Local Knowledge by Liza Gyllenhaal eBook edition

This week got off to a slow start.  Kinda of like Goldilocks and the tree bears.  I tried three other books before I finally settled down and was able to actually read this one.  When it comes to the original three:  one was too boring, one was too depressing and the last one was written in a style I actually hated. 

So it was a relief to actually pick up a book that I could read more than the first chapter.  Local Knowledge is narrated by Maggie.  She tells the story by alternating along two distinct paths -- the present and the past.

Maggie is a precise and effective narrator.  She tells the story without sparing herself or glossing over her faults.  I could argue that some of the descriptions and the rehashing of the past are too long and possibly unnecessary.  But in the end, all of that background and all of those descriptions made the place and the characters live.  After awhile it was hard to remember that Red River, New York is really a fictional place.

This is a story about change.  Changes in community.  Changes in perceptions.  Changes in attitudes. It is about changing roles.

It is also a story about families and how they shape your life -- the resentments, the feuds, the quiet discontent.  About parents aging and dying and children growing up. 

And finally it is about friendships.  What we invest in them.  How easy it is to prejudge people and how seldom those prejudgments actually hold up. And the tempering of those prejudgments with experience, circumstances and time.  Ultimately friendships can alter us and our world view forever.

For a first novel, this cover a wide range of very complex themes.  It goes on my recommended list.

Here is what the publisher says:

From an exciting debut author, a novel about three people haunted by the mistakes of their past and their plunge into an uncertain future. Maddie Alden has always longed for more than her small town could offer. Now that it's being overrun by wealthy New Yorkers looking for a respite from the city, Maddie has gotten herself a lucrative new job in real estate. And her first sale brings her a charismatic new friend who is everything Maddie longs to be. Little does Maddie realize that the glamorous Anne will shake up her quiet marriage and will force Maddie to face the truth about the past, and the terrible secret she shares with her husband and his best friend.

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Under Reported eBooks -- eBooks I have Read This Year but Haven't Reviewed

This morning I looked through the past book review postings on the site.  From the reviews posted you would think that about the only things I read are Romances, Biographies and Literary Fiction.  It would be a fair evaluation, although not exactly accurate. 

There are a number of books that I have read, but for various reasons have not reviewed.  For example, I don't know how to review a Mystery without giving away the plot.  Or (for another example) I try to stay away from political controversy so I never review books about politics or current events. 

Then there are the books that are either so bad I can't finish them, or the ones I struggle to finish because. . . well, just because.  I almost never review those either.  I mean what's the point; after all I want you to read the books I write about.

Which brings me to the point. . .listed below are some of the books I have read this year and not reviewed.  I am going to confine it to only the ones I have enjoyed.  Maybe one of these days I will post a list of the ones I couldn't finish. . . .

 Musicophilia by Sacks, Oliver

First of all I am a huge fan of Oliver Sacks and his work so this was a natural.  Added to the fact that I come from a family of musicians and music is a big part of our family culture.  Sacks explores the connection between the brain and music. 

Outliers by Gladwell, Malcolm

This was a fascinating study on intelligent people and how raw intelligence may actually be overrated.  It is also a study of how culture, environment, education and personality interplay with intelligence.  The stories are enthralling.  This was a book I read in fits and starts over several weeks. 

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Goodwin, Doris Kearns

Kerns is another favorite author.  Several years ago I did a reading project: I read at least one book about each of the US Presidents.  I wish that this book had been around then. But it is good reading now!

T is for Trespass by Grafton, Sue

I have read very one of Grafton's novels and am always anxious to get my hands on the latest one.  Now, however, I am starting to get worried since we are up to T;  are there really only six left?  Oh no!  Grafton is a master at building and holding tension and hasn't written a bunk one yet.  If you haven't read her books -- do yourself a favor and start one today!

DownHill Lie by Carl Hiaasen

I'm not a golfer, a golf watcher or even a Tiger Woods fan, but this take on golfing had me laughing out loud. . . 

 

 

So, there you have it.  A few of the other books I have enjoyed this year and highly recommend.

del.icio.us Tags: Musicophilia,Outliers,Team of Rivals,T is for Trespass,Downhill Like,Sacks,Gladwell,Goodwin,Grafton,Hiaasen

The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream eBook edition

Perhaps it is the result of growing up as an expat, but I have always had a fascination with American society and social systems.  When I heard about this book at Book Expo, I knew it was a "must read."  And now, I have just finished it.

Some of the info is fascinating, some of it verifies my opinions and makes me feel smart, some of it made me feel like I was slogging through, just to finish. 

This is a book well worth investing in.  I am not sure it is one to read the way I did -- linearly from cover to cover.  It is probably better read in fits and starts as the spirit moves you. 

I am by nature an optimist, although my views have been tempered by reality over the years.  Zogby seems to be all optimist. And for the most part paints a much rosier picture of the future than I the one I see.

I like the idea that the generation coming up will change America and American politics.  Because of their beliefs Americans will become more tolerant, authentic and informed.  I like the idea that we will become more cohesive, agreeable, rational and global in our thinking.

Maybe it is all true, I hope so; but I wonder if human nature is really going to undergo that profound change within a generation.  I guess only time will tell!

Interesting and well worth the time and money to investigate! 

Here is what the publisher says:

According to super pollster John Zogby, whom The Washington Post calls “the maverick predictor,” the conventional wisdom about the United States–that we’re isolated from the world, politically fragmented, and inclined toward material pleasure–isn’t just flawed; it may be 180 degrees from the truth.

In this far-reaching and illuminating look at contemporary American life, Zogby reveals nothing less than The Way We’ll Be. Drawing on thousands of in-depth surveys conducted especially for the book, Zogby points out where we’re headed–politically, culturally, and spiritually.

The American dream is in transition; it is rapidly being redefined by four meta-movements: living with limits as consumers and citizens; embracing diversity of views and ways of life; looking inward to find spiritual comfort; and demanding authenticity from the media, our leaders, and leading institutions.

Spearheaded by today’s eighteen-to-twenty-nine-year-olds–the “First Global” generation–Americans are becoming more internationalist, consensus-oriented, and environmentally conscious and less willing to identify themselves by the things they do to earn or spend their money. But this is more than a youth tide. Americans of all ages are moving beyond old divides–red state/blue state, pro-life/pro-choice, beer drinker/wine connoisseur–to form a new national consensus that will shape the nation for decades to come. Zogby’s cogent analysis of the data yields an astonishing perspective on Americans’ thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, now and in coming years.

Understanding this emerging reality will be key for

• leaders in all fields who want to reach audiences that are more media-savvy, better informed, and more technologically enabled than ever before
• individuals in search of rewarding and fulfilling careers in tomorrow’s growth fields 
• politicians and CEOs looking to marry policies and practices to the rising demand for social responsibility 
• anyone who wants to market to the emerging new American consensus

Beyond telling a fascinating story, the conclusions in this book are a must-read for everyone from Main Street to Madison Avenue to Capitol Hill. Filled with expert analysis and insight from one of today’s most successful predictors and trend spotters, The Way We’ll Be will redefine how we view America’s future.

del.icio.us Tags: ebook,e-book,Zogby,The Way we Will Be,ebooks about society,social change