Monday, October 24, 2011
So much to read....so little time.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
For shame....
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Incendiary means "capable of causing fire" (#34)...
The story follows an unnamed woman's life as it is torn apart by the senseless killing of her husband and son (in what is categorized as a terrorist attack in London, UK, in a football stadium). Her uneducated and somewhat simplistic, but brutally honest and viscerally emotional letter to Osama Bin Laden, detailing her life prior to and following this tragedy is heart wrenching and life changing. Her loss, on a variety of levels, is palpable in every word, every paragraph and on every page. The reader can absolutely choke on her pain as it is slowly revealed through her evident frailty. My heart broke as I imagined the sadness of this fictional character and then all of those women, mothers, and fellow human beings who lost loved ones in time of war; at home or overseas. This book is not for the faint of heart, but it is filled with heart, and I highly recommend it to all.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Finished the Dragon Tattoo series...and...etc....(onto #33)
For special number 32 I read the silliest book imaginable. That is I finished 'Chasing Harry Winston' by Lauren Weisberger. Honestly, I don't have one bad word to say about this book. Certainly not winning any literary awards, but delightful nonetheless and a profound experience for me. Let me explain before it seems as though I had a 'CTJ' moment from a piece of women's fiction/romance. One of the characters is 29ish and finds out that her younger sister, who coincidentally is married, is pregnant. It isn't until she is on the phone with a good friend that she is able to express how difficult this experience is emotionally. That she is overjoyed to learn of her sister's expecting, but struggles with how she has somewhat fallen behind in this regard. She is able to move past these feelings of pain to really come into her own (no, I am not a fan of that expression...however, it suits the situation). She is empowered enough to tell a creepy old boyfriend to buzz off and feel content with what she does have (friendship, work, etc.). Although told in an entirely dramatic and playful fashion, something about her revelations and experiences really spoke to me. In other words, there was most definitely a reason why I picked up this book. I would categorize this book as good for: 1. a vacation (beach read), 2. a post break-up time period or 3. snuggling up inside on a cold winter day. Just the sweet treat I was craving.
Reading 'Looking for Alaska' by John Green directly following was like a proverbial splash of cold water in my face. Being introduced to YA fiction by my mother has been nothing short of a divine intervention. Most of the YA fiction I have read as of late has been more intelligent and filled with emotional depth than the adult fiction I have perused. This book is sorrowful, brilliant and thought provoking. The characters are engaging, charming and bring about a compassion that I haven't experienced as of late while reading. Mr. Green is a skilled story teller and I found myself laughing aloud and then with tears in my eyes a few pages later. His gentle handling of youth, friendship and death is beyond what I have experienced in any fiction as of late, YA or otherwise. The interactions between the characters (their dialogue) is brilliant and fascinating. I implore anyone and everyone to pick this one up. Its a quick read, but one that will, without question, stay with you. Happy Holidays...
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
So much to say...so much to say....(FINALLY #'s 27, 28, 29 and 30).
1. The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
2. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
4. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
In 'The Abstinence Teacher', Perrotta weaves a tale predominantly involving two characters in the suburb of Stonewood Heights, single mother Ruth Ramsay, the sex ed teacher at the local high school, and Tim, a reformed drug addict belonging to the Tabernacle of the Gospel Truth. Ramsey's liberal beliefs as she espouses them in her sex ed class are vilified by the Tabernacle members and they wage a pseudo crusade against Ruth. As seems to be the case these days around suburbs throughout our fair country, the school agrees to an abstinence curriculum and forces Ruth to adopt the same. Ruth struggles between adopting these antiquated, conservative and somewhat harmful lessons whilst trying to contend with the religious fervor spreading throughout the school and even infecting her daughter's soccer team. Tim's struggle to remain sober and a strong member of the church make him a sympathetic and interesting character all at once. Both characters are intense and multi-dimensional, so their eventual relationship (whatever it may turn into) is somewhat predictable in its surprising flavor. I found the book to be scary, interesting, frustrating and humorous. Definitely an interesting read for those with an open mind and a liberal spirit.
On to 'The Bean Trees'.... I cannot seem to say enough about Ms. Kingsolver. She has a talent for telling a story quite unlike any author I have ever come into contact with. She takes the most outlandish characters and events and makes them instantly likable and easy to relate to. She does this through wit, with intelligence and a ton of heart. Taylor, one of the main characters, leaves Kentucky to escape a life plagued with babies and tires...only to find herself a baby and a job with tires. Taylor finds herself in Tucson, Arizona at an outfit called Jesus Is Lord Used Tires, run by a woman named Mattie. Along for the ride in Taylor's beat-up VW Bug is Turtle, an abandoned Cherokee child who has clearly been abused and neglected. It isn't far into the novel when we meet Lou Ann, Taylor's neurotic but lovable neighbor who also ran away from Kentucky, only to find herself pregnant with a dead beat husband. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book and found myself utterly charmed with how Turtle and Lou Ann change and shape Taylor's life; teaching her powerful lessons along the way. Ms. Kingsolver has a way of taking simple vocabulary and complex characters and making an unforgettable and life changing story. I enjoyed every last word and was absolutely heart broken to reach the end. A must read!
