Holidays on Ice
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris Holidays on Ice has become one of my favorite holiday traditions. I have an uncanny ability to unintentionally pick up books about war and torture, which is problematic enough … Continue reading
Category Archives: No-Spoiler Book Reviews
Brief book reviews on the important stuff with no plot spoilers.
Jitterbug Perfume
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins Like a lot of nerdy and ungainly girls, I went through a Tom Robbins phase in high school. His playful love of women appealed to us earnest and hopeful types. … Continue reading
Half of a Yellow Sun (Nigeria)
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Story: In the 1960s, the southeastern provinces of Nigeria attempted to secede and form an independent nation called Biafra. Adichie tells the story of this civil … Continue reading
Born Standing Up
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin Narrated by Steve Martin I know this is probably incredible for a person who, like, reads all the time and writes stupid book reviews, but I think this was … Continue reading
The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck I’m going to tell you the plain truth: This book was so depressing that it took me two years to read. And I actually like depressing books. So … Continue reading
The Island
The Island by Elin Hilderbrand Okay, I love my Kindle, but there is just one little problem with it that only major snobs like yours truly will appreciate: it doesn’t really let you see the … Continue reading
This Is Where I Leave You
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper Story: Judd is a sad sack. He’s been dumped, humiliated, and stripped of employment. Needless to say, he’s at an all-time low—and his father has the … Continue reading
Little Bee
Little Bee by Chris Cleave Setting: Modern-day London and Nigeria. Story: Okay, I’m going to go along with the book’s marketing team on this one—I can’t really tell you. But the fulcrum of the story … Continue reading
A Single Man
A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood Narrated by Simon Prebble Setting: Los Angeles in the 1960s Story: Gay English professor George has just lost his longtime partner. We follow him through the aftermath of the … Continue reading
The Shadow of the Wind (Spain)
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón Narrated by Jonathan Davis Setting: 1950s Barcelona Story: When protagonist Daniel is just a child, his father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books—a vast … Continue reading
Shantaram (India)
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts Narrated by Humphrey Bower Well, it turns out that India is not merely a land of funtime singalongs. If you’re dying to delve into the underbelly of Bombay in the … Continue reading
Dreams of Trespass (Morocco)
Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood by Fatima Mernissi If you’re like me, the word “harem” is inherently fascinating. But if you’re like me, you’re thinking about some kind of sex palace with … Continue reading
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller In the first sentences, Miller writes: “This is not a book in the ordinary sense of the word. No, this is a prolonged insult, a gob of spit in … Continue reading