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I can't believe July is just around the corner. So far I have read 43 books during the first half of 2008. Here are the books that earned a five-star rating from me (in order that I read them).FIVE-STAR BOOKS (FICTION)
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
Property by Valerie Martin
FIVE-STAR BOOKS (NON-FICTION)
A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen
The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari
How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen
Tara Revisited by Catherine Clinton
AND MY TOP FIVE BOOKS
1) The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
2) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
3) The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari
4) The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
5) Property by Valerie Martin
READING CHALLENGES COMPLETED:
1) Beg, Borrow and Steal Reading Challenge
2) Pub 08 Reading Challenge
3) Themed Reading Challenge
4) Spring Reading Thing
5) Southern Reading Challenge
6) Book Awards Reading Challenge
I also participate in Bonnie's Book Around The States and Book Around The World reading challenges, and here is a summary of the places I have been:
BOOK AROUND THE STATES (my reviews)
Alaska - The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
Hawaii - Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
Louisiana - Property by Valerie Martin
Maryland - Two Brothers: One North, One South by David H. Jones
Missouri - Becky by Lenore Hart
North Carolina - On Agate Hill by Lee Smith
South Carolina - Bulls Island by Dorothea Benton Frank
Texas - The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block
BOOK AROUND THE WORLD (my reviews)
Iran - The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani
Pakistan - The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
Sudan - The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari
Yugoslavia - People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
Wales - Resistance by Owen Sheers
Whew! It's been a very adventurous reading year so far! I am looking forward to my Orange July, when I will be reading a ton of books that have won or been nominated for the Orange Prize. That promises to be a good reading month, don't you think?
- Location:home
- Mood:
excited
Moloka'iBy Alan Brennert
Completed June 22, 2008
Having just finished Moloka’i by Alan Brennert, I am left with a mixed bag of emotions. Here is a book that mostly everyone loved. Other reviewers described the main character, Rachel, as one that lingers with you. Others praised the rich Hawaiian history that filled this book. Others were engrossed by the sense of community created by these characters – all who were diagnosed with leprosy and isolated to prevent the spread of this disease.
I agree with all of these points. Rachel was fully drawn and life-like. I enjoyed reading about Hawaiian history at the turn of the century – a new topic for me. And I appreciate the community and family (“ohana”) that bound these people together.
But I am left with a nagging sense too. Specifically, there are two aspects of the book that bothered me:
1 The acceptance of Leilani, a transvestite, into Moloka’i without so much as a sneer, prejudice or a bad word. This is the early 1900’s in a traditional Catholic society. I highly doubt this would happen. Heck, it doesn’t happen now in 2008. Perhaps the author felt these people who were shunned by society could be welcoming to Leilani. It’s a stretch for me, considering the historical nature of homophobia.
2) The Forrest Gump syndrome, as I like to call it, when the main character witnesses historical events first-hand. We learn about the first airplanes, vehicles and “moving pictures” through Rachel’s eyes. Also, the usurpation of Hawaiian royalty and the attack on Pearl Harbor both find their places in this novel. I don’t mind reading about history through a character, but in this book, I found some of it to be distracting and non-essential to the story.
I realize that I am in the minority with my objections, and that’s okay. Each book holds something different for its readers. If you enjoy good character-driven historical fiction, then I think you will find Moloka’i to be a smart, heart-warming book. Despite my objections, I am glad to have read this novel and learn more about leprosy and historic Hawaii. (
) - Location:home
- Mood: indifferent
Property
Becky: The Life and Loves of Becky ThatcherBy Lenore Hart
Completed May 29, 2008
I must admit that I am a sucker for a good companion novel. Last year, I read Finn by Jon Clinch, which was a story about Huck Finn’s infamous father. My latest read was the feminine side of this group of friends – a story about Becky Thatcher, Tom Sawyer’s sweetheart. In Becky: The Life and Loves of Becky Thatcher by Lenore Hart, Becky got her voice and opportunity to set the story straight.
"I loved and hated men, lost and found them, tried and failed to tempt them away from their own destruction. I’ve been the cause of more than one death. I’ve been a friend and enemy and fiancée, wife and mother and widow. I’ve killed in a fight, and longed to do murder once or twice at home. I’ve taught, mothered, soldiered, mined and even written for the newspapers. But I was never the weeping little ninny Sam Clemens made me out to be in his book."
