Little Star- Children's Lit.

By Anthony DeStefano

This is an offering from Christian author Anthony DeStefano that explains how the star upon the Christmas Tree connects to the birth of Jesus. We begin with a young boy talking with his father about the Christmas Star. He explains, as we zoom out into the universe, that all of the stars are excited about the foretold birth of the King and begin getting ready for the big event and the promised "reward" from God for being the brightest shining star on the night of the King's birth. Our overlooked Little Star gets no dusting from the comets and is ignored, as usual, for being so very small. He has no chance of being noticed, or so he thinks.

When baby Jesus is born the other stars think there must be some mistake. This little baby, born in a manger, couldn't possibly be a king. Kings are born to power and riches. It is only Little Star that understands the true message of humility and connection with the poorest and smallest of humanity being the reason for his birth being as it was. The message is lovely and though the initial entry into this star world seems a bit contrived and "far out," forgive me, when the connection to the real message is made, it produces the warmth and glow one hopes for in a Christmas story. Of course, our Little Star burns the brightest, sadly burning himself out, but he is remembered on top of our Christmas trees each year.

I felt an affection for Little Star and most children will respond to him as well. We'll all felt overlooked and unimportant at times, so he is relatable. The story makes a meaningful connection for children to understand the symbolism of the Christmas Star to the birth of Jesus, which many Christian families will appreciate. I can see this being a read aloud that families and children's church ministries will turn to year after year.

In addition to the text, the illustrations play a very important role in this picture book. The muted colors of the illustrations, by Mark Elliot, show contrast and make the eventual bright glow of Little Star, as he warms the manger, even more powerful. I also appreciated the expression brought to both the stars and the humans in the story.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors

By Piers Paul Read

I remember seeing the movie "Alive" during the year I graduated from high school. It was one of those movies that I wouldn't forget- the story of surviving the plane crash on the Andes mountains was just too captivating. A couple of months ago I was flipping through the channels and caught the last third of it. I still remember the disheartening feeling once Parrado and his expeditionary friend Canessa crest that 13,000 foot peek and see before them a seemingly endless journey. It made me want to know more about the men that could survive this. How could they carry on under such terrible conditions with so little strength and only the tiniest hopes of making it?

I decided to order it from the library and what was delivered was a book older than I am, published a year before I was born. The green, 70's library binding complete with, uhm, well-loved pages didn't make a snuggly read to drag into bed with me, but still, my bed's seen worse! SOOOO just kidding on that... But into bed it has gone with me for a while now and though it has a documentary, non-fiction feel to it, I think that really was the most fitting style to retell a story like this.

The reason the book is always better than the movie is so much about the details and this book gave them to the reader- letters written to family members on the plane, the actual methods of survival including a more in-depth, though not gory, look at the cannibalism that took place from logistics to palatability to morale and spiritual rationals, and the resourcefulness of the group. The squabbles, the sleeping arrangements, the justifications for food rationing portions based on output for the group or lameness, the physical problems that each faced along with what others did or did not do to help. It really was an account that gave the reader a real look at what it meant to make it during that time.

Nobody is painted as a perfect hero like the movie tended to do, but many had moments of heroism, some more grand than others and almost all had failings, as would be expected. Failings physically, mentally and spiritually. And yet, the overwhelming feeling I was left with was how profound God had been in their lives, well, at least for most. The miracle of their survival was incredible and it was not lost on most of them.

I also found myself wondering about the story after the rescue and the book did not disappoint. From coping with the press to recovering from the mental and physical tole, the reunions with family members to the piercing horror of the dead's families at what had happened to their loved ones. The saddest stories were the ones that had survived the initial crash, suffered terribly and then had later been killed in the avalanche. Cap that off with knowing that they'd then been eaten for survival (though they understood why) and you've got a pretty disturbing picture of how your loved one ended his time on this planet. But, still so much beauty and grace even in that understanding...

"The mothers showed similar courage. Some saw their dead sons in the survivors, for it was not difficult to understand that if their children had stayed alive and the others had died, the same thing would have happened; and that if all forty-five had survived the accident and avalanche, all forty-five would now be dead. They could imagine, too, the mental and physical anguish suffered by the survivors. All they wished now was that they should forget what they had been through. After all, it was not the sons or brothers or parents of their friends that they had eaten to survive. They had been already in heaven."

70 days. They survived for 70 days in the Andes mountains. And 2 men walked out to save them all. That is a miracle and it is no less awe-inspiring nearly 40 years after it happened.

Don't Die Little Blog!

So, I have started several books lately and have put them all down. A change in jobs will do that to you. I began "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "A Clockwork Orange" and "The Education of Little Tree" and they all sit, but the book I'm reviewing I read in one sitting. I realize that the typical books reviewed here are pleasure reading books, but since nobody has been posting for ages, I figured I'd just go ahead and throw something out there. I don't want this little blog to shrivel away. Not sure why, so much, except maybe that the changes in life over the last month have been so surprising and life-altering that I still want to feel connected to something above letter sounds and beginning reading strategies with rhyming words, calendars and patterning. Oh, I love this stuff, but I also mourn a bit, leaving the library. So, anyway...

"The Daily 5" by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser is almost biblical in it's use in the school district I work in, if you happen to be a classroom teacher. I've heard amazing things and I was eager to read it so I could start envisioning how I would implement this practice into my Kindergarten classroom. My class is an interesting group behaviorally and academically. They are challenging, though they've made significant progress in the past 2 weeks. As I read this book, I felt hopeful and also intimidated. Baby steps, I suppose.

Basically I am going to be teaching the kids exactly what each step of the Daily 5 will look like- we'll be creating anchor charts to show what read to self, read to someone, listening to reading, writing, and word work will look like, what the expectations should be, and building stamina in making these things happen so we can become excellent readers. Mini lessons, independent practice and coming together to review, then repeat with the next section (which the kids get to chose the order of things they'll do once it is rolling). Sounds doable-ish. I appreciate that the sequence is broken down in the back with what, and how, to teach to get things started. I like that the charts we'll make together will show what the students should be doing and what I, the teacher, will be doing. I think having the students know my purpose will be most beneficial. My job will be to work with students, not to manage behavior (that is their job, God help me!).

Though I am feeling, as a new job always feels, overwhelmed, I am hopeful. I LOVE teaching early literacy. I mean, I seriously love it. I knew I was where I belonged when I nestled up next to the students in our bitchin' reading nook during our work station rotations (which will be sectioned up as read to self and word work in the future when I implement the Daily 5) and they were reading to me from the class mini-book we made and had worked with, tracking the words correctly (not really reading, but approximating), looking up at the illustrations to get help with what those words might be and seeing them finish, beaming with joy that they had done it. They don't have their sounds mastered yet, but they were really trying. Even my most challenging student was successful and he was brave in his attempt. It filled me with a sense of fulfillment and comfort that I am supposed to be in the classroom. I just wish I could know it all NOW and be the teacher I know I can be NOW, but I have to give myself time. I'll get there and I WILL get the Daily 5 going in the next few weeks. It's some good stuff.

A Pure Clear Light

Meh. That pretty much sums up how I felt about this book. I am not even sure exactly why I picked it, but I did. I had hope, in the beginning, that I would find this witty throughout, but what started as playful conversations started to feel forced and false. Maybe it because this is British literature and the conversations were light and polite, so foreign to my own experience? The characters, a wife and husband with a happy enough marriage, never fully developed into anything. The husband starts an affair and the wife explores religion. She doesn't really find it or any truth, just pokes around for what seems more like a place to belong, not something to believe in. Not much else to mention, I am sad to say. There is not even any sort of climax to the plot. It just ends with things as they are- carry on.

