Review 552: The Colony of Unrequited Dreams

The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very much enjoyed this one. It’s a biography of Joseph Smallwood and Newfoundland, following his career and his dealings with Sheilagh Feilding. They meet in grade school, involved in a pivotal moment for both of them, which also leads to them both not graduating. They meet again a few years later both being reporters for rival newspapers covering the courts. Their relationship, is followed throughout the book, which is of attachment, but not physical.

From what I read on Wikipedia the biography part of Smallwood is accurate. Certainly there is much fiction here, but the aspects of what he did in life is true. Smallwood was ambitious since childhood and kept preserving in a political aspect, or with newspapers. Somehow despite all the energy he would pour into his endeavors they never did succeed immensely, until he landed a role on the radio bringing boosterism of Newfoundland, The Barrelman. In the end, he did achieve what he desired.

This was a long book, there was much here, and it’s the first book of a trilogy. The other two focus on Fielding, which is quite the character. Yet despite my enjoyment of this book just not sure I want to continue on.

Review 551: The Best American Essays 2024

The Best American Essays 2024 by Wesley Morris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As with most collections not all will feel like the best, even though this series purports to be as such. I found only a small few that I did not care for as much as the others. Overall, I am happy to have read the entirety, even the ones I didn’t care for.

In general, I would say this year collection of essays are autobiographical in nature. Not all, but mostly, or close to, such as mostly about a family member. There are exceptions, of course.

A few, maybe three, essays played with the format, which I did not particularly enjoy, such as the essay: Because: An Etiology (by Richard Prins). Every sentence started with the word because, which was repetitive. Yet, the story itself was moving. The essay did work due to the format, yet not my favorite.

The Ones We Sent Away (by Jennifer Senior), Woodstove (by Brock Clarke), and The Anatomy of Panic (by Michael W. Clune) are among my favorite essays. Not for the subject manner per se, but the way they were written. They drew me in. It felt like the author was in the room talking to me, sometimes anyway. And yet, there are others I could also say were my favorite.

There are many annual “best of” series, but this is the first I read via audiobook. That may have been one reason why I finished this entirely. There were several narrators used, which helped keep the essays differentiated.

I have partially read several other “Best American” annual collections, but only completed in full several of the “Best Technology Writing.” These are from a different publisher, and short lived, although a very similar format. (do wish they would be published again.)

From what I’ve seen, these series books are quite long, with the page numbers being deceptive for the length. The print typically being small with little room between sentences so the text is jammed packed, with one page being more like two or three of a typical book. Yet there is something of these series that appeals to me. If I had infinite time I would read more of the backlog of these annual collections, particularly the Essays, Science & Nature Writing, oh and Travel writing.

Book rating: 4.25

(rounded up because I like the series)

Review 550: You & a Bike & a Road

You & a Bike & a Road by Eleanor Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Taken from her journal, Eleanor Davis gives us a memoir of her biking trip from her parent’s home in Tucson, Arizona to her husband and home in Athens, Georgia. Her dad built the bike for her and she thought to bike home would be easier than shipping it. Also, her mood lately is only good while being on her bike.

This is a sparsely drawn book, without too many words either, but conveys ample meaning. Can’t help but root for her, and not just to finish this biking cross-country trip on her own terms.

She encounters aggressive border patrol and amazing wonderful strangers that looks out for her and help her, even when she never asked.

I don’t read many graphic art books, but after reading this one, I do want to include more of these types of books. And of course, more of Eleanor Davis, maybe her artist husband too.

Review 549: Green Festival Reader

Green Festival Reader by Kevin Danaher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having attended two Green Festivals in San Francisco in the early 2000s, I was interested in reading this book when it came out later that decade. My library had a copy, I read a few essays before it was due back. Later I bought my own copy later with the intention of reading it in full. Finally, last week I returned to this book and read every essay. 

I was worried these would be a little outdated by now, but for the most part that isn’t the case. Instead reading the hope and ambition of nearly 20 years ago is a little heartbreaking at how little has been done since the book was published. There are some advances towards being more carbon neutral, and public awareness is much better than it used to be. But with the new US administration saying things like “Drill baby, drill!” it’s very disheartening.

The essays here express hope and excitement. Sure, the environmental situation is discussed and there are discussions about how action is urgently needed. But overall, what is discussed are solutions; ways that anybody and everybody can contribute to making the world a habitable place now and in the future.

We don’t have to burn it all.

Review 548: Rental House

Rental House by Weike Wang
My rating: 3.25 of 5 stars


A relatively short book about a marriage, about navigating life and in-laws. We meet them when they meet each other, their last year in college. Keru comes from an immigrant family from China, an only child. While Nate is from a poor white family he calls himself white trash. He amazed his family by getting a full scholarship into this ivy league school, it was unexpected.

