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Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Thoughts

   Published : 2021   ||    Format : print   ||    Location : Colombia ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.. Thoughts : Infinite Country follows two characters - young Talia, who at the beginning of this book, escapes a girl’s reform school in North Colombia so that she can make her previously booked flight to the US. Before she can do that, she needs to travel many miles to reach her father and get her ticket to the rest of her family. As we follow Talia’s treacherous journey south, we learn about how she ended up in the reform school in the first place and why half her family resides in the US. Infinite Country tells the...

The Sunday Salon: Blogger Recommends (October Finds)


The Sunday 
Salon.com

Every month, I bookmark some of the strongest book recommendations that I come across. Most are books I hear about for the first time, others are books I've previously not been interested in, but this particular blogger has managed to convince me otherwise. Then, I choose one title from the list and read the book.

So far, I've chosen two books via Blogger Recommends - Kafka on the Shore and The Wasp Factory, and it's interesting that I may not have read them (at least now), if not by doing this feature. And both books were amazing, making me look forward to my next choice. Now, I wanted to highlight some amazing titles and reviews I found last month, while I debate which one to read next.

My Top Five Finds

Auschwitz 1.  I'm sure I have read way too many books on the Holocaust - but then many are fiction or near-fiction. Auschwitz by Dr. Miklos Nyiszli is his eyewitness account about the horrifying medical experiments conducted on Auschwitz prisoners under the "Angel of Death", Dr. Josef Mengele. In his review, Zohar @ Man of la book does say that it was difficult to get through it, but I can't imagine passing off a book about a topic that I've never yet read much about.

 2.  The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka is now a very popular title, what with being a National Book Award finalist, but the first time I came across it was via Carrie @ Nomadreader's review. This book about a group of young women brought from Japan to San Francisco as "picture brides" sounds just fascinating. At just 130 pages, I wouldn't expect it to be holistic and deep enough, but apparently it is.

Clash of Civilizations 3.  Amitav Ghosh is one of those authors I always mean to read, but somehow never get to. That dreaded thing called hype turns me away each time. So when Tiina @ A Book Blog of One's Own reviewed The Calcutta Chromosome, I thought this a better book to start with. Not having heard anything much about this, it's almost intriguing in its relative lack of hype. Set partly in the past, the future, and sometime in between, this sci-fi novel about malaria sounds very compelling.

 4.  Amara Lakhous' Clash of Civilizations over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio caught my eye right away thanks to its intriguing title and the fabulous cartoonish cover, when I saw Marie @ The Boston Bibliophile's review. I love reading books that feature multiple (more than the customary 2 or 3) narrators - sometimes they might not be connected at all, and it's fascinating to explore life through the web of vague associations that exist between people.

 5.  Terry Trueman's Stuck in Neutral has a really fantastic theme - it's about a young boy who has cerebral palsy, because of which he cannot communicate with anyone or move his body. To anyone who has been in close proximity to someone with any kind of brain illness, the whole concept of not being able to reach the other person is more a harrowing reminder than just a fearsome thought. So when Helen @ Helen's Book Blog reviewed it, I had to go wishlist it.

Other titles that caught my fancy

 6. Kindred by Octavia Butler - The Sleepless Reader. I already have this in my wishlist, but I wanted to say how much I loved Alex's review.
 7. The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder - Sophisticated Dorkiness. Books about technology? You got me there! Especially one written so early as 1981!
 8. Instant City by Steve Inskeep - Wordsmithonia. Nonfiction books about South Asia almost always catch my attention.
 9. How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran - Book World in my Head. I love books with a shade of feminism! (Note: my definition of feminism could be different from yours.)
 10. There but for the by Ali Smith - At Home with Books. Another one with multiple narrators.

My choice

I'm still torn between two choices and might just read both of them. The Buddha in the Attic has finally arrived from the library after a long wait (I requested it when I first came across it). I also want to read Auschwitz. I would have imagined that after reading the somewhat-creepy The Wasp Factory, I would go for a lighter read, but this book sounded too good to pass up!


Comments

Samantha 1020 said…
I've read some really good reviews for The Buddha in the Attic so I hope you enjoy that one.  I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Auschwitz so I hope you read/review that one as well as it sounds like an interesting but difficult read.  Have a great week!
Harvee said…
If you like Kafka on the Shore you might also like 1Q84, a novel by Murakami that I'm reading right now. My Sunday Salon has some comments on reading this very long book.
Helen Murdoch said…
I love seeing this feature on your blog as it introduces me to books I would never have heard of. The Auschwitz book sounds so intriguing though, having read a bit on this subject, I am sure it will be a difficult read
nomadreader said…
Great picks (again!) I'm so pleased to see The Buddha in the Attic there. It's such an interesting read (and my current pick to win the NBA, but I still have two titles to go.) Happy reading!
Stephanie said…
I especially want to read The Buddha in the Attic.
Buddha in the Attic got my attention this week also, it sounds fantastic.  Can't wait for your review on Wasp Factory, glad to hear you enjoyed it.
You have to read The Buddha in the Attic. It's an amazing read. 
zibilee said…
Ooh, good choice. I think I am going to go for it and read this one soon too. It sounds excellent! Good luck with it!
Jackie said…
I'm so pleased that you loved The Wasp Factory. Will you be posting a review?

The Buddha in the Attic has grabbed my attention this month too. I'll definitely be reading it at some point, but probably not for a month or two. I hope you enjoy it.
Bellezza said…
I so want to read Buddha in The Attic; I read her first book (title escapes me now!) and loved it. Also, Kafka on the Shore remains my favorite Murakami. I've read it twice, and each time it showed me new things. As Murakami tends to do with his writing.
Athira / Aths said…
Now that's a nice way to make me want to read both. ;-) I really hope to get to both books - they are definitely intriguing!
Athira / Aths said…
I'm really looking forward to reading 1Q84! Since I won't have much time to get to it now, I am keeping myself away from it. 
Athira / Aths said…
Some of these links, I added at the beginning of the month, so it's great to look at the links now and think about why I added them and if they still intrigue me. Some books don't intrigue me anymore, and it "helps" to keep my TBR slightly smaller. :)
Athira / Aths said…
Glad to hear that the Buddha is your current pick to win the NBA! I can't wait to read that book now!
Athira / Aths said…
It sounds very intriguing! I hope I will get to it this month.
Athira / Aths said…
Hopefully, I'll have my Wasp Factory review up in two days. Can't wait to start the Buddha!
Athira / Aths said…
Thanks for the recommendation! I can't wait to read it. It sounds fabulous!
Athira / Aths said…
Yay! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the book!
Athira / Aths said…
Yes, I'm hoping to have my review of Wasp Factory up in two days. I'm glad that I came across your review!
Athira / Aths said…
I can't wait to read 1Q84 - everything I've heard of it makes it even more amazing. I hope to reread Kafka at some point too.