tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40240399227773657942024-02-20T09:33:53.252-08:00"To Thine Own Self Be True"katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-88409458547919726892017-01-11T18:26:00.001-08:002017-01-11T18:32:54.784-08:00Starting over again...<div class="MsoNormal">
Failing to write a review for each book I read, I have now accepted
that as not happening; however, I do enjoy blogging and would like to publish
with some regularity. My new goal is to
publish once a week with Monday as my publication day. I am late this week but look forward to
having a deadline.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This first entry for the year is a reflection on my reading
for 2016. At the end of this reflection,
I have included a list of the 68 books I read this past year including the date
I finished reading each one. The list is
backwards with my most recent reads at the top.
I had some different goals for this past year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There were two different reading challenges that I
attempted: one was a list of 16 random suggestions, the other was trying to
read 26 books each with the author’s last name beginning with the letters of
the alphabet. There was leeway given for
a couple of letters. I did manage to
find an author with X in his name but did not read authors for Q, U, V, Y, or
Z. The other challenge I came close to
completing:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Book published this year: Midnight Taxi Tango by
Daniel Jose Older</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book you can finish in a day: William Blake by
Martin Butlin</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book you've been meaning to read: Eats, Shoots
& Leaves by Lynne Truss</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book recommended by your local librarian/Book
seller: Dryland by Sara Jaffe</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book you should have read in school:
Middlemarch by George Eliot</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book chosen for you by
spouse/partner/sibling/child/BFF (personally adding parent):A Confederacy of
Dunces by John Kennedy Toole</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book published before you were born: John Gabriel
Borkman by Henrik Ibsen</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book that was banned at some point:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book you have previously abandoned: The
Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book you own but have never read: The Longest
Memory by Fred D'Aguiar</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book that intimidates you:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Book you have already read at least once: Harry
Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I could have moved Rowling to the banned category and listed
another book previously read. And I was intimidated for many years by
Middlemarch, but the rules did not allow for counting the same book in two
categories. As it was the only book I
could think of that was assigned and not finished in college, I placed it in
that category. Ulysses was another
possible for intimidation but did not finish it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I began the year trying to see how many books I could read
for the first list, and six categories were quickly checked off. For February I wanted to focus on books by
African American or Black writers, and two of the books selected moved nicely
to March when I focused on women. Of
these explorations, I learned the most from reading the works of diverse
writers. It is difficult to read <i>Between the World and Me</i> by Ta-Nehisi
Coates and not have your view of the world changed. Whether I was reading a slave narrative,
poetry, or dystopian fiction, the viewpoint from an author of color is
compelling because the language and the point of view demonstrates how
inadequate well-meaning authors can be who do not have first-hand
experience. The example which was truly
well-intentioned but laughable was a biography I read: <i>Nina Simone: Break Down & Let It all Out</i> by Sylvia Hampton and
David Nathan. Hampton and Nathan were
personal friends of Nina Simone. A
brother and sister, they started her first fan club in England and become
friends with her. They attempted to tell
her story focusing on her involvement in the Civil Rights movement. But they had no idea what it was like to live
in this country during the 1960s. They
lacked a true understanding of racism in the United States. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When I compared this to Jessye Norman’s memoir, her
first-hand experience had some similarities with Nina Simone. Her memoir was gentle compared to the
depressing life of Simone; however, there was a reality to Norman’s memoir that
was missing from the Simone biography.
And although Coates’ voice may contain a more angry tone, his writing
has much more in common with Norman’s.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The book that took me the longest time to read was I <i>Heart Obama</i> by Erin Aubry Kaplan. I have previously posted this review on
librarything.com:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #111111;">This is an amazingly conceived and well documented reflection
on Barack Obama, not simply as the first Black President, but through the eyes
of the Black community. It is something that I have wondered about since his
election.</span><span style="color: #111111;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Kaplan looks at him not only as the President, but
she assesses the role he plays as a Folk Hero. She puts into words the
frustration I have felt as a white American with the racist members of our
society. Unfortunately, his election brought seething to the surface the silent
racists. If he has disappointed some Blacks because he has not done enough for
them, Kaplan states what he has stated; he is the President for all of us. Some
white members of society may think he has favored the blacks, but he has definitely
not. He has represented all of us as he promised to do.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">I was a child during the Civil Rights movement of
the 1960s and have been appalled at the treatment of Obama and the racism that
has escalated during his presidency. I read this book like a textbook,
underlining and annotating as I read. I learned much about the Civil Rights
movement, the leaders not just of the movement, but also the voices that had an
impact on the movement. It was an enlightening book for me and has sent me on
to other texts and authors mentioned.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">History will vindicate the Presidency of Barack
Obama. I am proud to have voted for him. I do not agree with all of his
decisions, but that is what being thoughtful means.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">My one disappointment with the book is the title:
seeing a heart = love in today's popular culture. The title as spelled out in
the book is I Heart Obama. I read it: I Love Obama. The title diminishes the
seriousness of the book and the research Kaplan has done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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After reading this intense piece of non-fiction, I took a
break by reading some funny books, some YA titles, and miscellaneous books of
choice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After that I decided to read a series of novels by Blue Balliett,
written for middle school/elementary age students. Beginning with <i>Chasing Vermeer</i>, Balliett has a group of kids in Chicago who get
involved with mysteries involving art, math, science, and a teacher in a
private school who teaches the way I would have loved to teach given the
freedom she has. All the books are
wonderful with one caveat: <i>Hold Fast</i>
focuses on a black family. The story is
great, but there is no sense of blackness in this family. They are described as black, but that is
it. I am not sure I would have noticed
this a year ago, but since reading books by Daniel Jose Older and focusing on
black writers, the lack of authentic voice was jarring. I believe her research was accurate, and she
creates a believable family, but they are only black through a label.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I do enjoy reading several works by the same author in
chronological order as I did with the books of Blue Balliett. In September I read four novels by the
Belgian writer, Amelie Nothomb. Seeing
the connections within these four titles, I again regret not going for the PhD
and being able to write about literature.
It is what I feel called to do.
And there is a joy in getting comfortable enough with a writer, that you
can return to said author later and enjoy the new if familiar territory. This past month I read Shakespeare’s
Landlord, the first of the Lily Bard mysteries, by Charlaine Harris, for the
second time. I had forgotten the details
and enjoyed having the mystery play out for me again. I immediately followed it by the next two books
in the series. I know that when I return
to the world of Lily Bard, I will remember the first three mysteries without a
problem.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But of all the books I read this year, I am pleased to have
read George Eliot’s <i>Middlemarch</i>. I first attempted to read it for an undergrad
course in the late 1970s. Unfortunately,
that semester I took three literature courses and one history course. I was inundated with reading. Part of the course requirement was to give an
oral report on the end of <i>Middlemarch</i>. I think there were two or three of us
assigned to that novel, and I was responsible for the end. I started reading the 823 pages with
enthusiasm, and my marginalia reflects my enjoyment. But as I neared the presentation date, I fell
behind, skipped the center section, and attempted to read the end. I did get a C in that course: a well-deserved
C, and one of only two C’s on my record.
This novel is dense, and it took me a few chapters to get into the flow
of reading Eliot again. Oh, those
characters came alive for me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So it was a good year of reading, and I exceeded my goal of
65 books by three. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Completed Reading 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">68. Shakespeare's
Christmas by Charlaine Harris - 31 December 2016</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">67. Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris -
25 December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">66. People Knitting A Century of Photographs - 24
December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">65. Ophelia Alive: A Ghost Story by Luke T.
Harrington - 31 December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">64. Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris -
19 December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">63. The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore - 18
December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">62. Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier - 11 December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">61. Logicomix - An Epic Search for Truth by
Apostolos Doxiadis & Christos H. Papadimitriou</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Art by Alecos Papadatos & Annie DiDonna - 10
December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">60. Exit: Pursued By a Bear by E.K. Johnston - 8
December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">59. Stitches A Memoir by David Small - 4 December
2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">58. Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama by Alison
Bechdel - 4 December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">57. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami - 27
November 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">56. You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack: Comics
by Tom Gauld - 5 November 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">55. Middlemarch by George Eliot - 30 December 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">54. Apples by Frank Browning - 20 November 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">53. Tokyo Fiancee by Amelie Nothomb - 30 September
2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">52. The Life of Hunger by Amelie Nothomb - 28
September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">51. The Character of Rain by Amelie Nothomb - 25
September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">50. Fear and Trembling by Amelie Nothomb - 23
September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">49. The Biorhythm Kit by Jacyntha Crawley - 21
September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">48. The Demonologist by William Pyper - 19
September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">47. Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs - 11
September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">46. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K.
Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne - 10 September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">45. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry
Farrell - 30 August 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">44. Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler - 19 August 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">43. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K.
Rowling - 4 September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">42. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - 15
August 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">41. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K.
Rowling - 10 August 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">40. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan - 9
September 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">39. Shimmering Japanese Sunlight: Musings On a
Woman's Travels in Japan by Kay Thomas - 4 July 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">38. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
- 30 June 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">37. Pieces and Players by Blue Balliett - 28 June
2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">36. Hold Fast by Blue Balliett - 26 June 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">35. The Danger Box by Blue Balliett - 24 June 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">34. The Calder Game by Blue Balliett - 22 June 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">33. The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett - 19 June 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">32. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett - 17 June 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">31. The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin - 15 June 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">30. Twisted Tales From Shakespeare by Richard
Armour - 30 May 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">29. Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older - 29 May 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">28. Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner - 26 May 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">27. Dryland by Sara Jaffe - 21 May 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">26. Peace: The Words and Inspiration of Mahatma
Gandhi - 20 May 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">25. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by
J. K. Rowling - 26 June 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">24. Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible
Things by Jenny Lawson - 18 May 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">23. Just an Ordinary Day (stories) by Shirley
Jackson - 13 May 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">22. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K.
Rowling - 19 May 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">21. I Heart Obama by Erin Aubry Kaplan - 28 April
2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">20. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance
Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss - 27 March 2016.</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">19. The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood - 26
March 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">18. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by
J.K. Rowling - 31 March 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">17. Stand Up Straight and Sing! A Memoir by Jessye
Norman - 7 March 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">16. Nina Simone: Break Down & Let It All Out
by Sylvia Hampton with David Nathan -</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">28 February 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">15. Voyage of the Sable Venus and Other Poems by
Robin Coste Lewis - 23 February 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">14. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates -
21 February 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">13. The Illegal by Lawrence Hill - 16 February 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">12. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K.
Rowling - 25 February 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">11. The Longest Memory by Fred D'Aguiar - 9
February 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">10. Rite of Passage by Richard Wright - 31 January
2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">9. William Blake by Martin Butlin - 28 January 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">8. Midnight Taxi Tango by Daniel Jose Older - 27
January 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K.
Rowling - 4 February 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">6. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole -
22 January 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">5. John Gabriel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen - 14
January 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">4. Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel Jose Older -
13 January 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">3. The Call by Yannick Murphy - 9 January 2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">2. The Intelligencer by Leslie Silbert - 7 January
2016</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">1. Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs - 3 January
2016</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-22415455260226229362016-06-17T11:30:00.001-07:002016-06-17T11:30:18.794-07:00Breathless excitement...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJMchT-2FxOJzSP460XH-VEbKrmSw2edebucW0W1h-475cviH1is90p78h8tKolBMUdd0QDsRHmnqAp0OY-Ks_uZujII63ve1NupxaLWfR9W15bSeBW6oPaM5GQ6LaHwQg_F9iYD_tWEC/s1600/Shadowshaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJMchT-2FxOJzSP460XH-VEbKrmSw2edebucW0W1h-475cviH1is90p78h8tKolBMUdd0QDsRHmnqAp0OY-Ks_uZujII63ve1NupxaLWfR9W15bSeBW6oPaM5GQ6LaHwQg_F9iYD_tWEC/s1600/Shadowshaper.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPi7jvbx41dBUQSm248lmFax7ORysnaXoByaGPr1YK84mRFC0tpsjPT957dKpzAgATB9-M1LCAmEOBPFTJdL6BpPRGubkJ9pBF1vR-_RvvxH2ZC3xQ9KkG8sbheRvAyJwvkQV0gmjyMOut/s1600/Daniel+Jose+Older.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPi7jvbx41dBUQSm248lmFax7ORysnaXoByaGPr1YK84mRFC0tpsjPT957dKpzAgATB9-M1LCAmEOBPFTJdL6BpPRGubkJ9pBF1vR-_RvvxH2ZC3xQ9KkG8sbheRvAyJwvkQV0gmjyMOut/s1600/Daniel+Jose+Older.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Earlier this year I posted a review of two
novels by Daniel Jose' Older. My writing was stilted because for the
first time since becoming more aware of diversity issues in the world of book
publishing, I was a white woman reviewing books that were not set in my world.
