Book Nook Club: September 2009

September 29, 2009

Vhan Zeely and the Time Prevaricators by Mary Bailey

I'm so pleased that I get to review Vhan Zeely and the Time Prevaricators here on the Book Nook and share this hidden gem of a Young Adult book with you all. I borrowed this book from a high school English teacher friend who was taught English by Mary Bailey herself. Of course, you never know what you'll get when you read a writing of a friend of a friend, but I was sucked in and can't wait to read more of her writing.

As a kid, my favorite type of book were time traveling books. Though I didn't recognize it at the time, I suppose time travel books interested me because it combined my interest in science and my interest in history, though I didn't know I had those interests at the time.

As much as I enjoyed Vhan Zeely today, I would have absolutely fallen in love with it when I was a tween.

Okay, enough about me. On to why I enjoyed Vhan Zeely:

* Vhan Zeely is absolutely relatable as a 12-year-old girl who struggles with the delights and insecurities that come with her in-between age.

* Though some things are predictable, there were plenty of turns I didn't figure out. I love a good, clean mystery.

* The splash of history was fun, entertaining, informative, but not overdone. And as far as I'm aware, it was spot on, too.

* Bailey didn't tie up all the lose ends. I appreciate a book that doesn't answer every question.

I recommend this book to anyone, tween on up, who enjoys mystery, time travel (well, books on it, at least), or history! I know this book isn't widely available, but you can find it at online retailers, or you can bug your local library about getting it! I want to make sure that a good book gets a chance.

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September 28, 2009

Digging to America

Anne Tyler's Digging to America is a story that appears to be about two families that adopted from Korea, but is, in fact the story of one of the Grandmothers as she grapples with her "otherness". She immigrated from Iran.

"Oh," she said, " sometimes I get so tired of being foreign I want to lie down and die. It's a lot of work, bring foreign."

The two families strive to be friends, though they annoy one another and privately criticize each other's ways. For me, this makes the novel hard to buy into, as I can't imagine these as real people who call this a real friendship. Why bother trying to be friends with people you don't actually like?

It wasn't just age that made the difference (although that helped, no doubt); it was more that she had winnowed out the people she wasn't at ease with. [ . . . ] "Why should I bother? This is one good thing about getting old: I know what I like and what I don't like."

Why wait until we are old?

All-in-all, it was a good book, but not a great book.

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September 25, 2009

If God is Good by Randy Alcorn

I've never read any of Randy Alcorn's writing before (Heaven being his most popular book), but I have been wanting to for a while. I'm glad that I've had the opportunity to read this, but saddened that I haven't yet had the time to complete it before I needed to post this now partial review. I do plan on updating it when I've completed it.

Though I haven't agreed with every point that Randy Alcorn has made, I think he does a great job of getting the subject to the masses and helping Christians and non-Christians alike to think through the classic problem of evil (how can both evil and a good, all-powerful, all-knowing God both exist). This is something that I've thought a lot about and will continue to be something I'll think about.

Summary provided by the publisher:

Every one of us will experience suffering. Many of us are experiencing it now. As we have seen in recent years, evil is real in our world, present and close to each one of us.

In such difficult times, suffering and evil beg questions about God--Why would an all-good and all-powerful God create a world full of evil and suffering? And then, how can there be a God if suffering and evil exist?

These are ancient questions, but also modern ones as well. Atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and even former believers like Bart Ehrman answer the question simply: The existence of suffering and evil proves there is no God.

In this captivating new book, best-selling author Randy Alcorn challenges the logic of disbelief, and brings a fresh, realistic, and thoroughly biblical insight to the issues these important questions raise.

Alcorn offers insights from his conversations with men and women whose lives have been torn apart by suffering, and yet whose faith in God burns brighter than ever. He reveals the big picture of who God is and what God is doing in the world–now and forever. And he equips you to share your faith more clearly and genuinely in this world of pain and fear.

As he did in his best-selling book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn delves deep into a profound subject, and through compelling stories, provocative questions and answers, and keen biblical understanding, he brings assurance and hope to all.

