torontoc's attempt to read more from the book towers 2012

My first book from my book boxes-
1. The Reconstruction by Claudia Casper The main character in this novel is a sculptor who specializes in reconstructing animals and modals for museums. During the course of the novel , Margaret reconstructs a detailed statue of Lucy, a famous link in the development of man. The reader also learns of Margaret's failed marriage, her suicidal mother, her dental problems and her inability to deal with her world. There is a positive change in Margaret's life as she finishes her model. The reader is treated to a very detailed analysis of the internal structures of the Lucy model. An interesting novel but the amount of detailed anatomical information on model construction does get in the way of the plot for me.

2. Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen. Before I started my next Orange read, I decided to pick up this novel that has been on my TBR pile for ages. Set in Florida, this story of wierd and wonderful characters caught on a small island is funny and somewhat supernatural. Hiaasen has created some very quirky people who are hunted and hunting as they hide and try to get off Dismal Key. A lot of fun to read.

Do you have a target number?

Hmm- yes- I put down 30 books in the other general challenge thread.

3. The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt. This imagined biography of scientist Nikola Tesla combines a description of his last years living in New York with a story of a young woman and her father. Louisa and her father Walter work as a maid in a hotel and a night watchman respectively. Walter is a believer in the inventions of his friend Azor, including a time travel machine. Louisa befriends Tesla and learns the story of his collaborations with Edison and Westinghouse. Tesla made bad business dicisions as he was always thinking of the next invention. The story of belief and invention is fanciful in some ways and wonderful to read. The author recreates a life of the neglected scientist and new characters who believe in the promise of the future. A well crafted book and an Orange Prize nominee

4. The Woman Who Walked to Russia by Cassandra Pybus. The writer heard about a woman who had emerged out of the British Columbia wilderness in 1927, and said that she was walking to Siberia. Her name was Lillian Alling. She was said to be an immigrant from New York City. All traces of her seemed to disappear. The author, an Australian writer, was intrigued by this story and tried to track down the illusive woman . Scouring data bases of immigrants and ship's listings led nowhere. Pybus then decided to take a road trip through the areas of British Columbia, Alaska and the Yukon to see if she could find any traces of this mysterious woman. In a sense this book is really a travel diary as the writer really found very little about this particular story . ( spoiler- in the last pages she did find a satisfactory explanation) Pybus was travelling with a friend who she had not seen in many years and this decision proved to be a bad one. The book is a travelogue and compendium of stories and survival. The story sounded so familiar that I checked the sources for Amy Bloom's book Away. Bloom did use this book as a source for her novel.

5. Stalingrad The Fateful Siege 1942-1943 by Antony Beevor. This detailed account of the siege of Stalingrad by Hitler's Sixth army and the subsequent encirclement by the Russian forces makes for fascinating reading. I hadn't realized that both Stalin and Hitler were so closely involved with the day to day decision making. The treatment of prisoners by both sides is tragic. The incredible loss of life on both sides and the suffering is hard to comprehend. Beevor's narrative follows the actions almost day to day. A very well written account of an important battle in World War II

6. The Pity of It All: A Portrait of the German-Jewish Epoch 1743-1933 by Amos Elon. This history of Jewish life in Germany over about two centuries was very well written and informative to me. Jews certainly struggled over the years to have full participation in German society. Elon explains the desire to be completely identified with German culture . In fact he recounts the successes and ultimately the failures of Jews to integrate into a country that they saw as their own. One telling example that Elon writes about-" A few weeks in spring 1933 sufficed to reduce the University of Gottingen, a world renowned center of advanced physics and mathematics, to the level of a provincial college. More than fifty professors were expelled among them the Nobel laureate James Franck and the future laureate Max Born." The note at the bottom of the page recounts how the Nazi minister of education asked a famous mathematician David Hilbert, if the institute had suffered from the expulsion of the "Jews and their friends". Hilbert replied: Suffered?It hasn't suffered, it no longer exists."
Elon covers the participation of German Jews in politics and literature. Highly recommended.

You've made a really good start with this challenge!

