Week 2: Assignment 2 (Cellist of Sarajevo)

I am always completely stumped when asked to consider favorite reads because this would take a lifetime.  In thinking about the assignment for this week I did have a few thoughts about types of books I tend gravitate toward.  Mysteries and the who-done-it category keep me intrigued, especially those similiar to Kathy Reich and Patricia Cornwell.  I was a nurse in my past life, so CSI stuff is in my blood (no pun intended).  I tend to love anything about thrillers, serial killers, deadly games with dark and sinister characters and endings that are anything but neat and tidy. 

Having just said that, I am a sucker for a great historical fiction read and the one I will talk about is The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway.  This is a typical storyline I enjoy following and Steven Galloway is a master of weaving a layered plot.  We get to know the characters intimately, understanding their feelings and emotions from witnessing dialog of a young rebel fighter and a family man who must simply provide for his family during this time of war.  There is a meandering quality to the storyline, but Galloway manages to startle readers with moments that simply take your breath away. 

The cellist in the story is a foundation upon which the plot continues to evolve.  The reader is bound to him, he is brave and selfless in the face of devastation and destruction in this small village square.  You can almost hear the music of the cello and then a deafening bomb explodes, killing innocent people, and yet, he continues to play in the midst of complete chaos. 

As the story unfolds, the reader is left questioning the whole of humanity and how war is perceived by those forced to endure it's wrath. 

Week 1 Assignment 5
"Out of the mouth of babes."  I was actually astounded by their insight which should not be surprising to me since I've raised two girls.  Many of them identified pretty quickly a "theme" contained in the covers of the book just by looking at the cover.  I know I like book covers and spend a lot of time when I'm at Barnes and Noble looking at covers and book jackets.  

Choice of Recommended Links-Books/Genre

I'll be following Goodreads since I'm already using this in my Library and Literature for the Young Adult course at Clarion. I'm familiar with the layout and navigation and I enjoy reading others' recommendations for adult fiction. I'll be following Stop You're Killing Me because it sounds like fun learning about different mystery writers. I do not get a chance while I'm in school to read for "leisure" so these sites are great resources for me in terms of readers' advisory.  I love mystery and hopefully I can find a few good mysteries for when my class ENDS:)  April Fell