Moon Over Manifest

I'm not sure what's going on with Isaac and I reading lately but we haven't finished a book together since October. We've read plenty-- three (partial) books, to be exact. But he tells me he's bored with the book and I'm not about to force it on him. I feel like that's how kids come to hate reading--when it's shoved down their throats. And I'll admit, it's been a concern of mine lately as he's suddenly been less and less interested in reading. So when 2/3s of the way into Clare Vanderpool's Moon Over Manifest he said he didn't want to read it anymore, I didn't push the issue and finished the book myself.
We had picked the novel because it won the Newberry Award this past year and received great reviews. It's historical fiction, which neither Isaac nor myself care much for, but that I thought we'd get past because of the quote on the cover reading, "The best book I've read in years."
Not sure what that woman has been reading, but I have to disagree.
It was a good book, but it was the ending that made me feel this way, not so much the majority of the book. It kind of dragged on, which is why it lost Isaac who was really trying to give it a chance. In my opinion it should have been edited down some. (Possibly even significantly if the audience was intended for middle-grade children.) But it's a nice story about identity, friendship, family, and belonging and Vanderpool is a strong writer. The story is layered so the reader is learning about Abilene Tucker, the main character, as well as an entire cast of characters from the town twenty years earlier. If you like slow-paced historical fiction, this is a book for you.

This Book Is Overdue!

I'm behind with blog entries as there are a few books I've read that I haven't yet written about. Here's my first catch-up one-- Marilyn Johnson's This Book is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. This book was actually the first Playaway I ever listened to. (I've kind of lost interest in the whole Playaway thing recently, by the way. The last book I listened to (which I still need to write about!) may be my last for a long time.)

I "reread" this book because I remembered it being a nice tribute to librarians and libraries, a book I walked away from with a new appreciation for a profession and institution of which I've always thought fondly. My library is actually in pretty big trouble, which as of right now, is not public knowledge yet. I'm preparing for the news to hit and thought I'd get a lot of "ammo" from this book. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. It's an enjoyable book if you *love* librarians (or are one) but most of the book is her stories and personal anecdotes rather than a defense for libraries, which was what I was looking for.



Marilyn Johnson



I still enjoyed the book. I probably would've put it down right now were it not for the fact that I'd contacted the author and told her about the pending issue with the library and had her reply so quickly and kindly offer her support. (Not because I wasn't into it but because it hadn't been that long since my listen and I've got a zillion other books to read...) The stories are often quirky, sometimes funny, usually interesting. (There's a chapter about librarians on Second Life that gets a bit long.) But again, I'd only say you'd love this book if you're a library enthusiast like myself.

The Marriage Plot

It's always exciting when an author I love has a new book out. Even more exciting is the day I pick up the book from the library after having it on hold for two months, as was the case for The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. It took me a little while to get into the book, but once I did, I absolutely loved it. Today I heard about a review that said the plot was trite, which seems harsh to me, though it is true the book is more character-driven than plot-driven. (For the record, I love character-driven novels and the lack of a real storyline doesn't bother me. One of my favorite books, Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks, has no plot whatsoever and I still adore it.)

The novel is basically a love triangle between a girl (Madeline) and two guys (Mitchell and Leonard). It takes place in the early eighties after the trio graduates from college. Mitchell is in love with Madeline and Madeline loves Leonard. Yes, there is the tortured unrequited love angle, but I'm a sucker for that stuff. And I loved the ending. I had thought I knew how it was going to end (and how I hoped it would) and it was different (and better) than I'd anticipated. While I truly loved this book, I'm hesitant to recommend it since it is so character-driven and I know that kind of book doesn't have mass appeal.

Lately I've been thinking about how there is masculine writing and feminine writing--not so much because of the subject, but because of the style. Some voices are very gender-oriented and I love when writers can transcend that. Eugenides is an androgynous writer, if you will. His writing is direct and enjoyable.



Jeffrey Eugenides



Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Further proof of my nerdiness-- I read a grammar book for fun. I wouldn't say that grammar has ever been a passion of mine, but perhaps a slight peripheral interest. (I was the one person in my class who enjoyed diagramming sentences.) Mignon Fogarty's Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing made the topic of grammar interesting, relevant, and fun. She really knows her stuff and has a podcast and a website work checking out: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/

I found a student's guide to writing that she wrote as well. Isaac is reading it now and said that he finds it interesting and informative. So I'm officially promoting geekdom to future generations.



