Are Your Ready?????????? Here Is What "The New York Times" Chose As "The Five Best Works Of Fiction For 2020!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

                                                     Just  to let you know, by now, I have read them all.  Here is my take:

                                                    

                                              1.  "Hamnet--" Heaven sent, a fictional rendering of how Shakespeare might have come  to write one of his best known tragedies.  Literary and  moving all at the same time,  I am surprised,  but delighted that "The Times" had the sense to put  this on their list!

                                                 2.  "A Children's Bible," by Lydia Millet--Oh, come on; you have got to be kidding me!  How the hell did this ever wind up on the list?  I can think of other books which should be in its place, and I will deal with that eventually. Millett's novel, well written and mercifully brief comes across like a redo of Golding's "Lord Of The Flies," and Richard Hughes' "A High Wind In Jamaica."  Oh,  and  yes,  Jesmyn West's "Salvage The Bones."  I have been down these paths before.  Evidently Millet has not.  Or maybe it just fit the paper's political agenda.  Putting this  on  the  list was a big mistake!

3.  "Deacon King Kong," by James McBride--I have not read any McBride, since "The Color Of Water," and,  for me, nothing tops that.  Many I know were crazy about this, but I was not. Coming  full circle, starting with the shooting of a drug dealer in a Brooklyn projects locale called Caution House,  in 1969, the novel has any number of gripping moments and characters, but keeps circling around and repeating things, elongating what should have been a shorter novel.  Sure,  it is good enough for the "Most Notable," but the "Ten Best?"   Who do these people think they are kidding???????????

4.  "Homeland Elegies," by Ayad Akhtar--Another right selection, one of "The Times' " few.  This absorbing novel  of being socially excluded from the society you feel you belong in, only to be shut out of, as well as providing great insight into the mind of how a Trumper sees things, as evidenced by the hero's father, makes this a must read.  It is worth it just to read the Trump passage, but the entire novel is  riveting.

5.  "The Vanishing Half," by Brit Bennett-- No argument here; this was one of the most satisfying reads of  the year, for me.  Two Southern Black sisters choose separate paths--the blacker one staying in the South, caring for those she loves; the lighter skinned sibling who can pass for White, goes north to live the privileged life.  Which sister is right or wrong?  You tell me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Another sensible choice from "The New York Times."

To paraphrase Meat Loaf,  "Three out of five ain't bad."  But, really,  so many better books deserve to be on here.  What about "A Burning?"  "Shuggie Bain?"  "A Children's Bible?" Give me a break?

So, that's how "The New York Times" sees things?  Does it jive with my viewpoint.  Read on, and find  out!

Will there be any overlapping?  Maybe!

At Last!!!!!!!!!!!! What Everyone On Here Has Been Waiting For!!!!!!!! Books, Books, Books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                                         As many out there know, I am concerned primarily with fiction, so this account of  "The New York Times 100 Most Notable Books  Of 2020 List" will cover only those selections, and especially those I feel are worth reading; having not read much on the list yet. Anything already read, will be cited  as such,  or  remarked "to be discussed later,' or a referral to an earlier post.

                                          This should also be a more pictorial post, than textual.

                                          Ready?  OK, let's get started.

                                          Here is  what I found worth reading from the Fiction  List:

                                 1.  "The Aosawa Murders," by Riki Onda--The word "murders" alone has me hooked. A potential examination  of a family  wiped out by what appears  to be a Jim Jones massacre?  Sounds good to me.  I can't wait!

                                   2.   "The Beauty Of Your Face," by Sahar Mustafah--Hmmm...murder and terrorism have the potential to be biggies on this list.  When a shooter in Chicago guns down a Palestinian school girl, chaos erupts.  I am ready for this one!

                                   3.   "Beheld," by TaraShea Nesbit--I never heard of the author, nor the novel listed on the jacket, but isn't the design beautiful?  This story of the Mayflower pilgrim from the female viewpoint should do for the pilgrims what Miriam Toew's "Talking Women" did for its Amish-like community.

                                     4.   "The Boy In The Field," by Margot Livesy--A  dead boy's body is found  in a field,  by three siblings.  How do they and their community react, and who killed him!  I cannot wait to read this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                5.    "Breasts And Eggs," by Mieko Kawakami--Two sisters from Osaka seek to enlarge their breasts and donate their eggs.  What does this mean for them, and for women in society, as well? Sounds fascinating enough for me  to find out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      6.   "A Burning," by Megha Majumdas--To be discussed, later.

                                     6.  "A Children's Bible," by Lydia Millet--To be discussed, later.

                                      7.  "Deacon  King  Kong," by James McBride--To be discussed, later.

                                      8.  "Djini Patrol On The Purple Line," by Deepa Anappara--This first novel by a renowned Indian journalist, and, presumably, set in that country, examines what happens when a young boy tries to solve  the mystery of a classmate  who disappeared.  I am on board for this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         9.  "The Glass Kingdom," by Lawrence Osborne--A woman on the  lam  in Bagkok, amid social and political upheaval!  Sounds like a saga to  me!  How can I resist?

                                        10.  "Hamnet," by Maggie O'Farrell--To be discussed, later.

                                               11.  "Homeland Elegies," by Ayad Akhtar--To be discussed, later.

                                         12.  "Luster," by Raven Leilani--  Intriguing cover, and a more intriguing story--a 23 year old New Yorker becomes in enmeshed  in the lives of a suburban White couple, with a Black daughter.  Sounds like tension and intrigue abound.  I have had my eyes on this one for awhile; now I cannot wait!

                                         13.  Wow!  A man flies to Osaka to care for his terminally ill mother, while back West,  in the States, his gay Black boyfriend entertains his lover's mother, on a visit!  Sounds tantalizing and engaging.  It is actually awaiting me, my shelf pile!

                                            14.  "The Mercies," by Kiran Millwood Hargrave--The Vardo Witch Trials,  in  17th Century Norway?  How have I never heard of them?  Put me down for a copy, immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           15.  "The Mirror And The Light," by Hilary Mantel--How the hell did this make it?  Save yourselves the trouble; compared to the last two,  I was truly disappointed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             16.  "Monogamy," by Sue Miller--The death of a book seller,  and its impact on wife and children.  Sounds moving and  literary.  I am all set for this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            17.  "Real Life," by Brandon Taylor--I read it.  Good of kind, but if you have not read it yet, do not go out of your way to do so.  Save yourselves  the trouble!

                                             18.  "Shuggie Bain," by Douglas Stuart--A young Irish lad, growing up, with his alcoholic father in 1980s Glasgow.  With my heritage, (Irish, not alcoholics) how can I miss it. It already awaits on my shelf!

                                         19.  "Sisters" by Daisy Johnson--A Gothic goldie--two sisters held up in a country house, with a depressed,  mentally unstable mother, and trying to mull over secrets from their pasts--this has me written all over it!  I cannot wait!

                                          19. "The Vanishing Half," by Brit Bennett--To be discussed, later.

                                                20.  "Writers And Lovers," by Lily King--  At first, I did not know if this was a novel, or short story collection. But I kept hearing good things about it.  An ex-golf prodigy, now waiter and  mother, grieves over her mother's death.  Will the creative process save her?  I certainly hope so, as I am exercising mine, right now.  It is currently on  my shelf, awaiting reading.

                                                 Well,  there you have it.  Only 20 out of the books on this fiction  list are worth reading.  Except the two I just had to save you all from their trouble.  Others were two repetitive, and not as interesting as those cited.

                                                    Stay tuned for what "The New York Times" chose as their "Top Fiction Five," and my reactions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                       Read ahead,  darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





                                                

                                         

Now, THIS Should Have Been A Contender!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Certainly not for the "Ten Best," but certainly "Most Notable" list.  After being disappointed by "Frog Music," I set out to avoid Emma Donoghue,  but this one lured me back in.  What could be more perfect for these pandemic times  than this?  And it actually turns out  to be.   Perfect,  that is.

                                        Set over the course of three days in a Dublin hospital maternity ward, during the 1918 epidemic, the novel covers nurse Julia Power's  experiences there, aided and abetted by a forward thinking  physician,  who actually existed, Dr.  Kathleen Lynn.  Very feminine  centric, the novel examines the Irish attitude of the time  toward women; there is a line where one woman says of another, "He won't love her, unless he gives her twelve!"  Can you believe that, darlings?  But this was the real thinking of the time.  

                                         Not to mention the book is extremely graphic, and not for the squeamish.  

Stillbirths,  a detailed description of a Cesarean birth, and the removal of the placenta from a vagina, performed by Julia herself, should be noted.  I found it fascinating from a novice and biological standpoint, women  will relate, but some of both genders may find such details too off putting.

                                            They should not stop one from reading this beautiful, cogent novel.  Though I  put the book down at times,  due to the above, I always found it worth coming  back  to.  I am a Donoghue reader, again.

                                              Many books are sure to be written of  our current pandemic, once the entire  story can be  told.  That may be for awhile,  meanwhile Donoghue's novel offers great insight into how a similar  situation  in  a  country with less,  was dealt  with.  It should resonate, and alert those today to how to handle the pandemic in  our midst.

                                                A "must," darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weird, But Unusually Moving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                                  

                                           Frankly, my dears, I expected a lot more from this book.  I had no problem with "The Twenty-One Balloons," but,  while this is an adult novel, I really had to suspend a lot of disbelief, and just go with it,  in order to enjoy it.

                                             The reader is presented with a young bride, on her wedding day, getting a visit from a parakeet, who turns out to be a reincarnation of her deceased grandmother.  That is the first  thing the reader has to swallow.  As the novel progresses, the reader discovers, before the bride, that she and her spouse-to-be are not really suited for one another.  Keeping this in mind, the "grandmother" urges her granddaughter to find her estranged brother.  This results in a predictable quest novel,  examining life choices, and  suggesting love is not always found where one expects to.

                                              If I  sound apathetic,  I really am not.  The book just did not "do it" for me.  Its brevity is a virtue.  The author writes beautifully, but I had hoped this might be a surprise gem. Alas, it was not.

                                              Save yourselves the trouble, darlings!  However, anyone out there addicted to any sort of whimsy may find this to be their cup of tea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Matter What, We Girls Have To Look Our Best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              Nurses made for great fiction--who can forget Cherry Ames?--though Linda Lark seems more adult, with her sexy,  clingy outfit.  Even being menaced by a killer or pandemic, her uniform  is pristine, and  her hair and make-up are firmly in place.  This is something  we all must aspire too, darlings, whether or not one is  a nurse, or a first responder.

                                                I'm not sure about the nails; I don't know if they have been painted or done, but I can guarantee one  thing.

                                                   If they are not, her supervisor,  on  duty,  or not, will  make  sure they are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     We must be ever vigilant, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                      And I would LOVE  to read the Linda  Lark  books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        

Girls, Just Look At This Beautifully Detailed Game Board!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              As can be seen from the top, this game is called "The Journey," and its intricate Victorian  detailing merits it a place on here.  On first sight, it may remind one of "Chutes And Ladders," (or, as the Brits call it,  "Snakes And Ladders") but this seems like a simple journey from one end  to  the other, not  unlike "Candy Land," only much more sophisticated.

                                                And it makes another great wall piece.  I  wonder if these originals are on  display anywhere????????????????

                                                  Wouldn't  we just  love to know, girls?  I know  I  would!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                  

An Undiscovered Gem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      

                                                                                   

                                       I may be The Raving Queen, darlings, but, believe it or not, I do have some testosterone in me, which is why I probably have a penchant for adventure books.  I love Jules Verne,  

H. Rider Haggard, (I still intend reading "King Solomon's Mines, if only I can find a Modern Library paperback edition)  and, especially, anything having to do with aerial balloon travel. Count "The Wizard Of Oz"--book and film--in here!

                                        When I was in sixth grade, the hardbacked Newberry Medal stickered edition of William  Pene du Bois' "The Twenty- One Balloons," adorned our Showcase Book Shelf, along the side windows of the classroom.  It stared at me constantly, daring me to read it, but, alas, this was the year I was too busy devouring and discovering Marguerite Henry (another Newberry Medal winner) and her horse books.

                                           This year, during the pandemic,  I came upon the paperback edition of this book, in one these charmingly designed bird-like houses, used for storing random book donations.  I took it from the house,  intending to read it.  When I did, what a surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!       

                                              As the  title suggests, balloons abound, and there is, indeed plenty of aerial travel, but there are actually two journeys. 

                                               Professor William Waterman Sherman, a  retired school teacher from San Francisco, is rescued from by a steamship, floating on what appears to be a wreckage of twenty balloons. He had been traveling abroad himself, alone, in one balloon, (hence 21) intent on traveling wherever alone,  for the sheer relaxation of  it.  Not quite a latter day Phileas Fogg, but pretty darn close.

                                                 Eventually, Sherman crashes onto an island, inhabited by a community of people having ended up there.  Guess what kiddies--and this is one way the book turns educational as well, combining both history and physics--the island turns out to be Krakatoa--yes, darlings, THAT Krakatoa!!!!!!!--and, while I knew nothing of it in sixth grade, I knew of it by this time, not the least of which from having seen the 1968 film, "Krakatoa, East Of Java," which may have been the last film to be released in Cinerama.  By the time  it got around to playing at my local theater, which was back in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the Cinerama aspect was gone, though the disaster sequence was still quite effective.

                                                   All the residents on the island know the potential  for disaster exists, and, for when time should come, they have built a giant platform to hold the population, supported  aerially by twenty other balloons.

                                                    Well,  you know what happens, darlings!  Krakatoa erupts, it explodes, everyone gets on the platform with the balloons, and off they go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                       It actually is  possible to enjoy reading children's books as an adult!  As with  "Emil And The Detectives," earlier, one can get more  out of them than when young.

                                                        I urge you  to read this one, girls! It is  captivating!

                                                        Now, if  only I could  get my hand on  "The Happy Hollisters!"  Or the  original "Honey Bunch" books!   And how about bringing back "Honey Bunch And Norman?"

                                                         And I don't mean Norman BATES, kiddies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!