7. The Big Why by Michael Winter. I usually like books written by Newfoundland authors and settings on this very unique island. I have real mixed feelings about this novel about the American artist Rockwell Kent, who really did live in Newfoundland for a while. Winter portrays the tragedy of the lives of the fishermen and dangers of sailing in the north very well. His characterization of the outspoken Kent as a driven artist with no regard for his treatment of his wife, his infidelities, and disregard for local feelings is good. Kent's friendships with the men in the small village of Brigus and the US (including the real explorer Bob Barlett) are probably more important to him than those of his wife Kathleen and his previous mistress, Jenny. The description of the cold and inhospitable weather struck a very real note. ( especially since I was reading the book during a very cold snap at home). I can admire Winter's writing style. I just didn't like the main character and everything he stood for in terms of relationships and behaviour.

8. Kaaterskill Falls by Allegra Goodman. I started this book about a number of Orthodox Jews who summered in a small village in the Catskills and thought- there is no drama. Although all the families and tensions were expertly presented, there were very few big plot lines. The family of the disciples of Rav Kirshner were divided by very different brothers and the Rabbi's relationship to his sons. Elizabeth Shulman's big decision was to start a small grocery store in the summer town. A young girl rebelled against her mother's plans for her. But while I read about the developments of each family unit and the thoughts about belief and practice, I found myself appreciating the thoughtfulness of the writing. Goodman describes the lives and changing traditions of a variety of Orthodox Jews with respect and clarity of vision.

9. Dilbert: The Way of the Weasel by Scott Adams. O.K. this was a very silly book that I got at a Bookmooch meeting. My brother is a fan of Adams and swears that some of the situations are really true in the business world.When I was working , I also saw some of the same people(" weasels") and scenarios. The cartoons are funny but the commentary gets repetitious at about half way through the book. My advice- Look at the cartoons- it is enough!

#8 What I liked about Kaaterskill Falls was the way she handled the desire Elizabeth had to do more and at the same time her desire to continue the traditional orthodox family life. This is the struggle women have experienced for generations and many have quietly made what appear to us as small changes but they collectively brought big change to our society.

Good points! I agree.

10. The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. This very long ( 564 pages) novel about painters and obsession has good points and some bad. The author really knows how to describe the work of artists and how they paint. This asset drives the story about a psychiatrist treating a very silent artist who has attacked a painting in the National Gallery in Washington. The doctor, Andrew Marlow, interviews the artist-Robert Oliver-his ex-wife Kate, and his last girlfriend, Mary. They provide the story of Oliver's life with them and his interest in an unknown woman who is the constant subject of his art. Oliver, had in his possession a series of letters from 19th century France from a young woman artist, and her mentor, an older artist who is her husband's uncle. Marlow tracks down the tangled story of their lives through the letters and paintings that he discovers. He feels that solving the mystery of these artists will help his patient move on with his life. The so called surprise ending is a little convoluted with a plot device that is totally unexpected and unbelievable. The story ends happily for the modern characters.I think that the resolution is a little too complicated. Interesting read for the material on painting.

11. Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper by Harriet Scott Chessman. After reading the last book about an imaginary artist, I decided to read one about Mary Cassatt. The author has written a very lovely and sensitive novel about Cassatt's sister, who was ill. Lydia lived with Mary in Paris with their parents and was the subject of a number of her paintings. Each chapter covers the one painting-thoughtfully provided along with the text. The author gives a very good description of the painting process. although from the point of view of the sitter. The reader learns about Cassatt's family, Lydia's lost love, and the relationship between Degas and Mary Cassatt. I enjoyed this novel although I thought that Mary Cassatt was probably a lot tougher in nature in real life from the research that I did.

12. The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art by Don Thompson.This book by a professor of economics is really a primer on the art and auction world. Thompson explains the role of art dealers, auction houses and collectors in the art world. He explores how money and prestige or branding make a contemporary artist saleable. The material is enlightening in understanding the power structure of art collecting.

