James ~ Percival Everett

 

*** LIKE

I can't get carried away with the general love there is for this.

James (Jim from Huck Finn).  

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has its place in American literature because of its use of the vernacular.  

Everett almost mocks this by portraying Jim as a highly educated, erudite slave who hides it.  His almighty twist is that Huck is half black,  and the son of James  ... such a WTF!  

The Better Son ~ Katherine Johnson

Jenny And The Jaws Of Life ~ Jincy Willett

Collection of short stories
An excellent writer, a mixed bag.

After finishing 1Q84, I needed a bit of a palate cleanser and this did the trick. The writing was tight, the subject matter was confronting, the stories were polished.

As with all anthologies, some appealed more than others but they were all worthwhile to various degrees. They tended to be acerbic, bittersweet, tragi-comedies that showcased empty lives with a cynical bite.

There is a skill to presenting sharp characterisation in a small slice-of-life and this author pulls it off with a well crafted collection. (But, for me, it is not in the same category as my favourite by her, The Writing Class)

Joy Luck Club ~ Amy Tan

*** LIKE ***

Finalist : National Book Critics Circle Award 1989

I was lucky I found joy.
It took a while ... but I came to appreciate it.

Once again, because I have read some excellent literature that uses change of voice vividly (for example : “Cloud Atlas” or “A Visit From The Goon Squad” or “Room”), I found this a bit of a trial at the beginning as it was not well done. At times it was difficult to tell who was the storyteller and the time period of the story ... there are multiple vignettes told in flashback to the daughter’s childhood and the mother’s childhood ... as well as anecdotes and histories from the other members of the Joy Luck Club. It really took me till the last third to feel involved in the storyline.

In the long run, it was a good book. It covers Asian/American + Mother/Daughter relationships well. I am glad I read it ... it was enjoyable ... by the end. But I have others of a similar ilk that I prefer.

Jasper Jones ~ Craig Silvey

Lots of kudos, lots of accolades, lots of awards .... but ...
If only they had promoted it as Young Adult Fiction!

It is great storytelling with some wonderful repartee and smart dialogue between characters. The plot and the mood do justice to the prejudices of time and place. It is suspenseful and believable.

So what’s my problem? The reading level is Young Adult. The vocab is limited; the writing is overblown in places; the story superficial : All this would be “forgivable” if I was reading it as Young Adult/Teen rather than as the Indie Book of the Year or Miles Franklin Winner

Jack London Photographer ~ Reesman et al (ed)

Coffee Table Book - large format with text, captions and glorious photography.
A social commentary in black and white.

Love Jack London as a writer and this book of his photographs is storytelling through the lens. This book of crisp, black and white photographs is photo-journalism through the eyes of a social activist.

There are chapters on the slums of London, the San Francisco earthquake, the Russo-Japanese War, sailing in the South Seas, the Mexican Revolution and more. Each chapter is introduced with information about the background to the historical context of the photos and photography techniques.

A wonderful historical study.