This is a book I should have just quit. Normally I would have, but somehow I feel a certain obligation to this little blog and want to finish something and write about it. But I am giving that up. If I get a few chapters in and I feel bored and have no connection I am going to put the thing down and walk away. Life is too short, there are too many GREAT books to read to waste time on something that gives me nothing.

I am not going to review the other one I recently read "The Lady of the Lake," by Mavis Amundson, as it was more of a true crime leaflet than a book. I only read it because it was at the cabin of the lake we were staying at and the dead body had been found in that very lake. Ooooooo, spooky.

My next adventure is going to be some Victor Hugo. My best friend gave me a beautiful book featuring Hunchback and Les Mis, which I just unpacked, so it seems like a great choice. I need some ol' reliable quality literature right now. I am disenchanted.

Disgrace

I picked this book out of a huge pile I ordered from the library. It won the Booker Prize in 1999, which was the same prize "Possession: A Romance," by A.S. Byatt, won earlier, which piqued my interest. The plot sounded promising- an aging college professor in South Africa becomes involved with one of his students and, through his refusal to defend himself properly (out of a sense of pride), David is discharged from his post in disgrace.

He then goes out into the country to stay with his lesbian daughter Lucy where she is trying to make a life for herself on a farm. It is a dangerous prospect, being a woman, alone, in this environment. Her neighbor, Petrus, claims the land beside her and they work Lucy's plot together. David, our professor, volunteers to help Bev, Lucy's friend, in a make-shift animal hospital, which is a place people bring their animals at the end- whether sick or simply unwanted, to be humanely ushered onto the next life. In this post-apartheid environment, there is still much resentment and anger to be satiated. In a robbery of her home, Lucy is violated horrifically while her father is helpless to save her. In the aftermath, he struggles to understand Lucy's decision to stay in this unsafe environment. She decides to pay whatever tax she must to stay in this place that she feels she belongs.

So, how did I like it? Well, honestly, I felt a bit underwhelmed, though it touched on many topics of importance and had valuable things to say. It was an easy read, with language and a cadence in a simplistic flow that made the pages turn. There were moments of poignancy, but so much in this book felt muted. It grazed on topics, but did not delve into the depth that they seemed to warrant. Is it because the English sensibility is so much more reserved than the American one? Is it because the story is told by a character of little depth himself, which caused the story to feel flatter than it might if told from another character's perspective?

The thread that had the biggest impact on me was the vulnerability of women and their dependence on men, men that can protect them or harm them, which ran throughout the book. Often we are desperate to be "equal" and while I do believe we have the same WORTH as men, that does not mean we are the same or that the balance of power is even. We see the imbalance when the professor presses himself onto a young student (not physical force, but an abuse of his position as a teacher), when Lucy is violated, and when she accepts the protection of her neighbor as a necessity (though this is her decision, to accept it, so, in some ways, she claims her power in that at least). The physical strength men possess and the natural violence that simmers in some, put our Lucy in her place and it hurts. The powerlessness hurts.

There were other aspects of this book that had meaning and I do consider it to have merit, but would I recommend it? Probably not. There are so many books, limited time, and I don't think this one will sit with me beyond the first pages of my next book.

Finishing Possession

By A.S. Byatt

Well, I said I would do my own review when I finished (why did I say that?). Anything I might say would be inadequate to express what this book made me feel. Hope, tragedy, complexity, love, regret, sadness, relief- all such commonplace words for an extraordinary book with so many layers of human understanding and characters that lived for me in their gradiated honesty.

I find myself thinking of countless things I could say, but it is almost like writing anything would warrant writing everything and I just can't. I will say that I loved it. I am gratefully for the ending- sweet, but not saccharine. Satisfying and whole.

This book, as Dan said, was an experience, a powerful one. I am so glad to have read it and it won't leave me anytime soon.

Possession by A.S. Byatt

Boy. This is one of those tough reviews to write because there is just too much and not enough to say, all at the same time. I've played with words in my head but it's hard to not have the whole review just be thirty different ways to say "this is a great book." Those kind of glowing, vague, hyperbole-laden reviews are uninteresting and unhelpful, but with a book like "Possession" its hard to go beyond that without going over the 20 page mark. But a blog must be written, so - with the clear caveat that this is certainly a book that must be read to be appreciated, and with full apologies that this review is bound to be general, effusive, and glowingly unclear - here it goes.
"Possession" is a stunning book. It is a bit wordy, very British, a little rambling, a tad over-intellectual...but perfect in all those "flaws," and probably because of them. I will not bother with any sort of plot summary, as it could never be done justice. The book's plots (it has several plots that run parallel to one another) are those kind of plots that seem unremarkable and even dull when they are simply rehashed...there are no car chases (though, almost), no flaming nights of passion (though, almost), no shipwrecks (though, again, almost...this is actually getting kind of weird); they are literary plots, internal, subtle - but brilliant, and alive, and character-driven in the best possible way. They are the kind of plots that carry you along not with a hook and jerk, but with the steady and irresistible pull of the human heart toward truth and understanding.
The author - who, if I ever met her, I would not be able to think of thing to say to out of sheer intimidation - pulls off such a feat of writing, storytelling and character development that it nearly drives this aspiring writer to despair. She writes in numerous voices, styles and eras and pulls it all off absolutely convincingly. And her thematic content is profound, delicate, intangible...but she gets it across, both her questions and her answers, with the closest thing to true clarity that one could hope for.
This is the kind of book that resonates in your mind and quiet places, the kind that lives in the back of your thoughts on the days you are reading it and, I'm sure, intends to stay there long after. It says so much about love, and life, and identity and possession (the title is very apt), so much about our limits and how we can strive for something beautiful despite them. It has romance, tragedy, resolution, despair, redemption...but it is all done quietly, with great care, and it leaves behind both quiet golden places of peace and hard, unequivocal stones of sadness.
This is just the worst, most unsatisfying review. It is already too long, and yet it says almost nothing. Sigh.
I'll take a couple more stabs. Reading this book - and I've only read a few books I'd say this about - was very much an experience. The slow unfolding of the story, the living and breathing and losing and loving of the characters, the stumble toward truth and understanding...it was something felt as a reader, something almost lived through, rather than merely observed and noted. It is a true, bleeding slice of the human experience, in all its failures. It does not take, I think, a hopeful view of people, or even of love (again, reference the title); there is, arguably, not a single functional, healthy relationship in the book. But there is truth in that dark view, and even human hope in the constant struggle for something better. We are all broken, in our own ways, the author seems to say...but just calling something broken implies that there is such a thing as "whole," and that therefore we can find redemption, perhaps, in seeking that wholeness together. We may fail...but there is the trying. An excerpt, from near the end, that sums this up well (and gives a taste of the author's power of language): "In the morning, the whole world had a strange new smell. It was the smell of the aftermath, a green smell, a smell of shredded leaves and oozing resin, of crushed wood and splashed sap, a tart smell, which bore some relation to the smell of bitten apples. It was the smell of death and destruction and it smelled fresh and lively and hopeful."
Will everyone like this book? No. Some will yawn and think it boring. Some will actually hate it, I'm sure. Its heavy and thick and has absolutely no gunpowder. It is not for a Da Vinci Code reader (and I don't mean that to be critical...any reading is good reading). But for lovers of literature, this is the book...both because it IS literature, and because it deals so much with literature as a topic and a passion and a human expression. This book is about how we define ourselves, our world, and each other. It is a book for thoughtful grown-ups.
I have far too many books to read, whole shelves full of books waiting for my attention...but as much as I hate to say it, "Possession" might be one I have to take the time to read again.

