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Sunday, April 12, 2009

In My Mailbox (11)

This week was a better week for mail. I picked up on two books from the library. The first listed is from my branch and Nervous Conditions comes highly recommended and it is part of our library collection at Color Online. Visit Eva for Library Loot and Story Siren for In My Mailbox. Marcia at The Printed Page hosts Mailbox Monday.

Donations :

Corregidora by Gayl Jones the tale of a blues singer Ursa, consumed by her hatred of the 19th century slave master who fathered both her grandmother and mother. This is a highly impactive novel wrought with sexual tensions and taboo family secrets. The narrative is interspersed with elliptical stories and memories that bring intense emotions to the surface of the reader's consciousness.

The Strangness of Beauty by Lydia Yuri Minatoya Absolutely beautiful novel about three generations of Japanese women. When Etsuko's sister Naomi dies during childbirth in Seattle, Etsuko takes on the role of mother to the baby, Hanae. After a few years of American life together, Hanae's father decides it's time to send both Hanae and Etsuko back to Japan, so Hanae can learn about her heritage and get to know her maternal grandmother, Chie. The three women, a Japanese woman from a prestigious samurai family (Chie), her ignored American-immigrant daughter (Etsuko),and her American-born granddaughter (Hanae), learn much about each other and the world during their turbulent years together. The setting is pre-World War II Japan, providing not only an incredible background, but the means for a fascinating history lesson as well. The characters are unique, intense, and real. And their interactions (both with each other and with their countries) are some of the most moving demonstrations of emotion I've encountered in a novel in some time . ~Meg, reader

Skywriting
by Margarita Engle
Stones From the River by Ursula Hegi
Moonlight of the Avenue of Faith by Gina Nahai
Bird at My Window by Rosa Guy
Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Etta
The Untelling by Tayari Jones

Library:

She's So Money by Cherry Cheva. I picked this up because it has a great cover and good reviews. I'm not enjoying this though. I'm going to finish it and then I'll tell you why I am unhappy with this. Of course, feel free to ask me now.

Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
An excellent coming-of-age story of a young peasant girl given the opporunity in both colonial Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and native patriarchial culture, to be educated. She is extremely bright,
ambitious, hard working, and so incredibly observant of all around her, that she makes the best heroine I've read about in a long, long time. Kudos!! Srongly recommend this book to one an all. ~Sheila


From paperbackswap I ordered Brown Girl In The Ring by Nalo Hopkinson after reading a review by Cora at 50 books by People of Color Reading Challenge. Cora, by the way, is a voracious reader and a great reviewer. She's reviewed several Octavia E. Bulter titles which would in part explain my bias.

19 comments:

Adele said...

I am always amazing by the quality of your books. They always seem so much more thought provoking and I am always curious. Excited to read your reviews.

susan said...

Thanks Adele, I'm intensely curious about others and the world. I'm pitifully behind on reviews but reading your comments, I'm motivated to say something and to say it soon. :-)

Shalonda said...

Susan, I love visiting your site because I am introduced to books I might not have heard of if not for you! I am def. gonna check to see if I can find some of these.

Like Adele said, the quality is astounding!

Another great week!

Anonymous said...

Nervous Conditions. A wonderful African classic! Enjoy!!

the prisoner's wife said...

hey Susan. sounds like you are getting your straight read on. you have definitely given me some to add to the list.

presently i'm reading Standing "At the Scratch Line." usually i'm not into Action/Adventure stories, but this one is good so far.

Lianne said...

I really, liked She's So Money! Happy Reading!

Sandra said...

I remember reading Corregidora in 1990 when I came into some money and bought all the African American lit I was wanting. I've also read Moonlight of the Avenue of Faith by Gina Nahai, as well as her other novel Caspian Rain, and enjoyed then both. I read one Hegi book but wasn't impressed, The Vision of Emma Blau. I've heard so many peole praise her writing, I might try another one. I'll be interested in what you have to say about these books when you've read them. The Strangness of Beauty by Lydia Yuri Minatoya sounds like something I'd enjoy.

Unknown said...

How many books do you read a week? How often do you review?

Brooke from The Bluestocking Guide said...

Nice!!! mailbox

Kristen said...

I have The Strangeness of Beauty in my tbr pile too. And I read Nervous Conditions last year. Will be interested to see what you think of it.

Serena said...

ooo...pre-WWII Japan in "The Strangness of Beauty" by Lydia Yuri Minatoya, sounds great! Jealous I am. Happy Reading.

Alyce said...

That's quite a variety - and I haven't heard of any of them!

susan said...

Hi Alyce,
Ah, hope one sounds interesting enough to check out.

Tea said...

Hi Susan,

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love your blog too. "Nervous Conditions" is on my reading list. I'll have to read your review. I'm now a follower of you too.:)

Blodeuedd said...

Looking good :D
Enjoy the books

Unknown said...

Well, I admit I never heard of any of these books *blush* I might check them out, though...
My mailbox is here>.

the story siren said...

susan! you always have books I've never head of! the cover art is very interesting though! happy reading!

vvb32 reads said...

i like japanese oriented books, so The Strangness of Beauty sounds definitely up my ally.

Marcia said...

Thank you for stopping by the mailbox this week. Enjoy your books!