I Married a Communist by Philip Roth
Deception by Philip Roth
I Married a Communist - 4/5 Stars The second in the so-called American Trilogy which finds both Philip Roth and his sometimes alter ego Nathan Zuckerman reflecting on their own pasts and also the middle part of the 20th century. The Zuckerman novels tend to be fairly naval-gazing affairs and very … [Read more]
The Discomfort Zone by Jonathan Franzen
The Discomfort Zone - 4/5 Stars The Discomfort Zone of the title of this book is play on a constant fight that Jonathan Franzen explains his parents had over the course of their marriage. His mother, tired and hot from working in the house all day, prefers to set the thermostat cool, the … [Read more]
The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace
Broom of the System - 4/5 Stars This is David Foster Wallace's first novel, the original draft of which was his thesis. The novel itself is sophomoric, for a first novel (if that's possible) and both precocious and impressive. At times, it really sings, and at other times it's too goofy for words … [Read more]
Lou by Breanna Carzoo
I almost was not going to write up Lou by Breanna Carzoo. Then I said, I would write it up with Two Dogs by Ian Falconer. I did not, because I figured even though they have both have dogs doing what dogs do to plants and in the case of Lou, fire hydrants, it was a stretch to connect them. And … [Read more]
Little Bat Up All Day by Brian Lies.
I really enjoyed Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies. Therefore, every so often I pick up one of their new books (or read again an older one). This summer, we will add Little Bat Up All Day to the line up of batty good times. This time we have Little Bat on a new adventure. Curious about what the … [Read more]
Harvest Days: Giving Thanks Around the World (World Celebrations) by Kate Depalma
Every November for as long as I could remember, my family celebrated Thanksgiving. We did not really have the “adult” or “kid” table assignments, but we just naturally drifted to the table with the kids. I mean, I had older cousins, they were cool to hang out with. And maybe we did not celebrate … [Read more]
