"Course Correction" by Ginny Gilder

I received "Course Correction" by Ginny Gilder through the Library Thing Early Reviewers program.  I love history, sports, legal issues, etc., and so was intrigued by this book.  On the positive side, I found the rowing details fascinating, as well as the general Title IX equality struggles.  The high points are those involving her parents and their family problems - something to which we can all relate.  Very moving stuff.  Unfortunately the book contains far too much amateur psychology and too many rah-rah self-help platitudes for my taste.  I also think the author glosses over her end-of-the-book life choice considering how many others it likely effected.  Good for her that she made the choice, just treat it with the gravity it deserved.  In the end  the book was a bit of a disappointment, but probably still worth the read.

"Among the Ten Thousand Things"

"Among the Ten Thousand Things" by Julia Pierpont is an excellent debut novel that hit very close to home for me.  The author gets our attention with a shocking opener, but we very quickly learn that this is a book about family dynamics and a family coming apart.  Yes, there are plenty of "coming of age" moments, but Pierpont offers so much more in her study of how individuals deal with the pain of loss and separation.  Despite the shouting efforts of a previous reviewer to alter it, I believe the disjointed timeline presentation is brilliant and is inteneded to effect the way we read the remainder of the book.  Don't mess with the order - it's perfect.  Thank you for the Goodreads Firstreads book - certainly one of my recent favorites.

"The Jesus Horse"

Almost unreadable. Strange style and construction. Supposed message lost on me. Author never uses one word where she can use five. Overwrought is the best description that comes to mind. Appreciate the opportunity to check it out. Rating not lower because the author did seem genuine.

"9 1/2 Narrow"

Upon receipt of “9 ½ Narrow” by Patricia Morrisroe, I made a mental note to take greater care when clicking my way through Goodreads and Library Thing’s Early Reviewers.  Everything from the cover to the synopsis made me want to pretend I never received this.  As a middle-aged man with a strong dislike for exposed feet and a shoe collection that includes exactly two pair of New Balance running shoes, I could not imagine making much progress with this thing.  Wow, was I wrong!  I couldn’t put this book down, finishing the whole thing in two evenings.

This is a very funny first-class autobiographical effort.  Yes, the author uses shoes, especially early in the book, as a connecting thread through her life story, but not in a way that overwhelms her very well written personal story and alienates crabby old men like me.  The Sopranos is an organized crime story that is really about family, and this is a shoe story that is really about family.  The central interaction is between the author and her mother, and while abrasive on the surface, was always tender and loving in a modern sort of way.  After finishing the book I wondered if the author would have portrayed her mother in quite the same way had she still been alive.  I believe the answer is yes, only based on the way her sister Emily is depicted, probably deservedly so.

Despite all the foreign-to-me shoe terminology and designers, I was envious of the life of travel and interesting relationships.  This is the best memoir of its type that I have read since Jeanette Walls’ “The Glass Castle.”  Thank you for sending me a copy!!

"Trespassers"

You never know exactly what to expect upon receipt of the latest First Reads offering from Goodreads.  If unfamiliar with the author or the title I often begin with low expectations, as was the case with "Trespassers" from Todd and Tim Wynn.  This book was far from a disappointment - engaging plot, well drawn characters, and excellent prose combined to make this a surprising "must read" for 2015.  Set on some version of a familiar Earth, we are drawn into a tale of intrigue, love and suspense as members of the Limestone Deposit Survey Group face off with aliens on a murky mission, and a federal agent out to expose them all.  At times hilarious, and at others emotional, this book is always intelligent and fast paced. My only disappointment was learning that a sequel is not imminent!  In any case I definitely want to read more from these brothers, whatever the story.

"The Paragraph Ranch"

"The Paragraph Ranch" by Kay Ellington and Barbara Brannon was a bit of a crazy ride for me.  The entire reading experience started poorly upon notification that I was receiving an electronic copy.  Since I don't and won't do e-readers, I was forced to print a copy.  For me, most of the story was predictable and simplistic, and the only real attempt to develop a character was with the central figure, Dee.  I typically wouldn't even attempt to finish something like this, but I couldn't put it down because of G.H. Templeton storyline,  I was initially annoyed by the writing advice at the beginning of each chapter, but as I came to appreciate the borderline brilliant mystery surrounding Dee's research subject, I was also able to accept that device.  Two authors usually makes me cringe, as their efforts are often apparent, and I wonder if that's the case in this book.  Parts of it were almost literary in quality, and parts sleep inducing.  In the end the Dee research angle kept me engaged and warranted a higher rating than otherwise.

"Life Drawing"

 “Life Drawing” by Robin Black, is a book I came across accidentally while visiting and then clicking through the website of a small New England independent bookstore.  I bought the book online and then let it gather dust for a few months in my “to read” pile – until this week.  I believe Matthew Thomas’ “We Are Not Ourselves” is the best book I’ve read in a decade, but this one comes in a close second.  Black’s debut novel is a beautifully written tale, weaving themes of loss and betrayal, isolation versus confrontation, forgiveness and deceit, as it details the fragile marriage of Augusta (Gus) and Owen.

Gus, the artist, and Owen, the author, both struggle personally and professionally to deal with her previous relationship infidelity.  They establish a fragile peace that limits their creativity and forbids any growth or repair for their marriage.  The book offers many glimpses into the ways couples settle into places that are neither happy nor comfortable:

"By forty, is there anyone who hasn't had to recognize that happiness, as understood by youth, is illusory? That the best one can hope for is an absence of too many tragedies and that the road through the inevitable grief be, if not smooth, then steady? Daily life was a pale gray thing, it seemed, and to expect otherwise was to be a fool - at best."

What peace they have is almost immediately disturbed by a new neighbor, and ultimately her daughter and ex-husband.  Nothing ends well for anyone. 

If I had any criticism it would be way Black seems to condemn Owen for his inability to forgive and trust Gus after the betrayal, a path we eventually see Owen was wise for following.

Loved the book and the author’s style so much I tracked down a previous collection of short stories on eBay.  Now I need to find that independent bookseller again and mine for more gems like this one!