Review: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redepmtion by Laura Hillenbrand

Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

My Review:
What a fascinating account of Louis Zamperini's life Laura Hillenbrand has shared with us.  We follow Louis through all stages of his life.  When he was a young boy, we trailed behind him as he raced from neighbors after stealing their pies, we prayed with him while floating on a life raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and then couldn't help but feel frustrated when we felt Louis' emotional struggles upon his return from the war.  Hillenbrand brought us up close and personal into Zamperini's triumphs and struggles.

Everyone in my book club agreed that the book seemed to start out slow.  Hillenbrand took her time, allowing us us to get to know everyone in Louis' life.  Louis spends his childhood running as he runs from the police, kids who want to beat him up, and from anyone else that may wish harm upon him.  His older brother is the first one to become involved in running during school years, but when Louis is helping his brother with his timing one day, it's his brother that first sees something special in Louis' running abilities.  These abilities will set Louis on a course that will eventually lead him to the Olympic games in Berlin.

It isn't long after those first Olympic games that Louis will be drafted into the war, bringing an end to any future Olympics.  A familial bond develops among the flight crew that Louis has been assigned to.  Through every mission you are left gripping the book until their plane touches the ground again.  I've seen several movies depicting the planes used during WWII, but until reading Unbroken, I truly did not realize how poorly constructed these planes were made.  I learned that during WWII there were more casualties from plane crashes that happened stateside during training, than those that were actually completing missions.

One mission ends as Louis has always feared, crashing in the Pacific Ocean with man-eating sharks looking for their next meal.  This was probably the most intense part of the book for me since the surviving men are floating in a leaking life raft with sharks circling for most of the time.  This is just the beginning of Louis' journey that will require him to summon every ounce of stamina, faith, and strength.

I'm not going to give away any more of this inspiring story.  It is truly amazing what the human body and spirit can endure when pushed to the limits.  This is one of those stories that I think everyone should read, because it's men like Zamperini, who have endured unthinkable cruelties that allow us the freedoms we have today.  I am grateful to every single one of these men!  With themes of faith, endurance, and war, I really think this book has something to offer for everyone.  I highly recommend this book for either book clubs or personal leisure.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  This book is from of my personal collection and I read it for my own entertainment.

Audiobook Review: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

Title:  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Author:  Stieg Larsson

Narrator:  Simon Vance

Unabridged Length:  20 hrs, 21 mn.




Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:
Lisbeth Salander - the heart of Larsson's two previous novels - lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She's fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she'll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge - against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

My Review:
I have to admit that although I listened to this trilogy, I can't say that I am big fan that thoroughly enjoyed all of the books.  Simon Vance did a great job of narrating, and although I enjoyed the final installment more than the first two, these books just weren't for me.  We find out more about Salander's past, allowing the reader to develop compassion for the young woman.

Salander is a most interesting character as she uses her wits and intelligence to take control of her life that some have taken for granted for too long.   We learn about her family life and the events that took place putting her in the category of a highly dysfunctional family.  I would say there isn't much of a familial commitment once they try to kill you!

Needless to say, this family experience set the tone for Salander's relationships for the rest of her life.  She has come to terms with the fact that she prefers the intimate companionship of women rather than men, but it seems she still longs for Mikael.  I think she loves Mikael in her own way and is frustrated because she knows he will never return that love.

Mikael's relationship with Erika seems to carry on as it always has, until he starts to work with a young detective who catches his eye.  Finally, Mikael realizes that he wants more than just a sexual relationship with this woman.  So as all elements within this final novel seem to find a sense of balance, so does Mikael's love life.

As I said earlier, this is probably my favorite of the series, but I certainly could have gone the rest of my life without experiencing these books.  Many people out there have raved about them, but you will not hear that from me.  With themes of dysfunctional families, love, mystery, and murder, you may enjoy this book, or the entire series more than I did.  I do recommend this book for personal leisure or for book clubs that enjoy a good criminal mystery.

My Rating:  4/5


Disclosure:  I borrowed this audiobook from a friend to read for my personal entertainment. 

