More Books

I have to add a postscript to my earlier comments re: Walter Mosley's The Fortunate Son. The further I got into the book, the better it got. Once I realized that the book was a parable -- then Ohhh! I get it now. Definitely worth reading.

I wasn't able to make the March meetings of the two book clubs so I missed the Walter Mosley discussion -- which I heard was lively and fun. AND I missed The Reader discussion -- which probably wasn't much. (As a matter of fact, I've opted out of that particular group because it's a social group that fails to discuss the book itself.) The April meeting of the first club was on Shadows on the Hudson by Singer. I understand that Mr. Singer is best known for his short stories and that this fat book (500+ pages) was his foray into novels. It was the story of a middle-class social community of Jews in New York just after WWII -- living, loving, cheating, and remembering against the backdrop of an ancient religion and a recent trauma. I kind of liked it.

For May, we are reading The Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny Cullen. After only 40 pages, I have fallen in love with this book. It was written in 2005; takes place in 1925; is not a very easy read; but it is SO worth it. I'll keep you posted.

Finally, I want to get something off my chest. You'll remember Oprah calling this author to task for the lies he told in his "autobiography" a couple years ago. I seem to recall public apologies, refunds, rescinded contracts and recalled books. I think the book was called A Million Little Pieces by James Frey.

This was Mr. Frey's personal account of his recovery and drug rehab experiences. Did you read it? I thought it was pretty good myself. I wasn't necessarily swallowing everything hook, line and sinker. It was an AUTObiography, for goodness' sake. And for more goodness' sake -- it's the autobiography of a DRUG ADDICT! One of the very first thing ANYONE learns about substance abuse is that DRUG ADDICTS LIE. Ask any family member, friend, counselor, doctor -- anybody. DRUG ADDICTS LIE. It makes sense. The reason drug addicts are drug addicts is because they cannot deal with the version of reality they know and feel. Almost the whole point of substance abuse it to get and stay high enough so that the pain of being who you are no longer exists.

That being said, I thought the book contained enough truth to give readers rare and excellent insights into the lives, experiences and rationales of drug abusers -- and enough lies to make the author not feel like the world's biggest loser. I thought this was what almost all autobiographies (not my favorite genre) did by definition. I mean, if you were to write your own story.....? Accuracy, brutal honesty, raw self-reflection would, of course, be YOUR main messages, I'm sure. After all, (according to your autobiography,) that's just the kind of person you are. :-)

Just had to get that off my chest. If you haven't read the book, see if you can hunt down a copy and let me know what you think.