Mary I

A Great Listen!

Revisado: 01-30-25

Frankly, I must admit to having had very little idea of who these club members were, though I had heard their names, of course, many many times. But the book is so well written and so well read that I truly enjoyed it. Boswell apparently wrote so well, and with such honesty, about his life, his friends, his private life (yes, including sex), and his times that the entire thing is a joy to hear. One garners so much insight into the times and social conditions, mainly for the upper, educated classes,at the time. Who would have thought, from the picture on the cover, which is of a bunch of stuffy old guys in wigs, that the listener would hear himself laughing out loud?
I'm not sure I would have read the entire thing, though it is good enough that I might have. But to listen to, it is a delight.
And, in case you are one of those who uses Audible to fall asleep at night, Simon Vance's voice is perfect. You'll just need to back-track so you don't miss anything!

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FINALLY!

Revisado: 01-08-25

My husband and I read this book several times each over the years, and it is finally available on Audible. I am so glad. It is the best of the many "arctic adventure stories" out there. Freuchen was apparently a very decent and moral individual, and WHAT A GUY! His adventures are mesmerizing. His explorations took place before the native cultures were lost, and as he says, he rather "went native": genuinely falling in love with and marrying his native wife, adopting the practices of the people, and genuinely respecting the culture and the individuals in it. Also, he knew how to write! This reads almost like a novel, not a work of non-fiction . And it's long enough to be well worth it.

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FINALLY!!!!!!!! A book that is far, far overdue!

Revisado: 12-11-24

FINALLY! Someone has finally written this book!
All my life I have been fascinated by tales of Baba Yaga, and have read pretty much everything I can find on her--But there is never enough. This branch of folktale is so rich and so deep, and interpretations range from the shallow and callow to rich Jungian understanding, and all this is touched upon here. Spisak tells tales I hadn't heard before, as well as the old familiars, then speaks about them, touching competently on the many levels in which any folktale can be interpreted. I think that her mastery in this book springs from the fact that the material MEANS something to her (she is of Ukrainian heritage, and was raised on the tales, so they are clearly part of her very soul), and upon her competent mastery of both research and writing. The only real fault I find with this book is that I wish it were 1200 or more pages. And while I might have personally preferred an older narrator, this one did a fine job and was not distracting. It's a book I will listen to many times, and I am sure I will also purchase it in hardcover. Bravo Kris Spisak!!! And thank you!
(And if, like me, you find this book fascinating, make sure to listen to or to read Catherine Arden's "Bear and the Nightingale" series, which is a masterfully researched fictional account of the Baba Yaga material set in medieval Russia.)

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Another Gem!

Revisado: 08-19-24

This is another absolute gem by the author. The story is simple— young girl must decide between upper class artist and childhood sweetheart—but the story is dressed in magnificent prose and deep insight. The setting is within an old “marsh island” in the days when farms were still tiny and communities close and knowing. If you love true literature, and if you love Sarah Orne Jewett (the two should go together), then grab this book. And the narration is top notch.

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Brings the Woman Alive

Revisado: 07-18-24

I have read most of the books on Isabella Stewart Gardner, and expected to find this one sort of fluffy. Instead, I found that it brought life—an imagined life, it’s true, but real life—to the self- edited information available. A lot of the book consisted of Isabella reading aloud all those letters we all wish she had not burned. So there is a lot of imagination here. Still, it will add real enjoyment and depth to the experience of visiting the actual museum. Thoroughly enjoyable.

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Pretty Dark

Revisado: 03-23-24

I love Kent Haruf, but this one is so dark and so graphic that the beauty of the perfectly honed language, the delicate (though sometimes stark) observations for which he is noted can only infrequently shine through. I found myself skipping ahead again and again so as not to get sucked into a negative funnel, and finally gave up. Really a shame, because I consider Haruf a totally superb writer.

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Beautiful!

Revisado: 03-10-24

This is another group of utter jewels by author Sarah Orne Jewett. Her New England stories are considered by many (like me) to be her best. You not only smell the salt, as you can in many novels, but also feel the less usual elements and delicate nuances of life near the sea. These nuances are available because, to Jewett, every single individual IS an individual, and not merely a "type".
I would have given the production five stars, but the narrator for some reason gives an Irish or Scottish brogue to many of the New England characters, and that is distracting. But I am spoiled by the excellent narration in most of the other Jewett productions available on Audible.
These are gorgeously crafted, delicate, and just plain BEAUTIFUL stories.
I definitely recommend this collection!

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For Sarah Orne Jewett Fans

Revisado: 03-10-24

This is another gem by Sarah Orne Jewett, and, as this writer always does, she perfectly captures the flavor of the historic setting, as well as the age and social standing of her characters. The insight is lovely, gentle, and loving, the descriptions poignant and beautiful. While not in the class of her masterpiece, Country of the Painted Firs, it is still a must-read (or must hear) piece for all Jewett fans.
The narrator is a bit unfortunate. It isn't her fault, because she is clear and steady, but her voice is just that tad hard-edged, almost screechy--in places. I suppose I am spoiled by the outstanding narration in the other Jewett books available on Audible. This narrator reads like a "regular" person, not like a chosen narrator for what has become a professional genre. And there are distracting noises in the background, as if the recording has been transferred from tape. The narration isn't a problem, it just isn't an enhancement.
Further interest to this book is added by the recent interest in female friendships during the time period, Boston Marriages, and Jewett's own gender preferences. The first time I read the book, I was totally unaware of any of these issues, but since then have read enough for this added edge of speculation about what seems a perfectly innocent friendship between two young women. Again, this certainly does not intrude on the story, and is only brought to the book by the reader's background of historical information and speculation.

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I Just Don't Get It

Revisado: 03-02-24

Sigh. I guess there is one in every crowd, and that is me, this time. I just don't get why people raved about this book.
Which is too bad, because I have enjoyed Christopher Moore so much. But this one seems to have less depth, less thought behind it, and much more swearing. Oh well. I was really looking forward to it, but just can't bear to go on.

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A Perfect Listen

Revisado: 03-02-24

Neither the book--I have read it many times--nor the recorded book could be improved upon.
This is a book of peace, of words polished as the sea polishes beach stones. Each character is described with love, deep sympathy and intricate understanding. And each character, like the town where the story takes place, has been worn and polished by a life lived, not in isolation, but in a community less touched by the hustle-bustle of civilization than is common. It is a book of stark sensuality (not sex) and deep, individual personality and spirituality. Another book about the "is-ness" of things. You will listen again and again and again.

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