Possession- up to Pg. 360

I can't quite contain myself any longer. MUST TALK about this book!!! Now please, please, if you've not read this far in yet, don't read what I am going to say here until you have because I am going to spoil you rotten and that would be such a travesty to steal the joy from you that this book has to offer.

This doesn't happen to me all that often that I start to feel consumed by a story, where I am stealing away as many extra minutes as I can because I am so anxious to find out more. But "Possession" has taken hold of me!

First, I relished the trip that Roland and Maud took to retrace the steps of Ash's journey, reading the writing of our 2 masters to find glimpses of evidence to show if Christabel might have been there too. What an exciting journey- the brooch in itself felt like a revelation, but to have the author melt us into the real life time of Randolph and Christabel was such a surprise that, at first, I didn't even realize what was happening. Brilliant! Both Roland and Maud have an other-timeliness about them that the train ride seemed that it could be those 2 contemporaries, riding together, but no, it wasn't. It was Christabel and Randolph! It almost seemed like we were cheating, getting to be there with them when our Maud and Roland would never share the same privilege, but what a gift for the readers.

I honestly was so moved by the pain and duplicity of emotions the coming together of Christabel and Randolph brought. It seemed so sad and honest- not a celebration of love at all, but a resigning to the destiny of it, it seemed, with each knowing they were for each other, but that circumstances would never grant them a true life together. It felt tragic, with no true bliss in their time together for the end was always looming. It was just as inevitable as the beginning.

Then, we're back in the present world where Wolff, Cropper and Blackadder (what a great name) become key players, sucking the trail laid by Roland and Maud. Of course, the mighty dollar (or pound in this case) becomes a key player as well, as the letters, revealing so much are now to be purchased. And here I have left off, with Roland and Maud about to escape to France. I have so much hope for them.

I am so very eager to get back to it, but I just had to spurt my excitement somewhere and what place is more perfect that our little blog? :)

The Truth About Horses, Friends, & My Life as a Coward

Another Sasquatch nominee for 2011.

"Amy," you say, "aren't you supposed to be packing?"

My response is simply, shove it. And yes, I am. I am procrastinating people. Everybody does it. I also did laundry, finished this book, played swords with the boys, went to the store, read some of "Possession" (which is getting SOOOO good, btw), and am baking a delicious dinner, all in the name of procrastination. I HATE packing and I don't want to move. Pbbbbttt!

On to the review! I have to say, I really enjoyed this one (I think I say that a lot after I've I read something). Written by a fearful, math-hating librarian, this book is plain ol' fun. Hilarious, with stories that feel alive, we come to learn that horses have distinct personalities, just like people. They can be fun and frustrating, sweet and crotchety, again, just like people!

Our Sophie, first person narrator, is forced into horse ownership by an artistic mother with fantasies of the perfect girlhood horse riding experience for her 2 daughters. Too bad they start off with a nasty little pony named Really, which they decide is short for "Really Mean" after she shows her true colors. She won't be ridden and attaching her to a cart results in quite a hilarious story for our fearful Sophie.

Plagued by girls at school with moon-eyed dreams of horses wanting to befriend her only for the chance to ride, Sophie does her best to scare them off with stories of horror at the hands of Really the pony and manages to take care of most of them, but not Melissa, a brave, bold young lady that becomes the perfect friend for Sophie. She has courage enough for both of them. As 2 other horses are added to the family, and Sophie takes riding lessons, we start to see her emerge from a self-declared scaredy cat into a horse rider with a little confidence. She works on developing meaningful friendships throughout the story and we get a peek into her relationships with family (both sane and nutty).

And boy, are there a lot of GREAT horse stories in here. This author knows how to make the stories appear in your mind like you're sitting right there, watching it happen. They are so descriptive and funny that you really wish you could be there! This one is going to be a hit with the girls, no doubt about it. I think the stories hold up enough to entertain the boys too, but the subject matter and almost all girl cast will likely be a turn-off for many of the male crew.

I am excited to book talk this one to the kids. Many a girl has had equestrian dreams and this book will give them a little more realistic view of horse ownership, in addition to being a book about developing friendships.

He-he! I just got to use the word "equestrian."

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

I picked this book up for an inauspicious reason: I wasn't interested in it, and didn't care if I ruined it. I was heading into the mountains for a backpacking trip and wanted a book that was light, small, paperback, and expendable. "Good Omens," by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, was the perfect candidate; it was lent to me years ago by a now-disgraced and reviled ex-boyfriend of my sister-in-law...I would be perfectly happy using it as toilet paper if the need arose (and on a backpacking trip, it just might).
It is a happy surprise that the book turned out to be one of the more fun, entertaining, original and clever stories I've read in quite some time.
The authors are both famous in their own right (Neil Gaiman as a fantasy/comic book/modern myth writer - including Newbery Award winner "The Graveyard Book," which I've already reviewed - and Terry Pratchett as a Science Fiction author) who wrote this book collaboratively on somewhat of a whim. As they explain in the lengthy afterword, it was written before email, so they would literally talk on the phone, take turns writing the next few passages, and then send the manuscript back and forth to each other in the mail...pretty remarkable. What they miraculously came up with has turned into something of a cult favorite and commercially/critically successful modern classic of sorts.
The premise, boiled clumsily down, goes something like this: the Angel who originally guarded the Garden of Eden (Aziraphale) and the demon who tempted Eve (Crowley) have lived on Earth among men ever since, casually doing their respective evil and good duties; they've developed, over the thousands of years, two things: a friendly camaraderie and mutual appreciation, and a grudging love for the planet and us flawed beings who live here. So when they discover that the Antichrist has been born and Armageddon is approaching, they decide to band together to derail the plans and save the world so they can continue to enjoy it. Its a fun premise, and it is executed perfectly. The book is a rollicking, irreverent, non-stop comedic adventure full of wit, hilarity, memorable characters, and a surprising amount of heart and sensitivity. Although it drips with satire and sarcasm, the book has a beating heart; it is actually, in its amusing and charming way, quite thought-provoking, articulate and intelligent in the questions it raises about morality, ethics, religion, and humanity.
It was, in short, a great read, and one I'd enthusiastically recommend. In one fell swoop it upgraded that erstwhile ex-boyfriend from "useless ass, best forgotten" to "useless ass, best forgotten, who once lent me a pretty great book."
I'm keeping the book.

Possession by A.S. Byatt : 200 Pages In

Since this is one that we are all reading, I thought it might be good for us to share some impressions and reflections as we go along. This post...written as I reach the 200 page mark...is an effort in that direction. Some of you may not be as far as I am yet (or all you all already done?), so I'll be sure to avoid any "spoilers" or detailed plot points.
Now...if you haven't started yet, don't get put off by how I begin this review; it will seem to start negative, but I promise it ends well.
As I began this book and worked through the first 30-50 pages, I began to remember exactly why I don't generally like contemporary British fiction. In my experience, it seems to be overly wordy, unconscionably lengthy, and intolerably loaded with obscure references and allusions. This book, in the beginning, was no exception. Byatt's guiding premise seemed to be, "why say something with 100 words when I could use 1,000?" He packed references to classical literature and art in cheek-to-jowl, and I found myself sighing and eyeing the clock as I read. Honestly, that first 30 pages felt like they could've been accomplished in under 10.
That being said...I'm very glad I soldiered on. I soon found myself utterly absorbed in the two parallel plots (one contemporary, one historical) and their gradual coming together, and was also surprisingly taken with and interested in the four main characters (Roland, Maud, Christabel, and Randolph Ash). I was also, considering my biases, increasingly impressed with the author's skill in weaving the four characters and two plots together so convincingly and compellingly together, and in his ability to make a fairly sedate and cerebral plot seem so vibrant and intriguing. In short, I got hooked. Between pages 50 and 200 "Possession" transformed from a book that was a bit of a chore to read to one that I didn't want to put down.
So, well done, A.S. Byatt. You got me. I'll deal with the extraneously detailed descriptions in order to uncover the plot, and I'll fight through the deluge of archaic allusions to spend more time with those characters. I'm really and truly looking forward to the next 350 pages.

