[How Will Capitalism End?](https://www.lrb.co.uk/v39/n01/adam-tooze/a-general-logic-of-crisis) - Wolfgang Streeck
Another vote for Bel Canto. For me, the book was about relationships and humanity in extreme situations - those little sparks of understanding between individuals even when they have opposing belief systems. The ending didnât really matter.
âFor me, the book was about relationships and humanity in extreme situations.â
This comment by jmek15 made me think of a great novel: Blindness, by Jose Saramago.
I also loved Bel Canto (and Commonwealth). Another one (memoir) that I loved was âDonât Letâs go to the Dogs Tonightâ by Alexandra Fuller.
Just finished Commonwealth and would definitely recommend it. Iâm a fan of Ann Patchett and have read all of her books. One of my favorites was Truth and Beauty, which was about Patchettâs tumultuous friendship with Lucy Greeley (they were roommates at the University of Iowa Writerâs Workshop).
The Divide by Matt Taibbi. The focus of the book is about the inequitable administration of justice in our country. It is fascinating and extremely disturbing,
Just read âThe Mandiblesâ by Lionel Shriver. Outstanding. One of the very few books I literally did not want to stop reading.
@exlibris97 I read it back in January. Kind of heavy in the current political context given some corollaries. 
Preferred the first 2/3rds and thought the last part was a bit rushed/short changed but an interesting read nonetheless. Can definitely see it as a movie. Very original.
It is heavy. The author said that was the point. In the words of the Financial Times, the book is eerily prescient. Thatâs something we do not like to face in todayâs climate.
One thing that bothered me in terms of the premise of the book, @exlibris97 was zero to little discussion of a barter economy. I wonât go into any details to avoid spoilers for others but it seemed a bit unrealistic to me. Were you having the same thoughts as you read it?
My book club just did A Gentleman in Moscow, and every last one of us loved it. I donât think thatâs ever happened before! I had read it a few months ago and had to flip through it for an hour or so to bring it sufficiently back to mind to be able to discuss it properly. Usually I donât like having to re-visit a book, but in this case it was a pleasure to stop flipping here and there and re-read a few paragraphs, because the writing is so delightful. I highly recommend the book to one and all. (The author, Amor Towles, also wrote Rules of Civility, which I liked but didnât love.)
^ Same with our bookclub!
I did not (do not) want to read A Gentleman in Moscow because I have suspected it of being a fantasy that contravenes the realities of Russian history.. Reader reviews that I have found online support this.
I just finished Louise Erdrichâs Love Medicine. Her writing style is mesmerizing. The book is in some respects more of a collection of linked short stories, like Monica Woodsâ Ernieâs Ark, and that, I think, is its only real weakness. The chapters of the version I read were apparently reordered, and additional material added. It seems that her interest and involvement with her characters evolved, and some are summarily dropped that I would have liked to read more about. Although he structure also enabled me to stop periodically when things became too intense, doing so led to losing track of some of the complicated family relationships. I donât know if i would have traded this book for a more conventional novel, though. A remarkable book.
This NY Times review really nailed what I loved about A Gentleman in Moscow. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/25/books/review/amor-towles-gentleman-in-moscow.html
@NJTheatreMOM, I love history and donât like to see anyone mess with it for the sake of plot, but I donât think itâs fair to say A Gentleman in Moscow contravenes the realities of Russian history. Itâs more that the events of the period, 1928 through the Fifties, are a backdrop to the story and are often elided over. The bookâs protagonist, the Count, is under house arrest, living in a tiny maidâs room in the luxury hotel where he once had an elegant apartment. Sure, heâs a fictional character and that never actually happened, but beyond that premise, thereâs no distortion of history. Itâs just that the Countâs limited perspective on the world is also the readerâs. He does experience the seismic changes of the period, but in a unique way. For example, the ballroom where he once attended lavish soirees becomes the site of endless meetings of apparatchiks. The chef of the hotelâs elegant gourmet restaurant contends with shortages of ingredients for his signature dishes. A key character comes into the Countâs life when her parents disappear into the Gulag. And there are significant time jumps that mean much of the history is simply not a part of the story. Btw, the hotel is a real one that stayed in business during all those years and is still open today.
Yes, I was acutely aware of what was happening outside the hotel during the years in question, but that knowledge didnât spoil the book for me at all. I say give it a chance.
@jedwards70 - I just finished âSleeping Giantsâ this weekend. Itâs not the type of book I usually read, but it was very entertaining and remarkably engrossing. I canât believe itâs his debut novel! I understand itâs the first in a series, and I appreciate that the âhookâ at the end of the book seems organic, seamless, and doesnât scream âthereâs another installment coming soon!â
Speaking of series, I also finished Tana Frenchâs âThe Trespasser.â I really liked that one, too; I especially liked the voice of Antoinette Conway, the lead detective on the case, and how her insecurities color her perceptions (sometimes nearly disastrously). Tana French has a knack for twisting your expectations â it seems like whatever I initially assume is eventually proven incorrect.
I finally got my copy of âThe Dryâ from the library â so far, so good.
^Thanks for sharing your point of view, MommaJ.
I liked âThe Dryâ but honestly am not sure why all the press. Itâs a deftly-written mystery, though not overly complex, with interesting peeks into what a killing drought in Australia is like.
I liked âLincoln in the Bardoâ and agree with critics. Itâs very intriguing and affecting.
Enjoying âUniversal Harvesterâ and read a tempting (and creepy) sample for Dan Chaonâs newest, âIll Willâ.
^^ Ooh - Iâve heard good things about âUniversal Harvesterâ! It was already on my list.