authors John Pristell (Boy versus Girl) and Barbara J. Sorey (Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!)
local authors John Pristell (Boy versus Girl) and Barbara J. Sorey (Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!)
Photos From June 24 Book Signing--Part 3
Here's another photo from last Saturday's local author book signing at the South Tampa Barnes & Noble (my computer is acting up today, so I'm posting each photo separately).
Local author Steven Sims tells a customer about his book Spy Wednesday
Local author Steven Sims tells a customer about his book Spy Wednesday
Photos From June 24 Book Signing--Part 2
Here's another photo from last Saturday's local author book signing at the South Tampa Barnes & Noble (my computer is acting up today, so I'm posting each photo separately).
local authors Bill Pearce and Ann Baker (No Coincidence)
Photos From June 24 Book Signing--Part 1
Here's the first photo from last Saturday's local author book signing at the South Tampa Barnes & Noble (my computer is acting up today, so I'm posting each photo separately):
local authors John Pristell (Boy versus Girl) and Skip Allen (Out of the Ashes)
local authors John Pristell (Boy versus Girl) and Skip Allen (Out of the Ashes)
Great Opening Lines:"Eternally Yours" by S.L. Juers
To whomever might read this:
Suicide! It is not a decision that comes easily. The mere consideration of such a drastic undertaking, by any God-fearing person believing he will incur eternal damnation in Hell, must be the result of extreme circumstances. So, though you don't know me, and have only chanced to come upon this letter, I want you to understand.
---- Eternally Yours by S.L. Juers
Suicide! It is not a decision that comes easily. The mere consideration of such a drastic undertaking, by any God-fearing person believing he will incur eternal damnation in Hell, must be the result of extreme circumstances. So, though you don't know me, and have only chanced to come upon this letter, I want you to understand.
---- Eternally Yours by S.L. Juers
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Local Authors Book Signing Last Saturday
On my way to work last Saturday, I stopped by the local authors book signing at the South Tampa Barnes & Noble store. When you walked in the door, the first things you saw were the six tables set up in the front of the store and the smiling faces of some of our local authors, eager to say hello, give you a bookmark and tell you about their books.
Skip Allen was there, selling his thriller Out of Ashes and being his usual charming self. He kept telling me snippets about the sequel, for which I accidentally repaid him by knocking over a bottle of water on his table. (Luckily, no books were harmed in the making of this story.)
Barbara J. Sorey was there with a big smile on her face, as always, letting people know about her book Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!. Sharing her table was veteran journalist Steven Sims, promoting his thriller Spy Wednesday. I introduced myself to him and we had time to chat for a little while; he's a really nice guy.
The gracious No Coincidence author Ann Baker was at one of the front tables. We commiserated with each other about having to go to work later in the day (although she was going to put in a 12-hour shift as a law enforcement officer and I was only going to my piddly Second Job for a few hours).
At the table behind her were authors Daisy Parrado (Grandma Reads My Thoughts) and ... Bill Pearce (I hope I got his name correct!), both of whom remembered me from the recent panel discussion I participated in at the bookstore, which made me feel like a mini-celebrity. (Plus, Parrado had candy!)
I met the very polite John A. Pristell, who gave me a copy of Boy versus Girl, a collection of his poems. One of Pristell's friends happened to be videotaping while he and I were talking and exchanging business cards, so the Pristell family videotape collection unfortunately now has a good ten minutes of very unflattering side shots of Yours Truly.
There was another author there whose name I didn't get, which is ok, because he was a little grumpy.
I'm having trouble getting my photos from Saturday to load, so I'll post them separately.
Skip Allen was there, selling his thriller Out of Ashes and being his usual charming self. He kept telling me snippets about the sequel, for which I accidentally repaid him by knocking over a bottle of water on his table. (Luckily, no books were harmed in the making of this story.)
Barbara J. Sorey was there with a big smile on her face, as always, letting people know about her book Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!. Sharing her table was veteran journalist Steven Sims, promoting his thriller Spy Wednesday. I introduced myself to him and we had time to chat for a little while; he's a really nice guy.
