Because I enjoyed "Peace Like a River" so much, I wanted to try another one by this author. This one is a treasure too. It's another cowboy story, kind of, and the narrator is similar to the one in his first book. That is, the narrator is humble, vulnerable, quirky, and often funny. Both narrators are absolutely delightful and honest and engaging.
Another similarity between the two books is that they deal with a criminal on the run. Outlaws and horses are involved in both stories as well. And both books have fascinating and witty and colorful characters who get caught up in crazy, outlandish, but somehow charming adventures.
I really liked the way this story unfolded. I enjoyed following Monte Becket's adventure, although I worried about him. I liked him so much, I felt protective of him. I wanted him to go home to Susannah, but he just could never get there! Things kept cropping up...and I enjoyed reading about what a road trip across Kansas and Oklahoma, etc., was like. I enjoyed the way he camped out, rode trains, met people, and was true to his friend Glendon. The final chapters set in the citrus orchards of California were beautiful reading too. Enger creates such idyllic settings and warmth, you want to enter the story somehow! He's also very funny. Laugh out loud funny sometimes. That Pinkerton detective, Charlie Siringo, unfolds in a fascinating way, as do all of the characters here. His language, metaphors, and visuals are STUNNING.
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
This book was recommended to me by my friend Glen Whipple. I respect his judgment, so I ordered it. The subtitle is, "A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness" and the author doesn't really deliver on this point. She does, however, introduce us to her passion for Octopuses, and reveals a lot about their anatomy and habits. I didn't exactly buy her interpretation of many behaviors she observed. She attributed much more intelligence and cognition than I would have, given the evidence. However, it's clear that these animals are fascinating and do have many more abilities than I would have ever guessed.
What kind of bugged me was that there was no diagram of the various octopus parts that she described. I had to kind of guess where they might be on the octopus; or if she did describe it, it didn't resonate with me in a way that I could "see" what she was talking about.
She also got off on some other issues as she explored this consciousness idea. She quoted other authors and compared other studies, etc., usually I find these digressions, when they are well done, fine and good. In this book, though, they were a little annoying Not real relevant or illustrative or intriguing. I would expect her to make more eloquent comparisons if she's going to go out on a limb every now and then. Maybe I'm just grumpy, though.
Another thing she did that was a little annoying was describe some of the aquarium's workers. These people weren't particularly interesting and this didn't add much to the story. I did admire their commitment to the sea life, though, but this was way overdone. They weren't described in an interesting way, either.
What I did like was her adventure to see octopuses in the wild. I liked her descriptions of the difficulties and challenges in finding them. It was also interesting to read about how relentless octopuses are in escaping captivity. The author did a good job of finding scientists and relating their experiences with octopuses, especially their talent to escape. These parts were fascinating.
Would I read it again? No. Am I intrigued by octopuses? Yes. Do I have more understanding and respect for them? Yes.
What kind of bugged me was that there was no diagram of the various octopus parts that she described. I had to kind of guess where they might be on the octopus; or if she did describe it, it didn't resonate with me in a way that I could "see" what she was talking about.
She also got off on some other issues as she explored this consciousness idea. She quoted other authors and compared other studies, etc., usually I find these digressions, when they are well done, fine and good. In this book, though, they were a little annoying Not real relevant or illustrative or intriguing. I would expect her to make more eloquent comparisons if she's going to go out on a limb every now and then. Maybe I'm just grumpy, though.
Another thing she did that was a little annoying was describe some of the aquarium's workers. These people weren't particularly interesting and this didn't add much to the story. I did admire their commitment to the sea life, though, but this was way overdone. They weren't described in an interesting way, either.
What I did like was her adventure to see octopuses in the wild. I liked her descriptions of the difficulties and challenges in finding them. It was also interesting to read about how relentless octopuses are in escaping captivity. The author did a good job of finding scientists and relating their experiences with octopuses, especially their talent to escape. These parts were fascinating.
Would I read it again? No. Am I intrigued by octopuses? Yes. Do I have more understanding and respect for them? Yes.
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
I loved this book. The story is beautifully told and the characters are intriguing. The story is told from a boy's point of view and his family is fascinating. His sister is a gifted poet and their relationship is a wonder to behold. The faith of their father is lyrically described and observed. It's such a beautiful read and somehow not preachy or overly religious. I liked it so well, I immediately ordered another one of his books. I hope I like it half as much.
The setting of the Badlands in North Dakota is also a fascinating part of the story. I need to research and see if the hot spots described are real or fiction!
The setting of the Badlands in North Dakota is also a fascinating part of the story. I need to research and see if the hot spots described are real or fiction!
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