Sharyl reviewed Ship fever by Andrea Barrett
Review of 'Ship fever' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
There are eight stories in this book, Ship Fever being by far the longest. It's an absorbing and tragic novella about the starved and disease-stricken Irish who emigrated to Canada during the potato famine in the 1840's, and also about a doctor who tried to make a difference.
The Behavior of the Hawkweeds--engaging and sad story weaved around a connection with Gregor Mendel. I admired the symmetry of this piece.
The English Pupil--short, slice-of-life type look at what might have been the latest stage of Carl Linnaeus's life, portraying him as an old man with unique memories that consume his consciousness.
The Littoral Zone--a very short piece about what happens to two college instructors who happen to spend three weeks at a marine biology research station and the consequences this time has on the rest of their lives.
Rare Bird-- The rare bird, or birds, in this story are a …
There are eight stories in this book, Ship Fever being by far the longest. It's an absorbing and tragic novella about the starved and disease-stricken Irish who emigrated to Canada during the potato famine in the 1840's, and also about a doctor who tried to make a difference.
The Behavior of the Hawkweeds--engaging and sad story weaved around a connection with Gregor Mendel. I admired the symmetry of this piece.
The English Pupil--short, slice-of-life type look at what might have been the latest stage of Carl Linnaeus's life, portraying him as an old man with unique memories that consume his consciousness.
The Littoral Zone--a very short piece about what happens to two college instructors who happen to spend three weeks at a marine biology research station and the consequences this time has on the rest of their lives.
Rare Bird-- The rare bird, or birds, in this story are a couple of women get to spread their wings in pursuit of a mystery. I especially liked this piece.
Soroche--Two stories of two cultures, one in the past, one in the present.
Birds with No Feet--A story of a young man who aspired to be a "successful" naturalist, his interpretation of what that meant, and how this affected his life.
The Marburg Sisters--enchanting account of two sisters, raised on a vineyard, who struggle to keep a connection with their beginnings. There's a lot to this story, and I enjoyed it very much.