The Missing: Book 1 Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

This book is another children's novel, and again is a nominee for this year's Sasquatch (kid's choice) Award.
"Found" is the first book in a new series...and its an attention-grabber, to be sure. The book opens with a passenger jet arriving unscheduled in the middle of the night at an airport; there is no pilot, no record of the flight, no crew - and the only living things on the plane are babies, one to each seat.
It's a good opener, and the book continued to hold my interest from there. The pacing is good, the tension and forward plot momentum is sustained, and the characters are believable and realistic. Kids who are confident readers will not want to put this book down, and it also scores points for being one of those rare gems that will appeal equally to boy and girl readers. I don't want to give too much away, but suffice it to say that this book falls into the "X-files" genre of fantasy/science fiction: the truth is out there and, yes, it does involve both time travel, sinister clandestine organizations, and a government conspiracy. Its good, gripping, page-turning writing.
My only fault with the book would be its length; although 314 pages is not over the top, it's really the fact that the length is just gratuitous. There seemed to be a lot of unnecessary filler and details in the book that could/should have been edited out. It almost seemed like the author or publisher just wanted a fat-looking book, and padded the story accordingly. I think this book could have weighed in at a more kid-friendly 250 pages and been even more brisk and captivating.
That's just personal preference, though; at the end of the day, this was a book that I really enjoyed reading, and one that I know my students will enjoy reading as well. Now it's just a matter of waiting for Book 2...

New Contributor

I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome another contributor to our Literate Librarian blog. Candida, or Dida to the lay person ;), is my best girl friend in the whole wide world. Smart, funny, loving, passionate, dedicated, and beautiful from epidermis to soul... How is that for an endorsement? Dida lives in the Seattle area with her hubby, mothers 2 spritely boys, is educated in many things and is an avid reader. She has a passion for bringing gardens to schools and improving the quality of school food through these gardens. She is very environmentally conscious and also has mad miming skills. I know Dida will bring a unique perspective to our group and I look forward to reading her first blog post.

Welcome Candida- blog away my friend!

42 Miles- Children's Lit

By Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Another Sasquatch nominee. First, let me say, that I didn't feel the cover spoke to the book. The cover invoked some sort of traveling adventure and frankly, the slightly sullen look of the girl, while somewhat fitting, didn't really hit the content and makes it look like a downer. I know how much a cover impacts our impressionable youth and I think this cover is going to make me work a whole lot harder to sell this book to the audience I think will enjoy it. The book does deal with some heavy subject matter, but there is a joy to it that isn't present on this cover. Yes, our students like "grown up," but not depressing. I liked this book too much for it to have that cover! I wish the cover mirrored some of the perfect illustrations, by Elaine Clayton, found inside the book.

So onto the content- this book is a beautiful collection of poetry that expresses the torn life of a young girl as she lives between her two households of her divorces parents. That isn't to say that she doesn't enjoy both lives, because she does, but it isn't ever on her terms. When she was born, her parents couldn't agree on a name, so they combined one, calling her JoEllen. So now she is Joey with her father on the farm and Ellen with her mother in the city. We get a lovely look at the life she shares with each and the love they share, along with a peek at the faults of each. But we also get how difficult it is to live in 2 worlds sometimes, with the quietness about the "other life" that is unspoken, but expected. We hear the anguish in the poem "Symmetry" of holidays divided- her life, like a hexagon in math class, split down the middle.

We also get to witness, through rich, sometimes sweet, sometimes slightly sour, poems about this 12 year old girl's life, her friends, the female school bully, school itself, her asthma (which shows a sweet tenderness between a father and daughter) and how she spends her leisure time with her parents. We get to enjoy the best of the city and the best of the farm as well. Zimmer's observations, filled with detail and insight, make the prose feel alive and genuine. The characters breathe because of her ability to capture small moments and find the truth in them and the settings are easy to picture. When describing the movie theater, we get to enjoy little details, relatable to kids, like

"There's a place in the carpet

that's so worn

it looks like a scraped knee.

And the gold tassels at the bottom

of the red velvet curtains

seem to unravel a bit more each week."

When Ellen/Joey gets an assignment at school to write an autobiography, she isn't sure what to write. Is she going to tell Ellen's story or Joey's? As her 13th birthday approaches, she begins to feel empowered and has the courage to try to start making her two lives meld. She decides to be JoEllen with both parents and makes attempts to start living her life on her own terms, like sometimes missing a weekend with Dad to do something special with her friends because she has always missed out on those events. She invites her friends to come out to the farm with her on another occasion, allowing people from each separate life to meet, becoming one life instead of 2. She has her birthday with everyone together and though it is uncomfortable for her parents, they do it out of love.

Though I truly loved the empowerment our young lady felt and the permission it gives others to try to live to live on their own terms, I did wonder if it presents just a bit too much of a fairy tale ending to divorce. I guess the parents don't get back together, so maybe it isn't truly "happily ever after," but I wonder how many kids would be let down by less mature parents when maybe trying the same thing?

I truly enjoyed this book- for it's beauty and for the content it offers our young readers. It makes a fine addition to the Sasquatch nominee list this year and I look forward to selling it, despite the droopy cover.

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

"The Graveyard Book" is yet another children's book, albeit an acclaimed one; it was the somewhat controversial winner of the 2008 Newbery Medal. The controversy stems from its darkness and gloom (certainly hinted at by its title); indeed, though I am not a roses-and-kittens kind of guy, I was a little taken aback by its darkness at first as well. The opening scene is the knife-murder of the protagonist's entire family as they sleep. I'm happy to say that that is as overtly violent as the book gets, and the book won me over quickly with its warm characterizations, novel concept, solid writing, and quick-paced, keeps-you-guessing plot.
The protagonist (who's real name we never actually discover) is the lone survivor of his family's murder when he's only two years old; he toddles innocently from the bloody house and wanders into a graveyard. The ghosts who inhabit the graveyard take him in, protect him from his bloody-knifed pursuer, and give him a name: Nobody Owens (the "Owens" part comes from the kindly old ghost couple who agree to act as his parents). He goes by Bod for short, and he is raised quite happily by the departed and deceased in the walled, overgrown, mostly forgotten English graveyard. Its a great concept, and Neil Gaiman (truly a master storyteller - he also wrote the creepy children's novel "Coraline," recently made into a 3D movie) develops the characters, plot and setting with great skill and affection. There's a lot more plot to it - mostly dealing with Bod's education and his quest to discover the truth about (and exact vengeance for) his family's murder - but it really is the concept and memorable cast of characters that carry this commendable read. Its a page-turner that I've been meaning to read since it came out, and I'm very glad I did. I can't wait to press it into the hands of mature readers, and I'll do so with confidence that they'll thank me later. Frankly I'm surprised that the committee selected it for the gold medal, though I do feel that it deserves it. It was a bold pick, quite a bit "out of the box," and I think they made the right choice. It's one I'll be thinking about for quite awhile, and one that I may even have to pick up down the road and read again.

