robertaruark

robertaruark

I am an English/Film Studies/Humanities teacher who is always looking for the Next Great Book.

I love to read almost anything.

I love to read almost anytime.
  • seattle
  • member since Tuesday, July 3 2007

Profile: Reviews

  • Sort by:
 
Displaying 1-10 of 19 reviews
  • Kafka on the Shore
    • Rated 3 stars

    Whew! This unconventional book gets more confusing and surreal as it speeds along. The characters and events are so unusual - is it a Japanese thing? I loved the connections that I understand - felt that there were many that I just missed. I wish I knew more about the Oedipus story. I wish I knew more about string theory.

    robertaruark wrote this review Sunday, September 9 2007. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Distant Land of My Father
    • Rated 4 stars

    A wonderful story - difficult to believe it isn't a memoir. The story of a family, the love of a city (Shanghai), and the world events that tore everything apart. This was an unexpected pleasure.

    robertaruark wrote this review Wednesday, August 15 2007. ( reply | permalink )
  • Stardust
    • Rated 2 stars

    Just okay. I like the juxtaposition of the real world and Faerie, tho. i didn't care for the protagonist. the three strands of plot tied up too neatly - perhaps anticipating a tv or movie version? why wasn't ditchwater sal aware of the star? the uncomfortable interaction with the mother and tristan/star at the end felt awkward.

    robertaruark wrote this review Sunday, August 5 2007. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Whole World Over: A Novel
    • Rated 3 stars

    the writing is strong - i especially like Walter and the way he thinks/speaks. the setting is memorable - small, idiosyncratic details evoke a "moment in time."

    robertaruark wrote this review Monday, July 16 2007. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Book Thief
    • Rated 3 stars

    The author's distinctive vision of Death is interesting: he's tired, cynical, detached, and also compassionate. The story leans toward the edge of sentimentality but the writing is w o n d e r f u l l y inventive and the way literature is used is inspiring (e.g., using "Mein Kampf" to save a Jew's life then painting over the pages to write a new story).

    robertaruark wrote this review Friday, July 13 2007. ( reply | permalink )
  • Cloud Atlas: A Novel
    • Rated 5 stars

    if "the medium is the message" than this is a virtuoso performance. the style alone makes for a terrific read - but the linked stories are equally absorbing. terrific in every way.

    robertaruark wrote this review Sunday, July 8 2007. ( reply | permalink )
  • Everything Is Illuminated: A Novel
    • Rated 5 stars

    how can he write such disparate characters so knowingly? the use of (his creation of) spoken language was wonderful. the surreal journey, the backdrop - loved, loved, loved this story and these people. thank you, j.s.f.

    robertaruark wrote this review Sunday, July 8 2007. ( reply | permalink )
  • Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
    • Rated 5 stars

    i love this story and the post-modern way it is told. i use it together with "slaughterhouse five" in my class and students find so much to relate with. a great connection with the Dresden firebombing. I also think the choice of protagonist is perfect. autistic? i love the fluidity with which his magical thinking and practical decision-making interchange. there are so many ideas for reflection here. i think j.s.f. is amazing.

    robertaruark wrote this review Sunday, July 8 2007. ( reply | permalink )
    • Rated 3 stars

    As much a story about Ann Patchett's maturation as her unusual friendship with Lucy Grealy, I like how "Truth and Beauty" is so unsentimental. Sometimes, tho, she's too coolly distant from the reality of some of the horrendous events and the effect dehumanizes the experience.

    robertaruark wrote this review Saturday, July 7 2007. ( reply | permalink )
  • Arthur and George
    • Rated 3 stars

    How true is the Arthur Conan Doyle story? How true is the trial? George (poor George) is a little too dim to be believable but the "crime" is absorbing. Victorian mores are also intriguing.

    robertaruark wrote this review Saturday, July 7 2007. ( reply | permalink )
Displaying 1-10 of 19 reviews


© 2008 Tastemakers, Inc. | Portions of Shelfari.com are Copyright © 1996-2008 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy