May 2006 Book Reviews

This month: no books on mental illness. Actually, no, wait, there's a memoir about obsessive compulsive disorder. There's also one biography, 1 work of non-fiction, and a book published before 1970.

1. Devil in the Details, Jennifer Traig, Rating: 3.9
The aforementioned memoir about obsessive compulsiveness, Jennifer Traig, a currently functioning and fairly normal adult, writes about growing up with "scrupulousity," an odd manifestation of the disease that manifests itself in extreme religious behavoir(s). Traig, who also writes very clever young adult craft books, is quite funny. The book repeats itself and occasionally loses focus, but is overall fairly satisfying.
2. My Invented Country, Isabel Allende, Rating: 4.1
Do you have any interest in Chile? Plans to go there? Then definitely check this book out. This is a bit of a history of the country, but a very personal one--it's all about what Chile means and is for Allende. It's really quite interesting. You'll learn a lot about Allende along the way, too.
3. Beyond Black, Hilary Mantel, Rating: 2.8
Apparently Mantel is a fairly big deal in contemporary literary circles--this is the first book of hers that I've read, but her name shows up on a lot of lists. Honestly, I didn't like it all that much. It's odd, decently written, and just way too long. To quote the NYTBR, "Beyond Black is a fine work, and from a lesser novelist would have seemed a masterpiece. It is too long -- Muriel Spark would have managed the same effect in a hundred or so crisp pages."
4. Suttree, Cormac McCarthy, Rating: 3.6
Like most McCarthy novels, Suttree is intense, unique, and takes a bit of effort to get into the rhythm of the prose. There's certainly nothing wrong with this book, but I find his westerns much more compelling.
5. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Muriel Spark, Rating: 3.4
Speaking of Muriel Spark, I've finally read one of her books! I can't say that I found it a transformative experience, but Brodie certainly is a memorable character. She's a certain "type" that I'm sure has had great influence on other characters in books and film.
6. Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracy Kidder, Rating: 3.9
I ran across a review of this title in a magazine recently, which said something to the effect that reading this book would make you a better person. A bold statement, right? Kidder writes about Dr. Paul Farmer, a surreal human being out to save the world. Farmer is an interesting mix of micro- and macro-manager: he founded a foundation that implements revolutionary programs for fighting tuberculosis around the globe; individually treats patients in Haiti; teaches and cares for patients in Boston; writes prolifically; and occasionally manages to spend time with his wife and child. I don't know if I'm really a better person now (honestly, reading about Farmer's life made me feel tired), but I really admire the man. This is a good read. As a sidenote, I really enjoyed learning about one of the secondary characters. Roald Dahl's daughter Ophelia was a long time girlfriend of Farmer and is currently director of the charitable foundation.
7. The Lost Painting, Jonathan Harr, Rating: 4.2
I didn't realize until listening to the author at the end (I listened to the audio version) that this is a work of non-fiction. It reads like a novel--compelling, well-paced, a little romance, a little mystery. Harr writes about the rediscovery of a painting by Caravaggio, and tells the story of the artist's life along the way. It's fun.
8. In Lucia's Eyes, Arthur Japin, Rating: 1.8
All I can say about this is that I was glad when it was over. Really boring.