Mini reviews - A Brown Man in Russia by Vijay Menon and The Birds of Opulence by Crystal Wilkinson

I don't feel like I have a great deal to say about these two books and I need to do some catch-up, so I'm going to go ahead and give them the mini review treatment.

A Brown Man in Russia: Lessons Learned on the Trans-Siberian is the memoir of a young American of Indian descent who traveled to Russia with two of his friends.

Vijay Menon works in the tech industry and decided early on that he wanted to travel widely. Because he grew up in an affluent family and has had jobs that pay well, he's already traveled quite extensively. The book mostly focuses on the trip to Russia and how he and his friends occasionally got pleasantly lost or had trouble finding their way to their destinations, the people they encountered along the way, and the occasional mistakes they made.

A Brown Man in Russia is very entertaining. In between chapters on their adventures, Menon occasionally will wax philosophical, giving advice or simply describing his world views. You could call it a tiny bit preachy, but I thought it was a little preachy in a good way (probably because we are in agreement, most of the time). There was only one thing I really disliked about this book and that was the vocabulary. It sounds like Menon wrote with a thesaurus on his lap. If he talks the way he writes (which is hard to imagine), his vocabulary is lofty. It just comes off as if he's trying to sound impressive. I opted to overlook that and just enjoy the book, but it occasionally bothered me enough that I marked a passage, for example: the use of "postprandial" and other long words to describe feeling full and satisfied after lunch. Just unnecessary.

I think it's also worth mentioning that this is the second book I've read recently by Glagoslav Publications (a publisher that mostly publishes works in translation) in which pages fell out as I was reading the book. I wrote to ask if anything is being done about the binding issue, since it's happened more than once, and did not hear back from the publicist. I've read books by Glagoslav in the past and not had that problem, so hopefully it was a temporary fluke.

UPDATE: I received a reply about the binding problem and apparently an earlier reply went into my spam box. The publicist has asked for photos of the binding issue to forward to the printer as she considers it a very serious problem. I will do that, ASAP, and presume that the problem will be attended to. Apologies to Glagoslav for not seeing that response before I wrote my review.

Recommended but not a favorite - It's a shame that the writing in A Brown Man in Russia is so pompous because otherwise it's a great little book. I enjoyed reading about the author's adventures and even enjoyed it when he pontificated about his personal beliefs about travel and other topics. The writing style makes for slow reading, but that didn't bother me and I'm glad I read it.

The Birds of Opulence by Crystal Wilkinson was the first selection of the Open Canon Book Club (which has a Facebook site as well as a website, easy to find by googling the name) and I enjoyed it so much that I'll probably end up recommending it to my book group. Opulence is the name of a town but I can't remember whether it's in North Carolina or some other Southern state, since I read it over a month ago. The Birds of Opulence tells the story of several generations of women who live in Opulence, most of them family, the others friends of that family.

There's not much plot to The Birds of Opulence. I would call it a quiet novel, a short but intense family saga. It starts with a woman giving birth in a vegetable patch and then a widowed neighbor giving birth shortly after. The mother who gives birth in the family's garden is disinterested in her child and has trouble even getting out of bed. These glimpses of depression prove to be merely the start of a long life of mental illness that is kept under control by the support of her family.

Gradually, each of the women's stories unfold and the two babies grow and have children of their own. Eventually, the women begin passing away and the book closes with the thoughts of the one man who was always surrounded by the women and there for them, a loving and faithful presence from the time he entered the family.

Highly recommended - The Birds of Opulence is a beautiful, heart-rending, poetic novel of family and mental illness. I was not quite finished with the book when Crystal Wilkinson did a Q/A session with the group, but I saved the entire question/answer session (which was done on Facebook) and returned to it when I finished. I really enjoyed reading what she had to say about the writing process and the characters. I would definitely recommend The Birds of Opulence for discussion.

