Dream State by Erich Puchner

 

This book I LOVED! It took me a while to read it but it was very satisfying in the end.  I had never heard of this author before, but he's now on "my list." This book tells the long story of a love triangle, in effect, and how the three people interact and interplay throughout their lives. 

It's a family saga and also brings in a lot of current issues, like climate change, addiction, senility.....happy stuff! Haha.  But the tale is told with beautiful language and compassion, and humor.

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris

 

From NPR: 

Harris asks a question Americans have yet to figure out: How does a community make peace in the wake of civil war? I'm not sure the novel comes close to finding an answer. But posing the question and following through the work undertaken felt incredibly worthwhile nonetheless.

This was a book club read, and I enjoyed it for the most part, but I didn't think it was particularly original.  The subject matter was disturbing so it was not an easy read, but the themes and ideas were compelling. 

The characters were fully drawn and likeable (well, the ones you were supposed to like). I'm glad I read it but it was not one of those, "OH, you HAVE to read this book!

The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker

I read another book by this author quite a long time ago. Since I keep this blog, I can link to that entry and recall that I read it more than 10 years ago. It is one of those books that you remember reading, even if you don't remember the details; you remember that you read it and it had an impact.

Well, that will be true with this book, too.  It's compelling and mind-boggling account of a woman, Jane, and her encounters with a psychiatrist, Dr Byrd.  She has hyperthymesia which is an excessive, accurate memory for dates, places, and events. She can remember what happened exactly on any date in the past and can describe details that would seem impossible to remember. But, some of these things did not really happen. Or did not happen in this reality. The book reminded me of The Midnight Library a bit and the concept of parallel universes.  But it's really beyond that. There are lots of twists and turns in the plot and the story is told from the point of view of both Jane (in the form of letters to her infant son) and Dr. Byrd.

All I can say is, I found it quite riveting and it's one of those books that I could pick up and start all over again.....if another book weren't waiting for me in my Library queue.