More information: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781601421326

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September 22, 2009

"Emergence" by David R. Palmer

Emergence, written by David R. Palmer (ISBN 0-553-24501-5) isn't a particularly new book; it was published in 1984. My wife has been encouraging me to read it for several years. Now that I have, I'm trying to figure out what I ever did to her to deserve this.

In concept, the book is fair enough. It's a post-apocalyptic story about an 11-year-old girl, Candy Smith-Foster, who survives a nuclear-biological war that eliminates humanity. The only survivors are those who are a more-highly-evolved species that will succeed Homo sapiens. The book is presented as her journal, telling the story as she records it for posterity.

It is this format that presents the first problem for me: If she's writing the journal, I already know that she's survived the dramatic situations she faces. The emotions are already processed, to an extent. Although Palmer, through Candy, tries to present her journal as if it was simply first-person narration, the fact that it's written after the fact is inescapable.

If he was trying to escape this, though, he makes two major mistakes: (1) Candy's narration is extremely informal, often including such notes as "Good morning, Posterity!" that remind you that this is not simply a narration, it's a journal, and (2) Candy writes in shorthand. This writing style is addressed early in the book, when Candy records, "Sentence structure will have English teachers spinning in graves" and goes on to explain why she's too intelligent to use English properly.

The thing is, I'm rather a fan of the English language. I consider this book's butchery of it to be a major distraction from the story. Even if its narrator would conclude from this that I'm inferior, I hold to my point.

In any case, the misuse of language makes it impossible to forget that this is Candy's journal, and that therefore she can't have been killed in any of the situations that she encounters.

As for those situations ... As she travels the US searching for other survivors, she spends close to half the book talking about sex, being propositioned in one way or another. These conversations are so romantic as to include the comment by one character that a catheter is not conducive to romance, and one conversation that is no more than a business deal -- which she nearly accepts.

At the end, roughly the last third of the book, it suddenly turns into largely an adventure story. At that point, the book becomes more bearable ... but right before the end we are treated to another discussion of how the villain wishes Candy were older so that they could be involved romantically. She's 11 years old! I find this disturbing, and wonder somewhat if Palmer has issues that warrant professional help if he's this obsessed with sexual activity between 11 year old girls and full-grown men.

The great moral conflict of the book is, as far as I'm concerned, resolved incorrectly. Candy murders a man by failing to halt her use of deadly force (she's a Sixth Degree black belt), and every conversation about this includes neat rationalizations.

Good points? I think that the concept was great. I can't, though, think of anything particularly good to say about the book, except that I no longer have to read it.

1 star is generous.

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Anita Shreve's latest--A Change in Altitude Review

If you (like me) are a fan of Anita Shreve, then you are probably salivating over her new release, A Change in Altitude. And after Testimony, who wouldn’t be a fan? Shreve seems to be getting better and better. This novel centers on a late twenties newlywed, Margaret, who jumped at the chance to follow her husband to Kenya where he is doing medical research. One day Patrick announces that they are going to climb Mt. Kenya with their land lords and another couple. The climb is an arduous several day affair, so Margaret does have misgivings, but in the end is easily persuaded. Once on the expedition, small indiscretions on Margaret’s part have dire consequences and put a seemingly insurmountable strain on her marriage. As the cracks in her marriage widen, Margaret considers whether she can save her marriage, and as she explores her own passions, a part of her wonders if she wants to.

The muscle that Shreve typically flexes is her ability to instantly grab and hold the reader, but for me that didn’t happen here. Instead I found myself sort of plugging away at the first few chapters. However, Shreve is an excellent story teller, and so I soon found myself engrossed in Margaret’s emotional drama which was beautifully set by the harsh African landscapes and Keynes details. The fish out of water feel of an American in Africa is explored, and is thematically similar to The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver or Louise Dean’s The Idea of Love. The culture shock is just an element to Margaret’s characterization, and not the focus of her story, and thus Shreve forges something new. I was shocked to enjoy the action sequences as much as I did, and found Margaret’s insecurities scarily relatable and fascinating. Overall, I was surprised with the restraint and subtlety which Shreve used in composing this novel. Though A Change in Altitude wasn’t my favorite book by Shreve (that is a tie between Testimony and Fortune Rocks), it is still one of her best.

