Judy in Salt Lake

Deadly serious, hilariously funny

Revisado: 04-26-25

The author gives a chilling account of Facebook‘s descent from giddy hopes for connecting the world to being, basically, evil on earth. Her stories are engaging, but also quite chilling regarding the impacts social media has on society, our self-esteem, and the vitriol we can turn on each other. She is also a fabulous narrator.

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I'm so glad I read this book

Revisado: 03-09-25

This book was in the NY Times and the Washington Post (and others) top ten books of 2024 but the cover of the book scared me (the cover has nothing to do with the book so what is up with that??) so I didn’t put it on my to-do list. Lucy transitioned from Luc at 67. He was already an author (though I’ve never heard of him). The book is marvelous: in that, I marveled at the straightforwardness of her voice and writing, the humor she uses so adeptly, the engaging story of his/her life, and most of all, the fluidity of gender and sexuality that has to exist on this planet. There is just so much evidence of it.

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I will now get this book in hardcopy

Revisado: 02-17-25

I want to have this book on my shelf to read and reread in the event that my beloved has been passes before me. I’ve suggested to him that he also read it. Geraldine Brooks has given such a roadmap to grief.

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Despite 'rave reviews', lots and lots of whining

Revisado: 01-08-25

This book has lots of rave reviews by book critics. It is 'poetically written' and the narrator's performance is decent. However, even though I was initially drawn to the themes and the storyline (as presented in the reviews) I have a limit on the whining I can tolerate in any story. I get it: the young man is depressed, he lacks a feeling of belonging (because of his ethnicity, his alcoholism, his family story, his sexuality). He is searching, searching, searching for meaning - to no avail at least in the first few hours of this novel. I had to stop listening and return the title. Life is too short for me to continue immersing myself in his anger and sorrow and self pity.

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A tremendously engaging and insightful look at modern love and dating

Revisado: 01-03-25

This book was just what I needed to lift my spirits at the end of 2024 and beginning of 2025. Regardless of your age, you will find truth in here and lots of laughs. Both Andy and Jen – and all their friends really – our beautifully drawn characters. Highly recommend!

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Alien or imaginative or highly observant snd somewhat neurotic human being?

Revisado: 12-16-24

I’m going to vote for the latter. There are countless novels about highly observant and somewhat neurotic human beings - so the author, who is a very good writer, chose to be clever and have her main character believe she was an alien. So interesting to see ordinary life through the eyes of an alien, right?
While there are many many, many, many clever musings about human nature and an equal number of clever turns of the phrase, character development is pretty much nonexistent in this novel.
I’m not sure how it made so many ‘best books of 2024’ lists. I almost gave up about halfway through but because of those lists I stayed till the end which was standard issue tear jerker author manipulation.

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Maybe it's the narrator, but I could not continue

Revisado: 10-22-24

From the first moment, the narrator's style was cringe worthy. Slow, slow, slow - and apparently for no reason. Sped up, the plot (which is meandering to put it kindly) made no sense at all. Maybe if I read this book, I could stomach it, but I just could not get into the story.

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I will never think of Bob Marley the same way . .

Revisado: 02-17-24

I have been a big reggae fan since college (decades ago) but I knew nothing about Rastafarianism. Nothing. Who knew, that like all religions, there is a patriarchy - and boy, can it be toxic and dangerous. Safiya's story is beautifully told, poetically told - because after all, the woman is an esteemed poet. It was a captivating listen and the author performed her novel in a lyrical style that lifted you up in many sections, and crushed you for all she went through in her life. I am so glad she chose to narrate her own work. Highly recommend this book.
If I have one small criticism, I think it would be that some sections, though wonderful writing, could have been cut. Just in a few places, the narrative dragged for the sake of the saving a perfectly composed passage.

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Hallmark movie about the Vietnam War

Revisado: 02-17-24

Though I remembered (and learned) a lot about the Vietnam War and how poorly soldiers who fought in it were treated, and though this book did help me understand why Vietnam vets don't want to talk about their service, it was a cheesy book on many levels. hence the Hallmark movie comment. The author does know how to manipulate a tear out of a woman reader, and the ending, well: sappy. Still many vets (and I'm sure many women who served in so many capacities outside of combat) DID experience a lot of what Frankie and her friends experienced. On the whole, it was an enjoyable read - somewhat historical fiction and somewhat pop fiction.

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Simply told, but heartrending and profound

Revisado: 12-17-23

If you’ve had mental illness in your family, especially a mother, as I have had, this book will make you think of things you haven’t thought of in a long time in a different light.  This is a story of two sisters, bound together by a brutal childhood, who somehow survived, and thrived in their own way. They are both able to look back on things at an older age from a different perspective.
Excellently drawn characters, engaging plot, gave me a lot to think about. I’ve recommended this book to other friends and I might read it again myself. Beautifully performed.


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