Maya Running by Anjali Banerjee

"Maya Running" is another youth book, though not in this year's Sasquatch list. I picked it up at a writer's conference I was attending because the author was there doing a book signing.
The book is a quick read; it concerns mostly the struggles of growing up as a cultural minority (in this case, as an Indian immigrant in Canada), but has a mythical plot as well. The protagonist is an adolescent girl struggling with finding herself and her place stuck between two cultures; its typical adolescent stuff (boys, friends, body image, parents, identity), but Anjali Banejee handles it with deft sensitivity and humor. The voice of the protagonist (also the narrator) is believable and real, and her struggles and perspectives seem very authentic and true-to-life. The mythical plot is, strangely, almost an afterthought: the girl wishes for a new self, basically, and is granted that wish by a statue of the Hindu god Ganesh. That plot - which is introduced late in the book, and wrapped up rather quickly - has a standard, rather unremarkable "be careful what you wish for" message and isn't terribly compelling. It isn't a book I would recommend as required reading (or required purchasing for school libraries), but it is well written and fits comfortably in the adolescent, coming-of-age genre of youth literature. Girls struggling with identity - especially those also dealing with a culture clash - will certainly identify with the narrator and enjoy seeing "their" story convincingly related. It's "good-not-great," but the right reader would be sure to love it.

Leepike Ridge- Children's Lit

By N.D. Wilson

Following Dan's lead, I will review the 2011 Sasquatch nominees I read as well. I finished reading "Leepike Ridge" today and felt it was a read that will appeal to those that love adventure books. I have to say that it felt exciting most of the way through as our main character, Tom, ends up washed down a river on the foam packing from a recent refrigerator delivery and is swept under and into a mountain. He barely survives and ends up in a cavern with only a dead body to keep him company. Cozy. Eventually he is joined by Argus, a friendly dog, who thinks of Tom as a buddy and the dead body too (dead body makes for fun pullin'!). Eventually Tom ventures deeper into the mountain, nearly falling to his death riding a plummeting waterfall. Luckily he is caught in the net of Reg, a dude that has been trapped inside the mountain for 3 years, living on trash from the river and the crawdads he breeds.

Once we meet Reg, we discover that there are connections between him and Tom's dead father and the dead man in the previous cave is connected too, plus a cast of not-so-nice treasure hunters that are convinced that an ancient treasure lives within this mountain. Tom's mother has an unfortunate experience with this crew of slimeballs too.

There are other themes, like the prospect of having a step-father, but survival and adventure are the most explored. Reg provides some much needed humor, but it is a sarcastic humor with jokes that sometimes felt like they might not land with kids. There are some other times in the story where I felt that way- like saying that a character at the end "went to a remote part of Mexico, where he immediately drank the water." I get it and so will most grown ups, but I doubt that the vision of this character experiencing Montezuma's revenge will jump to mind for much of the youth of America. :) Too bad, because it is a nice image...

The pace was good and I can see reluctant readers responding to this, though I did find the climax so improbable that I found myself literally thinking "Yeah, right." It was a fun adventure and read easily, with no lulls in the story. Is it great? Nope, but it has it's place for pleasure reading and think it will be an easy sell to our adventure loving students.

Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen

This book is the real reason its been so long since I've added to this blog. This book is loooooong...even longer than its page count(892) indicates...but, in the end, probably worth the read. Let me elaborate.
"Shadow Country" is actually one story, split into three separate books, then combined in one volume. Sound confusing? Its actually this book's confusing development and path to its current state that got me interested enough to pick it up, as a writer and a reader. Peter Matthiessen originally wrote what is now "Shadow Country" as one gigantic tome. It is historical fiction, set in the wild Everglades frontier of Florida at the turn of the century, and details the death and life (in that order) of a fictional pioneer/planter/outlaw/murderer E.J. Watson. Publishers passed on it due its length (despite the fact that Mr. Matthiessen is a two-time National Book Award Finalist), and he was finally persuaded to break the story into three separate books, to be published individually. He rewrote it as three books, they were published, and they enjoyed critical and commercial acclaim...but the author never felt good about it (this, by the way, is all explained in the introduction). So, recently, he rewrote it AGAIN, from start to finish, to restore it as one cohesive book, a little shorter than the original (from 1500 pages to 900). "Shadow Country" is the result of all that work, and it also has received plenty of acclaim. So...that's how the book got to where it is...but how does it read?
Well, at about the 500 page mark, I was prepared to pan it. It is just so long, and so dark (I mean dark...its chief themes and plot points all deal with murder, racism, rape, violence, deception, poverty and viciousness), that I found it exhausting and burdensome to battle through, no matter the clear and undeniable quality of the writing. But, then, I hit the last third or quarter of the book, and I was hooked. Hooked like rarely I've ever been. It transformed from a book that I had to force myself to pick up (I am a fast reader, and this book took me more than two months...I normally would have read 8-10 books in that time) to a book I could not put down.
Why the hook? A very brief plot summary might explain. The story begins with the death/murder of the main character, E.J. Watson, by a group of his neighbors. The first third of the book (which was once, remember, its own book entirely) details the immediate events leading up to that traumatic event, told from the various perspectives of about a dozen people who were involved. This constant changing of perspective and voice, with occasional backwards movements in time or jumping ahead, would normally alienate me, but Matthiessen pulled it off. You're still left unclear on Watson and his murder...was he a misunderstood hero, or a bloody murderer? Was his death a necessary act of justice, or a case of cold-blooded vigilante lynching? The second third of the books is all from one perspective, that of Watson's son; he digs around, investigates, interviews, trying to piece together the truth of his father's life and death; really, he is seeking to vindicate his father, but the information that he finds is murky and troubling and unclear (this middle third, by the way, was the least interesting and compelling and was where I really started to fall off the boat). The last third, though, is told from the perspective of Watson himself, going back to his earliest childhood. Page by page, year by year, event by event, we see what really happened. Slowly, the truth in all its complexity and ugliness, is revealed to us. And, all along, you know that you are hurtling toward that last climactic scene where Watson, who is now our narrator, gets gunned down...and all along you (or at least I was) are dying to finally see that event through his eyes, to understand what really happened. And...it doesn't disappoint. I've rarely been so sucked into a story - especially one I'd grown disenchanted with. I just had to know the truth behind the violent event that had started the story over 800 dark pages previous.
Its quite a work, "Shadow Country." Would I recommend it to all readers? No. To most readers? Probably not. To readers who love dark fiction, and historical sagas, and biographical character studies...you betcha. But I wouldn't read it all at once...I'd read something light and breezy between each third. Dave Barry, maybe. But...if it's your kind of thing, and you stick with it, "Shadow Country" does not disappoint.