I was aware of my white privilege and trying too hard. Not this
time!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I LOVE THE WORLDS CREATED BY OLDER, and
yes, I am shouting. Like his Bone Street Rumba novels, there is a
connection between the worlds of the living and the dead, but that is not to
say it is the same. What is the same is the vibrancy of the language, the
tempo set for the telling of the story, and the wondrous world created in
Brooklyn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sierra Santiago is a graffiti artist (my
words) busy painting a dragon on the wall of a building recently constructed
and abandoned. She notices that a tear has emerged in the eye on another
mural, and suddenly paintings are beginning to fade. Sierra's coming of
age journey brings her to a full understanding of her life as a Shadowshaper.
Her abuelo, no longer able to speak clearly, begins the story, but Sierra
must follow clues and make connections. No spoilers ever in my reviews,
but I want to live in this world. It is the same feeling I had when
reading Older's other novels. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Shadowshaper</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">is a YA novel, and this retired high
school English teacher wishes she was still working with young adults.
Older shares the world of the Hispanic teens and the challenges they
face due to white privilege - not just as barriers in how they are viewed by others, but how they view themselves. Sierra is viewing herself in a mirror:
"Her skin was another matter. It wasn't bad skin - a zit here and
there and the occasional dry island. But once when she was chatting with
some stupid boy online, she described herself as the color of coffee with not
enough milk"(79). This line will resonate with students of color.
Reminiscent of Toni Morrison's<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The
Bluest Eye</i>, this knowledge that life could be better if only my skin was
lighter feels like a slap in the face for me as a white reader. I cannot
imagine how a young person of color deals with this racism every single day.
Sierra also has an aunt who reminds her that her hair is too bushy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There are other subtle reminders of white
privilege as seen through these eyes; Sierra and her friends attend<span class="apple-converted-space"> <a href="http://octaviabutler.org/" target="_blank">Octavia Butler</a></span> High School. (If you have never
read anything by this marvelous author of science fiction, I recommend
beginning with<span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span><i>Kindred</i>.)
And one of my favorite conversations in the novel is not plot developing
but another reminder of white privilege:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“Imma write a book,” Tee announced. “It’s gonna be about white people.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> Izzy
scowled. “Seriously, Tee: Shut up.
Everyone can hear you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“I’m being serious,” Tee said.
“If this Wick cat do all this research about Sierra’s grandpa and all
his Puerto Rican spirits, I don’t see why I can’t write a book about his
people.” (161)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I laughed aloud reading this because of
the irony. How many white people think
they can write about other cultures and peoples without doing any
research? This quick bit of dialogue is
a reminder of the inequities in our country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I’m still not thoroughly happy with this
review, but it is much better than my review of the Bone Street Rumba novels. I am looking forward to many more trips into
the magical realism of Brooklyn through the eyes of Daniel Jose’ Older.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Older, Daniel Jose’. <i>Shadowshaper</i>. NY: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2015. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-4079569963385233372016-04-17T18:08:00.001-07:002016-04-17T18:08:12.140-07:00Why Book Groups Don't Work for Me...Last year I read 65 books. In the past, I have read as many as 104 books in one year, but when I look back on those longer lists, there are many books I do not remember. Several years ago I began to take notes on every book I read; it may slow down my reading, but I prefer this connection between reading and writing. Acquaintances will frequently ask me if I am in a book group and are surprised at my response, "Not traditional book groups."<br />
<br />
I am in a Great Books group which meets monthly September through June (excluding December and January), but we read excerpts, short stories, essays, poems, and occasionally a play. We only read a novel during the summer for September discussion. However, I've missed the past four months due to other commitments. I meet monthly with a group of Bookcrossers, and we exchange and discuss books but are never reading the same book for a group discussion. This informal gathering of readers is my favorite book group. We discuss books briefly and pass on those ready to share. If no one is interested in a book, it is left at our bookcrossing zone. (<a href="http://www.bookcrossing.com/" target="_blank">Bookcrossing</a> is a fun website. The premise is to register books and leave them places in the hopes that another reader will take the book and journal on his/her experience reading it. There are also forums for book discussion. No one is required to set up an account to explore the site.) I belonged to three or four different monthly book groups beginning in the early 90s and stopped two years ago because I rarely had the book read in time for the meeting.<br />
<br />
What I have discovered over the years is I am much happier choosing what I want to read, when I want to read it. I usually try to have five or six books that are "next to be read." But sometimes one book leads to another because of the topic or the author. Sometimes I walk by my bookshelves, and a book speaks to me, begging to be read next. I enjoy this freedom.<br />
<br />
There are always challenges out there calling to me. One appeared on Facebook this year starting as a blog someone posted; it had suggestions for broadening your reading choices: read a book published before you were born, read a book you should have read in school, read a book that has been banned, etc. My regular reading encompasses every challenge on the list, so I signed up to see how quickly I could work through the 16 categories and completed 5 in January. I usually follow the CBC's offering of Canada Reads because of my love affair with Canada and the works of Canadian authors - not just those readily available in the United States like Margaret Atwood or Louise Penny - but others I must buy in Canada.<br />
<br />
In the past few months, I have become more interested in reading for diversity. I have long been an advocate of teaching and reading more female authors and authors of color. There is nothing wrong with reading books by dead white men, but we need to go beyond the past. It doesn't take much effort to find blogs that make a person think more about what she is reading. One of my favorites is American Indians in Children's Literature. Debbie Reese has opened my mind on more than the portrayal of American Indians and introduced me to other writers.<br />
<br />
One of those writers, Daniel Jose' Older, was the subject of my first posting this year. Check it out!<br />
<br />
<br />katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-64959432211254564412016-03-01T11:22:00.001-08:002016-03-01T11:22:33.807-08:00New beginnings...again.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><br /></b> <b>NOTE: I started this entry on 2 February with the intention of posting it before anything else; however, I accidentally published a review I finished writing and could not figure out how to take it down.</b><br />
<br />
It has been over a year since my last posting. That sounds like the beginning of a Catholic confession, but it really is the sound of shock hitting me square in the forehead. OVER A YEAR! What the hell? But as I said in my last post of 2014, if I don't write the review immediately after reading the novel, I become too far removed. So I have been doing some mental planning for changes in my blog. This planning started over a month ago, but it takes effect now.<br />
<br />
Beginning today, 2 February 2016, I will post weekly. If a book asks me to write a review, I will write one; otherwise, I will write a report on what I have been reading. I was truly shocked today when I realized my last posting was in 2014, and my new beginnings must start with commentary, however brief, on my reading for 2015.<br />
<br />
2015 began with readings that appealed to the senses:<i> Perfume</i> by Patrick Suskind and <i>The Bells</i> by Richard Harvell. I followed these with a fun middle school novel, <i>Chasing Vermeer </i>by Blue Balliett, which I had read previously, and <i>Vermeer</i> by Sandra Forty, a brief study of his art. It was pleasant reading for those cold months of last winter. Then I went through a few months with low and high points; I read a best seller, <i>Gone Girl</i> by Gillian Flynn, reminding me why I do not usually read best sellers: if it sounds like it is based on something that happened in the news, I'm not interested. To clear my head of that drivel, I read a new YA novel by a Canadian author, Raziel Reid, <i>When Everything Feels Like the Movies</i>, and loved it.<br />
<br />
I read wonderful mysteries like <i>The Silkworm</i> by Robert Galbraith and award-winning novels such as <i>The Luminaries</i> by Eleanor Catton. I bought and read <i>The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up</i> by Marie Kondo before everyone was talking about it. It has helped me; although I still have a lot to do, but it helped me understand why I am a disorganized person who easily adapts to clutter. Understanding my mother's method of cleaning, I can see that what makes sense to one person does not always make sense to someone else. Trying to get organized means beginning by throwing things away. I am still throwing things away. This is easier to do when you have reached my age.<br />
<br />
After several years of saying I should read something by Louise Penny, I read <i>Still Life</i> and became a Gamache devotee. I continued to read and enjoy anything by Carl Hiaasen, Stephen King, Alice Hoffman, and Neil Gaiman and based on recommendations from friends became a fan of Eowyn Ivey and Mo Hayder. I read Toni Morrison's newest book, <i>God Help the Child</i>, and her first novel, <i>The Bluest Eye</i>. I read <i>Beloved</i> again and decided I need to read all of her novels. This will not happen in one year, but the process has begun and reading them in order of publication suits my preferred author focus.<br />
<br />
When classes started up at Alfred State College in August, I checked out the new books offered in the Hinkle Library. Jacqueline Woodson's memoir, <i>Brown Girl Dreaming</i>, is magnificent. I have enjoyed her books for high school and elementary students for a long time. Unfortunately, her works are a hard sell with the rural audience I have taught for most of my career. <br />
<br />
As summer turned to autumn my thoughts gravitated toward Halloween. I read two classic horror novels: <i>Carrie</i> by Stephen King and <i>The Exorcist</i> by William Peter Blatty. Having never read <i>Carrie</i>, I approached it as if Stephen King was a new author. It was fun to have that mindset, which enabled me to almost experience his writing as others would have when the novel first appeared. As someone familiar with his work, I was able to enjoy the stylistic choices he had in that first novel and how he has improved them over the years. I have had a copy of <i>The Exorcist</i> since its first appearance in paperback. The young Catholic girl was going to read it and risk damnation. Well, I never got around to reading that novel until October. It was a good read and literally fell apart as I turned the pages. It is one of the few books I have ever thrown out.<br />
<br />
Margaret Atwood's latest collection of short stories, <i>Stone Mattress - Nine Wicked Tales</i>, was written for her peers...those of us who have reached a certain age. Marvelous. And I finished out the year reading several YA novels and novels aimed at middle school audiences: Blue Balliett is a favorite author of mine along with the previously mentioned Carl Hiaasen who is able to write for adults and younger readers with equal success. And I entered the world of <i>Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</i> by Ransom Riggs. Wonderfully inventive use of time travel beginning with his collection of old photos. I have since read the trilogy.<br />
<br />
But I must take time to mention two works of non-fiction that both affected me for completely different reasons: <i>The Autobiography of Malcolm X</i> as told to Alex Haley and <i>Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - A Year of Food Life</i> by Barbara Kingsolver. If you haven't read Malcolm X, you should. It is one of those books that I have been meaning to read for years and finally decided to read. I learned so much about Malcolm X; Spike Lee's film enlightened me, but so many situations were explained and expanded on in the book. Our lack of education regarding people of color in this country is deplorable. Lack of diversity in literature of the United States has become a topic close to my heart and is an issue I will be exploring. I have also become more concerned with chemicals in food even before they are processed. Kingsolver's book describes her family's experiences eating locally for a year. That year was transformative for all of them and convinced me that I should attempt to find more of my foods locally and eliminate purchasing food that has been transported long distances. Eating locally means eating fruits and vegetables in season and preserving them for later use. As spring emerges here in New York, I will be attentive to the local crops available at several local farmers' markets. Between the racism and intolerance that is growing at a time when it should be a non-issue, and Monsanto's poisoning of our food and the bees which are necessary for plant life, this 60 something woman is disillusioned with her country. The young woman I was 40 years ago never imagined life in our country would be so discouraging as she approached retirement.<br />
<br />
Thus ends my overdue entry: an overview of my reading for the year and commentary on life as I se it.. I hope it encourages some of you to check back as I blog on a more regular basis. And I hope you enjoyed seeing three of my favorite authors at work: I will never have as neat a desk as Joyce Carol Oates but am closer to Stephen King's style of clutter than Ray Bradbury's.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-2373687249863792472016-02-04T12:46:00.001-08:002016-02-22T14:30:42.657-08:00Bone Street Rumba Novels...a new series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlH44e5WhP9ASlfIYhu3QSUexPIYT0h4uwY1bGW49g9Fg67GohM4o9QGRK7Uu2jeIIASWO_B_d1ZCqPBSlaJvwcs6C3bnekEa3Uyyq38HFZjy-vOc2PRi4mRsEYVXWymymhOtK1lVh-y0/s1600/Midnight+Taxi+Tango.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlH44e5WhP9ASlfIYhu3QSUexPIYT0h4uwY1bGW49g9Fg67GohM4o9QGRK7Uu2jeIIASWO_B_d1ZCqPBSlaJvwcs6C3bnekEa3Uyyq38HFZjy-vOc2PRi4mRsEYVXWymymhOtK1lVh-y0/s1600/Midnight+Taxi+Tango.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-cgbFr66fai4oPm3bVDntTCbAh8i956UNWTM-GpCaohi_M4NK9ILYbmzhNKn7LmdqRNz7rVsh1V230Gdfz-G3FBIcAFrwrIwGKbL4cOMfyv7ey9VhdodWkM9Dbm7gGsPRTdk_7cybhx4/s1600/Half-Resurrection+Blues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-cgbFr66fai4oPm3bVDntTCbAh8i956UNWTM-GpCaohi_M4NK9ILYbmzhNKn7LmdqRNz7rVsh1V230Gdfz-G3FBIcAFrwrIwGKbL4cOMfyv7ey9VhdodWkM9Dbm7gGsPRTdk_7cybhx4/s1600/Half-Resurrection+Blues.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCSWRWvag0Azyklkubih48d2sbo5lwR3ty474MBUVVTG8WeUiU5CJh6ogDS7yyu0vpzTesU17HNBTL89KluslsegkxCRppgiQ-k2R9F5BGgosGd-bXKOcqPc-tDNjrmH20L3vtIN3WCvj/s1600/Daniel+Jose+Older.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCSWRWvag0Azyklkubih48d2sbo5lwR3ty474MBUVVTG8WeUiU5CJh6ogDS7yyu0vpzTesU17HNBTL89KluslsegkxCRppgiQ-k2R9F5BGgosGd-bXKOcqPc-tDNjrmH20L3vtIN3WCvj/s320/Daniel+Jose+Older.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Back in June my <a href="http://bookriot.com/" target="_blank">Book Riot</a> Box included a novel by
<a href="http://ghoststar.net/" target="_blank">Daniel Jose’ Older</a>. I was not familiar
with Older, but the novel was announced as the first in a new series. Looking at the cover, I was delighted to see
it was not a zombie or vampire series but something different – something new. I set it aside while preparing for the
Shakespeare Seminar I lead each summer, and it was lost among the many books
waiting to be read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Fast forward to November…because of my interest in
diversity in literature I began following a controversy regarding a children’s
