Finished 9-28-10, rating 4.5/5, fiction, pub. 2005

The floorboards creaked under my weight.  There were books everywhere.  There were pens, and a blue glass vase, an ashtray from the Dolder Grand in Zurich, the rusted arrow of a weather vane, a little brass hourglass, sand dollars on the windowsill, a pair of binoculars, an empty wine bottle that served as a candle holder, wax melted down the neck.  I touched this thing and that.  At the end, all that’s left of you are your possessions, Perhaps that’s why I’ve never been able to throw anything away.  Perhaps that’s why I hoarded the world: with the hope that when I died, the sum total of my things would suggest a life larger than the one I lived.

“Die Laughing” chapter

Leo Gursky, a man who escaped the Nazis in Poland before following the love of his life to New York City, is staring a lonely death in the face.  He has one friend, he makes a scene when in public so that people will remember him, and he is willing to embarrass himself just to be seen.  He is alone, the love of his life is dead and his son doesn’t know he exists.  Leo is full of wit and wisdom and sadness.  I just wanted to give him a hug.

Alma Singer is a girl who wants to know who her namesake is.  Her dead father had given her mother a book, The History of Love, and the woman in it, Alma, represented all women.  Young Alma’s search for the author provides the catalyst and the mystery for this original novel. 

The language is beautiful and the story bittersweet.  It is both funny and confusing, touching and depressing.  It came close to being perfect for me and I loved it.  It is very difficult to describe, but pick it up and take a look.  It may be just the unique voice you are looking for.

This is from my personal library and chosen by Vasilly, Heather, Mille, Alita, and Wendy.  Here’s what they had to say…

“Best book ever. Really. Please, please tell me this came from your Holiday Book Blogger Santa? I might cry otherwise.”  Mille (my very sweet Secret Santa :))

“You want to dig deeper into the book as you read.”  Vasilly

Finished 9-17-10, rating 3.5/5, fiction, pub. 1991

Was she crazy? Had she just escaped from an asylum? From jail? Was she on the run? She laughed at her own histrionics.  If she hadn’t been crazy before all this started she certainly would be by the time it was over.  Would it ever be over?

Chapter 1

Jane is aimlessly walking around Boston, not knowing who she is or why she’s there.  She has blood on her dress and $10,000 in her coat pocket, so she checks into a hotel to get her bearings.  After a few days she realizes her memory is not coming back so she turns herself over to police, who in turn send her to the hospital.  She is told that she had temporary amnesia and in a stroke of luck is recognized by one of the nurses.  Jane’s husband, Michael is a pediatric surgeon at another hospital.  The two are reunited, but Jane is still lost and confused.

The premise is a terrifying one.  All of the sudden to be in a big city, not know who you are and to realize no one is looking for you would be quite a shock to the system.  Jane was an interesting character.  Since she didn’t know who she was I wasn’t sure who she was either.  I grew frustrated at her docile ambivalence to her situation at home, especially when she was repeatedly told how feisty she really was.  Who was the real Jane?

It’s a page turner, but my frustration with Jane and the too long chapters on her contemplating her unknown life kept it from being excellent.  I kept wanting it to read faster.  But once things started happening halfway through the pace and story picked up.  The end was great and I did enjoy it.

This is from my personal library and chosen by Kristie, GMR, and Debby.  Here’s what they had to say…

“One of my all time favorite books.”  Debby

“This was one of the first fiction novels I read as I was growing up (aside from kids fiction and such)…didn’t actually realize the author until a few weeks ago when I read a review on the title. Definitely a fast paced thriller…”  GMR

“I just finished reading this one Saturday and enjoyed it. You can see a review on my blog!”  Kristie

Finished 9-10-10, rating 3.5/5, fiction, pub. 1997

Bode rapped his knuckles on the dinette.  “Here’s my prediction: The shitweasel holding the other Lotto ticket, he’s either a Negro, Jew or Cuban type.”

“Go on!”

“That’s how they do it, Chub.  To fuck over decent Americans such as you and me.  You think they’re gonna let two white boys take the whole jackpot?  Not these days, no way!”  Bode’s nose angled back toward the newspaper.  “Where’s Grange?  Over near Tampa?”

Chub was stunned at his friend’s theory.  He didn’t understand how the lottery could be rigged.  If it was, how had he and Bode managed to win even half?

Chapter 2

 Bode and Chub have just won the Florida lottery and hope to get their racist militia, White Clarion Aryans, started.  When they find out there was another winning ticket and they would have to split the $28 million they decide to find the ticket and steal it so they could have all of the winnings to themselves.  JoLayne Lucks is a single woman who plans to use her $14 million to rescue swampland from commercial development.  When she is attacked by Bode and Chub all hell breaks loose.

The premise is fun as is the wackiness of Hiaasen’s writing.  No one gets a pass in this one.  The horrible and awful Bode & Chub would have been more funny only if you didn’t realize that there were plenty of idiots like them out there.  And the religious zealots and the people who take advantage of them provide plenty of zaniness.  The two heroes of the novel are JoLayne and reporter Tom Krome provide the common sense and the common good of the novel. 

I liked this one, but my distaste for Bode and Chub probably stopped me from liking it more.  I thought the end was maybe a bit too easy for me, but not really bad.  With such a crazy cast of characters I was expecting more of a crazy ending.  But, Hiaasen always pushes the envelope and is always funny, so you really can’t go wrong with his books.

This is from my personal library and chosen by Kristie, Jessica, Sharon, Sue, and Jason.  Here’s what they had to say…

“I’ve read all of Hiaasan’s books and love the humor in them.”  Sharon

“Love his books!”  Kristie