Book Club Double Feature
Believe it or not, in my hiatus from blogging I managed to complete two books which, I must say makes me proud. Unfortunately, both were book club books so neither came from my books shelves (which, if you recall, is my new year's resolution for this year: I vow to not purchase a single book for pleasure but rather pull from the bountiful amount of unread, in perfect-condition books on my book shelves). I am happy to report I stayed true to my resolution though by borrowing from a friend and the library.
Anyways, they couldn't be more different but both were equally enthralling.
#1- Memoirs of a Geisha
Oh, where to begin with this one?! The book follows the life of a Japanese Geisha from childhood into retirement. Although this is a historical fiction, the happenings in the life of the Geisha are all factual... and it's fascinating. The story takes place in the town of Kyoto, Japan during pre and post World War II. During this time, the town of Kyoto housed around 800 Geisha and as you make your way through the book you realize how prominent this lifestyle was around the city. So prominent, in fact, that is was the towns livelihood in every sense. Geisha's attend school/training before becoming a Geisha which sets the life of a Geisha apart from that of a prostitute. Geisha's are trained entertainers and wildly popular for this reason above all else. As you read about all that is involved you learn to truly appreciate Geisha as a form of art. Of course the book oozes with juicy drama; you should expect nothing less from a story following the life of a woman living in a town of around 800 other women all competing for the attention of wealthy business men. From start to finish, it truly is a page turner. And the writing... oh the writing. In a word, stunning. In true memoir fashion, the writing flows seemlessly from real time to the inner thoughts of a Geisha reminiscing about her life. And it's written by a man though you'd never guess it. I'd certainly say Memoirs of a Geisha has inched its way into my top 10 list, no doubt. I haven't seen the movie but have in my Netflix queue as I'm super curious to see the settings and attire described in the book.
#2- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Switch gears entirely to modern day live in New York City. This story follows the life a family dealing with the aftermath of losing their father/husband/son during the 9-11 tragedy. The story is told from 3 different perspectives, the main being that of an 8 year old named Oskar. Oskar is an interesting young man who seems to live life dangerously close to the fine line between intelligently quirky and infuriatingly particular (aka mildly autistic). You learn quickly that Oskar had a special bond with his father, who died in the twin towers, and that Oskar has no idea how to cope with the loss. Fruthermore, he carries the heavy burden (which he calls "heavy boots" throughout the book) of being the only family member who was home to hear a series of 5 messages his father lefts while inside the twin towers. Oskar discovers a key in his father.s closet and sets out on a journey throughout New York to find the owner and object to which the key belongs. Even though this journey is what's used in all the summaries of this book, it's merely a backdrop used to bring the readers along the grieving process Oskar experiences. By the end of the story, Oskar is transformed into a far more mature young man who has dealt with enough "grown up" emotions and responsibilities to last a lifetime. The story also includes a secondary storyline between Oskar's grandmother and her lover. Through this, the author attempts to draw parrallels between the tragedy of 9-11 and war stricken Germany during the time of World War II. It's an interesting addition to the storyline but not necessary in my opinion. Everytime the book switched to either of these two perspectives, I wanted to skip through to get back to Oskar and his journey. All in all though, it's a gripping tale. I cried at the end but was expecting as much given the content of the book. I have yet to see the movie so I can't compare but if you are interested in reading the book you won't be disappointed.
Currently, I'm in the process of reading two books: A Visit from the Goon Squad and A Year in Provence. Much like the two titles described above, they couldn't be more different which makes for an interesting juggling act.
What's on your nightstand at the moment? Have you completed a book recently that snuck into your list of top reads? Do share.
Anyways, they couldn't be more different but both were equally enthralling.
#1- Memoirs of a Geisha
Oh, where to begin with this one?! The book follows the life of a Japanese Geisha from childhood into retirement. Although this is a historical fiction, the happenings in the life of the Geisha are all factual... and it's fascinating. The story takes place in the town of Kyoto, Japan during pre and post World War II. During this time, the town of Kyoto housed around 800 Geisha and as you make your way through the book you realize how prominent this lifestyle was around the city. So prominent, in fact, that is was the towns livelihood in every sense. Geisha's attend school/training before becoming a Geisha which sets the life of a Geisha apart from that of a prostitute. Geisha's are trained entertainers and wildly popular for this reason above all else. As you read about all that is involved you learn to truly appreciate Geisha as a form of art. Of course the book oozes with juicy drama; you should expect nothing less from a story following the life of a woman living in a town of around 800 other women all competing for the attention of wealthy business men. From start to finish, it truly is a page turner. And the writing... oh the writing. In a word, stunning. In true memoir fashion, the writing flows seemlessly from real time to the inner thoughts of a Geisha reminiscing about her life. And it's written by a man though you'd never guess it. I'd certainly say Memoirs of a Geisha has inched its way into my top 10 list, no doubt. I haven't seen the movie but have in my Netflix queue as I'm super curious to see the settings and attire described in the book.
#2- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Switch gears entirely to modern day live in New York City. This story follows the life a family dealing with the aftermath of losing their father/husband/son during the 9-11 tragedy. The story is told from 3 different perspectives, the main being that of an 8 year old named Oskar. Oskar is an interesting young man who seems to live life dangerously close to the fine line between intelligently quirky and infuriatingly particular (aka mildly autistic). You learn quickly that Oskar had a special bond with his father, who died in the twin towers, and that Oskar has no idea how to cope with the loss. Fruthermore, he carries the heavy burden (which he calls "heavy boots" throughout the book) of being the only family member who was home to hear a series of 5 messages his father lefts while inside the twin towers. Oskar discovers a key in his father.s closet and sets out on a journey throughout New York to find the owner and object to which the key belongs. Even though this journey is what's used in all the summaries of this book, it's merely a backdrop used to bring the readers along the grieving process Oskar experiences. By the end of the story, Oskar is transformed into a far more mature young man who has dealt with enough "grown up" emotions and responsibilities to last a lifetime. The story also includes a secondary storyline between Oskar's grandmother and her lover. Through this, the author attempts to draw parrallels between the tragedy of 9-11 and war stricken Germany during the time of World War II. It's an interesting addition to the storyline but not necessary in my opinion. Everytime the book switched to either of these two perspectives, I wanted to skip through to get back to Oskar and his journey. All in all though, it's a gripping tale. I cried at the end but was expecting as much given the content of the book. I have yet to see the movie so I can't compare but if you are interested in reading the book you won't be disappointed.
Currently, I'm in the process of reading two books: A Visit from the Goon Squad and A Year in Provence. Much like the two titles described above, they couldn't be more different which makes for an interesting juggling act.
What's on your nightstand at the moment? Have you completed a book recently that snuck into your list of top reads? Do share.
I love your blog posts, but especially look forward to the ones about the books you are reading. I typically end up having to add to my book list, which is always a plesant task. :) Not sure if you already read them, but the Hunger Games triology was awesome! I'm now on the 3rd book of 50 shades of Grey...very racy, but good. :)
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