Review: Jerusalem: The Biography

Jerusalem: The Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This really does read like a biography of a city. And, given the many millennia of history, not to mention how central it has been to history, religion, politics and pretty much everything else, I can say that reading this book once isn't nearly enough to confidently say I know the history of Jerusalem.

Many of the incidents and issues will be familiar to most, from Bible stories, history books, newspapers, etc. Here they are all interwoven into a thread, with tidbits that (at least to me) are entirely new. For example it was interesting to read how, after Jesus' death, his brother James had been the de-facto head of the religion until Paul came around and insisted on preaching to non-Jews (and after James' death his cousin took over).

Regardless, this book is packed with way too much information to remember, but it is definitely a journey. One reviewer recommended reading it like a work of fiction, and I think I'd agree. It reads like an adventurous history of a land that was (and is) important to so many different people.



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Review: The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past

The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past by Nate DiMeo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A nice collection of historical tidbits that we don't know anything about but probably should (I think I only knew one of these stories before reading the book).

They get tied into the author's personal memories and stories, which I thought worked rather well here.

A great read.


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Review: LONTAR #6

LONTAR #6 by Jason Erik Lundberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An interesting collection of short stories I picked up on my trip to Singapore. The writers are from around SE Asia and it features a mix of styles.

For Running Shoes, I thought I knew where it was going, but it took a turn which was interesting.

Caronang was also original. I liked it.

The Boy, The Swordfish, the Bleeding Island may have been my favorite. It is listed as non-fiction, but as far as I can tell, Iris Fonseca is not a real person? At least I found nothing on her.

I did not understand "See it coming" at all.

Her Majesty's Lamborghini and the girl with the fishtank was fresh and original.


Brother to Space, Sister to time was way too sci-fi for me.

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Review: The K Team

The K Team by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun new series with familiar characters


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Review: I Remember You

I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It had been a while since I read a horror book, so I was looking forward to this.

I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say the momentum and tension builds up until the finale, which is both shocking and a bit of a let down.


And now, for those who don't care about spoilers, here are my issues with the book:
SPOILERS BELOW!!

So, there were multiple ghosts? If this is the case, what is the impetus? It can't just be frustration of something left undone or injustice, since this happens all over the world without a manifestation of ghosts. It must have been the location itself, but this is never explored with the brief psychic visit.

The issue with Lif was a surprise, although I saw it creeping up. I did not see Kartin's ending. I'll leave it at that.




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Review: The Basque History of the World

The Basque History of the World by Mark Kurlansky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This needs an update at this point, since it is over 20 years old. However, it is a great rundown of a fascinating people and history. And I use rundown because I felt like it could have gone in much more detail. However, if you are curious and want to start learning about Basque history, people and their land, this is a good place to do so.


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Review: Edward III: The Perfect King

Edward III: The Perfect King by Ian Mortimer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is extremely well-researched (even calculating how many people likely had King Edward's blood over the ages), although at times it seemed strikingly apologist for him. For example, to dismiss his accusations of rape because someone 700 years ago questioned his servants and no one spilled the beans seems a bit rash.

Still, a fascinating read.


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Review: The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I confess having a flower growing out of the protagonists' bodies for some reason really bothered me and I couldn't really get past it. It's definitely my issue, and the magical realism was otherwise great, and reminiscent of Allende and Segovia's "The Murmur of Bees".

I mean, obviously it was just me. I don't see anyone else comment on it. Why did that gross me out so much? I still can't really think about it. So I shan't.

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Review: Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely excellent. This ends up being a book about a trial for a murder committed in a church at a funeral, so not to much a whodunnit as a whydunnit. In exploring why, this ends up being a story about Harper Lee, Truman Capote, the South and its race relations (and to Kill a Mockingbird), to the attorney Tom Radney (defending the murderer in this case, but having defended the person killed for many others). But in the end, it also becomes a book exploring why Harper Lee never wrote a book about this trial, which she went to investigate, and took copious notes for, just as she had done for Truman Capote in helping him write In Cold Blood.

It's also somewhat infuriating to read about "To set a watchman". She wrote that book prior to "To Kill a Mockingbird", but never wanted it published. However, when her new agent took over from Lee's sister, she decided to publish it, and it is unclear as to whether Lee agreed to this or not.


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Review: Little Book of Fendi: The story of the iconic fashion brand

Little Book of Fendi: The story of the iconic fashion brand by Laia Farran Graves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A decent read for someone who knows next to nothing about Fendi (I had no idea what a Baguette was before reading this book). Interesting history, although it seems like it is a different place post-Lagerfeld and post sale to LVMH.


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Review: The Wapshot Chronicle

The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an excellent book, telling the story of a family over the years in a way that can probably not be done anymore.

I have no idea why this was on my wishlist in the first place, but I'm glad it was.



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Review: Record of a Night Too Brief

Record of a Night Too Brief by Hiromi Kawakami
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kawakami is getting a tad too weird for me. Especially the first story (Record of a Night too Brief). I couldn't help thinking the shrooms on the book cover had something to do with this story.


Missing was probably my favorite, followed by A Snake Stepped On.







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Review: The Mermaid's Tale

The Mermaid's Tale by Lee Wei-Jing
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting character study. At least I believe it was. But it's just as likely that I missed the point.

Summer is almost obsessed with ballroom dancing, despite knowing she started it too late to become a real champion. This book taught me more about ballroom dancing than I ever thought I wanted to know. Throughout the story, we learn of her partner(s), other dance partners and their fate, as well as her instructor (and his fate).

The story is all the more poignant once you realize the author died of cancer shortly after having finished writing it.


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Review: Win

Win by Harlan Coben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun to have a Harlan Coben book in the Myron Bolitar universe starring Win.


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