Books: a 6 star book

The last time I blogged around books was May so this will be a collection of review of books read since then. But really, I want to talk about ONE book that I can’t stop thinking about it and want to talk about it. Audition! I came across it from Nicole and realized it is on Obama’s summer book list too (his description which I find not quite complete: a quiet novel about the ways we hide our true selves from others—and ourselves). It didn’t receive big buzz but it really blowed my mind! Why I love it?!

• The writing is sooo beautiful. It’s short, describes so well the feeling/thought of the character at that moment.
• The plot is rather simple?! but I also think it’s complex because human life is complex.
• There is no closure, not even clear plot that most readers would agree with. Many need closure in books, I used to, but no longer.
• It feels more like art than story as it makes me feel strongly about things out of nowhere. It makes me think and want more of it.
• It touches topics like motherhood, the choice of having kids or not, expectation as parent, co-living in long term marriage, infidelity (but very superficially), the act of being human, how we perceive others, how quickly a thought and feeling could shift because the way we interpret what others did/meant.
• Her description of scenes are so clever and well executed. The phrases are memorable and feel so intrinsic to being a human.
• Few scenes (yes, her chapters feel like scenes/acts) that made me wonder. One about whether not intended performance would lose its brilliance. It relates to whether if readers’ interpretation of the plot differs from the intention of the author would make it less true. Another about what it means to decide not to have children: People always talked about having children as an event, as a thing that took place, they forgot that not having children was also something that took place, that is to say it wasn’t a question of absence, a question of lack, it had its own presence in the world, it was its own event.. About aging: More and more often, I was surprised by the person in the mirror, it was not the lines at my mouth or the hollowness around my eyes, it was the lag in recognition that was the most troubling, the brief moment when I looked in the mirror and did not know who I was.

I could keep writing my feelings about it, if anyone wants to host a book club about it, I’d be the first one to sign up.

After I finished the book in 24 hrs (3 during my flights to Sao Luis), I read a lot of reviews, and listened to this book club episode and the interview with the author, which I ABSOLUTELY loved.

I am starting the author’s other book, intimacy, will report back. So far it hasn’t been as engaging as audition but I’ll continue.

Other books read since May:

Cozy read when we were transition to settle in Brasilia. Find coziness wherever we are.

We can do hard things: I read it during a turmoil time and found it comforting. Life is meant to be messy, requires to make hard decisions, yet, it’s beautiful and the point of a rich life is going through these moments.

Rule of Civility okay novel to get back to fiction.

Awareness read during a time of self doubt and the book gives assurance that the external recognition and criticism are not essential and we should go inward to find our values and true selves.

Girl on the train I liked it less than expected as it was quite a sensation when it came out.

Top dog good promise, interesting insights at part, but could be better executed to tidy up.

Q: What was the book that has you wondered days after you finished it? Do you ever give books as gift?