13. A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel. Wow! I have been reading this book ( a mere 874 pages ) for about two weeks now. Mantel had done an excellent job of combining real quotes and recreating of the lives of Robespierre, Danton, and Desmoulins. Mantel gives so many people who participated in the French Revolution distinct personalities. Sometimes the relationships between these men and their wives and lovers seem bizarre. The author says in her introduction that "a rough guide:anything that seems particularlyunlikely is probably true". The novel starts from the early lives of the three men and ends at the execution of Danton and Desmoulins. The thoughts and actions of the women and men who played an active role in the revolution are complex and the examination of their philosophy is thorough. I highly recommend this novel to those who are interesed in history. I did use my copy of Simon Schama's Citizens to see what happened to some of the players

14. The Cavalier in the Yellow Doublet by Arturo Perez-Reverte. I follow a few historical fiction series and this one about the adventures of Spanish soldier, Captain Diego Alatriste, is fun to read. The author describes the politics of seventeenth century Spain and the plots against the King, Philip IV. The captain seems to be involved with the actress who the king is interested in and there are further plots to incriminate Alatriste with crimes against the monarchy. The adventures are swashbuckling and still the reader gets a sense of the life of the rich and the poor.

15. Tides of War by Stella Tillyard The author has written some great historical biographies -Aristocrats and Citizen Lord to name two, and I believe that this is her first novel. Tillyard's subject is the Peninsular War. Her wide range of characters explore both the history of the struggle between Napoleon and Wellington and the personal stories of both fictional and real people of that time. The reader learns about Wellington's wife , Kitty and her independence from a husband who really does not care about her, the role of Nathan Rothschild and his bank in supporting the war as well as the fictional characters who represent some of the issues of that time. A good read for those who like historical fiction.

16. The Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillips. The author has written a very unusual story. He writes as if the book was the introduction to a newly discovered play by William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Arthur. And indeed the name of the character is Arthur Phillips, novelist, brother to a slightly disfuctional twin sister ,Dana, and son to a man who spends most of his life in jail. Whether the play has been written by his father is one of the themes as well as the " unreliable narrator' motif. In addition, Phillips produces the Shakespearean play, complete with footnotes. Who or what is the truth?. Like the narrator in Julian Barnes who " doesn't get it", the reader really is left with many questions about the reality of this family, the details lifted from the novelist's life or not, and the nature of revenge and repentance. A very interesting read.

17. Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier. I was disappointed in this book. Although the poet and artist William Blake plays a major role in this novel, the story is more of a young adult account of London in 1792. The author uses the real Astley's Circus and the character of the owner, Philip Astley. The story revolves around three young people in Lambeth, a brother and sister whose family have moved to London from the country and a street wise girl who is their neighbour. The author uses Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience in the plot but I wanted more.

18. Better Living Through Plastic Explosives by Zsuzsi Gartner. This book of short stories was nominated for the Giller Prize last year. The stories are quirky, funny and in some cases quite horrific. Gartner knows how to pack a punch as she targets the film industry in Vancouver, international adoption, real estate and terrorism. Sometimes the prose seems a little convoluted and the plots meander through a dense series of actions. Gartner does make her point. An interesting and sometimes uncomfortable read.

19. The Frumkiss Family Business by Michael Wex. I did not like this book. I read it because it was supposed to be a satire on Toronto and Yiddish culture. The author didn't give the reader enough information about and plot to the most interesting character, Faktor. The street names and places in Toronto could have been replaced by any other town. Sigh- enough said.

20. A Mountain of Crumbs :a Memoir by Elena Gorokhova. This memoir about the author's early years growing up in the Soviet union is well written. Gorokhova's descriptions of her schooling, family and her assumptions about Russian society provide a glimpse into the lives of ordinary Russians during the 1960's and 70's. Eventually the author left the Soviet Union having married an American citizen. This memoir is really an intense introduction to Soviet life. Some of the descriptions of dreams could have been omitted but overall an interesting book.

21. The Wandering Jews by Joseph Roth. and translated by Michael Hofmann This little book- really a reporting about the life of "Eastern Jews" according to Roth- written in the late 1930's seems very dated now. Roth explores the differences between Jews living in "Western Europe" ( assimilated German, Austrian and French Jews) and those who come from Poland and Russia. In a way the book is somewhat patronizing of the customs of these religious Jews who are most conspicuous in their poverty and beliefs. The vexing question of what will become of them is not answered although the reader knows the end of the story. An interesting report by a perceptive writer and observer of the tensions in Europe between the two world wars.