Mignon Fogarty



The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

Today my book club met to discuss a novel that I chose, Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I felt bad almost immediately after picking it when I got responses from people in the group who said they'd sit out this month due to the immense length of this book, and the guilt was compounded when I began the first chapter and kept needing to look up words. (I'm not talking about a couple, but what felt like one per paragraph.) I picked the book because though he says now he's never even heard of it, I swear years ago my brother told me about it. (If not, I had a dream he did because the memory is very vivid.) So the seed was planted then, and later I learned it won the Pulitzer Prize (another seed). Last year I read his newest book, a collection of personal essays called Manhood for Amateurs (and really enjoyed it). I later read another nonfiction book of his (Reading and Writing Along the Borderlands--a collection of essays about--you guessed it--reading and writing) and thought it was funny that this man is famous for his fiction and I am a fiction junkie (not that you can tell with all the nonfiction I've been reading lately) yet hadn't read any of his. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay seemed like a good place to start since those seeds had been planted and then right before it was my turn to pick the next book for book club, I came upon a used copy of the novel and wah-lah, it seemed like "fate."

So here's the low-down about the book-- it's an incredible, complex novel with a wonderful, fascinating storyline BUT is written in this totally pretentious manner. It's very showoff-y with his big obscure words and analogies within analogies within analogies. (Who writes metaphors for their metaphors?) If you can get past these things, it's a very worthwhile read. It's a historical novel, set in the late 1930s about two cousins who create comic books about an escape artist superhero who fights the Nazis (one of the cousins is a Jew who immigrated here from Prague to flee the oppression there and his motivation behind the comics is to save money to get his family over here to safety as well). I don't want to tell more than that in case anyone wants to read it because it truly is a wonderful story. Alan was turned off by the book when I'd read aloud some of the words being used, but when I raved on about the actual story, he said he'd like to read it--uttered right before starting a completely different novel. Ah, someday...I suppose it's a book you have to be in the mood for to really enjoy.

Second Nature

Some books take an unnaturally long time for me to get through, as was the case with Michael Pollan's Second Nature (his first book). In fact, I think I started it in May. I liked some essays more than others and generally speaking, found the first 1/2- 2/3 of the book more interesting than the end so I abandoned it for months. Eventually though the spine kept whispering "only 50 more pages... 50 more pages..." and I relented and finished.
Michael Pollan is amazing with words. I think reading something like the Omnivore's Dilemma, you miss that because the subject is so absorbing that the material takes center stage rather than his writing. Second Nature is a collection of essays about gardening and so the topics aren't super gripping, though they are interesting. It's a nice, quiet book.

Bossypants

Another fun listen on the Playaway was Bossypants by Tina Fey. My sister is a huge Tina Fey fan and I will admit to having very limited exposure to her work, but checked it out from the library since I figured it'd be entertaining and that I could chat with my sister about it. I was definitely right about the entertaining part. Tina Fey is a very funny woman and I laughed a lot. I ended up checking out the book from the library too because she talks about referring to a pdf to see photos but I wasn't up for downloading it just so I could glance at a couple of pictures for a minute. Alan ended up reading most of the book, which I loved since one of my favorite things is when he reads books that he finds funny. There's something about him curled up with a book, laughing hysterically that strikes me as adorable. I'm willing to bet though that the audio book is a little funnier. At some points there are scripts printed in the book but the actual skits are 'played' on the audiobook. Either way though, I think it's safe to say it's funny and entertaining... unless you can't stand Tina Fey, which some people certainly cannot, according to some of the "fan" mail she shared.

High Tide in Tucson

Here is a book that was one of the treasures I found while perusing used books. My heartbeat quickened when I spotted 'Kingsolver' on a book in a pile of detective stories and I snatched it up when I saw it was a nice copy of something I hadn't read. Score!
One of my all-time favorite writers is Barbara Kingsolver. I absolutely *love* her books. They hit me on multiple levels because they are readable stories with likable characters and the writing is beautiful and smart, a bit sassy sometimes-- but then there is a social justice issue slyly woven in as well. (Ah, thinking about her novels makes me anxious for the release of her next novel, whenever that may be... I may need to reread one of her older ones to quench the craving.)
Hide Tide in Tuscon is a collection of personal essays. It was such a treat reading, especially because in a couple essays she talks about writing and her career. She talks about fan mail and book tours and people's responses to her work. She also talks about motherhood and parenting, among other things. There were some essays I liked more than others, but really, it was all good. This book is one I will definitely be rereading, which means it is a typical Barbara Kingsolver book--one that is so good, you'll want to go back.
 