book, <i>A Fine Dessert</i> by Emily Jenkins
and Sophie Blackall. I will not explain
the controversy, if interested, Google the title; however, one of the links led
me to a panel discussion with Jenkins and other authors, including Daniel Jose’
Older. I found his comments to be
cogent, sincere, and eye-opening. I began
a search to learn more about him, and while reading his Facebook page, I had my
“Ah Ha” moment: there was a photo of <i>Half-Resurrection
Blues</i>. And it became one of my first
reads of 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Older is an excellent storyteller and sucked me in
immediately. Carlos Delacruz is an Inbetweener:
neither dead nor alive, he was partially resurrected. He works for the New York Council of the
Dead, and his territory is Brooklyn. As
the story begins, Carlos is the only Inbetweener but soon others appear, and he
is in a battle with Sarco who wants to destroy the barriers between the worlds
of the living and the dead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Half-Resurrection
Blues</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> is peopled with a mixture of
humans and ghosts, some of whom understand Carlos’ world. Carlos does not know anything about his
previous life. The first face he saw as
an Inbetweener was Riley, a ghost, and now his best friend. But my favorite ghost is Mama Esther:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Then we enter the library, the only room in the entire
house with any furniture, and everything’s all right again. There aren’t even shelves, just stacks and
stacks of books from floor to ceiling.
You’d think it’d be a chaotic mess, all packed in there like that, but
somehow there’s a harmony to it: the books seem almost suspended in midair…Esther’s
floating in her usual spot right in the center of the room. That’s where her head is anyway. Beneath that great girth smile, her wide body
stretches out into invisibility in a way that lets you know she’s got the whole
house tucked within those fat ghostly folds. (29).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If
I ever return as a ghost, I want to be Mama Kate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The world of the living includes Baba Eddie and Kia, a
sixteen year old girl who runs his Botanica.
Even at fourteen, Kia was knowledgeable and confident, “She bounced back
and forth between customers, arguing about how much yerba buena to use in a
spiritual cleansing and helping an old man who wanted to get his wife back from
her new lesbian lover” (41).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But the world of Carlos Delacruz is filled with fear
and violence: fear of the destruction of both worlds if Sarco is successful and
the violent battle that ensues including a nearly indestructible being: the Ngk. Carlos is in the middle of this from the
opening when the Council of the Dead orders him to kill the other Inbetweener
who has appeared, and Carlos makes a promise with unknown entanglements. It is a dark urban fantasy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">And as I was finishing my visit to the dark world of <i>Half-Resurrection Blues</i>, the second Bone
Street Novel, <i>Midnight Taxi Tango</i>,
hit the shelves with a January, 2016 publication. It picks up with some new characters and
another battle threatening the comfortable, if sometimes uneasy, separation of
the worlds of the living and the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The end of <i>Half-Resurrection
Blues</i> left Carlos with some complications in his life. He is still the main character, but Kia
evolves into a young woman of power and conviction. Her background is developed, and her interest
in capoeira forced me to Google it: what an amazing martial arts form. Another human character, Reza, a lesbian taxi
driver with a special twist to her job, joins the battle, and these three
characters alternate as the narrators.
This time they are taking on the Blattodeons; pink cockroaches with
primordial power. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Maybe my experience with the first novel brought me to
a better reading of <i>Midnight Taxi Tango</i>, or perhaps the idea of Blattodeons is
more disgusting in my mind, but I found some of the descriptions absolutely
horrific. Reza shoots at a strange man
and:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">For a second he just stands there. Angry holes pockmark his face, his hands,
those long robes. Little curls of smoke
plume out of each one, and I can only imagine what the blowout from the exit
wounds must be like on the other side. Then
I see the skin on his neck shudder; it’s moving. It’s alive.
It’s one of those evil fucking insects, making its skittish, evil way up
his chin and across his startled face.
(75).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I
do not give spoilers in my reviews, but trust me, these descriptions will get
the adrenaline pumping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Both novels are mesmerizing trips
into a realistic urban environment.
Older has other published books including the highly acclaimed YA novel,
<i>Shadowshaper</i>. I am looking forward to
many more excursions into the worlds he creates. Note: His books are available on Audible, and
he is the narrator for <i>Midnight Taxi
Tango</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Older,
Daniel Jose’. <i>Half-Resurrection Blues</i>.
New York: ROC/Penguin, 2015. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">---.
<i>Midnight Taxi Tango</i>. New York:
ROC/Penguin, 2016. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-64037275653764678192014-12-13T18:53:00.000-08:002014-12-13T18:53:03.015-08:00At long last...I have returned...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Why? Why was my last posting in June?! I have two problems with keeping this blog up to date: I prefer to write a review immediately after reading the book and do not like to start reading a new book until I have posted the review. If a few days pass with no time for writing, I start another book and get too removed from the review. Sigh…I am not obsessive on many issues, but writing is one of them. This entry will be a quick review of one book with a brief mention of the prior novel read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If you have never explored <a href="http://bookriot.com/" target="_blank">Book Riot</a>, I highly recommend this site for honestly interesting articles and book recommendations. Recently I read one of their recommendations, <i>What We See When We Read</i> by Peter Mendelsund; it is a thought provoking examination of our minds at work when we read and a deceptively quick read because you will want to read it again…and again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Peter Mendelsund is the associate art director of Alfred A. Knopf, book cover designer, and a “recovering classical pianist” (book cover). He approaches the topic through focusing on several famous works including <i>Anna Karenina</i>. His love of music and art are also strong components. It is a fluid use of examples familiar to most readers. This reader found herself making some immediate connections with things she thought about while reading <i>No Great Mischief </i>by Alistair MacLeod. I delayed writing about MacLeod’s novel because I needed to let it settle in my mind. I thought, mistakenly, that Mendelsund’s book would be one I could read for a bit and put down. But by page 19, I knew that was not going to happen:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Most authors (wittingly, unwittingly) provide their fictional characters with more behavior than physical description. Even if an author excels at physical description, we are left with shambling concoctions of stray body parts and random detail (authors can’t tell us <i>everything</i>). We fill in gaps. We shade them in. We gloss over them. We elide. Anna [Karenina]: her hair, her weight—these are facets only, and do not make up a true image of a person. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Of course! And it already had me thinking: how much description of a character do authors really give? How clearly do we see a character? I’ve thought about this many times. I don’t see characters clearly – just enough. While reading <i>No Great Mischief</i> I envisioned body types and general features but not true faces. Even books I love and have read multiple times do not create exact images of characters in my mind. It is not important to know the exact features of Hester Prynne or Huck Finn; their beliefs and actions are the importance of character. Character is not defined by looks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Mendelsund discusses the issue of characters brought to life in films: “One should watch a film adaption of a favorite book only after considering, <i>very carefully</i>, the fact that the casting of the film may very well become the permanent casting of the book in one’s mind. This is a <i>very real hazard</i>” (41). I stopped reading for a moment because one of my favorite novels, <i>To Kill a Mockingbird,</i> is a victim of this experience. I saw the film before reading Harper Lee’s novel. When I read it, all the characters were clear images in my mind: clear images of the actors performing the roles. Those images were so real; years later, teaching it for the first time, I bought the film on VCR (latest technology of the time). I was shocked to discover the snowman scene had been edited out. Colleagues convinced me it was never in the film, but the actors/characters were so clear in my mind, I saw them while reading that scene. Thinking about it now, I guess I was “reading a movie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">His thoughts on reading are haunting me now in a wonderful way. This book has not changed me as a reader, but it has changed the way I will discuss books. “Words are effective not because of what they carry in them, but for their latent potential to unlock the accumulated experience of the reader” (303). No one ever reads the same book twice; I may read a book I have read before, but I am a different person. I have discussed this many times with students. It is why I enjoy reading books multiple times. “To read is: to look through; to look past…though also, to look myopically, hopefully, toward…There is very little looking at” (334-5).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Mendelsund, Peter. <i>What We See When We Read</i>. Vintage Books: New York, 2014. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And…<i>No Great Mischief</i> by Alistair MacLeod is a marvelous, award-winning Canadian novel. Unfortunately, MacLeod is one of the creative voices we lost in 2014. The narrator, Alexander MacDonald, “guides us through his family’s mythic past as he recollects the heroic stories of his people: loggers, miners, drinkers, adventurers; men forever in exile, forever linked to their clan…beginning with the legendary patriarch who left the Scottish Highlands in 1779 for Nova Scotia” (from the back cover).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">MacLeod, Alistair. <i>No Great Mischief</i>. McClelland & Stewart LTD: Toronto, 2001. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-85202478950406286022014-06-07T11:32:00.001-07:002014-06-07T11:32:25.522-07:00Thinking about books and reading...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Normally this blog is dedicated to reviews, but my recent birthday gave me pause to think about what I read and how others perceive my choices. Two different friends gave me these books for my birthday. Both friends know of my love of literature and Canada. The person who presented this lovely edition of poetry by Dylan Thomas actually sent a text asking if I liked this poet. I am delighted to have this because previously I only had examples found in anthologies. This New Directions edition even includes an essay on the Art of Poetry by Thomas. The second friend took a chance that I would not have <i>How To Be a Canadian * (Even If You Already Are One)</i> by Will Ferguson and Ian Ferguson in my library; he was correct. This is an amusing book; one to pick up, read a bit, skip around, and read a bit more. But a book of poetry also requires the willingness to read a book a little at a time, even if the level or type of engagement with the text will be quite different. As I tend to read from several books at the same time, it is nice to have some offering varying intensities of attention.</div>
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It is also nice as I am about half way through my reading year to reflect on my progress. I always set myself a goal, and having challenged myself to 75 books in 2014, I am a bit behind. I know why as life interferes and a different work schedule has changed my reading time. But with less work in the summer and reduced teaching in the fall, I anticipate catching up and making my goal. Unlike the past few years when I had categories to challenge my tendency to lapse into only fiction, this year I decided to start with a particular shelf of books and see where it took me. </div>
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The year began with Canadian authors: two authors of YA novels and an adult novel on the "Canada Reads" list. I was also reading short stories from the anthology for the Introduction to Literature class I taught. I moved into a more recent novel, <i>Life After Life</i> by Kate Atkinson, followed by <i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i> by Thornton Wilder...again, for my class. Together with a third novel,, the connections between time and where our lives take us emerged as a common theme.</div>
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As my annual pilgrimage to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada approaches, I usually revisit some plays by Shakespeare and perhaps one or two of the other plays I'll be seeing with my seminar group. But over the past few years I've also enjoyed the liberty of reading some books inspired by Shakespeare. It is fun to see how other people make connections with the plays. Last year I discovered a wonderful novel,<i> I, Iago</i> by Nicole Galland in preparation for a performance of <i>Othello</i>, and will revisit <i>Fool </i>by Christopher Moore along with <i>King Lear</i> for this summer. But two other books have also jumped off the shelf together with my beloved Pelican edition of <i>The Complete Works of Shakespeare</i>: <i>A Midsummer Tempest</i> by Poul Anderson and <i>Shakespeare's Daughter</i> by Peter W. Hassinger.</div>
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<i>A Midsummer Night's Tempest</i> is a classic from the genre of science fiction. The back cover offers inviting promise: "Welcome to the world of Puck and Caliban, Oberon and Titania, Ariel and Neptune, to the world of Faery, where a single night can while away a century and gold can turn to dross in the twinkling of an elfin eye...but what in the world of Faery is that steam engine doing there - and King Charles: he wasn't even born when Shakespeare wrote!" Anderson has joined the worlds of<i> A Midsummer Night's Dream</i> and <i>The Tempest </i>with additional surprises. It offers me a fun way to revisit the Dream. And Hassinger has written a YA novel that creates a world for Susanna Shakespeare. I always had some students who enjoyed historical fiction; after all, Shakespeare did not expect us to be treating his plays like the Bible.</div>
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And who knows...perhaps as I shift between the physical books on my shelves and the Nook Library I am becoming accustomed to, I may even take up the challenge of another friend and read a romance. This morning I finished reading a classic ghost story on my Nook. The world is full of marvelous things.</div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-35471320553561595112014-06-07T07:46:00.001-07:002014-06-07T07:46:38.632-07:00Three Short Reviews...<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1-Zl1zsz-FOouQWhINjnFQwMeN8z3HXuuCfYB4-YLp3yDFQGkg5w_9cOGti8rg2coOdooBajqq9zAPHHHD0w1wmAfAMR1GYPGUGEBZskJWb3BLkbCuz4x080azFJJYjiBZ96-Rhp8h5g/s1600/Blink+&+Caution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1-Zl1zsz-FOouQWhINjnFQwMeN8z3HXuuCfYB4-YLp3yDFQGkg5w_9cOGti8rg2coOdooBajqq9zAPHHHD0w1wmAfAMR1GYPGUGEBZskJWb3BLkbCuz4x080azFJJYjiBZ96-Rhp8h5g/s1600/Blink+&+Caution.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Back in January I posted a review of two novels by Tim
Wynne-Jones; hence, this review briefly highlights what I love about his
writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Blink & Caution</i> is a YA novel about two teenage
runaways appropriate for ages 13+. It
takes place in Ontario, and Wynne-Jones’ knowledge of both the rural areas and
Toronto make the settings and description vividly engaging. In this novel the character of Blink
alternates between the rare 2<sup>nd</sup> person point of view and limited 3<sup>rd</sup>
person. It is done so smoothly I was
halfway through the book before I noticed.
