A Word About Awards

A FLAG FOR SUNRISE by Robert Stone Award: LA Times Winner 1982 Nominations: National Book Finalist 1982, National Book Critics Circle Finalist 1981, NY Times Finalist 1981, PEN/Faulkner Finalist 1982, Pulitzer Finalist 1982 Date Read: August 23, 2019 A Flag For Sunrise reads to me like a thriller but with a deeper focus on human nature, coincidence and the meaning (or, rather, lack thereof) of God. Each character in this novel has a trajectory all their own yet intertwined with one another to form a compelling symphony of chaos, greed and self-annihilation. There are members of the clergy, wrestling with their own faith. A washed up professor who drifts from one boozy and treacherous interaction to the next, often embarrassing himself. A ne'er-do-well drug addict who becomes a killer in pursuit of delusional grandeur. And a sadistic officer who can't keep himself from killing but requires absolution nonetheless. Stone has done a remarkable job here of creating a ficti

HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY by Richard Llewellyn Award: National Book Winner 1940 Date Read: August 22, 2019 How Green Was My Valley is a lovely coming-of-age story of Huw Morgan who is growing up in a mining community in Wales. He learns the harsh realities of life and work, all while being embraced by his expansive family. In the green hills that surround his family home, he comes to learn the meaning of love, work, commitment and courage. In these hills he learns to fight, has his first kiss, disappoints himself and his family and experiences love and loyalty. The Morgan family are hard-working coal miners who are initially blessed by a decent wage for a hard days' work. I once again marvel at how simple humans' desires truly are - to be with family, feed them well and work and live with dignity. Once greed is introduced, dignity is tossed aside and it's an immediate race to the bottom. Huw's brothers experience this almost as soon as they join their father in

DINNER AT THE HOMESICK RESTAURANT by Anne Tyler Nominations: LA Times Finalist 1982, National Book Finalist 1983, National Book Critics Circle Finalist 1982, NY Times Finalist 1982, PEN/Faulkner Finalist 1983, Pulitzer Finalist 1983 Date Read: August 15, 2019 I honestly expected to enjoy this more than I actually did. Full disclosure: My childhood closely resembled that of Pearl's three children. This could be a contributing factor but, honestly, I don't care for Pearl or her kids as people. While Pearl has her deep flaws and is obviously not the best mother ever to grace fiction, she has some admirable qualities. She faces single motherhood with courage and tries to do right by her kids. She clearly loves them in her own defective way. But she's clearly not a warm person, never finding comfort in friendship or extended family. She isolates herself and her kids in a strange, interdependent cocoon. This is painfully obvious at Jenny's first wedding when the on

WHAT WAS SHE THINKING? by Zoe Heller Nomination: Booker Finalist 2003, Orange Prize Longlist 2004 Date Read: August 12, 2019 I'm honestly surprised this won a Booker nod, since it reads like a tabloid story. First, and it goes without saying, Sheba is a rapist,  double standards not withstanding. Any man who would seduce a 15 year old student would be accused of rape and the same applies here. While Sheba's affair with her student, some may argue, is the gist of this novel, I found the character of Barbara to be much more compelling. Barbara makes a perfect teacher, since she relishes control, attention and is the most meddling loner there is. (The early story of her criticizing a fellow teacher and how she must abhor her own bodily functions since she wears panty liners every day and buries  them at the bottom of the trash can told me quite a bit. How the hell would she know that unless she dug through the trash. Ew!) She enjoys bestowing tidy judgements about every

ALL THE KING'S MEN by Robert Penn Warren Award: Pulitzer 1947 Date Read: March 4, 2010 & August 8, 2019 All The King's Men is a magnificent novel that follows the rise of southern politician, Willie Stark, and the reporter, Jack Burden, who becomes his right-hand man. The reason, I believe, this novel is so famous and has withstood the test of time is its sweeping snapshot of southern life and politics, providing a road map from the past to the present. The political intrigue that occurs here is no different that what plays out today on the national stage. Willie's burgeoning political career begins with so much earnestness and sincerity, truly wanting to not just learn, but KNOW law, and true wanting voters to understand the minutiae involved in policy proposals. In one dramatic day, he realizes that not only is he being scandalously used by the opposition, but that voters tuned him out when he crawled through the weeds. Voters still just want to be made to

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson Nomination: National Book Finalist 1960 Date Read: August 7, 2019 For a classic thriller, I was duly impressed. From the first imposing images of the house to Mrs. Dudley's less than warm welcome, readers already have a chilling foreshadowing of what's to come.  Eleanor, a key character, is perfectly drawn as a person without a place, driving with all her belongings in her "borrowed" car. As she imagines all these different futures for herself, the possibilities seem endless as she tries on different futures - something I often do on road trips, although I am very happily settled. Once Eleanor and Theodora were settled in their rooms, I was horrified that, as guests of the house and of the doctor, they would nonchalantly wheel a vase over to prop the front door open. Ever hear of manners, ladies? Eleanor's internal dialog is so very strange, constantly doubting herself and other's perceptions of her. O

THAT NIGHT by Alice McDermott Nominations: LA Times Finalist 1987, National Book Finalist 1987, PEN/Faulkner Finalist 1988, Pulitzer Finalist 1988 Date Read: August 3, 2019 That Night  is a coming of age story about the fierceness of first love. Sheryl and Rick are enmeshed in a teenaged love affair and Sheryl winds up pregnant. Her mother sends her to relatives to wait out the remainder of her pregnancy, never allowing her to say good bye to Rick or even tell him that she's pregnant. These actions lead to an incident that changes the neighborhood forever. Rick, not knowing Sheryl has already left, recruits his friends to raid her house and demand to see her. The mother is forcefully removed and thrown onto the lawn and all the neighborhood fathers grab whatever's at hand to use as a weapon to defend her. It is this event, this dramatic display of love, that everyone in the neighborhood for years to come. The brawl that ensues bonds the male neighbors to each other

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM by Nelson Algren Award: National Book 1950 Date Read: August 3, 2019 The Man With The Golden Arm is a novel about those who live in the margins; those who are seldom given a second glance when encountered on the street - gamblers, junkies, alcoholics, prostitutes, thieves and degenerates. For the time it was written, this novel was daring in discussing a taboo topic: drug addiction. Frankie Machine is The Man With The Golden Arm, named thus for his ability to deal cards and play drums with a deftness few possess. His arm is further golden for the amount of drugs injected into it. Frankie, however, has dreams of becoming a drummer in a band but his addiction is holding him back. He successfully kicks his habit several times but relapses again and again. Reading of his poor decisions was difficult. For all the praise this novel received, I found it lacking in detailing the fundamental humanity beneath each of these characters. For all their moral