Tibetan Peach Pie

I think if you've read any of Tom Robbins' work, you'll probably really love this book.  I have to admit, I haven't read any of his work and I still enjoyed it. Maybe not to the extent that a die-hard fan would, but it still had some funny moments and hidden life lessons that are applicable to everyone. Someone, whose thought process I really respect, recommended it to me so I gave it a go. The book is a mix of memoir and autobiography. He swears all the tales he tells are true and I believe it.  The bulk of his formative years as a writer were in the 1960s and 1970s and those decades are known for all kinds of craziness. If nothing else, the book provides you with a zany description of a not-so-ordinary life. Towards the end I was ready for it to be over, though.  Again, I think I felt this way because I have never read a lick of his work. Did the book make me want to read any of his work? Not particularly, but that could change. Overall, I think if you are not familiar with his work, you will either press on through the book because the tales are interesting or you will give it up after a few pages because you're not invested in knowing more about the author.  I will leave it up to you.

Every Day is for the Thief

I have been on a roll when it comes to selecting works by African authors. Well, of course that's just my opinion. I've really enjoyed the last few books I read by African authors (Half of a Yellow Sun, Ghana Must Go, and Americanah). Every Day is for the Thief is another one I can add to the list. The prose is beautiful and it really does take you to Nigeria. When I read works by Adichie, I do feel a sense of how Nigeria experiences herself. While I can't quite put my finger on it, Cole writes in a way that makes Nigeria feel more naked and bare bones. I think this is because, for this particular book, Nigeria is a character. Whereas for the other books, the African countries were merely places where the action occurred. That's not a bad thing. I was just more cognizant of Nigeria while reading this book. Another reason that happens is that the main character is unnamed. It's as if the author wants Nigeria to take center stage. The narrator has been in the United States for fifteen years and now decides to take a trip back to Nigeria. Each short chapter talks about what he senses when back in his home country. It's an examination on how we outgrow our childhood.  We can never quite fully escape it, but it doesn't fit us anymore as we become adults. Can you ever find a place that does fit if you feel you belong nowhere? I thought it was a lovely, beautiful work full of honesty and poetry.

Self-Inflicted Wounds

I don't often read humor books by comedians. Although, I probably should because they are usually a breath of fresh air from heavier reading. I read Aisha Tyler's first book Swerve many years ago when I was probably in my early 20s (??) and I don't remember much about it. This book, however, will probably stick in my memory because I'm older now and the life lessons she discusses are more relevant to me. I didn't know much about life's struggles when I was just starting out in the world, but now I can relate. Initially, based on the book jacket description, I was just expecting a funny book about crazy things that happened to her, but I was surprised to find some inspiration as well.

The breakdown of the book is essentially 32 mini-chapters about instances where Tyler humiliated herself or something crazy happened because of her own actions. At the end of most of the stories, though, she discusses what she learned. I really admire her for always striving ahead in life with no fear. I think if you are struggling with moving forward with your dreams, you will enjoy this book. It's a light, easy way for you to kind of get that kick in the rear that might motivate you to also strive without fear.  You get a few good laughs to boot! It's not laugh out loud funny all the way through, but it has its moments. I truly appreciated her candor and motivational analogies for life. This would be a good quick summer read for anyone interested in getting a little jolt of optimism through vicarious embarrassment.

A Tale for the Time Being

I loved this book for various reasons. I plan on re-reading it and I hardly ever re-read books. It's a story about a young bullied girl in Japan who starts writing a journal. This story is interwoven with the story about the woman who finds the journal as it washes ashore on the coast of an island near British Columbia. Even within these two stories are stories about a WWII kamikaze pilot and a Buddhist nun. I found the stories well written and intriguing enough that I never really lost interest. The novel does take a turn towards magical realism towards the end. I anticipate that some readers will lose interest at that point if that's not your "thing", but that portion of the story is precisely why I want to re-read it. It's a meditative, yet entertaining, story. It's hard to explain why I loved it so much, but I highly recommend it! 

Gulp

This was one of the non-fiction books on my "want to read" list this year. I'll admit you have to have a general interest in the GI tract or medical topics. It's so well-written that even the layman can understand it. That's why I enjoyed it so much. Even though I could understand a book full of medical terms, I enjoy it when an author can write about complex topics at a more palatable level (bad pun intended). The book follows the amazing GI system from top to bottom. From the first bite of food to that final trip to the bathroom. So, yes, this book is not for people easily grossed out by things like spit, vomit, and bowel movements. Since I work at a hospital with patients who have some of the ailments discussed here, I was completely into it! This was probably one of the more enjoyable medical reads for me in a long time.

Since it does cover topics that might make some people gag, I won't go into detail about it. It's definitely not for everyone, but if you have a curious mind that is not turned off by bodily functions, I think it's a great read!

Allegiant

Well it's been just about one year since I raved about Divergent and gave a so-so rating to Insurgent. My original plan was to read Allegiant as soon as it came out. A year later, I finally got to it.

I tried. I really, really tried to finish this book. After I fell asleep a few times while reading it, I still tried. Even when I was thinking "Where is this story going?" I forged ahead. As I rolled my eyes at the downright stupid plot, I pressed on. Then about three quarters of the way through, I was over it. I was tired of forcing myself. So I just stopped.  I went online and Googled the ending and then I felt justified in not finishing it. It seems this trilogy has fallen victim to whatever bad luck happens to these young adult series when the authors have run out of ideas or have dragged the story on entirely too long (see: Twilight and Hunger Games). Why must they write three (or four) increasingly bad books when one really good one (usually the first one) would have sufficed? Divergent started off so strongly that for it to end in this travesty is certainly a shame. Maybe it's because I let so much time pass between reading books one and two? Maybe so much time passed that I just didn't care as much anymore? Whatever it is, I'm not going to spend another minute trying to figure it out because this book already took enough of my precious time.

Read Divergent, but take a pass on finishing the series. If you make your own ending up and everyone dies in some freak accident, you still will be more satisfied with that ending than what actually exists.

Please Look After Mom

The one word that kept coming to mind as I was reading this book was ephemeral. This book is about all those tiny moments in life that may seem mundane and banal to us if taken individually.  However, when those seemingly mundane moments collectively make a life, they suddenly take on a different meaning. We don't often look at those many brief, temporary moments as a whole. We let them evaporate into thin air and move forward.

Here, we're plopped into the middle of a family tragedy. The mother has gone missing from a busy subway station. The story is more about how four particular family members (the husband, the two daughters and her eldest son) deal with her absence. The husband, the two daughters and her eldest son. There is also a chapter where we finally hear what the mother is thinking as well. I won't give much away except to say that in order to appreciate this book, you have to have an appreciation for the beauty in routine life. The smaller details of the story come together to create the life of this woman. Her life, in turn, is a major presence in her children's lives as well. The realization of this, though, comes after her disappearance. The question then becomes: Will they all find mom in time to let her know how much they love her?  Even the husband has 20/20 hindsight and wants to right some wrongs.  I won't give away anything, although there are no huge twists or turns in the story.  I enjoyed it for a simple story about family and the attention to the details of daily life.

The book won't be for everyone. It's not earth shattering and the pace is steady but meandering. I found the writing to be beautiful and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.