Freakonomics

I've probably already said it, but I'm a sucker for used books. I obviously love reading them, but it's more than that. I like the look of books crammed together on a shelf, and I especially like the thrill of finding, hidden among the discarded mysteries and Harlequin romances, something written by an author whose work I admire. It's like a treasure hunt, but sometimes after sifting through a stack of musty books, I need some kind of payoff and choose a book I've perhaps heard of or that looks interesting. Hence, my discovery of Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. It is one of those intriguing books that makes you question everything you thought you knew. There seems to be no coherent reason why the authors chose to focus on the subjects they did, but they do an incredible job linking seemingly unrelated topics together. The topics range from real estate agents and baby names to crack gangs and the correlation between violent crime rates and  Roe v. Wade. I could easily summarize some of the chapters that I found especially fascinating, but I know I wouldn't do it justice. It's an easy, interesting read and quite worthwhile.

The Tale of Despereaux

My five-year-old son has a freakishly long attention span when it comes to books. He can sit and study novels without pictures for over twenty minutes. So this summer when I wanted to read E.B. White's Charlotte's Web, and knew that Isaac wouldn't reread it with me, I figured I'd see how Adam would do. He was entranced. And then after sobbing at the ending, he looked at me and asked that I start over and read it to him again. His crying was not something he was able to get over easily and left him gasping for air and unable to sleep at night. Days later he'd think of Charlotte and weep. Isaac begged me to stop torturing his brother with the book Adam loved so dearly. And so I asked Adam if I could try to read something else to him, a book I'd read to Isaac years ago and loved. We began Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread. DiCamillo is a beautiful writer and her prose was hypnotizing to us both. I love this book, the story actually gave me chills. It's a story about this tiny mouse who doesn't really fit into the mouse world who goes on a quest to save a princess. But the story has many layers and there are other characters and everyone is connected in one way or another. I'll admit I had forgotten how it ended and was worried I was reading another tear-jerker. I remembered how another DiCamillo book ended (The Tiger Rising) and knew she didn't always deliver happily ever after. I started to relax as we finished it. No, it wasn't like Charlotte's death at all. No matter. Adam cried big thick tears into my chest. "Honey, why are you crying?" I whispered in his ear.
"Because it's over," he wailed.
Ah yes, I understood. This was a beautiful book and it was over; he was worried that he wouldn't get to read anything this good in a long time.

It Looked Different on the Model

I have a slight addiction to these new Playaways. For those who don't know, a Playaway is an audio book downloaded onto an MP3 kind of player so it's super portable plus unlike audio CD's it keeps your spot for you even if you turn it off and don't listen for days on end. (It was because I'd always lose my place that I gave up on the CD's, so this was a selling point for me.) So with a Playaway I can wash dishes or fold laundry while listening to a book- pretty cool, huh?
I still haven't ventured into listening to fiction on an audio book, so I look for nonfiction selections. A month ago I found It Looked Different on the Model: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy by Laurie Notaro. It was certainly an enjoyable read and found myself at times laughing out loud. This book is a collection of humorous personal essays. I will say though at times, it felt like the jokes were forced, that Notaro was trying a little too hard to be funny. But I laughed my butt of at this one story, I think it was called "Instant Karma" about the hippies that populate the town where she lives. It was really funny to me, especially because I could have been some of the people she was complaining about. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this quite as much had I read it instead of listened to it, but it was quite entertaining.

Lord of the Flies

I've always been an enthusiastic reader, yet missed reading a lot of classics growing up. The summer after I graduated from high school I was dismayed by my ignorance of books that (it seemed like) all my peers had read. I took three months trying to catch up with a few books that seemed like “required reading.” But the list was long and I was working two jobs and knew I'd barely skimmed the surface. I'm not sure why I always ended up with English teachers who could care less about English and just took the job to coach basketball or who had done too many drugs and thought watching old movies constituted as “studying literature,” but alas prior to college I had only one teacher who actually had us read a couple books. (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Red Badge of Courage, and The Scarlet Letter—that's it! Not even Romeo and Juliet—who doesn't read that in high school???) Since then I became an English major and have read my share of classics, but still there are gaps in my knowledge of the canon. So with that history out of the way, I had never read The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, though I had owned it once. When I was around Isaac's age I had bought it through the Scholastic book order since it was only a buck, but didn't really like the cover so never read it. As Isaac and I were looking for another book to read, I figured I'd expose myself and my son to this classic in one drop.

At first, Isaac was into it. The plot drew him in—all these boys stranded on an island—what wasn't to love? But then as I asked if he wanted to read each night, his affirmative answer came more and more grudgingly until one night he confessed he was hating it. “Nothing new ever happens,” he'd complained. “Seriously, every chapter is the same thing.”

Fair enough, I agreed. I don't want to torture him with a book he doesn't like, so we've since begun reading a strange (long!) fantasy novel that I would like nothing more than to abandon. (He's enjoying it though so I'm pressing on...and faking my enthusiasm for it.)

