Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Feb 10

8

Nighttime in the Pool by T. C. Boyle

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on February 8, 2010
Posted in Short Story Read in 2010  | 10 Comments

 
 

As many of you know, I have become an overnight fan of Mr. T. Coraghessan Boyle. It started when I read his short story, Chicxulub. Then, last week I reviewed She Wasn’t Soft, from his short story collection, ‘After the Plague’.

This week I read ‘Nighttime in the Pool’, which appeared in the New Yorker, here.
The story opened with two couples traveling in Belize and Guatemala, on the cheap. They traveled on the regular buses and were staying away from the all inclusive spots. They even stayed in a cheap hotel across from an insane asylum, “where day and night the inmates pressed their faces against the iron bars and moaned and shook and shouted unintelligibly?”‘
The two couples could hardly wait until they arrived in Mexico, where they “would spring for a real hotel a little luxury by way of compensation for all the rough–but illuminating–living.” When they arrived at the more luxurious hotel in Mexico, they were so excited to find out there was a swimming pool. “Here was a chance to shed some of the grit of the road.” 
There was very little light at the pool and the water felt funny, but that didn’t stop one of the men from going in and doing a couple of laps. They next morning the man went to the pool and “made some overlapping discoveries”.
This is a very short story of only one page. Too short you say, for anything of substance? Not true, good stories can come in tiny packages. Believe it or not Boyle did it again. This time he developed an entire story only one page in length. If you haven’t read anything by . T. Coraghessan Boyle, what are you waiting for? Go now, be sure to start with Chicxulub, here.

If you would like to participate in Short Story Mondays or just find out about some great short stories, go to John of The Book Mine Set. He has a short story review every Monday and a place for you to link your short story reviews. Come join in the fun!

Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Feb 10

1

She Wasn’t Soft by T.C.Boyle

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on February 1, 2010
Posted in Short Story Read in 2010  | 12 Comments

 
 
A few weeks ago, after reading reviews for T.C. Boyle’s short story ‘Chicxulub’, I decided to read it.  Actually I devoured it and was hungry for more by Boyle.  I was also convinced that more people should read the story and set up a little challenge. Here is the link for my review of ‘Chicxulub’.

No one took me up on the challenge, however I am determined to read more by T.C. Boyle.  He has many published collections of short stories and novels.  I went to my local library and picked out one of his short story collections, ‘After the Plague’.  Do to my ARC  commitments, I was only able to read one story from the collection, so far.

The Story I read was ‘She Wasn’t Soft’.  It is quite different than ‘Chicxulub’ but is still has lots of depth.  Paula Turk, a 28 year old biathlete  knows that she is destined for greatness.  She competed to win.  However, her boyfriend Jason, owns a surf and dive shop and doesn’t want anything more.  At 33, he only keeps his shop open part time, pretty much when he feels like it.  His parents bought the shop for him, hoping that he would make something of himself but the shop doesn’t make a profit due to the short time he keeps it open..  It he prefers to surf and hang out on the beach.

On Paula’s birthday she wanted to stay home by herself and eat healthy food, to prepare herself for an upcoming competition.  However, Jason wanted to take her out and celebrate and she gave in and went.  While at the restaurant, Paula’s fiercest competitor came in.  Paula wanted to avoid her but Jason was drunk and made a scene.

I don’t want to risk spoilers so am not going to tell anymore of the story.  I really enjoyed this story, as I said, it does have lots of depth.  It didn’t wow me like ‘Chicxulub’ did but there are some nice twists that kept the story moving along and it was well written.  Boyle really know how to capture the human spirit both good and bad.  I recommend this story.

Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Jan 10

25

Ghosts by Edwidge Danicat

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on January 25, 2010
Posted in Short Story Read in 2010  | 5 Comments

PpPhoto © Arturo Patten
“My country […] is one of uncertainty. 
When I say ‘my country’ to some Haitians, 
they think of the United States. 
When I say ‘my country’ to
some Americans, they think of Haiti.”
(from The Butterfly’s Way
 
Last week John of The Book Mine Set reviewed this story.  He explained, that with all the recent news of Haiti he wanted to read a Haitian writer.  At the time, he only knew of a poet.  he found this writer, Edwidge Danicat and his short story, Ghosts.
Of course, I had to check out this story for myself. 
Pascal and his parents lived in Bel Air, a mid-level slum.  Bel Air was a peasant community when they moved there.  They were to live there temporarily while Pascal and his brother went to primary school. However, they stayed and raised pigeons and opened a restaurant. They mostly stayed in the hopes that one day their children could leave the country some day and have a better life.  Pascal’s older brother already fulfilled that dream, he moved to Canada.
Most of their diners of the restaurant were now gang members, also known as ghosts. Pascal served them and eavesdropped on their conversation.  He worked part time for a local radio station as a reporter and had an idea for a new radio show that he would host.  The show would be called, “Ghosts” and be a kind of reality show with what gang members are really like, what makes them cry, etc.
He brought the idea to the head of the radio station but was told that his idea would never work.  Then they stole his idea and did a show similar to what he proposed.  The gang members encourage Pascal to retaliate.  He didn’t, so the head of the gang decided they would do it for him. 
I won’t say anymore because I don’t want to risk spoilers.
Edwidge Danicat currently live in the United States.  The Haitian people have had to live through many heart aches and tragedies.  In Ghosts, she explores the problem of gangs.  She seems to understand the life in Bel Air well.  She wrote this before the devastating earthquake and it raises the issue has a lot more than needs fixing than meets the eye.  Yet she writes with a kind of “respect” for her people.  This is an excellent story and I highly recommend it!

If you would like to participate in Short Story Mondays or just find out about some great short stories, go to John of The Book Mine Set. He has a short story review every Monday and a place for you to link your short story reviews. Come join in the fun!

 
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

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