So many books, so little time.

“Reading gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are.”

— Mason Cooley

As I continue to dive into my towering stack of to read books, I wanted to highlight the first books I read at the start of 2020. This year, unlike any other, I feel as though I have nothing but incredible books, all credit goes to my mom who only lends me books that she rates A+. These several books have kept me company during pivotal times. First was my move from Hollywood after 10 years of living in a space to the unknown house in Highland park. Followed by traveling around and finally to our current uncertain times that is Covid-19 and quarantine. Do you ever feel that a book represents a time and a moment? A reminder of a significant moment in your life? A good, or even a terrible book brings me back to those hours spent reading and the reason why that book was chosen and what brought me to read that particular cover. Those hundreds of pages are what educates me when I find myself stuck, it’s what gives me hope when I feel down, and what takes me around the world without having to move my feet. Every book has a story, not just what’s written in the pages, but how it makes you feel in a particular time and these books are just the beginning of some changing times.

SO first things first.

PACHINKO by Min Jin Lee

I picked up Pachinko during the holidays but I didn’t actually dive into it till the beginning of the year. I spent a majority of December trying to fight off a lingering cold while packing, selling and moving all that was a 2 bedroom apt in Hollywood to a shared two bedroom house in Highland Park. I was working full time during the holidays and stretching myself very thin, by the time I picked up the book before bed I’d read a paragraph and be asleep. Once the stress was over and I found myself moved into my new home, I finally gave Pachinko the respect it deserved. I sat down and read it, almost in its entirety.

The author, Jin Lee, writes about a multi-generational epic that covers the road less traveled in historical fiction. A layered look at the Korean immigrant experience in early 1900’s Japan, about the role of family and the strength of women, about identity and fate. Beautifully written with characters that stay with you, engage you, and break your heart multiple times over. One of those long books you don't notice is long at all and once it’s done, you only want it to continue. I was fascinated to read the historical fiction taking place during World War II that wasn’t American or European biased. While reading Pachinko I realized there were holes in my knowledge when it came to World History and the experience by Korean and Japanese people. I guess I can say I was largely ignorant of the fallout of the division of Korea and the way it left many of their people living in Japan stranded and living so very poorly. All in all I can say this novel is beautifully constructed with characters who feel quite real and vivid. Definitely would recommend, it doesn't matter if you aren't Korean or even Asian, because the themes are universal, a book that everyone would enjoy!

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anothy Doerr

I picked up this book during a run with my trail wife Lani. We were around Silverlake when we spotted a little neighborhood free library. The book enthusiast I am can not pass up a gander into the treasures this box may hold. Low an behold All the light we can not see was stacked on top and I had remembered hearing it was a good novel so we carried it for the remainder of the run. It wasn’t until a few months later as I packed for my trip to the Suunto Headquarters in Finland did I pick up the book again. The size was perfect for traveling and my mom assured me it was well worth the read. I read the majority of the plane ride and if it wasn’t for the lack of sleep and light due to everyone sleeping on the plane, I would have finished it. I can not entirely portray how this book affected me. When I think of it, I feel as though it was a movie I had watched instead of read, each word illustrating a detailed picture in my mind. The beautiful complexity of this story and the technique that Anthony Doerr has used is completely spellbinding. Any writer could write she was angry or he was happy, especially during WWII, but Doerr doesn’t write the emotions of the characters. He beautifully paints the scenes and states the facts about the characters and leaves out the emotion so that the reader fills in the hurt and the anger and the fear and the joys. This book is nothing short of a masterpiece. I’ll just leave you with with one last thing, Doerr says of the title that “It’s… a metaphorical suggestion that there are countless invisible stories still buried within World War II — that stories of ordinary children, for example, are a kind of light we do not typically see. Ultimately, the title is intended as a suggestion that we spend too much time focused on only a small slice of the spectrum of possibility.”

Gives me chills just reflecting on this novel.

TIME AFTER TIME by Lisa Grunwald

This book reminds me of traveling around Finland and Sweden with it in my backpack. By no means is it a small paperback book but a large and in charge hardcover. And mind you, my backpack is a mere backpacking pack while traveling through very cold climates and this novel taking up vital space for my essentials. Needless to say I never started it during my trip- between some epic jet lag to being always on the go to the next adventure, I never had the time. But once I returned home, I finally gave it a chance, while still a bit bitter about carrying it around for so long.

I’m a sucker for a good love story, and this is a non-traditional romance novel, if there is one. It is a really sweet tale about love during the Depression and some time later, in New York City. The writing has a gentleness that is appealing. The well-crafted characters feel so real that their struggles pull at the reader's heart-strings. It’s all base on the Mahattanhenge, a term popularized by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, is a phenomenon occurring around the time of the summer and winter solstices. Throwing Neil deGrasse Tyson in to make Eamon proud, who is a huge fan of StarTalk Radio. Anyway, the rising or setting sun creates an amazing burst of light framed by Manhattan skyscrapers as the sun rises above or dips below the horizon. Although I am a sucker of a good romance novel, this one, although beautifully written, was one I found almost predictable. My overall feeling while the book was really well written and the story line was strong, I wasn't yearning for more after I finished the book.

THE DOUBLE BIND by Chris Bohjalian

I read this post Finland trip pre Suunto Camp in Utah trip. It was a limbo stage where all I did was sleep, eat, run, work, repeat. At the time I wasn’t aware that this author had also written The Flight Attendant which I had read a few months prior, I thought was also fantastic.

