wendybird
Stratford Public Library
wendybird's Completed Shelf
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wendybird's rating:
Added Nov 24, 2021
Seven Fallen FeathersSeven Fallen Feathers, BookRacism, Death, and Hard Truths in A Northern City
by Talaga, TanyaBook - 2017Book, 2017
wendybird's rating:
Added Oct 22, 2021
Comment:
This well researched book I think is one of the most important reads someone can tackle, while seeking the truth & learning about the difficult journey of Indigenous people within Canada. The publisher's summary provides a fairly circumscribed description: "presents the story of seven Indigenous high school students who died in Thunder Bay, Ontario from 2010 to 2011."Yes, it does this - but also so much more. By laying out why the students came to this northern town, and providing details about their brief lives there, as well as following up with the police and finally, the Provincial Inquest (2014), the book lays bare the terrible injustices against these teens - and by extension (as among the most vulnerable), their home communities, families, and peoples. The book literally took my breath away with the routine, thoughtless cruelty built into the structures and systems. So often I found myself saying, "still??? This is STILL happening? and there are NO concrete answers or remedies???"
In short, a powerful book that, while describing one particular series of events, exposes a raft of horrors and something we non-Indigenous people need to accept as the truth and use as fuel to work harder on reconciliation.This well researched book I think is one of the most important reads someone can tackle, while seeking the truth & learning about the difficult journey of Indigenous people within Canada. The publisher's summary provides a fairly circumscribed…
wendybird's rating:
Added Sep 23, 2021
Comment:
This is a hugely important book, written by a woman assaulted on an American university campus before the "#MeToo" movement and before it was recognized how much the criminal justice system played into the hands of perpetrators. Chanel Miller, the writer, uses much of the 350 pages for a combination of a retelling of the event - the assault - and the subsequent court appearances alongside a stream of consciousness capture of her feelings at that time. In places, particularly earlier on, her descriptions are both painful but also poetic. Many readers might find this a bit tedious, but in Miller's defense, it does all hold together and represents the true process of guilt, grief, acceptance and healing. With the names Larry Nassar and Bill Cosby in the news again this week, the book is still - unfortunately - incredibly relevant.This is a hugely important book, written by a woman assaulted on an American university campus before the "#MeToo" movement and before it was recognized how much the criminal justice system played into the hands of perpetrators. Chanel Miller, the…
wendybird's rating:
Added Sep 07, 2021
Comment:
As a long time librarian & book reviewer, I have to bow to this lovely encapsulation by the publisher - I couldn't say it any better ....
Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Above all else, Cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator.
Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world. She was married twice, each time to a brother. She waged a brutal civil war against the first when both were teenagers. She poisoned the second. Ultimately she dispensed with an ambitious sister as well; incest and assassination were family specialties. Cleopatra appears to have had sex with only two men. They happen, however, to have been Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, among the most prominent Romans of the day. Both were married to other women. Cleopatra had a child with Caesar and–after his murder–three more with his protégé. Already she was the wealthiest ruler in the Mediterranean; the relationship with Antony confirmed her status as the most influential woman of the age. The two would together attempt to forge a new empire, in an alliance that spelled their ends. Cleopatra has lodged herself in our imaginations ever since.
Famous long before she was notorious, Cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Shakespeare and Shaw put words in her mouth. Michelangelo, Tiepolo, and Elizabeth Taylor put a face to her name. Along the way, Cleopatra’s supple personality and the drama of her circumstances have been lost. In a masterly return to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff here boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order. Rich in detail, epic in scope, Schiff ‘s is a luminous, deeply original reconstruction of a dazzling life.As a long time librarian & book reviewer, I have to bow to this lovely encapsulation by the publisher - I couldn't say it any better ....
Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue.…
This One Wild LifeThis One Wild Life, BookA Mother-daughter Wilderness Memoir
by Abdou, AngieBook - 2021Book, 2021
wendybird's rating:
Added Sep 07, 2021
Comment:
I enjoyed this book - although, full disclosure, I DO have daughters, and we all do love hiking & the West Coast.
The thumbnail summary provided by the publisher is misleading. While Abdou (this is autobiographical), makes a nod during her 232 well written pages to the impact of overly competitive sports on kids, the book is mostly about rediscovering the author's love of the outdoors in general, and hiking, in particular. Concerns during this "Peak A Week" season include her "shy" daughter, Katie, children and risk, and social media's havoc creation. It's fair to say that the book does rather flow through topics like someone's mind while exploring tree-filled trails.