Both sets of parents, particularly the mother’s have the same sort of discussions of most families: when will you have kids, when will you visit, why can’t you live closer to me? The issue of will they have kids comes up between Nate and Keru several times. Instead of child they have a dog which is a character in the book as well, Mantou.

A few thorny issues are here in the book, such as race, but this and political type issues are raised it felt very natural. It was pushed into the story, but part of what life is about.

 
The book is split into two parts, with a very short three-page interlude between. There are some paragraph breaks, but no chapters.

I did have a copy of the print book, but I listened to the audiobook. I liked the way the narrator stressed some of the words and sentences. Not sure I would have print read it in the same way, so it added another dimension to the story.

Review 547: Beyond the White House

Beyond the White House: Waging Peace, Fighting Disease, Building Hope by Jimmy Carter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With the recent passing of former President Jimmy Carter I figured it was a good time to read one of the books I’ve had sitting on my shelf for awhile unread. This book was a good introduction to the work Carter and his wife Rosaylnn has been doing through the past several decades, and it is remarkable work.

The first chapter is a bit of an eye opener at the state of the Carter’s affairs after leaving the President’s office. They had to remove themselves from his farming business during his term and what had been a lucrative business free of debt was now over $1million dollars in debt. So he was broke. Plus needed to raise funds for a Presidential library, and left the office as an unpopular person. He decided to not use his experience for an monetary gain, but instead to be benevolent or work in some non-profit way. This became the impetus for starting The Carter Center.

The Carter Center has several aims and goals, which basically come down to improving people’s lives, particularly in impoverished areas. The book covers some of the work they have been involved in since the founding of the center. It’s quite impressive.

The list is long: such as being mediators in war zone areas, preventing or stopping wars, overseeing and helping democracy in areas previously run by dictators, trying to eradicate the overlooked diseases in poor nations, not to mention human rights, women’s equality and much more. Due to the amount of work and the many different countries Carter has worked in, the book feels more like a summary instead of a detailed account.

Or course, this work was not done by Jimmy Carter alone. There were many people that helped, interns at the Center, doctors that lead the charge in helping with the diseases, and partnering with Emory University. But his name and position has helped tremendously in some areas and places, allowing him access where others would be denied, or it would take much longer to get to a point of talking with other leaders.

An informative book about a remarkable man. Too bad more ex-Presidents would take his lead as an example of what that clout can do. Thankfully Carter had a long life and was able to make a lasting change in many people’s lives.

Review 546: A Gesture Life

A Gesture Life by Chang-rae Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Franklin Hota known as Doc Hota around the quaint town of Bedley Run is our main character. This novel is mainly a character study. A Korean-Japanese immigrant to the United States, now living in a small town in New York. He sets up a shop of selling medical supplies, which is how he became known as Doc. He always tells people he’s not a doctor, but they insist on the moniker.

He adopted a daughter, Sunny, and named his business after her, but the relationship had never been a good one. As the book continues Franklin reveals more of his life during the war, where he served as a medic in the Japanese forces. His unit didn’t see much action, but they did have comfort women.

The book is not fast paced. There are a few people he becomes friends in town, particularly a neighbor he had a relationship with for a few years, but overall he seems to be a lonely person. Some of this stems from his childhood, where his parents sent him to live with an adopted family to become Japanese.

I never got a clear view of his relationship to his daughter while she was growing up. There were few snippets of that time, and she seemed to be removed emotionally from him. But without more to go on, it was hard to get a good sense.

There is movement of the daily life and things that happen, but overall no real plot. The story is propelled by the revelations of his time during the war and what actually happened.

The language and writing style was well done. I had this book sitting on my bookshelves for well over twenty years, not sure why I waited so long.

I started reading my print book. Around 40% through the book I wanted to read it faster, and sometimes I have more time to read via audio. I found the audiobook at my local library and finished the last 60% in a two days, where the first part took about a week. 

Review 545: The Note

The Note by Alafair Burke
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. A mystery, thriller type book. Three long-time friends get together in person, in the Hamptons for the first time in person after the pandemic. They are the cancelled crew, each found themselves in the midst of a scandal that went viral in the past few years.

The main character is May Hanover, we get her point of view for over a third of the book, when it suddenly shifts and shows other character points of view. That was jarring.

The three now are trying to keep a low profile after going viral. For May it was a video where she became known as the Asian Karen, yelling mistakenly at a black man. Lauren is older than the other two friends, but seem to have been the glue to reuniting them all. Her scandal involved a married man who had influence to get her the job as the music director of the Houston Symphony and race plays into this as well. Then there’s Kelsey who’s husband she was divorcing was murdered. The suspect has not yet been found, and of course she was one of the main suspects, but has a solid alibi.

On this Hampton trip they find themselves involved in a mystery of a missing man.

There's more to this book than on first glance.