Hi Bookworms, Happy Easter. I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend full of chocolate bunnies, Easter eggs, and spring flowers. I’m holding down the fort with the dogs since my husband is away on a trip.
We had a wild snowstorm here a couple days ago that left about six inches of heavy white stuff on the ground but then within 48 hours it was gone as if we’d never had it. The earth just soaked it up. Meanwhile I’ve been going through a surge of spring cleaning, paring down things in closets and drawers, and taking unwanted things and clothes to the thrift shop. It feels great once you set your mind to it. Nothing is safe from the purge, except perhaps books, lol.
Afterwards Willow and I got some reading done in the sunroom (see photo). She was snoozing a bit more than reading, but we hadn’t been in there all winter since it’s not heated. We enjoyed our inaugural sunroom siesta, yay. Do you have a special spot or place where you like to read?
And now here (above) are a couple novels that came in for me at the library. Will I get to these? Time will tell. I hope they are good.
- The Golden Boy by Patricia Finn —about “a disgraced TV executive and his wife who retire to Maui, where their life of leisure is interrupted by news that they’ve been named guardians to a late friend’s four grandchildren,” according to PW. And:
- Upward Bound by Woody Brown — that “delves into the lives and minds of the disabled residents of an adult day care center in Southern California.”
And now below are a few reviews of what I finished lately. All three were audiobook listens, while I’m currently reading Buckeye as a buddy read with Tina at Turn the Page. We’ll be done this week, so I’ll review it next time.
A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar / Knopf / 224 pages / 2025
Synopsis: In a near future Kolkata, India, with intense heat and food scarcity, a woman referred to as Ma, the manager of a local shelter, is gearing up to leave on a flight in seven days with her two-year-old daughter Mishti and her father Dadu to join her scientist husband in Michigan. But in the morning she finds that her purse is missing and has been stolen with their passports and special climate visas. She has less than a week to find the thief and their coveted documents. It’s a desperate search, and along the way their lives and the teenage thief Boomba’s backstory is revealed and his attempt to care for his family in need.
My Thoughts: 4 stars. This turns into a compelling doozy. Which leaves you with the sick feeling: never to lose your passport and visa in the days before your flight, especially when you’re trying to flee a collapsing city. The police won’t help you, and the consulate will need a police report which you can’t get. Poor Ma, she battles on in desperation with her father Dadu helping … trying to find the thief. Meanwhile her husband occasionally calls, but she keeps him in the dark, without telling him what’s happening. He’s more clueless than even baby Mishti, who senses the troubles and is given sweet onions to eat since that’s what there is.
I admit I wanted to strangle the young thief Boomba for his series of transgressions though the plot throws some sympathy his way. And Ma, who’s taken a bit from the shelter in the past, is not too squeaky clean herself. Ma and Boomba are trying to do what they can to get by and help their families. Still mostly you hope beyond hope that Ma, Dadu, and Mishti will be on that damn flight … get on the tarmac and lift off. Down the stretch you’ll be navigating some twists and then the ending will hit down like a hammer. It’s a short novel that packs a punch.
Train Dreams by Denis Johnson / FSG / 116 pages / 2011
4.5 stars. I loved the storytelling and earthiness of this novella … the depictions of the natural world and the oddities Robert Grenier sees living out West during the first decades of the 20th century. Robert is an adopted orphan who grows up in Idaho in the 1890s. He works in lumber and for the railroad then takes a job in Washington state repairing the Gorge bridge, only to return home later to find his valley up in flames.
What happens to his wife and child early in the book and the sadness he goes through is very hard and touches down to the bone. He struggles with his own guilt, which almost overwhelms him, yet continues on to have an array of experiences, seeing the world in ways that you come to know. There’s even a bit of humor or whimsy to the characters and animals he comes across working as a wagon driver. Like he almost saw Elvis Presley at a train stop once but he was hung up and didn’t. Though he did see the fattest man in the world when he came through town on an exhibit.
Robert’s grief makes him see wolf creatures too at times … and he wonders if one is his daughter. All around it’s a good short almost mystical tale at times that I wished had been made into a full-fledged novel about Robert Grenier. This was my first Denis Johnson book but now I’d like to read his others.
The movie adaptation of Train Dreams with Joel Edgerton is good too. It’s a quiet film that gets across Robert’s struggles and his life in the West. It received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, and Original Song but didn’t win any in the end. Interesting too — is that Will Patton, who narrated the audiobook so well back in 2011, also does the voiceover narration in the 2025 film. 14 years later, wow! He should win an award for his impeccable narration. It gave me a real feel for Robert Grenier’s life.
