By: Sherry Ruth Anderson
This book is a diverse examination of the uniquely feminine aspects of faith in God. The authors interviewed a variety of women, including a Seneca elder, an ex-nun, a rabbi, a social worker and a Jungian analyst. Each woman shares her story about how the traditional patriarchal models of religion lack relevance for her life. Instead they speak of how they’ve redefined their spiritual beliefs and practices to embrace their experiences as women. The book follows the unfolding of life from childhood to adult experiences of creativity, love, family, sexuality and community. I had a lot of “a ha” moments when I read this book. The experiences described and feelings expressed by the interviewees articulated many of my own thoughts and feelings about faith in ways I had not been able to articulate them myself. I recommend this book for any woman who has ever found more spiritual truth in her own personal experiences than in the traditional beliefs and practices of patriarchal religion.
Reviewer:
Cindy Lennartson
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By: Margaret Drabble
Written and set in Swinging London in the mid-1960s, The Millstone is a story of a common predicament, told in an uncommon manner. Rosamund Stacey – attractive, intellectual, conscientious, and self-sufficient – is intimidated by the idea of sex, and has successfully managed to avoid it altogether until her late twenties. When her first sexual encounter leaves her pregnant, her life contracts and expands in unforeseeable ways, as her perceptions are heightened and her preconceptions softened. Structured as a coming-of-age novel, but slightly inverted, The Millstone presents the true awakening of a young woman who had already considered herself enlightened. Drabble’s sensitive, humane portrait of the 1960s sexual revolution in Britain is as fresh and relevant as if it came off the presses today.
Reviewer:
Missy Nelson
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By: Richard Russo
I am really recommending any of Richard Russo’s works. All of them are great and you can follow a rise in the quality of his writing as you read newer and newer works. The basic premise seems to be the same in each of his novels (at least the 4 of his 5 which I have read): they’re all set in a small town in the American Northeast and full of wacky characters — some in dire situations, some suffering for caring about those in dire situations, and some suffering at the hands of those in dire situations. Either way, the characters are what are great about Russo’s writing. He makes you believe that these unreal folk are real and he makes you suffer along with them, while at the same time you often want to give them a smack-in-the-head wake-up call. This title won Russo the Pulitzer Prize in fiction for 2002. Basically, it is a chilling commentary on Columbine, but the plot, as in his other works, is almost incidental to how the characters react to what is occurring. Russo is always funny and often at the same time heart-wrenching. His books are quick reads and all wonderfully realized.
Reviewer:
Beth Kerr
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By: Maile Meloy
In beautiful stark prose, Maile Meloy tells the story of the Santerre family, following the complex relationships among four generations from World War II and the family’s arrival in California to the present. As the story shifts from one generation to the next and one decade to the next, Meloy competently shifts the tone of the novel to match the tone of each era and provides insight into the effects of social change through time on the structure of the family. While it dabbles in the realm of literary soap opera and has its moment of melodrama, the characters and the family secrets they share provide an engaging and compelling story of heartbreak, Catholic guilt, and sexual temptation.
Reviewer:
Meghan Sitar
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By: John Charles Chasteen
If you are interested in a compelling and easy-to-read overview of the history of Latin America, this is the book for you. Instead of trying to relate the events that took place throughout Latin America over five centuries, Chasteen looks at larger themes and movements shared by countries throughout Latin America. These themes include the first indigenous encounters with Spaniards, colonialism, independence, neocolonialism (America’s policy of influencing Latin America), national movements, and neoliberalism, among others. Each chapter is broken into a theme, and Chasteen effectively demonstrates how that theme affected and directed the energies of countries throughout the hemisphere. The book is enjoyable to read, and perfect if you need to know the high points of Latin American history but would also like a more in-depth insight into its complexities. If you are traveling in Latin America, doing business there, interested in the relationship between the U.S. and Latin America, or just interested in history, this is the book for you.
Reviewer:
AJ Johnson
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By: Frederick Exley
This book, a cult classic written in 1968, is an honest and intelligent account of the life of a lonely, mentally ill, alcoholic obsessed with football and Frank Gifford, the NY Giants running back. While this may sound like Charles Bukowski, it is more thoughtful and human. The book is at times hilarious, at times angry and always deeply sad. But somehow it manages to avoid being depressing. You may be surprised at how much you have to learn from someone in Exley’s shoes.
Reviewer:
Michele Ostrow
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By: Don Thompson
For an eye-opening study of the market for art and why some artists are paid millions and others starve, this is a fascinating read. Full of gory detail about how dealers, auction houses, collectors and artists operate.
Reviewer:
David
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By: Alireza Mashayekhi, Ata Ebtekar
Some very fine electronic music from Persia. A compilation spanning 40 years.
Reviewer:
Tommy
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