Reported by Kristin
Nevermore went straight into weighty subjects this week,
with our first reader reporting upon Valley of the Kings: Exploring the
Tombs of the Pharaohs by John Romer.
Filled with glittery gold and other unique artifacts discovered in
Egyptian royal tombs, this volume is well organized and thorough. Jammed full of facts, our reader said that in
fact it was a little dense, and it was a little like “shoveling snow that has been
soaked in rain water for twenty years” just to get through it.
After that was After Coal: Stories of Survival in
Appalachia and Wales by Tom Hansell.
Many comparisons have been drawn between Appalachia and parts of the
British Isles as they have a geologic similarity. Coal mining helped to build the economies of
both regions, and the depletion of easily mined resources has brought hardship
to both as well. Our reader was
fascinated by the parallel timelines experienced on both sides of the Atlantic.
The same reader found some humor in a work of fiction: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the
Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson.
Allan Karlsson is reluctantly living in a nursing home even though he is
in good health and feels perfectly able to live on his own. Faced with his upcoming 100th
birthday party, Allan decides to skip out, through the window, that is. Our reader chuckled at Allan’s history as a
side figure in some of the most important pieces of history during his lifespan
as he connected in some small way with Stalin, Churchill, Mao, and other world
leaders.
Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty
brought a smile to another reader’s face.
A trio of sisters, Lyn, Cat, and Gemma Kettle, are busy living their
lives in Australia. The thirty-three
year old women deal with love and family, individually as well as within their
special triplet bond. Our reader found
it light, funny, and worth reading.
Another reader enjoyed Freefall, a debut novel by
Jessica Barry. When Allison is presumed
dead from a small aircraft crash in the Rocky Mountains, her mother Maggie just
can’t believe that it could be true. Our
book club member commented that the story was fast moving and intriguing, and
right in your face from the very beginning all the way to a huge twist at the
end. However, another reader dissented, saying
that she found the book rather formulaic and was not surprised by the ending,
and even found herself disappointed that she had wasted the time to read the
entire book.
Returning to non-fiction, another reader picked up Tell
Me Everything You Don’t Remember: The Stroke That Changed My Life by
Christine Hyung-Oak Lee. At age
thirty-three, Lee experienced confusing symptoms which culminated in the
diagnosis of a stroke. During her
recovery, she went through many changes in her marriage, having a child, and
learning to work in the corporate world again without the benefit of a filter
for her thoughts. Our reader enjoyed her
straightforwardness and sympathized with the difficulties Lee faced.
Finally, another reader attempted to read the fourth in the
private eye Cormoran Strike series: Lethal
White by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling.) However, our reader managed to get through
about ten pages (of 656) and decided that “what this woman needs is a good
editor.” She decided to return the book
for the benefit of another more patient library patron.
Ambrea will return tomorrow with her review of The Return of the King.
Ambrea will return tomorrow with her review of The Return of the King.
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