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September 18, 2009

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

I have been anticipating the release of The Lost Symbol for a very long time. I heard rumors of it being written a couple of years ago and it was finally released this week. I was most excited about the setting of the new book, Washington, D.C. I love to read books that are set in a location that I know well so that when the character sees something, I have a perfect image of what they are seeing in my mind. For the most part, Dan Brown did a fabulous job describing the scene and painting out the details of what the character was seeing throughout his adventure. *

In his new novel, Dan Brown continues the adventures of Robert Langdon, who was his main character in Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. Robert is enjoying a typical quiet Sunday morning in Boston when he receives a call from the assistant of one of his dearest friends, Peter Solomon, who is the head of the Smithsonian Institute. Peter is desperate to find a last minute replacement for a speaker that had canceled on him and was supposed to speak at a major event Peter had arranged for in the U.S. Capitol. Robert agrees to help and Peter sends a private jet to bring him from Boston to D.C. Robert is running late and rushes into the Capitol building with just a few seconds to spare. He turns the corner to walk into the famous Statuary Hall where the event is to be held and immediately stops as he realizes it is empty except for a few tourists and there is no speech.

Robert is baffled as to what is going on and tries to reach Peter's assistant and as soon as the assistant picks up, Robert explains the situation. The assistant then tells Robert that he is completely careless to believe someone that he has never met before and that Peter actually has no idea that he is in D.C. The assistant then tells him that he is not actually Peter's assistant and he had kidnapped Peter and Robert had been summoned to D.C. to save his friend. Robert is told that he is the only one that can save him (very typical for a Dan Brown book if you have read any before...)

Robert must solve a very old puzzle/myth relating to the Freemasons, a very famous and historical brotherhood/fraternity, in order to save Peter. Several problems present themselves to Robert from the beginning, the biggest of which is that the CIA is after him and he has no idea how they knew what was happening moments after the phone call. Robert runs all over D.C. and is assisted by several very powerful Masons in order to get all of the clues that he needs to discover the meaning of the puzzle.

The book kept me guessing and I became addicted to the story. If you have read any of the Dan Brown books, you should definitely read this one as well. If you haven't ever read a Dan Brown book, read this! In other words, I recommend it to anyone that wants a fascinating historical suspense.

I give this book 5 stars!

*If you have ever been to DC before and are familiar with the city and especially the US Capitol building, I dare you to find the minor mistakes Dan Brown made in the details. They are minor and didn't bother me, but I did find it amusing to stop and say "wait a second that isn't right..."

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A Note from an Old Acquaintance by Bill Walker

I’ll keep this short and sweet. This book was just a love story that reminded of reality in a bad way. The storyline is centered around a man named Brian who fell in a love with a woman named Joanna in 1991 when she was engaged to a man named Ruby. Something big happened, and Brian decided to leave without giving Joanna any reason why. Flash forward to 15 years later and Joanna contacts Brian (after the death of his wife); Brian goes to see Joanna (who is and has been married to Ruby for 15 years), and you can probably guess the rest of the story. I'd recommend this to anyone that wants an easy to read love story without getting into anything too complex. 3 stars.

Likes:

Brian and Joanna are both artists, and Walker describes the feelings and love for art well.
The writing is strong and easy to read. I didn’t once think that he was a terrible writer.
Nice simple love story.

Dislikes:

The whole theme of the book- cheating on your fiancé and husband for true love. If you found true love somewhere else, break it off before you do anything about it. Joanna used Ruby just as much as he used her.
How everything fell into place so easily after 15 years; there was really no conflict.
Joanna.

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September 15, 2009

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran (Giveaway)

Have you ever wondered what happened to Cleopatra's twins when she died? Didn't even know she had twins? Me neither. That's the beauty of historical fiction, you learn things while engrossed in the depth of a beautiful story.