Caution’s character remains in the 3<sup>rd</sup> person. The characters and story line are realistic
and believable with enough ambiguity to make the happy ending acceptable. I will definitely be looking for more novels
by Tim Wynne-Jones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Wynne-Jones,
Tim. <i>Blink & Caution</i>. Somerville
MA: Candlewick Press, 2011 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Another author whose work I will always return to is
Ann Patchett. <i>Bel Canto</i> kept me riveted, so when I saw her first novel available
on my Nook, I added it immediately. <i>The
Patron Saint of Liars</i> is about a young pregnant mother and a Kentucky home for
unwed mothers. But Rose is not unwed,
and there the story truly begins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The novel is divided in sections with the first
containing the story of Habit; the town that contained a miraculous hot
spring. This section is a history and
provides the setting for the center of the story. The center of the story is Rose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Rose is not happy in her marriage, and upon
discovering her pregnancy, she takes off.
She goes to a home for unwed mothers in Habit, Kentucky. Rose, despite her closeness to her mother,
says nothing to her or her husband:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But learning is easier than forgetting. The fact that my mother, that Thomas, didn’t
know where I had gone or the reason, made my life easier, but I liked to think
it made things easier for them as well.
The world is full of things we’re better off not knowing. (37)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> To tell more of the story would
break my rule of no spoilers. But the
world of Rose Clinton is thought-provoking, tantalizing, frightening, and convincing…totally
convincing. Now I want to read all of
Patchett’s books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Patchett,
Ann. <i>The Patron Saint of Liars</i>. New
York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1992. E-book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Anyone
who has entered my home realizes I probably have enough books to read, but
sometimes a book is left behind. <i>Timmy Failure Mistakes Were Made No. 1</i>
by Stephen Pastis came with a great recommendation – two in fact. My Godtwins, Leo and Faye Stiffler, had both
read it and said it was great. They are
correct. If you are familiar with the “Pickles”
comic strip, you know the work of Stephen Pastis. This novel was written for elementary school
level, but Pastis cannot help dropping a few lines for the adults in a child’s
life. For instance, Timmy explains that
the family name used to be Falyeur. And
now I am ready to have a book discussion with the twins. I hope to see them again soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Pastis,
Stephen. <i>Timmy Failure Mistakes Were Made
No. 1</i>. Somerville, MA; Candlewick Press, 2013. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-39255500882302494992014-04-24T12:55:00.001-07:002014-04-24T12:55:53.164-07:00A book to avoid...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It is a rare day when I decide to stop reading a book;
one of those days happened this week.
Usually I do not pick up a book unless I am fairly certain I want to
read it. <i>Uppity Women of Shakespearean Times</i> by Vicki Leon was a gift from
someone. I knew it was meant to be
humorous and started reading it with the idea that I would have a laugh and
pass it on. I read about 37 pages and
stopped. The tone of this book was too
flippant for me. I cannot read about
these women being treated as if they were simply amusing anecdotes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A chapter entitled “The Better to Eat Chocolate With” discusses
the Hapsburg family:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But the <i>true</i>
family curse was The Lip (in point of fact, the entire jaw). Populations of good-sized cities could have
taken shelter under a Hapsburg chin.
Wobbly and red as cherry Jell-O, The Lip made many males of the family
look moronic. So you can just imagine
how Princess Anna of Austria and all the other Hapsburg Annas, Marys,
Elizabeths, and Christines felt when they looked in a mirror. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Among other thankless tasks, Anna married King Louis
XIII, produced a Louie heir, and ran France as queen regent from 1643 to
1661. Spanish-born Anna brought new
ideas to the French court. Naturally
they all tittered when she first lifted a cup of some dirty brown substance to
those Austria-sized lips. But Anna
persisted, jutting out a chin that would stun Jay Leno into silence. (34)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">This
description of hot chocolate is mild in its offense. Imagine the chapters that make light of abuse
including but not limited to women accused of witchcraft and used as brood
bitches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> I love satire and could accept
well-written examples, but to show a reproduction of an ancient woodcarving
with a man holding a leash attached to a metal cage over a woman’s face
accompanied with the caption, “Hmm—is <i>this</i>
what they mean by humanism?” is beyond acceptable (2).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> The book cover credits Ms. Leon with
26 books including <i>Uppity Women of
Ancient Times</i> and <i>Uppity Women of
Medieval Times</i>. I will not be
looking for or even at any other books by Vicki Leon. “She enjoys giving workshops and speeches on
the unsung women of history.” No, thank
you. I do NOT want to hear what she has
to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Leon, Vicki. <i>Uppity Women of Shakespearean Times</i>. New York: MJF Books, 1999. Print.</span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-46069742163328349222014-04-17T16:47:00.000-07:002014-04-17T16:47:23.442-07:00Pagan Babies by Elmore Leonard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX82CGmiPzPfGTh_hYyP9sXHTjoWuWccZhQ2NLarU3QToJdTl3kNsKwrb5KcJmWJcgU04Sv0V6Oja9xD6971vfnfHeQ1GAewRa3zcHtm-SEavR392u3zqqdiZ7LAXBp2nYXzq4GBasqCjm/s1600/Pagan+Babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX82CGmiPzPfGTh_hYyP9sXHTjoWuWccZhQ2NLarU3QToJdTl3kNsKwrb5KcJmWJcgU04Sv0V6Oja9xD6971vfnfHeQ1GAewRa3zcHtm-SEavR392u3zqqdiZ7LAXBp2nYXzq4GBasqCjm/s1600/Pagan+Babies.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">This
review will be short and sweet because Elmore Leonard is not an author who
requires note taking and analysis. Do
not take this as an insult. Sometimes I
read a book just to be entertained, and this one fits that description.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I originally
purchased this novel for three reasons: the title, if you were educated in a
Catholic school during the 1950s or 60s, you understand; the author, I had
heard about Elmore Leonard but never read anything by him, and it was
recommended by an employee of the late great Borders Books on Hylan Drive in
Henrietta, New York. It has waited
patiently on my bookshelf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">What
a fun read with quirky characters! From
the book jacket: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Father Terry Dunn hears a lot of strange
confessions. After all, he’s the only
priest for miles in the lingering aftermath of the worst massacre Rwanda has
ever seen. And Fr. Terry, who has
forty-seven bodies in his church that need burying, has just heard one
confession too many. After exacting from
them a chilling penance, Fr. Terry has to get out of Africa – <i>pronto</i>.
Now Terry is coming home to Detroit, where a five-year-old tax-fraud
indictment is hanging over him. Is Terry
Dunn really a priest?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">And
that is the entire teaser I will give.
