Eyes still a problem hence not much online reading because of the brightness of the screen. However the major problem is that one eye has been cleared of cataracts and has new lens but the other eye hasn't been done yet (scheduled for next week). Still, I managed to read some good books. The novel about Coco Chanel was the only disappointment. Loved the Walser biography (a nice birthday present!). The two translated novels were excellent!
Fiction:
The Interim by Wolfgang Hilbig; translated from the German by Isabel Fargo Cole
The Teacher by Michal Ben-Naftali; translated from the Hebrew by Daniella Zamir
The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine
Yes!
Feral Creatures (Hollow Kingdom #2) by Kira Jane Buxton
Liked the first book better, but this was pretty good.
Still Life by Sarah Winman
A delightful romp with some serious moments. Must read more by Winman.
Airadne by Jennifer Saint
An OK retelling bit not a great one.
No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield
A nice diversion but Gone Girl it ain't.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #1) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi; translated from the Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot
This was fun I may seek out #2 when I want something not too challenging.
Mademoiselle Chanel by by C.W. Gortner
Bah!
Nonfiction:
Clairvoyant of the Small: The Life of Robert Walser by Susan Bernofsky
The Vanished Collection by Pauline Baer de Perignon; translated from the French by Natasha Lehrer
This was a LibraryThing advance reader copy giveaway. A bit dis-jointed but interesting account of a search for Nazi looted family art.
Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America by Mayukh Sen
The seven are: Chao Yang Buwei, Elena Zelayeta, Madeleine Kamman, Marcella Hazan, Julie Sahni, Najmieh Batmanglij, and Norma Shirley. (There is also a brief nod to Julia Child.) Although I had previously heard about or seen tv/books/recipes by most of these, the only one whose background I knew much about was Elena Zelayeta. The chapter on Najmieh Batmanglij was my favorite.
