The Nanny Diaries : A Novel

Written by two former nannies plying their trade in Manhattan, the seemingly outrageous behavior by Manhattan's elite class is normal. The novel is a window into the world of Manhattan's richest, people who import European laundry detergent and live in palatial residences overlooking Central Park. The moms are portrayed as self-involved anorexics and the fathers are never around. The only sympathetic character is the child, in this case, Grayden. I think the movie rights have already been sold, so you could wait for the movie, but the book has so many tidbits about behavior and values of the super-rich it's worth a read.

The Emperor of Ocean Park

This novel is interesting because the author received the largest advancement for a first-time author to date, the protaagonist is an Ivy League law professor, as is the author, and it provides a glimpse into the lives and habits of upper-middle class African-Americans. The novel is a legal, literary thriller. I should have given it 3.5 books if I could. It is definitely better than the average John Grisham and yet the characters never seem real. This is the same issue I had with "The Corrections." Many characters are archetypes, which makes it difficult to be sympathetic to them. The protagonist, Talcot (aka Misha) Garland, is a "good guy" and does the "right thing" the whole novel. That makes him a little boring.

Peace Like a River

This book is fantastic. Part old fashioned Western, part magic realism, part romance, part coming of age, this book makes it all work. Set in Minnesota in the 1960's, the protagonist is Reuben Land, an 11 year old living with his sister, Swede and his big brother Davey. That winter two school bullies enter their house and Davy shots and kills them. What follows is how Reuben and Swede deal with the absence of Davy and then with Davey's escape from jail. All throughout the novel is Reuben's dad, the miracle worker. The narration is clean and crisp, much like the Minnesotan winters.

The Lord of the Rings

I finished it! It took a long plane ride back to San Francisco to do it, but I did. After the first book, the story really flies. The creatures and characters in the second and third books less so, but the action gets better. After reading it, you can find elements of "The Lord of the Rings" in all sequential fantasy novels. Keep on reading...the story is uplifting and rewarding.

The Corrections

The most controversial and acclaimed book of the year...was it fabulous? I didn't think so. The whole novel ( Since this is high brow literature I will refrain from calling it a "book".) has a male slant to all the themes and characters. The overtly sexual scenes and the lesbian relationship are parts of Franzen's male fanatasy. In an interview, Franzen said he set out to create the "Great American novel" and I think all that effort and craft shows, when it shouldn't. The book is well researched but at times you feel it is forced. This novel is also the December book-of-the-month on The New York Times website. Some of the readers were distracted by the organic time structure, but that didn't bother me as much as the self-consciousness of all the characters. As usual for literary books, the "secret" revealed at the end is a letdown. The last chapter, "The Corrections" is not sufficient. You feel these characters need far greater correction, perhaps at a boot camp. Then why the four book rating? The construction of the novel is innovative, as is the development of the characters. The writing is thorough and exacting, but the obvious effort hinders the flow and enjoyment of the novel.

The Blind Assassin

I really enjoyed this book and enjoyed it even more after discussing it with a reading group. There are so many layers to this novel, the novel within a novel, the flashbacks and disruptions to the chronological order. At the beginning, the science fiction novel, within the novel was so good, I wished Atwood would have published it separately on its own. Although the plot moves the story, the characters are well developed.

Splendid Slippers: A Thousand Years...

One of the co-authors of Ladder to the Clouds also wrote this book. This book also combines Chinese culture and art history to make a wonderful read. Though I had always known about the Chinese foot-binding tradition, I had no idea the custom lasted for over a thousand years. Even today in parts of Northern China, ladies with bound feet can be seen. This book weaves the discussion of the slippers with the cultural background of foot-binding. Foot-binding, I discovered, was not completely the result of a male dominated society, for it was the mothers and grandmothers who bound the feet of the next generation. The slippers are usually made by the women themselves and through the slippers you can see the personalities of the ladies who wore them. As Ladder to the Clouds is a look into the lives of men in Imperial China, Splendid Slippers is a look into the lives of the women in Imperial China.

Ladder to the Clouds: Intrigue...

This is a magnificent book on mandarin squares. Mandarin squares are rank badges for the civil and military servants to the emperor. Actually the word mandarin comes from these civil servants, because when the first Westerners visited China, mandarin was the language spoken by these civil servants. In order to get one of the civil rank squares, one had to begin study at the age of six. The ninth rank is the lowest rank, and once you receive the ninth rank, you can then study to make the higher ranks. Some men strive to move up this ladder all their lives. It is not uncommon for men of 70 to be taking the test in order to better their situation in life. Ladder to the Clouds shows you how to identify the squares but it also illustrates the process of moving up the ladder. As the emperor is seen as the Son of Heaven, the higher the rank, the closer to the emperor, and thus, closer to the clouds. Military ranks were not based on the same rigorous tests, and thus, were not as highly regarded. The mandarins, or civil servants, wore squares with birds and the military servants wore squares with animals. This is because since birds fly, they are closer to heaven and the emperor. After reading this book I have a greater appreciation of the squares and the men who wore them. It is a fascinating look into Imperial China.

A Conspiracy of Paper: A Novel...

