Recent Reads

November 2008

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

This is the second Krakhauer book we've read (Into Thin Air is the first). Krachauer tells the real-life story of Chris McCandless, a young man who seeks Adventure and Oneness with Nature and dies alone in the Alaskan wilderness in his early twenties. Chris' life was lived in capital letters. He read fiction by Jack London, Tolstoy and other romantic authors. He read Thoreau and took it to heart. He believed that life among raw nature was the only pure and true existence. His passion was mixed with great naiveté and an unwillingness to take advice.

What the Armchair Critics Thought:
Some of us were deeply moved by a young man's search for meaning in the wilderness. Others felt disdain for his hubris and narcissism. Most of us believed his estrangement from his father and mother (an extreme reaction to discovering his father's early infidelity to his first family) fuelled his desire for purity and his childlike expectation that everything could be handled if faced right now, head on, full force. Subtlety and considered action were not among his strategies.

The author's style was similar to his earlier book. It was very much in the first person, in the present and thus resembled magazine interviews, which was how the book began. "I watch the old man. He goes to the window. He looks out and says....." It was grating after a while. Also, the author interjected his own story about his contentions with this father into the book. Perhaps it was meant to show how other young men wrestle with their fathers, go into the wild and live to tell the tale. The conclusion would be that Chris was just unlucky.

Many of us felt that Chris was more than unlucky, he was wilfully short sighted and naive. We definitely understood the author's remarks on the mother's grief: "Such bereavement witnessed at close range make even the most eloquent apologist for high-risk activities ring fatuous and hollow." We understood, too, the mother's anguish, "I just don't understand why he had to take those chances."

October 2008

Origin of Haloes by Kirsten den Hertog

The Armchair Critics were excited to have Kristen den Hertog attend our meeting to discuss her book "Origin of Haloes". Ms. den Hertog was a gracious and interesting guest. Here are the highlights of our discussion.

A common theme in den Hertog's books is how the members of a family betray but still love one other. She is very interested in the dynamics of such family interactions. Den Hertog likes to make her characters complicated and human.

Origin of Haloes is about the repercussions of a central lie. Kay is selfish and she makes bad choices, but she is still sympathetic. She shows hints of deeper insight such as her flashback in the gym. Eddie was the most tragic figure in the book. Den Hertog wanted to convey how much he and his mother loved one another but how ruined everything was despite this.

Mythology is another common theme in this author's work. She likes to contrast the ordinary with the extraordinary events in life. This novel has the threads of the Olympic games and of the life of the Trudeau family running through it. It draws the connection between the little town of Deep River and what is going on in the larger world. And it shows that even mythological families have their squabbles. While working on this book , den Hertog saw news of Pierre Trudeau's death in the paper at the same time as coverage of the Sydney Olympics. The sections of the novel dealing with the Olympics also provide the reader with a break from the heavy emotions of the central plotline.

Den Hertog says that as she writes, her subconscious links events back to other parts of the story. She doesn't know the ending of a book when she begins, but instead starts with a character or a bit of dialogue. In the case of this book, the actual origin of haloes goes back to pagan times and she recalled this discussion from mythology. The similarity between Olympic rings and haloes only became obvious to her later on.

Den Hertog struggled with the final scenes of the book and whether to reveal what happened to Joe. In real life you are always astonished by what people do, and you think "how could they behave like that?" Life is surprising and people are both good and bad. Not knowing what happens to some of the characters is what keeps the reader thinking about the book and wondering about the relationships in it after the book is finished.

Den Hertog has used a different writing technique for each of her four books to date. Her first book was started after attending a writers workshop and having the other participants observe that her short stories were interconnected. This collection of stories was rewritten to become "Water Wings". Her second novel was written while completing a creative writing course at the University of Toronto. She was required to submit a detailed outline, write chapters on a fixed deadline and write the book in a very structured way. It was uncomfortable but successful. While writing "Origin of Haloes", she combined both of these approaches.

Her current book, (a non-fiction description of the life of her grandparents in the Netherlands during WWII), was written in collaboration with her sister. They e-mailed installments back and forth and found this was a good technique for providing a cool down period after seeing how the editing had been done by the other writer!

If she had to pick one of her books as a favourite, den Hertog would choose "Perpetual Ending" She enjoys magic realism (her favourite novel is the One Hundred Years of Solitude) and likes the way this book has fables successfully interwoven through it.

We thank Ms. den Hertog for attending our meeting. It was a highlight of our 20th anniversary year.

September 2008

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger

The true story of a huge storm at sea and the crew of the fishing boat Andrea Gail, based out of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The book opens on the lives of the swordfishing crew and their family members before the storm. It then attempts to reconstruct events on the Andrea Gail during the 1991 storm, and outlines rescue efforts directed at several other ships and a para-rescue helicopter. The book contains a host of technical details about swordfishing, boats, drowning, wave generation and meterology, and tends to read like a series of magazine articles.

What the Armchair Critics Thought:
We felt that the technical details were a bit distracting from the overall story of the storm; at the same time they were necessary to give context to the event. The ldepiction of the lives and work habits of the fishermen were an interesting glimpse into another world and we were surprised at how dangerous it still is to make a living at fishing. We found the technical description of drowning to be fascinating and very hard to read about. The book reminds us that in spite of our technological advances, and weather forecasting skills, mother nature still has the last word!

