Review: A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom

A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

John Boyne is one on my favourite authors. What an original concept this story is. A boy in born in Palestine in A.D.1 just when his father receives an order to kill infant boys under the age of two ... Next chapter begins in A.D.41, in Turkey and is a continuation of the story, with the same characters, whose names whose names are different but always begin with the same letter. What a concept!

Reading A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom was a tour across time, places and events. The idea behind the novel is so unique that it took me several chapters to accept it. But I did, and allowed the author to tell me the stories of a man seeking love, revenge and trying to do become a master craftsman.
I am in awe regarding the amount of research of all kinds the author did preparing to write this novel about the journey across the continents and times.

An excellent read.

Review: A Promised Land

A Promised Land by Barack Obama
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent reading. It was so lovely to hear his voice in this audio book, and I found myself learning so much about the politics of the US, along with his person life story. An excellent read.

Review: Shuggie Bain

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The story of alcoholism. The realistic, and true story of a family and how alcohol completely ruins and devastates.

Agnes is Shuggie's mother and she has a drinking problem. At the opening of the story they are living with her parents, but her taxi driving husband is a run around and also doesn't like her drinking. Angnes has three children, Catherine, Leek and Shuggie, and the children are well aware of how alcohol works on their mother. How sad that children have to suffer this.

Only a person who has experienced this lifestyle could possibly write, or understand, this book. I can't even really call it a story as it is more of an account and it is the story of any alcoholic anywhere in the world.

Excellent work.