Hi, I'm back. I haven't known what to write about lately, even though I have plenty, I just couldn't decide what. So for now I'm just going to review the latest two books I've been reading, since that's how I started.
I finally finished Kushiel's Avatar, which I hadn't had a chance to read since I returned to the United States from my study abroad last semester (August - December). The ending stretched out; it seemed like it took forever because the author goes to great pains to describe every detail, what they are wearing, etc. I think I know why she did it - to really put you in the scene, for those who want to imagine everything as completely as possible - so I don't begrudge that, it's a reasonable enough choice, but it bored me a little. Perhaps the specific details to make you feel "really there" could have been incorporated in a more exciting manner. It was like that through most of the 700-page book. I think also by now, having spent so much time on it, I was just eager to finish so it felt like it dragged more than it did. I think it is a good book, interesting. Not only does it take you back in time, to a medieval world, and also a magical world, but it takes you to far away places. The entire book covers areas that correspond to France, Spain, Italy, Egypt, the Middle East, east Africa and central Africa. Furthermore, the characters are interesting. Phedre, the main character, is elegant and yet sensitive, stoic, stubborn, and fierce, yet ultimately warm hearted. The end left me longing for more medieval-genre fantasy books or movies.
However, I promised my boyfriend that I would read The Perfect Mile, which he leant me, so I started that a few days ago. The nonfiction book focuses on middle distance runners Roger Bannister, Wes Santee, and John Landy and their attempts to run the mile in four minutes or less in the 50's. It begins with the back story of each runner, and then launches into the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.
Chapter One focuses on Roger Bannister, a runner from England, carrying his country's hopes to finally re-enter the world spotlight after having lost so much after the World Wars. Chapter Two moves to Wes Santee, a runner from Kansas longing for something more and trying to "run" away from his abusive father and hometown. Chapter Three then travels halfway around the world to Australia, to focus on John Landy and his crazy, but passionate, coach who has rather strange coaching methods. After setting the stage, the book moves on in chapter four to the 1952 Olympics. What happens there? I won't reveal that here.
I'm currently reading chapter five, which now details the back history of the quest for the perfect mile and the people who slowly chiseled down the world records for the mile run and got ever closer to that four minute record.
I don't know who breaks it first or what's going to happen! But I'm eager to find out. To be honest I had no interest whatsoever in the subject, but promised to read it. While I still am not excited about it, writer Neal Bascomb (Seabiscuit) at least makes the journey exciting to read about. His use of dialog and character actions make many scenes in the book feel more like a story of fiction than a history. He brings all three runners to life, makes it personal, instead of just giving off the stats. The writing does drag a little bit when summing up, but when he does focus on the actual story, it pulls you in and makes you care about each of the runners, even though they are all technically rivals.