June 2008

The Last Time they Met by Anita Shreve

Linda and Thomas are former lovers who meet for the last time at a writers convention in a distant city. Thomas has a reputation as one of the best poets in his generation, although his poems are blunt and twisted. His marriage has fallen apart after the death of his daughter in a boating accident. Linda writes dreamlike, contemplative poems which are also popular. She has two grown children and is now a widow. The two characters hold their somewhat self-conscious reunion at the opening of the novel, which then proceeds to flashback over their previous encounters during the 35 years since they first met. There is quite a bit of shared history, including some adultery, a reference to a car accident, and time spent in Kenya. Slow paced at the start, the book picks up speed and crams most of the action into the last few pages.

What the Armchair Critics Thought:
There were mixed opinions about this book. Some felt that the characters and romance were real and gripping. The part set in Africa was especially heart-wrenching. Others felt that the ending of this novel was a calculated gimmick which cheapened the entire book. Why rush the ending? And why was the book written from Linda's perspective in the first place?

May 2008

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Jacob Jankowski is living out his final days in a nursing home where the food is soft and tasteless, the nurses are bossy and paternalistic and the other residents are too senile to talk to. When a circus sets up on the vacant lot next to the home, he starts to recall the story of his earlier life.

On the week following his parents' death, the grief-stricken Jacob blindly ran from his college exams and jumped a circus train heading out of town. When the circus manager discovered that Jacob has veterinary training, he was put in charge of the ill-used circus menagerie and tried to care for them as best he could. Life in the circus proves nasty and brutish for both man and beast, and yet Jacob finds camaraderie, friendship and love in the year that follows.

What the Armchair Critics Thought:
A good, fun read. The overview of 'circus' life in that era was very interesting, especially the level of competition between the 'great' circuses and how they were constantly in fear of being taken over. Some of the searches for the weirdest folks to 'display' were quite comical. Of course, the maltreatment of the circus animals is fairly common knowledge, but to read it was disturbing. The circus was a family....a family of misfits, malcontents, n'er do wells, crazies, etc., but a family nonetheless. Jacob's youthful tragedy sends him on a wild and wonderful journey to find a place to belong. And even as an old and feeble man in a nursing home, he is somewhat disenfranchised from his own children and he's lost the love of his life, so where does he go...with all the dignity he can muster and what little energy he's got to push himself and that walker forward? Back to the circus of course...any circus will do, it's home, it's family, and they take each other in and care for each other - they understand each other.

April 2008

Watership Down by Richard Adams

This well-known children's story follows a small group of rabbits who are warned of impending disaster, and set out to form a new warren. The rabbits share a strong and believable culture which includes language, customs, storytelling and religion. On their journey they fend off "the Thousand" (predators) and are forced to use their cunning, endurance and ingenuity to successfully create a new home. The rabbit heroes - Hazel, Fiver and Bigwig learn to rely on their unique strengths in order to overcome the odds: Hazel as the thoughtful, clear-headed leader, Bigwig as the brawn, and Fiver the seer. A surprising number of adventures befall the rabbits during their first year away from the old warren, and the book ends with the subsequent generations being entertained with stories of the brave pioneers.

What the Armchair Critics Thought:
This book was selected in order to revisit a childhood favourite as an adult. We found the story to be a well-told adventure story which kept us turning the pages. Those bunnies sure were busy - as the entire saga takes place over one spring and summer . The themes of leadership, fortitude and teamwork are strongly threaded throughout the book. It is interesting to see the three distinct types of societies that the rabbits develop...the vile, cruel, and controlled dictatorship, the naive, inexperienced yet vulnerable utopians, and the more practical, democratic and liberated community that Hazel-rah's group pursued and hoped for. We enjoyed the banter between animals and the clever way Adam's had of inventing pseudo languages/accents for the different critters. Some of us felt the book did not hold up well and were concerned by its purely male viewpoint. The novel does have a strong British point of view and explores male friendship in a similar manner to "The Wind in the Willows.

March 2008

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka

Nadia and her sister Vera have not spoken since their mother's funeral -however the news that their 84 year old father intends to marry a 36 year old Ukrainian refugee forces them into partnership. They must protect their father (and their mother's life savings) from the clutches of this busty, blonde interloper. Once the marriage takes place, Valentia, her teenage son and her new British Visa, move in with Nicholai and mayhem ensues. At first Nicholai can refuse her nothing, even paying for breast implants to enhance her already considerable charms. But as Valentia begins to realize that Nicholai does not have the disposable income to support the wealthy western lifestyle she expects, she quickly turns on her new husband and begins to physically and mentally abuse him. Nadia and her sister are alternately told to mind their own business, and then phoned in the night and begged for help. As the sisters work together, they come to terms with their estrangement along with some unspoken family history.

What the Armchair Critics Thought:

While largely described as a comedy, this is a book that raises interesting issues about the care of elderly parents, the immigrant experience and conflict between personal ideals and difficult realities. We did find the book comical at times, especially the vitriolic dialogue between Nicholai and Valentia and the saga of the "crap car". Nicholai's 'Toshiba apples' and the excerpt from his book about the history of tractors also provide some comic relief. The book is well written and captures the Ukranian pigeon English nicely. Recommended.