©2018 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Mini reviews - Whatever You Do, Don't Run by Peter Allison & Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston

More minis! But, first:

I'm going to skip reviewing Bellwether by Connie Willis, since I reviewed it in 2010. I suggested it for discussion when my book group was looking for something light that fit within a genre we don't normally talk about (we were considering sci-fi or mystery). I recommended it primarily because it's not out there, like some sci-fi. A few of our members were simply not interested in anything that took place in Outer Space. It is, rather, a book about scientists who are so obsessed with their work that they don't realize they're falling in love. Here's my original review:

Bellwether by Connie Willis 

Unfortunately, I missed the discussion because of rain. Bummer. So, I can't tell you what anyone thought, beyond the fact that our group leader told me everyone enjoyed it. I did notice the interplay of chaos theory and fads in a way I don't think stood out quite as distinctly during the first reading, but it's been 7 years since I read it so who knows what I was thinking back then. I enjoyed it every bit as much, the second time around.

Whatever You Do, Don't Run by Peter Allison was one of those spontaneous, unplanned purchases that are always getting me into trouble. I don't even remember what I was looking up when I happened across this unique memoir, but it sounded like loads of fun and it absolutely is. I'm so glad I bought it.

Author Peter Allison is an Australian who ended up working in South Africa and then Botswana as a safari guide. Whatever You Do, Don't Run is a collection of his stories that focuses on things people have done that they absolutely should not have while on safari. And, the author is humble enough to include plenty of his own mistakes.

The best way I think I can possibly describe this book without telling you any of the stories is to share the fact that the entire time I was reading it, I was repeating my favorites to my husband. And, he loved hearing them. They're that entertaining. I will tell you part of one (in my own words), just to give you an idea of the contents:

During a safari with a particularly annoying amateur photographer, the author got out of his jeep to track the lions from one of the local prides. He found an adult lion's tracks and followed them with one hand, then cub tracks, which he followed with his other. And, then he realized his mistake. He was pointing in opposite directions and standing in the middle. The last thing you want to do is get between a predatory mother and her young. He said, "No, no, no, no, no!" and just then, the screams behind him clued him in to the mother stalking him. It was a close call that involved a lot of waving and yelling on Allison's part and some uncertain movements on the part of the mother lion. When Peter Allison was finally safe, the annoying photographer said, "Could you do that again? I missed it."

Highly recommended - Wonderful storytelling, both amusing and sometimes terrifying enough that I had to put the book down and walk away for a bit before I could talk myself into finding out what happened. It might make you think twice about whether or not you ever want to go on a safari in a remote location.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston is my feminist read for the month. Hermione Winters is excited about her final year of cheerleading, this time as captain of her team. At her final summer training camp, someone slips a drug into her drink and she suddenly becomes sleepy, but she's determined to throw away her empty cup. After following the boy who gave her the drink, everything goes black and she awakens in the hospital, where she's told that she was drugged, raped, and found in the water. The police have little to go on and Hermione must deal with the fact that she has been harmed but remembers nothing.

This review may contain spoilers, so I'm going to put a spoiler warning, here.

WARNING! Skip to the rating if you're concerned about potential spoilers!!!!

Exit, Pursued by a Bear (which the author describes as a cheerleading-Shakespeare mash-up) is unique in that the author chose to write it as a "model" for what rape victims should experience, rather than a story that describes the typical treatment of a rape victim. So, when Hermione wakes up, she's treated with kindness and respect by the police and they do everything possible to find the rapist, her friends and family are supportive and willing to give her space if she needs it or affection if she feels they're too distant. When the typical "She was asking for it" rumor starts up, people believe her when she tells them the truth about what happened and why appearances were deceiving. She is provided a counselor who drives to her house rather than making her go to him. And, as she slowly begins to recover her memories, she's well cared for when she experiences panic attacks or other physical reactions. The only things that aren't perfect: Hermione's boyfriend is angry and distant and, of course, there is a rumor to be dealt with.

