Space Station Mir

If you've been wondering why there have been no posts of late, I've been away for the past two weeks, visiting Israel. I'll put up some pictures in a future post, along with my review of The People of Forever Are Not Afraid , by Israeli author Shani Boianjiu. In the meantime, here are some books I finished before the trip. 19. Under the Jeweled Sky by Alison McQueen In my post on book topics I wanted to see more of, I included the India/Pakistan conflict. Then, I came across this book in the library. It's a story set against the backdrop of the India/Pakistan Partition, although that does not at first seem to be its main focus. At first glance, it's a fairly simple star-crossed lovers' tale, but the basic plot takes on a deeper significance within the larger context of the time period. This is a story about what it really means for people to be ripped apart, about what happens when you can't change the past, and there are no easy answers. 20. The...

17. Behind the Gem by Ken Hart An ordinary man finds himself suddenly transported across space and time and romantically pursued by a beautiful, gentle alien. Such is the conceit of Behind the Gem , and the plot's fast pace and simple wording make it read at first like bizarre fantasy. But it is so fast and easy to read, with event piling cleanly upon event, that one is drawn in. Gradually, explanations are revealed for the hasty beginning and the plot becomes both more interesting and more subtle. The outdoorsy, outspoken protagonist, Ray, is hard not to sympathize with. He is a masculine everyman with plenty of heart, soul,and brain. The female protagonist, known as Amber, is sympathetic, but less interesting aside from her alien nature. Despite her odd appearance, stereotypical femininity is her chief trait. This apparent stark delineation of the sexes is called into sharp relief when Hart pulls a twist that undermines the very structure of gender. I wish that more had be...

16. The Last Empress by Anchee Min There was a reason the ending to Empress Orchid felt abrupt. The story wasn't over yet! I have to say, this was definitely a story that needed to be told in full, though I think the second book was a little weaker in places than the first. Towards the end though, it perks up a lot. And Min's powerful metaphors continue to adorn the text. Empress Orchid, now Cixi, describes her relationship with her son as "trying to hold onto a kite in a capricious wind." The death of her best friend is like having "[her] heart shattered and the pieces pickled in sadness." Cixi is a woman who inspires incredible loyalty and immeasurable loathing. In this book, Min more directly addresses the many criticisms of Cixi's character and reign that proliferated in the foreign press in her later years. Some of the accusations, according to the novel, are true, but the most heinous ones are not. Cixi is painted as, above all, a patriot, ...

15. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin So, I went on a Song of Ice and Fire binge a couple years ago, but ultimately stopped reading because of my frustration with the violence and the knowledge that everyone would be killed off (or hideously maimed). Since then, I've been watching the HBO show "Game of Thrones," which, honestly, I like better than the books (and I am the kind of person who almost never says that). But now Season 4 has started, and I don't know what's coming! So to prepare myself, I read the fourth book, and am "up" on half of the upcoming storylines. I'll have to read A Dance with Dragons soon to be fully prepared. And then, well, I'm no worse prepared than anyone else, at least. The events of the fourth book were fairly in keeping with those of previous books. I know fans complained that there were a lot of new viewpoints and lack of older viewpoints, but honestly, it didn't bother me that much. It just meant...

14. Vienna Nocturne by Vivien Shotwell While reading Vienna Nocturne , I noticed that the back cover features a quote from Eva Stachniak, one of my favorite historical fiction writers. This realization brought me to compare the two author's debuts, which though both historical fiction, are vastly different in texture. Reading Stachniak's The Winter Palace is like wrapping one's self in velvet: thick, luxurious, and rich. In contrast, reading Vivien Shotwell's Vienna Nocturne is like being immersed in watered silk: exquisite but light and delicate. Vienna Nocture follows the career of Anna Storace, the soprano who starred in Wolfgang Mozart's most famous opera. Shotwell's writing is a sheer, unmitigated pleasure to read. Her language is flowing, her sentences are long, with clause after clause of description. One chapter begins: "The people of Venice sang as much as they talked, sang as they worked and wooed and slept, in gondolas and barges, on ...

Just Finished: 12. Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality by Jacob Tomsky Borrowed from the library, it was a quick and entertaining read.I'm fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes, and according to Tomsky, there's plenty of intrigue behind the front desk of a luxury hotel. Plus, he'll give you the low-down on how to score free minibar items and other perks (Warning: Not for the morally uptight). A bit too profanity-laden for my taste, and fluffy in parts, but I definitely wanted to keep reading after it ended. 13. Empress Orchid by Anchee Min Another historical fiction tome for my commute, I really enjoyed both the writing and the narrator. I'm glad I listened to it too, because I'm sure I would have pronounced the Chinese names all wrong. Min tells the story of China's last empress from her girlhood until she solidifies her regency (in her son's name). Despite ending rather abruptly, I really enjoy...

11. Youth in Revolt by C.D. Payne Pedantic Tom Sawyer meets 21st century.

10. The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly Corbett, and Amanda Pressner For the first few chapters of this book, a sanitized crossbreed of The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City , I was mildly intrigued. Then, it became a rather straightforward and not particularly interesting account of partying across South America. And then, it began to breathe. This is the true (but melded and simplified) story of three New York women who took a trip around the world. There is nothing special about their descriptions of the places they went, but it is their encounters with other people, and with each other, where their narrative shines. The book is divided into chapters narrated alternately by each of the three. Each woman has a distinctive voice and character, but the writing style is cohesive and the content rarely repetitive. Jennifer is searching for direction, though more in terms of romance than career. She and Amanda are both feisty and outgoing, while Holly is quieter. Holly ...