A few of the books I have read recently…and my opinions about them.
DEFY GRAVITY: HEALING BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF REASON by Caroline Myss
I think of myself as a veteran of the New Age heyday and so, probably have a greater tolerance for this type of book than others do. I have followed Myss’ books since the first one, Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can, after I heard about her at a seminar This book is repetitious and it bothers me when a self-help author talks about her previous erroneous beliefs. On the other hand, Myss always includes some interesting ideas for coping with life. In this case, I appreciated her explanation of how the habit of feeling self-entitlement can interfere with your relationships and your peace.
CHEAP: THE HIGH COST OF DISCOUNT CULTURE by Ellen Ruppel Shell
Shell traced the global effects of the focus on getting a bargain and detailed the facts that seem obvious to those who care. This presents the developing history of our obsession with low prices and what that obsession really costs. I was hoping for a little more about the psychology of the obsession…but, not in this book.
PRICELESS: THE MYTH OF FAIR VALUE (AND HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT) by William Poundstone
Here I did find the discussion of people and prices and how they interact. It’s called behavioral economics. Poundstone shows how people are influenced in their beliefs about whether or not they are getting a bargain. Did you know that “price consultants” and “negotiation coaches” assist retailers in getting the most of our spending dollars for the least value?
BLAME by Michelle Huneven
Huneven writes fiction that carries you along and, in this case, even the ending was satisfying. I think writing the ending to a novel must be one of the most challenging tasks for an author. So often, a good read fizzles out at the end. Blame is about an alcoholic who has an accident in which two people are killed. She goes to jail- an experience described in uncomfortable detail- is released and rebuilds her life. A surprise lurks near the end of the story. Lots of food for thought here. I also enjoyed Huneven’s Jamesland, a novel full of scenes that years later linger in my memory.
GATE AT THE STAIRS by Lorrie Moore
Well, from the first sentence, I was marveling at her writing (think Updike.) Then, I got caught up in the story which weaves the threads of coming-of-age, family dysfunction, post 9/11, multi-racial interaction, guilt…and somewhere about half way through, I found myself thinking that more editing would have helped. Still, a good read.
NOAH’S COMPASS by Anne Tyler
Typical Tyler and I like typical Tyler. About a sixty-something man whose inner and outer lives are not necessarily in sync, this is another quirky, Baltimore story and an entertaining, fast read.
DISSONANCE by Lisa Lenard-Cook
I was drawn to this one by the cover art- an old-fashioned piano stool and piano keyboard. Lenard-Cook fits together the contemporary story of a piano teacher living with her scientist husband in New Mexico with the story of a musician who survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Family dynamics are an important part of the novel. Intermittent paragraphs about music as metaphor enhanced the book for me, but would probably discourage some readers.