Throw in some hoodlums, a female stand-up comic recently released from
prison, a not so powerful mob boss, and several people good at looking the other
way, and together with Leonard's superb realistic writing, you have a hell of a good
story. And the best thing about it is…it
is the only book I have read by this prolific writer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Leonard,
Elmore. <i>Pagan Babies</i>. New York: Delacorte Press, 2000. Print<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-15223959406248319902014-04-15T17:50:00.001-07:002014-04-15T17:50:31.064-07:00Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm57yIFxSUxlrJ-ZxqKSUXTj80fwERs8mU3T0zBrcnOlS0FwgmQe08hNhq4hmkeLrjyMWv8u4Yu-pIMLOuwZmqAHAEotSQnf5d3jt-eHnwvmu_Fr4lYlTtK_Umhfd_G36Xxi4-ovRFHWH2/s1600/Glaciers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm57yIFxSUxlrJ-ZxqKSUXTj80fwERs8mU3T0zBrcnOlS0FwgmQe08hNhq4hmkeLrjyMWv8u4Yu-pIMLOuwZmqAHAEotSQnf5d3jt-eHnwvmu_Fr4lYlTtK_Umhfd_G36Xxi4-ovRFHWH2/s1600/Glaciers.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back in September I read a book in one day, enjoyed it, did not take notes, or write a review. When I started playing catch up with my writing, I realized I could not remember much about this little gem on my shelf. Exactly six months later, I read it for the second time, took some notes, and now am able to tell you about a wonderful first novel: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Glaciers</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Alexis M. Smith.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This novel was one of those selected for World Book Night 2013, and when I went to pick up the books I was distributing, this one caught my eye. This second time around, having just finished reading two novels written on a grand scope of time, I was mesmerized by a limited omniscient third person point of view telling the story of one day in the life of Isabel, a 22-year old woman residing in Portland, Oregon. Isabel repairs books at the library and is fascinated by the past. We travel through her day while learning about her past through a series of flashbacks. Seamlessly written, the world of Isabel is poignant, thoughtful, exquisitely precise, and visceral.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isabel loves vintage clothes – vintage everything. Growing up in a small town in Alaska, she has dreamed of traveling to other cities since her first visit, as a child, to Seattle. She has not visited them but collects postcards and dreams. She finds a postcard from Amsterdam in her favorite junk store: </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The postmark is dated </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">14 Sept 1965</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and there is a message, carefully inscribed: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear L--- Fell asleep in a park. Started to rain. Woke up with my hat full of leaves. You are all I see when I open or close a book. Yours, M</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...She imagines the young woman (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miss L. Bertram, 2580 N. Ivanhoe St., Portland, Ore</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) who received the postcard, and how much she must have read between those few lines, how much she must have longed for him to say more. (11-12)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And thus begins our 24 hours with Isabel. Her imagination is always at work. She has a crush on a co-worker with whom she silently shares morning coffee on a daily basis, “It pleases her to see him like this, sitting at the kitchenette table first thing in the morning, his black glasses fogged with coffee steam. It is as close as she has been to waking up with him” (42-43). But her life lived in the imagination does not disappoint or keep her from experiencing life.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I look forward to more novels by Alexis M. Smith and will also be on the lookout for other books published by Tin House Books.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-0c6b6a20-6801-5d8d-5b42-25db9f2e6d5e"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Smith, Alexis M. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Glaciers</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Portland, Oregon: Tin House Books, 2012. Print.</span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-53107992077892095982014-04-07T16:54:00.001-07:002014-04-07T16:54:10.687-07:00"One could lose everything in the blink of an eye, the slip of a foot."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME30cZmcicMIbMJQILsiIAYHHya6q79mihRnZ6zSSUPYTttTgXjT23jz8vMrhTZHtXQuvIjM5RPyVcJf1hoOptCGw_rn1HDH0HD1cYTbp3ZzZ9e74sXBpA8WCGnCG74JraA2fFTj_0NBL/s1600/Life+After+Life+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME30cZmcicMIbMJQILsiIAYHHya6q79mihRnZ6zSSUPYTttTgXjT23jz8vMrhTZHtXQuvIjM5RPyVcJf1hoOptCGw_rn1HDH0HD1cYTbp3ZzZ9e74sXBpA8WCGnCG74JraA2fFTj_0NBL/s1600/Life+After+Life+cover.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">While
reading <i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i>, I
was also reading <i>Life After Life</i> by
Kate Atkinson. Ironically, both novels
deal with those “if not for this” moments mentioned in my previous blog. But Atkinson does not explore the lives of
five people all taken at the same moment; her exploration is much more
complicated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">From
the book jacket: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">On a cold and snowy night in 1920, Ursula Todd is born
to an English banker and his wife.
Ursula dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula
Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to
say the least, unusual. For as she
grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in a variety of ways, while the young century
marches on toward its second cataclysmic world war. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Ursula’s
life begins and ends, and begins and ends, over and over, and affects the lives of those
around her, including the reader. I
enjoyed the way Atkinson drew the reader into the story. Ursula and her family are not aware of what
is happening, but eventually she understands.
The novel explores the idea of changing history: a person’s history, the
immediate world, the world at large. And
what happens if someone has the ability to change history? Do you take that chance? For those of us addicted to <i>Star Trek</i>, we know all about the prime
directive against changing any single moment in time. This novel is not science fiction, but the
idea is clear from one of Ursula’s first successful moments with her
mother: “Ursula opened her milky eyes
and seemed to fix her gaze on the weary snowdrop. <i>Rock-a-bye
baby</i>, Sylvie crooned. How calm the
house was. How deceptive that could
be. One could lose everything in the
blink of an eye, the slip of a foot. ‘One
must avoid dark thoughts at all costs,’ she said to Ursula” (32).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“One
could lose everything in the blink of an eye, the slip of a foot.” There it is staring the reader in the face
again; the age old conundrum. Faced
every day by each individual person, this idea takes on a new life in Wilder
and Atkinson though eighty six years separate the publication of these two
books. Wilder exploring the idea of who
controls our fate, and Atkinson pushing it a bit further, if we have the
ability, do we use it? At what cost?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Looking
for a novel with a happy ending: a feel good ending? Do not read this novel. But if you are a reader like me, a reader who
wants to be disturbed by what is read or at least pushed to think about
unanswerable questions, read Kate Atkinson’s <i>Life After Life</i>. Like <i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i>, this is a
novel I will read again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Atkinson,
Kate. <i>Life After Life</i>. New York: Reagan Arthur Books, 2013. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-11345787851204163262014-04-03T11:03:00.001-07:002014-04-03T11:03:28.895-07:00The Bridge of San Luis Rey <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCB_IElXMrWQPi0SW0eVWdDFvcLHTuP2CUstrRa95c-_ICh2aEXtpisx67GdIreAAwWvQpSGmyJ9qx8nwWuOg_ntMira2aTgffJSt_3ymuOrf_DvtHVSDTyZKyM1uOf_8kCrda3P5G5ZCp/s1600/Bridge+of+San+Luis+Rey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCB_IElXMrWQPi0SW0eVWdDFvcLHTuP2CUstrRa95c-_ICh2aEXtpisx67GdIreAAwWvQpSGmyJ9qx8nwWuOg_ntMira2aTgffJSt_3ymuOrf_DvtHVSDTyZKyM1uOf_8kCrda3P5G5ZCp/s1600/Bridge+of+San+Luis+Rey.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have literature forced on us for inexplicable reasons,
but what we take away from the text is lasting.
Revisiting a work at the right moment in our lives is the pivotal key to
understanding.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in the late 1980s, I was teaching at the high school
level. New to the district, I explored
the storage locker in my room for class sets of books to use with my
classes. I was always willing to take a
chance with something I had not previously taught; hence, my first experience
with <i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i> by
Thornton Wilder. I do not remember how I
convinced myself it would be worth teaching to 10<sup>th</sup> graders or if I
asked any of the other teachers about it.
Perhaps it was the length that enticed me. For whatever reason, I gave it a try. They hated it; I hated dragging them through
it; I never taught the book again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few years ago while reading the works of Timothy Findley,
he discussed his friendship with and admiration for Thornton Wilder. My respect for Findley sent me back to
revisit <i>Our Town</i> and read Wilder’s
other plays. Eventually I decided <i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i> deserved
another reading. Ever since then I have
wanted to use it in a college course, and this semester has given me my chance.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Reading it for the third time, I savored the language and
Wilder’s ability to create a text that has the tone of a moral fable with the
occasional playfulness demonstrated in his plays. The novel begins with this famous line: “On
Friday noon, July the twentieth, 1714, the finest bridge in all Peru broke and
precipitated five travelers into the gulf below” (5). And thus begins Brother Juniper’s interest in
the event. “Why did this happen to <i>those</i> five? . . . .Either we live by
accident and die by accident, or we live by plan and die by plan. And on that instant Brother Juniper made the
resolve to inquire into the secret lives of those five persons, that moment
falling through the air, and to surprise the reason of their taking off”
(7). Wilder often writes of those
moments; those “if not for this” moments in life. This novel explores that issue and weaves
around it the entanglements of love.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, there are still those humorous moments, and this
description cries to be shared in its entirety:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
There is something in Lima that was
wrapped up in yards of violet satin from which protruded a great dropsical head
and two fat pearly hands; and that was its archbishop. Between the rolls of flesh that surrounded
them looked out two black eyes speaking discomfort, kindliness and wit. A curious and eager soul was imprisoned in all
this lard, by dint of never refusing himself a pheasant or a goose or his daily
procession of Roman wines, he was his own bitter jailer. He loved his cathedral; he loved his duties;
he was very devout. Some days he
regarded his bulk ruefully; but the distress of remorse was less poignant than
the distress of fasting and he was presently found deliberating over the secret
messages that a certain roast sends to the certain salad that will follow
it. And to punish himself he led an
exemplary life in every other respect (80-81).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
And yet…none of my college students could tell me what they knew about the
archbishop when I asked. Sigh…well, I
have again forced a piece of literature on my not so captive audience that they
do not find as enthralling as I do. Some
students have shown interest during discussion in class and have even stopped by my
office. They did accept the assigned topic of writing a two page paper on what they learned about love from reading this novel as doable. I am looking forward to reading those papers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is this novel about a priest desiring to scientifically
prove the power of God? Is the question of why these five answerable? Is it possible that the reader needs to have
lived through one of those powerful “if not for this” moments in life to
appreciate this novel? Is it meant to be
another opportunity to explore the mysteries of love? If you have not yet read this Pulitzer Prize
winning novel, I encourage you to do so.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wilder, Thornton. <i>The Bridge of San Luis Rey</i>. New York:
Perennial Classics, 2003. Print.<o:p></o:p></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-72599367971262468812014-03-26T18:09:00.001-07:002014-03-26T18:09:44.351-07:00A visit to Ireland...before the month of March has passed.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibe9HpZ-jry_O1IlqmT6g_4E7OkTjL2XPCOqauaAA-YoMM0Slut3JTRM29eScgdXwKd7wkUtlnaOpvM8wAtyKH2_tuPjNEya8KRrGq3poMrzrZy12iB7m-Im0jxphr3vZpL4Ywrf6igpOR/s1600/51wXuQBVO-L._AA160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibe9HpZ-jry_O1IlqmT6g_4E7OkTjL2XPCOqauaAA-YoMM0Slut3JTRM29eScgdXwKd7wkUtlnaOpvM8wAtyKH2_tuPjNEya8KRrGq3poMrzrZy12iB7m-Im0jxphr3vZpL4Ywrf6igpOR/s1600/51wXuQBVO-L._AA160_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The
dilemmas of writing a book review...what does one do when reviewing the work of
a friend? It is impossible for me to act
like I don’t know Kay Thomas, but I believe my readers will trust me when I say
she has a lovely gift for writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Last
summer, Kay Thomas took her first trip without a traveling companion and was a
bit nervous about it. Since returning,
many friends have asked her to write about her trip to Ireland. Imagine, writing by popular demand, that is
not an easy task. So why does <i>A Smidgen of Irish Luck: A Woman’s Musings
on her Travels to Ireland</i> read like it flowed off the pen effortlessly?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The
first thing that struck me while reading this travel memoir was her concern
over traveling alone. As someone who
usually travels solo, I have more problems adapting to a traveling
companion. But Kay has always struck me
as a strong and independent woman, so it was odd to read: “On top of it all, there is a constant
nagging sensation about going it alone.
I use a mantra that will be invaluable through out. Whenever I get panicky about a trip on which
I have paid out hundreds of dollars, I say it over to myself. ‘You can do it’”
(11). And she did; in fact, she has
planned another solo trip for this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the first essays in this collection is “Marking Time in 26D.” I really enjoyed her ability to become a seat
number on the flight over. “A half look
from busy flight attendants greets me at the open plane door…26D will be served
two meals and occasional water service. That’s
their obligation. No more. No less”
(13). What an enlightened way to
travel. Why set yourself up for
disappointment with expectations and a heightened sense of self? Excellent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Reading
of her travels, I found myself wanting to be with her or perhaps, feeling I was
with her. It surprised me that when visiting
the grave of W.B. Yeats:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: 3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I have the spot to myself and pay my respects while
the tumbling clouds of rain play tricks back and forth between the streaks of
sunlight. Such a life in Ireland, and it
permeates into the soulful truths of the great thinkers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: 3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Cast a
cold Eye<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: 3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">On Life,
on Death<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: 3pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Horseman,
pass by!. – W.B.Yeats (51)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center; text-indent: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Whether
looking for a four-leaf clover or deciding against kissing the Blarney Stone,
Kay Thomas’ trip around Ireland has a place in my heart. Perhaps it is the booklover in both of us,
but I was thrilled to read how she lingered in the library of Trinity
College. Perhaps you will savor tipping
a pint or walking along and looking in the shops. Whatever your interest in Ireland, it will
appear in the pages of this book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Thomas,
Kay. <i>A
Smidgen of Irish Luck: A Woman’s Musings on her Travels to Ireland</i>. 2014.