And with this statement, Becky began her story as a complex, multi-dimensional character, dead set about shaking this timid image that Mark Twain described in his novels.
The story opened as Becky’s husband, Sid, was about to leave for the army during the late months of the Civil War. This began Becky’s adventures as she chased her husband into the wilds of Missouri in an attempt to bring him home. She disguised herself as a soldier to accomplish this mission and was involved in skirmish or two. Once reunited, the couple decided to move to Nevada to escape the war atrocities as home – thus, beginning another set of adventures for Becky as she moved West.
Hanging like a web over all of these stories were Becky’s feelings for Tom. Tom and Huck were minor characters in this book, and Hart added different perspectives to these famous boys (who are now men in this book). Tom was self-absorbed and restless, always caring for his childhood sweetheart despite his lack of commitment to her. Huck was Tom’s loyal companion – raw, impatient, cunning and unforgiving - but I felt that Huck had more sense than his reckless friend. In addition to Tom and Huck, Hart added Sam Clemens, who came across as imaginative and scheming, eventually betraying his friendship with Becky when he published his books.
With all of these males in her life, one can see how Becky did not grow up to be a “weeping little ninny.” However, I think Hart tried too hard to prove Becky was as strong as her male counterparts. The killings, the soldiering, the wearing of pants, the lying, the adultery – it was a tad too much. Women can be strong without acting like men.Despite this small criticism, I enjoyed Becky and highly recommend this book to lovers of Tom Sawyer stories, Civil War fiction and tales about women’s lives in history. (
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- Mood: good
The Story of ForgettingBy Stefan Merrill Block
Completed April 20, 2008
Stefan Merrill Block made a strong debut with The Story of Forgetting– a tale of families, memories and how secrets can destroy relationships. Indeed, The Story of Forgetting is really a story of remembering – your family, your memories, your way of life. Central to this book is Alzheimer’s, the disease that not only robs people of their memories but how to live, regressing them from adults to children within years. It’s this pain that buttressed this compelling story.
The story intertwined the tales of Seth Waller – a sensitive, smart 15-year old who was dealing with his mother’s diagnosis of familial early-onset Alzheimer’s – and Abel Haggard – an elderly hermit who roamed his decrepit home, remorseful of a life of secrets that bound Abel to his home and land. Block switched back and forth between Seth and Abel’s stories – plus added in the mythological story of Isidora, a place where people’s memories are blissfully erased – and a scientist’s notes of the genetic history of familial early-onset Alzheimer’s. These chapters moved the story nicely, layering each story to the moment when it all came together.
Seth’s chapters mostly dealt with his “empirical research” into this particular type of Alzheimer’s. A novice scientist, Seth discovered a list of early-onset Alzheimer’s sufferers near his home and visited each one, trying to reconstruct his mother’s secret childhood and hoping to find a relative who can shed some light on his mother’s past. Abel’s chapters retold his life, his love for his brother’s wife, his brother’s suffering from early on-set Alzheimer’s and Abel’s love for his daughter who no longer was a part of his life. These characters were developed masterfully – sometimes you snickered at their actions, sometimes you frowned – but always caring about what happened to them.
Inspired by his grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, Block’s The Story of Forgetting was everything but forgettable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about family relationships. I look forward to reading more books from this promising young author. (
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- Mood: pleased
The Yiddish Policemen's UnionBy Michael Chabon
Completed April 8, 2008
The Yiddish Policemen's Union was one of the most peculiar, entertaining and head-scratching books I have ever read. Michael Chabon is a deliciously fun, imaginative writer, and this book is dripping with literary snark. I was expecting an "okay" read, and I am happy to report that I loved, loved, loved this one.
The book is set in Siska, a fictional district in Alaska inhabited by Jews who fled there in the late 1940's. Siska embodied the good and bad of any community, and to help combat the bad, Siska employed police officers like the main character, Meyer Landsman and his partner, Berko Shemets. Meyer was one of those Lethal Weapon/Mel Gibson cops- quick with the one-liners, always working on a hunch and on the verge of self-destruction. And Berko was just like Danny Glover - the stable married guy who often pulled his partner out of trouble. Mix in Meyer's ex-wife, Bina, who served as their commander, and you have The Yiddish Policemen's Union.
