Review 292: The Contemporary American Essay

The Contemporary American Essay by Phillip Lopate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one volume of three of collected American essays all edited by Philip Lopate, the other two books being: The Glorious American Essay: One Hundred Essays from Colonial Times to the Present and The Golden Age of the American Essay: 1945-1970.

This book includes 49 essays and an introduction by Lopate. All were published in the last two-decades, with the oldest being published in 1999.

While most follow the traditional form of an essay, several do not. It is the exploration of the form as well as subject matter that makes up this volume, being quite diverse. Two of the inclusions were excerpts from larger works, and many, if not most, are pulled from a book of essays (according to the copyright permissions listed in the back.) I did wish that information was included with the title, year and where the work first appeared, instead of relying on flipping back to the end with each entry.

As with most anthologies there are some entries that speak to the reader more than others. The essays were also of varying lengths, with some being just a few pages and others reaching over twenty. Generally the average was closer to fourteen pages, which was long enough to dive deeply into a topic for a moment. Some are striking and will stay with you for a while.

I look forward to reading the other two volumes in the series.

Review 291: Windswept

Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women by Annabel Abbs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a lovely read. Partly autobiography and partly biography of six women, some who are not known very well and a couple who are, all are artists. All went on journeys, mostly long hikes or walks, usually alone. Abbs goes to these places, tries to connect to these women of the past. She finds points where they match, such as fear of walking in the forest alone and overcoming that fear. The book is somewhat literary and could sustain another reading. Gorgeous writing in places.

The women discussed:

• Frieda Von Richthofen
• Gwen John (painter)
• Clara Vyvyan (with Daphne du Maurier)
• Nan Shepherd
• Simone de Beauvoir
• Georgia O’Keeffe

Thanks to Tin House Books/W.W. Norton and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 290: The Violin Conspiracy

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Not quite a mystery, although at center of the book is who stole Ray’s heirloom violin? Much of that aspect is put aside to tells Ray full story, not in linear time either. The format sort of works.

My heart kept breaking for this guy. He had no one in his family to support his music except his grandmother. His mother was so distant and rejected him yet doted on his twin siblings, makes you wonder about why…yet was never addressed, nor anything about his father. Nearly no one outside of his grandmother seemed to support Ray, although he does win over an aunt later.

Ray is on his own, figuring out life, but all he wants to do is play the violin. His grandmother gave over her grandfather’s violin that turns out to be a rare one worth millions of dollars that now brings more grief to Ray as the family expects him to hand over money he does not have.

Later in the book the repetition of these ills, the racism and travesties thrown at Ray who only wanted to play the violin, was repetitive. The story bogged down, got boring even. It was a trudge to get through. The bright spots were the lyrical descriptions of the music when Ray was playing. It kept me reading.

The book needed more editing, cutting or adding different material. A tighter book would have soared. It read like a first novel that could have been better as a short story or novella.

2.5 stars.  A good effort for a first-time novelist whose real passion lies in music.

Thanks to Anchor/Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 289: Unsheltered

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've enjoyed Kingsolver's books in the past and this one was no exception. Love the writing style. This book was told in two timelines of two families, but in the same location in Vineland, NJ. Both deal with several issues including a house that is falling apart due to poor construction.

I got this book in June 2018 and wish I'd read it sooner. It will remain on my shelves, for now at least. I have given away the other Kingsolver books I owned and read and partly regret it now.

Review 288: Wide Awake: A Memoir of Insomnia

Wide Awake: A Memoir of Insomnia by Patricia Morrisroe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Glad I don't have chronic insomnia! Certainly have nights of difficult sleep, who doesn't? This was exactly what I expected, the author's sleep experience and exploring ways to fix it. There's a bit of history on sleep research and a bit less into dreams. Morrisroe meanders a bit in her telling, including her search for a county house where she expects the quiet will help her sleep. It's all part of the journey, which happily ends with her sleeping well. Meditation did the trick.

2021 Year in Review: Summation and Statistics - facts and details

 2021 Year in Review post will be about the numbers.

Books read: 112

including 7 partial read books.

A slight increase from the year before. 

2021 goals:  - How did I do?

1 - net gain of books to zero  Negative 7 ✔

2 - read all the NetGalley books acquired in 2020 (35 books) Have 6 left 

3 - read at least 48 books from my owned TBR (to be read) Read 45

4 - read at least 5 books checked out from library Read 2

Some of the books on the to read pile I'd like to read:

• 1492: The Year the World Began
• 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created
• Yale Needs Women  ✔
• People of the Longhouse
• Uncommon Carriers
• Fire & Blood 

1 of 4 and 1 of 6 - not great.

Most of these goals will carry over into 2022.  

2022 goals:  

📚 At least one book from each physical book shelf (28 shelves)

📚 Read at least 48 books from my owned TBR (combined print, e, audio)

📚 Clear out the backlog from netGalley (32 books)

📚 Read at least 12 books from owned audio books (mainly audible)
📚 Read 6 books from my Nook (177 books)
📚 Read at least 5 books checked out from the library (42 books)

📚 Overall gain less new books in the year than I read (net zero/negative)

Some of the books on the to read pile I'd like to read:

• 1492: The Year the World Began
• 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created
• People of the Longhouse
• Uncommon Carriers
• Fire & Blood 
• Cloud Cuckoo Land
• Termination Shock
• Gig: Americans Talk about Their Jobs
• Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge
• The Stations of Still Creek
• One of the 3 American Essays books edited by Philip Lopate

Most of those are long books, so perhaps not achievable.