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Songdogs
by

Colum McCann (Goodreads Author)

Alena's review

Mar 24, 2013

really liked it

I had to remind myself that this is Colum McCann's first novel. It is so rich and complete and lyrical and courageous. Like his more recent masterpieces, McCann is toying with themes of memory and personal history, but in this case the story is very small -- just one man searching for his parents, one of whom is physically present, one of whom is physically missing.

The story moves back and forth in time which was a bit confusing at first, but once I gave in to his storytelling, I realized its brilliance. Memory is not linear -- it meanders and one thought inevitably leads to an unexpected place. This book is most certainly not driven by plot. It's a mental exercise, but one filled with beauty in terms of both language and characters.

Eventually I plan to make my way through all of his published work.

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Reading Progress

March 24, 2013 – Shelved

April 13, 2014 – Started Reading

April 17, 2014 –

page 73

32.59% "But the past is a place that is full of energy and imagination. In remembering, we can distil the memory down. We can manage our universe by stuffing it into the original quark, the point of burstingness.
It's the lethargy of the present that terrifies us all."

April 17, 2014 –

page 130

58.04% "Bus stations are among the saddest places in America. Everyone looking for a way out. Slinking around. Looking for lost children. Keeping eyes glued on nothing in particular, waiting for life to happen."

April 17, 2014 – Finished Reading