Some Quick Picks

While some time has passed since I last wrote on this blog, my reading has been as active and varied as ever; while some of the books have had some interesting elements, but not sufficiently compelling to warrant recommendation, other authors have proven to be reliable purveyors of their particular genre. Following are some ‘quick picks’, accompanied by some very brief comments for each:

Saving Fish From Drowning – by Amy Tan

Using the persona of a ghost as her narrator, Amy Tan does her usual magnificent job in offering acute observations of the clash of cultures, this time by having a group of Americans of various backgrounds taking a tour of Myamar, formerly Burma. Amidst much wry humor, Tan is also able to explore some very serious themes, not the least of which is the frequently misguided notion of Westerners that they can solve the problems of people about whom they know nothing. Unsparing in her examination of the brutal oppression of the military regime currently running the country, the author achieves a remarkable result in this novel: entertainment and edification.

The Accidental Time Machine – by Joe Haldeman

This quirky novel can perhaps best be described as science fiction for those who don’t normally read the genre. As the title suggests, the plot revolves around an accidental invention of a time machine in the form of a calibrator; this machine transports itself and anything/one connected to it into the future in exponential jumps in both time and place, affording the author the opportunity, in the vein of H.G. Wells’ classic, to offer social commentary on a myriad of human foibles. Well worth the read!

Obsession – by Jonathan Kellerman

Every novel written by this psychologist over the years has proven to be satisfying. Part detective, part mystery, part psychological thriller, Kellerman’s latest revolves around the provocative deathbed statement of the mother of one of his former patients, in which she seems to confess a murder to her daughter. While no one who knew the competent, highly regarded and compassionate mother and nurse believes there is any credibility to this, her enigmatic statement sets of a series of events and twists that provide the kind of challenges the author’s readers have come to expect over the years.

Born Standing Up – Steve Martin

Anyone of a certain age who, over the years, has enjoyed the somewhat skewed humour of Steve Martin, comedian, writer, actor and filmmaker, will find real pleasure in reading this gentle and gracious memoir of his development as a stand-up comic. From his early days performing at the Bird Cage Theatre housed at Knott’s Berry Farm, to his writing for the Smothers Brothers, to his appearances on the Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live, through to the end of his stand-up performances in front of tens of thousands of people, Martin provides both wit and insight as he explains what it means to be a comedian. Anyone looking for lurid details of his personal life will be disappointed. An intensely private man, Martin provides only the personal information necessary to understand the factors that contributed to the development of his career. All in all, a classy memoir.