I’m a bit worn out commenting on the various books I read, so we’re going to try a more succinct overview for a while and see how that works. If you don’t like it, write a note in your journal.
Joseph O’Neill, Netherland: Dutch husband and cricket lover/amateur finds himself emotionally lost in New York City following 9/11. His wife goes back to London with their son, while the husband wanders aimlessly. Some resolution occurs. Well written, pretty good read.
Colm Toibin, Brooklyn: The younger of two sisters living in an Irish village gets an opportunity to work and live in 1950s Brooklyn. She experiences Brooklyn and New York City, which is quite a culture shock for her. But when her sister passes, she has to return home to her mother and is forced to choose between her home and Brooklyn. Sounds like a boring book, but I’m not doing it justice. Very good book.
Barbara Freese, Coal: A Human History: An advocacy piece looking mostly at the rise of coal use in England and the US, with a short, curt look at China’s emerging utilization of coal. Freese is against coal and seems to suggest that we would have been better off had we never discovered it. Boring and conclusory.
