on beauty

I liked this book a great deal. It was a highly engrossing read with wonderful characters that leap right off the pages, they're so refreshing and lively. In some ways this book reminds me of 'Tar Baby' which I read back in college (close to twenty years ago - gulp!), which also examined race/class issues, not only between blacks and whites, but racial issues within the black community. This book also deals with the minefield of intellectual elitism and all the tawdry crap that transpires at esteemed institutions of higher learning. Yes, that will have you turning the pages at a brisk pace, believe me! The only reason I gave the book four plums instead of five is that the end wasn't entirely satisfying to me and the book didn't resonate for me the way Atonement did, I still have a soft spot for that book! But I would recommend this book, it's enjoyable and thought provoking.