The Odessa File, published in 1972, is a gripping thriller set in 1960’s, postwar West Germany. A young German reporter is deeply moved by the journal of Holocaust survivor and sets out to find and bring to justice the evil commander of the ghetto where this Jewish man was held. By embarking on this quest, he unknowingly becomes part of an Israeli operation to thwart the efforts of former Nazi SS officers to wreak even more havoc on the world.
Continue readingCategory Archives: Fiction
Audio Book Review: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, Narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed et al
The Correspondent is a deeply moving, epistolary novel that peels back the layers of Sybil Von Antwerp’s life, exploring such topics as grief, guilt, aging, family dynamics, love, generosity, and even octogenarian dating. The author skillfully and poignantly portrays a broad spectrum of life experiences solely through the mechanism of written correspondence. Well done, Ms. Evans!
Continue readingAudio Book Review: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, Narrated by Lynn Chen
Crazy Rich Asians is a humorous novel about rich Chinese and their obsession with the wealth and ancestry of other people. It’s short on plot and long on dialog that pounds you over the head to emphasize the main theme of shallow snobbery. I felt like I was listening to a modern version of The Gilded Age on steroids, and with Asian characters rather than insufferable New Yorkers.
Continue readingBook Review: Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen by Hans Christian Andersen
Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen is a very large collection of the author’s stories, which include well-known works such as The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Princess and the Pea, The Little Mermaid, and Thumbelina. While I enjoyed revisiting some of the familiar fairytales, the antiquated writing style made the stories rather tough to read (holy passive voice and non-restrictive clauses, Batman!). Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, Narrated by David Morse
Theo of Golden is a charming contemporary literature novel about an old man who shows up in a small, Southern town and starts making unusually generous gestures towards some of its residents. With strong themes of compassion, friendship, understanding, and generosity, Theo of Golden is ultimately a touching story about human decency. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Heartwood by Amity Gaige, Narrated by Justine Lupe, et al
Heartwood is a creatively plotted novel that follows the search for a missing Appalachian Trail hiker. Told from the perspectives of the hiker, the woman in charge of the search, and an unlikely, elderly armchair detective, the story serves up a lot of depth that seems to be absent from so many other current mystery/suspense novels. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, Narrated by Aaliya Warbus et al
The Berry Pickers is an insightful and poignant novel that explores the impact of a kidnapping on the victim and the brother who last saw her. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: All the Broken Places by John Boyne, Narrated by Kristin Atherton
All the Broken Places is a gripping historical fiction novel that tells the story of Gretel Fernsby, whose father oversaw one of the Nazi’s worst concentration camps during World War II. Gretel’s brother was Bruno, one of the main characters in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Continue reading
Audio Book Discussion: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, Narrated by Michael York
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is C. S. Lewis’s classic fantasy novel that spins the tale of four children who discover and explore the magical land of Narnia. It’s a story of the fight between good and evil, with good prevailing in an unexpected but very familiar way. Continue reading
Audio Book Review: Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica, Narrated by Brittany Pressly
Local Woman Missing is a highly engrossing suspense novel that explores the disappearance of two seemingly unrelated people and the toll it takes on family and neighbors over a decade later. A cleverly engineered plot that provides several surprising twists makes this story a winner for me. Continue reading
Book Thoughts from Bed 