Tinkers by Paul Harding / Bellevue / 192 pages / 2009
3 stars. This is a hard one to know what to think. It has some beautiful descriptive poetic writing to it, but the structure and piecemeal ramblings were a bit hard at times to follow and stay engaged. I’ve always wanted to read it since the novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2010 and is a deathbed story in which the character George reflects back on his life and father, which I thought I’d like, but it proved sort of tough to get through despite it being short.
The story follows George Crosby in the days before he dies and his memories from his childhood. It looks at George’s life as well as his father’s, Howard, who was a traveling peddler in 1920s Massachusetts. George fixes clocks for a living and Howard in a parallel narrative struggles with epileptic seizures. He bit George as a youngster which his wife commits him to a mental hospital for, but he later flees. George grows up pretty penniless but has an affinity for clocks, which there are some lyrical and metaphorical passages about.
I admired the author’s latest 2023 novel This Other Eden but Tinkers proved to be harder to fully engage with even though I was ready and willing.
That’s all for now. Have you read any of these — and if so, what did you think? Have a great week.
Your sunroom looks like a delightful place to enjoy the sunshine and a good book. Thanks for sharing your reviews as well
Wishing you a fabulous reading week
Thanks Shelleyrae. If only the weather warmth would cooperate. Today it snowed again so it’s not too good for sitting in the sunroom, but spring is not far away. Hope you have a great week as well.
Good luck with the spring cleaning! I wish I was motivated enough to do that. 🙂
Thanks AJ. It takes me a long time to talk myself into any spring cleaning … that’s half the battle, lol. I still haven’t tackled the bins in the office but that will have to wait (till I get more motivation). Have a great week.
Ah, spring cleaning – something I badly need to do but can always find an excuse not to! Your sunroom looks marvelous and I can see how it would be appreciated in a colder climate, but where I live maybe not so much as it could get quite hot. However, I do love my patio, although I don’t use it for reading but just to sit and enjoy nature and have the pleasure of being outside and hearing birdsong.
Hi Dorothy, it sounds like you have a great patio in which to view the nature around you. I’m hoping to use the sunroom here a bit more … but so far spring is taking a while to get here. I’ll have to wait till I get a warmer day. It is nice to read in there. I should do more spring cleaning but I’m procrastinating now, lol. Have a great week.
Happy Easter, Susan. It’s a beautiful day in the cove and I’m going to grab some lunch and then head out for a long walk in the ‘hood. Guess I better apply some sunscreen now that the sun is out! 🙂 That’s a great sunroom that Willow is lounging in. Love all the windows! I love to read in bed, but that’s about it. I don’t really have a comfy spot upstairs, and if I go into the living room, it’s not always peaceful with Rod and my mom doing things nearby. I have to have it completely quiet to stay focused on my books. I do love to listen to audiobooks while on my walks, so that’s another spot, I supoose.
I saw a review for Upward Bound earlier last week and it sounded intriguing. I’ll wait to hear what you think.
We watched Train Dreams a few months ago and thought it was fabulous. Rod mentioned that he would like to read the book, so maybe I’ll order a copy for him for his birthday. That way I can read it, too. 🙂
Have a great week, and a good trip to CA whenever that happens.
I should follow your lead and do some spring cleaning. Not so much cleaning, but going through closets and cupboards. The garage could use a good purge, but Rod likes to hang on to things “just in case.” Oh, well. At least it’s not too cluttered or messy.
Hi Lesley, thanks. Glad you are having pretty days at the Cove. Reading in bed is the best spot. I’m trying to use the sunroom a bit more — once it warms up.
If you liked the movie Train Dreams, you’ll probably like the novella. It’s a bit different but I liked the storytelling of it.
I’ve stopped my spring cleaning for now. I sort of have to force myself to do it, lol. And I don’t leave on my SoCal trip till April 23. It’s coming up. It should be good, yay. Have a great week. We got more snow today, crazy!
My brother recently recommended the movie Train Dreams, and he mentioned that he was thinking about reading the book the movie was made from. Maybe I will, too.
I can’t wait to see what you and Tina think of Buckeye. I have a copy of that in my TBR. I hope to finish Brothers Karamozov today and then I can read anything I want.
Hi Deb, yeah the book & movie of Train Dreams are a bit sad but are worth it. The story is a bit different but the storytelling is quite good. See what you think.
We are almost done with Buckeye … it’s a family drama that entangles two couples and their sons. It’s long but not as long as the Brothers Karamozov, lol. I read that classic long ago and it wasn’t my favorite of Dostoevsky’s.