February 2008

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Henry DeTamble has an unusual genetic disorder which causes him to time travel at random intervals. Suddenly he will find himself sprawled naked on the ground in another place and time. He must steal clothes and food and find shelter until his body returns him to the present. Claire Abshire, is six years old when she first meets Henry in the meadow behind her home. He tells her to write down a series of dates -which are the times he will come to the meadow in the future. She hides a cache of her father's old clothes for him and leaves him snacks when he is due to 'visit'. What Claire does not know is that she and Henry are married in his future life. Henry will meet her for the first time when she is in her twenties, but she will have known him almost all of her life.

What the Armchair Critics Thought
This is a wonderful story about how the power of Claire's love anchors Henry in time. The couple attempt to lead normal lives, but are frequently drawn apart - longing for one another. The characters are not perfect -they are flawed and realistically portrayed. While the book alternates back and forth between Claire and Henry's point of view and moves through the various stages of their lives, Henry and Claire's respective ages are stated at the beginning of each. We enjoyed the way in which multiple Henry's could be present in a single time period, so that the older Henry could coach his younger self survival skills such as how to pick locks. At several moments of crisis in his life, another Henry manages to fill in for himself -sometimes with amusing consequences. A very good exploration of the nature of love and the "great big ball of wibbly- wobbly timey-wimey stuff" - as Dr. Who would put it.

January 2008

Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris

Synopsis:
A novel of betrayal, murder and false identity, set in the imposing halls of St. Oswald's Grammar School for Boys. The book's point of view alternates between Roy Straitley -starting his 100th term teaching Latin at the school, and the "pawn" -a newly hired teacher with a vendetta against St. Oswald's. We learn about the pawn's past, as a child of the school porter, borrowing the master keys and masquerading as a rich student. In the present, we watch as the pawn sets about bringing scandal to the school and Roy Straitley struggles to discover the identity of the interloper.

What the Armchair Critics Thought:
Very entertaining and suspenseful book with a great ending full of twists and turns. We enjoyed the use of the chess metaphor in the chapter headings and the names of the characters (Knight, King, Pawn). We found the character of stubborn Roy Straitley quite endearing, with his favourite chair, refusal to use e-mail, and one-man war to keep the Classics Department alive. We were interested to learn that the observations of the teaching profession and some descriptions of St. Oswald's were based on the author's experiences. Oh, and "podex" means "ass"!

November 2007

Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards

Synopsis:
It's 1964 and snowing heavily. A small town doctor is unable to transport his pregnant wife to the delivery room and she gives birth in his clinic with the assistance of his nurse. Unexpectedly, the wife gives birth to twins and the second child, a girl, is clearly suffering from Down's Syndrome. The doctor makes a hasty decision to hide this potential tragedy from his wife and gives the child to his nurse to transport to an institution. The nurse rejects this option and secretly decides to raise the girl as her own. She moves to another city, but continues to send updates and photographs to the doctor as the girl grows up. The book traces the consequences of the doctor's decision and its impact on the two families over the next twenty years.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

We all felt that this was a fantastic premise for a novel and that the author started the book out with a bang. Unfortunately things got a bit bogged down in the centre. So much time was devoted to Norma's depression and her dark state of mind that the book became heavy and depressing to read. (The reader also wonders why David told his semi-conscious wife about the second baby in the first place.) The study of David's guilt and the way his snap decision destroys his family is well done and believable, but the reader naturally wants to follow Caroline and Phoebe's progress and see how their lives turn out. The story is an interesting snapshot of the past treatment of Down Syndrome children and their struggle for acceptance and education.

October 2007

Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lamb

Synopsis:
A loosely connected series of short stories which follows a group of four aspiring students through snapshots in time -their acceptance at medical school, their studies, and their subsequent careers as doctors. The characters are shown as flawed yet sympathetic human beings, who take risks, make mistakes and learn to bear the label and ethical complications of a 'doctor of medicine'. The stories are skillfully written and varied -in one chapter the group of students dissects its first cadaver, in another an exhausted emergency room physician drives home in a semi-conscious stupor after the night-shift. Winner of the 2006 Giller Award, Vincent Lam drew upon his own experiences as a medical doctor to write the book.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

We very much enjoyed this book and were excited to see Vincent Lam read from it at the Toronto's 'Word on the Street' Festival. Lam showed a great sense of humour during the event and we thought he looked surprisingly young. He is still a practicing emergency room doctor, and it's hard to imagine when he finds the time to write. While none of the book's characters were particularly likeable, they were believable. Unlike television shows such as ER, the book provides a sense of the internal struggles and choices faced by the human beings who are called practice medicine. The book was especially gripping during its depiction of the SARS epidemic, and we were shocked to hear about the treatment of nursing staff during this crisis.

