Thomas Murphy

Poet. Take your aging mind and engage it with Roger Rosenblatt’s novel, Thomas Murphy, in which the irrepressible poet, Murph, wonders about his own aging mind, reflects on his life’s relationships, and charms every reader on every page. Once engaged, give yourself over to dreams, and beauty and laughter and all that remains possible for every day that we are alive. This novel is a song to life, sung by a great lover of life, an intelligent character created by a thoughtful writer. How much of the mind of either of them, or a reader, may be misfiring is another matter altogether. Leave that for another day. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Thomas Murphy from amazon.com.

Brazillionaires: Wealth, Power, Decadence, and Hope in an American Country

Olympic. My 2016 Olympics pre-reading was Alex Cuadros’ finely written book titled, Brazillionaires: Wealth, Power, Decadence, and Hope in an American Country. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat comes through loud and clear in this book, especially in relation to the rise and fall of Eike Batista. Any reader interested in Brazil will enjoy this finally written book. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Brazillionaires from amazon.com.

Commonwealth

Connections. I recall that in Ann Patchett’s previous novels, she kept the plot focused on a short period of time. In her novel titled, Commonwealth, she spans fifty years with the exposition, and weaves in and out of the decades and the ten main characters in unpredictable ways. As fans have come to expect, Patchett’s descriptive prose is lyrical, and her character development is complete and insightful. I came to care deeply about this ensemble of characters, and the more I understood them, the more I enjoyed the novel. The connections of love and care provide direction for the novel and the unpredictable and fleeting paths of our lives are held in high regard. Losses are deeply held by some characters, and affect all. Mortality remains present and vivid. Patient readers who enjoy finely written literary fiction and who can tolerate non-linear exposition are those most likely to enjoy reading this novel. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Commonwealth from amazon.com.

I Let You Go

Abuse. Clare Mackintosh grabbed me from page one of novel titled, I Let You Go. Five-year-old Jacob Jordon let go of his mother’s hand for just a second on a Bristol street in front of their home, and dies at the hand of a hit and run driver. The pace remains fast through the multiple narrators, as Mackintosh draws us into understanding of victims and the consequences of abuse. I was surprised by certain plot twists, and that added to my reading pleasure. Readers who enjoy psychological fiction are those most likely to enjoy reading this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase I Let You Go from amazon.com.

Carousel Court

Uprooted. Novels can often hold up a mirror to our lives in ways that lead to delight or to depression. In his finely written novel titled, Carousel Court, Joe McGuiness, Jr. may lead readers in both directions. Phoebe and Nick Maguire move from Boston to California just as the financial crisis is about to descend on them and the rest of us. Their flip plan for a large California house flops. While many readers will find sadness and despair as they become uprooted in multiple ways, other readers will delight in the resilience that can be found by some of us when encountering setbacks. McGuiness makes us care about these characters, even though we may not like them or their behavior. We may encounter many novelists who choose the housing and financial crisis as a great canvas. McGuiness uses that backdrop very well in this novel, and readers who enjoy finely written literary fiction are those most likely to enjoy this book. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Carousel Court from amazon.com.

Here I Am

Presence. I spent many pleasant hours present with the writing of Jonathan Safran Foer is his latest novel, Here I Am. Over the course of almost six hundred pages, I laughed a lot, became annoyed regularly, and kept thinking about how much of life really does involve showing up and just being there. Along the way in this novel, we are bystanders as a marriage falls apart, precocious children come of age, older generations die, and (spoiler) a dog is finally put down. The separations are intense and the losses are deeply felt. On page 102, we learn about the title, a translation of the Hebrew word, hinemi, here I am, used in the biblical story of Abraham and the sacrifice of his son, Isaac, to mean wholly present. In the story, Abraham is present for God, and Abraham is present for Isaac. Protagonist Jacob is present throughout the novel, acclaiming that life is precious and he lives wholly present in the world, while often being clueless and inadequate. Jewish identity informs this novel and provides plot momentum involving a bar mitzvah and a threat to the survival of the State of Israel. Readers who enjoy the messiness of life, including virtual life that Foer also explores, and who delight in all the broken places that make up our reality, are those most likely to enjoy reading this novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Here I Am from amazon.com.

Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy

Outrage. Readers interested in public policy, especially those who love quantitative analysis, are those most to enjoy reading Cathy O’Neil’s book titled, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. O’Neil presents many examples of ways in which algorithms are being used and often misused in many parts of society. Writing in a conversational style, she keeps her outrage at some practices on a steady simmer throughout the book. Her plea is that we need fairness and accountability in the application of mathematical models. She explores the use of models by schools, courts, credit providers, employers and others. If your mind is open to the possibility that aspects of “fact-based” analysis or the application of big data might be detrimental, be sure to read this book. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Weapons of Math Destruction from amazon.com.