When I saw this novel at Dymock's bookstore at the Star Ferry I knew instantly this had "Ming" written all over it. I had remembered the title from somewhere, quite possibly the New York Times. And it's a historical novel (18th century London) with suspense and intrigue (murders and shady characters). To top it all off, Arthur Golden, author of Memoirs of a Geisha (which I loved) wrote the review on the cover. As it stands now, it is in the same spirit as Caleb Carr's The Alienist, which I thought was excellent.

The novel was good, but from reading it you could tell that this was a doctoral dissertation. The historical details seemed to me to be forced at times, though they were interesting. The description of the setting and atmosphere was detailed, much more then the character development. Though the plot is intricate and you are kept guessing till the end, it was still somehow unsatisfying.

Icy Sparks

A story of a girl named Icy Sparks growing up in rural America. It is the usual quasi-literary book that Oprah usually chooses. That having been said, I bought the book solely based on Oprah's recommendation, having not read any reviews about it. Icy grows up isolated from those in her town because of her unusual behavior. She befriends other misfits in the town, but through experience and time, Icy is freed by the behavior that has always kept her isolated.

The Pillars of the Earth

A wonderful historical novel...Ken Follett really brings medieval England alive. This novel is about the building of a cathedral in Kingsbridge, England. It follows three generations of builders, aristocrats and monks. The various details about cathedral building are also fascinating. After reading the first hundred pages, you are truly immersed in the characters lives and surroundings. Even though the novel is a hefty 900 pager you will be richly rewarded when you finish.

Anil's Ghost (Vintage International)

The best complement is that it is better the second time around. Although I read many books, I don't often reread them, but this one is definitely worth another go. An excellent, excellent read, even better than the first time. The plot is interesting, but the character descriptions are what keeps the pages turning. Ondaatje makes Sri Lanka come alive with his vivid descriptions of the land, the people, the romance. Even with the war raging all around the picture of Sri Lanka he paints is one of deep green forests shrouded in fog and spirituality.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch

The world created in this book is fascinating. Elphaba, the eventual Wicked Witch of the West is flawed but realistic character. I love the characterizations of the Munchkins as middle class. The theme of good vs evil is prevalent in the novel. The novel was great until 2/3 of the way through. Then the book became a big conspiracy theory. The ending, though known, was unsatisfying. We are so intimate with Elphaba but in the moment when she is most interesting Maguire fails us.

Give Me My Father's Body: The Life of Minik

A griping story of a boy Eskimo taken to New York City with his father and four other Eskimos. They were to all die within months of landing in Brooklyn, all except Minik. This is a classic story of identity, belonging, race and culture. Weaved in this story is the race for the North Pole and Peary's involvement with the polar Eskimos. I found this book right up my alley after reading such books as Cod, The Professor and the Madman, and King Leopold's Ghost. If you've read and loved any of those you will love this one. 

House of Sand and Fog   

Set in the San Francisco Bay Area, the main character in this novel is the house. The old owner, a recovering drug addict white woman, whose husband recently left her and the new owner, a former Persian colonel, now unemployed, fight for ownership of this typical Californian ranch house. Both characters are pathetic. The book is enjoyable until mid-way through, where it becomes too Hollywood to be interesting.

The Professor and the Madman 

The true story of the compilation of the Old English Dictionary. Sounds dull, but there is sex, intrigue, and friendship...all in this slim volume.

King Leopold's Ghost

Ever wondered what it would be like to have absolute control over a country? If "yes" read this engrossing book on the development of the Belgian Congo, the private domain of King Leopold. Though he plundered her riches, Leopold never set foot in his Belgian Congo. This book is about more then King Leopold. It is about the Congo people, the people who ruled it for Leopold and the people who were determined to reveal the human cost of Leopold's plan. If "no", I hope after that introduction you will perhaps put it on your "To Read" list.

Cod : A Biography of the Fish That...

A fantastic history of this underrated fish! Today cod stocks in the Atlantic are so overfished the British government has called for a moratorium on cod fishing for five years, in order to replenish the stocks. This book views history through cod-colored glasses. A must read for any curious mind.

A Map of the World

I feel mixed on the book. It reminded me a lot of Midwives by Chris Bohjalian. Alice Goodwin is a mother and housewife who lives on a farm surrounded by suburban sprawl. I suppose her outsider status is supposed to make you more sympathetic to the events. I didn't like Alice so much because she was a passive character in her life. She did have many interesting and lucid thoughts, but she was never strong enough to articulate her desires and ideas to those around her.

The Blood Runs Like a River Through My...

Excellent book. Especially the first half of the book. I really identified with its themes of society and belonging. Now that I am living in Hong Kong, walking around I look like every other Chinese person here, but I am different. "You are your history." I try to hold on to that by listening to jazz. Jazz is that quintessential American sound. When I listen to jazz I feel at home. The novel is also about identity. In this case, Nasdijj is a half-white half-Navajo who lives in, beside and around Indian reservations. His stories about living at the fringe of reservation society are raw and intrusive. He want you to feel what it was like being rejected by white editors, eating dog food with his dog, losing his son to fetal alcohol syndrome. Definitely a thumbs up.

World of Suzie Wong

Hong Kong 1950's. A love story between a Wan Chai yum yum girl and an aspiring English artist set in a dynamic colonial society. Suzie Wong: the sterotypical Asian woman or the Asian woman success story? Read it. You decide.