Sparse, poignant, moving. This very much has the feel of a memoir, even though it's fiction, but the reader can tell that Woodson's life cannot be undSparse, poignant, moving. This very much has the feel of a memoir, even though it's fiction, but the reader can tell that Woodson's life cannot be understood apart from growing up in Bushwick. ...more
I'm so glad this book exists, because there are so few stories, fiction and nonfiction, about women without a husband or children who are also not casI'm so glad this book exists, because there are so few stories, fiction and nonfiction, about women without a husband or children who are also not cast into all the awful stereotypes we harbor for unpartnered women. There's a lot here about family and friendship that was vulnerable and touching. I hope this book encourages more women to see their lives as full--not always happy, not without pain, but full, complete....more
To riff off the title of another essential book on race in America, the title of this book could be, "Why are all the black families living together oTo riff off the title of another essential book on race in America, the title of this book could be, "Why are all the black families living together on the other side of town?" Here, Rothstein pulls together historical records, legal research, and a quiet urgency to argue convincingly that most U.S. cities today are segregated not simply because of private decisions (de facto segregation) but largely because of government-mandated housing laws and policies (de jure segregation), by which the federal government bypassed the 14th Amendment and created one of the most enduring gaps in equity and education that we live with today. The research here is meticulous and quite hard to argue with, and the FAQ section at the end anticipates natural resistance to Rothstein's "solution," which is not wholesale reparations but what he calls remedies--various financial incentives offered by the government to speed the process of integrated living. This is helpful, if dry at times, reading alongside Ta-Nehisi Coates's "The Case for Reparations."...more
I found this biography so compelling, in part because it provides a thorough overview of Dorothy Day's singular, unexpected life while peeling away soI found this biography so compelling, in part because it provides a thorough overview of Dorothy Day's singular, unexpected life while peeling away some of the spiritual veneer that has developed over time. The writing was sparse and occasionally flat but also beautiful in parts. Hennessy ultimately honors Day's life while punctuating scenes with a right kind of ambivalence about Day's mothering and boundaries with various folks connected to the Catholic Worker movement. I walked away with more appreciation of Day as a mere human, warts and all, who was also likely a saint....more
6 stars. Surely reading this while living in NYC enhanced my experience, but Smith's writing is so vivid that she makes "gritty" New York of the 70s a6 stars. Surely reading this while living in NYC enhanced my experience, but Smith's writing is so vivid that she makes "gritty" New York of the 70s and early 80s seem magical even for outsiders. The writing is poetic and infused with sadness and love. ...more
Sigh. No. This book would have struck me as profound at age 19, but at age 32 I just want to shake the protagonist.
First, the positives. I found the Sigh. No. This book would have struck me as profound at age 19, but at age 32 I just want to shake the protagonist.
First, the positives. I found the world of restaurant-ing truly fascinating for a good portion of the book. It's clear Danler has had some experience serving and puts her knowledge to good use here. Some of the language about food was a little florid, but it's really hard to write well about food and I appreciated the attempts throughout. It made me want to learn more about wine.
Moving on...first, the love triangle at the center of this book struck me as petty and kind of boring. Our protagonist is pining for a terrible person who treats her terribly; it seems what they have in common is that they both like rough sex. I didn't find their relationship interesting and so I didn't care one bit when it dissolved.
The author's description of the country bumpkin who moves wide-eyed to NYC has been done many, many times, and I couldn't discern that Danler had added anything interesting to the genre.
Danler also seems to think that inserting a copious amount of sex, cocaine, and alcohol abuse into the story would make it interesting. It wasn't interesting, especially when it only seemed to reveal over and over how messed up or lost our protagonist is. There's no movement in this story. It just kind of sits there. We're supposed to think that Tess is interesting for allowing crazy and extreme experiences happen to her, but it leaves us with a protagonist with little agency or much personality.
Finally, the dialogue. I can forgive some clunkers in a first novel, but the attempts throughout to be 'literary' made me laugh. Not in a good way, like in a, 'wow, that's bad, didn't an editor catch that?' No one thinks that your referencing an Edward Hopper painting is interesting or profound. Or, I think it would have struck me that way at age 21. I'm too old for this book....more
3.5 stars. Colum McCann creates characters whom he loves and empathizes with, and the connective nature of the narrative is satisfying and internally 3.5 stars. Colum McCann creates characters whom he loves and empathizes with, and the connective nature of the narrative is satisfying and internally coherent. The prose here is so smooth. I think I wanted more depth to the characters and more resolution of their specific dilemmas. Some of the language bordered on cliched. Overall though a fine read....more
Captivating, vivid, and warm. I won't soon forget these characters or the places they inhabit.Captivating, vivid, and warm. I won't soon forget these characters or the places they inhabit....more
Wry, strange, astute in its observations on the placelessness and restlessness of modern American life, and suggestive of a faith that is real yet nevWry, strange, astute in its observations on the placelessness and restlessness of modern American life, and suggestive of a faith that is real yet never arrives as a simple answer, but remains at the margins of this story, beyond the perception of Binx Bolling....more
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