I would say Exit, Pursued by a Bear is "feminist" in that it takes a topic that mostly applies to women and treats it as if women were valued equally. Otherwise, it's just a good read. But, it does require explanation and I found myself hungering to discuss the book, for that reason. Is a book that is written as a "What if?" rather than a truthful account of what happens in life problematic if it's not obvious what the author is doing? Or, does it matter that the author's notes are pretty much necessary to the understanding? Hmm, I don't know. I did need the author to explain what she intended, though. My entire perspective shifted when I read the author interview. Also, the title requires explanation if you're not knowledgeable about Shakespeare, and I am not. I was unaware that "Exit. Pursued by a bear." is stage direction from The Winter's Tale, which I've never read or seen performed. After reading about the meaning of the title, I understood the clever naming of Hermione Winters (there's a Hermione in the play) and the fact that she's wrestling with a metaphorical bear (how to regain her identity).

Highly recommended - Even if I had not been told (via an author interview) what the author was trying to accomplish, I would have considered Exit, Pursued by a Bear a well-written and thought-provoking book. Knowing her goal gave it a lot more meaning, though, so if you go into this book blind and there is no author interview available in the copy you read, I definitely recommend that you look for an interview with the author. Its meaning is entirely different from what it appears, once you understand her purpose. I did have one problem with the book. I always wondered why the police and Hermione presumed that one of her male teammates must be the rapist when there were clearly other males at the camp. But, that was the only flaw I observed.


©2017 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Girl in the Woods by Aspen Matis and a Fiona Friday pic

Yes, it's true that I posed Girl in the Woods in the middle of a nandina in my yard (and then came inside scratching).

I just finished Girl in the Woods by Aspen Matis, last night, and immediately thought, "I've got to write about this, right now," because I'm at the point that I've read so many books in such a short time span that I'm beginning to have trouble keeping them all straight. So, I may work my way backwards for a bit.

Girl in the Woods is the memoir of a young lady who was raped on her second night of college and how she eventually walked the entire 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. In her words:

I was on a grand walk hoping to discover my best path forward, my strength, my place in a frightening world. 

~p. 92

I mentioned the rape up front because it's the central issue and when she mentioned she'd been raped to people, early on, she was blown off or told it was her fault -- a common theme amongst friends who've been raped and certainly in news stories. So, let's just acknowledge it here and now: the author was the victim of a crime, a violation, and she did nothing to deserve it, despite what the world told her. Her family did a lot of hiking and Aspen had hiked part of the Pacific Crest Trail before college, so it was only natural that the trail was the place to which she retreated to do her pondering.

A little background, though, is important. Aspen had an unusual (maybe "weird" is a better word) upbringing in that her mother didn't want to let Aspen, then known as Debby, grow up. To that end, she coddled her all the way through high school. Aspen was so over-protected that she didn't know how to dress herself or brush her own hair. That's hard to fathom but I know some people find it difficult to believe that one can go off to college not knowing how to do laundry and there were plenty of us who learned by turning white clothing other colors because we hadn't learned to sort.

In other words, it's important to work at not being judgmental when you read Aspen's story because her experience and her lack of ability to cope was not her fault. And, more importantly, it was not her fault that she was raped.

The vast majority of the book focuses on the hike up the Pacific Crest Trail, her sexual experiences and friendships, the dangers she faced and the trail magic and trail angels that saved her from herself. There's a nice photo section in the middle of the book with pictures of Aspen, her childhood paintings, scenery on the trail, gallon bottles of water that saved her when she walked one stretch completely unprepared, and the man she met toward the end of the trail (whom she married). I think the most important thing that you get out of the book is that when a person is traumatized, sometimes it's important for her to find her own way through the pain. Her family considered her selfish and she was often reckless but she got out of the experience what she needed.

Even more important is the distinction between rape and consent, which is clearly show through her experiences. She did a lot of testing - getting close to men and then saying no to prove to herself that she really was not responsible for a rapist's refusal to stop when she told him to, that it was possible for her to have control over her own body.