Enjoy your week.
Love your sunroom!!! We have a small one in CT, also not heated, but I spend a lot of time there when it’s warm enough.
I’ve also recently added Upward Bound to my tbr list, so will keep an eye out for your thoughts. Will be curious to see what you and Tina have to say about Buckeye. I’ve got it on my kindle and am hoping to read that in the next couple of months.
Thanks JoAnn. The sunroom is nice on warm days, though we’re still waiting for spring here. I need to use it more. It’s good you have one in CT.
I think you will like Buckeye since you seem to like epic family dramas and this is another of those … (we’re at 70% mark now) will leave a review this coming weekend. I hope I can get to Upward Bound before it’s due.
Have a great week. Happy reading.
Great sunroom you got there. I’d love a space like that to read and relax in. I read in my dining room and finish in bed. Sometimes the loveseat does the trick as well. I’m glad that you enjoyed A Guardian and A Thief; it was quite something, wasn’t it? I found Boomba endearing, and I enjoyed the duality of the characters. Most of them were guardians AND thieves. But then again, poverty and lack do that to people. I liked Train Dreams, the movie; I have yet to read the novella. If you’re interested in Denis Johnson, I strongly recommend his last collection of stories before his death, The Largesse of the Sea Maiden. It’s an eclectic bunch. I struggled with This Other Eden while reading it. I thought I would not have the stamina to finish it, yet when I wrote the review I discovered that I had enjoyed the book and absorbed more of it than I thought I had during my reading sessions. Go figure! Still, Tinkers doesn’t sound appealing to me, something about the deathbed story I guess… too somber for my liking. Anyway, I hope you enjoy Buckeye as much as I did. That one hit me hard. I’m reading The Fountain. It’s OK so far. Still too vague to pass judgement, though that vagueness is starting to annoy me. I strongly recommend Angel Down; it was chosen by The NYT as one of the best ten books of last year. I agree. Happy reading this upcoming week!
Hi Carmen, thanks. Great comments & info as usual. I like what you say about them being both Guardians & Thieves in Megha’s novel, that’s perceptive. The story really ratchets up — and it’s interesting how she ties it together. And that ending whoa. I wasn’t ready for that, lol.
Thx for the tip about Denis Johnson’s collection of stories. I will definitely add it to my TBR. I liked his writing & his narration.
I also struggled with This Other Eden a bit — I think I had to go over it twice — but then parts were incredible too … it finally clicked with me. But Tinkers was a bit harder to stick with it. I’m sort of hesitant to try his other novel Enon.
I guess I need to add Angel Down to my library list … this went totally under my radar the past year … I seemed to have missed knowing about it. Thx for the tip — I will add it to my list. Keep reading & advising. I’ll see how Buckeye goes. Cheers. Have a good week.
Beware! Angel Down is a war novel and very graphic, but somehow palatable. I hope you give it a chance.
Okay Carmen. Good to know. I don’t even know what it’s about but I will give it a chance.
Your sunroom looks very inviting!
Have a great week!
Thanks Marg, if only the weather would cooperate with me wanting to use the sunroom. It’s snowing again! But spring is coming. You have a great week as well. Happy reading.
That is a dynamite sunroom, I would spend lots of time there. Great view.
Spring cleaning is in the works here as well.
I am still on the holds list for A Guardian and a Thief. I can relate, just a little, to losing my passport in another country but I’m sure Ma’s experience was harrowing. Mine was panic. I somehow left my passport on a houseboat in Amsterdam when visiting a couple, didn’t notice until I was off walking around the city a few hours later. Panic! Fortunately they left the houseboat unlocked and I went in, grabbed my passport and left a note so they knew I’d been inside. Funny now, scary then.
I am loving this reading of Buckeye! Some good twists here. Can you feel both empathy and digust for a character, all at once? Will write later this morning.
Thanks Tina. I’m trying to use the sunroom more. We’re going to move a couch in there in a few weeks, which should be great for reading, yay.
Wild to hear your story about losing your passport in Amsterdam, yikes. That is a panic feeling. So glad you got it back. The book’s story of the lost passport is desperate panic too! I think it rose my blood pressure, lol.
I am curious what will happen in Buckeye in Part III. …. we’ll have to bring the story home now … see what happens. talk soon. Enjoy your week.
I tend to read in one particular chair in my living room, but will admit to ocassionally nodding off if I read mid-afternoon.
