Book Nook Club: March 2009

March 31, 2009

The Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean

Young, beautiful and American Delia Chandler is married to an older English Viscount, and is transported to England’s court before World War I. In over her head, Delia must rise to the occasion to build a life for herself in England. Despite pressure to produce an heir, Delia gives birth to two beautiful daughters. As the story continues we are treated to the next generation’s perspective through World War II in England, Egypt and other parts of Europe.

In the similar vein of Philippa Gregory or Anya Seton, Dean’s style is vividly romantic. Though unlike her predecessors Dean’s debut marginalizes the historical figures of the time period. Though Winston Churchill and Wallis Simpson, for instance, figure in the story, they are at best supporting characters, and their stories are regulated to the sidelines. Dean instead effectively uses the historical figures and events to establish setting and mood without detracting to the arcs of her main characters—the lively Conisborough family and their suitors. The novel also raises some interesting points about the perils of infidelity as well as the effects and aftermaths of divorce.

The settings are exotic and the men are undeniably charismatic adding to the novel’s beach read charm. The book may appeal more to romance readers then those looking for a detailed and fact based account of the period—as a lot of the history is glossed over in favor of the character’s romantic dilemmas and development. Though some readers may find Dean’s tendency to jump years rather unexpectedly, it does stay true to the perspective of her narrators. The Palace Circle was a refreshingly easy read, and there is no denying that it is entertaining, sexy and fun.

For More information http://randomhouse.com/crown/rebeccadean.

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March 30, 2009

Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense by David Guterson

Successful homeschooling,
after all, is a kind of educational self-sufficiency,
a farm that produces precisely what it needs without drawing on public funds. Such self-sufficiency should be promoted rather than mistrusted;
It should be recognized as a legitimate and reasonable alternative to other educational possibilities.

If you read Snow Falling on Cedars, you may recall how fun Guterson is to read. His prose is quirky, though not ever clumsy. In this non-fiction book, he informs, educates, inspires, and entertains. You need to know that he is awkwardly placed as a public school high-school English teacher who home-schools his own kids in the Pacific Northwest, so he has a rather unique view on the complexities of the home-school vs public school discussion.

Guterson opens Chapter One: Teacher, Parent, with these words: "We schoolteachers constantly complain -- into a steady, implacable wind -- that with much smaller classes and more one-to-one contact we might make better academic headway" (p. 11), which leads nicely into his observations about the parent as the teacher, pointing out that -- in a homeschool environment, the teacher student ratio can't be beat.

In Chapter Two: What About Democracy, Guterson addresses the concerns that home-schooling somehow undermines democracy, pointing out that "your average classroom is more like a little Kremlin than a little congress [ . . . ] more like totalitarianism than democracy. There are bells and PA systems and student cards and hall passes and classrooms where you listen day in and day out to authoritarian voices" (p. 42).

Chapter Three: Homeschoolers Among Others capably addresses the concern about socialization -- that homeschooled won't get socialized properly if they are not with their peers. Guterson points out that "Schoolchildren may be openly and consciously obsessed with their peers, but their unconscious desperation for meaningful relationships with adults can be plainly seen in their eye" (p 65). In addition, a child not tied to the school clock has the opportunity to live "as an integral part of a community, among the elderly, store clerks, gardeners, carpenters, plumbers, mechanics, and electricians in their world, [ . . . ] are apt to develop a sensitive social understanding and a sophisticated feeling for the lives of others as they are lived on a daily basis" (p. 64).

I sure see this in my children's lives. They do errands with me and see the mechanic at his work, the flourmiller and his mill, the grandfather and his care-giver; every week they get to practice their manners and their social conventions, carry groceries to the car for the old lady, go with me as we help a neighbor. I have many concerns, but lack of socialization is not one of them.

Chapter Four: My Father Comes to Class, cleverly presents the legal aspects (via Guterson's attorney-father), as well as provides a polite primer on regulations, statues, court decisions, and constitutional interpretation. Regulations are set by state agencies, but are ultimately held up or overturned by state statues. Of course, state statues are interpreted and these interpretations are rendered into court decisions which are (we hope) in alignment with the state constitution. And of course, the state constitution has to be consistent with the federal Constitution. Why does this matter? Because regulatory agencies across the country vary in their restrictions on home-schooling. Though these agencies may be the most visible aspect of the law to the home-schooling family, "the real questions -- for home-schooling families is what the federal Constitution says about what they're doing" (p 82).

And what does the federal Constitution say? Nothing. Why not? " [ . . . ] the Constitution doesn't mention homeschooling in part because its writers didn't have the word in their vocabulary. Learning outside of schools, back then, was pretty common. [ . . . ] In the past, governments didn't take it upon themselves to see to education. They didn't think of it as their proper role as governments do today." So in 200 years we've gone from one end of the spectrum (families are responsible for educating their off-spring) to the other (families can barely be trusted to educate their young, and even then must be supervised by a state employee and submit reports and show results lest they lose their grudgingly-granted privilege). Indeed, "Every child is entitled to a public education," as Texas Governor Rick Perry asserts, then adds, "but public education is not entitled to every child."

Chapter Five: School, Home and History, presents a very succinct overview of the history of schooling, at home and in institutions.

Chapter Six: Abiding Questions, asks and responds to the essential question, "what is education?" and laments the fact that very few educators bother themselves with reading or discussing educational theorists. Remember, Guterson is a high-school teacher. He remarks that, "in fact, I know of very few teachers who have, for example, read Plato, not to mention Dewey or Rousseau" (p. 119).

