Book: Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb

Summary:
Published in 1937, Journey by Moonlight is a novel about a newlywed husband, Mihaly, who leaves his wife, Erzsi, while on their honeymoon in Italy. Throughout his travels in Italy, the pensive Mihaly continually and conveniently stumbles upon former acquaintances and friends making him nostalgic for his adolescent life in Hungary. Fortunately, there is no return to that life. Unfortunately, he cannot entertain a return to his current privileged life in Budapest either.

I liked it because:
"Szerb is one of the outstanding Hungarian writers of the 20th century. While initially struggling to read this book, it appealed to me because its “comedy of errors” style veils a very serious side that leads the main character on a journey of self-discovery. Whether we realize it or not, aren’t we all always on a journey of self discovery?"

Book: I’m the Teacher, You’re the Student, by Patrick Allitt

Summary:
In a nutshell, the nonfiction book I’m the Teacher, You’re the Student is a class-by-class account of one course during one semester at Emory University where the author, Patrick Allitt, is a professor of history.

I liked it because:
"We’ve all had good teachers and others who weren't so good; Professor Allitt lands in the former category. He reminds me of a college professor I once had who expected the best from his students in every respect, and he also reminds me of a professor here at UB. Often while reading this enjoyable book I found myself imagining I was in Professor Allitt’s class. And perhaps that’s the allure of this book and of his classroom: the expansion of the mind."

Book: John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights, by David S. Reynolds

Summary: This book attempts to put John Brown in his historical context and rejects the notion that Brown was insane or a purely violent fanatic. It shows how John Brown’s life reflected his belief that Blacks and whites were equals and that John Brown worked with, socialized with, and assisted Blacks, unlike many abolitionists who opposed slavery but believed Blacks were unequal to whites. It also puts his views on slavery in the context of Brown’s social views on female equality and the rights of working people. The author argues that Brown’s acceptance of violence came after numerous attacks on and murders of abolitionists and came to the belief that only violence could overthrow the slave system after seeing the failure of numerous attempts to negotiate a compromise with the slaveholders.

I liked it because:
"This book is well written, extensively documented and effectively rebuts the view the Brown was “merely” an insane fanatic. Reynolds is also good at showing how Brown became a hero not only to many abolitionists but also to later civil rights activists. I was unaware of Brown’s commitment to other issues such as women’s equality and the rights of workers and was impressed with how he lived his values day-to-day."

Book: The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson
Vol. 1: Quicksilver
Vol. 2: The Confusion
Vol. 3: System of the World

Summary:
The trilogy opens with ageless alchemist Enoch Root (from 1999’s Cryptonomicon) arriving in 1713 Boston to take Daniel Waterhouse back to England. Waterhouse is asked to mediate a battle for supremacy between his friends Sir Isaac Newton and scientist/philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, both of whom are credited with inventing calculus. The ultimate showdown happens in the third volume of the trilogy, but along the way we also get to meet some Daniel’s other friends and colleagues, including Samuel Pepys, Robert Hooke, and Christopher Wren.

In a parallel storyline, there is the story of Jack Shaftoe, King of the Vagabonds, who meets Eliza, an English woman who escapes from the Turkish harem where she was imprisoned as a teenager. They are separated for nearly thirty years as Jack’s adventures take him around the world, while Eliza gains influence and power by using her mathematical talents –among others– to make a fortune in Europe’s financial markets.

I liked it because:
"Stephenson’s eye for historical detail is amazing – you feel like you’re walking around in these places by the time he’s done describing them; the maps in the front and back of each book help. While the books sometime drag (some of the conversations and explanations of theory are a little dry), Stephenson more than makes up for it in the descriptions of the elaborate schemes and plots carried out by various characters. The trilogy delves into alchemy, the battle between religion and science, political intrigue and the growth of the European markets (especially the slave trade), yet Stephenson still manages to inject plenty of humor, wit, and even romance. Not a fast read, but definitely worth it if you like historical fiction."

Book: The River Why, by James Duncan

Summary: The protagonist –Gus to his mother and Augustine to his father– is raised by a pair of dysfunctional parents. His father, a fly fisherman, writes fishing stories for magazines; his mother, a live bait fisherwoman who rules with a shotgun, disagrees with her husband on just about everything. Upon graduating from high school, Gus rents a secluded cabin on the River Why, and becomes the consummate fisherman. Along the way he meets Eddy, the true love of his life, and slowly begins to discover the spiritual side to life and learns the answers to “why.”

I liked it because:
"The book had many colorful characters and let you see the good and bad in each of them. The “why” questions went through a surprising metamorphosis and left you thinking “wow.”"

Book: The Memory of Running: A Novel, by Ron McLarty

Summary:
Smithy, a 43-year- old 279 - pound, self- described “beer guzzling fat-ass,” loses both parents in an accident and takes a journey by bike from Rhode Island to Los Angeles to retrieve his dead sister’s remains – and his lost identity. Along the way we learn how Smithy and his parents lived with his sister Bethany’s mental illness –“the voice”– which led her to self destruction. Smithy’s eventual redemption comes through his basic humanity in dealing with the many problems he overcomes.

I liked it because:
"The story presents a realist image of life where problems have no easy solutions. I enjoyed the hero, an “everyman” struggling through his journey overcoming misconceptions and mistakes."

Book: Dreaming in Cuban, by Christina Garcia

Summary:
A revealing family history set in Cuba and in the United States.

I liked it because:
'Garcia writes in beautifully poetic prose. The characters are engaging, if not endearing. It’s a cultural, familial history of early 20th century Cuba."

Book: Liar’s Club, by Mary Karr

Summary:
Karr’s memoir of growing up with the secrets and neglect of an alcoholic parent.

I liked it because:
'I find it amazing how children find a way to survive early trauma. This book offers incredible insight into the mind and heart of a child living under adversity and briefly, her adult journey to have a healthy relationship with her mother."