A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett
I’m not one of those people with stacks of books in a TBR pile – in fact, I own very few books. Years ago, I decided that the library was a much better way to go and easier on the bank account. Now in the days of Covid, I mainly borrow e-books, which is even better as I can just return it with a touch and look for my next read. In my latest scroll of available books, I found this one – I’ve never […]
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
This was so good, and I’m very glad I read it. So subtle and skillfully put together. To think about this woman dying at 34, and how many more great pieces of art she could have created. This is why I like to do Read Harder every year, because I probably wouldn’t have gotten around to this without it. This is a three act play that follows the Youngers, a black family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. Mom Lena, son […]
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Glamour magazine said it best in their review, “It’s impossible not to get sucked into this satirical novel.” Crazy Rich Asians is simply fun entertainment. I can totally see why they made a movie based on this book – the fashion, the architecture, the opulence, OH MY! Now, I can’t wait to see it. Also, when I started the book, I assumed it was a stand-alone novel. I had no idea it was the first in a trilogy. As soon as I ended on a juicy, […]
Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson
There is a lot to say about Shakespeare, but there is not a lot to know. Bill Bryson, everyone’s favorite kindly uncle, lays the facts bare while gently chiding all of the (mostly bonkers) “hopeful suppositions” that have been presented as facts by well-meaning and often obsessed fans, historians, and scholars. Bryson, himself an acolyte at the altar of Shakespeare, paints a bright and brisk portrait of the man that we know to be Shakespeare. We know very few things about him; there are only […]
The Flame Throwers by Rachel Kushner
Well, it’s 1975, and the Red Brigade has exploded in Italy. Riots in the streets, and the wealthy (especially their kids) are kidnapped with impunity. You might have heard of J. Paul Getty’s grandson. His kidnappers sent a piece of his ear to his grandfather to show they were serious. Getty famously replied, meh. At least the grandson eventually was let go, but others did not survive. Fortunately, all of Getty’s money ended up resulting in a couple of fabulous museums. So this the world […]