First Light by Rebecca Stead

I'm on a roll!
"First Light" is a children's novel so it may not be the most appropriate book to blog about here, but since I'm trying to alternate between reading adult and youth books (and since a couple of the readers here are also children's librarians), I thought I may as well include my thoughts on this one.
"First Light" is a contemporary fantasy book (and one of 2011's Sasquatch nominees, hence me reading it) set in Greenland. The best brief summary of the plot is also the best brief criticism of the plot: "First Light" is "City of Ember" on ice. I mean, really. I won't summarize "City of Ember" (a great children's book), but those who've read that will see the similarities in "First Light:" a young boy and girl live in a secret, hidden society that lives underground; the society retreated there years before to escape external dangers; resources are running out, and the children are convinced that there is a way out to world outside after finding a mysterious map and clues; the adults are stuck in fear and the status quo and forbid exploration; the children go anyway, discover the outside world, and save their civilization. That is an exact summary of BOTH books...but "City of Ember" did it first, and did it better. The only real differences are that "First Light" happens under Greenland's glacial ice sheets, and that in "First Light" there is a parallel plot happening above ground as a boy (doing field research with his glaciologist father) simultaneously discovers the outside entrance to the buried civilization.
Now, "First Light" isn't bad; it has some compelling aspects and is not badly written. It just loses points on originality. It's overly long (327 pages) and takes too long to get to the meat of the story, but once you're there it moves along pretty well. The characters are believable enough and the setting is intriguing, but it will not be a good choice for reluctant readers because of its slow pace, length, and slightly bland writing.
I don't regret reading "First Light" and I don't quibble with it being on the Sasquatch list, but in future years when a kid comes to me looking for a cool, realistic fantasy, I'll put "City of Ember" in their hands every time over this one.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Finally! I'm back in the saddle! I actually finished this book like in April but I haven't written it up for two reasons: 1. TIME! 2. I wasn't sure just what to say about it, or how to say it. Well, now that I've got the time I'll just have to stop worrying about getting it right and focus instead on just getting it done!
In short: this is a GREAT book!
"The Glass Castle" is a memoir of the author's childhood, but it is so much more. Her parents are eccentric to say the least...the are artistic, paranoid, possibly mentally ill and quirky to a truly dysfunctional level. Her father, Rex, is a troubled genius of sorts who also battles raging alcoholism. Her mother is a frustrated and bitter individual with dreams of being a famous writer and brilliant artist, but can't seem to make either work out. The childhood of the author and her siblings is one spent in vagabond poverty, moving from apartment to RV to the homes of relatives, and living frequently in the family's parade of battered cars. Her parents, unwilling or unable to keep and hold a job, have a hands-off approach to parenting (the kids cook for themselves from age 3, run wild through whatever town they happen to live in, play freely with guns and local perverts, and are encouraged to run outside and play during lightning storms) that runs the gamut from amusing to neglectful to outright abuse.
The story is told through a rapid-fire series of short (1-4 page) vignettes; its not a style of storytelling I usually like, but it really works in this one. The passages were short and self-contained but still held an overall flow and momentum that kept me turning the pages long after I should have turned out the light (I finished the book, during a busy time in my life, in one day and two nights).
What's so compelling, though, is the balance and perspective the author manages to find in her approach to such a personal and important aspect of her life; her parents are, quite honestly, fairly worthless as parents: the children are often in danger and are almost constantly "neglected" based on contemporary definitions. However, there is never any doubt in the author's or reader's mind that the parents, in their flawed way, love their children incredibly. It is a palpable and sincere feeling that fairly pulses from the page. Likewise, there is never any doubt that children, even when they are grown, love their parents fiercely, no matter the abuse and neglect. The author is honest and unblinking and pulls no punches: she shows with complete frankness the neglect she dealt with and the pain and suffering that her parents mindlessly inflicted on her...but she never drops down into bitterness, or condemnation, or petulant victimhood. She does not let them off the hook, but neither does she demonize them. They were flawed, like we all are, but she loves them in spite of it.
It is a fascinating examination of our understandings of such profound and integral concepts as family, love, neglect, caring and understanding. It is a book which would make any thoughtful reader think, and feel. The characters - real people, all - are round and complex and living, and making up your mind about how you feel about them is one of the toughest and most delicious challenges of this book. Bluntly sensitive and tragically beautiful, "The Glass Castle" is a perfectly written book.
Since reading this book I've pressed it into the hands of four or five people, and all of them loved it - not just liked, but loved. Its a book that sticks with you. I could not recommend this book enough.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By Stieg Larsson

I really enjoyed this book and I only started reading it on a whim. I was tinkering around with the free services our public library offers and decided to check out their e-books. I saw the cover and recognized it as one I'd heard folks mention and it also happened to be on the most recent cover of the only magazine I subscribe to. I consider that magazine as my only true buy-in to pop culture- Entertainment Weekly. I like the quotes and reading about the upcoming movies in it and such. So I thought, why not download it and read something lighter for a change?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo proved to be a fun mystery with interesting, flawed characters, some of which had a likability factor (yea for me). It explores the disappearance of a 16 year old girl from a wealthy family back in the 1960's in Sweden, researched by a disgraced journalist, at the request of the very old patriarch of this wealthy family that could not rest until he had an answer as to what happened to his beloved Harriet. Haunted by the delivery of a pressed flower on his birthday year after year, he is convinced that someone from the family murdered her and enjoys taunting him. It is an interesting plot and one that starts to boil as our journalist gets closer to the truth, aided by a socially inept, but brilliant-minded young lady that is lost, but a true independent and anarchic spirit that doesn't understand how to relate to others. There is some sadistic stuff in this book and also a fair amount of sex, though only once section that was uncomfortable for me and if you read it you'll likely have the same repulsion- necessary enough to the plot that it didn't feel vulgar and exploitive to me.

On top of the main plot, there is a sub-plot about the disgrace brought on the journalist and his attempt to right the wrong closes the book in a satisfying way. The two stories intermingle enough that the corporate intrigue here, while less captivating to me, still felt necessary and provided the vindication our hero journalist required.

The book is a neat, tidy package and felt like the kind of fun summer reading I was longing for. I plan to mix it up from here on out- a lil' classic reading and lil' fun reading. My reading palate craves both!

Madame Bovary

By Gustave Flaubert

It took me a long time to complete this novel. Life most certainly got in the way, but I did finally finish it tonight. I have mixed emotions about it. It was a beautifully detailed, rich study of character and the desire for excitement and escape from the drabness of ordinary life (pretty applicable over 150 years after it was written, I'd say). The main character, our Madame Bovary, spends her life completely unsatisfied with her unglamorous existence and seeks out her imagined perfection of wealth and love that she never really finds, though there are times she thinks she has. So fleeting! She appreciates nothing, lives beyond her means and engages in 2 separate affairs outside of her marriage in search of the life she thinks she wants. The stale of monotony eventually taints them too.

Her marriage is beneath her as she is married to a very plain, ordinary man with no special skill. Her husband happens to adore her and looks past and around and over and under her flaws, wanting her love and approval and making excuses for her rebuffs. His affection for someone that is so apathetic towards him is pathetic and serves to help the reader understand her disdain for him. And yet, I felt so sorry for him too- he tried to be the best husband he could be. He just wasn't very good at that either. She needed a challenge and he gave her none.

So why the mixed emotions? It was precisely, perfectly written. It is masterful and should be read, but I wonder if anyone actually likes any of these characters? I found myself so frustrated with Emma, especially her lack of appreciation of the gift of motherhood, that I wasn't at all sad for her suffering. And her husband Charles? I felt pity, but his lack of any sort of strength made him hard to like (for Madame Bovary too, so I guess that works). What is it with me and needing to like characters to enjoy a book?

And I have to add, it is so sweet to me that this book was controversial when it came out and is considered in any way to be a "naughty book." Seriously, that's cute. If there is a disconnect between the time it was written and today, that would be it right there. It was quite tame and except for the fact that adultery is a significant part of the book, there is nothing distasteful at all. Damn it. ;)

There is so much that is universal to the human existence in this book that I don't think it will be hard for today's reader to appreciate it for the genius writing that it is. The rewards in this book are in the details- insightful and poetic. Not a word is out of place.

Amy's offerings for group consideration

I have 2 books I am proposing as candidates for our first shared reading experience between the 4 contributors to this blog. I am going to present the titles and excepts about what the books are about. If our contributors have read them, then they are disqualified. If not, then they will be considered along with the proposed titles from the other blog writers here. Can't wait to see what everyone suggests!

