Tilt by Emma Pattee, 2025
An imagining of the catastrophic Cascadia earthquake hitting Portland, Oregon, Annie is at IKEA nine months pregnant. She is trapped under boxes and saved by IKEA employee Taylor.
The description of the apocolyptic scene is searing. Phones aren't working, dust is in the air, people are hungry and death is everywhere. There is only chaos - no police, firemen. In other words, no one is coming to help.
Buildings are collapsed, roads and highways are ruined, people are hungry and frantic, searching for loved ones.
The story takes place over the hours that Annie treks across Portland, searchng for her husband Dom.
Throughout the march across the ruined city, Annie reflects back on the past telling her yet to be born baby Bean about meeting Dom, memories of her mother and how her dreams of being a playwright has died over the years while Dom's dream of being an actor still burns strong.
The despair of Annie's surroundings, her and Dom's life of constantly being in debt while Dom chases his dreams, and Taylor's desperation to find her daughter Gabby is beautifully written.
The ending felt incomplete but appropriate in the way the focus is on Annie and her transformation as she is thrown into the unknown.
Costas: Warrior for Life by Costas Theocharidis, 2024
Written and self-pubished by a friend, this autobiography sheds light into what discipline and hard work can achieve. The focus, intentionality and drive that Costas has is rare and amazing. My Amazon review of his book says it all:
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2025Costas: Warrior for Life is a fascinating story about what it takes to make it as a Division I champion athlete. There are many 'naturally talented' athletes, but Costas's story sheds light into what it takes (beyond talent) to become a champion. The book is not just a one-dimensional story about sports though. Costas talks about applying the same hard work and intentionality that got him to the States playing for a top team like Hawaii to his life beyond sports.
Filled with Life Lessons gleaned from his collegiate and post-collegiate career in Finance and Real Estate, Costas also talks about his family, living in major international cities and passion for ultra marathons. It's an inspiring biography that goes beyonds stats and accomplishments. A great read!
James by Percival Everett, 2024
This reimaging of James, the slave from the Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn adventures, is beautifullly written and imagined.
The power of language is a theme as James and fellow slaves must learn to speak 'slave' language and never correct a white person.
The morality of slavery and 'kind' masters and white people who oppose slavery (but do nothing to stop it) is also at play.
A heartbreaking novel with its honest depiction of how slaves were treated lead me to tear up a few times.
The brutality and racism that humans are capable of are staggering.
A Pulitzer Prize Finalist, James is a powerful book that had me turning the pages as James ran from one cruelty to another in his escape towards freedom.
The realizations and growth from James as he meets fellow slaves and white people leads him to returning to where he once fled to reunite with his wife and daughter. His initial naive plan to buy them back no longer a consideration.
Next on my list is to read Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. I don't recall if I read it i school or just know the stories through popular culture.
I look forward to reading Tom Sawyer with fresh eyes, knowing what I know about James.
[I realized after the fact that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a separate book; the one that centers around Huck's adventure with James and the one that I want to read...]
A few weeks later... James has won the Pultizer Prize for fiction! I picked up Huckleberry Finn and it is such a different style and voice. I do not see myself geting into it...
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