Sunday Salon — Strange as this weather has been, Freakonomics and Broken For You
By Kristen on Apr 20, 2008 in Reviews, The Sunday Salon
Each of the books I read this weekend in Arizona were excellent, so I decided to write a quick Sunday Salon post before we leave for the airport. My husband is still sleeping, so I’m quietly typing away in the hotel bathroom — a first and hopefully the last 
To wrap up my impressions of Man Gone Down from the past two weeks — it was due to the library the day after we left for Arizona and I still had 200 pages left (plus laundry, packing, etc.), so I had to return it before I finished it (it has a looooong waiting list). I thought I would feel a sense of relief since I had stopped enjoying it after the first few chapters. Well, the characters must have affected me more than I realized because I have wondered what ended up happening ever since. This is strange since nothing was really happening at the time I returned it, yet I felt a little guilty abandoning him before his journey ended. So, I’ve decided to put myself back on the library list and finish it whenever it arrives.
The first novel I read in Arizona was Strange as this Weather Has Been by Ann Pancake and it was a beautifully written, haunting account of how the coal mining industry has pillaged the mountains of West Virginia and the people who love this state. I strongly recommend it — in fact, I did recommend it to the Starbucks barista in the hotel, and she was particularly excited since her mother was from West Virginia (and was a private detective! Wish she had told me more…). The narration jumps from past to future tense, and between the members of a family — Lace, Jimmy Make, Cody, Dane and Bant — so you may feel a little disoriented at first, but trust her story-telling skills. Beyond creating a vivid sense of place, Pancake explores the complexities of marriage, parenting, hope and despair — and how one’s identity can become intrinsically entwined with a setting.
The next day I treated myself to Sophie Kinsella’s Remember Me? Kinsella is better known for her Shopaholic series (in film production, by the way) and I have found that people tend to either love Becky Bloomwood’s hapless adventures or find her quite annoying. Personally, I love losing myself in Kinsella’s world of shopping, silliness, and happy endings, and Remember Me? does not disappoint — light, fluffy, and thoroughly enjoyable.
Next I read Freakonomics — finally! I have heard so many good things about this since it was published in 2005 and boy did it live up to its hype. The writers confess that there is not a unifying theme to their findings and observations, which is true but doesn’t matter. Topics they tackle: How are cheating teachers (test scores) like Sumo wrestlers, how Roe v. Wade has affected the nation’s crime rate, how real estate agents are like the Ku Klux Klan, and how a person’s name affects their success (specifically, do creative African American names predispose their owners to less acceptance in mainstrem society). The book is about 200 pages in length, but is an incredibly fast read. I sat down with the intention of reading 50 pages before dinner and didn’t even look at my watch until 100 pages had flown by. Very interesting and well-worth your time.
Last, I picked up Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos. I have no idea where I heard about this novel, but I wish I could thank the magazine, site or person. I am about 50 pages in and loving every word. The premise is a woman in her seventies who has been diagnosed with brain cancer. She asks a coffee barista what she would do if she only had a limited amount time to live, and the girl replies “Face my largest fear.” So, X decides to do just that and invite a boarder to join her at her huge mansion. X has been living in self-imposed seclusion for years and fortunately chooses just the right companion. Both the main character and the boarder are fascinating — and the writing is superb. I have a 3 hour flight, sitting in the middle seat today, and I am actually looking forward to the flight simply to read this novel. Of the three, so far I might even recommend this one the most! I’ll write next week whether it accomplishes its promise.
For another, even better review, check out Dewey’s on The Hidden Side of a Leaf
This week on deck — The Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is my “kit” book and The Remains of the Day . I also picked up a book of the best sports writing from 2007, so I’ll wander through that, too. This weekend we are heading to the cabin, so I know I will have lots of time to read again coming up!
I look forward to checking out what the Salon members are reading once we get home tonight. And I would love to hear what others are reading in the comments, too — whether you have a blog or not!
And be sure to check out tomorrow’s list of the New York Public Library’s 25 books to remember from 2007. I’ve only read one of them!
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
I’ve just picked up a copy of ‘The Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ from the library knowing nothing about it other than that it’s won the Pulitzer and you usually do a good job of selecting the winner. ‘The Remains of the Day’ is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read. I do hope you enjoy it.
Ann Darnton (Table Talk) | Apr 20, 2008 | Reply
I am glad that Freakanomics made your reading list. I just finished Predictably Irrational and think that anyone that enjoyed Freakonomics would also find Dan Ariely’s book informative, useful and fun.
Greg G. | Apr 20, 2008 | Reply
Oh good! We can compare notes, Ann! I have heard mixed reviews so I am excited to start it tomorrow. So far I have enjoyed every Pulitzer-winner I’ve read… Glad to hear that I will enjoy Remains, too — Thank you!
Kristen | Apr 20, 2008 | Reply
I just requested Predictably Irrational from the library on your recommendation — thank you! Unfortunately, I am number 35 on the list…
Kristen | Apr 20, 2008 | Reply
Ha ha, I was just bouncing up and down in my seat a little, so happy you’re enjoying Broken for You, and then when you said you wished you remembered where you heard of it, I was going to say maybe from me! It seems like not many people have read this book. I can’t wait to see what you think of the ending.
dew | Jun 2, 2008 | Reply