Comments on: Digging to America – Book Review http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/ reading a good book with a furchild by my side Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:14:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Caribousmom http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-13212 Caribousmom Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:55:37 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-13212 JoAnn: I LOVED Back When We Were Grownups too! I love Tyler's work. Jenners: I hadn't thought of the broader focus vs. narrow focus...but I think you are right - Tyler does best with one or two main characters...this book she covered a lot of ground. Jeanne: Interesting - hadn't considered the POV...but you may be right. Teddy: Back When We Were Grownups or Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant would be two of her books I would highly recommend. Les: Thanks for the link to your review, Les...I agree that it took some time to get close to the characters in this book...and also that Tyler does day-to-day VERY well. JoAnn: I LOVED Back When We Were Grownups too! I love Tyler’s work.

Jenners: I hadn’t thought of the broader focus vs. narrow focus…but I think you are right – Tyler does best with one or two main characters…this book she covered a lot of ground.

Jeanne: Interesting – hadn’t considered the POV…but you may be right.

Teddy: Back When We Were Grownups or Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant would be two of her books I would highly recommend.

Les: Thanks for the link to your review, Les…I agree that it took some time to get close to the characters in this book…and also that Tyler does day-to-day VERY well.

]]> By: Les in NE http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-12999 Les in NE Sat, 09 Jan 2010 19:46:38 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-12999 I read this back in the summer of '06 and gave it a 8/10 rating, so I liked it just a little bit better than you. I wrote the following, which pretty much sums up my thoughts on the book: "It wasn’t until I read Dave’s (Jin Ho’s grandfather) chapter that I began to feel an affinity for any of the characters and their roles as husbands, wives, mothers and fathers. Tyler hits her mark when it comes to understanding (and thus, expressing) the minutiae of the day-to-day process of grieving for a loved one." You can read my review here, if you like, Wendy: http://lesleysbooknook.blogspot.com/2006/06/digging-to-america.html I read this back in the summer of ’06 and gave it a 8/10 rating, so I liked it just a little bit better than you. I wrote the following, which pretty much sums up my thoughts on the book:

“It wasn’t until I read Dave’s (Jin Ho’s grandfather) chapter that I began to feel an affinity for any of the characters and their roles as husbands, wives, mothers and fathers. Tyler hits her mark when it comes to understanding (and thus, expressing) the minutiae of the day-to-day process of grieving for a loved one.”

You can read my review here, if you like, Wendy:

http://lesleysbooknook.blogspot.com/2006/06/digging-to-america.html

]]> By: Teddy http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-12862 Teddy Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:21:16 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-12862 I read this book when it first came out, before my blogging days. I would give it the same score. I would like to try another one of her books. Do you have any recommendations? I read this book when it first came out, before my blogging days. I would give it the same score. I would like to try another one of her books. Do you have any recommendations?

]]> By: Jeanne http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-12835 Jeanne Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:46:43 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-12835 Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is my favorite, too. I think she writes from the viewpoint of a mother better than from the viewpoint of a grandmother--but maybe I'll see it differently when I get older! Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is my favorite, too. I think she writes from the viewpoint of a mother better than from the viewpoint of a grandmother–but maybe I’ll see it differently when I get older!

]]> By: Jenners http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-12833 Jenners Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:08:47 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-12833 I do love Anne Tyler ... and this sounds pretty ambitious for her. I think she does best when she has a more narrow focus ... like one or two characters that she really makes come alive. I do love Anne Tyler … and this sounds pretty ambitious for her. I think she does best when she has a more narrow focus … like one or two characters that she really makes come alive.

]]> By: JoAnn http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-12819 JoAnn Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:49:13 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-12819 I'm a Tyler fan and really liked the audio version of this book a lot. I agree that Maryam was the most complex character, and while she did seem to warm up a little, there wasn't much growth. I just accepted that as part of her nature. Would have loved to see what happened to the girls grown up, too. I thought about various possibilities for quite some time afterwards. A short time later, I listened to Back When We Were Grownups and absolutely loved it! Tyler has become an 'audiobook' author for me. I’m a Tyler fan and really liked the audio version of this book a lot. I agree that Maryam was the most complex character, and while she did seem to warm up a little, there wasn’t much growth. I just accepted that as part of her nature. Would have loved to see what happened to the girls grown up, too. I thought about various possibilities for quite some time afterwards.

A short time later, I listened to Back When We Were Grownups and absolutely loved it! Tyler has become an ‘audiobook’ author for me.

]]> By: Caribousmom http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-12804 Caribousmom Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:13:59 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-12804 Kristy: I loved Back When We Were Grownups and also Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant...both books are well worth the read. My other favorite of hers is St. Maybe. I'm looking forward to her new book due out any day now. Kathy: Are you planning to get her newest book Noah's Compass? Kristy: I loved Back When We Were Grownups and also Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant…both books are well worth the read. My other favorite of hers is St. Maybe. I’m looking forward to her new book due out any day now.

Kathy: Are you planning to get her newest book Noah’s Compass?

]]> By: Kathy http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-12800 Kathy Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:36:03 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-12800 I read this book a while ago and I think I liked it more than you did. I'm a fan of Tyler's work too. I read this book a while ago and I think I liked it more than you did. I’m a fan of Tyler’s work too.

]]> By: Kristy http://www.caribousmom.com/2010/01/02/digging-to-america-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-12799 Kristy Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:24:07 +0000 http://www.caribousmom.com/?p=6214#comment-12799 I've had this one for a while, but haven't gotten to it. What are your favorite Ann Tyler books? Great review. I’ve had this one for a while, but haven’t gotten to it. What are your favorite Ann Tyler books? Great review.

]]>