Those with shy kids, those who enjoy reading about the glorious moments of parenthood (alongside the less than), and the wonders of hiking will want to add this to their list.I enjoyed this book - although, full disclosure, I DO have daughters, and we all do love hiking & the West Coast.
The thumbnail summary provided by the publisher is misleading. While Abdou (this is autobiographical), makes a nod during her 232…
Mandy's Gourmet SaladsMandy's Gourmet Salads, BookRecipes for Lettuce and Life
by Wolfe, MandyBook - 2020Book, 2020
wendybird's rating:
Added Sep 03, 2021
Comment:
I read, use, and collect a LOT of cookbooks. This is a real gem - at least, to me, who loves salads, smoothies, and the odd sweet thing. The recipes are tried and true, the results of much hard work and experimentation by Montreal sisters Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe. Way back in 2004, the pair opened the tiny Coco Cafe. Within a couple of years, "the lines (of people) began to snake outside the store, we were bursting at the seams." Next came (and it remains) "Mandy's", still in Montreal, larger but still incredibly popular with the eat-out crowd.
Salads feature local and fresh ingredients, and pull influences from around the world.
Several staff at our Library have commented on their love for this cookbook, and have indulged themselves in a personal kitchen copy. I've just done the same.I read, use, and collect a LOT of cookbooks. This is a real gem - at least, to me, who loves salads, smoothies, and the odd sweet thing. The recipes are tried and true, the results of much hard work and experimentation by Montreal sisters Mandy…
wendybird's rating:
Added Sep 03, 2021
Comment:
I've been a fan of Paula McLain's novels for a while, having loved and admired, "The Paris wife," "Circling the sun", and "Love and Ruin." This story marks a change in her writing, as it is not based on an a fictional account of a real historical figure. McLain instead creates the Northern Californian detective Anna Hart, and chronicles her effort to not only right her tragic personal life but also help residents in her town of refuge, Mendocino, track down a violent killer. The tale is part thriller, part trauma therapy, and part personal redemption - which makes it sound terribly dark. Certainly, given the subject matter, there are places it is - but, as Cohen noted, there are also many cracks where the light comes in. I really enjoyed this book and had trouble putting it down. Perhaps Hart will become the center of an ongoing series?I've been a fan of Paula McLain's novels for a while, having loved and admired, "The Paris wife," "Circling the sun", and "Love and Ruin." This story marks a change in her writing, as it is not based on an a fictional account of a real historical…
wendybird's rating:
Added Aug 13, 2021
Comment:
If India has always fascinated you, and you love a good novel, this may be your perfect read!
All power to Reese Witherspoon, whose book club starred this novel. Once started, I couldn't stop, as it features an engaging plot, a gorgeously rendered setting, and believable characters. The book is set during the 1950's , just after India's independence from Britain, and dives deep into the intriguing art of henna, alongside caste, class and cash social divisions. While simultaneously informing the reader and spinning her tale, Joshi's 338 well researched pages have the capacity to enthrall. She dots the 'i" by adding a glossary for Indian terms as well as a a handful of traditional recipes. A perfect book to take you away from whatever and wherever you currently are! I'm thrilled to see The henna artist has become #1 now, in a series, so I'm off to track down #2.If India has always fascinated you, and you love a good novel, this may be your perfect read!
All power to Reese Witherspoon, whose book club starred this novel. Once started, I couldn't stop, as it features an engaging plot, a gorgeously rendered…
wendybird's rating:
Added Jul 30, 2021
Comment:
A powerfully written & illustrated Graphic about a terrible injustice in Canadian history. "Sugar Falls" recounts the story of just one of the thousands of Indigenous children sent to residential schools. In 40 short pages, it transmits both the horror and the tremendous loss experienced by this country's first peoples. An excellent, clearly rendered story, suitable for those just learning about these wrongs.A powerfully written & illustrated Graphic about a terrible injustice in Canadian history. "Sugar Falls" recounts the story of just one of the thousands of Indigenous children sent to residential schools. In 40 short pages, it transmits both the…
The Librarian of Saint-MaloThe Librarian of Saint-Malo, BookA Novel
by Escobar, MarioBook - 2021Book, 2021
wendybird's rating:
Added Jul 07, 2021
Comment:
A finely put together novel, about a fictional woman looking after the town library in the famous French seaside town of St. Malo during the Nazi occupation, 1939-1945. Told from Jocelyn Ferrec (the librarian's) point of view, it chronicles the many changes and challenges faced during those times. While this is a translation, from author Mario Escobar's native Spanish text, it is a seamless, well told story.
