You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
Have you ever seen someone sitting on a park bench, or in front of you on the bus and wondered: what is life like for them? This book feels like an intimate answer to that question. If feels like I got to take peak inside that persons life, just for a moment. This book is about the importance of people, of listening while still remaining yourself. Of compassion, pain, loneliness. All the while, it starts conversations on censorship, love, and religion and asks the questions
what do we lose when we study literature? What does it mean to be consumed by an idea? etc. It’s not perfect, it’s a little disjointed at times and brings up too many issues. But it feels like life.
what do we lose when we study literature? What does it mean to be consumed by an idea? etc. It’s not perfect, it’s a little disjointed at times and brings up too many issues. But it feels like life.
This was a book I picked up recently, having read nothing about it. The premise of a woman working alone, as the last transcriptionist in a New York newspaper intrigued me. Lena is a lonely woman, and an eccentric soul for a young woman of the 21st century. She lives in the YMCA, a very old-fashioned choice for a single woman of her age. Her life appears to be limited in a number of ways. She interacts with few people. One is a homeless woman who asks her for 50 cents everyday. She used to ask for 25 cents but inflation affects all our transactions. At work, she works on one of the top floors, the only person on that floor. As a resident of the YMCA, she has access to a gated park nearby, something more often associated with London neighborhoods. So even in her leisure time, she is protected from the general public.
Her work focuses on words. This leads her to wonder what happens to the words that are captured in print, and those that are discarded. She muses about the changes in what and who we remember, and who and what we forget. Important public figures have obituaries on file, ready to publish when they die. Some people barely merit a short obituary, and others are forgotten. Lena is haunted by someone she meets who dies soon after their chance encounter. She needs to know more about this woman.
This is a novel that asks questions about the meaning of the news, how we get it, why words matter, and what happens to all the words and news that are discarded. How has our world changed as our way of getting the news has moved from newspapers to digital outlets? What is lost beyond words? There is an older man she meets who spends his time hidden away in a forgotten office organizing copies of obituaries. After finishing the book, I remembered a friend who lived in New York who was an actor (mostly unemployed). He started making scrapbooks of newspaper obituaries of artists - actors, film stars, painters etc. in the late 1970's-early 1980's.Sadly he died after a fall when he was still young. He was one of those people whose obituary didn't appear in the New York Times, and ironically wouldn't have been in his scrapbooks.
This is a book that reminded me of [b:The Night Circus|9361589|The Night Circus|Erin Morgenstern|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387124618s/9361589.jpg|14245059]. Not because the themes or even the characters were similar, but because it created a feeling in me that was similar. I am always delighted when I discover a book with no preconceptions of what I will find between the covers, that I love. This is one of those rare finds.
Her work focuses on words. This leads her to wonder what happens to the words that are captured in print, and those that are discarded. She muses about the changes in what and who we remember, and who and what we forget. Important public figures have obituaries on file, ready to publish when they die. Some people barely merit a short obituary, and others are forgotten. Lena is haunted by someone she meets who dies soon after their chance encounter. She needs to know more about this woman.
This is a novel that asks questions about the meaning of the news, how we get it, why words matter, and what happens to all the words and news that are discarded. How has our world changed as our way of getting the news has moved from newspapers to digital outlets? What is lost beyond words? There is an older man she meets who spends his time hidden away in a forgotten office organizing copies of obituaries. After finishing the book, I remembered a friend who lived in New York who was an actor (mostly unemployed). He started making scrapbooks of newspaper obituaries of artists - actors, film stars, painters etc. in the late 1970's-early 1980's.Sadly he died after a fall when he was still young. He was one of those people whose obituary didn't appear in the New York Times, and ironically wouldn't have been in his scrapbooks.
This is a book that reminded me of [b:The Night Circus|9361589|The Night Circus|Erin Morgenstern|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387124618s/9361589.jpg|14245059]. Not because the themes or even the characters were similar, but because it created a feeling in me that was similar. I am always delighted when I discover a book with no preconceptions of what I will find between the covers, that I love. This is one of those rare finds.
i couldn’t really get into this one, but i didn’t necessarily dislike it. the dialogue felt too aware of itself, and that threw me off. the pacing was a little weird, too, and i didn't care much about any of the characters. it wasn't bad, it just wasn’t for me.
This one went by so fast; I didn't expect it to end so soon. It was beautifully written and well narrated as an audiobook, with lots of visceral moments. An interesting exploration of nearly obsolete technology and the people who work with it and depend on it.
I didn't understand how things fell apart with Russell so abruptly, particularly after the two of them jumped into bed together just as fast. The ending with the publisher (no spoilers) made up for it in my eyes. Though Lena's behavior toes the crazy line, her honesty as a character with deep feeling drew me into the narrative. A perfect and quick read.