Print<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-76664974874137693282014-02-02T17:21:00.001-08:002014-02-02T17:21:33.607-08:00Another YA mystery by Tim Wynne-Jones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8TWdoC2m-QrRlX5HaIIuuNLKA10f_w6g95_If6ji-yypRoKkxHpmFVGPV7xo81HefLe7DdVpQWSeENKJH2rdFRZfrj1l5INuR2KWOByAp-KwOnwzpyIBinCLlii3T9vT0Lbs1kKkYzct/s1600/The+Boy+in+the+Burning+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8TWdoC2m-QrRlX5HaIIuuNLKA10f_w6g95_If6ji-yypRoKkxHpmFVGPV7xo81HefLe7DdVpQWSeENKJH2rdFRZfrj1l5INuR2KWOByAp-KwOnwzpyIBinCLlii3T9vT0Lbs1kKkYzct/s1600/The+Boy+in+the+Burning+House.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tim
Wynne-Jones is a gifted storyteller, and this novel is no exception. The main character, Jim Hawkins, first
appeared in a short story. After his
father disappeared, Jim lost his voice; he regains it in the short story, but
Jim’s story is far from over.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In <i>The Boy in the Burning House</i>, Jim and
his mom are holding things together at the farm. Ruth Rose is the stepdaughter of the local
minister, Father Fisher, and she tells Jim that Fisher killed his dad. Like Burl Crow in <i>The Maestro</i>, Jim Hawkins has much to learn on hisjourney toward adulthood, and Ruth Rose does not always seem to be the best influence. Eventually Jim realizes there are clear steps to take: “It was a day of nevers. A day he would never forget” (182).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And
that’s it for this brief review. I’ll be
reading another novel by Wynne-Jones later this month. Some of his novels are available in the
United States. If you know any middle
school or high school students, I highly recommend Tim Wynne-Jones.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wynne-Jones, Tim. <i>The
Boy in the Burning House</i>. New York: Farrar, Straus and</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Giroux, 2000. Print.<o:p></o:p></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-9101805884988818012014-01-28T11:55:00.001-08:002014-01-28T11:55:30.494-08:00The Maestro by Tim Wynne-Jones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW4zOJxgd4LB1juqYsyREOPTD11CRkQHke581EutgQCJRYlWetJk1o97owfxwJ4n_DCVtr4xxJa9fkHbjDAfABVmxGG67JWRiSefS87erzBRFIosZwNZFdyK6edXU9XO9mvTW5F4pCB_i/s1600/The+Maestro+by+Tim+Wynne-Jones..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJW4zOJxgd4LB1juqYsyREOPTD11CRkQHke581EutgQCJRYlWetJk1o97owfxwJ4n_DCVtr4xxJa9fkHbjDAfABVmxGG67JWRiSefS87erzBRFIosZwNZFdyK6edXU9XO9mvTW5F4pCB_i/s1600/The+Maestro+by+Tim+Wynne-Jones..jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> <i>The
Maestro</i> was recommended to me as an exemplary example of Canadian YA
literature. It was awarded the Governor
General’s Literary Award and is not disappointing. Interesting plot, memorable characters, and a
unique viewpoint leave me yearning to work with middle school students again in
the pre-Common Core days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> A third person narrator tells the
story of Burl Crowe, a 14-year old abused boy living in an extremely rural area
of Ontario, Canada, but the world is seen clearly through Burl’s eyes. Living in fear of his father, Cal, with a
mother who escapes to her prescription drugged world, Burl explores his world with
distrust and hesitancy. It is when he
runs away and meets the Maestro that the world becomes more accepting of Burl
while offering him more challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> The novel begins with Burl following
Cal to his secret fishing hole; unfortunately, it will not be a safe place for
Burl. After being discovered, Burl runs off and never turns back. Music draws
him to the unusual pyramid cabin in the woods, and the Maestro, Nathaniel
Orlando Gow, begins an uneasy alliance with the young stranger. For the first time Burl has a male role model
who may not be ordinary but is not abusive, and the wisdom he shares is
invaluable: “Perfection is really nothing more nor less than getting the
results you desire. That is never a
simple business” (51). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> No spoilers here, although it is
killing me not to give more of the plot, to say more would be to say too
much. There are several adults who care
about Burl and try to help him. One
section that I do need to mention, without revealing plot, is his first trip to
Toronto. Living in a rural area, I found
the descriptions of his experiences to be eye-openers and true to life:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Burl saw in an hour more people than he had seen in
his whole life. His eyes smarted with
the strain of seeing and the stinging stench of the yellow air. His head ached with the blare and discord. His feet ached with the unrelenting hardness
of concrete…He had never seen a pigeon before.
He had never seen a bird with so little self-respect. (138)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A
few pages later this line actually caused me to stop reading, “There were black
people there. He’d never seen one in the
flesh” (141). If you have lived in a
rural area in New York State, there are still children able to have this
experience. With my understanding of
northern Ontario, Wynne-Jones helped me experience Toronto in a new way outside
of my experiences without being offended or feeling the story was dated. It could still happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> The world of Burl Crow changes
greatly in this novel. At the end, a
young man is emerging with a better understanding of his past, and a clearer
vision of his future. And I am already
reading another YA novel by Tim Wynne-Jones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Wynne-Jones,
Tim. <i>The Maestro</i>. Toronto: Douglas
& McIntyre, 2000. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-88622989553440526352014-01-25T17:31:00.000-08:002014-01-25T17:31:15.222-08:00Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzUY_vMYWewEMUMXADaNP464sGor8z-th34xPFGEy-eugQMIXHTq8jXYAbqP-lGx4DE8UOepP1B7Jv6tYpNcgfsP2w-4Ufl5L3MMXo5J47-Ic50gF8Jc7lj3WXeVmokURGlxlLlicEqUa/s1600/Half-Blood+Blues.jpg" /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">This
novel has been on a shelf since August 2012 and was recommended by my friends
at Fanfare Books, Stratford, Ontario, Canada.
It was a finalist for several awards including the prestigious Man
Booker Prize and was awarded the Scotia Bank Giller Prize for 2011. Earlier reviews mention the beauty of the
language and compare Edugyan’s use of dialect to the talents of Mark Twain. This
year it is one of the novels chosen for <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/2013/11/meet-the-canada-reads-2014-contenders.html" target="_blank">Canada Reads</a>, and that is why it
finally got the reading it deserved. Esi Edugyan has created a masterful tale
bringing to light the world of Jazz in Europe during the horror of the Hitler
years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> From the liner notes: “Paris,
1940. A brilliant jazz musician, Hiero,
is arrested by the Nazis and never heard from again. He is twenty years old. He is a German citizen. And he is black. Fifty years later, his friend and fellow
musician, Sid, must relive that unforgettable time…” Passions fill this story: for Jazz, for life,
for love, for success, but it is the realness of the characters that stands out
for me. Hiero, Sid, Chip, Pau, Ernst, and
Delilah are real – REAL. The friendships
in this novel demonstrate love and betrayal.
The reader’s loyalties are tried along with the loyalties of the
characters. Along the way the reader is
immersed in the experience of living in Berlin and Paris during the beginnings
of World War II.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Hiero is a black German unable to
get papers in Hitler’s Germany, while Sid and Chip, originally from Baltimore,
have been friends since childhood. And
the novel is not just about being black in Germany, “Cause blacks just wasn’t
no kind of priority back in those years. I guess there just wasn’t enough of us”
(77). But the friendships are uneasy in
this novel and music, talent, and the love for one woman, Delilah, cause
conflicts and jealousies. Introduced
into this world is Louis Armstrong, and his interest in this group of Germany
based jazz musicians becomes an integral part of the controversy. The recording of a song entitled “Half-Blood
Blues” becomes an obsession for Hiero, and disc after disc is destroyed until
Sid slips one in his vest: “…and it was like I could feel the damn disc just
sitting in there, still warm. I felt its
presence so intensely it seemed strange the others ain’t sensed it too. Its wax holding all that heat like an altar
candle” (5).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> To say much more would give away too
many moments I do not want to deny to anyone who chooses to read this
book. Just one teaser without spoiling anything, the trip to the zoo in Hamburg gave me a picture of life in Germany, not a result of Hitler but predating his power, a picture I wish I could erase from my mind’s eye. Read it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Edugyan,
Esi. <i>Half-Blood Blues</i>. Toronto:
Thomas Allen Publishers, 2011. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-80840039544699617372014-01-24T14:15:00.001-08:002014-04-17T16:58:31.519-07:00Summing up 2013...Well, I am almost finished reading another book and have decided to just post a list of the books I read but did not review in 2013. If anyone would like to know what I thought of a particular book, please comment below or message me on Facebook. I have rated them on a 1-5 star system with 5 being outstanding. Bear in mind that if I start reading a book and do not like it, I do not finish it. <br />
<br />
1. <i>Pope Joan</i> by Donna Woolfolk Cross - There is a historical basis for Pope Joan, and Cross has convinced me she existed. 5 stars<br />
2. <i>Basket Case</i> by Carl Hiaasen - If you have never read one of his novels - either YA or adult - you owe it to yourself to read something by Hiaasen. Good example of dark humor. 5 stars<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Three Plays by William Shakespeare - no idea how many times I've read these over the years.</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3. <i>Measure for Measure</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
4. <i>The Merchant of Venice</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
5. <i>Othello</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>And I do love reading the Harry Potter novels again and again...whenever needed.</i></b></div>
<br />
6. <i>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</i><br />
7. <i>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</i><br />
8. <i>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</i><br />
9. <i>Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</i><br />
10. <i>Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</i><br />
<br />
11. <i>In the Shadow of the Ark</i> by Anne Provoost - This was not one of my favorite reads; a good subtitle could be Sex in the Shadow of the Ark. 3 stars<br />
12. <i>Shylock: A Legend and Its Legacy</i> by John Gross - An excellent study of the character of Shylock in performance through the ages. I highly recommend this piece of literary criticism. 5 stars<br />
13. <i>The Turning Place</i> by Jean E. Karl - A YA novel. Interesting piece of science fiction with "notes" at the end that add a level to the novel. More appropriate for a stronger reader. 4 stars<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Classics I Return to When in Need of Comfort Reading</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
14. <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> by Harper Lee</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
15. <i>The Great Gatsby</i> by F. Scott Fitzgerald</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
16. <i>Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English </i>by Patricia T. O'Conner - I actually read the first and third editions of this book. It is excellent. 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
17. <i>I, Iago</i> by Nicole Galland - A wonderful novel creating a life story/background for Iago. I read this after reading and seeing Othello this summer. 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
18. <i>Glaciers</i> by Alexis M. Smith - I loved this short novel, but I read it in September and neglected to take notes. I'll be reading it again. 4 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
19. <i>Hanging by a Thread</i> by Monica Ferris - One of a series of cozy mysteries by Ferris. 4 stars.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
20. <i>Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing </i>by Elizabeth Losh, Jonathan Alexander, Kevin Cannon and Zander Cannon - Actually read this book several times and am using it as the text for my Freshman Composition class. I love it. 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Graphic Novels</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
21. <i>In Me Own Words</i> by Graham Roumieu</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
22. <i>Bigfoot I Not Dead</i> by Graham Roumieu - Both of these are adult dark comedy. 4 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
23. <i>Blankets </i>by Craig Thompson - Blankets was recommended by the American Librarian Association as one of the outstanding books for YA the year it was published. This is a wonderful coming of age story for a young man, Craig, as he emerges from a childhood of conservative Christianity. It would be nice to read this and The Fault in Our Stars with a class sometime. Definitely 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
24. <i>Trickster Native American Tales: A Graphic Anthology</i> edited and compiled by Matt Dembecki - Interesting collection of Trickster stories each with a different storyteller and illustrator. 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
25. <i>House Made of Dawn</i> by N.Scott Momaday - I had never read this Native American classic and would love to have the opportunity to discuss it with other readers. Challenging. 3 stars.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
26. <i>The Middlesteins</i> by Jami Attenberg - This novel grew on me as I read it. 4 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
27. <i>Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore</i> by Robin Sloane - I loved this novel! 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
28. <i>Everything's Eventual 14 Dark Tales</i> by Stephen King - And every one of these stories is a winner. 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
29. <i>Johnny Got His Gun</i> by Dalton Trumbo - A modern classic that I had not read. Knowing the basic story line, I did not expect to be as moved by it as I was. 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
30. <i>Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination</i> by Toni Morrison - A piece of literary criticism published in 1992 based on a series of lectures she had given. It discusses how the presence of blacks affected the literature of the United States. 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
31. <i>Summer's Lease</i> by John Mortimer - A delightful mystery set in the hills of Tuscany. 5 stars</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-6022735719149558982014-01-16T18:02:00.000-08:002014-01-16T18:02:33.394-08:00Three YA novels by Michael Bedard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">My blog will be jumping back and forth between what I
am currently reading and what I read last year…at least for a while. This entry begins my 2014 reading journey, so
I will begin with an explanation of how the journey started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> In my blog of 7 January, I mentioned
the category system I used over the past several years to encourage reading on
different topics, by different authors, fiction, non-fiction, etc. Although the system served its purpose for at
least five years, my compulsion to fill each category sometimes sent me on a
frantic search through my collection as the year drew to a close. This year I decided to start with something
easy, recently acquired, and calling to me from the shelf: <i>Redwork</i> by Michael Bedard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> My first experience with Bedard was
in 2012 when I read <i>The Green Man</i> and
quite enjoyed it. I am still drawn to YA
books and love exploring the works of Canadian writers. I will admit the title and cover called to me
while in Fanfare Books; it was encouraged by my interest in Green Man
mythology. The book, a mystery involving
time travel and magic, stands well on its own, but I discovered it was actually
a sequel to an earlier book. Finally
this December I acquired <i>Redwork</i>, not
the book I was looking for, and then found a used copy of <i>A Darker Magic</i>, which is now out of print. And this experience is part of what I find
important about my reading: one book leads to another. Sometimes the connections are obvious, but
other times the link of cause and effect is tenuous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> <i>Redwork</i>
was in my hands on the first day of 2014, and so my reading year began; this
novel is the winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Canadian
Library Association Young Adult Book Award, and a co-winner of the IODE Book
Award – National Chapter. I never
expected to be reading a mystery with a parent finishing up her dissertation on
William Blake and an elderly man seeking to create the Philosopher’s
Stone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Cass is a young teenage boy
struggling to help his mother survive on her part time cleaning job. The novel begins with their move to a second
floor apartment in an old house facing a park.