My first title for consideration:

Possession by A.S. Byatt

From Amazon.com Review (the professional, not the casual readers)

"Literary critics make natural detectives," says Maud Bailey, heroine of a mystery where the clues lurk in university libraries, old letters, and dusty journals. Together with Roland Michell, a fellow academic and accidental sleuth, Maud discovers a love affair between the two Victorian writers the pair has dedicated their lives to studying: Randolph Ash, a literary great long assumed to be a devoted and faithful husband, and Christabel La Motte, a lesser-known "fairy poetess" and chaste spinster. At first, Roland and Maud's discovery threatens only to alter the direction of their research, but as they unearth the truth about the long-forgotten romance, their involvement becomes increasingly urgent and personal. Desperately concealing their purpose from competing researchers, they embark on a journey that pulls each of them from solitude and loneliness, challenges the most basic assumptions they hold about themselves, and uncovers their unique entitlement to the secret of Ash and La Motte's passion.

Winner of the 1990 Booker Prize--the U.K.'s highest literary award--Possession is a gripping and compulsively readable novel. A.S. Byatt exquisitely renders a setting rich in detail and texture. Her lush imagery weaves together the dual worlds that appear throughout the novel--the worlds of the mind and the senses, of male and female, of darkness and light, of truth and imagination--into an enchanted and unforgettable tale of love and intrigue. --Lisa Whipple

My thoughts- Sounds fascinating and multi-layered. Yummy!

Second title for consideration:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

From Amazon: (professional review)

With The Mysteries of Udolpho, Ann Radcliffe raised the Gothic romance to a new level and inspired a long line of imitators. Portraying her heroine's inner life, creating a thick atmosphere of fear, and providing a gripping plot that continues to thrill readers today, The Mysteries of Udolpho is the story of orphan Emily St. Aubert, who finds herself separated from the man she loves and confined within the medieval castle of her aunt's new husband, Montoni. Inside the castle, she must cope with an unwanted suitor, Montoni's threats, and the wild imaginings and terrors that threaten to overwhelm her.

This new edition includes an introduction that discusses the publication and early reception of the novel, the genre of Gothic romance, and Radcliffe's use of history, exotic settings, the supernatural, and poetry.

My thoughts- Sounds intriguing and slightly sinister.

Catch-22 Complete!

By Joseph Heller

Wow. What a book! The style of Catch-22 is almost a character itself. It takes a bit to get into the rhythm, to get used to the style, but it is thoroughly enjoyable once you do get comfortable with it. Hilarious and yet darkly honest, there is something so incredibly unique about the way it is written and it oscillates between humor and the horror of war with a perfect balance. There is no doubt that this is a master work. It can be jolting sometimes, as time jumps around quite a bit, but it isn't so distracting that it makes it hard to follow.

There are so many themes this book explores related to war as it is set during World War II, near the end of the war. The asinine, disconnected leadership of our Generals, Colonels and Majors in the war, striving to use their power in ridiculous ways with no real value for the lives they put in danger on a daily basis, was prevalent. The clawing to move up in the ranks through creating some sort of a show that impresses, rather than for good decision-making, is completely comical.

"What do you know about?" he asked acidly.

"Parades," answered Colonel Scheisskopf eagerly. "Will I be able to send out memos about parades?"

"As long as you don't schedule any." General Peckem returned to his chair still wearing a frown. "And as long as they don't interfere with your main assignment of recommending that the authority of Special Services be expanded to include combat activities."

"Can I schedule parades and then call them off?"

General Peckem brightened instantly. "Why, that's a wonderful idea! But just send out weekly announcements postponing the parades. Don't even bother to schedule them. That would be infinitely more disconcerting."

The fear of dying and the banter between the characters about death, and the avoidance of it, make the reader chuckle while being disturbingly true. Is it paranoid to think everyone is trying to kill you if it is really true? And why should anybody be ok with being target for death?

"Of course I'm right. You're immature. You've been unable to adjust to the idea of war."

"Yes, sir."

"You have a morbid aversion to dying. You probably resent the fact that you're at war and might have your head blown off at any second."

"I more than resent it, sir. I'm absolutely incensed."

"You have deep-seated survival anxieties. And you don't like bigots, bullies, snobs or hypocrites. Subconsciously there are many people hate."

"Consciously, sir, consciously," Yossarian corrected in an effort to help. "I hate them consciously."

This is the kind of back and forth that makes Catch-22 so unique and pleasing. I loved it! Thoroughly amusing.

The casual sadness towards the anonymous soldier, completely encrusted in a full body cast that is 3 different soldiers at different times in the story I believe, seems a fitting reminder of the many that parish who are nameless and unnoticed in the mass of death that war brings about. The first soldier was dead inside his cast for who knows how long before someone noticed.

Many more themes and truths are to be found in this book, and while, as a women, I sometimes found the treatment of women in this novel to be a bit irritating as they all pretty much served the physical need for sex only, I also can't really take issue with that because I think it paints a pretty true portrait of how soldiers do treat women and the situation they are in (short leaves, inflated testosterone levels, stress, fear of death) doesn't exactly create an opportunity for lasting, deep relationships. So Nately's whore (and many the other whores mentioned, for that matter), while I'm sure you did have a name, the book didn't give you more than that, but I guess that is who you were for the purpose of the story.

I absolutely recommend this book. It is a classic, as it should be. The unique style alone make it a worthy read, but the truth embedded in the humor make it an interesting look at survival and the insanity of war.

The Axemaker's Gift by James Burke

Boy, this one took awhile!
"The Axemaker's Gift" by James Burke and Robert Ornstein is an impressive and ambitious nonfiction examination of technology and its effects on humanity, from the pre-historic development of stone axes to our modern computer age. The authors' thesis - that technology is a mixed blessing that has at every step fundamentally changed the way we interact with each other and the world - is examined and backed up with an exhaustive (and, yes, at times exhausting) history of western civilization. It is definitely very informative and insightful and I learned tons, but it was a bit dry and trying. It's a worthy read, though; the connections and explanations the authors give are well-reasoned, and I have a much better grasp of the development of western civilization (from egalitarian hunter-gatherer bands with a close connection to themselves and the earth) through the medieval ages and to the modern era, where the gaps in knowledge and resources between the haves and have-nots is ever-widening, our connection to the earth and each other is increasingly splintered, and the impact of technology and development on our health, happiness and habitat is becoming ever more clear and dubious. Should everyone read this tome? Probably not. Am I glad I did? Sure. I think anyone with a keen interest in history and/or technology would appreciate it, but its probably not a great choice for the casual peruser.
Although appreciative of the authors' considerable effort and noble aim, I finish the book (at last) very eager to read something that feels a little more like recreation and a little less like college homework.

Catch-22 Not Done

No, I am not done with Joseph Heller's Catch-22.  Why am I posting?  Well because maybe I'll move forward if I do!  First of all, what I am going to write about here is NOT what I really anticipated talking about while reading the first half.  In fact, I imagined talking about the amusing style of writing, the novel approach at the lunacy of war and the delightful word play. Oh, how I have enjoyed those aspects of this book!  They are a delight and I really have found the rhythm of it alluring, so why am I stuck?  What in the world is keeping me from pressing on?

I COULD blame being too busy- very true, but I am always busy during the school year.  I COULD say that the cancellation of the atrocious Jay Leno hour at 10pm has made me watch more TV during what was once my reading hour each night- also partially true.  I COULD say I've been overly busy getting my National Boards stuff done, but that isn't really the problem either.  So what is it?