In Chapter Seven: The Matter of Money, Guterson addresses the economic concerns of home-schooling, acknowledging the very real economic impact of staying home to educate the kids rather than sending them off to school and using that time to earn money. Yet, Guterson points out, "This state of affairs seems particularly ironic in an age widely characterized as postindustrial [ . . . ] at no time in the past one hundred years has working at home been as feasible as it is today, when many Americans hold the kids of jobs that do not really require a daily commute to a central place of business. [ . . . ] Whereas the industrial age meant adults left home to work in the plants and factories, the information age might well mean that many are free, should they so desire, to work at home again" (p. 135-136). In addition, Guterson points out, schools used to have an advantage over a family home, in that it had the educational stuff (maps etc.) that were not readily available to an ordinary family. Not so in these times, "Home is no longer necessarily the kind of information vacuum that once made school seem mandatory" (p. 136).

Chapter Eight: Before Schools, takes a closer look at life before schools, admonishing us to not naively over-simplify the 'native' education (a heads-up to the un-schooling movement), and clarifying that in earlier societies "To be rich was to have a life in the web of one's people; to be poor was to have few children or to rarely see them or to work apart from those one loved. [ . . . ] With industrialism, as Robert LeVine and Merry White suggest in Human Conditions: The Cultural Basis of Educational Development parents began to provide for their children as opposed to working, teaching, and living with them" (p. 166). Huge difference.

Chapter Nine: What We've Learned About How We Learn, presents a very readable overview of Learning Theory. Anyone going to a teaching college should read this chapter just to get their bearings before starting their coursework.

Chapter Ten: Schools and Families: A Proposal, discusses the relationships between schools and families, advocating that "Families rightly should look to schools to assist them in meeting their educational needs, and schools should take seriously their constitutional mandates to provide for the education of every child -- even the children of families who want to guide that education themselves" (p 185). Guterson then shares several examples of excellent school/family cooperation. He also acknowledges (and laments) the current trend towards "espous[ing] schools as full-service institutions designed to do what families once did: Schools, [some reformers] assert, should be open dawn to dusk in every season fo the year, providing day care, m,meals, advice about birth control, counseling for teenage alcoholics, sex education, AIDS education, late-afternoon volleyball, basketball, and badminton, and finally Home and Family Life course in which children learn about -- what else? -- the home and family life they have left behind" (p 184).

Guterson argues that "a school district should encourage more families to homeschool privately, without recourse to district resources -- if the families can do so with good results -- since this frees the district to devote greater energy to those families truly in need of what it offers. Successful homeschooling, after all, is a kind of educational self-sufficiency, a farm that produces precisely what it needs without drawing on public funds. Such self-sufficiency should be promoted rather than mistrusted; It should be recognized as a legitimate and reasonable alternative to other educational possibilities" (p. 198).

Chapter Eleven: A Life's Work, wraps it all up, but not before articulating an aspect of our society that I have never been comfortable with. "In should be easy to understand how friendly conversation in America -- where probing into the particulars of other lives is considered courtesy ("Always ask about their lives" is the advice we get as teenagers about making polite talk)-- [ . . . ]" Guterson goes on to make his point but I stopped right there. He said "probing", didn't he? I hate asking people for details as it seems so snoopy, so rude, yet I recognize that I fail the polite conversation test at nearly every opportunity. So if you know me face-to-face and have wondered why I am so rude and never ask you a lot of questions, just know that even though I acknowledge that I should, in my heart it feels like probing, and I am tickled pink to get even the littlest hint from Guterson that I may not be the only one. If you are still reading this very long post, and have any wisdom to share on this, please do so.

I can't tell you what else Guterson discussed in Chapter Eleven, as I was completely derailed by the aforementioned probing.

All in all, I was found the book informative and the writing very enjoyable; Guterson has a droll sense of humor that had me chuckling throughout.

Technorati home-schooling, books

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March 26, 2009

A Mercy by Toni Morrison

This book is a new(ish) release by the Nobel prize winning writer of Beloved and The Bluest Eye. I had a hold on it at the library for quite awhile, and was really excited when I got the notice that it was my turn.

One reason Toni Morrison is such a great writer is that she defies stereotypes. People that have not actually read her books will look at them and think, "oh sure, another African American writing about the African American experience. Blah blah blah." But that's not it at all. Morrison writes about the American experience, and her main characters are usually African American. While they are celebrated by the African American community, they are equally of interest and importance to all Americans. In fact when Morrison tackles an issue such as racism, she does it in such a way as to show how it effects all races, and is often propagated by victims themselves. When reading any of her books it is often difficult even to know the races of the various characters because she only bring up race if she absolutely has to. She writes almost entirely colorblind.

If there's one thing that Morrison is guilty of as a writer, it's trying too hard. Sometimes her language is just too grandiose, and other devices she uses are so frivolous and overdone that it's embarrassing to the reader. I tend to admire writers who are able to express the most with the least amount of effort, so these habits of hers grate on me. She is an amazing storyteller though.

A Mercy is a story of slavery in colonial America. "Aha, slavery!" You may be saying to yourself. But this is not a story of slavery as you may have heard before. Toni Morrison brings to light the fact that Africans were not the only slaves, though they do tend to get the most publicity. Many of the first Americans were indentured servants from all over Europe, who sold their liberty in exchange for passage. Her characters are slaves that include a Native American woman whose village had been decimated by smallpox, a white woman who was the only survivor of a shipwreck of which her father was captain, and an African girl who'd been accepted as payment of a debt. There are also two male indentured servants, both white, that help on the farm, and a Black blacksmith who had never been a slave.

The African girl, Florens, falls in love with the free blacksmith and is sent on an errand to collect him and bring him back to the farm to heal her sick mistress (he has mysterious curative powers). Along the way she encounters a group of escaped slaves, a Native hunting party, and a puritan village struggling with witchcraft trials. It's a very interesting picture of early America, and a study of what freedom really means: is it a piece of paper, or a state of mind?

