Book #12 Audrey Hepburn's Neck by Alan Brown. Toshi is born on the northern peninsula of the northern most island of Japan. He knows very little about his silent father and a mother who leaves them when he is eight. His biggest thrill is receiving a fan letter with a signed photo from Audrey Hepburn when he has to practice his letter writing in English. He has an uneventful childhood, but as a talented artist, he moves to Tokyo. Here he is surrounded by loneliness, obsession, striving to find identity, prejudice, and culture clash with an emphasis on Americans. This story is fast paced and, happily, has a great ending. All of the pieces come together in a well woven tale.

In much of the world, movies play a big part in creating the American image ( cowboys, Indians, rich people, etc) . This book frames this idea well. I think this story would make a good movie.

Whew, I thought I was getting behind.

Book #11 The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. I really had to concentrate to understand this book about three brothers and Caddy, the sister, Caddy's daughter, the alchoholic father, and the hypocondriac mother along with the black servants. The time is out of sync. The language is hard. The thoughts are choppy and interspersed with each person. Let's say it- it was a hard read. The whole story conveyed disfunction, downfall, and disorder. I know, it is one of Faulkner's most celebrated. I can't say I enjoyed it, but then, I'm glad I read it. All of my reading can't be about cats and mice. Or can it?