The guys were investigating the death of heroin junkie, who may or may not be the Messiah. Their inquiries led to the strictest of Jewish sects and a conspiracy of historical proportions. Each chapter took the reader closer and closer to unraveling the mystery, and Chabon kept his readers at the edge of their collective seats through each page. It's a classic "who done it" story - with a lot of Yiddish language.
I am not well-versed in Judaism or Jewish history, but I detected a serious side to this story - a commentary on the numerous displacement of Jews throughout history and an exploration of what happens when Jews get too comfortable in any one place. I wonder too if Chabon is holding up a mirror to Jewish society and showing readers the pluses and minuses of their culture. Again, I am not an expert in Jewish culture, but I will be curious to read thoughts from those who are - to learn more about the "Jewish" aspect to this tale.
The Yiddish Policemen's Union is not a book for everyone. I think you have to enjoy dark, subtle humor (similar to Christopher Moore) and not be intimidated by the Jewish themes in this story. It's a very readable story, brilliantly written and eloquently developed. I look forward to reading more work by Michael Chabon in the near future. (
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- Mood: chipper
Bulls IslandBy Dorothea Benton Frank
Completed March 21, 2008
Betts McGee fled her childhood home of Charleston, SC, after the sudden death of her mother, which drove a wedge between her and her fiance, J.D. Betts moved to New York City, became a successful financier and raised her son, Adrian. For almost 20 years, Betts never spoke to her father, sister or estranged fiance. That is, until her company sent her back to Charleston on assignment - and she must deal with her ghosts from the past, including J.D., who still has feelings for Betts.
This is my first novel by Dorothea Benton Frank, and I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with the plot in Bulls Island. On the surface, it sounded like fun "poolside reading" - but the plot did not move quickly enough to keep this reader interested in the story. It was nearly half way into the novel before Betts actually arrives in Charleston. First, the reader must deal with her son's departure to college and Betts's fling with another man before the reader gets what she's been waiting for: the boy-meets-girl tension that dangled from this story for nearly 150 pages. When we finally get there, the book rushes through the storyline. The whole plot was choppy and disjointed to me.
While the plot was not up to par, I did find Frank's writing style easy and fun to read. Her depictions of Southern landscapes rival Nicholas Sparks or Sue Monk Kidd. I felt the humidity, smelled the river and watched the grass brown right with the characters. As a fan of books set in the South, I found these parts of the book to be the best.
Would I read another book by Dorothea Benton Frank? Only after doing some more research on what other readers have thought about her stories and examining what the plots have to offer. I am guessing that fans of her writing might enjoy Bulls Island. For others, I think you can safely pass on this tale. (
) - Location:home
- Mood: content
Two Brothers - One North, One South
By David H. Jones
Completed January 27, 2008
The “brother versus brother” theme to American Civil War fiction is by no means new, but David H. Jones breathed new life into it in Two Brothers – One North, One South. In this book, Jones’s characters were real-life Civil War soldiers who fought on opposing sides – and whose story was told by Walt Whitman.
Whitman volunteered in military hospitals during the Civil War, and in this story, he tended to a young Confederate soldier, William Prentiss. William was expected to die within a few days, and he asked Whitman to listen to his story. Whitman was a patient listener, gathering all of William’s details. When William died, Whitman sought out the brother, the injured Clifton Prentiss, who was staying in the officers’ ward at the same hospital.
When Whitman found Clifton, he also met the other two Prentiss brothers, John and Melville. The brothers invited Whitman to draw up a chair to tell William’s story. Whitman talked about William’s decision to fight for the South, his battle tales and stories about mutual acquaintances. The brothers chimed in throughout Whitman’s tale, especially Clifton, who described what he was doing as he fought for the Union.
The story ends with a remarkable coincidence: both brothers were injured at the same battle, nearly 100 yards away from each other, and within minutes of each other – and days before the Confederate surrender.
Jones hit a gold mine when he discovered this family of Union and Confederate soldiers for his story. Having relatives fight on opposite sides of the Civil War was not unusual for those living in the Border States, such as Maryland, but their coincidental injuries added further interest to this tale. He struck it even richer by telling the story of the Cary cousins, Hetty, Jenny and Connie, who were an integral part of the Confederate war effort on the home front. These women smuggled goods to the South, created the battle flag for the Confederacy and tended to the sick and dying. Their story was a welcome tributary to that of the Prentiss family.