The gracious No Coincidence author Ann Baker was at one of the front tables. We commiserated with each other about having to go to work later in the day (although she was going to put in a 12-hour shift as a law enforcement officer and I was only going to my piddly Second Job for a few hours).
At the table behind her were authors Daisy Parrado (Grandma Reads My Thoughts) and ... Bill Pearce (I hope I got his name correct!), both of whom remembered me from the recent panel discussion I participated in at the bookstore, which made me feel like a mini-celebrity. (Plus, Parrado had candy!)
I met the very polite John A. Pristell, who gave me a copy of Boy versus Girl, a collection of his poems. One of Pristell's friends happened to be videotaping while he and I were talking and exchanging business cards, so the Pristell family videotape collection unfortunately now has a good ten minutes of very unflattering side shots of Yours Truly.
There was another author there whose name I didn't get, which is ok, because he was a little grumpy.
I'm having trouble getting my photos from Saturday to load, so I'll post them separately.
Norman Chastain Is A Local Author At Heart
cue the song It's A Small World...
Author Norman Chastain -- who was born in Jesup, Georgia (about 20-30 minutes away from my hometown), raised in Tampa, and now lives in Atlanta -- has a new mystery-thriller called After the Game that opens with a murder scene that takes place in Tampa, just off Bayshore Boulevard.
Got all that?
After the Game looks interesting and Chastain recently received a good review from Lighthouse Literary Reviews. I've asked him to let me know if he ever comes down for a book signing.
...it's a small world after all...
Author Norman Chastain -- who was born in Jesup, Georgia (about 20-30 minutes away from my hometown), raised in Tampa, and now lives in Atlanta -- has a new mystery-thriller called After the Game that opens with a murder scene that takes place in Tampa, just off Bayshore Boulevard.
Got all that?
After the Game looks interesting and Chastain recently received a good review from Lighthouse Literary Reviews. I've asked him to let me know if he ever comes down for a book signing.
...it's a small world after all...
Friday, June 23, 2006
News From Local Author Joy V. Smith
Local author and fellow blogger Joy V. Smith's story Crystal Quest (sequel to Seedlings, which appeared in Magistria: Realm of the Sorcerer) will appear in the anthology Magistria: Shards of the Goddess, which is scheduled for publication in August.
She is a scheduled guest on The Idea Boutique, a blog where authors discuss where they get the ideas for their stories. Her world-building article is scheduled for July 2 and her post about the background on her shared world anthology stories is set for August 1. Happy blogging, Joy!
She is a scheduled guest on The Idea Boutique, a blog where authors discuss where they get the ideas for their stories. Her world-building article is scheduled for July 2 and her post about the background on her shared world anthology stories is set for August 1. Happy blogging, Joy!
Book Signing For Ersula Knox Odom Tomorrow
Ersula Knox Odom (At Sula's Feet) is having a book signing on June 24 at 2 p.m. at Haslam's Bookstore, 2025 Central Ave., St. Pete.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
TCM's Book Giveaway for June
This month, Turner Classic Movies is giving away copies of Conversations with the Great Moviemakers of Hollywood's Golden Age at the American Film Institute by George Stevens, Jr. To learn more about this book or to enter the sweepstakes, click here.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Random Book News: Gary Mormino, Michael Sterns, Tampa Antiquarian Books signing, Rita De La Torre
*Local author Gary Mormino's book Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams recently won the Florida Historical Society's 2006 Charlton Tebeau Book Award. Congratulations!
*Local children's book author Michael Sterns' book Kokopelli and the Butterfly outsold the Harry Potter books on several days over the past three years, according to the Publishing Basics newsletter. Read the story here. (Thanks go to local author and photographer David McRee for sending me this link.)
*On June 24 from 1-3 p.m., Tampa Antiquarian Books in Seminole Heights is hosting author J.B. Preston. (Thanks go to David at the Seminole Heights blog for sending me this info.)