This was a good book, but it could have been much better. It reads like a short story that Morrison merely stretched out into an acceptable novel length. There is material there for a very good novel, but she just didn't take it any further. She also made it painfully obvious that she hadn't done much research, by glossing over or not mentioning at all certain holes in the historical picture she paints. For example she doesn't name any Native tribes or describe cultural phenomena with any amount of specificity. One might argue that she does this intentionally to make it a story for any tribe, and culture, but that doesn't wash considering that she is writing about a very specific place and time. Methinks Ms. Morrison has grown too big for her britches and just didn't want to bother with research.

In this book she continued with the grandiose language she is known for, and introduced another of her peculiar literary devices. The narrator has a very odd way of speaking, with no sense of past or present, often mixing up pronouns and such. It's very awkward, but you do get used to it. I wouldn't mind so much if it seemed authentic, but it doesn't seem accurate for the speech of an African slave in the 1600's. Just more of trying too hard I'm afraid.

I really admire Toni Morrison and I shudder with fear that she'd ever read this synopsis. But if I'm going to be honest, that's how I feel.

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March 25, 2009

Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell

I read this book because I wanted to better understand the Emergent Church movement, but it hasn't really helped. There were several things that made me raise an eyebrow (probably literally, I tend to view reading as a discussion), but nothing particularly enlightening. There were a couple of good points, but they weren't worth reading this book albeit short.

When looking at what others have said about this book, I came across this:

"There are many, many books that are far better, far more scriptural and far more challenging than this. Velvet Elvis is not a particularly bad book - it’s just not very good. So why waste your time and money?"

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on it. There's nothing to rail against, but neither is there nothing really to laud, either. I'd say pass, unless you're just super interested in reading everything put out by the emergent church movement.

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March 24, 2009

Stress Eater Diet by Robert B. Posner and Linda Hilvka

I was given Stress Eater Diet by Robert Posner and Linda Hilvka to review while I was still doing Weight Watchers. It's amazing how all diet books stay the same thing to lose weight- eat less, exercise more. But this books puts it all in a great way, comical even. From the image on the front cover to the decorative fonts throughout the book, the book just says relax and have fun- stress less.

The other thing I realized while reading this book was that I am not particularly stressed. And when I am stressed, I don't eat. I eat when I'm bored, not stressed. But this book did serve as a good reminder to a lot of things I've learned about weight loss including a lot of great tips like these:

Drink more water
Eat more protein
Eat low calorie snacks often (string cheese, fruits, yogurt, etc.)
Do resistance/weight training
Use interval training
Fidget
Get enough sleep
Stop eating when you're full
Don't engage in other activities while eating and don't eat quickly.

There wasn't a whole lot in this book that I hadn't heard in other places, but it was written in an entertaining and fun-to-read style that I thoroughly enjoyed. I would recommend this book to anyone that is looking for ways to revamp their lifestyles to lose a little weight or just get healthier. Or on the flip side of that, anyone that is looking to decrease their stress even just a little. It really was a fun and easy read, and I'll keep it on my bookshelf to look through tips every now and again.

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Deep Thinking the Human Condition by S.A. Odunsi

This book reminded me why I'm so glad to be out of school. I hate reading text book type of novels. This book was an information book that reminded me way too much of a text book. This book is about about PUC's (persistently underdeveloped countries) and how they've never been able to achieve their full potential. One item greatly discussed in this novel is the importance of higher education, especially based on the Western education format.

The book was okay, but I didn't find it particularly interesting. The writing was slightly dense, too dense for me. It may just not have been subject matter that I enjoyed, or it was a text book so I kind of zoned out. Either way, I don't really recommend this book unless you're looking for something of this nature. There are better reviews at Amazon from people that seem to understand the subject matter a little better. Good luck if you pick this one up.

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Save The Best For Last by Kim Hanks

There are days that I love being sent books to read and review and days that I hate them. Today was one of the days I hated it. This could be one of the worst books I've ever read. Normally I can pick out at least a few good things to save a book, but I almost couldn't finish this one (and it's less than 100 pages). I felt like I was reading a story written by an elementary school kid who doesn't understand how to write complex sentences. It was like the author just wrote down everything they were thinking without thinking about what they were writing. An example- "Some times Zwick would feel as if he was only three inches tall because Kent who was once his friend had behaved in this abominable way to separate him from Whitney." It was seriously just painful to read. The only thing worse than the writing was the plot. Here's the plot.

1. Girl's mom is in a car accident because of an evil curse on the town. Girl is depressed.

2. Girl meets boy whose parents also died. Girl and boy become best friends and like each other.

3. Boy's friends also like girl.

4. Boy doesn't tell girl he likes her. Girl falls for boy's friend, and they get engaged.

5. Girl's father hires boy's other friend (not girl's fiance) to kill fiance.

6. Friend shoots everyone at school and blames on boy who's put on trial for murder.

7. Friend gets caught and is given death penalty.

8. Dead friend comes back and haunts town, killing everyone.

I'm not joking. That's really the storyline. Horrible huh. I'm just glad it was only 100 pages because I couldn't have taken much more. I do not recommend this book to anyone.

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Ronnica's Spring Reading Thing

Like I did last year, I'm participating in Callapidder Day's Spring Reading Thing. These are the books that I'm planning on reading between now and June 20th. I think you'll see where other reviewer's on this site have influenced my reading habits.

Recent Novels:

Life of Pi by Yann Martel (see Marie's review here)

Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card (read Ender's Game at WhatACard's suggestion)

Rice Mother by Rani Manicka

Empire Falls by Richard Russo

Classic Novels:

Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (I'm in this one right now)

Old Goriot by Honore de Balzac

War of Worlds by H.G. Wells

Biographies/Memoirs:

Alexandra: the Last Tsarina by Carolly Erickson (see Marie's review here)

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

The Know-it-All by AJ Jacobs

Jane Austen: a Life by Claire Tomalin

Spiritual Growth:

Future Grace by John Piper (I'm in this one now)

Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies

Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer

Culture/History/Politics:

Worlds at War by Anthony Padgen

Do the Right Thing by Mike Huckabee

Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss

I'm looking forward to many of these titles!