You do have to wade through a lot of verbiage to get to the point, though. Much as I appreciated the importance of Aspen's memoir, I found it a bit overwrought and tiresome. And, yet, I wanted to know the answers. What would walking over 2,600 miles do for her? Would she emerge unscathed or injure herself in the process (it's a dangerous walk, in many ways)? Would she find strength in the accomplishment alone or need to keep testing men and constantly trying to convince herself that she was beautiful, talented, in control?

Iffy on recommendation - As important as I believe personal accounts like Aspen's are, I must be honest and tell you that I found the author's wordiness and constant fretting about whether or not she was pretty enough, talented enough, etc., wearying. It's a bit self-indulgent, in other words, always a danger with memoirs, although I know some people don't mind that as much as I do. I personally think a full 100 pages could have been cut from the book. Having said that, I think the importance of the book lies in how clearly is shows the distinction between a violent crime and the way sex ought to be. And, you also have to admire the author for daring to take on such a huge challenge when she had been so fiercely protected for so long. That can't have been easy, even if hiking was something she'd always found comfortable.

On to Fiona Friday, a picture of Fiona gazing out into the wilds of our backyard:

©2016 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Longest Way Home by Andrew McCarthy

The Longest Way Home: One Man's Quest for the Courage to Settle Down
By Andrew McCarthy
Copyright 2012
Free Press - Travel Memoir
273 pp.


A few more vestiges of Iquitos's glory days line Prospero Street, but there is little else to point toward any immediate appeal.  Despite this, the hanging heat and dense folds of humidity, there's a shaggy-dog charm to Iquitos.  There is nothing here that is remotely reminiscent of my life back home--none of the threadbare shops, or primitive advertising, or restaurants have a familiar or even recognizable feeling about them.  Such an alien sensation is increasingly rare in a world heading toward homogenization.  The only thing familiar in this environment is me; consequently, I am acutely aware of my own thoughts, which in moments like this run toward a feeling of possibility.  I wish I were staying in town for longer, possibly much longer.

~ p. 71 of The Longest Way Home ("The Amazon" chapter)

I almost passed up the opportunity to read and review The Longest Way Home, but I kept returning to the email about it, reading the description until I wore myself down with longing . . . thank goodness.  The best of any memoirs are written with a blend of wide-eyed wonder and humility, with stories about interaction between traveler and locals as well as description that makes the reader want to jump up and start packing.  Andrew McCarthy's memoir is all that and much more. 

From the publisher's description:

"Unable to commit to his fiancee of nearly four years--and with no clear understanding of what's holding him back--Andrew McCarthy finds himself at a crossroads, plagued by doubts that have clung to him for a lifetime.  Something in his character has kept him always at a distance, preventing him from giving himself wholeheartedly to the woman he loves and from becoming the father that he knows his children deserve.  So before he loses everything he cares about, Andrew sets out to look for answers.

Hobbling up the treacherous slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, dodging gregarious passengers aboard an Amazonian riverboat, and trudging through dense Costa Rican rain forests--Andrew takes us on exotic trips to some of the world's most beautiful places, but his real journey is one of the spirit."

I'm not going to copy the entire jacket description . . . 

. . . but, in a nutshell, The Longest Way Home is the story of how one man chose to seek the answer to why he was having difficulty committing and attempt to conquer his fears by escaping to his favorite comfort zone: travel.  Probably the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of traveling in order to develop courage is, "Isn't that called running away from your problems?" But, the author makes a strong case for travel as a way to get in touch with one's feelings.

Later, I sit by the estancia in the afternoon sun, and take pictures down by the river, and watch birds picking at the grass.  I can imagine myself staying here for a long time, alone and content, at the end of the world.  

I have found several places in my travels where I've experienced a similar sensation--the bare and rocky Burren in the rural west of Ireland, on a remote northern coast of Brazil, in central Wyoming, and at an unlikely spot in Hawaii.  Places where I felt received by the land, where my perception of the world and of my place in it fell into sync.  I recognize that sense of belonging instantly.  