The research about Maryland’s divided loyalties, their battalions (both Union and Confederate) and the battles in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania was very thorough – probably to a fault. Pages passed where the reader learned a lot about the battle history but nothing about the Prentiss brothers who fought in them. I wonder if Jones was unsure about whether to tackle this book as fiction or non-fiction. So much emphasis was placed on providing historical background that it overshadowed the main characters. It was, after all, a story about two brothers divided by a war. I wish more was said about the brothers – and not so much about the “big picture” military tactics of the Eastern Theater.
Despite this, I would recommend Two Brothers – One North, One South to avid readers of Civil War fiction, especially fans of Howard Bahr and Michael Shaara, and to those with an interest in Maryland’s contribution to the war. Jones’s research can provide the reader with an insightful tutorial of this era – and remind us how devastating war is for both sides of the battle. ( )
copyright 2008 by me for Curled Up With a Good Book
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- Mood:accomplished
On Agate Hill
By Lee Smith
Completed January 19, 2008
In 1994, I began my graduate research studies about Southern girls and their education. It was a largely untapped subject; most of the scholarly studies involved girls from the North and their institutions of higher learning. Much attention was not paid to their Southern counterparts, largely because a renowned educational scholar dismissed Southern girls’ schools as “finishing schools” not of academic merit. As a result, scholars ignored Southern women’s education in the South before and after the Civil War, until the 1980’s and 1990’s, when historians such as Catherine Clinton, Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Drew Gilpin Faust and Christie Farnham, studied and published books about the lives of Southern women, including their education.
For my master’s degree, I latched on to these prestigious coat tails and studied the education of girls who attended my alma mater, Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. I discovered that the girls attending Wesleyan before the Civil War endured a curriculum similar to most men’s colleges. I also learned that they had a fascinating social experience, including crushes on professors, fights with fellow students and skipping class. It seems little has changed in the way of college students!
I mention all of this because of my recent read, On Agate Hill by Lee Smith. In this book, we follow the life of Molly Petree, a girl orphaned by the Civil War, living on her uncle’s North Carolina plantation (Agate Hill) until her benefactor sent her to an all-women’s college in Virginia. After commencement, Molly and her friend Agnes Rutherford went to the mountains of North Carolina to teach in a one-room schoolhouse. There, Molly fell in love with a philandering mountain man, Jacky Jarvis, and together, they endured great hardships typical of mountain life at the turn of the century.
We learn about Molly’s life through a variety of primary (albeit fictional) resources: Molly’s diary entries and letters to her friend, Mary White, court testimonies by Jacky’s relatives, journal entries by Molly’s former headmistress, and letters by Agnes. Mixed in with the historical resources lies a modern-day context to the story. All of these materials were discovered by a Tuscany Miller, a college dropout, who found all of these papers in her father’s
Without a doubt, Smith did her research when she wrote On Agate Hill. You learn about plantation life after the Civil War, the educational experiences of post-bellum Southern women and the hardships and joys of living in the North Carolina mountains. It’s a complete and fascinating picture. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, especially of Southern and women’s history. Molly Petree is a character I won’t soon forget. She will live in my heart much like her Southern counterparts, Scarlett and Scout, who also taught me so much about the history of the American South. ( 
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You can learn more about The Sunday Salon and join in the fun!
- Location:home
- Mood: happy
Thanks to Bonnie, who is hosting two geographic challenges that started in 2007: Book Around The States and Book Around The World. Both challenge us to read beyond our state and national borders. I started both challenges in late summer, and I am not including books that I read before signing up for these challenges. I will continue both challenges in 2008 and see where books take me!
Book Around The States: (my reviews)
Arizona - High Tide in Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver
Florida - The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings
Georgia - Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
Indiana - In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd
Iowa - Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Maine - Empire Falls by Richard Russo
Massachusetts - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Michigan - Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Minnesota - Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik
Mississippi - The Year of Jubilo by Howard Bahr
New Hampshire - Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
New York - Billy Bathgate by E.L. Doctorow
Vermont - The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
create your own visited states map
Book Around The World: (my reviews)
Afghanistan - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Cuba - The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
England - The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Egypt - Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell
France - Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Ireland - Tipperary by Frank Delaney
Italy - A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
Russia - The Archivist's Story by Travis Holland
create your own visited countries map
- Location:home
- Mood: happy
In God We Trust: All Others Pay CashBy Jean Shepherd
Completed December 21, 2007
I selected In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash because I love the movie, The Christmas Story, which is based on this book by Jean Shepherd. Like many books and their movie adaptations, there are many differences between film and text. What is unusual, I think, in this case is that my over-familiarity with the movie forced the book to live up to its comedic standards (I would argue that it's usually the other way around). In many ways, I was not disappointed.