I finished The Lord of the Flies on my own. The chapter Isaac and I had stopped at was when things change and it gets interesting again. Overall, I liked the book. I thought it was well written, though at times confusing. Isaac was annoyed with how it often neglected to note who was speaking. I told him I thought it was because it didn't matter, that there were so many boys and the idea was they almost merged together like a mob, that their individuality was lost. (I have no idea if that's true, but just my interpretation. I'm not interested enough to go read up on the literary criticism.) I think the writing is powerful and the story (though it definitely dragged in the middle) was good. I'm hoping Isaac gives it a chance again when he's older.

Trust

I have been busy the last couple weeks and neglected the blog... the reason for my negligence is that I've been finishing my novel and polishing it for submission. I've also been researching agents and trying to get a feel for what kind of work they represent. I read Kate Veitch's Trust because I'm interested in her agent. I enjoyed Veitch's writing much more than I did the story, though I wouldn't say the storyline is bad exactly. This book is what would be considered “women's fiction” and I was reading it at a time I was grappling with the meaning of that word. I have never heard of “men's fiction” and don't like that men writers get to be “literary” while a woman's writing gets packaged and discredited because of the gender of the author. However, as I read Trust I realized perhaps there is a reason for this separate genre of women's fiction. The cover says it all really—two glossy blond heads with the provoking question—What if your perfect life was based on lies? Because that's what happens in these books, the main character is a likable woman whose life is more or less perfect and then it crumbles apart and she is left to “pick up the pieces” and finds her inner strength. It's a far cry from “chick lit” because the writing is often absolutely phenomenal and the plot line isn't formulaic, nor is it necessarily “girl snags guy.” But yes, it is women's fiction because the cover alone would exempt 99% of all men from even thinking about picking it up. It is often heart-warming, not trashy, and enjoyable to read. I find comfort in these kinds of books and though I found myself annoyed at Veitch several times (at one part the characters are in book club, discussing her own first novel... a new marketing gimmick?), I did finish it and that says something as I'll abandon a book that feels like a waste of my time.

Mi Barrio

I enjoy the occasional graphic novel. There are a lot of great biographical ones and I enjoy the way the story unfolds, the sparsity of the genre, how there are no words wasted, that everything said is important and often has a lot of meaning crammed into each tiny sentence. I read Mi Barrio which was written by Corey Michael Blake and illustrated by Shane Clester and is the story of Robert Renteria, who narrated his story to Blake. It's kind of a rags to riches tale with a heart. I found out about the book from a poster at the library and put it on hold, later learning that this book is used widely in the Chicago Public schools to inspire their inner-city youth. I thought it could perhaps be something my husband Alan used in his classroom as well. Then I read it and saw that some of the content (drugs, gangs, etc.) isn't entirely appropriate for a fourth grade classroom, but would work at the middle or high school level. It's a very short read (only 55 pages) but definite worthwhile.

 (Robert Renteria)

Happens Every Day

I spent the better part of the weekend miserably sick and not up for doing much of anything. I eventually decided I had it in me to read, but nothing that would require me to think. I picked up Happens Every Day by Isabel Gillies, which was perfect for the state I was in. It didn't even feel like I was reading. It's a memoir and like a comment on the book jacket says, feels like it's a friend talking to you. It's a sad story, about the demise of her marriage and the other woman that came between she and her husband. Ironically, I got the book from my neighbor down the street after his wife left him. He was getting rid of the things she'd left behind and I, of course, went straight for her unwanted books. This memoir is the first I've read from the pile I scavenged. I usually say I'm not a big fan of the genre, but then there are few memoirs I pick up and don't finish (and enjoy). It's gripping to hear someone's story, someone who is willing to reveal so much personal thoughts and feelings, to tell of the excruciatingly embarrassing things she's done. Gillies' book was no exception. She's not afraid to share the tiny humiliations that make up her mortifying story. I looked and saw she has a second memoir that came out recently that continues her tale where she left off. I'll definitely be reading it someday... but hopefully not when I feel like I'm on my death bed.

Nightmare at Bari

I finished reading a book I was reading as research for a story. It's called Nightmare in Bari: The World War II Liberty Ship Poison Disaster and Coverup by Gerald Reminick. The title kind of says it all... it's about this chemical warfare disaster that happened in Bari, Italy in 1943. It was known as “Little Pearl Harbor.” There is no official death toll but was over two thousand and many more were injured, and yet few have heard about it. I stumbled across some information about it on the Internet and then had to do an interlibrary loan to get the book. Not exactly light, pleasurable reading, nor something I can recommend, unless you're into World War II history or chemical warfare disasters.