Something happened for the first time in my reading life.... A TV show inspired me to return to a book I had abandoned after losing interest. This was the case for One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Back in late April, I began reading Marquez’s...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 202: Jazz by Toni Morrison
by MHill | Aug 9, 2026 | Rereading Series, Toni Morrison, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
You can come full circle with your reading again. In 1993, when I was in my early twenties, I read Toni Morrison’s “Jazz,” a decision that unexpectedly set me on a course away from becoming a fan of her novels. Re-reading this over thirty years later, I realize I...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 198: The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas by Machado de Assis
by MHill | Jun 29, 2026 | Book Reviews, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
One gap I have in my reading life is classic fiction. I’ve read David Copperfield & Great Expectations by Dickens, Madame Bovary by Flaubert. I have Mansfield Park by Jane Austen & Don Quixote by Cervantes on my Kindle app to be read. For some reason, I have...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 196: The Horse by Willy Vlautin
by MHill | May 27, 2026 | Book Reviews, Fiction about Artists, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
He explained to her how he was tired of the uncertainty of a musician's life, tired of being gone nearly every night of the week while she sat at home alone. And he was tired of playing other people's songs in casinos. "I mean I play five nights a week with Ronnie...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 191: Night Hawks by Charles R. Johnson
by MHill | Mar 28, 2026 | Book Reviews, Short Story Review, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
In recent years, my consumption of short stories has significantly increased. I now appreciate the short story for its own artistic merit, moving past the idea that it’s less significant than a novel. After reading several novels to start my 2026 reading year, I knew...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 189: Dominion by Addie E. Citchens
by MHill | Mar 21, 2026 | Book Reviews, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
I have stated previously on the blog that I’m not a new fiction book reader. Mostly, I’ve read backlist novels and only purchased new books from my favorite authors. There is always an exception to any reading rule I have made for myself. This is the case for Dominion...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 188: Grace by Elizabeth Nunez
by MHill | Mar 15, 2026 | Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Is happiness a prerequisite for marriage? Is it possible for a marriage to withstand the moral ambiguities and difficult circumstances that life throws your way? Elizabeth Nunez’s exceptional 2003 novel, “Grace,” appears to grapple with those two critical questions....
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 187: Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
by MHill | Mar 8, 2026 | Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
One of my favorite Booktube channels, Books with Zara, brought Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson to my attention with one of her recent videos. The video was about heartwarming reads, and she discussed several books that qualified for that honor. She captivated me...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 180: Sanshiro by Natsume Soseki
by MHill | Dec 18, 2025 | 2025 Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Booktube has become of my favorite places to find out about books, and I have watched a lot of content there. One of my favorite Booktube channels is Books with Zara. Zara has eclectic taste in fiction, and I have liked the vibe of her videos. She recently did a video...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 179: The South by Colm Tóibín
by MHill | Dec 4, 2025 | 2025 Book Reviews, Fiction about Artists, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Does being an artist make you inherently selfish? That question was the first thought I had after reading Colm Tóibín’s first novel, The South. I was interested in this novel because most of it took place in Barcelona, Spain. I spent a week in Barcelona for my...