“I just don’t get it,” was my response to reading my first Haruki Murakami, his six-story collection, After the Quake (2002), set in the aftermath of the Kobe Earthquake of 1995. Prior to reading this book–the result of a work-related book club–all I was aware of was that his novel 1Q84 (2013) was quite the sensation and is still on many’s “To Read” pile. As such, my expectations for this author were high. I quickly began to readjust my expectations, however, after reading the first […]
Celebrating Human Computers
One of the strongest arguments made in support of same-sex education relates to the benefits for girls. During the middle school years, pre-teens become more attuned to where they fit in the social order. For many girls, this means that being perceived to be “smart,” particularly in math and science, is not an asset. As such, they begin to “dumb down” in math and science to become more desirable to the male sex. It is no wonder, then, that I was thrilled that Hidden Figures […]
Worth the Read
Claire of the Sea Light is altogether a successful and enchanting story, well worth the read, not only because of the beauty and richness of Danticat’s use of language but also because her story gives insight into a people and culture not so well-known or represented in western literature. Compared to its predecessors from the author, however, Claire of the Sea Light falls slightly short of expectations. Read the full review.
Neither Romance Nor Comedy
Love Handles is book 1 of Gretchen Galway’s “Oakland Hills” series and stars Beverly Lewis, a trained teacher, and Liam Johnson, former Olympic swimmer. Beverly has just inherited her estranged grandfather’s fitness company, of which Liam is executive vice president. After more than ten years working for the company and having had a close relationship with Bev’s grandfather, Liam expected that he would inherit the company. Grandpa had other plans. The story is essentially about…I’m not sure. Read the full review.