September 2007

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Synopsis:
After her miserable divorce, Elizabeth Gilbert sets out to find health, peace and happiness through a one year journey to Italy, India and Indonesia. She spends four months in each location: eating her way through the Italian language and cuisine and gaining weight and strength; praying and meditating in an ashram in India and gaining inner calm and self-awareness; and befriending native and expatriate people in Bali until she gains true love. This is not a travelogue, but rather the story of a woman's progress toward a healthy balance.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

Gilbert is a good writer and brings you along for the trip. Unfortunately you are also there for the inner wailing and gnashing of teeth and you may find this woman remarkably self-absorbed at times. It is difficult to care about her because she provides so few clues as to her real life - friends, family, hobbies etc. Nonetheless, Gilbert brings a wry humour and wealth of observation to her journals.

June 2007

The Last King of Scotland by Giles Foden

Synopsis:
This novel profiles Idi Amin, the former dictator of Uganda, from the viewpoint of the fictional Nicholas Garrigan, Amin's personal doctor and occasional confident in the 1970s. Insulated by the sudden wealth and privilege of his new position, the naive young Garrigan does not recognize the horrors inflicted on the rest of the country by his charismatic employer. When his own moral choices are called into question, Garrigan is treated to a trip through one of Amin's torture chambers. As he contrives to escape back to Scotland, Garrigan continues to justify his actions and ignorance and is completely surprised when he is labelled a traitor by his countrymen.

What the Armchair Critics Thought:

The characters are deftly drawn and you can easily understand (but perhaps not forgive) the irresolute behaviour of Garrigan. The charisma of Amin is also clearly apparent and his actions are often comical, yet frightening. One of our meeting participants brought a newspaper clipping of an interview by a Toronto Star reporter during Amin's heyday. The mixture of childlike glee and psychopathic action was real. Note that readers may be disturbed by some violent scenes.

May 2007

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

Synopsis

Rather than a memoir, this work is best classified as a series of essays about the parallels between life and in literature. Azar Nafisi provides brief description of her years in modern Iran, but spends the majority of her book recounting the lectures and discussions held with her hand-picked English literature students during their secret gatherings to discuss Western classics. Nafisi divides the book into chapters about the authors who reflect the various stages of her life in Tehran; for instance, "The Great Gatsby" is discussed during the chapter about the Iranian revolution, and "Lolita" is discussed during the chapter about the deterioration of women's freedoms.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

This was not an easy read, and many thought Nafisi spent too much time evaluating the literature being discussed and not enough time providing details about the lives and experiences of her students and herself. Nafisi's husband, mother and children are all mentioned in passing, but never take shape as human beings. Nafisi does not include much historical or political background to help the reader understand the events she touches on in her essays. We wondered how Nafisi's Iran would contrast with the Iran of today. We also felt that the connections Nafisi drew between life in Iran and the books her class discussed would have been better appreciated if we had read more of them.

April 2007

The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant

Synopsis

The novel is set in Florence - city of art and beauty, and follows the family of a wealthy cloth merchant. Alessandra Cecchi a fifteenth century tomboy, longs to draw and is attracted toward the fervent young artist hired to paint the family chapel. Although she inwardly rebels, Alessandra is soon married to a much older man who needs a wife to disguise his sexual proclivities. Betrayed and disappointed, she turns to her artist. Complicating their dangerous tryst is the invasion by France, an outbreak of smallpox and the rise of religious totalitarianism in Florence under the crazed monk Savonarola.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

The book was quite well received although it was noted that after the shocking prologue, the book fell a little flat until Alessandra was married. We had a discussion of convents as the refuge of educated, single women at the time. It was noted that this book fits within the new genre of 'art lit' . These are books like "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and "the Tree Lover" which are extremely visual, and include descriptions of technique, glowing colours and painterly images. It was very interesting to identify historical figures while reading the novel and the book was obviously well researched. Recommended.

March 2007

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

Synopsis

An intricate story blending the history of Niska Bird the Cree medicine woman, and her nephews Xavier Bird and Elijah Wiskeyjack who have left their home in the bush of Northern Ontario to join the great war in Europe. As skilled hunters, Xavier and Elijah are valued and accurate snipers in the trenches of France and Belgium; however the hardship and horror of the war destroys the mental and physical health of both men. When Xavier returns to Canada, badly wounded and addicted to morphine, his aunt paddles him back home to James Bay. On this three day journey, Niska tries to keep Xavier's spirit alive by telling him stories of her life and her own battle against the loss of native culture and language.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

Although this was a difficult read with many graphic descriptions of battle, corpses and horrific conditions, it was also a rewarding book providing an remarkable description of first nations soliders in WWI as well as the important role of Canadian troops and the sacrifices they made. We enjoyed the depictions of native life and customs. We found the book quite well written and paced. One scene we especially enjoyed was the three-way humorous exchange between Elijah, Xavier and their commanding officer after Xavier returns from an absence without leave. We had a great discussion about residential schools and their devastating effect on native reserves in northern Ontario and the praries. One member brought photographs and postcards from her great grandfather who served in WWI. Recommended

February 2007

Fortunes Rocks by Anita Shreve

Synopsis

The novel takes its name from a fictional New Hampshire beach resort at the turn of the century. The strong-willed, fourteen year-old daughter of an upstanding New England couple brings disgrace on two families when she throws herself into an affair with an older married man. Once her secret is discovered, Olympia Biddeford must cope with the loss and grief of her predicament while withstanding public shame and recrimination. After several years of exile at boarding school, she returns to Fortunes' Rocks and tries to refashion her life as an independent woman and reclaim her son.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

We had a lively discussion about this book. While several readers were captivated by the romance and drama of the story, others could not get past the image of the 14 year old with the 41 year old (ewwww). We wondered at the man's total lack of self control and the author's assumption that these two deserved ultimate happiness. However, we all admired Olympia's sheer force of will as she battled to reshape her life. The book was extremely well written with sumptuous passages of descriptive prose. Recommended light reading if you can get past the pedophilia.

