By: Nina Sankovitch
Nina Sankovitch has always been a reader. As a child, she discovered that a trip to the local bookmobile with her sisters was more exhilarating than a ride at the carnival. Books were the glue that held her immigrant family together. When Nina’s eldest sister died at the age of forty-six, Nina turned to books for comfort, escape, and introspection. In her beloved purple chair, she rediscovered the magic of such writers as Toni Morrison, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ian McEwan, Edith Wharton, and, of course, Leo Tolstoy. Through the connections Nina made with books and authors (and even other readers), her life changed profoundly, and in unexpected ways. Reading, it turns out, can be the ultimate therapy.
Tolstoy and the Purple Chair also tells the story of the Sankovitch family: Nina’s father, who barely escaped death in Belarus during World War II; her four rambunctious children, who offer up their own book recommendations while helping out with the cooking and cleaning; and Anne-Marie, her oldest sister and idol, with whom Nina shared the pleasure of books, even in her last moments of life. In our lightning-paced culture that encourages us to seek more, bigger, and better things, Nina’s daring journey shows how we can deepen the quality of our everyday lives–if we only find the time.
Review: Who wouldn’t want to read about someone who dedicates a year to reading books? But unfortunately, I just could not connect whatsoever. I truly wanted to love this book! I understood about the hardships the author was going through, but it lacked depth. I feel as if the book grazed the surface on the true feelings of the author. On another note, it seems forced. As if the books weren’t being read because she enjoyed it, but felt as if she HAD to. It took the fun out of reading.
In the end, this book felt like an essay. I felt like I was reading a college psychology paper that just went on and on. Loved the idea of the book, but the execution was poor. There was no depth to the feelings and I just could not relate.
Rating: 2/5
Blakeley The Bookworm 