Little Brown – …on the B.L.

Winter Storms

December 7, 2017 RaeAnna

Read Yes
Length 246
Quick Review The last in a trilogy by Hilderbrand about the lovably dysfunctional Quinn family set in Nantucket.

The Quinn family is back with a whole new set of problems so I assume because I haven’t read the first two books. Winter Storms, however, I didn’t find that fact to hinder the understanding of the plot or characters in the novel. Hilderbrand does a good job of reminding readers who the characters and their pasts without sounding kitschy or dumbing it down for the reader.

Each chapter is devoted to a member in the Quinn family weaving their stories with those of the others. The Quinn family is incredibly dysfunctional in an endearing way. They have made mistakes and paid for them, but below the surface they are all good people.

The Quinn family is large and diverse. The characters range from blue collar to incredibly successful broadcast news anchor. You’d be hard pressed to find a subplot Hilderbrand hasn’t explored in some way: drug addiction, military hero, white collar crime, divorce, wedding, cancer, love triangle, dreams, and more. Through all the hardships, the Quinns are a family anyone would want to be a part of full of love and support through the good times and the bad.

It’s a sweet novel perfect for the Christmas season. It’s short with fairly large print. I would have loved to read it in front of a fire with snow outside, but alas, I read it in Houston. I sat down and read it in a few hours. It’s easy to see how Hilderbrand has a number of successful novels. She writes about love and struggle in a beautiful setting. She made me want to visit Nantucket for a summer or even a winter.

Memorable Quotes
“He will simply enjoy this Christmas as though it were his last.”

Title: Winter Storms
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Publisher: Little Brown
Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 9780316261173

Books

Me Talk Pretty One Day

July 1, 2017 RaeAnna

Read Yes
Length 272
Quick Review As one of the most prominent contemporary authors, he has a unique voice filled with poignant moments and an outrageous sense of honest that will leave you laughing.

I have read several of David Sedaris’ articles in The New Yorker since I have a subscription and he is a regular contributor. Coincidence? I think not. Other than that, I just knew his name. I highly recommend him to anyone who likes to laugh and is not afraid of the perverse. My only complaint is his unfortunate habit of forsaking the oxford comma. I don’t know if it’s political, his publisher trying to save money on ink, or his rebellious nature, but it bothered me immensely.

This is not one of his recent books; it was published in 2000. So I am late to join the Me Talk Pretty One Day party. Oh well I’m here now. It is a memoir recollecting time from childhood as one of six children through his present (meaning 17 years ago present.) He has a wonderful sense of humor. I rarely laugh out loud when reading, but I did often causing my dog to jump and look at me funny.

Sedaris talks about his time as a child having a lisp. In order to teach his speech therapist a lesson he took to the thesaurus learning how to dodge the ever looming ‘s’ giving him a large vocabulary. I would surmise this adolescent subversion has aided his writing career and later helped him dodge the ever present difficulty of gendered nouns in the French language.

I would like to think Sedaris could see the future when he noted (predicted?) nachos at the movies was a gateway to hot dogs, hamburgers, and full blown meals with cutlery… Way back in 2000, he didn’t know then that the theater-restaurant would exist less than two decades later. What else does he know?

Me Talk Pretty One Day is one of my favorite reads this year. I’m looking forward to picking up more of his work. He also inspired me. He showed me at 26, I have not wasted my life because at my age he hadn’t even finished college, but he had started and stopped twice. So there’s still time for me to be a success! Although, I will skip the methamphetamine stage.

Memorable Quotes
“Although I had regularly petitioned for a brand-name vacuum cleaner, I’d never said anything about wanting a guitar.”
“To me, one of the greatest mystery of science continues to be that a man could father six children who shared absolutely none of his interests.”
“I don’t know who invented the template for the standard writing workshop, but whoever it was seems to have struck the perfect balance between sadism and masochism.”

Title: Me Talk Pretty One Day
Author: David Sedaris
Publisher: Little Brown and Co.
Copyright: 2000
ISBN: 9780316776967

Books, Fiction

The Luminaries

May 18, 2017 RaeAnna

Read Eh
Length 848
Quick Review A story and a mystery about gold mining in New Zealand during the 1800’s.

I am biased on this review for sure… Like every other review because we either like, dislike, or other sentiments about something. In this case, I did not like The Luminaries. I personally could not get emotionally invested into the story, and so it took me a great amount of time to wade through the text.

Eleanor Catton is incredibly talented in coming up with a complex and intricately planned out plot. She writes exceptionally well balancing description and action with prowess. Her characters have depth and roundness, which can only be accomplished through experience.

It was a technically brilliant novel. I did not find it pleasurable to read due to personal tastes. I know many people who did find it wonderfully entertaining, so please do not take my experience as the epitome of all experiences.

Memorable Quotes
“It was a strange thing to behold a whore in mourning – rather like seeing a dandified cleric, or a child with a moustache; it gave one a sense of confusion”

Title: The Luminaries
Author: Eleanor Catton
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright: 2013
ISBN: 9780316074315