Review: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

Here is a summary of the book from the publisher's website:

At the staid Marcia Blaine School for Girls, in Edinburgh, Scotland, teacher extraordinaire Miss Jean Brodie is unmistakably, and outspokenly, in her prime. She is passionate in the application of her unorthodox teaching methods, in her attraction to the married art master, Teddy Lloyd, in her affair with the bachelor music master, Gordon Lowther, and—most important—in her dedication to "her girls," the students she selects to be her crème de la crème. Fanatically devoted, each member of the Brodie set—Eunice, Jenny, Mary, Monica, Rose, and Sandy—is "famous for something," and Miss Brodie strives to bring out the best in each one. Determined to instill in them independence, passion, and ambition, Miss Brodie advises her girls, "Safety does not come first. Goodness, Truth, and Beauty come first. Follow me." 

And they do. But one of them will betray her.

My Review:
I have been wanting to read this book for quite some time, and just this last year it was chosen as a book club selection with my group.  I have heard many glowing reviews of this novel and now that I have read it, the reviews have me confused.  I am not part of the crowd that found enjoyment from this book.

For the most part, this book was boring for me.  When it wasn't boring, I think it actually made me angry.  As a teacher in a girls school she would hand-pick a group of girls to be her prodigies.   All the girls in school wanted to be a part of the "Brodie set", so you can imagine the status given to the girls that are selected.  This part of the book made me angry, that these girls were thought of as being better than the rest.  Since when is it ok for a teacher to cultivate dividing lines among students?

Once the girls are chosen, Miss Brodie would meet with them during the schooldays.  These meeting should have been full of teaching instruction and lessons, but they were everything but that.  Contrary to the summary above, it didn't seem to me she was bringing out the best in them, as much as flaunting her own good fortune of love and beauty.

I had a hard time with the dialogue and timelines in this book.  Many times the book would be a flashback from present time and there were not always clear indicators of this change.  This book was hard for me to read and understand, and most of my book club agreed.  If you are one of the people that loved this book, I would love to know what, exactly, you find inspiring.

With themes of love, deception, and beauty, maybe you would like this book more than I did.  I know many people found more enjoyment from this novel than me.

My Rating:  2/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this book from the local library and read as a book club selection.

Review: Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson

Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:

At twenty-one, Shandi Pierce is juggling finishing college, raising her delightful three-year-old genius son Natty, and keeping the peace between her eternally warring, long-divorced Catholic mother and Jewish father. She’s got enough complications without getting caught in the middle of a stick-up in a gas station mini-mart and falling in love with a great wall of a man named William Ashe, who willingly steps between the armed robber and her son.

Shandi doesn’t know that her blond god Thor has his own complications. When he looked down the barrel of that gun he believed it was destiny: It’s been one year to the day since a tragic act of physics shattered his universe. But William doesn’t define destiny the way other people do. A brilliant geneticist who believes in science and numbers, destiny to him is about choice.

Now, he and Shandi are about to meet their so-called destinies head on, in a funny, charming, and poignant novel about science and miracles, secrets and truths, faith and forgiveness,; about a virgin birth, a sacrifice, and a resurrection; about falling in love, and learning that things aren’t always what they seem—or what we hope they will be. It’s a novel about discovering what we want and ultimately finding what we need.

My Review: 
Shandi's life as a young, single mom is changing, as she loads all of her belongings to move her and her young son to a new life.  Once she gets there, she will be able to finish college and actually make a living to support herself and her son, Natty.  But, when they make a normal pitstop for gas, snacks, and potty, her life changes in ways she could never imagine.  

There is a robbery in the gas station, bringing people from all walks of life together, making them count on each other to survive.  Shandi has always been drawn to older men, so when William Ashe, a fellow victim, with his muscular, solid body, is forced to get very close to Shandi, she doesn't push him away.  She accepts William's help, as his actions may be needed to keep her and Natty alive, but does she feel another kind of bond with this man?

Once the hold-up is over, Shandi finds herself as a part of William's everyday life.  She learns that William was trying to deal with the loss of his wife and daughter, that happened exactly one year before the robbery.  She can't help think that fate drew them together on that anniversary, putting her in his path to help him get on with his life.  

This was an enjoyable novel to read as new friendships flourished and mysteries were solved.  Many characters found themselves physically attracted to characters that did not return those feelings.  We just had to wait for events to play out leading our characters to the individuals they were truly in love with.  The title was very fitting in that respect.

