Monday, May 24, 2010
"Writer's Mentor" by Ian Jackman
I just finished "Writer's Mentor" over the weekend too. At first I was thinking "wow, I need to highlight a bunch of stuff here..." but by the time I was done, I mostly just had a list of books and authors that I want to find in the library for future reading. Ian Jackman has written several "how-to" books, like "Artist's Mentor" and other such thing. This isn't a great book, but not a bad book either. Just another tool for your toolbox if you are interested in reading about how to get published and what to write and different things like that.
finished Elizabeth Berg's "What we Keep" book
I finally finished the book
http://www.amazon.com/What-We-Keep-Elizabeth-Berg/dp/0375500995/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0/188-5680688-8735612
The story starts in present tense with a woman on an airplane talking to the passenger next to her. Then she slips into memory where most of the story takes place. Then she slips back and forth a little bit before really settling into the memory. At the end of the story the plane lands and the story wraps up.
What I liked best about this novel was the memory. I got a little annoyed with the back and forth in the beginning, but once she settled into the memory, I was deep into the book and liked it. I wasn't thrilled with how the story ended though. I would have picked a different ending for it. Still it was a good read, and I would recommend it, probably mostly for women readers. The story starts with the narrator saying she hasn't seen her mother in 35 years, and the memory answers the "why?" and then at the end she sees her mother. Easy enough.
It kind of stuck with me though. There have been times in my life, even now occasionally, when I've not been speaking to my mother, and what would it be like to go 35 years? Wow. What would it take to get me to that point? Really sticking in my head on Sunday when I drove by my mother's apartment and didn't stop or call, and then went out of my way to avoid driving by her place on my way home.
So next I would like to read another of Elizabeth Berg's books, maybe one written later than this one (this was from 1998) and see if her writing is different or the same in another story. I'm not sold that she's a great writer, but I'm curious to see some of her other stuff. :-)
http://www.amazon.com/What-We-Keep-Elizabeth-Berg/dp/0375500995/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0/188-5680688-8735612
The story starts in present tense with a woman on an airplane talking to the passenger next to her. Then she slips into memory where most of the story takes place. Then she slips back and forth a little bit before really settling into the memory. At the end of the story the plane lands and the story wraps up.
What I liked best about this novel was the memory. I got a little annoyed with the back and forth in the beginning, but once she settled into the memory, I was deep into the book and liked it. I wasn't thrilled with how the story ended though. I would have picked a different ending for it. Still it was a good read, and I would recommend it, probably mostly for women readers. The story starts with the narrator saying she hasn't seen her mother in 35 years, and the memory answers the "why?" and then at the end she sees her mother. Easy enough.
It kind of stuck with me though. There have been times in my life, even now occasionally, when I've not been speaking to my mother, and what would it be like to go 35 years? Wow. What would it take to get me to that point? Really sticking in my head on Sunday when I drove by my mother's apartment and didn't stop or call, and then went out of my way to avoid driving by her place on my way home.
So next I would like to read another of Elizabeth Berg's books, maybe one written later than this one (this was from 1998) and see if her writing is different or the same in another story. I'm not sold that she's a great writer, but I'm curious to see some of her other stuff. :-)
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