The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes

Alfred A. Knopf 2011

An electronic book, from the Pierce County Library.

An unusual story, narrated by a character named Tony Webster. It begins when he is an adolescent, becomes friends with a young man named Adrian, and falls in love with a young woman named Veronica. The story is told from Tony's old age. He is retired, perhaps seventy years old. He tells how he fell out with Veronica, who went on to form a partnership with Adrian, which he very much resented.

This is a story about consequences, remorse, and regret, but it is not a depressing novel.

Life does not reward merit, Tony Webster tells us.

Sweet Tooth, by Ian McEwan

Dedicated to Christopher Hitchens.

An e-book, from the PC Library.

copyright 2012

"My name is Serena Frome (rhymes with plume) and almost forty years ago I was sent on a secret mission for the British Security Service. Within eighteen months of joining I was sacked, having disgraced myself and ruined my lover, though he certainly had a hand in his own undoing."

These are the first two sentences of the novel.

This took me less than two days to read. It was entertaining, and quite clever. My only criticism is that it might just be a bit too clever: I'm not sure that the "trick" of this work doesn't overshadow the rest of it.

But I don't regret reading it, and may try McEwan again, just to see what else he does, if he does indeed do anything else?

Body of Evidence, by Patricia Cornwell

An audio book.

Kay Scarpetta is the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Virginia. In this novel, Scarpetta is drawn into the case of the murder of a young novelist and her mentor. The setting is mostly the Richmond VA area, and some in Key West.

Good commuting entertainment.

The time setting is approximately late 80s. It's interesting to note the lack of cell phones, and the non-ubiquity of computers, although computers are used to some degree by the law enforcement agencies. The FBI is involved.

Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt; by Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco

Joe Sacco illustrates and enhances this book with graphic storytelling.

Native Americans in Pine Ridge, SD. Prisoner of War camp. Alcoholism, deprivation, destruction of a civilization.

Camden, NJ: a sacrifice zone.

Florida: slavery persists.

We...have undergone a coup d'etat ... by our largely anonymous corporate overlords... We have now entered the era of naked force. The internal security and surveillance state, justified in the name of the war on terror, will be the instrument used against us. ...[W]e can all be denied habeas corpus. The warrantless wiretapping, eavesdropping, and monitoring of tens of millions of citizens, once illegal, is now legal. The state has given itself the power to unilaterally declare U. S. citizens as enemy combatants and torture or assassinate them, as Barack Obama did when he in September 2011 ordered the killing of the American-born Islamist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen. [footnote] The state can deny U. S. citizens suspected of what it vaguely defines as 'terrorist' activities the right to a trial. It can turn these citizens over to the military, which can hold them without charges indefinitely. ...[The U. S.] will be no different from other totalitarian regimes throughout history. Police forces ... have been transformed into paramilitary units ...[I]f the pressure mounts...these...forces will become ubiquitous and people will be killed.  (Page 240)

Hedges & Sacco have written an effective and inspiring indictment of the current socioeconomic repression in the "First World." 

A Cold Heart, by Jonathan Kellerman

An Alex Delaware / Milo Sturgis novel. This was an audio book. Published in 2003.

This book begins with the murder of a blues guitarist named Baby Boy who has just come out of rehab and is on the road to making a comeback with his music. As Delaware and Sturgis become involved, as well as Det. Petra Connor and a new character named Det. Stahl, it becomes evident that this murder is related to others, and the mystery deepens.

I was a bit worried about Detective Eric Stahl, as he seemed doomed from the beginning of the story, similar to the joke about the nameless character you've never seen before in any given Star Trek episode, but he turned out to be a bit more multi-dimensional.

It's a good mystery with decent denoument. Kellerman is a master of the form.

At this stage of the series, Delaware is not living with Robin, and has a new woman-friend named Allison, who is also a psychotherapist. Milo is still with Rick, Petra is single. Eric Stahl's story is revealed near the end of the book.

This recording enhanced many miles of commuting.

The Story of English, by Robert MacCrum and others

A fascinating accompaniment to the PBS TV-series that aired in the early 1980s.

The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold

Susie, at age fourteen, is raped and murdered by a neighbor, Mr. Harvey. For the rest of the book, Susie narrates the story from her vantage point in heaven.

While this is almost too poignant, it is handled fairly well. We see the effect that Susie's death has on her family and friends, and follow them for several years afterward.