Posted on September 26, 2014
Well, some of you have commented that I haven’t posted through most of the summer. This is true. Other priorities crowded in and demanded my time. Well, I am back. For starters, here is a recommendation for those of you who are making that list of winter reads…or if you are in the southern hemisphere, summer reads. It reads marvelously at any time of year. 🙂
Posted on April 07, 2014
In keeping with my intentions to extol good story, I will try to recommend books on a somewhat regular basis. This is my favorite fiction of the year:
The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson
This book is set in North Korea and has as its main character Jun Do (John Doe–your Everyman). Jun Do is a puppet of the state, taking up any role assigned him, including horrible kidnappings. At some point, he desires to assert his own personhood and begins to love, which eventually leads to sacrifice that costs him everything. That is, however, what finally makes him a true man rather than a shadow of one. This book is beautifully written and haunting.