January 2007

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Synopsis

"To the extent that fetal hormones affect brain chemistry and histology; I've got a male brain. But I was raised as a girl." So begins the story of Cal Stephanides who also states that "when this story goes out into the world; I may become the most famous hermaphrodite in history." But before Cal's coming of age can be revealed, the author takes us back, epic fashion, to the courtship of his grandparents in a tiny Greek village, their immigration to the USA on the heels of a bloody Turkish invasion, and their turbulent new life in downtown Detroit. We then follow the romance of Cal's parents - Milton and Tessie who know they are cousins but don't realize that Milton's parents are brother and sister. Finally, as Cal grows up awkward and lonely in an all girl school, we have a heart-wrenching depiction of unrequited love and loss of identity.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

There was general agreement that Eugenes is a terrific story-teller and that the book contains rich nuggets of history, human nature and humour. Some readers were frustrated by the lack of focus on Cal's story and wanted more details about the years between his adolescence and adulthood. The depictions of 1960s Detroit, the Nation of Islam, the Zebra Room and Cal's school were detailed and fascinating. While there is enough symbolism, character development and sylistic prose here to keep a professor lecturing for weeks, it rarely gets in the way of the story. Recommended.

November 2006

Mutant Message from Down Under By Marlo Morgan

Synopsis

Mutant Message is a first person story about a American woman who travels through the Australian outback for three months with a group of Aboriginals. During her ordeal, Morgan is given no choice but to follow the tribe as they attempt to enlighten her about their way of life and beliefs. She learns to cope with heat, thirst, flies, strange food and a host of other unpleasant experiences. She learns that the tribe communicates through telepathy and that their knowledge of weather, topography, plant and animal life is astounding.

Eventually Morgan comes to accept the aboriginal ways as superior to the wasteful and superficial western lifestyle. She is sent back to her civilized world with a message for the mutants (ie: the rest of us) which is essentially to stop squandering the planet's resources and learn to live again in harmony with the natural world. Originally published as non-fiction, this book was later re-released as a work of fiction. Morgan maintains that the events depicted in the book are, nonetheless, factual and actually occurred. She states that the book was re-released as fiction in order to protect the identity of the tribe that sheltered her.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

This story was a load of hogwash. Whether it was fiction or non-fiction, magic-realism or fable, the actions and thoughts of the protagonist were completely out of character for a sheltered, middle-aged woman. In Chapter one for example, Morgan apparently takes off all her clothes in front of a group of complete strangers and then makes no protest when they burn all her belongings (including some jewellery with sentimental value). While the actual message of the book is certainly meaningful -it becomes lost in the controversy surrounding the book and its tissue- thin plot.

October 2006

The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse By Louise Erdrich

Synopsis

Set in the frontiers of North Dakota, this novel describes the life of Father Damien Modeste who ministers to the Chippewa people over a period of 60 years. The comic and tragic stories of the town of Little No Horse are related from the viewpoint of this compassionate priest, who has a sad secret past of his own. The reader soon learns that Father Damien is in fact, Sister Cecilia from a convent in Wisconsin.

Through a sequence of peculiar events, Sister Cecilia has been married to a farmer, widowed in a bank robbery, and nearly drowned in a flood. When she finds the body of the original Father Damien, drowned on his way to Little No Horse she decides to masquerade as a man and replace the dead priest. Now nearing the end of his life, Father Damien dreads the discovery of his physical identity, and imagines the undoing of all that he has accomplished.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

The very first book read by the Armchair Critics was "The Beet Queen" by Louise Erdrich. It is interesting to return to North Dakota and some of the same characters. Opinions about this book were mixed. Several readers felt that it did not hold their attention and that the stories interspersed throughout interrupted the flow of the novel. There were so many characters to keep track of that it is easy to become confused. Some parts of the novel were extremely funny and enjoyable - others portrayed the characters in situations which made them very difficult to like. Generally we found that it paid off to keep ploughing through the first half of the book in order to enjoy the way Agnes' life is resolved.

September 2006

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

Synopsis

Naomi Nickel, the narrator of this sharp-witted, but tragic story, lives in a small Mennonite village in Manitoba. Nomi, as she is known to her father, is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her older sister and her mother -both of whom have left the restrictive life of her small community.