Unfortunately, having read Antony Doerr's bestselling, "All the light we cannot see," recently (also set in St. Malo, during World War II), it was perhaps not as intriguing a setting as it might otherwise have been.A finely put together novel, about a fictional woman looking after the town library in the famous French seaside town of St. Malo during the Nazi occupation, 1939-1945. Told from Jocelyn Ferrec (the librarian's) point of view, it chronicles the…
wendybird's rating:
Added Jun 01, 2021
Comment:
I was very excited to pick up this book, as many colleagues had recommended it to me. It also features several plot threads I enjoy - set in World War II, France, with the Resistance.
While the characters and story are decently drawn, I found it disappointing. At no point was I breathless, on the edge of my seat, wondering what might happen - would our heroine survive in the brutal Vichy regime, working underground?
Too much of the tale is taken up with a pieces of romance, as well as Eva's mother's anger. Things just sort of stall once our protagonist takes up her role creating false documents to allow Jews to escape occupied France. While of course, the war blew families apart, the fate of major characters seem unconsidered and rather pointless - this is fiction, after all, and Harmel did have control over insuring all the pieces fit.I was very excited to pick up this book, as many colleagues had recommended it to me. It also features several plot threads I enjoy - set in World War II, France, with the Resistance.
While the characters and story are decently drawn, I found it…
wendybird's rating:
Added Jun 01, 2021
Comment:
This novel completely took my breath away. Terrific reading.
Although positioned as a psychological drama, I think it could more correctly be seen as rendering of the countless doubts that motherhood brings to a confident, intelligent, woman. While the plot twists are amplified over what might happen inside a "typical" new family (in North America), I remember all too well how everything I thought I knew, everything I counted on in myself and those around me were scattered to the winds after I had my first baby. As time moves on with Audain's fictional family, you start to wonder if she is paranoid, an unreliable narrator. Show me a young woman, who has moved from a successful career and singledom, into the "family way" who doesn't have doubts and fears about even the most essential parts of her life. Those pieces lie at the heart of this book.This novel completely took my breath away. Terrific reading.
Although positioned as a psychological drama, I think it could more correctly be seen as rendering of the countless doubts that motherhood brings to a confident, intelligent, woman. While…
Finding FreedomFinding Freedom, BookA Cook's Story : Remaking A Life From Scratch
by French, ErinBook - 2021Book, 2021
wendybird's rating:
Added May 17, 2021
Comment:
For those that love the food memoir, and are also intrigued by more difficult works such as, Tara Westover's "Educated", Erin French's biography is a real treat. She absolutely waxes poetic whenever food is discussed - it's done with such passion, you know it is at the core of everything she is. Now the chef (she'd dispute that title) and creative genius behind Maine's incredibly successful Lost Kitchen Restaurant, Ms. French describes for us her life's journey to this perfect place.
Her celebration of simple fare, starting in her family's diner, makes the story and the joy accessible. This isn't a Michelin Five Star celebrity chef, but someone who revels in what is at hand, and knows how to render it gorgeous : she gathers field flowers for tables, places them alongside with reclaimed flea market tableware, and tops it off with local fare.
Along the way, she makes the mistakes that we all make in life -- but somehow, even when at the very bottom, finds meaning in her work and with that, the strength to take risks and fulfill her culinary vision. Not for the faint of heart .For those that love the food memoir, and are also intrigued by more difficult works such as, Tara Westover's "Educated", Erin French's biography is a real treat. She absolutely waxes poetic whenever food is discussed - it's done with such passion,…
wendybird's rating:
Added Apr 30, 2021
Comment:
Like so many, I often catch snippets of radio interviews with authors launching their latest book into the world. The true story Kim Echlin wove during that 4 minute piece was so intriguing I knew I'd had to get my hands on her fictional account. And when I did finally hold the finished, glossy colored book, I was surprised - not only by it slim girth (at just 191 well spaced pages), but by the hopeful beauty (a handful of white blossoms, French Alpine Buckhorn flowers) on the cover.