In 1998, I took graduating high school students to Europe and one of them lost her passport. Because I speak (spoke) German, I was the one who had to navigate getting her a new one before we proceeded on our trip. What a nightmare. I can’t imagine doing it as a city was falling apart around me.
Hi Helen, nice that you read (& nap) in your living room chair … I get sleepy after lunch too.
I can only imagine how hard it would be to get another passport on a trip, ugh! You must have gone thru a lot of hoops to get it. Never again! This book A Guardian and a Thief is like that experience.
Cheers. Have a great week.
Spring cleaning. I know I have to do it. But how do I make it interesting and not procrastinate is always my problem. LoL
Dennis Johnson is a writer I have wanted to read for a long time and your great review and 4.5 rating is the incentive I need. Train Dreams I will read this year.
Hi Kathy, I can relate … spring cleaning is really hard to motivate about … but you can always listen to an audiobook and that makes it a bit better, lol.
Yes give Denis Johnson a try … Train Dreams is a very short novella … it’s a bit different … perhaps try the audio the narration is quite good.
Have a great week. Happy reading.
Hope you are done with the snow storms and get to spend more time in the sun room going forward. It looks lovely! In London we had a lovely sunny Easter weekend and it will be even better during this week with 23C on Wednesday.
I think A Guardian and a Thief was longlisted for the Women’s Prize. If I get the time, I will pick up a few books from the list, but not sure which ones. The Correspondent sounds good, I think. Great review of Train Dreams, may try to find a copy.
Wow Stargazer. How have you been?! You must be busy with work. I hope you’ll be posting again. And I can’t believe you’re having such warm temps in London, this early … how nice! You should get out in that sun.
I think the Women’s Prize shortlist comes out April 22. I will wait to see what makes that list … and if A Guardian and a Thief makes it. I have read The Correspondent … which is decent. Train Dreams is short and you’ll be through it in no time. Hope all is well. Have a great week.
I know, it has been a while. 2025 was busy and it looks like 2026 will be the same, but I hope to write the occasional post to keep my poor blog alive. It sounds like you weren’t overly impressed by The Correspondent? Will still give it a try. Have a great week too!
Hi Stargazer. I thought The Correspondent was (lightly) entertaining. I liked it well enough. You should definitely try it out. You find out hidden things about the elderly Sybil as it goes along. She’s quite a character. And yeah I hope you keep posting on your blog. I’ll visit there now and see what’s up. Enjoy your spring!
I really feel like time is slow and fast and the same time. I was just enjoying the fall weather one moment and now it’s time for spring cleaning again. Do you feel that way too?
Hi Lux, we had a long winter here and it’s still going on! Can’t wait till spring. I think it felt longer too because I was recovering from a knee surgery all winter. But I’m almost ready. Not sure where you are located but it’s good it went quickly for you. Good luck with spring cleaning!
Willow looks quite content in the sunroom. She obviously approves.
Not to long ago here in Albania, there was a man who lost his passport. I saw the account on all the Facebook expat groups. I felt so sorry for him. I don’t know how it was finally resolved. But it’s pretty terrifying.
Hi Olivia, it seems Willow loves the warm sunroom, lol. I’m waiting (patiently) for another warm day.
I can imagine … that poor man who lost his passport in Albania. I think it would make me panic. The book is like that … terrifying. It sounds like you’ve met some nice expats there, which is great. Enjoy your week.
I’ve got some spring cleaning energy this year. So far, I’ve tackled bathroom supplies and the top shelves of the pantry. Today’s target is three drawers in the kitchen — the drawers of things that we use less often. Some of those things should go to households where they will be used more often.
Hi Joy, wow you’re doing good work on your spring cleaning. Way to go! I have tackled the bathrooms’ drawers and the towel/linen closet. I took 6 bags to the thrift store. But I haven’t tackled the office yet & need to paint the pantry still. You make me think – maybe I should tackle the kitchen drawers. Hmm. thx for the tip. Good luck & happy cleaning.
In the summer, my “place” to read is on our porch. In the winter, the sofa, under a cozy blanket! I just adore your sun room. And your reading companion is lovely!
Thanks much Jeanie. Glad to hear you like the sun room. I’m waiting for another warm day so I can return to it. We are going to be putting a couch in there — when the new one for the living room comes in. Willow loves it in there, ha. Have a great week & happy spring.
My favorite place to read, especially at this time of year, is on the back patio with my feet propped up. Early in the morning, I’m serenaded by Cardinals, Jays, Wrens, Doves, and sometimes an Oriole or two show up. Between them and the squirrels it can be hard to concentrate sometimes, but it’s my favorite way to start a new day.