Well, here I am, once again in my lil' ol' life, stuck on something that slaps me of my past and I haven't quite shaken it off yet.  My friends know about my upbringing and if you don't, no big whoop.  I lived the first 15 years of my life with a mentally ill, abusive father (also a respected doctor in our town, so very smart with his abuse it would sicken you) that physically and mentally beat me, my sister and my mom.  He not only hurt me, but targeted me as the main focus of his hatred from the age of 9 when my mom mistakenly told him that I had wanted to leave.  A good example of his feeling towards me would be his last words to me- Heather has heard this- he told me that I was sent from the devil to destroy his life.  And he meant it.  So there you have it.  I doesn't embarrass me to talk about, but it pisses me off when I get hit by the unexpected things that remind me of him or of myself when I was in survival mode or the weak girl that crawled out at the age of 15 and didn't even know what it meant to take a breath at home that wasn't filled with fear.

So what in the book triggered something for me?  It was seeing myself in the repulsive, wise, man that ran the whorehouse in Italy.  It wasn't all of his rant, but the stinging truth of what people will do to survive and how morals and "standing up for what is right" isn't always conducive to actually surviving.  I am so angry at how deeply I know and understand that and I want to smack the naive Nately for his repulsion.  He doesn't understand it- he finds him vile. Despicable.  He is horrified by this man's words, of which there are many, but here are a few...

"'When the Germans marched into the city, I danced in the streets like a youthful ballerina and shouted 'Heil Hitler!' until my lungs were hoarse... When the German's left the city, I rushed out to welcome the Americans with a bottle of excellent brandy and a basket of flowers...'"

So many times I pretended to be anything that would please my father, anything that would keep him from wanting to destroy me.  I survived like the old man, by being as pleasing and quiet as possible (can you IMAGINE me quiet and subdued?) and as this icky old man goes on to say, he knows he, and his country, will survive this war as well.  They will bend and lose in order to survive.  They will be turncoats.  But they will be loathed for it.  And that is why I am pissed off.  I am so tired of hearing people judge others when they haven't faced anything. Nately, in his innocent protected world, sits and condemns and it sickens me how many people do that to battered women.  If you haven't lived that kind of fear, you don't know what you'd do to survive and you don't understand the slow, creeping manipulations and control that holds people in situations like that.  Instead of judging, maybe they should thank God that they've never had to find out what they'd do to make it.  Of course, the old man would tell you, those that think that way WON'T survive...

So, I don't know.  There it is.  As I said, my posts are not always going to be about what the main themes of a book are, but how they hit me and my personal reactions to them.  Take it for what it is, I guess.  I know I'll finish it during spring break and I want to, I really do.  It is amazing- delightfully funny and yet full of brilliant insight.  I'll bet most people who read what the old man had to say won't get out of it what I did- and I did get what this character was saying to the masses, but it was what he said to me that I just needed to write about.

The $64 Tomato

Being a garden enthusiast, I've read my fair share of garden magazines over the past few years, several of which made reference to The $64 Tomato. So when I saw it on the shelf at the library last week, I snatched it up as quickly as possible, like a Wal-Mart shopper grabbing $3 pajama's on Black Friday.

And while I'll admit that The $64 Tomato isn't "classic literature", this one is a gardeners classic, sure to please. Mr. Alexander shares his tale of a decade long quest for the perfect kitchen garden, with all of the good, bad and ugly in between. Not only was I nodding my head at the naive garden dreams, miscalculations and mishaps, but I laughed out loud at the Clark Griswold like fantasies, the Caddyshack-like zeal for rodent eradication, and tales of the neighbor's gigantic yard phallus. It was a winner from start to finish. It's the perfect book for a gardener ready for spring planting!

Mr. Alexander has a new book coming out in a few months, 52 Loaves. I can't wait.

Uncle Tom's Cabin-Part I

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

During my high school years, Uncle Tom’s Cabin remained on the list of approved classics that English teachers gave out at the beginning of the year. Since that time, there has been local controversy over the appropriateness of the subject matter. I’m not sure where it stands on our school corporations reading list now, but if I had to hazard a guess, I’m betting it isn’t there anymore. But the controversy was enough to put Uncle Tom’s Cabin on my radar and finally decided to give it a go.


Although I’ve been reading it for a few weeks now, I’m only a third of the way through it. What can I say? It’s not a book that I enjoy. In fact, I’ve had difficulty sleeping on the nights when I’ve read it right before bed. Obviously, with two black daughters, reading about blacks being treated as less than human is uncomfortable. Reading hateful derogatory remarks makes me squirm. I’ve even cried a few times after reading about this cruelty or that punishment. But then, those are all things I expected from the book.


What I did not expect, and what I find just as disturbing as the issue of slavery, is the commentary on the Christian church, then and now. There are several references to southern preachers preaching the acceptance of slavery.


For those of us that go, we often head to church on Sunday under the premise that our pastor is there to guide us in following the path of Jesus Christ. We turn a blind eye to the political nature of the church, and accept as fact all of the moral judgments our kindly pastor, with his superior understanding of the Word, has to offer.


And yet. . . .Here is a clear example, certain proof, that even the Bible can be manipulated to support the political ideology of the times. I don’t think anyone, outside of the KKK or Neo-Nazi groups, would agree that Christians have a right to own another human being, but church leaders of that time supported, tolerated, or encouraged the practice. It leaves me wondering what morals we’ve gleaned from our own church that will be considered political propaganda a hundred years from now.


At the very least, I’m left with a need to look more closely at the political agenda at our church or any church for that matter. And that just doesn’t feel very good. It has taken something that has seemed so good and replaced it with doubt and misgivings.

I will finish the book. I might even change my mind about it. But I’m not sure about the timetable. It’s an emotionally difficult read for me.

Not Book Related!

Thanks to my fellow bloggers for being willing to post Mary's "Chip In button" on the righthand side of this blog. Who is Mary? She is a wonderful, kind, loving young lady who has been waiting in Ghana for her forever family for much too long. I first met Mary in the summer of 2008, when I traveled to meet my 3 beautiful Ghanaian children and to file their required adoption paperwork at the embassy there. There truly was something about Mary! Warmth radiated from her- she was always willing to help others, offered a kind smile to all and just moved me by her loving presence. And I am not the only one that has never forgotten her... Mary has been on many of our adoptive families' hearts. When I traveled the second time I remember wishing with all my heart that God would find that special girl a family soon. Our family has prayed for that daily since that summer, almost 2 years ago.

It is hard to imagine what it must have been like for her to watch generation after generation of Eban House kids be united with their families, to watch them hug and cry, to go on outings, and finally to leave for this blessed place "America" she keeps dreaming about. She has seen it time and time again, always hoping that someday it will be her turn. There is currently a family that adopted not long after us that is trying to adopt sweet Mary, but they face a few challenges. First, their family is "too large" to adopt by Ghana's social welfare standards, but they are working to try to appeal that. We are praying that they are successful. But even if this hurdle is faced and overcome, they have stepped out in faith that somehow the finances will come together because they don't have this lined up AT ALL. International adoption is expensive, don't we know it, and so this is something that because they have stepped out in faith, our family is going to do what we can to get the word out in hopes that many people will be able to give a little to help this beautiful child come home. Even in the family currently in process can't get approval to adopt Mary, this fund will wait for the family that can. All of this money will be a part of bringing Mary home.

So, if you can, please consider donating to Mary's cause. Even if it is $5, that is $5 that will be added to other people's $5 and it will make a difference. I hope you'll pop over to http://fromdiaperstodormsblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/meet-mary.html to read a little bit more about Mary and get to see a few pictures of her. She really is an angel. The day she comes home to her family will be a special day for all of us that have met her and been touched by her special spirit.