Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Memory Keeper's Daughter (by Kim Edwards)

I just finished reading this wonderful book. This book took me a little while to get through but each time I picked it up I was hooked. This book contrasts two separate lives bound by one decision that occurrs at the beginning of the book by one of the main characters. To me, it symbolized the power of one decision on the the entirety of a life, about how one secret can change the course and direction of lives for not just the secret keeper. The title evidences this symbolism - the husband has a camera called the "memory keeper", and he is also the "memory keeper" for the choice/secret he made. This book also highlights the struggles and joys of a child with down syndrome, and the unconditional love shown by the childs "mother" and the child itself. It is a deep and thought provoking book. Definitely not a light summer read. But well worth it.



Rating: CPD.


Movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0955298/, It was apparently turned into a lifetime tv movie in 2008. I definitely am interested in watching this!


Currently reading: The Virgin Lover (by Philipia Gregory)


I'm going on vacay in two weeks, anyone recommend some good light summer reading to read while laying by the beach/pool, sipping a rita?

Friday, June 12, 2009

The Reader (by Bernhard Schlink)




I just finished reading this book. It was intense, to say the least. It is full of ideas and messages that truly make you think. The basic plot line (as most know because of the release of the movie), is that a boy gets sick and taken in by a woman twice his age. A love affair occurs between the two for a summer. They meet again under entirely different circumstances at the Nazi war crime trials. She being the Nazi war criminal. It really made me think about the implications of all the horrible things that the Nazis did and the ramifications it had on future German generations. I recommend reading this book when you have the time to give it a good read. It is very thought provoking in more ways than one.
Rating: CPD.