This is Where I Leave You

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This is Where I Leave You
Jonathan Trooper
2010

The Summary
After learning of the death of his father, Judd Foxman has reluctantly agreed to sit shiva and mourn, spending seven full days and nights in his childhood home - with the rest of his dysfunctional family.

But more than coping with the loss of his distant and enigmatic father, Judd must come to terms with his wife's infidelity (with his boss), his impending role as a father, and old memories and feelings that can never seem to leave well enough alone.

For Judd and his family, seven days might just last a lifetime.

The Good
Jonathan Trooper presents a seriously compelling and enjoyable novel that is simultaneously well-written and brilliantly executed.  Packed with interesting - and occasionally absurd - characters, Trooper fabricates a novel of incredible depth and emotion that will leave you glued to the pages.

More importantly, Trooper creates a curiously gripping and hilariously funny narrator for his novel.  His character, Judd Foxman, manages to weave a compelling story about life, love, divorce, memory, and family that reveals just how complicated even the strongest bonds can be.

In fact, according to Judd, people are simply made faulty and they are broken and, more often, they are absolutely crazy.  Judd's family and friends are no exception to the rule.  Despite their obvious faults, however, these people are shockingly real and raw and endearing, if only more than a little absurd, and help create a unique experience in This is Where I Leave You.

The Bad
Judd's story bares all and tells all, which means his deepest secrets and his most embarrassing moments will be on display for you to see, including the fact that he walked in on his boss and wife during their affair - and subsequently set his boss on fire with a birthday cake.

It's also important to mention that his mother is a psychotherapist with little to no discretion when it comes to discussing private matters - and Judd's family, like many, is a highly dysfunctional unit.  They swear, they drink, they smoke, and they generally manage to make a spectacle (Judd included).

The Ugly
Not all memories are good and wholesome.  For Judd, some of the most hurtful things said and done occur in the presence of the ones he loves most.

Queen Victoria and the Bonapartes

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Queen Victoria and the Bonapartes
Theo Aronson
1972

The Summary
In his historical narrative, Theo Aronson illuminates the nuances of France and Great Britain's relationship during the nineteenth century and highlights the lengthy personal friendships between Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort, Albert, of Britain and Napoleon Bonaparte III and Empress Eugenie of France.

The Good
Aronson's narrative is wonderfully detailed and highly informative.  It provides an in-depth examination of the complicated political atmosphere of nineteenth century Europe and greatly simplifies the complex and often intricate relationships of European nations, during the age of Queen Victoria.

More importantly, however, Aronson's work does not appear nearly so dry or uninteresting as anticipated.  It reads more like a novel, presenting you with interesting facts, curious tidbits of detail, and drumming up interest in even the most mundane activities.

In short, Queen Victoria and the Bonapartes is both informative and manageable.

The Bad
By the same token, since Aronson provides a narrative that follows a similar mold to a "novel," his work can seem nearly too detailed.

Although the author substantiates his assertions with personal communications between the monarchs of England and France, journal entries from Queen Victoria, and verifiable historical details, he appears to offer personal insight into activities and motives which occurred more than a century beforehand.

While simultaneously informative and insightful, the book occasionally borders on being fictionalized.

The Ugly
It's a study sequestered to the aristocracy - a class of individuals who seem almost entirely unconcerned for the average human being - thus, if you prefer reading a novel of a grittier Charles Dickens-esque nature which brings social criticism of the Victorian Age to the forefront, I would definitely recommend a different book.

Additionally, I should mention that Aronson's work might prove difficult to locate.  Like many historical works, which run out of print, Queen Victoria and the Bonapartes may not be easy to find.  While available through select sources on the Internet, your best bet for finding this book may be at a rummage sale or a local library.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

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Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Susanna Clarke
2004

The Summary
Susanna Clarke's novel closely follows the lives of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, England's - and, perhaps, the world's - last practicing magicians.  Mr. Norrell and Jonathan Strange, however, are astonishingly different individuals and sorely opposed in their beliefs.

Norrell, a studious little man who prefers the company of books to people and loves the precision of magical spells, and Strange, a natural to his craft and an adventurous explorer in the chaotic principles of magic, frequently clash over doctrine and knowledge and battle socially, as well as politically, to prove their respective points.

But a dangerous new threat has begun arising within the borders of England.  One of the Fae, an ancient and powerfully malevolent race of beings, has his eyes on the magicians - and he won't accept anything less than their suffering.

The Good
Clarke's work is intricate and complex, weaving together ancient lore and modern history and detailed character stories to form an entertaining and exciting novel.  Beautifully executed and fantastically well-written, Clarke incorporates magnificent detail and crafts unusually endearing - and, sometimes, repulsive - characters that will etch them in your memory forever.

More importantly, Clark incorporates thoughtful character connections and historical anecdotes that lend her novel several unusual twists.  In particular, her choice to include crucial historical events, such as the Napoleonic Wars, and to revitalize conventional perceptions of magic provides her novel with a unique flavor.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is not simply enjoyable for its content - which is full of magic and madness and malevolent spirits - but for the skill with which the author combines all the elements of her novel.  It's both thrilling and enjoyable, and certainly well worth the time spent reading it.

The Bad
By the same token, the complexity of Clarke's novel can prove traumatic for the sheer size and weight of her novel.  It's impressive in more than one sense of the word.

The Ugly
The Fae are fantastically beautiful, yet simultaneously strange and grotesque for their cunning and brutality.  In short, the Fae - specifically, the one orchestrating matters - are not particularly nice.  In fact, you might even call them blood thirsty, which gives Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell a slightly sinister air.

Additionally, it's important to note that the novel ends on an unusual note - a slight cliffhanger.  Not to say that the conclusion of Clarke's novel is "bad," of course.  But it may be best to decide for yourself how to treat the final passages of her novel.

An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades

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An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades:  Memoirs of Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh
Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh
Philip K. Hitti
1929

The Summary
Written near the end of his life, this book serves as the one and only memoir for Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh, an Arab-Syrian nobleman and warrior.  Living from 1095 to 1188, this particular autobiographical work chronicles much of Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh's life and activities as a warrior and aristocrat during the Crusades, as well as provides intimate insight into the medieval Islamic culture of Syria.

The Good
An Arab-Syrian Gentleman is a well-written piece of literature that allows you to gain a full appreciation of medieval Muslim society and cultural habits, including glimpses into the medicine, superstitions, religion, society, and war of this time period.

Since Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh was a man at the center of many important events during the Crusades, his narrative provides valuable historical insight into many crucial events.  Additionally, his memoir provides an honest interpretation of not only his own culture, but his understanding of western culture.

Phillip K. Hitti, furthermore, introduces a very good translation of Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh's memoirs with informative footnotes and an extensive introduction to give readers a firm understanding of events.  You can easily jump into the pages and read without much trouble.

The Bad
Despite the extensive footnotes and textual explanations carefully provided by Hitti, Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh's memoir can occasionally become confusing without a proper background of knowledge of this particular time period and culture.

Not that the translator doesn't try, of course, but his footnotes do not always provide enough for complete understanding.

The Ugly
The time in which Usāmah Ibn-Munqidh writes his memoir, and the stories and memories he carefully selects to include within his writing, occurs during some of the most turbulent times in medieval Syria:  the Crusades.

To be perfectly honest, war isn't an uncommon topic for the writer, and some of his stories can be pretty graphic.