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The Long Fall by Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley’s The Long Fall is a mystery novel set in New York. The main character and narrator, Leonid, is perfection. A private investigator trying to balance what he believes is right and what is necessary to pay his rent and provide for his family. When he ignores his gut and takes the wrong case; inadvertently assisting in murder, he finds himself fighting for his life. Which is only the beginning of his problems, as his youngest son is also plotting a murder. There is a lot of back story and compelling family drama intermixed with the front burner story line—the book is obviously a series launch.

The plot is very intricate (sometimes predictable), but the structure and pace become consuming. I had some difficulty understanding how Leonid came up with some of his conclusions, but it could be that I was racing through the pages.

When I wasn’t reading this book, I wanted to be reading this book. The Long Fall is as near a perfect mystery as I have read lately. I am looking forward to the next installment of the series.

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Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

I've had this book on my to-read list for years, but only just got round to it. I put it on my list because a girl I used to talk to online about baby names loved the names Lara and Marina, which she got from this book. It's funny because names are the very reason I generally avoid Russian literature. The names are so complicated and at the same time too similar to tell apart, and just when you think you've got sorted out who's who, their names change or they're given a nickname that makes no sense. I tried reading War and Peace a few years ago and had to give up, because while the story was interesting, there were five different Annas and I simply could not keep them straight.

So I finally got around to Doctor Zhivago. This book follows the life of a man from his childhood before the Russian revolution, through the revolution and the following civil war and the establishment of Soviet rule. It's of immense Historical interest. In this sense however there are drawbacks. There are interesting details of those troubled times, but the large events are completely washed over. The assassination of the tsar and his family isn't even mentioned, only vaguely referred to years after it happened.

The writing follows this same odd pattern. Pasternak described in great detail insiginificant things, like what a sheaf of burning papers looks like and how a woman switches between two clothes irons as they heat in a fire. These details show up in dialog too, as the characters' speech is sprinkled with phrases like: "watch out, there's a step." "don't touch that, you'll only make a mess." "shoot, I burned my finger." And yet the important things are nearly lost in a sudden rush of plain statement. He'll describe a forest scene for pages that means almost nothing, and then he'll say something like, "and then he realized that he needed to tell his wife the truth and never see Lara again, but at that moment he was kidnapped by a band of forest partisans who forced him to be their doctor for two years." Whahhh???? Did something just happen???

That was annoying.

And yet in other ways there was a lot of important literary juju going on that reminded me a lot of The Great Gatsby. A billboard the doctor always sees when something significant is going to happen. The proliferation of rats in his lover's house that he is always trying to seal out, but has no way of exterminating. That kind of thing.

This was a great book that I am still thinking about, but it is great for its Historical impact and literary devices, not for its story. Therefore I give it four stars.

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March 23, 2009

Etta by Gerald Koplan

Not much is known about the legendary Etta Place who ran with the Outlaw bank robbing Hole- in-the-wall gang at the turn of the century. Where the historical record leaves off, Gerald Koplan steps in telling Etta’s imagined and incredible life story in his debut novel, Etta. Etta begins the story as a tom-boy debutante, lovely even though she prefers horseback riding and shooting to the tedium of parties. When her dad commits suicide, leaving her in financial ruin and threatened by some of his shadier financiers, Etta escapes west. On the edge of civilization she unexpectedly finds fulfillment and love in the unlikeliest of places.

As expected, the villains are dastardly, the heroines sweet, and our outlaws are gentlemen. The novel is told through diary entries, first person narration from several of the characters, fictional newspaper clippings, letters etc… This structure is as enjoyable as it is effective. The only caveat is beginning the book with an obituary, disclosing Etta was 80 at death which negates much of the suspense Koplan subsequently works so hard to build. To his credit however he does establish a strong female voice in Etta, and despite knowing the conclusion you will want to sort out the details of her journey.

The author admits in his notes that beyond fictionalizing some actual historical figures the bulk of his tale is not grounded in fact. If you are seeking a factual re-telling of the female outlaw or the hole in the wall gang this is not your book. However Etta expertly takes aim and is sure to captivate Historical Fiction and Western fans alike.

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March 19, 2009

Woe is I by Patricia T. O'Conner

In all my schooling, there have only been two subjects that have disgusted me: biology and grammar. I could do without both. So when I tell you this book about grammar is interesting and informative, that's saying something, right?

Woe is I: the Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English is just that.

I feel like I have a decent grasp on grammar, but since I started writing a novel, I wanted a refresher course to help me remember the important but elusive rules of the use of the English language.

This book was the perfect choice. She covers many basic concepts, but also ones that I must have blotted out of my memory in self-defense. Yet she does all this in simple and entertaining language. She gives helpful hints as to common mistakes, and more importantly, tells you where the rules are made to be broken. For example: in all but formal writing, the use of "whom" can be thrown out the window. The English language does not stay static. (No worries though: she doesn't throw all rules out the window and finds text-speech as unnecessary and annoying as I do).

If you struggle with grammar or just want to sound more intelligent, I would recommend this book.

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March 18, 2009

"The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart

Yes, more young adult books from me!

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (ISBN 0-316-00395-6) was actually recommended to me by my 12-year-old son. We have fun reading the same books so that we can talk about them, and this will be no exception.

The story focuses on four parentless children recruited to infiltrate a school that is using children to control minds. It uses the common YA themes -- kids who are special and underappreciated, ongoing humor, and the like. The children are found by Mr. Benedict through a very special test, one advertised with the enticing ad "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?"

However, the book is good fare for the thinking reader. The story is almost all problem-solving, though done in several ways. The test to join the team includes several puzzles, the mission itself is mostly creative problem-solving, and the only help that the heroes can get from their patron, Mr. Benedict, is in the form of riddles.