And no, before reading this book, I had no idea what a transcriptionist was.
[a:Kelly I. Hitchcock|5322812|Kelly I. Hitchcock|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1328755713p2/5322812.jpg]
Author of [b:Portrait of Woman in Ink: A Tattoo Storybook|18374933|Portrait of Woman in Ink A Tattoo Storybook|Kelly I. Hitchcock|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378684146s/18374933.jpg|25783904]
I didn't understand how things fell apart with Russell so abruptly, particularly after the two of them jumped into bed together just as fast. The ending with the publisher (no spoilers) made up for it in my eyes. Though Lena's behavior toes the crazy line, her honesty as a character with deep feeling drew me into the narrative. A perfect and quick read.
And no, before reading this book, I had no idea what a transcriptionist was.
[a:Kelly I. Hitchcock|5322812|Kelly I. Hitchcock|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1328755713p2/5322812.jpg]
Author of [b:Portrait of Woman in Ink: A Tattoo Storybook|18374933|Portrait of Woman in Ink A Tattoo Storybook|Kelly I. Hitchcock|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1378684146s/18374933.jpg|25783904]
Spoiler-free summary:
Lena works for the Record, a renowned newspaper in New York City. She is not a reporter, however, but a transcriptionist - a scribe for the reporters. Lena endlessly types the recorded messages left for her on her Dictaphone, allowing the world's news to pass through her fingertips and onto her computer screen. It may sound like an interesting position, but Lena is losing herself in the sea of quotes she must untangle on a daily basis. She has become a conduit for others - a silent, obedient link in a twisted, corporate chain. One day, a story comes through the lines that Lena just can't shake: A woman, who Lena recalls meeting on the bus only a few days before, has been mauled to death by lions at the zoo. This strange news story changes Lena's world as she becomes aware that, despite all of the quotes and articles drifting around her head, she has her own voice.
.....
The Transcriptionist, Amy Rowland's debut novel, is an interesting read. Quietly subversive, the book urges us to question our roles in the workplace and the ethics of journalism. What does it mean to publish the truth? The prose ranges from lyrical to short and blunt, which, surprisingly was not distracting in the least. The language mimics the turmoil in our protagonist Lena's head. This novel is surreal and beautiful, but also short and frantic. There is a strange anxiety that emanates from the story, which, I think, is born from the urgency that surrounds journalism. There is not much action in this novel, but there are a lot of unbridled emotions.
Though this was a work of fiction, I found it very informative. Like many characters in the novel, I didn't even know that people still did this sort of work. I also enjoyed the look at the cutthroat world of journalism.
At times, the characters and scenarios were too saccharine or too perfectly demented to be real. For example, Lena's life mirrors Arlene's (and their names are the same...) I know this was necessary for Lena's development and Lena is completely aware of the resemblance, but, it drew me out of the story a bit. I approached The Transcriptionist more as an allegory or a modern day Aesop's fable rife with metaphor than a straight-forward novel.
The back of the novel notes that Amy Rowland worked for the New York Times as a transcriptionist for over a decade. This was the icing on the literary cake for me. This novel became a thousand times more sad, more sincere, more biting, when I realized that Rowland's life and Lena's were probably not that different. I am very glad that, like Lena, Amy Rowland found her own voice amidst the headlines.
Buy The Transcriptionist May 13, 2014 from Algonquin Books in hardcover or audiobook format.
bookpuke.com
Lena works for the Record, a renowned newspaper in New York City. She is not a reporter, however, but a transcriptionist - a scribe for the reporters. Lena endlessly types the recorded messages left for her on her Dictaphone, allowing the world's news to pass through her fingertips and onto her computer screen. It may sound like an interesting position, but Lena is losing herself in the sea of quotes she must untangle on a daily basis. She has become a conduit for others - a silent, obedient link in a twisted, corporate chain. One day, a story comes through the lines that Lena just can't shake: A woman, who Lena recalls meeting on the bus only a few days before, has been mauled to death by lions at the zoo. This strange news story changes Lena's world as she becomes aware that, despite all of the quotes and articles drifting around her head, she has her own voice.
.....
The Transcriptionist, Amy Rowland's debut novel, is an interesting read. Quietly subversive, the book urges us to question our roles in the workplace and the ethics of journalism. What does it mean to publish the truth? The prose ranges from lyrical to short and blunt, which, surprisingly was not distracting in the least. The language mimics the turmoil in our protagonist Lena's head. This novel is surreal and beautiful, but also short and frantic. There is a strange anxiety that emanates from the story, which, I think, is born from the urgency that surrounds journalism. There is not much action in this novel, but there are a lot of unbridled emotions.
Though this was a work of fiction, I found it very informative. Like many characters in the novel, I didn't even know that people still did this sort of work. I also enjoyed the look at the cutthroat world of journalism.
