Nevermore opened with another book by Cormac McCarthy. All the
Pretty Horses is the first in the Border Trilogy and begins after the death
of John Grady Cole’s rancher grandfather, which means that sixteen year old Cole
has to leave the only way of life he’s ever known. He and a buddy leave Texas and head to Mexico,
meeting up with an even younger sharpshooter along the way. The style is taunt
and readable, and it seems obvious that McCarthy must have spent some time in
the Southwest. It’s far more than a
typical “coming of age” story, and McCarthy’s writing has been compared to
Faulkner’s. Jud commented that it has “flowery
language for a dry place” and that it could be used as a travel guide to living
rough in Mexico.
That segued into The Secret Life of the Seine by Mort Rosenblum, which details the life
of folks living in houseboats on the Parisian river. Some are quite well to do, which others
struggle to make a living. Rosenblum, a
reporter, ended up on a boat after losing his apartment. He became fascinated with the characters he
encountered, hence the book. It can also
be used as a cautionary tale about the problems of living on a boat.
The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick tells the story of 38 year old Bartholomew Neil whose mother’s death throws him into a bit of
a panic. He’s not quite sure how to deal
on his own. Jud describes it as “a
humorous look at how [Neil} deals with life” but that readers may not know whether
to laugh or cry. Quick is also the
author of Silver Linings Playbook.
Another reviewer read and recommended Good Girl by Mary Kubica. Mia is a free spirited art
teacher, daughter of a prominent Chicago family, when she is taken hostage and
held for ransom. The novel deals with
Stockholm Syndrome, but it so much more than that. “Excellent, excellent book, reads well,” said
our reviewer. “This is a wonderful book.”
Finally, Kurt
Vonnegut’s Sirens of Titan continued to entertain another member who
wanted everyone to know that while it is science fiction, it has real
meaning. It pokes fun at some aspects of
our culture and ridicules our policies.
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