You cannot open a book without learning something.

~Confucius

Friday, November 21, 2008

Bridge of Sighs

By Richard Russo

I have read many other novels by this author and I have to admit that this wasn't my favorite. While it was well written and in a similar style to his other novels, the story never really climaxed or had a central theme. It was basically just the story of a small town and some of the people's lives.
The book follows the lives of a bunch of friends as they grow up after the great depression and the Vietnam War. The main character suffers from blackouts and "spells" and I suppose most of the narration is to explain these spells and show how they affect his life. It also focuses on the friendship between two men even though they haven't spoken to each other in about forty years.

Similar Novel: Empire Falls by Richard Russo
Length: 642 pages
Copyright: 2007

The Friday Night Knitting Club

By Kate Jacobs

I thought this book would be too much chick lit for me, but I was wrong. I was also worried because I have never picked up a knitting needle in my entire life. It doesn't matter if you know how to knit or not. This book is about relationships and grasping life when it comes up to meet you.
The story line is similar to many other books I've read, but the author does a great job of building the characters. I found myself almost skipping to the end to find out what happens to all the main characters. Just like the title describes, this book is about a group of women who get together in a knitting store to work on their projects, but mainly they end up helping each other with the problems in their lives. I found myself excited to finish this book and can't wait for another by this author!


Similar Novels: Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Length: 360 pages
Copyright: 2007