January 22
House of Sand and Fog
You’ve heard the expression, “It was like watching a train wreck.” This is like reading a train wreck.  For me, the power of this book rests in the characters. Each is tremendously flawed, yet so carefully and intimately developed that I was left with an equal measure of understanding and disbelief. Because of this wonderful and thorough crafting, as often as I found myself saying, “Oh! Please, don’t do that!” I also found myself saying, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”