This book would be my next recommendation after All the light we cannot see. Thoroughly engaging and engrossing. A woman who works at a homeless shelter is given a box of photographs of a dead patient. It starts her on this quest to find out who he was and if he is connected to her hometown on Long Island and yes, there is this whole Gatsby thing, which made it all that more interesting. I loved the layers of the story that get peeled back and the ways in which her story and his story become intertwined as the story goes along. Dealing with issues of mental health and coping with having been assaulted years ago, as she researches, she becomes obsessed and no one around her gets it. I loved it. What a layered and complex and yes, riveting read and one I would re-read. The ending took me completely by surprise that I almost wanted to re-read it to see what signals I missed. I normally pride myself on being a fast reader but this is one you want to read with care and pay attention to detail. It was beautifully written and one that I would recommend to anyone looking for a great book.

I didn’t realize reviewing this book would stir up so much emotion, it was an extremely riveting topic that will always stay with me. I look forward to reading more of his work, just in case a certain someone decides to order me some for my birthday, ahem my mom.

“Some books you read. Some books you enjoy.
But some books just swallow you up, heart and soul. ”

— Joanne Harris

Have you read any thought provoking or just plain great books lately? Leave a comment with any rec’s!

I have ample time, not knowing when I’ll be returning to work and am always looking to add great books to my always accumulating stack of to read books!

Till next time,

Sawna

Lost in a book

A few weeks ago I went a bit ham on a few books. I had a few recommendations of must read titles I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. My mom lent me one and the other two I bought off Facebook market place for 2 dollars. I was shocked at the price the seller was asking and had to confirm, yes they were for $2 and not a penny more.

I’ve always considered myself a book worm. Whether it be for a quick escape or to further educate myself- no matter the reason I have always had a trusty book at my side. Today is no different. As I attempt to navigate this new form of normalcy during our quarantine time, while my job and my running has been put to the side for now, a good book is one thing that hasn’t faltered.

Last week I read three different books in three different days. I just couldn’t stop. It may have been because I was neglecting other tasks but truly it was because the stories took hold of me and I didn’t attempt to loosen their grasps rather I went along for the ride.

“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet”.

Jumpa Lahiri

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate

My mom had lent me this book saying it was a must read. Maybe it was the book cover or just the title but it didn’t organically catch my interest. A specific case of don’t judge a book by its cover because when I finally picked it up one evening, its narrative instantly taking hold until 2am when I finished it. It was a fascinating book about a woman who sets about to bring to life a long buried manuscript that mysteriously shows up on her desk. In doing so, she returns to the very area she escaped when she was young, and the cult her family is still a part of in the hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Within the mysteries in the book are two story lines that are captivating, the author intertwined them beautifully and created a real page turner.

The author, Lisa Wingate, not only captivated me with the story but included some historical fiction in this book that was eye-opening.  I look forward to seeing what tidbits I can learn from her other books.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

“My friend Erin says we all have demons inside us, voices that whisper we're no good, that if we don't make this promotion or ace that exam we'll reveal to the world exactly what kind of worthless sacks of skin and sinew we really are Maybe that's true. Maybe mine just have louder voices.”
― Ruth Ware, The Woman in Cabin 10
I’m woman enough to admit it: I picked up this book solely because of the hype, but with zero expectations- considering it only cost me $2. I put it on my giant to be read pile and considered holding off for a while.

In the beginning I didn’t think I would like it considering the main character, Lo, was annoying but she grew on me. I found that I was rooting for her, and by the end of the book I liked her more than I thought I would.
Ruth Ware did a great job keeping me at the edge of my seat with this thriller. While, at times, the characters seemed frustrating, not just Lo, I'd say they all kept me guessing right until the end. The author makes you question everyone in the story, including Lo herself. If you're looking for an addictive mystery, I would definitely recommend this one. Thrillers are not normally my jam, with that said, I didn’t have high expectations when picking this book up and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It truly was a little escape from reality. I can't wait to see what other books the author has written.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

I saved this book for last considering all the hype around it lately. It’s been on everyone’s instagram and book clubs to read for the last few weeks. I immediately wanted to read it when it first came out but was dissuaded by my mom who gave it a poor review. Naturally I listened to her, but after weeks of positive feedback from others, I had to give this book a chance.

From the very first paragraph to the very last word I was completely immersed in the plot, characters, and the motifs. The author’s lyric voice sings clearly in the words of the main character, Kya. Both heart and gut wrenching, I am profoundly affected by this novel and was so happy I gave it the chance it greatly deserved.

Themes in the story include belonging, abandonment, survival, trust, coming of age, family, and caring for others- how could one not relate in some way or other. There’s a great deal to reflect on or to discuss as the story unfolds. As a bonus, the author’s background as a wildlife scientist enables her to include many fascinating scientific facts and details about the marsh, something I haven’t really experienced. A do have to confess my frustration with the main character, Kya during some events. It could simply be because I would personally have done things differently, I found myself remembering that it isn’t my story to write. Despite the frustrations, it was a story I know that will stay with me. I have and will continue to recommend this novel to my friends, family, and anyone else who loves to read.

Have you read these books?

What were your thoughts?

Any other book recommendations?

“You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.”

— Paul Sweeney