The Time Monk Presents
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver follows the life of Harrison Shepherd, a boy with an American father and Mexican mother who grows up in both countries, from 1929 - 1951. Although The Lacuna is presented as Shepherd's diaries and letters, he is not a very strong character in the novel. Indeed, The Lacuna is much more about what is happening in the world around Shepherd as he works for real historical figures. The history presented in The Lacuna is interesting, but the lack of intimacy and impetus in the main character makes the novel drag a little.
Read a complete review of The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
The Lacuna Book Club Discussion Questions
Cover Photo Courtesy HarperCollins
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver originally appeared on About.com Bestsellers on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 22:13:10.Permalink | Comment | Email this
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
This week, Elizabeth Kostova releases her second novel, The Swan Thieves. Her first novel, The Historian, was a bestseller and gained critical acclaim (including this review from About.com). I have not read either of Kostova's books, and I will admit I am a little intimidated by their length -- about 600 solid, literary pages each. Yes, I read a lot. Yes, reading is my job. Still, I get nervous when something bigger than 300 pages lands on my desk if I haven't read the author before. (Can't we just go out for drinks before spending the weekend together?) If you have read Kostova, what do you think? Should we biblio-commitment-phobes dive in?
Cover Photo Courtesy Little, BrownHave You Read Elizabeth Kostova? originally appeared on About.com Bestsellers on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 00:52:26.Permalink | Comment | Email this
Have You Read Elizabeth Kostova?
The end of the year is a busy time for most people, and it can be easy to overlook all the recommendations for resolutions to make, movies to watch, and books to read. Now that the dust has settled a little on 2010, I thought it would be worth revisiting the books we picked as the Top 10 of the last Decade. Twice a month, I'll spotlight one of these books and let you know why I think it shouldn't be missed. Many of these are popular titles, and I welcome any feedback other readers want to give about whether they would recommend the books as highly.
So, without further ado, the first book not to miss is: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
Why has The Kite Runner sold millions of copies around the world and received international acclaim? Partially it is because Afghanistan has been a hot spot on the international radar for the past 10 years and people are longing to understand more about this country. More than that, though, I think The Kite Runner's themes of friendship, betrayal, redemption and coming of age resonate with all people. This is a well written page turner that humanizes people in a place that may feel very foreign to Westerners. If you haven't read The Kite Runner yet, I would pick it up before reading Hosseini's other novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Be warned, though, that this book deals with intense and difficult situations that may not be appropriate for young adults.
Read a complete review of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
The Kite Runner Book Club Discussion Questions
Compare prices for The Kite Runner.
Cover Photo Courtesy Riverhead
New Series - 10 Books Not to Miss originally appeared on About.com Bestsellers on Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 00:09:19.Permalink | Comment | Email this
New Series - 10 Books Not to Miss
About.com Bestsellers
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver follows the life of Harrison Shepherd, a boy with an American father and Mexican mother who grows up in both countries, from 1929 - 1951. Although The Lacuna is presented as Shepherd's diaries and letters, he is not a very strong character in the novel. Indeed, The Lacuna is much more about what is happening in the world around Shepherd as he works for real historical figures. The history presented in The Lacuna is interesting, but the lack of intimacy and impetus in the main character makes the novel drag a little.
Read a complete review of The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
The Lacuna Book Club Discussion Questions
Cover Photo Courtesy HarperCollins
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver originally appeared on About.com Bestsellers on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 22:13:10.Permalink | Comment | Email this
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
This week, Elizabeth Kostova releases her second novel, The Swan Thieves. Her first novel, The Historian, was a bestseller and gained critical acclaim (including this review from About.com). I have not read either of Kostova's books, and I will admit I am a little intimidated by their length -- about 600 solid, literary pages each. Yes, I read a lot. Yes, reading is my job. Still, I get nervous when something bigger than 300 pages lands on my desk if I haven't read the author before. (Can't we just go out for drinks before spending the weekend together?) If you have read Kostova, what do you think? Should we biblio-commitment-phobes dive in?
Cover Photo Courtesy Little, BrownHave You Read Elizabeth Kostova? originally appeared on About.com Bestsellers on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 00:52:26.Permalink | Comment | Email this
Have You Read Elizabeth Kostova?
The end of the year is a busy time for most people, and it can be easy to overlook all the recommendations for resolutions to make, movies to watch, and books to read. Now that the dust has settled a little on 2010, I thought it would be worth revisiting the books we picked as the Top 10 of the last Decade. Twice a month, I'll spotlight one of these books and let you know why I think it shouldn't be missed. Many of these are popular titles, and I welcome any feedback other readers want to give about whether they would recommend the books as highly.
So, without further ado, the first book not to miss is: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
Why has The Kite Runner sold millions of copies around the world and received international acclaim? Partially it is because Afghanistan has been a hot spot on the international radar for the past 10 years and people are longing to understand more about this country. More than that, though, I think The Kite Runner's themes of friendship, betrayal, redemption and coming of age resonate with all people. This is a well written page turner that humanizes people in a place that may feel very foreign to Westerners. If you haven't read The Kite Runner yet, I would pick it up before reading Hosseini's other novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Be warned, though, that this book deals with intense and difficult situations that may not be appropriate for young adults.
Read a complete review of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
The Kite Runner Book Club Discussion Questions
Compare prices for The Kite Runner.
Cover Photo Courtesy Riverhead
New Series - 10 Books Not to Miss originally appeared on About.com Bestsellers on Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 00:09:19.Permalink | Comment | Email this
New Series - 10 Books Not to Miss
About.com Bestsellers
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