- November 25, 2015
- 12:48 pm
- Al Gini
- no comments
Christmas Book Bag
Gini in a Bottle
Christmas Book Bag
Al Gini
Christmas time! Family, friends, parties, gifts! And maybe, if you’re really lucky, some downtime for yourself. Maybe even some time to read a book. Who knows? It could happen! So, if you’re looking for a few good books to give as gifts to your friends, family, or yourself here are a few of my favorite recent reads. Enjoy!
- David McCullough, The Wright Brothers, Simon and Schuster.
This is not a complete history of the lives of Orville and Wilber Wright. Rather, it focuses on the how it all began. How two brothers who grew up without electricity, running water, and only a high school education changed the course of history. They were two bike mechanics, who loved books, loved science, and simply became curious about the physics of flying. They read everything they could. They tinkered with design and materials and on December 17, 1903- they made a motorized plane that flew on its own. This is not just a history of the first flight. This is a story of genius and desire, and it is written by one of our most popular historians. This is a history written with the style and flash of a novel.
- Eric Larson, Dead Wake, Crown.
The Lusitania sails from New York to England although Germany and England are at war. But, says British intelligence; “Not to worry the boat is loaded with Americans. Germany wouldn’t dare to sink a passenger ship!” Nevertheless, it was sunk by a U-Boat in the Irish Sea. Was this murder? Was this an act of war? Why attack Americans? Why risk a larger war? Who were these passengers? What was the captain of the Lusitania thinking? Why did the German U-Boat commander insist that his action was a valid act of war? Believe it or not Erick Lawson is a better writer than David McCullough! This reads like a psychological mystery written by Gillian Flynn.
- Kent Haruf, Our Souls at Night, Alfred. A Knopf
If we’re lucky, we live to a ripe-old age. But old age is painful when you are alone in a big house, with only your memories, and your grown children are too busy with their own lives. Addie Moore is a window, Louis Waters is a widower. They have been neighbors for years, but never really friends or particularly close. One day Addie shows up at Louis’s door, with an offer he can’t refuse. She proposes that they spend their evenings together and sleep together. She was not necessarily talking about sex, and he’s not necessarily looking for it. What they both want is the simple comfort of another body in bed, and yes, company, intimacy, something to look forward to each day. This is not a sad or pathetic book. It’s full of surprises. And you’ll be surprised by how much you will be drawn into their lives.
- Harper Lee, Go Set a Watchman, Harper
Ok, full disclosure. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my top ten books ever! When you combine the book with the film, perhaps it is the most moving experience of my reading life. So, I had to read Go Set a Watchman.
True lovers of Harper Lee’s first book should not be disappointed with the Watchman. After all, her editor rejected it and sent her off to use some of the characteristics and write another book. Thankfully, she did!
Part of this book is a sequel to Mockingbird in the sense that most of the main characters are there, but now all grown up and like Atticus, older. What people don’t like about this book is Lee’s portrait of an aging Atticus. Me too! But I take comfort in the fact and I keep trying to remember that Watchman is not her best work and perhaps it only got published to make money for someone! However, if you love Mockingbird as much as I do, how can you not, at least, be curious about Watchman?
- Lily Tuck, The Double Life of Liliane, Atlantic Month Press.
Lily Tuck wrote a book a few years ago entitled: I Married You For Happiness. I was moved by both the story and her style. She has done the same with The Double Life of Liliane. The book is clearly a Roman O’ Clef about her complicated family and life. She was born in Paris of German parents before WWII. Her parent’s managed to escape to Chile. After the war her father lives in Rome and makes films. Her mother plays on her beauty and makes serial marriage her career and her means of both a social and financial advancement.
The book is about how Liliane is raised speaking three languages, alternating between three continents graduating from Harvard, and meeting the who’s who of the literary, film and academic worlds. On the outside, she is a polished, experienced young women of the world. On the inside she remains a little girl who really cannot absorb her life and the ever changing world around her.
This is not an easy read. But its special beauty is worth the effort.