Book Post: Abgaryan, Baldwin and Bujold
Mar. 1st, 2019 10:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshortyС Неба Упали Три Яблока [Three Apples Fell from the Sky] by Narine Abgaryan, [in Russian], c.200pp
pax_athena recommended this book about a year ago and I put it on my reading list because she described it so wonderfully and also because I do try to read at least one book in Russian per year. I got my Dad to email me the book (he has ways) and put it on my Kindle to wait its turn.
This was a beautiful book. The characters are mostly older people who live in a dying mountain village in Armenia where only the elders are left. There is a lot of tragedy in these people's lives, a lot of tough times from family to war to earthquake etc., which we learn about through their recollections, but at the same time there is so much hope and friendship and love. I felt so much for these characters and rejoiced for them when times were good. This book made me tear up several times and I'm not that usually prone to crying at fiction (I am much more emotional since my oldest was born and movies and books move me more often now but still). This book was just so wonderfully written too. I loved it very much. I also got my Dad to read it too and I highly recommend it.
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, 105pp
Our work assigned this book for Black History Month bookclub. Unfortunately I couldn't go to the book club itself because it was in the Brooklyn location, while I work in Manhattan and I wouldn't have had the time to take a train there, do the book club and get back in the lunch hour. But I did get the book from the library and read it.
This book is really two non-fiction essays that Baldwin wrote in the 60s. It is well written because he is, of course, a pretty famous writer. Some of it was interesting to see his perspective and the lives of the black men in the 60s - I was really interested in the dinner party he described with Elijah Muhammad leader of Nation of Islam. Some other part were a little too slow or too much sometimes. It really does show how different it is to grow up in black America. And I did like his overall point of learning to expand your perspective. I think I really would have liked the book club discussion as this kind of book needs to be discussed and really digested more. As it was, some sections dragged for me or made me uncomfortable, but that I think is the point and it is a good thing. I think my ideas about this book with evolve more over time.
Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 196pp
Every time I know it is time to read Bujold (and I'm trying to read three Vorkosigan books a year), I resist for some reason even though I always end up loving it. This time I was just unsure because this is not a Miles book. But of course I loved it.
I loved it as soon I figured out that this was a planet with just men and that Ethos would have to leave the planet (basically as soon as he discovered the bad delivery)and interact with women for the first time. Then all amusing possibilities presented themselves. It was also great to get to know Elli Quinn better. And I liked how Bujold treats Ethan and his cultural beliefs with respect - he doesn't change his mind or try to change Athos (in that way at least) - to him Athos is home and perfect, but he does feel respect toward Quinn and thinks about his 'mother' and that side of his DNA. While the character face pretty deadly situations, it often is hilarious.
I figured out the plot as soon as Ethan said, 'let's think what was actually delivered" because I remembered the comment about confiscated beef and the motivation when someone mentioned that the son left the station. So the reveal was not a surprise but it was pretty funny. I had lots of fun with this book.
pax_athena recommended this book about a year ago and I put it on my reading list because she described it so wonderfully and also because I do try to read at least one book in Russian per year. I got my Dad to email me the book (he has ways) and put it on my Kindle to wait its turn. This was a beautiful book. The characters are mostly older people who live in a dying mountain village in Armenia where only the elders are left. There is a lot of tragedy in these people's lives, a lot of tough times from family to war to earthquake etc., which we learn about through their recollections, but at the same time there is so much hope and friendship and love. I felt so much for these characters and rejoiced for them when times were good. This book made me tear up several times and I'm not that usually prone to crying at fiction (I am much more emotional since my oldest was born and movies and books move me more often now but still). This book was just so wonderfully written too. I loved it very much. I also got my Dad to read it too and I highly recommend it.
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, 105pp
Our work assigned this book for Black History Month bookclub. Unfortunately I couldn't go to the book club itself because it was in the Brooklyn location, while I work in Manhattan and I wouldn't have had the time to take a train there, do the book club and get back in the lunch hour. But I did get the book from the library and read it.
This book is really two non-fiction essays that Baldwin wrote in the 60s. It is well written because he is, of course, a pretty famous writer. Some of it was interesting to see his perspective and the lives of the black men in the 60s - I was really interested in the dinner party he described with Elijah Muhammad leader of Nation of Islam. Some other part were a little too slow or too much sometimes. It really does show how different it is to grow up in black America. And I did like his overall point of learning to expand your perspective. I think I really would have liked the book club discussion as this kind of book needs to be discussed and really digested more. As it was, some sections dragged for me or made me uncomfortable, but that I think is the point and it is a good thing. I think my ideas about this book with evolve more over time.
Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold [Vorkosigan Saga], 196pp
Every time I know it is time to read Bujold (and I'm trying to read three Vorkosigan books a year), I resist for some reason even though I always end up loving it. This time I was just unsure because this is not a Miles book. But of course I loved it.
I loved it as soon I figured out that this was a planet with just men and that Ethos would have to leave the planet (basically as soon as he discovered the bad delivery)and interact with women for the first time. Then all amusing possibilities presented themselves. It was also great to get to know Elli Quinn better. And I liked how Bujold treats Ethan and his cultural beliefs with respect - he doesn't change his mind or try to change Athos (in that way at least) - to him Athos is home and perfect, but he does feel respect toward Quinn and thinks about his 'mother' and that side of his DNA. While the character face pretty deadly situations, it often is hilarious.
I figured out the plot as soon as Ethan said, 'let's think what was actually delivered" because I remembered the comment about confiscated beef and the motivation when someone mentioned that the son left the station. So the reveal was not a surprise but it was pretty funny. I had lots of fun with this book.