Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

This book, Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, has been sitting on my bookshelves for quite some time. So, since I'm waiting for my next Bookswim shipment to arrive, I decided to pick it up. My reasoning was two fold: 1) It's a paperback and paperbacks are perfect for subway reading. Those hardcovers get heavy! 2) I read So Brave, Young, and Handsome last year by the same author, which was actually his sophomore work, and LOVED it. Loved loved loved it. (here is my post about it - don't be distracted by the photo, just read the text) So why hadn't a read Peace Like a River yet, if I loved his other book so much?

I.don't.know. Silly me!

Because this book is one of the best works of fiction I've read in a long time and has definitely put Leif Enger up there as one of my favorite authors of all time. Yes, people, it's THAT good. Enger just swoops you up with him into this fictionalized universe, into these character's heads, into their lives...and it's just impossible to put down. His prose is beautiful, his storytelling exquisite, his phrasing fluid and majestic...I mean, seriously, this guy is gifted. As a storyteller he is a cut above your average author. A gift from God, maybe? Lots of re-writes? A great editor? Maybe all of the above, but I think some people are just born talented. And Enger's talent is telling a story.

This book is also a great read for your man, fyi. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't necessarily classify this as only a "boy" book, but it's definitely something the male gender would appreciate. It's not heavily maudlin, it's not disgustingly romantic, it's not cutsey and cheesey - it's a well-crafted story told in an interesting way and it's the type of story that crosses gender lines.

So, do yourself a favor and read both of Enger's books. And, for the love of hungry readers, Mr. Enger, please write more.

The Urban Hermit by Sam MacDonald

I read this recently and it made for quick, light, subway fare. It can be trying to concentrate on something high brow or detailed on a distracting subway, and this book is neither one of those. It's a memoir about a late 20s/early 30s male discovering that he's wasting his life away in debt, alcohol, and his own obesity and decides to do something about it. While I certainly admire his gumption to do something about it, the final product will leave you wanting more and wondering what the point of it all is. I mean, it's probably interesting for his friends, but for the lay reader - I have to wonder why we should care? We don't know Mr. MacDonald and from the very beginning he gives us absolutely no reason to care. There are so many great memoirs out there and so many fascinating lives, that this should be farther down on your list of memoir must-reads. Even memoirs that aren't about fascinating lives often at least give us some heart, speak to us in some way, or find a way for us to identify with them. (A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel comes to mind)

Unfortunately, Mr. MacDonald works so hard at creating the "voice" he wants us to hear (or is that really how he talks?) that he keeps us at a distance the whole time. We are never let into his world, his angst or his emotions. Why write a memoir if you're not going to give us a piece of yourself or leave something on the table?

I will admit that perhaps those of the male gender will identify more with this book and actually be relieved at the clinical descriptions of Sam's plight and the lack of any real catharsis or emotion. Perhaps that is exactly what guys want out of a memoir. But, be forewarned, it's still not really all that interesting.