Hello reader…
Greetings, friends!
Many intriguing reads were shared during our cozy April gathering…
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
This book reminded Sierra a bit of ‘The Fountain’, which had a similar structure of spanning three different time periods and covering events in each, while still having a kind of continuity among all three. It was recommended by a friend who is generally not into science fiction, but really liked it
Cloud Cuckoo Land spans some of the years leading up to the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans, through more contemporary times in a midwestern town, and to the distant future. It is drawn from the old Greek story of Aethon, with which the main character in each time period has an association. Sierra is still early in the book but will share further thoughts at a future gathering.
Doerr also wrote ‘All the Light We Cannot See’, for which he won a Pulitzer.
M Train by Patti Smith
Having recently read and enjoyed Just Kids, Bernice picked this up and thought it excellent as well. In a series of non-linear essays, Smith talks about books and authors she loves and recounts trips she has taken to various parts of the world, sometimes to visit places connected to authors and books she loves. Through it all, it seems Smith is recounting her journey through grief after her husband died.
Bernice thought that it was a fascinating look into an interesting and varied life, and loved it.
Dog Dish of Doom by E.J. Copperman
A cozy mystery with lots of conversation, where plain people solve mysteries while the police follow along.
Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen by Jeff Burger
A collection of interviews and encounters of and about Leonard Cohen. Veyot recommends this if you like Leonard Cohen’s singing voice because you can imagine his voice as he gets interviewed.
When asked about the most surprising thing she learned about Cohen from the book, Veyot shared that Cohen had spent years without performing at all and once lived in a monastery in Greece.
Librarian Tales by William Ottens
A collection of tales about being a public librarian.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
On the surface, this “beach read” is about a classic movie star’s rise to fame – sort of an amalgam of Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, and a few others of that time period. Evelyn, the movie star, shares her life story with a young, no-name biographer who is handpicked for the job for mysterious reasons.
Aside from the gossipy stories of Evelyn’s career, the novel is really a story about a deep and lasting love between two people who are forced into impossibly tight boundaries by Hollywood’s relentless rejection of diversity.
Zoe thought it was well-written and unputdownable.
A short list of these books may be found here.
Our next gathering will be on Sunday, May 8th 15th at 1pm SLT. All are welcome – bring a friend!
The Reading Room 