Entries from November 2007
Boychiks In The Hood
Boychiks In The Hood, November 2007, 7/10 (only just).
Written by Robert Eisenberg. Published by HarperCollins.
I did enjoy this book, but it is not something I would typically read. Eisenberg offered a very respectful view into a number of hasidic cultures around the world, all the while maintaining (understandably) that it was not for him. A little bit light on analysis and asking questions, the book was largely descriptive but the stories told and characters profiled were almost all interesting, so it was not too much of a problem. Not too many factual errors. I would probably recommend this as airoplane reasding or to new converts / those with little broad understanding of hasidic cultures.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 7/10, American, Judaism, Nonfiction, Robert Eisenberg
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas, November 2007, 6.5/10.
Written by John Boyne. Published by David Fickling Books.
A very easy read – the whole thing took less than 3 hours a Saturday afternoon. I found the book a little too simplistic and predictable, but did appreciate the way in which the elementary nature of the writing was used to deliver very serious points. Perhaps this book is best suited not for a child, although one could enjoy it, but rather to an adult reader who is looking to learn more about the holocaust. Overall, a little too basic for my taste.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 6.5/10, British, Fiction, Holocaust, Irish Book Award, John Boyne, Novella, World War II
The Omnivore
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, November 2007, 7/10.
Written by Michael Pollan. Published by Penguin.
Disappointing given that it was meant to be one of the ten ‘books of the year’ in 2006. The strength and weakness is in the analysis and questioning – it is more interesting than the more heavily researched sections – which is good – but I found it frequently stopped prematurely. Regardless, despite not being 100% impressed with this element, the subject matter is so useful for day-to-day knowledge that I am pleased to have read this, as it provides a comprehensive view of the many deficiencies in modern food preparation, which is good to know about. It seems, unfortunately, that only is there no simple answer to all of this, but that perhaps there is no answer at all.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 7/10, American, Food, Michael Pollan, Nonfiction
