J.S. Bach - A Life in Music by Peter Williams

This biography takes a novel approach. It uses the printed obituary of Bach written by his son C.P.E. Bach, and examines it line by line, expanding it and speculating on the details. This is not a biography for the merely curious, since a knowledge of music theory and history is helpful, even though it includes a glossary. The target audience would be serious amateurs, music students, and professionals.

Link to Amazon: J.S. Bach: A Life in Music

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

What's most amazing about this book is the time that it was written - late 40s, published in the early 50s. Yet it pretty accurately predicts most facets of the civil rights movement for blacks, good and bad. In fact, the first scene in the book, the "battle royale" contains, in miniature, most of what happens later. Black man rewarded by white, reward turns out to be denigrating, blacks fight amongst themselves, whites are pulling the strings, and so on and so forth.

My advice, if you are reading this edition, is to skip the introduction - read it later if you want to. The author does quite a bit of pontificating.

The novel also is somewhat heavy-handed with the symbolism. Everything is a symbol, or can be viewed as a symbol. That gets old quickly, especially when it is so obvious.

Link to Amazon: Invisible Man

Books Read 2008

I averaged one a week this year, down from the last several years, but still a respectable number. I attribute the decline to my growing fascination with the piano and an increased work load the last few months. Also a moonlighting job that has cut into my weekend time. Hopefully 2010 will be quieter at work and I can spend more time with my hobbies!

Talk Talk by T.C. Boyle

An entertaining novel, very contemporary, dealing with identity theft. There are three main characters, a deaf woman whose identity is stolen, her boyfriend who is not deaf, and the man who steals their identities. There are exciting encounters, a chase across the country, and plenty of rage and anger by all parties. It's almost a thriller - only the ending is anti climatic, although not disappointing. Another excellent novel by T.C. Boyle.

Link to Amazon: Talk Talk

The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald

An entertaining and original novel, about an orphan baby who was "loaned" out to a Home Economics "practice house" back in the 1950s. Henry House (House for practice house and practice baby) is raised in his first year by a succession of students in one-week shifts. He proves to be so irresistible that he is adopted by the teacher. The novel is essentially a coming of age story, and follows Henry's attempts to make sense of his curious upbringing and difficulties with relationships with other people. It's an intriguing premise, inspired by an actual historical practice baby, and a well executed novel.

Link to Amazon: The Irresistible Henry House: A Novel

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

A more appropriate title might be "The Nicklebys" or "The Nickleby Family". Mean, miserly Uncle Ralph is as much the center of the novel as Nicholas, and there's Kate Nickleby, and Nicholas's mother. It's a Victorian plot full of coincidences and family secrets - a joy to read and discover.

Link to Amazon: Nicholas Nickleby (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

How Far to Bethlehem by Norah Lofts

This is a novel that retells the story of the three wise men. A selection of the Rico Readers (the book club I belong to). I probably would not have read it otherwise. The story is familiar to everyone, but the manner of telling it is frustrating. The author interrupts what little action there is to shift the story to new characters, even late in the novel. In my opinion she should have introduced every character early and followed them through the book, switching back and forth more frequently.

Link to Amazon: HOW FAR To BETHLEHEM? A Novel.