22. Kolyma Tales by Varlam Shalamov. A friend of mine who has similar tastes in reading recommended this book. Shalamov spent about 17 years in total in the Soviet prison system in Kolyma in Siberia and his short stories reflect his experiences. The reader learns of the breaking down of the spirit of the so-called political prisoners and the brutality of the guards and convict prisoners. In fact the real convicts seem to be encouraged to degrade and steal from those who have been charged with being on the wrong side of the system. The list of former heads of Russian institutions who end up in the labour camps seems strange to the reader but becomes understandable after reading the book. The power of these stories is great. They add to the horror of the more recent non-fiction accounts of life and death in the Gulag.

23. The Birth House by Ami McKay. This novel is so rich in it's use of issues about women controlling childbirth, their own sexuality, and more. Set in a small town in Nova Scotia just during the first World War, Dora Rare is the youngest in her family of all boys. She eventually befriends and becomes the apprentice to the midwife,, Miss Babineau. A new doctor in the area tries to get all the women to come to his clinic for their deliveries.. The clash of " modern methods" using forceps and ether, and old fashioned herbs leads to conflict and trouble for Dora. McKay writes about the use of vibratory treatments for hysteria, the aftermath of the Halifax explosion and the effects of the Spanish influenza epidemic.This is a very good and compelling story.

24. The Same Sea by Amos Oz. This is a lovely book that was written in 1999. Oz has combined both poetry and prose to tell the story or rather a slice of the lives of Albert, a grieving widower whose son Rico is travelling in Tibet, the ghost of his wife Nadia, his new friend Bettine, his son's maybe girlfriend Dita and her other male friends and the Narrator. We are not sure if the narrator is Oz himself although certain biographical details are similar. Oz also uses allusions to Biblical verses in the poetry and prose segments. A very satisfying read.

25. The Liberated Bride by A.B. Yehoshua. The storylines in this very long book revolve around the main character, a very irritating professor of Near Eastern Studies at Haifa University. Controlling in a very underhanded way, Yochanan Rivlin is stuck in his work on a new book and he is obsessed by the divorce of his older son, Ofer, from Galya. Ofer has not said a word about why he and his wife split after a year old marriage and in fact has exiled himself to Paris. Rivlin uses the death of Galya's father to see the family and try to find out what happened from Galya, her mother, and a trusted family employee Fu'ad. Rivlin's wife, Hagit, wants him to stop asking questions and accept his son's actions. At the same time, Rivlin is in contact with his mentor, a brilliant hypochodriac professor, Carlo Tedeschi, who wants him to look at the research of a recently murdered scholar. The papers in the form of poems and stories from old Algerian newspapers lead Rivlin to ask his MA student who has been absent from class for a year,Samaher, to translate them into Hebrew. There are many trips to weddings, lectures and cultural events where Rivlin tries to find out about things that are not necessarily his business. In fact, in the middle of the book, the reader learns from unsent letters from Ofer to Galya and his mother, Hagit, what terrible event led to the divorce. The reader is the place in the position of knowing what Rivlin doesn't know. This fact leads the reader to wish along with Hagit that Rivlin would just leave things alone. Hovever then the plot would not be as interesting as the relationships between Arab and Jew is explored along with the foibles of academia. Yehoshua creates very interesting characters and writes about very females- Hagit the district judge who is married to Rivlin, Samahar the student who has everyone helping her, and Galya who never lets Rivlin know what happened. I read some of the reviews of this book and some readers took exception with the translation and the length. This is a long book and there could have been more editing. But I did like it and find that Yehoshua is one of those writers whose style is different in each book.

26. Consider, This Senora by Harriet Doerr. This novel was pleasant to read. Each chapter focused on a different American who lived in a small town and new development in northern Mexico. This was not the dangerous world of today but a sleepy part where not much happened . The author describes failed romances and a little scandal. The writing is evocative of a place where the beauty of the landscape is marred by nature with drought and floods.

