Mama just finished a really, really good book called We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, who, as a child, actually lived through an experiment created by her psychologist father, but mama says not to say more.
“No contemporary writer creates characters more appealing, or examines them with greater acuity and forgiveness, than she does.”
—Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
I just had to put that quote in here because mama was in such a state while she read this book and loved it so, so much, giving me plenty of time to curl up between her knees and nap while she oohed and ahhed over Ms. Fowler’s lovely writing.
But when she told me what the book was about, I, frankly, was a bit envious. I wanted to be that main character, I wanted to grow up with the narrator in the same way, as her sister, but mostly, I wanted to know all of the marvellous characters in this incredible story, crazy as some of them were!
Mama would say, “Loulou, listen to this!” And then she’d tell me something more amazing than what she had told me just the day before (mama reads mostly at nap time or into the night, sometimes) and I just wanted to climb in that book and be a part of that nutty family.
Well, that’s my book review for today–I often read over mama’s shoulder and so am about to find a place closer to her head and her book so that I can continue with my reading list.
Next in line is Stoner, but I’m sort of torn between Elie Weisel’s Night (not an easy read, I assure you) and We Need New Names, a Booker short-listed novel by a young author from Zimbabwe, NoViolet Bulawayo. Is that a great name or what?
No Violet Bulawayo – author of We Need New Names
Well, back to my books…or maybe a little nap first.
I’ll read tomorrow…
Wish you had told us a little more about the Fowler book. Guess we’ll have to check Google. Enjoy your nap. Purrs and paw-pats, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
I’m sorry not to have told more, but it’s important NOT to tell because of the story you will encounter. What a book. What a writer. OH, to write like her….Don’t miss it. Stoner was not up to my standards, but I’ll report on the other two when I’m finished. I don’t read quite as fast as mama and so she has to wait for me to turn the page.