Book Reviews

My 60th book review for the Birmingham News was published yesterday. Hard to believe that I’ve written that many book reviews. Even harder to believe that they've published them.

Anyway, "Truth, Lies, and the O.R.," Dr. F.W. Ernst and Dr. William G. Pace III can be found here.

“A patient wakes up in the middle of surgery, paralyzed. Although he is fully conscious, he can't communicate to the doctors and nurses around him. He feels the pain of metal screws being inserted into his leg, but he can't flinch. In "Truth, Lies, and the O.R.," Dr. F.W. Ernst and Dr. William G. Pace III describe worst possible scenarios and ways to avoid medical disaster.”

My 59th review was for a less than stellar book. In the past, I’ve opted not to mention these types of books, but I’m reconsidering that policy. As you can see, the fact that the author is a popular blogger didn’t warrant a mention in the review. Why? Because it had nothing to do with anything, though I’m sure there are a few 20th century book critics who will find a way to slam her for having a blog.

My thoughts on number 59? She attempted to squash five summers into one. It shows.

And then there’s “Comfort” by Ann Hood. Upon re-reading the review, I can tell you that it comes off a little more positive than I felt at the time I wrote it.

“Rather than being a meditation on sorrow, "Comfort" is a literary portrait of a deceased daughter, drawn by the hand of her grieving mother. Many books will tell you how grief feels, but Hood's book honors a memory.”

Not a bad book. Some people will love it. It’s got an Oprahesque quality. It’s hard not to compare it to Joan Didion’s tome on death and grief. But that’s not fair to the author, so quit thinking like that.

Comments

[trav]

Congrats on your milestone of prolificness!