27. The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar. This novel of the lives of two women in India, one the middle class housewife and the other the servant began very well. Sera Dubash survived a husband who beat her and now lives comfortably with her daughter and son-in-law. Her servant , Bhima is a survivor, living through desertion by her husband and the death by AIDS of her daughter and son-in-law. Umrigar used flashbacks to describe the early lives of both women who have been together for over 20 years. However the story becomes a melodrama at the end with a very unbelievable turn of events. Umrigar makes all her main male characters villains. The end is supposed to show the strength of Bhima. It didn't register with me because of last action that was totally out of character with the rest of the novel. Too bad - I really liked Umrigar's memoir but not this book.

28. Afterwards by Rachel Seiffert I know that this is a very skillfully written novel about the trauma that soldiers suffer. However, I found myself not very engaged and struggling to finish it. Alice is a physiotherapist in London who meets Joseph, a former soldier. The story of their awkward relationship with it's unexplained stops and starts forms the basis of the plot. Joseph does some house repairs for Alice's grandfather, David, who was an airman in Kenya with the British forces during the Mau Mau rebellion. Both men struggle with the memories of actions that they had to take as soldiers. Alice does not know Joseph's story as he deals with his past behaviour and his struggles to understand what he did. The reader is taken through the events of both their lives as they go on holiday together and deal with everyday life and family relationships. Sigh - I wish that I could like this book better but I don't.

Sorry for the overuse of the word struggle in the last review- you can see that I did " struggle" to finish that book and could not get that word out of my mind while I wrote.

29. The Dream Life of Sukhanov by Olga Grushin. This book and the wonderful use of language and the so very interesting plot made this work a joy to read. Grushin was nominated for the Orange Prize for New Writers in 2006 for this book. A very comfortable bureaucrat in a key role in the official Soviet culture scene in 1985, Skuhanov, attends the private showing of his father-in-law's art show. As his wife has left early, he starts to walk to the subway and meets an old friend and former fellow artist who he doesn't recognize at first. This encounter sets off a set of memories about Sukhanov's past life as a struggling artist and his relationships with his family. The novel is constructed so that the reader at first does not know what is past reality or dream and what is present. Sukhanov seems to forget the names of people who were close to him as well as the obligations that he has as an editor. As the book progresses, the reader learns of the choices that Sukhanov made for love and eventually comfort. Unfortunately his carefully chosen world seems to fall apart with his children and wife making choices that alienate him. The descriptions of official art and the forbidden works of Chagall and Kandinsky, Dali and Picasso emphasize the restrictions that the Soviet Union put on originality and creativity. I found this novel to be a dazzling wrok of art about boundaries and consequences.

30. Family Romance by John Lanchester Lanchester has written a memoir/biography about his parents. He found out that his mother had kept some secrets about her early life as a nun. Only when she died and he contacted her sister did Lanchester find out how old she really was, her true name and the details of her life as a nun. The author also traces his father's family and his father's story as well. Lanchester writes with a lot of empathy about his parents, understanding why they took certain actions that directed their lives. Lanchester's own life is part of the story and he writes extensively about his own problems and solutions. A very interesting book although I found some of the writing about causes of the actions that his parents chose a little too long.

31. Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva. Summer readng- a good spy story about undercover spies, spy agencies, betrayals and redemption- what else can I ask for in the summer!

32. Iris a Memoir of Iris Murdoch by John Bayley This memoir by Iris Murdoch's husband, John Bayley has been called a " love letter.. I agree. Bayley tells the story of their meeting, courtship and marriage. He recounts how they live with her Alzheimer's disease that changed their lives. The stories of their writing patterns, their friends, travels and house are done in such a loving way. Bayley does not sugarcoat the difficulty of dealing with some one who does not remember much of the past. A beautiful book about compassion and love