I can clearly review 'Catching Fire' and 'Mockingjay' together. I am wary to review these books as I do not want to take away any one's delight in reading these pieces of young adult fiction. If you are not reading this series (The Hunger Games series) because of the 'young adult' category, then you are surely missing out on something really wonderful. Ms. Collins uses science fiction and fanciful tales to illustrate a story that is laden with social and political implications. She is absolutely brilliant, no question. These books have so much to say about media, government, protection of the people, racism, discrimination, sexism, and, of course...love. Each book is exciting and note worthy on its own and leaves you hungering for more (no pun intended)...even the last of the series. I was disappointed when it ended not because it wasn't told to a seriously good finale, but because I yearned for more. If you are turned off by the YA status...I implore you to 'get over yourself' and go for it...you will not be let down.
I am currently finishing the 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' series and 'Incendiary'...
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Almost there...and not quite (#'s 23, 24, 25 and 26)
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake: Aimee Bender -My sadness came when this book drew to a conclusion. Ironically, I read it nearly at the same time as my sister and we had radically different points of view and feelings on the book itself and then the ending. As far as I'm concerned, Ms. Bender is skill full in devising a magical tale, focused around Rose Edelstein, a little girl (in third grade at the beginning of this story) who can literally taste the emotions in those who prepare her food. She discovers this skill/curse when she 'tastes' her mother's sadness and dissatisfaction in life in the lemon cake made explicitly for her birthday. This tale is woven skillfully by Bender as Rose grows up and her life is affected profoundly by this revelation. The description of the family and their emotional handicaps is nothing short of beautiful and makes it evident that Bender has a serious talent for delving into the human soul. Although the ending might be beyond the believability quotient for most, I implore any to read this tale. Even if the specifics seem fantastical, Bender's writing and understanding of the human psyche make the 304 pages fly by without an awareness of length/time.
The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins I was shocked to find out that this book is categorized for young adults. Not so much for the writing itself, but the profound concepts behind the science fiction like story. Never, in my opinion, has a tougher female character, been more inherently likable. Katniss is a brave young woman faced with task of participating in these horrifying, gladiator like games, in a post-apocalyptic world in order to save her younger sister (Prim) from the same fate. There is so much to say about this book that I don't know where to start without giving it away. The book has the boy meets girl (in a death game), girl maybe loves two boys (Peeta versus Gale), component and then spirals quickly into a tale that leads to questions about what we, as humans, are capable of. The most amazing part of the story for me was that it wasn't beyond plausible reasoning that the human race could indeed get to this point one day. In other words, regress to Roman times when this sort of human sacrifice provided entertainment for the masses. Without giving away too much information on this wonderful book, I can only say that I was deeply disappointed at the cliffhanger ending and cannot wait to read the second book in the series (the continuation). So, along those lines, to be continued...
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Stieg Larsson- I suppose this book or series of books needs no real introduction as they are all the rage right now. Once I finished the first in the series, I can see why. Not only did the books remind me of my time in Sweden (familiar names, areas, etc.) but I was astounded when thinking of how the now deceased author's life was profoundly affected by the Swedish government as his characters experienced the same. I literally could not put this book down. I read it from cover to cover on the plane ride home from Spain. I intended to nap but didn't want to miss an opportunity to take in every word, line and page I could grab prior to disembarking. It turns out that was every page until the very last. This novel is exciting, mysterious, funny, beautiful and scary. The implications about government, socialism, religion, sexual abuse, relationships and media are outrageous and painfully true on so many levels. I find myself desperate to discover the essence/source of Lisbeth Salander's pain and anger and more excited to know what trouble she gets herself into in the second book of this three book series. I am only troubled to know that this talented writer passed before his time and didn't have the chance to bless us with additional writing(s).
However Tall the Mountain: A Dream, Eight Girls, and a Journey Home: Awista Ayub- This book tells of the true story of a group of girls from Afghanistan and their introduction to American soccer. It is a tale of cultural differences, discrimination (sexual and ethnic), and ultimately, self-awareness and transformation. Though I found the jump in character descriptions to be confusing at times, the overall story warmed my heart and inspired me to continue my work advocating for girls/women's rights around the globe. I was motivated by their bravery and passion in the face of extreme hatred, poverty, and fear mongering. It also gave me a serious sense of appreciation for that which I have available to me and the freedoms which I am permitted in this wonderful country. Though sexual discrimination certainly exists in this country, it is clearly not of the same magnitude. I was allowed to study, work and dream big about my future. I can only wish that we will, over time, give women around the world (particularly in these regions of the world) something that they can truly hope for and is within their reach (success, happiness, etc.). Every woman should read this story, but without question, so should every man.