Lockdown Reading

A few of us are lucky enough to have reading books as part of our jobs. So, sitting down with a book is just an excuse to do some work – how lucky is that.

If you like the sound of any of the reviewed books you can go to www.matakanavillagebooks.co.nz sign in and add these in a wish list. We will be able to send them to you once we are up and running again.

So far during week the lockdown I have been reading:

Apeirogon by Colum McCann 

The definition of Apeirogon is “a shape with a countably infinite number of sides”. An apt title for a book that is a complex read of fact and fiction.

Apeirgono is inspired by the real life events of two men, Rami Elhanan, an Israeli and Bassam Aramin, a Palestinian who are joined together by grief. Both men are the fathers of teenage daughters killed by a suicide bomber and a soldier. They now travel the world speaking about grief and healing. “I don’t have time for hate any more,” says  Aramin. “We need to learn how to use our pain.”

Interspersed amongst Rami and Bassam’s stories are collection of related fragments. This is in no way a “normal” linear novel but is a compelling read.

Redhead by the side of the road by Anne Tyler

From the beloved Anne Tyler, a great novel about the power of human connection. Micah is  forty something, a creature of habit – Monday was floor mopping day,  cautious  – when driving he liked to believe in an all-seeing surveillance system he called Traffic God who comments on his driving, he has a woman friend (he refuses to call anyone in her late thirties a “girlfriend”) but a series of events are starting to cause him problems. If you loved “Elinor Oliphant is completely fine” then you will love Micah who at times finds those around him a little bit out of reach.

The Motion of the body through space by Lionel Shriver

I have to admit that I don’t love all of Lionel Shriver’s books.  Nothing really seemed to match “We need to talk about Kevin” but she does tackle difficult topics in her books and in this one she takes on the new religion, extreme sport.

Serenata appears a totally self sufficient woman – she does voice over as her profession as is very successful, she has always been a solitary exerciser, running, swimming, cycling.  However she now needs a knee replacement.

Remington is her husband who has recently been made redundant and has never done exercise in his life. With time on his hands he decides to run a triathlon   Serenata is less than enthusiastic. In fact, she is downright anti the whole thing.- enter Bambi Buffer the triathlon trainer. Their children are Deacon their son who probably deals in drugs and Valeria their daughter who has moved into a born-again Christian group.

This book is just like watching a slow-motion car crash. Lionel Shriver does dysfunctional families better than anyone else and it was a nonstop read.

Not available until May, but you can add to your wishlist

The Disappearance of Stephanie Mailer by Joel Dicker

Not available until May, but you can add to your wishlist

This is a translation from French. Huge book,600+ pages and a good page turner. Joel Dicker writes mysteries, his previous ones that have been translated are “The Truth about the Harry Querbert Affair” and “The Baltimore Boys” both have had great reviews and been big sellers,

This is also a mystery. A quadruple murder in small town NY is solved back in 1994. But in 2014 a journalist – Stephanie Mailer – who is looking into the case and thinks the wrong person was convicted – goes missing. The original detectives take up the case again to find out what they missed. Many twists and turns keep you reading and guessing to the end.

If you like the sound of any of the reviewed books you can go to www.matakanavillagebooks.co.nz sign in and add these in a wish list. We will be able to send them to you once we are up and running again