Completing their mission requires falling back on information from the beginning of the story, and it requires that the four children work together, even when the don't want to. One character in particular is thought of as the least important member of the team, but the others remember the advice from Mr. Benedict that her particular skills might prove to be indispensible. They do, hilariously.

As with other of my favorite YA novels, I'd say that this appeals most to the somewhat-brainy kids. At nearly 500 pages, it's not a light read for a lot of kids ... it has a specific target audience, and it is a good story for them.

Although it's an adventure book, there is little violence. Even as the story climaxes, the only person hit by one of the heroes is the victim of a falling pail (though it does happen to be full of water and is descrbed as being as heavy as a bowling ball).

The story teases the reader with information. Morse Code, for example, is a prominent part of the story, and it's made clear that no one knows Morse Code anymore. Except, of course, the heroes. Even the villains don't know Morse Code. The smartest of them becomes suspicious of a coded message, but that's it.

Therefore, this book presents its readers with a golden opportunity to learn something special and unique to themselves. It doesn't teach Morse Code or much of the other information not strictly vital to the plot, but it invites kids to learn it.

A little bonus for learning Morse Code does exist, though ... A note in the back of the book (purportedly handwritten by Mr. Benedict) states that people have asked his first name. You can find that name if you use your Morse Code, and find where it's written.

I heartily recommend this book for advanced middle-school readers. My son, in 7th grade, loved it. It might lose appeal once the reader is high-school-aged, since the characters are younger, so this really is targeting the advanced readers. (Might I add a hearty "Hurrah!" to the author for doing that, as well!)

It's not a bad read for adults, either. I greatly enjoyed it. If you're an adult whose favorite TV spy is MacGyver, this might well be appealing. Stewart did a good job of presenting some serious issues to the kids and letting them deal with them.

One final note -- The quotations on the book didn't do it justice. The book is compared to the writings of Roald Dahl, Lemony Snicket, and J. K. Rowling. I suppose that this is to draw much-deserved attention, but I would argue that The Mysterious Benedict Society carves its own niche and owns it.

One of those quotes, though, did hit the nail on the head. The quote from Horn Book states that it's, "Real flashlight-under-the-bedclothes material." That it is.

This book richly deserves every one of its five stars out of five.

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March 16, 2009

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

I hated it. Just loathed it. It carefully narrates the rape and murder of a little girl in such detail that I have deep suspicions about the author. I feel unclean after reading it. I'm not going to provide any links to it as you should NOT go find this book.

Here is a link to a more informative and more detailed review if you want to know more about the story. I always feel badly slamming a novel as I know how hard it is to write them. Nevertheless, it is an awful piece of work. To quote the reviewer linked above:

What makes the pointlessness of the novel so aggravating is the selection of subject matter: the rape and murder of a child (and the aftermath). I'm not suggesting that such subject matter should be off-limits for fiction, but I am suggesting that if an artist wants to go there, it'd better be worth the trip. In short, she'd better have something damned important to say that justifies (and indeed requires) the fictional portrayal of such horrors.

Sebold doesn't.

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Of Love and Shadows by Isabelle Allende

Isabelle Allende is a writer I gave up on awhile back. I started reading her books because I loved the film House of the Spirits, though I never got my hands on that particular book. I found that her books were too dispiriting for me. Not depressing exactly, but sad in a pointless sort of way. I also got frustrated by the whole "magical realism" thing. It seems that every popular Latin American writer must incorporate magical realism into their work if they want to be considered an authentic Latin American author. Laura Esquivel, Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, Isabelle Allende... It's become a pet peeve of mine. What would happen if a non-Latin writer employed magical realism? I suspect it would simply be called something else, like "fantasy" or "dream-like." This is just a theory of mine, but it seems like racial stereotyping is very present in the world of literature.

Anyway, back to the book.

I picked this one up because it was a shining beacon of literary excellence in the paperback section, the lone plate of bacon and eggs in a buffet of sugary breakfast cereal: Nora Roberts Flakes, Nicholas Sparks Fruity-O's, Dan Brown Wheaty Bites. I had a baby that was about to cry and two kids dancing around in the aisles, I needed to make a selection fast. Isabelle Allende? Alrighty then.

Of Love and Shadows came soon after House of the Spirits, and it reflects a lot of the political and revolutionary fervor of that predecessor. In a good way. The later books I read, Daughter of Fortune, The Infinite Plan, and Portrait in Sepia, were plodding and loose and soggy. Of Love and Shadows is tight, well organized, intriguing, forward-moving, and hopeful.

It's the story of an unnamed (fictional?) South American nation struggling in the years after a military coup overthrew their dictatorship. There are two disparate classes, and the rich live in a bubble, almost completely unaware of the masses of horribly persecuted poor. A young girl who is considered to be a saint disappears, and journalists Irene and Francisco try to track her down. In that course they discover a horrible military secret that endangers their lives and sets the ball rolling to bring down the oppressive government.

It sounds like a standard adventure beach read doesn't it? But it's more involved than that. As I read it I remembered news stories in bits and pieces of various South American countries during the 80's, of hundreds of civilians that were taken in for questioning, never to be seen again. It also reminded me of the biogrophy of the photographer Tina Modotti, who was involved in communist plots in Mexico before WWII.

In the USA we don't learn much about South America, we simply associate it with coffee, choclate, tobacco, drug cartels, beaches, sombreros, that sort of thing. But it has a very rich and troubled history. It seems like Allende took bits and pieces of contemporary Latin culture and politics and applied it all to her own fictional nation. If it is a fictional nation. Just a hypothesis.

Anyway, this is a very interesting thriller. I give it an 8 on the hard-to-put-down scale. I'm now inspired to look for more Allende books, maybe I'd pegged her wrong.