At times, the characters and scenarios were too saccharine or too perfectly demented to be real. For example, Lena's life mirrors Arlene's (and their names are the same...) I know this was necessary for Lena's development and Lena is completely aware of the resemblance, but, it drew me out of the story a bit. I approached The Transcriptionist more as an allegory or a modern day Aesop's fable rife with metaphor than a straight-forward novel.
The back of the novel notes that Amy Rowland worked for the New York Times as a transcriptionist for over a decade. This was the icing on the literary cake for me. This novel became a thousand times more sad, more sincere, more biting, when I realized that Rowland's life and Lena's were probably not that different. I am very glad that, like Lena, Amy Rowland found her own voice amidst the headlines.
Buy The Transcriptionist May 13, 2014 from Algonquin Books in hardcover or audiobook format.
bookpuke.com
Carol is a transcriptionist at the Record. Except her name is Lena, not Carol, not that it matters to anyone at the paper. Amy Roland's command of spare, contained prose drew me in and kept me reading from the beginning. She wastes no words. The Transcriptionist is nostalgic, sad and warily hopeful. It's a story about questioning who you are, what you do, and why you do it and finding meaning in it all.
I loved this book until the last 40 pages. The ending was abrupt and didn't match the feel of the story. Could have been so much more!
This is the story of Lena, a news transcriptionist, and a blind stranger. Lena meets the stranger on the way home from work one day. Lena is in the throes of a migraine, and the stranger takes Lena's hand and helps her through it. Just days later, Lena transcribes a story about a blind woman who committed suicide by feeding herself to lions at the zoo. What follows is Lena's search for more information about the woman she met so briefly and what would cause her to choose to die in this way.
Though the above is the main thread of the novel, most of the scenes actually take place at Lena's workplace. For the most part, Lena is treated as a machine. The people who call in or drop off stories for her to type forget that she's a person and interact with her as little as possible. Lena questions what makes something newsworthy and thinks a lot about her interactions with her coworkers and the public.
The concept of this novel is like nothing else I've seen before. I loved the mysterious elements, the strange encounters, and the sprinkled news articles. At times, though, the novel is too self-aware, like the story exists to prove a point rather than for the sake of it. Of course, all good books have a message, but what makes them GOOD is that the reader feels that she has come to the message herself, rather than that the author has delivered it to her.
Lena, despite her menial work, is an academic. She's read quite a lot and can quote, like, all of it. And boy, does she. I don't mind when authors reference famous works, but here the references are so frequent that they were tiring. It's like, we get it, author, you've read a ton of stuff and are therefore qualified to write something yourself. Lena is so caught up in her head and spends so much time thinking deep thoughts that at times I hoped she'd visit the lions herself.
The last third of the book was the best part. I enjoyed the resolution to the mystery, Lena's evolution and how the other relationships in her life were tied up. And as a dedicated hippie animal lover, I loved the bits about the lions' feelings and the pigeon who lived outside of Lena's transcription room.
A unique debut. Hopefully more will follow from the author.
Though the above is the main thread of the novel, most of the scenes actually take place at Lena's workplace. For the most part, Lena is treated as a machine. The people who call in or drop off stories for her to type forget that she's a person and interact with her as little as possible. Lena questions what makes something newsworthy and thinks a lot about her interactions with her coworkers and the public.
The concept of this novel is like nothing else I've seen before. I loved the mysterious elements, the strange encounters, and the sprinkled news articles. At times, though, the novel is too self-aware, like the story exists to prove a point rather than for the sake of it. Of course, all good books have a message, but what makes them GOOD is that the reader feels that she has come to the message herself, rather than that the author has delivered it to her.
Lena, despite her menial work, is an academic. She's read quite a lot and can quote, like, all of it. And boy, does she. I don't mind when authors reference famous works, but here the references are so frequent that they were tiring. It's like, we get it, author, you've read a ton of stuff and are therefore qualified to write something yourself. Lena is so caught up in her head and spends so much time thinking deep thoughts that at times I hoped she'd visit the lions herself.
The last third of the book was the best part. I enjoyed the resolution to the mystery, Lena's evolution and how the other relationships in her life were tied up. And as a dedicated hippie animal lover, I loved the bits about the lions' feelings and the pigeon who lived outside of Lena's transcription room.
A unique debut. Hopefully more will follow from the author.
Some of this worked for me and some of it seemed to be trying too hard. It was certainly interesting to learn about a job that you don't normally hear about. The third person/present tense combo didn't really work. The book is about a woman who is completely in her own head, so the internal monologue in the present tense felt really jarring when told in the third person. The characters felt rather thin and much of the supporting cast was rather one dimensional. But, the search for the blind woman was interesting at times. And, I thought the way her work was taking over her internal life was interesting, too.