Rated of 5
by Lisa R. (Salem, OR) Deep and thought provoking.
I was captivated by the way the author presented the part of the character with Asperger's. It gave an insiders look at how they are treated and how they feel the world. The book was beautifully descriptive, and kept my interest all the way through.
Rated of 5
by Peggy H. (North East, PA) Two Stories that Don't Connect
Each of the two stories describes a character who is isolated from society for some reason. Each travels to Africa and connects to the continent. Each story by itself is compelling, but I kept expecting for the two to connect or intertwine at the end...but they did not; at least to me.
Rated of 5
by Molinda C. (suffolk, VA) Read this book
I am a developmental pediatrician and so was drawn to this book because one of the main characters has Asperger's syndrome. The author did a great job getting inside that character's head and helped us to understand the point of view of an Aspie. This story is told in 2 parts in alternating chapters and I thought that this was a very effective technique. I was interested strongly in both plot lines and really did not see the end coming. It is a compelling story of 2 people overcoming moral dilemmas, both from different perspectives. This is not an easy story, there is a t of human ugliness, but in the end we are able to see how people can find their inner strength and make the right, albeit difficult, choices.
Rated of 5
by Jeanine L. (Wasilla, AK) Three Weeks in December - Couldn't Put It Down
When first reading the description of this book I was a little leery. However, it took very little time and I was completely wrapped up in it. I hardly put it down. My husband, who doesn't often read fiction, read it too and has high praise for it. I learned about so many diverse things and, in the process, was royally entertained. The author's writing is very smooth. You are THERE when you read this. The transitions between 1899 and 2000 are so artfully done the reader hardly notices it. Author Schulman states she read over 70 books in addition to having spent time in Africa, before writing this. That comes through. To tie so much information into a fascinating story is really the gift.
Rated of 5
by Mary R. (San Jose, CA) A Book To Savor
This is a book to savor. Read it slowly because the words transform themselves into poetic images of Africa. Schulman weaves back and forth between the stories of two emotionally challenged people: Jeremy, who is struggling with being gay in the nineteenth century and Max, who is coping with Asperger’s. It is a beautiful, beautiful book – one that you finish and immediately want to read again. As you read, look for clues as to what makes these to seemingly disparate stories connected – the truth will surprise you.
Rated of 5
by Kimberly H. (Stamford, CT) A good read.....
At first, this book struck me as- oh no- a biracial Aspergers scientist in the jungle with gorillas? And the other story about a repressed gay man in the jungle in the late 1800's. I thought it was all too much. This turns out to be a well written story about love, friendship, loss, science - it is all that. I enjoyed it and would recommend it for book clubs - especially to learn more about what is happening to the gorillas and about Rwanda. The ending is slightly contrived but overall an very interesting read.
A bold, mesmerizing novel about the woman known as "Typhoid Mary," the first known healthy carrier of typhoid fever in the burgeoning metropolis of early twentieth century New York.
Z, the novel about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is at points charming and; like another reviewer, I kept thinking of the movie, "Midnight...
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Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on...
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Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
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British Parliament asks Amazon to clarify why it pays $9 million in income tax on $23 billion of UK sales.(May 20 2013) Amazon will be called back to give further evidence to members of the British Parliament "to clarify how its activities in the U.K. justify its low corporate...
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