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March 12, 2009

Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership and Brotherhood by Donovan Campbell

I should disclose this was not only my first book on Iraq, but the first war memoir I have ever read. I’m not even exactly sure what made me pick it up or that I would make it through the first few chapters. As a housewife, I have as little in common with your typical marine as anyone. But this book is excellent. The consummately humble Campbell tells the story of his platoon, Joker One, from it’s inception through deployment to Iraqi city of Ramadi for a nine month peace keeping mission. The reader is presented with a straightforward and honest account of war from the men who fought it.

Campbell writes with grace and humor telling us of the platoon’s growing pains and mistakes as well as his short comings as a leader. He takes the time to walk the reader through military basics and the political setting of Ramadi making the story accessible without over politicizing or romanticizing his work. There is plenty of action, though nothing is gritty, and the book brims with poignant moments. I doubt it is possible to finish this book without renewed appreciation for the sacrifices our men make out of love for each other and our country. If you’ve ever wondered how service men keep their lives, faith and humanity—read this book.

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March 10, 2009

The Glister by John Burnside

John Burnside’s The Glister opens in a modern day ghost town. The chemical plant that once fused the city with life and prosperity has been closed and left to rot. Everything in the town can be described as dead and deformed. The town’s adults are apathetic, depressed and diseased. The children are violent, promiscuous, and haunted. But no one ever leaves the town, unless of course, they disappear.

This book is not a typical horror or mystery novel. It’s more of a very long dark fable complete with an abstract ending and an obscure moral. This is not an easy read; it can best be described as uncomfortable and difficult. Burnside manages to infuse every aspect of his tales with menace, down to the last comma. There is sex, violence and adult language—the majority of it committed by young adults. It’s also the kind of book that may torment it’s readers for months. If there is a more terrifying or disturbing novel out there, I have yet to read it. I’d warn anyone considering the novel that it is scary and edgy. You may not like it, but you should definitely read it.

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Saint Maybe by Anne Tyler

Have you ever wondered how something you have said or done might have effected the lives of others? In this book, young Ian Bedloe's words drive his brother to suicide, leaving his young widow and three small kids helpless. In his guilt and despair, Ian comes across The Church of the Second Chance, an odd Bible based faith that practices penance for misdeeds. For Ian's penance he must set aside his education and his girlfriend to raise the orphaned children. In Ian's quest for God's forgiveness he learns there is a lot more to being forgiven than penance, and also a lot less.

Anne Tyler is very well known for An Accidental Tourist. I've read several of her books now and they never fail to disappoint. Most writers seem to just have one good book in them, but Tyler just keeps on going. This plot could have easily been turned into a religious cheese-fest, but Tyler stays away from both religion as we know it and the fondue pot. She illustrates well how quick we are to jump to conclusions about others, and the consequences that can result from our assumptions. I highly recommend this book.

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March 9, 2009

Cold Rock River by J.L. Miles

This is the second novel I have read by J.L. Miles, the first being Roseflower Creek. That book did not disappoint, so I waited (im)patiently for this novel to be published and even pre-ordered it on Amazon.

This book takes place in rural Georgia at the beginning of the Vietnam War, and follows the story of Adie Jenkins, a pregnant 16-year old who marries her baby's father, Buck, and moves with him to be near his family in Hog Gap, only to discover that he would rather chase skirts than be home with her. After their daughter is born, he spends most nights with his boss' daughter, so she finds herself a lonely housewife.

Instead of wallowing in her pity, she becomes friends with a local midwife, Willa Mae, who helps her raise her daughter and gives her a gift...the diary of a young slave girl named Tempe. She also takes up chicken farming, in order to supplement Bucks meager income. When she isn't taking care of her daughter or raising the chickens, she retreats to the journal to ease the pains of loneliness she feels.

I really enjoyed this book. It has everything you could want out of a novel...a compelling story, believable characters, and the feeling that you have to read just one more page before you put it down. Miles did a wonderful job developing all the characters, from Adie to Buck to his mother Verna to the slaves talked about in Tempe's diary. And she does a great job weaving the story of Tempe into Adie's story, it feels natural.

I also love the sense of humor she gave Adie. There are so many one-liners she came up with. Here's one of my favorites, which takes place after Adie's mother comes to help her rein in her unfaithful husband.

'Adie, you did real fine,' Mama said. 'Now stick by your guns.'

'I best not do that, Mama,' I said. 'I might shoot him.'

I won't say much more because I don't want to give the story away before you even get a chance to read it. But if you love southern novels with strong characters, this book is for you.

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A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot

This is a biography by a spiritual giant of the second-half of the 20th century about a spiritual giant of the first-half of the 20th century. Amy Carmichael, who remained single her entire life and made India home, has been one of my favorite people to read about.

Elisabeth Elliot spent a lot of time researching Amy Carmichael, one of her spiritual heroes. Amy was a prolific writer, even well into her 80s, writing poetry, true accounts, and many, many letters, but that's not really what's shes known for. She's known for creating and leading the Dohnavur Fellowship, which became home to her and hundreds of children, most rescued girls who were to be given to the temple to "serve" there.

Amy Carmichael with her strong Irish roots is an interesting character and a fascinating study. She had strong opinions on nearly everything, but more importantly was concerned with serving her Lord and others.

The last twenty years of her life were spent on bedrest from complications from a fall. Being an active woman, this must have been incredibly difficult, yet she sought to continue to love and encourage those in her fellowship by writing letters, having them visit her, and even selected people to serve her who she would be able to help herself.

I found this a very interesting and fast read, and would recommend it to anyone.

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And the winner is...

The winner of the 5-star book of your choice is...

Nickolay!

Congrats!

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March 6, 2009

The Believers by Zoe Heller

The Believers by Zoe Heller, is the tale of a family at a cross roads. When the Livinoff family’s patriarch suffers a stroke, the family starts to unravel quite quickly. The book examines and tests the character’s beliefs. However, the novel is more of an exercise in characterization.