*Local author Rita De La Torre's novel Dark Dragon was released May 1st. Congratulations!
*Local children's book author Michael Sterns' book Kokopelli and the Butterfly outsold the Harry Potter books on several days over the past three years, according to the Publishing Basics newsletter. Read the story here. (Thanks go to local author and photographer David McRee for sending me this link.)
*On June 24 from 1-3 p.m., Tampa Antiquarian Books in Seminole Heights is hosting author J.B. Preston. (Thanks go to David at the Seminole Heights blog for sending me this info.)
*Local author Rita De La Torre's novel Dark Dragon was released May 1st. Congratulations!
Local Author Book Signing on June 24
The South Tampa Barnes & Noble (corner of Kennedy and Dale Mabry) is having its first-ever multi-author local book signing on Saturday, June 24, at 1 p.m. This is a great opportunity to meet many local authors and to purchase autographed books that aren't always in stock in the store. The following authors are scheduled to appear:
Skip Allen
Ann Baker
Terry O'Brien
Daisy Parrado
Bill Pearce
John Pristell
Steven Sims
Barbara Sorey
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
Skip Allen
Ann Baker
Terry O'Brien
Daisy Parrado
Bill Pearce
John Pristell
Steven Sims
Barbara Sorey
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
Local Author Lee Irby In The News
Congratulations to local author Lee Irby on his recent positive media coverage:
Entertainment Weekly gave his book The Up and Up a B+
His book was mentioned in the New York Daily News
Irby has been interviewed recently by the Miami Herald
Visit www.leeirby.com to learn more about Irby's books or to see photos from last week's book signing at Inkwood Books.
Entertainment Weekly gave his book The Up and Up a B+
His book was mentioned in the New York Daily News
Irby has been interviewed recently by the Miami Herald
Visit www.leeirby.com to learn more about Irby's books or to see photos from last week's book signing at Inkwood Books.
Some Local Authors Are Now Bloggers Too
Blogging is contagious!
Barbara J. Sorey (Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!) has started a blog at www.spaces.msn.com/goldanddiamond.
Ersula Knox Odom (At Sula's Feet) has started a blog called Real Families at www.sulatoorealfam.blogspot.com to help others research their geneology.
J.C. De La Torre (Ancient Rising) now has a blog at www.jcdelatorre.blogspot.com.
Speaking of blogs, blogger and author Wendy Boucher has made the break from Blogger (I'm jealous!) and has moved her blog Fire on the Poop Deck to www.wendyboucher.com/blog.
Barbara J. Sorey (Know Where You Going? You Gotta Know Where You Been!) has started a blog at www.spaces.msn.com/goldanddiamond.
Ersula Knox Odom (At Sula's Feet) has started a blog called Real Families at www.sulatoorealfam.blogspot.com to help others research their geneology.
J.C. De La Torre (Ancient Rising) now has a blog at www.jcdelatorre.blogspot.com.
Speaking of blogs, blogger and author Wendy Boucher has made the break from Blogger (I'm jealous!) and has moved her blog Fire on the Poop Deck to www.wendyboucher.com/blog.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Imperial Book Lodge Is Closing
I'm depressed. The Imperial Book Lodge on W. Kennedy (which I've only recently discovered) will soon be closing up shop at that location, according to the St. Pete Times. Somebody please pass the Kleenex.
Local Author Kendall Smith-Sullivan on Bright House Networks Channel 340
Recently as I was channel surfing I stumbled upon Bright House Networks' channel 340 -- Tampa Bay on Demand. It's got free interviews and profiles of local people and attractions. I watched an interview with local author Kendall Smith-Sullivan, who discussed her book Soulmate Logic and talked about her research and the local dating scene. She was very interesting and well-spoken. Check it out if you get a chance.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Tidbits About Nadeem Aslam
Did you know that author Nadeem Aslam...
...writes his books in longhand?
...studied biochemistry at Manchester University?
