Jared Overzat Overzat itibaren Kumarunipalli, Andhra Pradesh 516107, Hindistan
Okay, I didn't actually finish this book, I was more then halfway through, really bored, and finally gave up. Sorry, I don't normally quit books until the end so if I did this must tell you I thought it was really boring.. .nothing happened, and I heard it didn't get any better...
Although I was originally frightened by the thickness of this book dubbed "an exhilarating reinvention of the American epic," it is actually a very engaging read. Although, I found a few spots in the first half to be a little slow, once I was finished with the book I understood why such detail was necessary to emphasize what I feel is one of the themes of the book- how the past resurfaces into the future, and the ties we have to our bloodline no matter how far removed we may feel from it. I love how much time this novel manages to span without suffering from a tone of a boring history lesson or feeling so removed from present day. I was initially interested in this book because I knew it has an intersexed narrator, and I really expected (and hoped for) the storyline to be dominated by this. But I was pleasantly surprised by how so many other diverse events, personalities, and subjectmatter were woven into this novel that were so far removed from what I would normally think would come up in an "intersexed" book, but also fit in and supported Cal's story so strongly. Another great read I'd suggest, especially if your in the mood for something more meaty that has a hint of history, psychology and gender theory in it as well (and not in a preachy way, but presented more in a questioning manner.)
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden A delicious gem of a book written about a fictional girl named Chiyo who later becomes the honored geisha, Sayuri. Based on actual interviews and information from several geisha, most notably Mineko Iwasaki, Memoirs of a Geisha paints a vivid and seemingly accurate picture of a geisha's life in the 30's and 40's, during times of great wealth and abundance, as well as great suffering and loss. Before hitting upon some of the core of the book, a special mention goes to the beautiful language in which this novel is written. When young Chiyo falls on the slippery dirt road in Yoroido, she looks back on that event as being "one of those trivial things with huge consequences, like losing your step and falling in front of a train." So beautifully written in language, and so beautifully portrayed as a life lesson. The entire book reads like this amazing metaphor... Read more of my review at: http://fromichelle.blogspot.com/2008/...