Jackson once again created a novel keeping me on the edge of my seat with the suspense of the robbery and the mystery that I will not even start to describe.  You can read the book for that!  With themes of love, family. and friendship, you may enjoy this novel as much as I did.  I don't hesitate in recommending this book for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Audiobook Review: We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas

Title:  We Are Not Ourselves

Author:  Matthew Thomas

Narrator:  Mare Winningham

Unabridged Length:  20 hrs, 51 mn

Here is a summary of the book from the publisher's website:

Born in 1941, Eileen Tumulty is raised by her Irish immigrant parents in Woodside, Queens, in an apartment where the mood swings between heartbreak and hilarity, depending on whether guests are over and how much alcohol has been consumed.

When Eileen meets Ed Leary, a scientist whose bearing is nothing like those of the men she grew up with, she thinks she’s found the perfect partner to deliver her to the cosmopolitan world she longs to inhabit. They marry, and Eileen quickly discovers Ed doesn’t aspire to the same, ever bigger, stakes in the American Dream.

Eileen encourages her husband to want more: a better job, better friends, a better house, but as years pass it becomes clear that his growing reluctance is part of a deeper psychological shift. An inescapable darkness enters their lives, and Eileen and Ed and their son Connell try desperately to hold together a semblance of the reality they have known, and to preserve, against long odds, an idea they have cherished of the future.

Through the Learys, novelist Matthew Thomas charts the story of the American Century, particularly the promise of domestic bliss and economic prosperity that captured hearts and minds after WWII. The result is a riveting and affecting work of art; one that reminds us that life is more than a tally of victories and defeats, that we live to love and be loved, and that we should tell each other so before the moment slips away.

Epic in scope, heroic in character, masterful in prose, We Are Not Ourselves heralds the arrival of a major new talent in contemporary fiction.

My Review: 
Let me tell you that this sweeping novel narrated by Mare Winningham was an amazing listening experience.  We are able to follow all of young Eileen's hopes, dreams, fears, and losses throughout her life.  You can't help but want more for her as she struggles from day to day.  Nothing will stop Eileen from acquiring her American Dream.

As a young girl living in a small apartment in Queens with her immigrant family, she watches her parents struggle to get by.  As Eileen gets older she does everything she needs to find success.  Eileen finishes nursing school, but throughout her career eventually decides to pursue medical administration.

When Eileen marries Ed Leary, she hopes all her dreams will materialize quickly, but that does not come to pass.  They both have good jobs, but Ed is comfortable with his routine.  Renting an upstairs apartment is about all of the commitment that Ed is willing to invest in.  After many years Eileen is able to talk Ed into purchasing the building they live in, so they finally have something of their own.

It isn't until decades later that Eileen decides she wants more from this life once again.  Ed is nearing retirement and their son is in high school, getting ready for college soon.  Eileen does all she can to achieve her dreams, and even though she gets everything she wants, their lives start a downward spiral.  She realizes that everything that it has taken her whole life to achieve, she could lose in just a few months.  

Although this wasn't an action-packed novel, I found myself looking forward to listening to it.  With themes of family, love, illness, and immigrants, you may enjoy this book as much as I did.  I don't hesitate in recommending this book for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  4/5


Disclosure:  This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

2015 Goodreads Reading Challenge

Well I achieved my goal last year of reading at least thirty books, and since I have not been requesting as many this year, I decided to set my goal for only 20 books.  I mostly wanted to post this so I can keep a running tally throughout the year of what I have read.  Eventually, you should be able to click on the book title to see the review. I know it's kind of late to post this, but do you have any reading goals this year?

1.  Christmas Jars by Jason Wright--completed 1/07/2015
2.  The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie--completed 2/04/2015
3.  Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson--Completed 2/20/2015
4.  We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas--Completed 3/10/2015
5.  Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand--Completed 4/1/2015
6.  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson--Completed 5/4/2015
7.  Still Life With Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen--Completed 5/11/2015
8.  Stella Bain by Anita Shreve--Completed 6/3/2015
9.  The Fine Color of Rust by P.A. O'Reilly--Completed 6/4/2015