Autobiography of a Face

A touching story of a childhood cancer survivor, seriously disfigured by the disease.

Lucy Grealy holds nothing back while describing the thoughts and emotions going through her while fighting the cancer that took almost half her jaw at a very young age, even when those thoughts and emotions might have cast her in a less than complimentary light. While not only dealing with the physical effects of the disease and it's treatments, she also had to deal with the emotional scars caused by how other people saw her. From childhood cruelty, to teenage angst, to young adulthood, you see how the pain of other peoples perceptions affected her, and how she came to grow both because of it, and in spite of it at the same time.

In short, a wonderfully honest piece of work.

The Shadow lines - Amitav Ghosh

A very good book.

This book requires some time without distractions to read, as the constant back and forth shifting of time could be problematic should you be distracted. It is well worth the read should you find that quiet time though.

The story follows a Bengali family and an English family as their lives intertwine during a period of great political unrest. Ghosh examines the difficulties within families against this back-drop of political upheaval, and brings it together beautifully, while adding elements of time and memory to the story being told. A wonderful story well worth reading.

Ines of My Soul - Isabel Allende

I received this book in error, and I have to admit, I would have never picked it up on my own. I must also admit that I was extremely and pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book!!! Allende has a writing style so smooth and passionate, that you can't help but be pulled in to the story. Love, lust, compassion, savagery and brutality all spill from these pages, which tell the story of the birth of the city of Santiago, Chile, from the perspective of the woman who helped found it. I would definitely recommend this book.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon

A very good book written from the perspective of an autistic boy. The author has a unique ability to make you feel like you are actually reading the work of an autistic child. Written as a "murder mystery", it chronicles the young boy's search for the killer of a neighborhood dog. The character is funny, likable, and above all, believable.

Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs

In reading this book, it was very hard to remember that it was written as a memoir. They say truth is stranger than fiction, and this book is a good example of that saying, should you believe the events as recounted by this author. I cannot help but wonder how much "artistic license" was used.

That being said, it was pretty funny, and compelling in a "morbid fascination kind of way". It is surprising that a young impressionable boy could come out of this kind of world and not be stark raving mad. Then again, not knowing him...perhaps he is stark raving mad! I can only hope that he has a good therapist.

Apologies

I must apologize to the anonymous poster, who commented on the entry for the Kite Runner on Oct. 24/07. I was in the midst of packing and preparing for a move, and I fell behind in my emails, and therefore their comment was not approved in a timely fashion. Once again I apologize. Thanks for visiting and participating!

I should be caught up by today, and will then post my thoughts on Running with Scissors.