...had a story published in a newspaper when he was only 13?
Learn more about Nadeem Aslam here.
(Aslam's book Maps for Lost Lovers is this month's TBB Online Book Club pick.)
...writes his books in longhand?
...studied biochemistry at Manchester University?
...had a story published in a newspaper when he was only 13?
Learn more about Nadeem Aslam here.
(Aslam's book Maps for Lost Lovers is this month's TBB Online Book Club pick.)
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Local Author Patti Hirsch
Local author Patti Hirsch wrote to say hello and to tell me about her new book Finding the Right Connection. Her book is a networking guide to singles' organizations from Tampa to Naples. Visit www.therightconnection.net to learn more.
(Special thanks go to local author and uber-networker Eric Sturm for telling Hirsch about TBB.)
(Special thanks go to local author and uber-networker Eric Sturm for telling Hirsch about TBB.)
Friday, June 9, 2006
New Library Books
Yesterday I stopped by the library to return some books and ended up checking out three more. I got some good ones, too:
S is for Silence by Sue Grafton -- I devoured A through M of Grafton's series a few summers ago and now have to savor them one by one, as they're published.
Fork It Over:The Intrepid Adventures of a Professional Eater by Alan Richman -- the title drew me in and reading the first page made me check it out. Richman is a food critic for GQ and Conde Nast and is utterly charming and absolutely hilarious. I'm on page 59 already.
Statements:True Tales of Life, Love and Credit Card Bills by Amy Borkowsky -- again, the title caught my eye. A "chick lit" tale of a woman's life as told by her old AmEx receipts, instead of the usual diary.
S is for Silence by Sue Grafton -- I devoured A through M of Grafton's series a few summers ago and now have to savor them one by one, as they're published.
Fork It Over:The Intrepid Adventures of a Professional Eater by Alan Richman -- the title drew me in and reading the first page made me check it out. Richman is a food critic for GQ and Conde Nast and is utterly charming and absolutely hilarious. I'm on page 59 already.
Statements:True Tales of Life, Love and Credit Card Bills by Amy Borkowsky -- again, the title caught my eye. A "chick lit" tale of a woman's life as told by her old AmEx receipts, instead of the usual diary.
Local Author Michelle L. Hoffman
From the press release:
Local historian and author Michelle L. Hoffman recently wrote about the history of the Maritime Service Training Station in St. Pete. Now occupied by the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science, the book looks back at the inception of the training station in 1939 and how its financial impact helped shape downtown St. Petersburg.
Hoffman’s research began as part of a seminar paper on ‘War and Society’ in the St. Petersburg last spring, and it quickly became something more. From an interview on the Marketing Gorilla Blog:
‘As I learned more about the Maritime Service and the realities of the merchant seamen during World War II, I realized that for the 25,000 men who trained on the base from 1938 until 1950 St. Petersburg represented a significant moment in their lives. After I met with these veterans, the inspiration morphed from intellectual curiosity to a patriotic commitment to ensure their stories and that of the base were documented.’
Hoffman is a high school teacher at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg and is a 2003 James Madison Memorial Senior Fellow currently pursuing a graduate degree in Florida Studies at USF. She is a member of the National Council for the Social Studies, Phi Delta Kappa, the Pinellas County Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. The book is available at local bookstores and online at Arcadia Publishing.
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
Local historian and author Michelle L. Hoffman recently wrote about the history of the Maritime Service Training Station in St. Pete. Now occupied by the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science, the book looks back at the inception of the training station in 1939 and how its financial impact helped shape downtown St. Petersburg.
Hoffman’s research began as part of a seminar paper on ‘War and Society’ in the St. Petersburg last spring, and it quickly became something more. From an interview on the Marketing Gorilla Blog:
‘As I learned more about the Maritime Service and the realities of the merchant seamen during World War II, I realized that for the 25,000 men who trained on the base from 1938 until 1950 St. Petersburg represented a significant moment in their lives. After I met with these veterans, the inspiration morphed from intellectual curiosity to a patriotic commitment to ensure their stories and that of the base were documented.’
