The Flying Change

The Flying Change by Henry S. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Taylor takes the disturbing moments that stick in one's mind for a long, long time (e.g. someone losing a finger, finding a corpse while mowing a large country lawn, witnessing the accidental death of a horse) and turns them into poetry. I wouldn't say haunting since memories similar to these (like visiting a dying relative in the hospital, realizing that a loved one can no longer control his/her bodily functions, or like the previous examples - something more gruesome) affect everyone. I think that the poetry is in articulating those memories, giving them a tangible existence so they can be shared without losing their impact.

Highly recommended for adults 30 & older. I don't think people younger than this will get it, maybe some of them, but I think a bit of life experience is needed before being able to appreciate these.

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The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity

The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity by Jutta Richter
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Enh. For one of the 1001 Children's Books to Read Before You Grow Up, I can think of a lot of others that I'd choose before this one. However, if that editor needed a certain number of books from countries other than the US or UK, then I can understand why they might be included. I just don't see that book (the 1001.... book) being translated into German anytime soon (and if it were, then the editor should have chosen better fare than this - e.g. Cornelia Funke or others).

I *might* have enjoyed it more as a kid, but I kind of doubt it. Too surreal without the charm of most fairy tales.

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Are We There Yet?: A Journey Around Australia

Are We There Yet?: A Journey Around Australia by Alison Lester


Very cute tour of Australia! Recommended for parents teaching young children (up to 3rd grade) about other countries or for families planning to vacation in Australia.

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Coriolanus

Coriolanus: Second Series by William Shakespeare
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It was all right. I'd have to do a bit of research to see which plays came first, but my feeling is that he tried to write another like Julius Caesar or like Ajax by Sophocles instead of a work that stands well on its own. That being said, it was all right to read & would likely be much better to see it performed. Recommended for people who liked the movie - this is one where I'd recommend seeing the movie first. Good play, but not Shakespeare's best.

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