Ralph Parker returns to his hometown in Indiana and finds his friend, Flick, at his bar. Together, they drink and reminisce about their childhoods during the Great Depression. Here, we find the wonderful stories that make up the movie: the Red Ryder BB gun, the infamous Leg Lamp and the fight with the yellow-eyed bully. But there's a lot more. We learn more about the characters and get a first-hand account on what it was like to live during the Great Depression. We also learn about Ralph's life as an adult, living in New York City.
Shepherd's use of language in this book left me in tears. His grasp of irony and wit parallels Mark Twain and James Thurber. He made the ordinary into magnificent pieces of humor. Modern writers like Christopher Moore and Carl Hiassen surely must owe their craft to humorists like Jean Shepherd.
A delightful treat, just like the movie, I am glad to have read In God We Trust and would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading Coming of Age Tales or humorous stories - or just loves the best Christmas movie ever. (
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tired
The Year of JubiloBy Howard Bahr
Completed November 23, 2007
Part Civil War novel and part Wild West tale, The Year of Jubilo follows the adventures of Gawain Harper, a Confederate veteran who upon returning home becomes involved in a town battle of deadly consequences. Gawain reluctantly joined the Confederate Army after the father of his beloved, Morgan Rhea, told Gawain that if he wants to marry Morgan, he must fight in the war. Throughout the war, Gawain learns to accept his soldier life, and after three years of hard battle, he returns home to marry Morgan.
However, Morgan's father has another demand for Gawain before he will accept his proposal: Gawain must kill the powerful King Solomon Gault, a former Confederate officer who killed Morgan's sister.
The Year of Jubilo then progresses into a tale reminiscent of the Old West (at times, I felt like I was watching the HBO show Deadwood). Shoot outs, ambushes, stealing horses and weapons, toothless men, crazy men - you name it, it was in this novel. I enjoyed the characters in this book; many of their conversations were humorous (I even chuckled out loud), and Howard Bahr did a great job attaching this reader to the characters' fates.
At the risk of sounding stereotypical, I would characterize The Year of Jubilo as a "man's tale" - full of blood, grit and guts. I am not saying that women can't enjoy this book, but you do have to like the dirtier side of historical fiction to enjoy The Year of Jubilo.
(P.S. This would make a great movie!) (
) - Location:home
- Mood: happy
Empire FallsBy Richard Russo
Completed November 11, 2007
Having finished Empire Falls, I have been contemplating what exactly to say about it. It was a good book. It was a long book. It was very well-written.
But so what? I could say that about many books.
I think the thing that differentiates Empire Falls from other books is how Richard Russo is a master at character development. Empire Falls is the story of Miles Roby, a forty-something future divorcee who struggles as a manager of a local greasy spoon. Living in small-town Empire Falls, everyone knows his business: that his wife left him for the owner of the local health club, that the wealthy Mrs. Whiting holds Miles's future in the palm of her hand, that his daughter is struggling with high school, that he is a nice guy with a grumpy father, meddlesome town sheriff and enterprising brother. So many characters - but by the time the novel is over, Russo depicts them all completely. You really get to know them over the course of the 500 pages.
Another interesting aspect of Empire Falls is the mini-crescendos that occur throughout the story. Each tiny apex springs up every few chapters, until the last 50 pages when you get the "mack daddy" twist. The plot movement flowed liked a good TV drama, which is probably why HBO decided to adapt this novel into a mini-series.
Overall, I enjoyed Empire Falls, and I look forward to reading more of Richard Russo's other books. (
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The Double BindBy Chris Bohjalian
Completed November 3, 2007
I don't even know what to say about The Double Bind. Certainly, the story's premise was excellent. A young women, Laurel, working at a homeless shelter, becomes a temporary guardian of a deceased man's photography collection. The photos were clearly taken by a professional and captured many historical people and places. But the homeless man, Bobbie, was mentally ill and did not leave any clues about his past life. So, Laurel begins an investigation into Bobbie's past - all while recovering mentally from a brutal attack she endured several years prior.