Nomi's Uncle Hans, the leader of their church, continues to introduce more oppressive rules and strictures -to the extent of shunning his own sister. Meanwhile, over at the quarry, the town's teenagers drink, smoke, fornicate and take drugs -all of which is ignored providing they show up for church the next morning. Nomi brings a wry and insightful voice to the paradox of growing up Mennonite in the 1970s.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

We had mixed reactions to this novel. We liked Nomi's humour and sharp insights; however we were saddened by the portrayal of a family destroyed by religious beliefs. What a waste. Nomi's father was a lonely yet stoic figure who makes a great sacrifice at the novel's end to save his daughter from further deterioration. We had a good discussion of what the complicated kindness was, and found that Toews had used examples throughout the book of the small-town friendliness coupled with religious intolerance that must have marked her childhood. Recommended.

May 2006

The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby

Synopsis

Murasaki was a novelist, poet, and servant of the imperial court during the Heian period of Japan. She was the author of The Tale of Genji, written in Japanese in 1010, one of the earliest and most famous novels in human history. The Tale of Murasaki is a fictional biography, based in part on her surviving diaries and poems. The book chronicles her adult life, with emphasis on the period before her marriage and the time she spent in court serving the empress of Japan.

The book contains Murasaki's careful descriptions of the highly refined manners, clothing and attitudes of Heian Japanese society. It give the reader a glimpse of the exotic culture of a thousand years ago in which upper class ladies hid behind screens and fans with only their long elaborate sleeves or trains showing. A world in which lovers conversed in poetry and ritual was valued above all.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

This was a beautiful and fascinating book -replete with actual quotations from Murasaki's diary by people who lived in the 11th century. We were astonished by the differences in mannerisms and morals shown by everything from the multi-layered robes, incense preparation and tooth blackening to the casual attitude toward sexual relations. The poetry and the descriptions of natural settings were lovely. We were interested in the lack of contact with or consideration of persons in the lower orders -such as the multitude of seamstresses, cooks, servants and litter carriers that must have been required to keep such a rarefied society functioning. Recommended reading.

April 2006

The Eyre Affair By Jasper Fforde

Synopsis

This is the first novel in Jasper Fforde's science-fiction/detective series featuring a smart, gun-toting heroine named Thursday Next. In Thursday's world, an alternate version of 1985, popular culture is ruled by literature. Coin operated "Will-Speak" machines quote Hamlet in bus stations, visitors make pilgrimages to view original manuscripts, and school children collect Johnathan Swift trading cards.

Thursday leads a quiet life as a detective in the literary division of the Special Operations Network, investigating forgeries and thefts. When Thursday's Uncle and Aunt are kidnapped, SpecOps uncovers a plot to kidnap and murder characters from everyone's favorite novels. And when the perpetrators dare to steal the original Jane Eyre, Thursday must race to save one of the most beloved characters in English Literature from eradication.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

Although Fforde employs time travel and alternate reality, his books are not easily classified as science fiction. Several Armchair Critics who usually dislike sci-fi were drawn into the world of Thursday Next and enjoyed the word-play and adventure. We liked all the literary inside jokes and found the book highly entertaining. We had a good discussion about which literary characters we would like to meet, and heard a bit about the continuing adventures of Thursday in the next three Fforde books.

March 2006

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Synopsis

As the title suggests, this is a novel about lies, remorse and redemption. The central character is Briony Talis, a thirteen year old with a gift for writing, and the overactive imagination it requires. When her young cousins run away after a late summer dinner party, the family scatters to search the grounds of their upper middle class estate. A crime is committed and Briony is at the centre of the accusations and trial that follow.

The central portion of the book deals with the lives of the accuser and the accused during World War II. Intense descriptions of the fatigue and horror felt by the characters make the war live in a series of moving chapters. The book wraps up with a tribute to the elderly Briony, now a renowned writer, by her extended family and Briony's reflections on the nature of her atonement.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

This is not a quick read for the beach. McEwan favours long, long descriptions of the surroundings and thoughts of his characters, and sometime the same events are presented from different points of view. Much of the first part of the book is given over to character sketches and the perceptions of various family members about one another. For example, Briony's quiet reflections on what drives the movement of her fingers, and whether others have the same control of their bodies and emotions, are given an entire page. With careful attention however; the reader is rewarded with stunning language and fresh insights.

February 2006

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

Synopsis

This slim novel, set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, describes the reeducation of two teenage boys, sent to toil among peasants in the countryside. Since their parents have been branded enemies of the state, the boys have almost no chance of ever returning to their former comfortable lives in the city. Instead they have nothing to look forward to unrelenting work and hardship, carrying baskets of excrement up the hillsides to fertilize the fields, or working in the small village coal mine. Two things happen to relieve the monotony -first they discover and steal a suitcase full of forbidden novels, and second they befriend the beautiful daughter of the local tailor. They begin to educate the little Chinese Seamstress, with unexpected consequences.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

We found interesting parallels in this story to the novel Bel Canto in it's description of how "art" can transform ordinary, even unbearable situations. Opinions were mixed about the overall impact of this book. Some enjoyed the simple story, others felt an overall sense of foreboding that the boys were going to be caught and punished, which spoiled the flow of the novel. We enjoyed the humour in the book (such as the scene in which the headman has his tooth filled). We were all impressed with Sijie's ability to write such a lovely book in his second language.