Heller recently told The Book Page (March 09) that, “The job of fiction is not to present likable characters. It's to present interesting characters.” So before becoming the spokesperson for fiction, Heller gave us Audrey, the matriarch of her Litvinoff family. Audrey is horrid. She is awful to her children and hypo and hypercritical of everyone else. And due to the novel’s structure we are forced to feel her presence in every chapter. The rest of the characters are Audrey’s brood, so unsurprisingly, they are definitive brats.

I wish I had known Heller’s position on characterization prior to picking up the novel. I don’t disagree that characters don’t have to be likable, but as the author I feel Heller should have given us some reason to care about the fate of these characters. Heller fails to do so. Instead she presents characters who are grating, and so despite some comical moments, this story become increasingly tedious.

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Life of Pi by Yann Martel

I picked up this book not really knowing anything about it. I only knew it was considered to be a good book and had an Indian boy in it. I became intrigued as I read the book jacket. A story that will make me believe in God? As someone that struggles with doubt and is always looking for definitive explanations, I was hoping to get some answers from this book.

I didn't get any. I guess this book may make someone believe in God that didn't grow up in a religious household, but really, aside from a few interesting remarks about God I just didn't see it. In fact this kept me up for awhile. I couldn't just put the book aside and start a new one right away like I normally do, I had to resolve whatever it was that was bothering me. After sleeping on it I figured it out. The boy in this book, Pi, goes through an extraordinary ordeal. And the boy in this book has an extraordinary belief system. But Martel fails to bring these two things, faith and events, together in even the most obvious ways.

As Pi is experiencing a series of trials and tribulation, he certainly displays an unflagging optimism. And he performs certain religious rituals by rote. But while he appreciates the bounty of nature around him or marvels at this thing or that thing, he does not connect any of it with God. God remains separate, and that separation fails to reinforce my belief in God. It's a shame.

Otherwise, this is an amazing book. I'm not much of one for survival books, but I was able to get past that. A boy stranded on a lifeboat with a bengal tiger? If nothing else I had to find out what a writer could do with a premise like that. Beyond the story, Martel's arguments about zoos were fascinating, and could easily be applied to society and politics. And it was interesting that he was drawn to three major religions, demonstrating a vague but catholic understanding of theology and faith.

Almost every reviewer called this book humorous. I disagree. This book is not "haha" funny at all. There are certain instances in which I almost said "Ha!" aloud, but more out of surprise or empathy than amusement. If any part of the book was amusing it was the section at the end that provided questions for book clubs, questions that seemed to totally miss the mark. I definitely LOL'd at "If you were stranded on a lifeboat, what animal would you like to be stranded with?"

The thing that leaves me thinking about this book is the quality of truth versus fiction. It's like The Sixth Sense. You think you know the story and the facts, then at the end you find out he was dead all along. No, Pi was not dead all along, but it's something like that, something that leaves you wondering if you really read what you thought you read. I don't know how else to explain it. It forces you to reconcile your thoughts in different ways.

Very highly recommended, but take your fish oil, you'll need all your brain cells well lubricated if they're going to wrap around it.

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Book Crossings

Yesterday at the library I found a book in the "magazine exchange" bin, The Manhattan Hunt Club by John Saul. It has a sticker in the front that says "Travelling Book! I'm not lost... I'm on a journey! Pick Me Up! It's fun! It's free! It's serendipity in action! Please don't leave me here. You'll wonder what might have been- maybe not now, but soon, and for the rest of your life."

It was a book that had been registered with BookCrossing.com. From the website:

Grab a book, any book.

Register it with www.bookcrossing.com and jot its unique BookCrossing ID (BCID) down in the book, along with the website url Get nifty labels here or here. If it's already a BookCrossing book, you can skip this step.)

Read your book and then use the BCID to make a journal entry on it. You�ll find a place to do that here on the home page or through the link on the left side bar

Release the book out into the wild and wait for it to write home to you. (You can also give the book to a friend, send it on a book ring etc-- just be sure to make a release note on it when you send it off into the world.)

I remember reading about this a long time ago and wondered if I'd ever come across a book that had been "released." And now I have, and I joined the group myself so I can release some other books. It was interesting to enter the ID number and read the journal entries of the people that read this book before me and released it around the city.

Has anyone else come across any bookcrossing books?

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Villa Incognito by Tom Robbins

What i found in this book is that it was a whole lot of filler to tell a story that probably could have been told in about 50 pages. True to his style, Robbins does manage to throw in some good comedic points, and he truly is the master of the metaphor, but this time I didn't feel it was enough. I had read this book once before, and didn't like it much then either. I was hoping that this go-round I would enjoy it more, as it's been a good 5 or 6 years. No, sadly.

This is not one of Robbins' better novels. While I do enjoy most of his work, "Skinny Legs and All" being one of my favourite books of all time, this one is just didn't do it for me. Robbins jumps around from past to present, and after reading 4 or 5 pages of dialogue that doesn't seem to fit into the whole package of the book, I found myself wondering if he just didn't meet his required amount of words and was padding.

Would I recommend the work of Tom Robbins to another person, yes. Would I recommend this book? probably not. It just didn't captivate me the way "Another Roadside Attraction" or "Jitterbug Perfume" did. In fact, I found myself, many a night, almost forcing myself to continue reading it.

I give this 2 stars. Well written, just not entertaining.

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March 5, 2009

Between Two Worlds by Zainab Salbi

A blog friend of mine, Debra, told her readers to read this, and I obeyed. And I'm so glad I did.

In Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam Zainab Salbi tells of her life growing up in a upper middle-class family in Iraq that was connected to Saddam.

Saddam was more than an evil dictator to her, he was a family "friend" who she was required to treat as a loving, respected uncle. Yet so many of the horrors in her life happened when she tried to escape his grasp, fleeing to America for an arranged marriage.