I guess my complaint with The Double Bind is the story's lack of editing. To say it was disjointed would be an understatement. It lacked its rhythm. It lacked Bohjalian's trademark storytelling. It was almost like a bad imitation of Mary Higgins Clark, complete with irrelevant sentences about clothing, food and daily routines. (I have enjoyed many MHC's books, so please don't think I am insulting her. When I read MHC, I expect to hear about the color of a woman's handkerchief or what she ordered at the corner diner. I don't expect it from writers like Chris Bohjalian).
The lack of editing also resulted in story inaccuracies, such as when Laurel could discern the colors of cars from photos taken during the 1920's. Huh? Color photography didn't come for another 40 years, so how could she tell the color of the cars? She couldn't, and a good editor should have picked up on it - and corrected it.
Many reviewers have commented that the Picoult-like, didn't-see-it-coming ending justified the sloppy writing that preceded it. The ending was very clever, without a doubt, but it doesn't excuse the bad writing that clogged this story for 330 pages. No, as a reader, I deserve a little more than 20 pages of good storytelling.
All in all, I would not recommend The Double Bind in its current form. I expected a lot more from Chris Bohjalian, and I was sorely disappointed. (
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- Mood: sleepy
Middlesex
By Jeffrey Eugenides
Completed September 29, 2007
I know I am in the minority here, but Middlesex was a huge disappointment for me. We all know the plot - that it's a story about a Greek girl who later discovers that she's actually a boy. The premise is excellent, but the book falls short in so many ways.
Eugenides is a wonderful writer, and he does an excellent job telling a story - too bad it's not the story of Callie but of her grandparents and parents too. You reach the middle of this 500+ page book before Callie is even conceived. However, Callie narrates the whole thing. How would she know such details about her grandparents and parents? She can't - and I think it's a major flaw in the book (not to mention that you have to wait until the middle of the book for Callie to be introduced as a character. Oh sorry, did I say that already? Well, it's worth repeating because it's a major flaw too).
Because half of the book is dedicated to Callie's lineage, I feel his/her character lacks development, which is a huge shame. For me, Callie had the potential to be one of the most interesting characters in modern American literature. Instead, the character falls flat - just like the entire novel.
Middlesex is a Pulitzer prize winner and a recent selection for the Oprah Book Club. Obviously, many people enjoyed this novel. I am sorry that I am not one of them. However, I am more sorry that I wasted a week of my life finishing a book that I now call Middlesucks. ( 
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- Mood:
frustrated
Gilead By Marilynne Robinson
Completed September 21, 2007
Gilead is a lyrical ode to fathers and sons. Written as a long letter to his seven-year-old son, the story centers on a dying preacher, John Ames, and his views on religion, small-town life, his ancestors and forgiveness. You could almost feel the urgency in his pen as he writes passages about his life - a way to leave behind something for his young son who would never get to know his father.
Reverend Ames recounts nostalgic stories about the town of Gilead, which formed to assist runaway slaves and later became a hideaway for abolitionist John Brown. He shifts into stories about his grandfather, father and brother - who all shared different religious views. He also recollects childhood stories about his friend Boughton, who was also a preacher in Gilead.
Then, the story explores father-son relationships further by introducing one of Boughton's sons, and Reverend Ames's namesake, John Ames Boughton. Jack, as he was called, had a lifetime of trouble in his back pocket, and he was a constant source of worry for Reverend Ames and his friend. There was a certain event in Jack's past that was particularly bothersome for Reverend Ames, and he could never forgive him. As the reverend reaches his last days, Jack returns to town ,and Reverend Ames begins to worry about the influence his namesake will have on his young son.
Gilead has many touching moments, but I found the story to be burdened by the religious discourses that Reverend Ames follows. I am not a student of religious philosophy, so the philosophers mentioned only confused me. However, in a style I favor for my sermons, Gilead is short, poignant and allegorical, reminding us that to love and forgive are what life is all about.
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- Mood:
exhausted
Little WomenBy Louisa May Alcott
Completed September 16, 2007
Little Women is a favorite American classic for many, but for this reader, I enjoyed the story so much more when I was a 10-year old girl. As I reread this story, I found myself rolling my eyes at the sweet goodness that is the March sisters. The allegories, the constant efforts to improve themselves and ever-apologetic stance about their faults (faults, I would argue, that made them interesting to read about) left me an impatient reader.
