Only two books this month. It has been very hectic around here and most of my reading time has been devoted to catching up with The New Yorker again, because the pile was getting a little out of control.
My absolute favorite gem was "Marathon Man" about faux-runner Kip Litton. I was so fascinated by this tale that I read it twice, then made my LSH read it so we could talk about how he did it. You can read the article for free here, and please let me know if you have any insights on his methodology! Or psychology, for that matter. None of the books came close to that article, unfortunately.
I'm a Stranger Here Myself, by Bill Bryson
Highly recommend, especially if you have ever lived overseas and returned to the US and tried to assimilate again. I always enjoy Bryson's work, and these tales especially resonated as my family went through the same transition (UK to US) in the late 80s.
The Piano Teacher, by Janice Y.K. Lee
Somewhere between a recommend and a meh. This book is often compared to The English Patient, and the comparison is a valid one for me. I was lukewarm about that book, and felt the same way about this one. Certain parts of the story—really key, critical parts that entire plot lines hinged on—were glossed over in a most unsatisfactory way. The historical information about the fate of Hong Kong and its inhabitants during WWII was quite interesting however, and saved the book from being a total meh.
Agree with your summaries for both books! Bryson captures the frustration in his usual wry observational comments and however much The Piano Teacher might be compared the The English Patient, story line isn't as strong, IMHO.
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