January 2006

The Five People you Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Synopsis

An elderly maintenance man for a theme park dies in a sudden accident while trying to save a little girl from a malfunctioning ride. The book describes the man's trip through the first stage of heaven. During this experience, five people from Eddie's past meet with him to explain their connection and to answer his questions about that period of his life. Outwardly, Eddie seems to be a simple man, but as the story of his past unfolds, we understand that Eddie has experienced child abuse, war, frustrated ambition, and the premature death of his wife. His burdens are eased by the five conversations and he is ready to move toward the next stage of heaven.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

We were a little mystified by the huge success of this book. Although the story deals with difficult issues, it has little depth or detail. We compared the book to one of the e-mail stories about guardian angels that make the rounds -heavy on the pathos, but no substance. We all agreed that this version of heaven (or purgatory) did not meet our ideas about the afterlife. Several of the people Eddie meets are only remotely connected to him and his conversations with those he has wronged are not the messy, raw confrontations of real life -only soothing pablum, yeilding a false sense of well-being.

November 2005

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Synopsis

Set in Afghanistan, this book follows the story of Amir -the son of an affluent businessman, and Hassan -the son of his father's servant. The two boys are motherless and nearly the same age. Behind the walls of Amir's house, they play and laugh together -but always with the understanding that Amir is top dog. This relationship eventually leads to a betrayal that takes Amir a lifetime to recover from.
The title of the book comes from the annual kite tournament in Kabul, where the strings of kites are coated with ground glass and used to cut through the strings of competing kites. The kiterunners are the boys who dash to retrieve the loosened kites and display them in their homes until the following year's tournament.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

Horrible things happen in this book -events made more ghastly because you know that they are based in reality. The character of Amir is difficult to like and yet so human and moving. The revelations in the latter part of the book make you want to go back and revisit the earlier scenes. How could Amir's father and Hassan's father have reacted in the ways they do? The book was also a fascinating glimpse into the pre-Taliban Afghan culture. The descriptions of orange peels on the fire, playing cards outdoors in the snow with legs tucked under a heated blanket, and Iranian dubbed westerns are evocative of a cosy yet unfamiliar childhood. This book is highly recommended, but not for the squeamish.

October 2005

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

Synopsis

When intelligent life on another planet is discovered, the Society of Jesus quickly and quietly organizes a team of Jesuit missionaries to explore this new world. The leader of this team is Father Emilio Sandoz, a gifted linguist who believes that God has been guiding him his entire life toward this mission. The novel uses flashbacks to the planet Roquat, as it deals with the Vatican inquest following the mission. Father Sandoz has returned as the sole survivor - dreadfully mutilated, a prostitute and a child killer. How did his vocation and his mission go so terribly wrong?

What the Armchair Critics Thought

The author deftly deals with a complex plot and multiplicity of characters. While we found it highly unlikely that all of Sandoz's closest friends would end up on the mission, we liked the people involved, so were willing to accept it. The symbiotic relationship between the two cultures on Roquat was nicely done. We had a terrific discussion about the nature of faith and the motivations of Father Sandoz . While some of us were upset by the outcome of the mission, we were encouraged to read the sequel (Children of God) where humans return to Roquat and discover that changes have continued to occur.

September 2005

The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland

Synopsis

A lovely portrayal of the life and struggle of Canada's famous West Coast painter, Emily Carr. The book describes Carr's unconventional tastes and lifestyle, which shocked the her colonial Victoria sisters and neighbours. It tells of how she dismissed the traditional parlour portraits painted by other women of her class and upbringing and found her authentic subjects -towering totem poles and cedars.

The book is also a disturbing record of the discrimination and intolerance of white society for the traditions and customs of the coastal Indians. The poverty, misery and shame brought to these proud people through the bigotry of the time is a black mark on Canada's history.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

We very much enjoyed this book and looked at coffee table books of Carr's paintings during our meeting. Vreeland has brought the character and her struggles very much to life and it is interesting to trace the connections in Vreeland's story to the various Carr paintings she weaves into the narrative. Her discussion of Carr's sense of the underlying colours in nature and her development of bold brush strokes and techniques was fascinating. You can read more about the author's thought process on her web site.

June 2005

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

Synopsis

A novel set in a post-nuclear future where most animals and humans have succumbed to radiation poisoning. Earth's remaining population continues to decline as the people with low enough radiation levels immigrate off-planet. Those left behind try to ease their loneliness with shared religious experiences, dialled up drugs and the acquisition of artificial animals.

Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter who destroys rogue androids from the off-world colonies who come to earth masquerading a humans. While his wife slips further into depression, Rick dreams of purchasing a real sheep to replace the electric one on this apartment roof. During the typical day portrayed in the book, Deckard works to "retire" a fresh crop of androids and finds the line between human and machine is blurring.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

This book received mixed reviews from the Armchair Critics. Since the book was used at the basis for the movie "Bladerunner" starring Harrison Ford, much of the discussion was focussed on the contrast between book and film. Ridley Scott, the director of the film intimates that Deckard is an android (especially through the re-introduction of the deleted unicorn dream sequence in the recent director's cut). P.K. Dick clearly portrays him as human -though the androids in the book are more sympathetically drawn. It was agreed that the film is better viewed after reading the book and that it would have been improved with the inclusion of several key scenes such as the false police station, the experience of Mercerism, and the electric sheep itself.

