PODCAST-EUPHORIA, MONTANA, & THE PROFESSOR & THE HOUSEKEEPER

Are you looking for a book to read? Check out my mini reviews.

Euphoria by Lily King:

This work of historical fiction is loosely based on the life of anthropologist, Margaret Mead. The novel is set in 1930’s New Guinea, when anthropology was a nascent and not necessarily respected field of study. The narrative tension of the novel is created by both a love triangle and also the differing views the three anthropologists hold about the ways to pursue their research.

King skillfully presents this tale from two distinct points of view. We mainly hear from Andrew Bankson, a depressed and on-and-off suicidal British anthropologist who is in love with Nell Stone. She is an American anthropologist who is married to Fen, an Australian anthropologist. Excerpts from Nell’s diary provide a second point of view.

One takeaway for me is how often we have no idea what is going on in another person’s mind and how guessing wrong can result in tragedy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Montana 1948 by Larry Watson:

This slim volume of 169 pages is a coming-of-age story, told by twelve-year-old David Hayden whose father is the sheriff of a small town, a job he took on unwillingly. David’s uncle is the town physician and local war hero, who, on the surface, is a charming fellow. His grandparents are wealthy folks who control the town and its members. This includes families that have settled the area and Native Americans, the people they’ve displaced and mistreated.

This spare story is elegantly told, with moving observations of disturbing events that forever shift David’s world view. The novel addresses themes of family loyalty, the harsh treatment of Native Americans, justice deferred, and the cost of living your life with integrity.

The pacing is great and the prose is engaging. I read the book almost in one sitting.

I wish Watson had spent more time talking about the interior life of the Native Americans who suffered greatly. And, at the end, I wanted to see all the “bad guys” and the institutional racism dealt with in a more vigorous manner. However, the ending I yearned for would not have been realistic for the times. Regardless, I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

The Housekeeper by Yoko Ogawa

I don’t care about baseball, and I’ve feared math since early childhood. Numbers hurt my brain. However, Yoko Ogawa’s novel gave me a deeper appreciation of both math and baseball. Although, I can’t see myself ever watching a full game.

The story is about a brilliant, but ornery mathematician who suffered a traumatic brain injury which left him with an eighty-minute short term memory. A housekeeper and her son become an integral part of his life.

The professor is forced to live entirely in the present. He doesn’t remember the housekeeper and her son from visit to visit. However, the professor communicates his passion for math to the woman and her boy. Ultimately, they both cine to share the professor’s passion.

The story is heartwarming in a non-sentimenal way. And, miracle of miracles, I happily learned about the beauty of math and the intricacies of baseball. The relationship between the three characters felt touching and realistic. I highly recommend the book. If you hate math, let me know if this novel changes your mind.

###

Interested in more reviews? Please check out:

THE GOD OF THE WOODS

FOSTER

0:00
/
0:00
THREE BOOK REVIEWS

(Photo by Jen Fariello)Deborah Prum’s fiction has appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, Across the Margin, Streetlight and other outlets. Her essays air on NPR member stations and have appeared in The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and Southern Living, as well as many other places. Check out her WEBSITE. Check out her DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING SERVICES. Check out her PAINTINGS.

APPLE PODCAST

SPOTIFY PODCAST