Hoffman is a high school teacher at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg and is a 2003 James Madison Memorial Senior Fellow currently pursuing a graduate degree in Florida Studies at USF. She is a member of the National Council for the Social Studies, Phi Delta Kappa, the Pinellas County Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. The book is available at local bookstores and online at Arcadia Publishing.
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
Local Author Cecelia L. Allison
I met local author Cecelia L. Allison last month at a Barnes & Noble panel discussion for authors. She is a self-published author, computer instructor and a really upbeat and enthusiastic person. (If anyone could make a class on Structured Query Language (SQL) engaging, it would be Allison.)
Visit her website at www.jaffinc.com to learn more about Allison, her books and her online computer training courses.
Visit her website at www.jaffinc.com to learn more about Allison, her books and her online computer training courses.
June's Book Club Pick Is...
...Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam.
Read the book and then share your opinion here on the last day of the month. Learn more about the Tampa Book Buzz Online Book Club.
Read the book and then share your opinion here on the last day of the month. Learn more about the Tampa Book Buzz Online Book Club.
Thursday, June 1, 2006
Online Book Club Review:The Year of Magical Thinking
Life changes fast.
Life changes in the instant.
You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.
The question of self-pity.
The Year of Magical Thinking is author Joan Didion’s examination of her first year after the sudden death of her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne. A combination of poetry, grief psychology, philosophy and memoir, this book is Didion’s exploration of grief, from both the scholarly and personal perspectives.
Didion found herself unable to pack away her husband’s clothes, because what would he wear when he returned home? If she didn’t tidy up his mess, surely that meant that he would come home and straighten things up himself. Such “magical thinking” surprised and confused her; intellectually she knew it couldn’t be logical, but emotionally it made sense in her grief-stricken world. The book retraces the night of her husband's death in late December 2003 and follows Didion's next year, through her daughter's illness and recovery, the memorial service, her first social engagement on her own, and on through the following holiday season and anniversary of Dunne's death.
The Year of Magical Thinking is understandably sad. Not a weepy, hysterical, depressing kind of sadness, but a nostalgic, sorrowful, thoughtful sadness. Having lived her entire life as a writer, Didion turned to words -- her own and the writing of others -- to cope with her loss.
Just when I couldn't take one more sad remembrance, Didion would share a happy memory. Just when I was enjoying her stories, she would describe her loneliness and sorrow. No matter what kind of story Didion is telling, she does so with grace and dignity.
This is definitely not a summer beach read, but well worth the time.
What did you think?
Life changes in the instant.
You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.
The question of self-pity.
The Year of Magical Thinking is author Joan Didion’s examination of her first year after the sudden death of her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne. A combination of poetry, grief psychology, philosophy and memoir, this book is Didion’s exploration of grief, from both the scholarly and personal perspectives.
Didion found herself unable to pack away her husband’s clothes, because what would he wear when he returned home? If she didn’t tidy up his mess, surely that meant that he would come home and straighten things up himself. Such “magical thinking” surprised and confused her; intellectually she knew it couldn’t be logical, but emotionally it made sense in her grief-stricken world. The book retraces the night of her husband's death in late December 2003 and follows Didion's next year, through her daughter's illness and recovery, the memorial service, her first social engagement on her own, and on through the following holiday season and anniversary of Dunne's death.
The Year of Magical Thinking is understandably sad. Not a weepy, hysterical, depressing kind of sadness, but a nostalgic, sorrowful, thoughtful sadness. Having lived her entire life as a writer, Didion turned to words -- her own and the writing of others -- to cope with her loss.
Just when I couldn't take one more sad remembrance, Didion would share a happy memory. Just when I was enjoying her stories, she would describe her loneliness and sorrow. No matter what kind of story Didion is telling, she does so with grace and dignity.
This is definitely not a summer beach read, but well worth the time.
What did you think?