May 2005

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Synopsis

A work of non-fiction which contrasts the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 with the true story of a serial killer who used the frantic and often chaotic activity of the time to hide his movements. Dr. H.H. Holmes was able to finance the construction and staffing of a vast commercial building and lodging house with secret passageways and vaults in which he tortured and killed his victims.

Young women entering Chicago to find work at the Fair, often away from their country villages for the first time, were easily duped by the charismatic Holmes. His victims seemed to vanish into the bustling metropolis, while Holmes pleaded ignorance to their concerned families. At the same time, the book chronicles the fascinating trials and triumphs of the "white city" which was created for the World's Fair on inhospitable swampland in less than two years, and describes the marvellous sights and sounds of the Fair itself.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

This is an incredibly detailed and well researched book. At times the reader feels overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of facts and figures it contains. The contrast between the story of Holmes and the Fair is quite interesting although the device of switching between the two topics after each chapter could be frustrating for those looking for a coherent narrative. The amazing little tidbits of information about the Fair and its organization made for fascinating reading. We all wished there had been more photographs of the Fair and the White City included in the book.

April 2005

Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Synopsis

Another coming-of-age story set during the 1960s civil rights movement in the southern US. Fourteen year old Lily leaves her abusive father and travels with the family's black housekeeper Roseleen, to the town she thinks her dead mother came from. A drawing of a black madonna left by Lily's mother leads them to a trio of beekeeping sisters who take Lily and Roseleen in. Lily learns about beekeeping and her family past while enjoying her first case of puppy love with the young black employee of the apiary.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

There was a slight split in opinion over this book. Most thought it wonderful, uplifting and well written. They loved how the continual references to bees, honey and the black madonna cult tied the plot together and found the theme of sisterhood was powerfully rendered by the major characters. A small minority found the book cloying, cliché, and simplistic and were disturbed by the many inconsistencies in the plot (such as how Lily and the black teen are able to openly carry on their relationship just a year after Roseleen had to leave town due to the endemic racism). The hat wearing, honey smearing cult was also a little much for these readers to accept.

March 2005

Crow Lake by Mary Lawson

Synopsis

Kate Morrison's father was the first of his farming clan to finish secondary school and his job in a bank justified the sacrifices made by his family to get him there. Kate now has a good education, and a busy life in urban Toronto as a professional zoologist, yet she cannot escape from the memories of her upbringing in rural Ontario.

When a collision with a logging truck left Kate and her siblings orphaned, her brother Luke fought to keep the family together. Luke and Matt, the older boys, worked at a neighbouring farm to earn extra money so Matt, a gifted student, could attend university. But when the farmer's teenage daughter formed a desperate bond with Matt, Kate could not forgive and forget the consequences.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

A beautifully written book which was the choice for the "Hamilton Reads" event held by the local public library. We found the book moving and the characters sympathetic -with the exception of Kate -whose motives were not clear until late in the book. Our discussion lead to a debate about the priorities shown by Aunt Annie in her choice to leave the four children to fend for themselves while she returned to her work at the family farm in the Gaspe. Some of us also questioned the need for the huge mystery surrounding Matt, which seemed anti-climatic when revealed.

February 2005

How to Cook a Tart by Nina Killham

Synopsis

What would literature be like if stories were written by cookbook authors? Nina Killham answers this question in her first novel, narrated by the blissfully food-obsessed Jasmine March. Every simile is edible, every page makes your stomach rumble.

Jasmine's life revolves around her family and her next meal or snack. Meanwhile, her teenage daughter struggles with an eating disorder, while her husband gets involved with a new-age health nut who advocates deep bowel cleansing. Events start to spiral out of control as Jasmine's righteous defense of butter and cream on live television make her an instant celebrity and her husband's girlfriend approaches her for cooking lessons.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

This was a light, fun read. Some of us found the constant food references tiresome, but others quite enjoyed them. The ending of the novel is a bit disappointing as her family reacts to an emergency in surprising and unlikely ways. Killham's descriptions of food obsessions are spot-on and her heroine is likable and funny. Recommended.

January 2005

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Synopsis

Fourteen-year-old Suzie Salmon is murdered by a neighbour on her way home from middle school. From heaven, Suzie watches as her family first copes with her disappearance and then comes to realize she has been killed. As time passes, her parents, brother and sister cope with her loss in very different ways. Her sister forms a tough shell to keep sympathizers at bay. Her father attempts vigilante justice and ends up feeling he has failed his family. Her mother runs away from her children and her painful memories. Her baby brother tries to understand why his family has fallen apart.

Suzie tells the story of her family in a strangely dispassionate voice. In her perpetually childish state she simply cannot comprehend the emotions and challenges which face those left on earth.

What the Armchair Critics Thought

We liked Sebold's description of heaven, in which every resident has a different experience. (For instance, Suzie fulfills her ambition to attend high school, but only has to read Vogue magazine, not textbooks.) The descriptions of the family's grief and bewilderment were heart wrenching. Some of us were disappointed that the novel did not move toward a conventional conclusion with the killer brought to justice. On the whole, an interesting, if emotionally draining read.