Nicholas West

Beautiful experience

Revisado: 04-04-20

I’ve long been a fan of forests and am a bit spiritually presdisposdd toward a book like this, I admit. This book deepened by unpredictable measures my love for nature, the richness of metaphors and spiritual possibility they present way beyond the cycle of death and renewal. Deeply researched, masterfully crafted, beautifully read, this vaulted into my top five books ever!

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My kind of dismissive POV

Revisado: 10-02-18

Though the author’s afterword softened me up a bit, I couldn’t help but scoff, repeatedly, whenever Picoult waded into commentary. Which is often.

For some I hope this narrative was enlightening, because it was not sensible. It’s not just laden with elementary racial awakenings (“I don’t see color is racist!”) but the story itself lacks credibility. One of those half researched and lazy conclusions. Unlikely and unbelievable courtroom antics. Then, a neat little bow.

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Turns of genius with a motor

Revisado: 04-27-18

Throughout the novel the plot carries surprising suspense; from the marriage to the war to the decision around Argus...

But this is a character study, an intergenerational exploration of identity and meaning making. Jewishness by the authors judgment compels turning over every stone of experience and neurosis.

And it wouldn’t be a Foer novel without a good dose of empathy for animals.

I’ve been a fan, more enthusiastically so after Here I Am.

Fliakos brings the characters to life, what a great reading.

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Real introspection....

Revisado: 06-25-17

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

At various points I grew alarmed that Vance was promoting the basic American rags to riches myth, but he always invested the time and research to present a balanced point of view. He is empathetic to those whose current status in life is surely not to their own satisfaction. And still, he poignantly restores agency to objects of pity (or disgust, depending on your disposition), and offers a way to think about both respect and accountability for those caught in the maddening cycles of poverty.

As someone whose own family's lifestyle isn't a far cry from Vance's, I identify with his words and aspire to his level of resolve and contribution (which he embeds in his telling, somehow steering clear of self-promotion despite his laurels).

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Decent primer on home buying

Revisado: 06-25-17

If you could sum up A Tale of Two Houses in three words, what would they be?

Despite the literary title, it's a pretty to-the-point survey on home buying terminology and numbers. The author is the narrator and he seems like a sincere person. Hate to sound harsh but he is not much for read-alouds; when he stumbles he did not bother doing a second take, etc. Seemed like minimal effort into the reading part, which is too bad because it distracts from a well-organized, thoughtful piece.

By the way, the actual book is about 2 hours and change. The rest of the recording consists of old podcasts that are pretty redundant.

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Why

Revisado: 06-29-16

Why was this on such high recommendation? Man. These characters are each and every one vapid, and kind of just stupid. I held out hope that Hawkins was just so great a character writer of Rachel that she adopted a totally sincere deluded, alcoholic idiots voice. Nope. Pretty much all the characters were written this way. Many sections of the book were boring minute by minute musings of morons. Only a 2 to bridge my wife and my Evals. Her three I'm guessing is because she is so nice she is worried about Hawkins getting on here and being made sad by a well-earned 1

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