Certainly, Jo March was more the exception than the rule, and I am guessing that is why many modern readers enjoy this story. Jo is an independent spirit – smart, big-mouthed, creative and sure of herself, especially as she becomes a young woman. She settles for nothing, including marrying a man she loves instead of marrying a man she was obligated to love. She supports herself through her writings and is a devoted daughter and sister – all in all, an interesting character to read.
Little Women, for all my restlessness, is definitely a portrait of its time. In that aspect, I admire and respect its representation of the time in which the sisters lived. I am looking forward to March by Geraldine Brooks, which is a modern rendition of this story from the dad’s point of view. I am very curious to see how the sisters are portrayed by Brooks.
Overall, I was entertained and enjoyed the second half of the book much better than the first. However, I almost regret rereading it. I think Little Women would have been better in my memory as a precious coming-of age-tale, perfect for the 10-year old dreamer that was me. (
)- Location:home
- Mood:
listless
Nineteen MinutesBy Jodi Picoult
Completed September 15, 2007
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult is one of the most provocative books I have read in a long time. While her story is centered on one event, a high school shooting in a small New Hampshire town, Picoult weaves a tale of many threads: bullying, abuse, parenting and guilt. Her story blankets you, but not like a soft, down comforter. It’s more like a quilt of thorns, plucking at you, making you think and wonder: What if? Why?
Peter Houghton is a kid who is picked on all his life. Since the day he stepped on the bus in kindergarten to walking the halls in high school, he was the favorite butt end of jokes played by the popular kids in school. He was stuffed into lockers, “pantsed” in the cafeteria, and called “homo and “fag.” His one friend from childhood, Josie, abandoned him for the popular crowd in middle school and acted like her old friend does not exist. Peter is lonely and tormented, and makes the lethal decision to do the unthinkable: He walks into his high school and shoots 10 classmates and a teacher, stopping just once to eat some Rice Krispies in the cafeteria.
Facing life in prison or the death penalty, Peter’s attorney, Jordan McAfee, creates a new defense – a possible way to get Peter not convicted of the crime. Like how battered women kill their abusive husbands, something in Peter’s brain snapped – a reaction to years of humiliation and fear that overrules his better judgment. It’s a type of post-traumatic stress disorder that affects people like Peter, who have been bullied all of their life. Does this defense work? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
Picoult is a courageous writer. As a reader, she dares you to find sympathy for Peter. She provokes you into hating the bullies who made his life a living hell. She makes you think about Peter’s parents and leaves you with decisions only you can make: Was Peter “not himself” when he shot his classmates? Did the bullies deserve it, even in some small way? Are Peter’s parents at fault for how he turned out?
I couldn’t help but think about my sons as I read this book. As a parent, I really don’t know what I am doing half of the time. I guess and fumble as I go – just like Peter’s parents. This book articulated one of my biggest parental fears –when your kids became a mystery to you. When the little kid who cried for you when he scrapes his knee may repulse at your touch. Who, when hurting so much inside, may not say a word to you. Or worse, when he does reach out, you miss it. That disconnect could be the first domino of many to fall. I thought a lot about this disconnect while reading Nineteen Minutes because the parents of the victims and Peter’s parents all felt it too. What if they connected instead?
I didn’t walk away with the answers after finishing this book. Perhaps there are none. But I won’t ever forget these words, this story and these characters. I highly recommend Nineteen Minutes to those who have the guts to read it. It will leave a fingerprint on your heart. (
) - Location:home
- Mood:
thoughtful
The YearlingBy Marjorie Rawlings
Completed September 8, 2007
The winner of the 1939 Pulitzer Prize, The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings is a quaint story of a boy, Jody, his life on a Florida farm during the late 1800's, and ultimately, the adoption of his fawn, Flag. Descriptive and enchanting, Rawlings paints a realistic picture of early Florida life and the love humans feel for their pets.
Jody lives on a small farm in the present-day Ocala National Forest with his father and mother. Times are tough. Crops don't grow, bears and wolves prey on their livestock, relationships with neighbors are strained, and the weather is relentlessly hot and rainy. Jody's farm struggles every day to exist in these meager conditions. Jody also combats loneliness with no siblings or friends with whom to pass the time. He yearns for a pet to call his own, and he finally gets his way when he befriends an orphaned fawn. However, as Flag becomes a yearling, the deer exacerbates the family's struggle by eating their crops. Jody is ordered to shoot his pet - and he is torn between doing the right thing for his family and killing the thing he loves the most.