But - it was the narrative a fictional account of events at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia -- specifically, the stories of the women who were horribly victimized during the Bosnian war -- that drew me in. Echlin handles the weighty subject with care and compassion and supports this difficult story with intriguing, perfectly balanced lighter moments as her protagonist, a Toronto journalist, moves through the war trial.
Written with a deft, warm touch.Like so many, I often catch snippets of radio interviews with authors launching their latest book into the world. The true story Kim Echlin wove during that 4 minute piece was so intriguing I knew I'd had to get my hands on her fictional account. …
wendybird's rating:
Added Mar 14, 2021
Comment:
A well written novel about a young equestrian, Roan Montgomery, and her steely determination to not only be the best competitive horsewoman she can, but to also champion a controlling, arrogant father... who also happens to be her coach.
The elite horse world exists in rarified air - with exquisite facilities, training, and animals - each worth small fortunes. Writer Mihalic captures its tailored beauty and grace and understands the undeniable connection between horses and people. Inside this often bucolic setting, though, she places a driving , powerful narrative very much in step with many young women's athletic experiences. The green rolling hills and stately, leaf-dappled laneways shadow a lion's share of dark corners.
There's not too much more I can write without spoilers here.
Certainly, all 340 pages were more than worth my time, and there were points at which I couldn't tear myself away from the increasingly hair-pinned corner narrative.A well written novel about a young equestrian, Roan Montgomery, and her steely determination to not only be the best competitive horsewoman she can, but to also champion a controlling, arrogant father... who also happens to be her coach.
The elite…
wendybird's rating:
Added Feb 15, 2021
Comment:
There is no doubt the writing is magical and bouyant as a circus - an amazing, dancing work in many ways. Initially, the tone seems borrowed more from a child's fairy tale or star dusted picture book than an adult novel. Fittingly, we meet its stars, Pierrot and Rose, in a dark, post Victorian orphanage surrounded by unloving and routinely cruel nuns. In spite of the setting, we're caught up in O'Neill's intricate tale, spinning high above the baseness, and like the young pair, begin to experience the magic of performance, and of childhood.
As the story progresses and both children reach adulthood, they leave the orphanage - landing in strange, yet also tailor made households, adopted out because of their unusual personal gifts. And here, the scales begin to fall from both the tale's and Rose's eyes. Unlike Pierrot, she sees the adult world for what it is, learning how to best manipulate it and those around her to her advantage. Pierrot remains an innocent, and yet is not spared many of the horrors of adulthood.
Above all, this is a compelling and lyrical love story, and yet it is also so much more. I won't hide some disappointment in the second half's plot twists - but these are personal preferences and take nothing away from the book. It lands so much like a circus - a perfect, lively confection.. where behind the grease paint and the spangled leotards, there is much ugliness and cruelty. There isn't one without the other.There is no doubt the writing is magical and bouyant as a circus - an amazing, dancing work in many ways. Initially, the tone seems borrowed more from a child's fairy tale or star dusted picture book than an adult novel. Fittingly, we meet its…
wendybird's rating:
Added Jan 22, 2021
Comment:
Had I not been absolutely hooked on HBO's In treatment a few years ago, I probably would not even be sure who Gabriel Byrne is. But hooked I WAS, and so with great curiosity picked up his new autobiography, "Walking with ghosts."
Too often with stars, we forget they have interior lives and gritty pasts. Byrne places this piece front and center. Born and raised in grey hard scrabble mid century Dublin, the actor seemed destined for failure, falling through any number of callings. Still, he persisted and eventually with some luck and great talent, his world creaked towards success and (one hopes) some personal happiness.
The memoir is seriously and lyrically composed and skips forward and back across the decades and at least 2 continents. This is not a fluff piece, not a happy go lucky read -- but neither is it without wit, humour, and great insight.
Recommended for Gabriel Byrne fans. And, if you have no idea who he is, run (don't walk) to your nearest screen and start watching, "In treatment." Immediately.Had I not been absolutely hooked on HBO's In treatment a few years ago, I probably would not even be sure who Gabriel Byrne is. But hooked I WAS, and so with great curiosity picked up his new autobiography, "Walking with ghosts."
Too often with…
wendybird's rating:
Added Jan 11, 2021
wendybird's rating:
Added Dec 26, 2020
Comment:
After loving "The Painted Girls", I patiently waited for Cathy Marie Buchanan's next novel (7 + years)... So happy to report that it's more than worth the wait.