~p. 59  (the "Patagonia" chapter)

Why I loved The Longest Way Home:

Andrew McCarthy's writing is strong, evocative and emotional. But, I think part of the reason I truly loved his book is the fact that not only was I entertained but I also deeply related on more that one level. I understand that feeling of connecting to the land and the people of another place more than one's own home, for one thing.

And, I just happened to be married to a fellow who has a very similar personality to that of the author: introverted and solitary, more at home traveling than sitting still, heedless of potential danger in a way that allows him to experience new places fully, driven and successful.  McCarthy explains how he can be both a solitary person and completely devoted to family -- something that's really tough to get across to friends to whom I explain the frustrations of being an extrovert married to a man of few words and with practically no need for human contact.

Apart from all that, I simply loved experiencing new places through Andrew McCarthy's eyes.  While he isn't a person who thrives in a group situation, that doesn't mean he's socially inept -- just more of a one-on-one/small group person. He often connects with people in unexpected, sometimes uplifting, often surprising ways.  Even when he describes being irritated with someone, his reasons tend toward the rational rather than the self-indulgent.

As I was reading The Longest Way Home, I enjoyed my armchair travels so much that as I settled in to read, each night, I told my husband, "I'm in Patagonia, right now," or "I'm off to the Amazon, next," etc.  Each time I opened the book, I knew I was going to be happily immersed.  And, that's really saying something.  Since our move, I've been so weary at the end of the day that it's a rare book that captures me.  I've only managed to read 3 books, so far, in November [muffled scream].

The bottom line:

Excellent travel writing with a nice, personal theme, Highly Recommended.  I absolutely loved The Longest Way Home.  A likable author, funny and tolerant fiancee and two sweet children make the author's story of putting his past into perspective and facing his fear of commitment one that makes the reader feel truly invested in a happy ending.  Admittedly, I was a little teary when I closed the book. The places he visited were often off the beaten path -- not the touristy parts of Costa Rica, for example. Andrew McCarthy now holds the distinction of being the first travel writer to successfully convince me that Patagonia is worth looking into.  I've always thought of Patagonia as a place for single guys in North Face jackets and Teva shoes -- you know, Ivy League college guys looking for adventure. Somehow, he managed to make Patagonia sound accessible.

Side note:  

Some may know Andrew McCarthy as the "Brat Pack" heartthrob of Eighties fame who appeared in Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo's Fire and Weekend at Bernie's.  He is still acting and does talk about his career; it's a part of his life story and relevant to the book.  So, if you're a fan, you might be interested in the book for that reason alone.  But, more importantly, he knows both how to tell a story and how to write.  Don't be put off if you tend to avoid books by actors.

About that connection to the land:

One of the places I feel almost bizarrely at home is the site of an iron-age fortress called Barbary Castle in Wiltshire, UK.  I love everything about it: the earthworks that still clearly outline the fortress, the incredible 360-degree view, the sheep, the brisk wind -- even the cranky farmer who made us wait for him to feed his geese before springing us when we got locked into the parking lot.  Is there a place you feel at home away from home?

Some interesting links:

Usually, I'm not fond of book trailers but I do love the book trailer for The Longest Way Home.

And, I enjoyed this interview:  Alec Baldwin interviewing Andrew McCarthy on Here's the Thing.

In other news:

Fiona Friday #Fail.  Can I just claim another busy weekend?  Here's a very belated photo of Isabel playing with the drawstring of my new fleece pajamas (which I purchased because our heater has been out for nearly a week -- not all that big a problem here, although pajamas made of blanket material are definitely helpful on the coldest nights).

Sorry about the unfinished version of this review that I accidentally posted.  One of my twitter friends suggested I just call it a "preview".  :)

Absolutely no books at all entered my house for another week . . . and then today three of them walked in the door:

Aesop's Fables, illustrated by Charles Santore - a surprise from Sterling Kids
Surviving Paradise by Peter Rudiak-Gould - from Paperback Swap
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - from Paperback Swap


©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.