I’ve heard lots of good things about Buckeye but don’t know anyone who has read it yet. I’ll look forward to hearing what you and your reading partner think of it.
Hi Sam, your back patio sounds like an ideal reading spot. And you probably get a few more colorful birds than we get here. … as we are without Cardinals & Orioles. What a nice spot to read. I’m trying to make our sun room comfortable for that and our deck is nice to hear the birds.
I will report back on Buckeye soon. It’s a drama that entangles two families, post-WWII. More to come. Have a great week & happy reading.
I’m loving your sunroom, that’s so lovely!!! (The dog helps too, of course.) I currently live in a really tiny room in a house share, so the only place I really have to read at home is in my bed – but that’s always been one of my favourite places to read. When I was a teenager, though, we had an outdoor sofa on our patio in the garden and I used to love taking a stack of books out there in the summer and reading there! I look forward to moving (hopefully soon!) and creating more reading spaces for myself.
Hi Keira, I admit reading in bed is still hard to beat for me too … but it’s nice to try and make some daytime reading spots … like your former patio. I hope you find something nice with your move … with a bit more space … and a sunny patio, lol. Have a great week & happy spring.
We have been doing major yard cleanup in the front and still have plenty to do; the back area is just a mess but I am eager to get to it as soon as possible. And we have been working on house cleaning inside; major decluttering is in the near future. Which leaves much less time for blogging.
My favorite place for reading is in my bed at night. However I have to find a secondary favorite place because I cannot read on a tablet at night and I need to read some Kindle books. I have started The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart on Kindle and hope to finish it by the end of the week. Also reading Death in the Darkening Mist by Iona Whishaw, a Canadian author; it is part of a series, set in British Columbia in 1946, with lots of interesting Canadian history I had not read about.
I did not enjoy Train Dreams as much as most other people who read it and I don’t know why; I read it in 2021 and maybe it just wasn’t the right book at the right time. On the other hand, I loved The Correspondent and I plan to read it again someday.
Hi Tracy, it sounds like you are doing & planning a lot of spring cleaning in your yard outside and inside the house too. That’s great. It’ll look so nice when all is done. I can relate. I have been working on drawers & closets inside & took 6 bags to the thrift store recently. It feels good to unload a bit.
I look forward to your reviews of Mary Stewart and Iona Whishaw’s books. I’m curious of Whishaw and don’t know of her yet. Knowing more Canadian history would be good for me.
I’m glad you enjoyed The Correspondent. Train Dreams is sort of an odd story at times. He throws in some odd elements to it. And it could’ve been more developed — things are pretty short & I could’ve used more about his wife & daughter who are gone in Chapter 2. I can how it wouldn’t be for everyone.
Wishing much luck with your yard cleanup. Have a good week.
Look at Willow all comfy cozy in her little bed! So cute.
I loved the Train Dreams movie and the book has recently come off hold so I hope to read it soooooooooooooooon.
Hi Jinjer, thanks, Willow is a happy girl. 🙂
I’m glad you loved the Train Dreams movie … I enjoyed it too. It’s a quiet movie but packs a punch. It was interesting to see what they used from the book; the movie & book are a bit different but follow a similar trajectory. See what you think. Have a great weekend.
I’m also in the throes of a general clear out, and this time I am culling books as well. Many trips to the library to unload bags into the donation bin. We are putting in hardwood floors in June and need to do some drywall repair before then, so the clear out is in full swing.
I have a favorite recliner for reading, with an end table to my right for the ubiquitous cuppa tea, and I often lie down to read these days as gardening and cleaning truly wear me out.
Of the books you featured this post, The Golden Boy appeals to me the most. Glad to know I am not the only one who brings home books from the library that are returned unread. I still feel guilty about it, but it happens!
Hi Jane, Wow putting in hardwood floors — that’s a big good project. I hope it’ll look beautiful when it’s in. We are also having renovations done soon: kitchen counters & a bathroom re-tiled. Hope it’ll be nice once completed (by June).
Like you, I probably need to cull books too, but it’s hard. You seem to be doing well with it.
And your recliner sounds good for reading. I still read mostly in bed … but I’m trying to change that to other times during the day. I often get too many books at once from the library, so I browse them to see if I want to get some back for a later date & read. It’s an investigation of sorts. You read a lot faster I think and can get to more before returning. I’m not sure I’ll get to Golden Boy this time, lol, I’m in the midst of Kamala Harris’s 107 Days for some reason. Cheers.