This story is rich with history. You really capture a sense of what it was like to live in Florida during this time period. Many think of Florida as a tourist haven, which it is in parts, but most of Florida is rich with vegetation and animals. Even today, I live among Florida's wildlife, from snakes in my pool to alligators on the golf course. While these animals are really just "pests" in my life, they could make or break a family like Jody's. I gained a new appreciation for what life was like for the pioneers who tried to carve a life in Florida's unforgiving land.
My only complaint about The Yearling is that it is very descriptive - perhaps to a fault. You must really like to read about nature to enjoy this story. If you do, I would highly recommend Marjorie Rawlings's inspirational and historical tale. (
)- Location:home
- Mood: cheerful
Midnight in the Garden of Good and EvilBy John Berendt
Completed September 2, 2007
Reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is like taking a stroll down a Southern city street. You're certain to see beautiful homes, interesting characters and Southern manners. Your ears attune to the lovely drawls and more than likely, stories about neighbors (never gossip, just neighborly news, bless their hearts). It's a smorgasbord of delight for the senses, and you can't help but smile - even when the stroll is over.
John Berendt did a wonderful job depicting the small-town charms of the big city of Savannah. High society is huge in this Georgia city, and Berendt masterfully tells their stories of parties, secrets and manners. While most of this book is about the murder trial of one of Savannah's wealthiest, Jim Williams, it also touches on many themes: Savannah's restoration of its historical places, racial relations, homosexuality and voodooism. Those of you who many have seen the film adaptation of this book got only one dose of this book (the trial). While the writer focuses on the trial for a large portion of this book, the rest is an interesting look into what makes Savannah's high society tick. Admittedly, the story moves a little slow in some parts, but you hardly mind when wrapped up so warmly into this story.
The characters will make you laugh and sneer in disgust. The houses will make you envious. The trial will leave you frustrated. And Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil will leave you satisfied - like any good story should. (
)- Location:home
- Mood: nostalgic
“Well, let me think,” I said. “Would the fact that the servant I brought to the marriage has borne him a son, and that this creature is allowed to run loose in the house like a wild animal, would that be, in your view, sufficient cause for a wife to despise her husband?”
He shrugged. “Mrs. Gaudet, there are many such cases. This cannot be unknown to you.”
“That is precisely my grievance,” I explained. “That it is common.” (page 38)
What is property? Is it a tangible thing you own? Or could it be something else – a spirit, a soul, a sense of freedom? In her Orange Prize-winning novel, Property, Valerie Martin explored the essence of property, ownership and freedom, using slavery and antebellum marriage to examine these themes.
Manon Gaudet is a young wife in a loveless marriage to a bankrupt, cruel planter in 1828 Louisiana. As a wedding gift, Manon’s aunt gave her a young slave, Sarah, to accompany Manon to her new plantation home. Because of conventional marriage customs and rights of slavery, both women, in essence, become property to the same man. Sarah soon bore a son to Manon’s husband while Manon never reproduced. As time progressed, Manon’s hatred for her husband only equaled her disdain for her slave. She secretly wished for her husband’s death to free her from this entrapment.
Several things struck me as compelling in this book. First, Martin portrayed a historic look into the slave-holding South. It was not a time of wine and roses; times were harsh, the slavery system was immoral, and white and black Southerners lived in fear of each other. Each page of Property stayed true to these details.
Secondly, the relationship between Manon and Sarah was far from a sisterly one. While they were bound together by the same problem – ownership by the same man – they did not seek comfort from each other against their common plight. Furthermore, they did not see each other as rivals because they did not yearn for the man’s attention. Instead, they hated each other – perhaps because each was a reminder of the life in which each woman was forced to live.
Intelligent, engaging, historical and rivoting - Property kept me at the edge of my seat, and I completed this book in two sittings. Admittedly, if you put a hoop skirt on the main character, it usually captures my attention. However, this book provided so much more than hoop skirts – it was a gritty story about the power and destruction of when one human tries to control another. This is a must-read for readers who enjoy antebellum Southern fiction, women’s studies and stories about slavery. I will certainly be looking for more books by this gifted storyteller. (