33. The Fall of Berlin 1945 by Antony Beevor. I think that anytime I read one of Beevor's history books , I want to read more. The author outlines precisely the movements and activities of the Russian and German armies in Berlin in 1945. He takes the time to look at the attitudes of the people on both sides and does make editorial comments on the futility of the battles that resulted in senseless deaths and destruction. German generals followed the commands of Hitler even when it was clear that the war was lost. Russians could withstand the enormous loss of life by their soldiers as there were many replacements. Beevor also documents the use of rape by the Russians. He writes about the negotiations over who was to occupy Berlin first and the lack of understanding by the Americans of Russian plans for central Europe in the post war era. An excellent history of the times

34. Wellington by Elizabeth Longford. I really liked this biography of Lord Wellington. The author had written a two volume series that she combined and shortened for this book. Wellington's early career and exploits in India and his Peninsular war activities were emphasized over the post war period when he was in politics. However there is still a good outline of Wellington's work as a parliamentarian and Prime Minister. I was also fascinated with the description of his relationships with his wife Kitty and his other many female friends. I enjoyed this biography.

35. Metrostop Paris History From the City's Heart by Gregor Dallas I really enjoyed this book about French history and more. The author framed each chapter on a Metro stop in Pris. He would start by describing the architecture and city plan past and present and then segue to a related reference- be it Oscar Wilde and Alfred Drefus to Debussy, Zola, Montgommery, and Sartre. Dallas writes about the 20th century as well as the 16th. A very interesting study of istory.

36. 1776 by David McCullough I really enjoyed this history of the year 1776 and Gerorge Washington's actions during a number of battles during the American Revolution. I found that McCullough is a very easy historian to follow and that his descriptions of battles and personalities on both sides- British and American to be thorough. His discussion about tactics and judgements by the British and the Americans were very interesting. I have to read more of his work.

Off this weekend and decided to read through the threads. I'm glad that I came across yours because you have some great nonfiction reads reviewed here. Thanks from me, but not from my TBR.

You are welcome!
37. Regeneration by Pat Barker. This novel is the first i n the author's trilogy about World War 1. Barker writes about a true incident- the real life meeting of psychologist W. H. Rivers and poet Siegfried Sassoon at am army hospital. Craiglockhart, in 1917. Sassoon had written a declaration condemning the war after leading his men during some trying battles. He has also received an award for bravery. . One of his friends gets him sent to the hospital and a second chance as it were, to find out what troubles him and avoid a court martial. The story is really about many of the encounters that Rivers had with injured soldiers and his treatment of them. Today we would call the nightmares and physical ailments Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.Rivers has been described by the author as a very empathetic doctor. Very Interesting and I have to read the second in the series.

Oh! I'm reading Regeneration this month for one of my book groups. I'm glad to hear you liked it so well.

It was very good!

38. Almost Dead by Assaf Gavron. This is a very clever novel that takes place during the second Intifida in Israel. A young man employed by a high tech firm in Tel Aviv - his nickname is the "Croc"-avoids death three times when he escapes two suicide bombings on a small bus in Tel Aviv and a cafe in Jerusalem. His car is damaged and a hitchhiker that his just picked up is killed when the Croc is ambushed on the road to Jerusalem. He is interviewed on Israeli television and unknowingly becomes the next target. Half of the chapters in the book are narrated by a Palestinian bomb-maker, Fahmi, who is in a coma. The reader learns how the two eventually meet and the resulting actions. The author creates realistic characters in the Croc and Fahmi and writes about their individual dilemmas and lives. Highly recommended.

39. Ivan's War Life and Death in the Red Army 1939-45 by Catherine Merridale. The author interviewed many veterans of the Red army who fought in World War Two in addition to reading many letters and diaries. Her work really shows how Stalin and his advisors used the army with no regard for loss of life. The conditions in the Russian army initially were very grim with no real uniforms, and a shortage of weapons. The expectations and the punishments for surrendering were horrendous. In fact, in one incident, soldiers were expected push forward through a mine field although there would be many casualties. The conditions did get better for the soldiers after 1943. Merridale discusses the roll of the veteran after the war as well. This is one of the many histories that realistically looks at the cost of the war on the Russian people.
Excellent history.

40. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray. The more that I think about this book- the more I like it. It is tragic and funny and satiric. Murray writes about an exclusive boys' school in Ireland. One very smart boy, Ruprecht, is always involving his friends at school in very unorthodox experiments that fail. Skippy , his friend, is on the swim team, and his family is very troubled. Skippy is in love with Lori from the next door girls school- who is hooked on pills and loves Carl, described as the school's resident psychopath. Howard is a history teacher, with a crush on the new temporary geography teacher and cursed from an incident that happened when he was in school. The acting head of school , Greg is looking to take the place of the father who was the headmaster but is now in hospital. From a story of foolish pranks, the author takes the reader to some darker places with drug dealing, sexual abuse and coverup, anorexia and death. Really well written.

41. Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire. This story is the last in Maguire's alternate tale of the Wizard of Oz - Wicked the story of Elphaba- the so-called Wicked Witch of the West, Son of a Witch -the story of Elphaba's son , Liir, and A Lion among Men -the story of the Cowardly Lion, Brr. Maguire takes the reader on a series of journeys with Rain, Liir's daughter who has been hidden for many years as a servant with Glinda. We see Rain reuniting with her hidden parents, and meet Brr again, who has travelled with the important book of magic.The return and characterization of Dorothy as a jarring and ungainly personality in uneasy situations is really fun to read. The book reminds me of Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods. Fairy tales are not necessarily happy and bad things do happen. Marriages fail and bad decisions are made. Everything is not wrapped up nicely., But Maguire has given the reader a very satisfying alternate world of fantasy.

42. The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy. This novel about a Canadian-Chinese family pre-war Vancouver is beautifully written. The authors has three out of four children of a family narrate their own story about growing up in an immigrant family with ties to both the old and new countries.. The stories that the children tell are about changing cultures and their awareness of who and what they are. Recommended.

43. Restoration by Rose Tremain. I have had this book on my wish list for a while. I did see the film based on this novel of England in the time of King Charles II. The novel is really good. I like the way the author portrays the main character , Robert Merivel. Merivel is originally a physician who comes to the attention of the King because of his father, glove maker to the royal house. Merivel is seduced by the good life at the court. He is asked or commanded to marry to mistress of the king. Given a royal residence in the4 courtry, Merivel leads an indulgent life until he makes a fatal mistake- that of loving and wanting a relationship with his wife. Abandoned by the king and sent out of his home, Merivel embarks on a second career,living and working at a home in the country for madmen with a group of Quakers , led by his college friend, Pearce, Merivel's change of character is charted by the author. The reader can see Merivel's eventual salvation, journey to maturity and understanding of a worthwhile life. I understand that Tremain has written a sequel and I look forward to reading that book.

44. Granta 80 The Group Pictures from Previous Lives edited by Ian Jack. I really don't know why I have stopped reading Granta. For many years, this quarterly magazine ( really a book) gave me insights into many themes and new authors. I still have some of the early editions with wonderful interviews, memoirs and excerpts of fiction. i think that maybe I didn't like the selections and themes of the newest editor or maybe I found out about new authors by going to the International Book Festival and being part of Librarything. This issue is from 2002 and was in my book pile. Everything in this book reminds me of the good memories I have when thinking of Granta. The theme- authors taking old photographs and writing about memories and people and lives attached to them is very good. Maybe I will check out the latest issue

45. Limassol by Yishai Sarid and translated by Barbara Harshav. This novel is written in a brutalist spy life is hell way- the only comparison I have is watching the BBC spy series " Spooks". ( renamed MI-5 in North America) This Europa edition is also notable for having erroneous information about the plot ( wrong name of one of the characters) on the end page.- I haven't seen that before) The prose seemingly skips the brutality of some of the actions taken by the main character- an interrogator for the Israeli secret service.The reader realizes that things have taken place that are ugly after they happen. The main character ( unnamed) has been relieved of his duties after his treatment of two prisoners and has been given the task of befriending and gaining the confidence of a woman ,Daphna, who has a relationship with a dying Palestinian poet. Hani , The poet has a son who is a main terrorist leader. Before Daphna will help the interrogator, she want her own druggie son, Yotam, rescued from a drug dealer. The interrogator deals with his estranged wife and son, the self destructive Yotam, the very fragile and dying Hani and his own conscience. The ending is surprising. This story is worth reading and very compelling.