Tag Archives: Book reviews

So Many Books, So Little Time

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I haven’t forgotten about my unfinished review of J.K. Rowling’s “The Casual Vacancy.”  I’m on p. 448. The pace of the story is picking up as I near the end @ p. 503. It’s a wonderful book tracing an intricate web of human interactions, hypocrisy and deceit. I haven’t written another interim installment of the review (the first part is here) partly because I hardly know where to begin.

And partly because I’ve been busy with so many other projects, like trying to become a photographer and to improve this blog. Hard to believe I’ve written 12 posts on other subjects in the intervening days. Casual Vacancy, despite its length, is a book I would easily finish in two days (and enjoy more) if only I could sit down and read it straight through.    Continue reading →

“One Good Dog” by Susan Wilson

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Five Stars
An exceptional novel disguised as a great story! “One Good Dog” has pain you can feel, two protagonists transformed, lots of anger, and of course, forgiveness and redemption. Makes you think about the unfairness of luck. (The pit bull’s name is “Chance”.)  Susan Wilson is a master novelist. An unusually fun read, but definitely not a cheap thrill. Best $2.99 I ever spent!

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— John Hayden

Ann Patchett’s ‘Run’ — Book Review

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ANN PATCHETT

Blogger’s note: This review was originally published in December 2007, in three installments, on my first WordPress blog, Maryland On My Mind. Time flies, posts get buried, new blogs are born, and great books live forever. The original review has been deleted from the old blog in compliance with search engine policy. — John Hayden

Ann Patchett’s ‘Run’ — Preview

Dec. 8, 2007 — When you read about Bernard Doyle, the former Boston mayor with great ambitions for his sons, you can’t help but free-associate: Kennedy.  At least I can’t. Two of the sons are named Tip and Teddy!

And then I free-associate: Skeffington. Bernard Doyle and Frank Skeffington. Two Irish-Catholic mayors who loved their city, and were beloved by many. The voters turned on both of them. Doyle told a lie to protect his family and faded away without achieving his own ambitions. Skeffington stayed on too long. Again, I free-associate: William Donald Schaefer, late great mayor of Baltimore.

Ann Patchett reminds me of Edwin O’Connor. I discovered O’Connor’s 1956 novel, The Last Hurrah,  in high school, and read all his other books. The two authors have insights about the same subjects — people, politics, family, God — and breath-taking writing talent, honed by attention and effort.

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