Cass is immediately interested in the mysterious unseen landlord living
in the first floor of the house. A gang
of bullies rules the park, people seem to avoid walking on the sidewalk in
front of the house, and as the plot line unfolds, Cass begins to see the
suspicion surrounding the mysterious landlord Mr. Magnus. It is a world filled with pain, both physical
and emotional.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Cass connects with Maddy, a girl
down the street, and together they befriend and work with Mr. Magnus. But the novel also has well-thought out
subplots. Cass works at the local movie
theatre for another recluse who loves old films. And there are the strange connections between
Cass and Mr. Magnus; he hears old songs played on the phonograph directly below
his bedroom:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">He stared up at the crack snaking its way through the
ceiling, following it from where it began as a tiny trickle of dark just above
the bed, watching it widen as it went, till by the window it disappeared down a
ragged hole in the chimney flue. It had
become a nightly ritual. Following it,
he seemed to fall asleep through that hole…but it seemed now that he was
looking down on it from a great distance, and the crack was like a cleft of
darkness snaking through a countryside.
Downstairs the music died. He
felt himself drifting downward, ever downward, saw the crack yawn open under
him, and felt the darkness draw him slowly in” (51).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It
was as I read these words that I realized how much the writing had pulled me
into that room. Bedard’s writing encourages
a visceral experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> The physical and emotional pain in
this novel is frequently from bullying.
Perhaps I was more attuned to it having just finished reading <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i>, but this line in
particular heightened the importance of the pain each character was feeling: “It
was a funny thing with pain, the way it sort of wrapped you up in itself”
(131). And yet, this mystery ends
happily. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Immediately after finishing Redwork,
I began reading the mystery that inspired <i>The
Green Man</i>: <i>A Darker Magic</i>. Written in 1987, three years before <i>Redwork</i>, Bedard has some interesting parallels:
magic, time travel, garages used for mysterious purposes, dysfunctional
families, and a loner as the main character – quite independent and willing to
take rational risks. He obviously has the
middle school audience in mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> But despite the similarities, this
novel has a strikingly different tone.
Emily Endicott, like Cass, is about 14 or 15. She is responsible for babysitting her three
younger siblings, but her summer is changed when her teacher, Miss Potts, calls
with a question. Did she see the old
paper in her desk advertising a magic show?
And so the mystery begins, with memories of a magic show for Miss Potts
that seemed to spell death for the children involved. And this year, August 8 is again a Saturday. Magic, a magician who apparently defies time,
and in a separate story line, two boys who know about it but are not in contact
with Miss Potts all working, wondering about, and moving forward to the special
night. Unlike <i>Redwork</i>, <i>A Darker Magic</i>
has a truly chilling ending.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Now jump forward to Emily Endicott
as an old woman learning to trust her niece, Ophelia Endicott. Ophelia, or O as she prefers to be called, is
another independent young teenager pulled into family responsibilities. Emily became a poet, and finally returned to
Caledon, where she obtained a part time job and later bought a bookstore: <i>The Green Man</i>. As a poet, Emily creates a strong poetry
section in the store and there are references to William Blake, Arthur Rimbaud,
Emily Dickinson, and Ezra Pound. Again
Bedard’s interest in poetry is in evidence as O’s dad and Emily’s brother,
Charles is a college professor in Italy for the summer researching Ezra Pound. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> One of the things I enjoy about all
three of these books is the timelessness of the setting. Although there are references to dates, the
novels lack the obsession with mentioning every current gadget that may be
available. It works as comfortable anachronism
for me; a reviewer on Goodreads found this extremely frustrating. However, I can imagine Bedard receiving
letters from readers of <i>A Darker Magic</i>
asking for a sequel and his desire for the connection of an elderly person
connecting with a teenager: it is a
method employed successfully in all three novels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> And in the end of <i>The Green Man</i>, O learns, “It was her
business now to believe – in the power and beauty of words, in the spirits that
move among us always, in the worlds of light and dark that neighbor us – to believe
in the possibility of the impossible” (304).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Michael Bedard creates an
imaginative magical world but never loses sight of educating the reader of the
source and/or history behind the story: people trying to create the Philosopher’s
Stone, understanding the pain of a war veteran, learning the Green Man
mythology. He is an author I’ll return
to…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Bedard,
Michael. <i>A Darker Magic</i>. New York:
Avon Books, 1989. Print<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">---.
<i>Redwork</i>. Toronto: Stoddart Publishing
Co., 2001. Print<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">---.
<i>The Green Man</i>. Toronto: Tundra Books,
2012. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-84523636908947272102014-01-07T19:41:00.002-08:002014-01-08T13:05:57.541-08:00A Memoir and Two Autobiographies...<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
For the past several years I have
challenged my reading selections by creating categories and reading several
books from each category. This idea came
from my use of<a href="http://www.librarything.com/" target="_blank"> library thing.com</a>: in 2012 and 2013, I chose 12 categories with
the plan to read at least six books for each one. Using the categories, I enjoyed the way
they forced me to think about what I was reading in new ways and see the
connections between the books I read.
Because I did not write reviews over the past few months, I am posting
comments on these books by categories.
Perhaps some of my readers will also enjoy seeing the flow of my
reading. I did not read one category at
a time; however, as the year drew to a close, I did attempt to complete each
one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Each August during my annual
pilgrimage to the Stratford Festival, I always make several stops at Fanfare
Books on Ontario Street. I have followed this bookstore through two
locations and owners; it is my favorite bookstore. This past year marked my 40<sup>th</sup> year
of annual visits to “Fanfare.” Over the
years I have developed an addiction to books written by Canadians. Although some writers, like Alice Munro and
Margaret Atwood, are readily available in the United States, many are rarely
found here. There are several Canadian
writers whose work I purchase without hesitation; one is Helen Humphreys. This past August two of her books made their
way back to Dansville; <i>Nocturne: On the Life and Death of My Brother</i> took
my breath away. Part of
the attraction for me was the affinity I felt for her; reading her description
of her relationship with her brother, I knew it as I know the feelings I have
toward my own brother. Although my brother
is not a professional musician, his love and talent for music is strong. Her reflection on the death of her brother
was poignant and profound: “Maybe when
you died what left your body, following the last few staccato beats of your
racing heart, the last harsh gasping of your breath, was not so much your soul
as the last true notes of you” (91). I
want to listen to my brother’s notes for many more years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
Humphreys, Helen.<i> Nocturne: On the
Life and Death of My Brother</i>. Toronto: Harper Collins <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;">Publishers Ltd., 2013. Print.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45CMdZHhyphenhyphenFQmHWF5zOU4_R30EeinK1hcyKsnzXCaYSwL78dcXjIeOTBJw8vy4Ilz5-dj_rwNh3cGHJ30KOHKzitS84aQXya29fwGNd1DlhgEgAXG2txewwGcVAGJyCtzmob-cBvzc8p2t/s1600/Dreaming+in+Color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45CMdZHhyphenhyphenFQmHWF5zOU4_R30EeinK1hcyKsnzXCaYSwL78dcXjIeOTBJw8vy4Ilz5-dj_rwNh3cGHJ30KOHKzitS84aQXya29fwGNd1DlhgEgAXG2txewwGcVAGJyCtzmob-cBvzc8p2t/s1600/Dreaming+in+Color.jpg" /></a></div>
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I am
not sure when I purchased <i>Dreaming in
Color</i> by Kaffe Fassett, but it was the first time I saw it advertised on
Amazon. Fassett was the first person to
truly inspire my knitting, and he continues to do so. When I first started knitting, all I wanted
to do was plain stockinette: knit on one side; purl on the other. I did not want to learn any other stitches
like cabling or lace – just simple combinations of knit and purl. Then one day I saw a book of knitting
patterns by Kaffe Fassett, <i>Glorious Knits</i>.
Here was a treasure trove of gorgeous colors and patterns and
designs. All I had to do was knit on one
side and purl on the other; I had no idea the technique with multiple yarns was
called Intarsia, and far more experienced knitters felt it was too hard. I just started knitting his patterns. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I met
him once at a book signing in Rochester, NY held in a yarn store. I was wearing one of his basic striped
sweaters that I had knit. I was
astounded because there were many women in line, and none of them wore a sweater
of his design. He was very gracious and
complimented me. On my way out a woman
stopped me to say she thought I was very brave to wear my sweater. I told her how surprised I was to be the only
knitter wearing a Fassett design. She
said most knitters were too nervous about their knitting to wear one in front of him. I discovered when reading this book that was
his first book tour, and he was nervous and overwhelmed by the reaction. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What I
enjoyed about this autobiography was the choice Fassett made: he focused on his
love of color. I learned of his life
including his family, upbringing, and education, but the focus was on color and
how he sees it. I learned different ways
to look at the world around me. The book is
filled with color photographs and reassured me that my love of mixing colors is
a creative gift. It reminded me of William
Whitehead’s <i>Words To Live By</i>. Whitehead’s memoir focused on his love of
words. Neither book became a gossipy sounding,
too personal expose.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Fassett, Kaffe. <i>Dreaming
in Color An Autobiography</i>. New York: Abrams, 2012. Print<br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Finally the last autobiography I
read in 2013 had been on my shelf since 2005.
I saw it on display at Borders and remember thinking it would be a good
book to share with middle school students.
<i>The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky</i> by Farah Ahmedi with Tamim Ansary is not a great book, but it is an enlightening true story with an inspiring inception. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
When ABC News’s Good Morning America
asked its viewers to write essays describing true-life experiences about
romance, adventure, loss, and overcoming tremendous odds, the network never
imagined receiving more than twenty thousand pages of inspiring, heartbreaking,
and hopeful stories. But that’s exactly
what happened. After a panel of
bestselling authors and editors chose three finalists, America was given the
opportunity to vote on which aspiring author would have his or her story
published. (Back Cover)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I learned about life in Afghanistan from a girl who feared the Taliban. As a child Farah Ahmedi was injured in a bombing incident and lost a leg. She was taken to Germany for treatment. After returning to her war torn country, she later lived through attacks that killed her father. Her brothers disappeared. She was forced to fend for herself and her mother. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When she describes the difficulties of wearing a burkha, which she calls a chadri, it is horrifying. “That mesh at eye level lets you see only what is straight ahead of you. You cannot really look down at your feet, and you have no peripheral vision….You have to study the path ahead and memorize the landmarks, because as you move forward, the path disappears from view into the blind spot near your feet and on your two sides” (98). Imagine having this challenge in addition to a prosthetic leg.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As soon
as I finished reading this autobiography, I googled her name and found a video
of the speech she made when becoming a citizen.