A more different setting couldn't be conjured -- the 1st Century, AD, in the boglands of the U.K. , a young girl with a bad hip is born into a devoted family - the daughter of Black Lake. Follow Miss Hobble as she navigates her half pagan, half Christian family, as a prophet and seer. Her parents both are and aren't an incredible love story. Just over the horizon, the all - powerful Romans abide.
One of the most engaging novels I've picked up in 2020, take a break from smart phones & the like, and go back. Way, way back. I think you will enjoy it.After loving "The Painted Girls", I patiently waited for Cathy Marie Buchanan's next novel (7 + years)... So happy to report that it's more than worth the wait.
A more different setting couldn't be conjured -- the 1st Century, AD, in the boglands…
wendybird's rating:
Added Sep 21, 2020
Comment:
Those who follow me know that horses figure prominently in my life. When I saw the cover and read the dust jacket, I thought, "well, it's considered a Western, so it might be kind of formulaic, I don't know...", but with an extended vacation coming, I decided to risk it.
I"m glad I did. Yes, a lot of the plot is a bit predictable : there are clear "bad" guys, and flawed but heart of gold "good guys." However, with the protagnist a youngish, tough love type waitress suddenly presented with the mystery of her dad's past 20 years and his underdog racing horse to boot, there's much to recommend it.
I particularly loved the lead character 's rough around the edges smarts and sass -- Billie Masterson is far from the standard "on the sidelines" ornamental woman.
I was delighted and surprised to learn that the author, Brad Smith (who has won the Western Writer's Association 's top award in 2019) actually lives in Canada -- near Dunnville, Ontario, apparently.Those who follow me know that horses figure prominently in my life. When I saw the cover and read the dust jacket, I thought, "well, it's considered a Western, so it might be kind of formulaic, I don't know...", but with an extended vacation coming,…
Horse CrazyHorse Crazy, BookThe Story of A Woman and A World in Love With An Animal
by Nir, Sarah MaslinBook - 2020Book, 2020
wendybird's rating:
Added Sep 21, 2020
Comment:
A journalist (Sarah Maslin Nir) - who is also an experienced equestrian - travels the globe & shares selected stories of her experiences with a variety of horses. A couple of the stories (i.e. Misty of Chincoteague) will already be familiar to hard core horse lovers.
There is much to like about this book - but as a fellow horsewoman and a long time librarian - many reservations as well. Nir is indecisive about her authorship, her voice within the book. Is she writing as a journalist? Is she writing as a horse lover? Is this actually a memoir - about her Holocaust surviving father, and his relationship with horses and her? She can't decide , tries all three and unfortunately, it makes for a muddled narrative, regardless of her ability to tell a solid story. One example - she makes clear her abhorrence with mistreatment of horses she has experienced (with a former coach, son of Snowman's Harry De Leyer, as well as world class Grand Prix and Olympic riders), and yet willingly participates in a fox hunt (outlawed in this country for its incredible cruelty to the fox). Don't get me wrong - horrid treatment of horses exists -- but with her combination of sometimes memoir, sometimes horse story teller, sometimes expose -- there is little room to treat any topic the way it deserves.
I should add the cover photo (taken from contemporary tale about India's rare Marwari breed) is absolutely glorious.A journalist (Sarah Maslin Nir) - who is also an experienced equestrian - travels the globe & shares selected stories of her experiences with a variety of horses. A couple of the stories (i.e. Misty of Chincoteague) will already be familiar to hard…
The Splendid and the VileThe Splendid and the Vile, BookA Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
by Larson, ErikBook - 2020Book, 2020
wendybird's rating:
Added Aug 17, 2020
Comment:
I could not put this book down !!! I do tend to fiction over non-fiction, but my sister had highly recommended earlier items by Larson so I gave it a try. Absolutely fascinating - now, granted, you have to have a real interest in history generally, and World War II in particular. However, even if you are extremely well read in this time period, I'll wager there is lots to keep your interest. Erik Larson deliberately chose a different path in his research, digging deep to find stories within the behemoth that is Winston Churchill and World War II, and succeeds stunningly well, allowing readers to follow his daughter Mary, a private secretary John Colville, the quirky Lord Beaverbrook, and a small cast of others in Churchill's inner circle... a few Germans (including Goering, Hess, and fighter pilot ace Adoph Galland round out the sidelights that very much contribute to the whole.
