jeannes

• Rated 3 stars

“This is much better than average young adult literature. Through the character Justin Case, Rosoff explores the age old debate between fate and free will. That debate plays itself out deliberately or perhaps not in the life of the teen protagonist. Don't let the short chapters fool you, because this book tackles somewhat heady existential issues, it's probably not for reluctant readers. However, those looking for something a little more substantial will find ample to sink their teeth in here. ”

jeannes wrote this review Saturday, October 13 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“I have mixed feelings about this book. While I am impressed with the scope of Bradbury's imagination, I am turned off by the way he genders the evil forces in his futuristic society as feminine. Is anything ever so black and white? Millie and her friends have traded their brains for a gossipy interactive soap opera AND she betrays her husband after he saved her life! Even arch-enemy Beatty doesn't sink so low. It doesn't get much more sexist than that. Finally, though important, Bradbury's message feels overwrought and pedantic. ”

jeannes wrote this review Wednesday, September 19 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“If you have read Jane Eyre, you must read Wide Sargasso Sea. This book was one of my first glimpse of the view from the margins of English literature. Guilty of essentializing, I fell into the trap of seeing women writers as marginalized, not marginalizing. Writing from the point of view of the madwoman in the attic (Bertha Mason), Rhys takes her readers on a journey to the Caribbean and the plantations that made Rochester wealthy. The colonialism that forms the backdrop of Jane Eyre takes center stage in this novel. It is a compelling story and poignant reminder about perspective. ”

jeannes wrote this review Sunday, September 16 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“As remarkable as she is, I liked Jane a lot less the second time I read Brontë's novel. Maybe as woman and not a girl I was less swayed by the romance of the story and lost my patience with the domineering Rochester. At the end of the novel, I couldn't help feeling as though Jane had won her Rochester, she had saddled herself with a heavy burden as a result. However, my heightened perceptions of Jane's predicament are testimony to the novel's staying power. It's a book that deserves several reads. ”

jeannes wrote this review Sunday, September 16 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This was the first volume of poetry I ever purchased and it was required text for an undergraduate English course at UB. I've since acquired more collections but this remains one of my favorites for its subject, diversity, and frankly, size (not too big, not too small, just right!). Every time I return to this volume I either find exactly what I'm looking for and thinking about or something new and though-provoking. I'm impressed that this collection has retained its appeal in my mind even 17 years after its purchase. ”

jeannes wrote this review Sunday, September 16 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“West With The Night is an intriguing autobiography about an English expat and pioneering female bush pilot working out of Kenya during the early twentieth century. The title refers to Markham’s feat as the first pilot to complete solo flight east to west across the Atlantic. The book chronicles the adventures of her youth in Africa, her close friendships with the Africans who grew up near her father's farm, and anecdotes of her years as a bush pilot. It is an excellent companion to Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa; West With The Night intersects with Dinesen’s account of her years in Africa through the person of Denys Finch-Hatton, the object of both women’s attention. It is a fascinating tale of an extraordinary woman as well as a glimpse into the years of English colonial rule in Africa. ”

jeannes wrote this review Friday, September 21 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This book is a complex portrait of the south during segregation. Written during the Civil Rights movement it reflects the upheaval of the country during that time, but also embodies (as we all do) the latent prejudices still manifest in those who supported the Civil Rights movement. I love it all the more for its flaws for it is a true reminder that even though we are never perfect, the problems of our day still deserve our best effort. Atticus is model to live by. Lee's description of those halcyon summer days in Maycomb before the innocence of childhood was lost are among my favorites. ”

jeannes wrote this review Thursday, September 13 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“I've had my eye on this book for years, but was reluctant to dive in to such a lengthy non-fiction tome without knowing how long it would be before I emerged, but am I ever glad that I did! I could not put this book down. Bowden's impressive skill as an investigative journalist allow him to paint a fascinating and comprehensive picture of those two days in Mogadishu, and his skill as a writer literally makes it come alive. I would stongly recommend this book to anyone interested the history of war or the politics of this event. Or, to be honest, simply anyone looking for a good read. It is that worthwhile.”

jeannes wrote this review Thursday, September 13 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Trail guides often don't make for particularly good reading, but Saperstein's book defies that trend. I read it avidly from start to finish. The guide begins when Saperstein's son invites him to hike the length of the John Muir Trail and ends with their successful completion of that journey. The book breaks into two logical sections, planning and hiking. Both are interspersed with anecdotes, making it eminently readable. In the planning section, Saperstein methodically assesses each piece of necessary backpacking, extremely useful for someone does not wish to lug around an oversized pack. He belongs to a growing breed of go-light hikers, but is not such a purist that he's willing to sacrifice all amenities, and as a result achieves nice balance. If you are trying to hike the JMT on a budget this might not be the book for you as all that ultralight equipment ain't free. ”

jeannes wrote this review Monday, September 3 2007. ( reply | permalink )

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• Rated 3 stars

“Leland's book coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of On The Road (OTR) and the release of The Scroll Version of the same title--probably no accident. More analysis of OTR than biography, the book nonetheless explores both the character Sal Paradise and his author, typically conflated. Leland wisely avoids jumping to such conclusions no doubt thanks in part to his wide reading of Kerouac's works, letters and journals. The payoff is an informed and nuanced reading of OTR, especially of Kerouac's revisions of himself and the events that comprise the story. Similarly sure is Leland's reading of OTR as jazz performance, one that explores the same theme in different ways, cycles back on itself and engages the reader in the show. Less convincing is the parallel he draws between the Beats and the modern Christian movement. And Sal's Aunt as the book's O.G.? I don't buy it. However, despite these quibbles, I agree with his premise that Kerouac has been largely misinterpreted by his audience. That Kerouac participated in this misreading is touched on by Leland but not fully explored, a topic for future exploration.”

jeannes wrote this review Monday, September 3 2007. ( reply | permalink )