WHAT I'M READING V. 21

Here I Am by Jonathan Safron Foer

I vaguely remember having read his first novel, "Everything is Illuminated" but it didn't stick to me at all. I remember thinking that the style of the book seemed very satisfied with itself in a way that was off-putting. This book here was more down to earth and enjoyable to read. The most striking thing about this book is the mastery that Foer has with words. It is fun to encounter his descriptions of mundane things. In some ways, it was like reading a very well written, intelligent, witty diary of a self-involved middle-aged Jewish man living in D.C. There were points in the book where I found myself impatient and exasperated at all the miscommunication and narcissism of each of the characters, but at the end of it, I appreciated it. I could see how he was weaving things together in a way to tell a story of an individual and of a family.

Nowhere to Be Found by Bae Suah

My brother-in-law (who is Romanian) recommended this book to me while I was going through his bookshelf. I don't think I have ever read a contemporary Korean novel before, which I guess is pretty embarrassing and something I was happy to remedy. It was startling experience, to read the inner monologue of the sad life of this narrator who lives in Korea; something about it was very familiar, not to my personal experience, but to the experiences that I encountered while I was living in Korea, and to read it in English added another layer of complexity. I'm intrigued now to seek out other books written by Korean authors; next on my list is 'The Vegetarian'.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

This was another book from my sister and brother-in-law's bookshelf, recommended highly by both of them. It is a fairytale for adults, and it was a really fun read.

A History of God by Karen Armstrong

I came across this Book at the library, while I was looking for another, and it caught my interest because I am going through the Bible right now with an eye out for context and historical implications, especially from the Old Testament.  So far I am finding this book to be well written, informative and helpful.