This reads very much like a tight, taut novel - but with enough sparkle and comic relief to make it a super tale, all roundI could not put this book down !!! I do tend to fiction over non-fiction, but my sister had highly recommended earlier items by Larson so I gave it a try. Absolutely fascinating - now, granted, you have to have a real interest in history generally,…
wendybird's rating:
Added Jul 08, 2020
Comment:
Many times, while grooming my mare in the quiet barn, I've thought about the hundreds of years equestrian tradition that form so many horse-related tasks. We still mount from the left (keeping our right hand free for a sword & conflict), measure equine height in "hands", and use a strange assortment of implements (currycombs, and picks) to keep the coats and feet clean.
Tim Pears novel, set deep in rural England circa 1911, overflows with simple beauty found in these old traditional ways and the land and animals being tended. The story revolves around young Leo Sercombe, an aspiring horseman, son of Albert, a farmer and carter in service to the estate's master, Lord Prideaux.
The tale, like those working the soil, follows the sun, and each new season brings it's special tasks and pleasures. These rituals are fully described, taking the reader directly there. September, for example, brings the harvest and celebration, each villagers having specific role in the bounty's collection.
This is a book to savour, therefore, and not to hurry with : there is no fast-paced plot or Gordian mystery to untangle beyond the simplicity, rusticity, and sometimes cruelty of that long gone time where wheat sheaves were hand bundled, and going to the fair meant selecting a new pony for your cart. I simply couldn't get enough. Luckily, this is first in a trilogy, and I look forward to reading the set.Many times, while grooming my mare in the quiet barn, I've thought about the hundreds of years equestrian tradition that form so many horse-related tasks. We still mount from the left (keeping our right hand free for a sword & conflict), measure…
The VolunteerThe Volunteer, BookOne Man, An Underground Army, and the Secret Mission to Destroy Auschwitz
by Fairweather, JackBook - 2019Book, 2019
wendybird's rating:
Added Jun 21, 2020
Comment:
Witold Pilecki, gentleman farmer, rode off to defend his native Poland in August, 1939. As history tells us, the Germans crushed the Poles - a focused target of Hitler's-- and began the Nazi's ruthless occupation there just weeks later.
While his formal war efforts were finished, Witold was far from done defending mankind and his country. Erased from the historical record by Poland's postwar Communist government, Pilecki remains very much unknown by the world. He was, as the title suggests, a soldier who went underground and actually volunteered to investigate the German camps by becoming an inmate. It seems astounding to me that his story has not been told on a wider stage (the first comprehensive biography was released in 202o, in Polish). American
journalist Jack Fairweather sets out to change all of that, having tracked down hidden diaries, survivors , family members, and recently declassified files. This is not a story for the faint of heart, as it takes the reader on an unflinching journey alongside Pilecki, right to Auschwitz's center. I found this book fascinating, and simply couldn't put it down. While the text has been heavily researched (25 pages compose the "select" bibliography, and 50 pages of endnotes), it still manages to read like a novel -- it flows and makes sense, word choices are clear and powerful.
I have never thought too much about the Polish war effort, other than to wonder why so many of the "death camps" were located there. This book clears that fog, and reveals the heroic efforts taken to tell the story to the Allies in time to stop the killing. The failure to do so, as we learn, lies not at Witold Pilecki's feet, but at those around the war tables in both London and Washington. An amazing story.Witold Pilecki, gentleman farmer, rode off to defend his native Poland in August, 1939. As history tells us, the Germans crushed the Poles - a focused target of Hitler's-- and began the Nazi's ruthless occupation there just weeks later.
While his…
wendybird's rating:
Added Mar 04, 2020
Comment:
This is one of the finest novels I have read in ages. Part family saga, part historical fiction, and certainly part magic, writer Min Jin Lee worked with the text for 30 years, and has crafted it finely. The tale itself begins in 1900, with Sunja, a young woman & fisherman's daughter, as she falls in love at the Korean seaside. It sweeps through 4 generations of Koreans living in Japan, taking the reader from the bustling street markets, all the way to the glistening new towers of Osaka and Tokyo.
The story is compelling - one of those books that has you making excuses so you could go back to reading it.This is one of the finest novels I have read in ages. Part family saga, part historical fiction, and certainly part magic, writer Min Jin Lee worked with the text for 30 years, and has crafted it finely. The tale itself begins in 1900, with Sunja, a…
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