Sassafras

Heavy on Romance

Revisado: 11-10-24

I chose this because the premise interested me and I haven’t read much about rural China during the times of war lords and kings. The performance was quite good but it too often veered into a romance novel for my liking.

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A Hypnotic Emotional Ride

Revisado: 09-03-24

A story very different from my own but so open and raw that I understood and felt the emotions of the main character moment by moment. The author’s performance was pitch perfect.

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The artistry of the storytelling

Revisado: 01-16-24

This story unfolds so gracefully that I found myself listening past the time I’d allowed. I love the way the author unveils characters’ pasts seamlessly in their present lives. I grew attached. I want to read everything she’s written.

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Eye Opening & Thought Provoking

Revisado: 08-09-23

Author Jake Bittle crosses state boundaries and economic disparities to give us a comprehensive vision of our past, current, and future realities of living in a climate-changed United States. By weaving together the stories of families affected by climate in a multitude of ways, we have an opportunity to fully grasp what’s here, what’s coming - and how to prepare on individual, community, city, state, and national levels. Highly recommend.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Listen & Read!

Revisado: 05-22-23

This is a great book to both read and enjoy by listening. I got the physical book at the library and listened here. Going back and forth made it a richer experience. There are lots of characters who float in and out, with various connections as well as time shifts. If you crave a straight-forward chronological story, this is not for you. But if you love a beautifully written puzzle that illustrates how paths cross and lives shape-shift, you’ll probably love this book.

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Maddening But Compelling

Revisado: 07-01-22

I’ve come to realize there’s a certain kind of thriller I should not start. This is one of those. The story takes twice as long to tell because the main character/narrator keeps running over the same obsessive thoughts. I wanted to know “whodunnit” and I wanted to roll my eyes every time she repeatedly told the same thoughts, feelings, regrets over and over. Sometimes I just skipped ahead. I’m sure it’s a style and once I’m interested, I still want to know the end so these books have a psychological advantage over me if I get to the 2nd chapter. I hope I can recognize it before I’m dragged through the whole thing again. The performance was good though. I commend the narrator for trying to make the same words fresh every time.

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Enlightening But Challenging

Revisado: 03-03-22

I chose this book because I have very little knowledge of Central and South American or Caribbean history, so I've been reading a lot of historical fiction and authors from those regions. On the one hand, this is a fascinating story about a period of brutal dictatorship in the Dominican Republic of which I was completely ignorant. On the other hand, I struggled with an overwhelming number of characters with long (often, to my ear, similar) names, especially in the cabinet, the military, and ultimately those who overthrew the government. I longed for an abbreviated and trimmed-down version for a gringo like me. The author lingered on long passages and chapters that described in great detail the terrible tortures and deaths endured by the dictator's enemies and assassins. I could barely manage to get through those parts. Sometimes, I just had to skip ahead to get through it. The performances were impressive. The story is riveting. A version that edited some of the more minor characters would've worked better for me.

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Environmental Controversy Masterfully Told

Revisado: 12-03-21

I work in environmental media and one of my great frustrations is that we often tell linear stories in a straightforward and journalistic way that doesn't pull in a new audiences. Engineering Eden manages to avoid that pitfall, masterfully weaving together courtroom drama, fiercely competing nature management philosophies, history, and biographical stories of the big players who shaped our ideas about national parks and American wilderness. Most of us were never aware of all the drama playing out behind the scenes as we hiked or drove or camped our way through America's national park system. The policies we have in place today were hard-fought by passionate (but sometimes misguided) leaders and lives were literally lost as these battles played out. Small words of warning: Don't listen while distracted because this book demands your full attention. Also, you might need to fast forward through the very real and detailed accounts of national park deaths if you're squeamish.

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A Magical Raw Journey I Didn't Want to End

Revisado: 12-03-21

I was an early and consistent admirer of Rickie Lee. I too, was fond of berets and when her first album came out, my boyfriend at the time took a photo of me, imitating her on the cover. Her music spoke to emotions in me that I couldn't express nearly as well. There were few women singer/songwriters blazing their own unique path in the sea of late 20th century maleness. I didn't understand why she seemed to disappear from the mainstream or why her work wasn't more widely adored over time. But as I got older, I did understand better, and she illustrates that the world (and particularly the entertainment industry) isn't fair, and historically had a much higher tolerance for "bad boys." (As she points out, Keith Richards is admired for his longevity with addictions). The story of her life reminds me sometimes of Grimm's fairy tales and others of a Tennessee Williams play. Her insight into how family molded her and her fierce loyalty to them, even in the midst of her rebellion, is raw and honest and relatable.
Above all, she's a true artist. No one else could've written her story and she's the only one who should've read it. Like her music, it's not linear or predictable, and at times it will break your heart. Then you'll be lifted back up with the unexpected grace of some tenderness or divine intervention. I'm such a devotee, I can't say for certain, but I can imagine anyone falling in love with the journey of this book. Love it or not, it deserves respect. She deserves respect.

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2 interesting storyline

Revisado: 06-16-21

Whenever a book is crafted so two storylines converge, I always have a favorite. In this case, it was Hannie’s, but Bennie’s was a very close second for me. I love it when I’m so thoroughly entertained, I hardly notice how much I’m learning. Kudos to the author and readers for a riveting experience.

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