Hers is a remarkable story and definitely accessible to younger readers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ahmedi, Farah with Tamim Ansary. <i>The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky.</i> New
York: Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2005. Print.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-37403437963583462512014-01-02T19:26:00.003-08:002014-01-02T19:26:46.064-08:00"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." Julius Caesar (I.i.140-41)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">For about a year I've heard people talking
about John Green and how much young people love his books. People raved
about<span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span><i>Looking For
Alaska</i>, and I was tempted to start with<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>An
Abundance of Katherines</i>...then someone said, "Start with his newest
book:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>The Fault in Our Stars</i>."
John Green has a new fan. In the back of the "Exclusive
Collector's Edition," Green answers some questions readers have posed on
his website. When asked about the title, Green responded:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">There’s a moment in Shakespeare’s <i>Julius Caesar</i> when one Roman nobleman
says to another, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in
ourselves, that we are underlings.” And
in the context of the play, that quotation makes perfect sense—these two guys
did not suffer some unjust destiny; they made decisions that led them to their
fates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, that quote has since been
decontextualized over and over and used universally as a way of saying that the
fault is not in the stars (i.e., fate/luck/whatever) but in individual people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well, that’s ridiculous. There is plenty of fault in our stars. Many people suffer needlessly not because they’ve done something wrong or because they’re evil or whatever but because they get unlucky. (4)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Green creates a world in which two
teenagers, both dying of cancer, meet in a support group and fall in love. However, the novel is so much more than a
love story and certainly not meant to simply pull at the reader’s
heartstrings. It is about taking control
of our lives and being strong while needing the support of others. Hazel is an only child who sees the pain and
sacrifices of her parents and worries about them. Augustus has a brother but also knows the
special ties that bind him to his parents.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Early on in the novel Hazel says, “That’s
the thing about pain. It demands to be
felt” (63.) She has learned to live
through it. She earned her GED and is
attending college classes, but she knows what the treatments have done to her
and lugs an oxygen tank with her – a literal lifeline. And as one character says, “There is no honor
in dying of” (217).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is so much more to this novel
including a novel that is Hazel’s obsession.
And I never give spoilers. <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> has been made in
to a soon to be released movie. I will NOT see it. Having seen a movie poster, I fear it will be
the new <i>Love Story</i>: a sappy tear-jerker
romance. The story in my mind is the one
I want to remember. I do not care who
plays Hazel or Augustus…read the novel.
Savor the intertwined strands of real life and the important characters
not mentioned in this review. Read <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Green, John. <i>The Fault in
Our Stars</i>. New York: Dutton Books, 2012. Print.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-6910444901360935702014-01-01T18:14:00.000-08:002014-01-01T18:14:42.386-08:00Welcome 2014!Well...I made progress in 2013. I reviewed the books I read for just over half of the year, and then lost the momentum somehow. I read 70 books...not the 75 I hoped for; however, reading Robertson Davies helped me understand what kind of a reader I am. I am not a person who reads just for the sake of reading or to be entertained. Writing reviews also reinforced or clarified something I had been telling myself for years, I am not interested in writing a novel. I enjoy writing about reading and writing about writing. I enjoy writing about the works of other authors.<br />
<br />
This year I intend to write a review for every book I read...that is my only resolution. I will also take the time to recap some of the books that did not get reviewed in 2013. My first review will be published tomorrow and will be of the last book I read in 2013: <i> The Fault in Our Stars</i> by John Green.<br />
<br />
I hope that those of you who started to read my blog in 2013 will continue on my journey, and I hope that a few more people will join me on my journey.<br />
<br />
Happy New Year! I am currently reading <i>Redwork</i> by Michael Bedard.katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-47296802695654186452013-11-18T15:31:00.000-08:002013-11-19T09:48:07.091-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
am so behind in my reviews and decided to just dive in with my most recent
reading…so here goes:<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Genius of
Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well, I ask you…how could I say no to this book? It jumped off the New Acquisitions shelf of
the Hinkle Library. <i>The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think</i> by Brian
Hare and Vanessa Woods is a readable and fascinating excursion into dogs and
their relationship with humans. I learned so much without reading the notes at
the end; however, this is a book I want to purchase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> It begins with Hare’s history with
dogs and how his first dog turned him on to this area of research. Hare, a professor of evolutionary
anthropology and founder of the Duke Canine Cognition Center knew his dog was
different and began his research as an undergrad. I was especially interested in his theory of
how some wolves adapted into the life of domestication. He does not believe that man would have
trained them because it would have required sharing food with them. Hare believes it is much more likely that
some wolves were attracted to humans through the garbage that accumulated in
towns and eventually developed an attraction to humans. All this was surmised from the research
results of a Russian who bred foxes for genetic testing under the guise of fur
breeding, thus escaping Stalin’s banishment of genetics. Survival of the fittest sometimes means survival
of the friendliest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The research he has done making
connections between humans and dogs is astonishing. My primary reason for
reading the book was interest in more effectively working with my dogs. I was not disappointed: “Like infants, dogs
are best at following the direction of your gaze when you signal to communicative
nature of your head movement. Dogs are
more likely to look where you are looking if you call their name and make eye
contact before shifting” (241). His
research has proven that puppies have the same reactions to human gestures as
adult dogs. They also respond well to a
high pitched voice, which explains why Viola and Fabian react to my singing in
such a positive way. While reading this
book I began thinking of the benefits of having testing done on my hounds. Brian Hare has an extensive website <a href="http://www.dognition.com/">www.dognition.com</a> providing the opportunity to test and
understand your dog’s cognition and personality. Pursuing this avenue with one of my hounds is
my next goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Not being able to write in this book
was a challenge, hence, my desire for a personal copy of it. The book closes with this thought: “Dogs have
such a natural affinity to humans that the gentle stroking of a human hand can
release chemicals inside their brains that make them feel calm and
affectionate. They even prefer to be
with humans [rather] than with their own species” (282). Well, of course…I knew that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hare,
Brian and Vanessa Woods. <i>The Genius of
Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Thank You Think</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> New York: Dutton, 2013. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-22061467469009450092013-08-19T07:04:00.001-07:002013-08-19T07:05:54.025-07:00Picked-up Pieces by John UpdikeMy blog has been neglected due to the heat of summer, preparing for my annual pilgrimage to Stratford, Ontario, and the trip itself. I completed my June reading with this collection of essays, speeches, and reviews.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Shortly
after October 1989, I picked up this book off a shelf at Sundance Books in
Geneseo, paid for it, and brought it home.
Since then my paperback copy of <i>Picked-up
Pieces</i> by John Updike has been moved from an apartment to my home and
waited patiently on a shelf for me to read it.
It was one of the first books I paged through this year; in May I
actually began reading it. I enjoyed
reading this collection of essays, speeches, and book reviews originally
published between 1966 and 1975…far earlier than I began reading John
Updike. I heard him speak in Rochester
once, and his style was easy and enjoyable – like listening to a good friend
talk about books. John Updike is no longer
with us, but his voice remains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In the Foreword he recalls how he became a book reviewer and gives his rules for writing a book review. “A reviewer, unlike an ideal reader, is committed to finish the book: I read slower than I write…” (15); identifying with this statement is easy for me. If I am reading for storyline, I read rather quickly, but when I sense a book deserves a more serious reading, I slow down; I take notes; I copy out lines that strike me. I am a note taker. Updike was a serious reviewer:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">My rules, shaped intaglio-fashion by youthful traumas
at the receiving end of critical opinion, were and are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Try to understand
what the author wished to do and do not blame him for not achieving what he did
not attempt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Give enough
direct quotation—at least one extended passage—of the book’s prose so the
review’s reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy <i>précis</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending. (How astounded and indignant was I, when innocent, to find reviewers blabbing, and with the sublime inaccuracy of drunken lords reporting on a peasants’ revolt, all the turns of my suspenseful and surpriseful narrative! Most ironically, the only readers who approach a book as the author intends, unpolluted by pre-knowledge of the plot, are the detested reviewers themselves. And then, years later, the blessed fool who picks the volume at random from a library shelf.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">If the book is
judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the
author’s <i>oeuvre</i> or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it’s his and not yours?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">To these concrete five might be added a vague sixth,
having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product
and appraiser. Do not accept for review
a book you are predisposed to dislike, or committed by friendship to like. Do not imagine yourself a caretaker of any
ideological battle a corrections officer of any kind. Never, never…try to put the author “in his
place,” making of him a pawn in a contest with other reviewers. Review the book, not the reputation. Submit to whatever spell, weak or strong, is
being cast. Better to praise and share
than blame and ban. The communion
between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain
possible joys of reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that
end. (14-15)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">And
with that citation I believe I have done justice to John Updike. This collection of essays, speeches, and
reviews does not need to be read cover to cover. I skipped a few reviews of books that I will
not be seeking to read. However, I
compiled a list of authors whose work I will revisit or visit for the first
time because of Updike’s thoughtful opinions.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">He
discusses, in essays and speeches, issues of interest to me: his reactions to
meeting other writers, the difficulties of humor in translation, and (in 1969)
thoughts on the future of the novel. As
a lover of graphic novels, I was astounded by this comment, “I see no intrinsic
reason why a doubly talented artist might not arise and create a comic-strip
novel masterpiece” (39). Updike lived to
see graphic novels come to life; I will be seeking out later writings to see if
he revisited this topic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I
will close this long overdue review with two lists: one of titles and
characters he valued and a second of authors he admired.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Specific
titles and characters: <i>Living</i> and <i>Loving</i> by Henry Green, <i>Remembrance
of Things Past</i>, <i>Lolita, Ulysses,
Madame Bovary, Notes From the Underground, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Brand </i>by
Ibsen, <i>The Painted Bird</i> by Kosinski, <i>Don Quixote, Falstaff, The Naked Ape,
Candide, Moby Dick, The Plague</i>, and <i>Fear
of Flying</i> by Erica Jong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Authors:
Henry Green, John Hawkes, Proust, Kafka, Joyce, Karl Barth, Soren Kierkegaard,
Ibsen, Paul Tillich, Knut Hamsun, Borges, H.G. Wells, Hawthorne, Whitman,
Wilde, Chesterton, G.B. Shaw, Nabokov,
Sylvia Townsend Warner, Auden, Camus, Gunter Grass, Jean Genet, Marge Piercy,
James Gould Cozzens, Hemingway, John Cheever, E.B. White, Norman Mailer, Saul
Bellow, and Naipaul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Updike,
John. <i>Picked-up Pieces</i>. New York:
Fawcett Press, 1989. Print.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024039922777365794.post-72154617958623547292013-07-09T19:58:00.001-07:002013-07-09T19:58:35.193-07:00Two by Joyce Carol Oates...<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the month of June I also read two books by Joyce Carol Oates: <i>The Museum of Dr. Moses – Tales of Mystery
and Suspense </i>and <i>Beasts</i>. Both of these were library books that have
since been returned; hence, the reviews will be brief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The Museum of Dr. Moses </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">(2007) is not for readers who enjoy happy endings;
however, if you enjoy Stephen King, you should add this book to your “to be
read” list. These stories had all been
previously published in journals and magazines.
I am giving away nothing by including my quick notes on each story: “Hi! Howya Doin!” A friendly runner, “Suicide Watch” Father, son and missing grandson, “The Man Who Fought Roland La Starza” And his affair with the narrator’s mother & truth of his death, “Valentine, July Heat Wave” Unhappy divorce, “Bad Habits” Children of a serial killer, “Feral” Child gone bad, “The Hunter” Serial killer point of view, “The Twins: A Mystery” Mystery on two levels, “Stripping” Pedophile and former (?) victim, and “The Museum of Dr. Moses” Catharsis but is it a happy ending?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I
love reading short story collections, and every story in this book was a page
turner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Beasts</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a novella really – 138 pages – published in 2002. Although I neglected to record the publisher,
I do have some citations from this one and have decided to share exactly what I
wrote in my journal after reading it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“We are beasts and this is our consolation” (13).
“Trust not in appearances nor in what lies beneath” (14).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">How
does Oates do this? She is such a
prolific writer, and this novel hinted but did not clearly give away anything a
moment too soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It
begins with Gillian jolted into a memory, not a confession: “This is not a confession. You will see, I have nothing to confess”
(3). And that one word, you, turns a simple first person memory into second person, if only briefly, and brings the reader into the novel as a witness to the memory. Marvelous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
katein305http://www.blogger.com/profile/10110293786256664924noreply@blogger.com1