What makes this book so incredibly touching to me is that stories like Zainab's are happening all over the world. Knowing her story and the stories of her friends and family in Iraq, she has sought to help other women through Women for Women International. Because of my job, I deal with many immigrant families, and I can't help but want to reach out to them and offer them love and support as they too may have a story similar to Zainab's.

If you don't want to help real people who are suffering, then don't read this book.

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March 4, 2009

The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahon

It is the time of The Crimean War, and passionate though impetuous Rosa Barr abandons her stale London life to nurse the wounded. When Rosa vanishes, her cousin and our narrator, Mariella takes it upon herself to find her. Only Mariella is Rosa’s opposite; dutiful, loyal and dull. Mariella finds she is completely unprepared for life on the brink of battlefield. And as all the clues to Rosa’s disappearance point to Mariella’s fiancé, now mad with fever, Mariella is heartbroken. Forced to rise to the occasion, Mariella learns of betrayal, sacrifice and love.

The book has its aggravations. The story awkwardly jumps between decades and settings. McMahon also waits until late in the game to give us genuine reasons to care for any of her characters. Also be prepared for many stitching references and detailed clothing descriptions that do support the character, but are very distracting. Its abrupt ending is also unsatisfying, but perhaps because I was finally engrossed in McMahon’s tale.

Overall, I’m obliged to admit I did enjoy it. The descriptions of the war’s battles, conditions, and Londoner’s reactions are undeniably engaging. The layers of suspense and brisk pace McMahon builds cement this unexpected treat. I wouldn’t have put this book down during its final fifty pages for anything.

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March 2, 2009

The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea

I just finished The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea, an excellent piece of researched fiction telling the story of Teresita Urrea, aka the Saint of Cabora, a town in Mexico. Teresita Urrea (1873-1906) was a real person and a relative of the author, Luis Alberto Urrea.

This story of an abandoned child who grows up to have alarming power and influence is both interesting and well-told. I didn't realize that it was based on a real person until I was over half-way through; this added greatly to my appreciation of the book.

Here is a link to a more detailed and well-written review over at AmoXcalli and a link to the Luis Alberto Urrea's site. If you enjoy magical realism and/or historical fiction, you will enjoy this eloquent novel.

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Button, Anyone?

Alright, I just did something I didn't know that I knew how to do. I created a button, basically by accident. Regardless, this is the new Book Nook button! Grab the code from the text box below!

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Welcome, Sara

I knew doing a giveaway this week was a good idea...we got a new reviewer! This is what Sara had to say,

"I just stumbled on your site for the first time today, and I have to say it's a very cool idea. I'd love to be a contributor, and think I might be a good one, here's why:

"I have a husband and two small children, and about the only thing I will neglect them for is a good book. I try to get through around two books a week. And I have recently started writing reviews to post on sites such as Amazon or LibraryThing. I honestly don't have the time to devote to compiling and maintaining a book review blog of my own (as that would take away from my reading time), so I would appreciate a forum for my opinion."

Sounds like she fits right in, doesn't it. Welcome, Sara!

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The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier

I was a little dismayed when I returned from the library with this book and realized I'd already read it. I've read all of Chevalier's books now. My favorite was Falling Angels, least favorite was Burning Bright.

Tracy Chevalier is a dark writer. Everything is tinged with pessimism, depression, and hardship. However, she also has a way of making these things beautiful. In fact this book is the perfect example of that because it revolves around the dichotomy of the color blue: both sad and uplifting, both dark and bight.

The way this book is set up is not original. The main character, Ella, moves to France with her husband, and begins having dreams that link her to her family's history in that area. Scenes switch between Ella and her 16th century counterpart, Isabelle, until Ella is able to follow the trail that's been left to reconcile her ancestral past.

It's a tired premise, but it's a beautiful -albeit painful- story. In the end I was glad to reread it. I got a lot more out of it this time. When I read it before I wasn't yet a mother, and being a mother causes me to see certain events and situations in a different light. This book isn't for the masses, but it's a worthwhile read.

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Giveaway: One 5-Star Book of Your Choice!

As a part of the Book Giveaway Carnival at Book Room Reviews, the Book Nook will be giving away several books. Today's book giveaway is your choice of any book given 5 stars by the Book Nook! The Book Nook has 11 different reviewers (and counting), so you'll find a bit of everything in this list: bestsellers, chick lit, classics, memoirs, children's books, and non-fiction.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post letting me know which book(s) interest you.

Want extra entries? Just leave relevant comments on any review on this site (i.e. more than "this book sounds good" or "thanks for the review"). Each comment earns you an extra entry towards this giveaway.

Fine print: Contest ends at 5 P.M. Eastern on Friday, March 6th. It is open to anyone in the United States, including fellow Book Nookers.

Here are your 5-star options if you win (links are to our reviews):

Fiction:
1984 by George Orwell
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Beowulf: a New Tranlsation by Seamus Heaney
Black by Ted Dekker
By George by Wesley Stace
Dear Me by Gaylynne Sword
Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore
The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton
Midnight Cactus by Bella Pollen
One True Thing by Anna Quindlen
Peony by Pearl S. Buck
Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane
A Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
Red by Ted Dekker
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Sister of My Heart by Chitra Divakaruni
Song of the Bones by M. K. Preston
That Old Ace in the Hole by Annie Proulx
Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett
Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Vanishing Point by Mary Sharratt
Vertigo by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
The Visitation by Frank Peretti
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Whistling Season by Ivan Doig
Women of Magdalene by Rosemary Poole-Carter

Non-Fiction:
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
The Last Tsarina by Carolly Erickson
Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Night by Elie Wiesel
Our Culture, What's Left of It by Theodore Dalyrymple
Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley
Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
Running Scared by Ed Welch
Shopping for Time by Carolyn Mahaney

Children's Books:
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

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