It's May but Spring seems to keep escaping us. We've had a few seasonal , warm, sunny days but - mostly - we've had to deal with overcast skies and rain. To be honest, the rain keeps the pollen down so I feel better and I've spent a lot of time reading but I do miss the sun. This month's selections were all part of an order that I got from Thrift Books a month and a half ago.( Side Note: If I'm looking for a particular book, I use Better World Books because they don't charge for Shipping. If they don't have what I'm looking for, I go to Thrift Books. Their policy is Free Shipping if your order is over $10.)
Miscellaneous
Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh ($3.25/$13.00, copyright 1976, 344 pages, Trade Paperback)
I must have read the first page of Trainspotting more than twenty times since I got it because I had some difficulty with the Scottish dialect. There's no point lying, this is a challenging novel, sometimes you have to read things twice or pause to think about them to fully understand what's being said. But, unlike a lot of books that are difficult to read, this was ultimately rewarding and once you get used to the slang words it becomes a very gritty, moving and funny read. I'm not a fan of short stories (which I didn't realize this was) but these combine to make an interesting read. Together, they tell the story about a bunch of Scottish heroin addicts (Rents, Sick Boy, and others). All the characters are oddly likeable in a way, which really says something to me about the author's talent as a writer. Welsh gives a sense of humanity to these addicts, he makes them people with unique characteristics and personal struggles that we can offer sympathy to. I enjoyed it.
The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fist Fight In Heaven - Sherman Alexie ($3.79/$14.99, copyright 2005, 242 pages, Trade Paperback)
This one I knew was a short story collections but I grew up watching The Lone Ranger and this title just grabbed me. Alexie has linked these stories into a narrative of life on the Spokane Indian Reservation. It is an exploration of the ways in which they deal with the pains and the joys of their lives - the storytelling, the dancing, the alcohol. They are told by well defined characters who are trying to live their lives and I found passion here and Alexie's affection for these people. Again, a collection like this is always hit-or-miss and, frankly, I found it very repetitive. Each story has similar characters but with different names. Maybe that's the point. It was OK.
Cannery Row - John Steinbeck ($3.79/$9.95, copyright 1945, 185 pages, Trade Paperback)
I am a big Steinbeck fan. This book takes place in Monterey, California during the Great Depression. Again, I was expecting a short novel but this is actually a series of vignettes.The simple plot revolves around Doc, who helps everyone he can so some of the locals want to do something for him. Steinbeck gives us Mack and the Boys (a group of homeless guys); Dora (the Madam with a heart of gold): and Lee Chong (a store owner who's allowed his customers to run up a lot of debt so that they could get by). Steinbeck has created a great group of characters here and their interactions ring true. I enjoyed it.
June is next. I'll be hitting the Libraries soon and I hope to find some good stuff. Til then …
Keep reading.
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