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran is the story of Cleopatra's twins, Alexander and Selene as they are taken to Rome after Egypt is conquered. The story is told from Selene's point of view and a fascinating look at Roman rule and Egyptian culture. It follows Selene and Alexander from the moment Egypt is overtaken to the time Selene becomes queen. Moran is an archeologist turned author that used her research to write this captivating work. The characters come across as real, relatable people rather than the rulers of Rome or the princess of Egypt. The boys go to the circus to gamble, the women worry about the jealousy of other women, and the slaves rebel against the Roman rule. Moran teaches you about Egyptian and Roman culture without even trying, and I just wanted to read more.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, or even if you're not, this is a book I would recommend to everyone. There were times I just forgot that the book was historical fiction and read it as a romance or a thriller. For me that's what makes good historical fiction, something that makes history real and relatable. One of the best books I've read in the past few months; I'll definitely be picking up her other books as well. 5 stars.

If you're interested in reading this book, I've got a copy to give away. Just leave a comment on this post (if you feel like telling me your favorite historical fiction novel that'd be even better), and I'll pick a winner from all of the comments on this post and my other blog. The book comes out tomorrow so the giveaway ends at midnight EST tonight. I'll announce the winner tomorrow.

This giveaway is closed. Cate is the lucky winner!

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September 14, 2009

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

I really enjoyed this novel: Case Histories from Kate Atkinson. It features a new (to me) character: a private detective named Jackson who is presented with three long-cold mysteries. Gradually all three are unraveled and even share a few story-threads in common.

I find it remarkable that in both of the Atkinson novels I have read, this and Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Atkinson heavily invests in the complications -- the desperate affection and rivalry -- of sisterly relationships. And, in each novel one sister has had a hand in a death and an other sister takes the blame.

I would so very much like to read an interview with an Atkinson sibling, but it appears that I cannot as wee bit of internet research seems to show that she is an only child, which really disrupts my theory of writing as PTSD therapy. I suppose that is a compliment to Atkinson, that she could concoct such complex relationship drawing not-at-all upon personal experience.

Behind the Scenes at the Museum has a complicated, and often confusing, pattern of narration; Case Histories does not. It reads easily and hooked me early on. The mysteries are well-crafted in that I thought I knew who did what to whom, but I was wrong. And once again I am struck by how well Atkinson writes the internal dialogue of the very young.

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Book Blogger Appreciation Week is Here!

This week is Book Blogger Appreciation Week! If you're interested, I recommend you check out the giveaways and many other features in celebration of this week.

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Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

After a couple of hundred pages of beautiful, well-worded writing without obvious plot movement, I began to think that no one could possibly enjoy this book. After reading positive review after positive review and hearing my fellow book clubbers' opinions, I realize I was mistaken.

Yet, my position stands.

Irene is a great writer, crafting beautiful pictures with her words. I think I might have enjoyed it much better if she had time to complete this work, but I don't know if I would have allowed her the time because what she did complete was almost 400 pages.

This is a contemporaneously-written story about the French experience of the German invasion and subsequent occupation during World War II. One theme that is highlighted (and I find interesting) is that there are greater differences between classes than there are between the French and German people. There's no mention of the Holocaust, though Irene and her husband were gassed in Auschwitz.

If you're interested in this time period of European history, I would recommend this unique view of wartime. It's probably not for readers like me who prefer a more defined plot.

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September 8, 2009

Fearless by Max Lucado

I was given Fearless to review as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Blogger Review program. I've read numerous books by Max Lucado including one of my favorites, You Are Special, so I was very excited to read this book.

Fearless is about how to deal with and replace all sorts of fears with faith. The book is being released today so it's written in an extremely scary time for many people. From the fear of not being liked, to fear of financial failure, to fear of being eaten by a shark, Lucado covers them all. And gives suggestions for ways to overcome these fears by trusting in God and doing all we can do and realizing He is the only one who can really control everything.

I really enjoyed this book. There is something for everyone in it regardless of what religion you follow or don't. Max Lucado's writing is filled with humor and everyday experiences from people he's met through his life, and this really helped his points hit home for me. Especially the chapter on not being liked and why does it really matter what other people think when God's the one who created you and he doesn't make mistakes. Again, if you've never read You Are Special, it's one of the best children's books out there. And this is another great book from Lucado, I'm glad I was given the chance to read it and hope that other people pick it up as soon as it hits the shelves today. Because you really don't have to fear anything but God. 5 stars.

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September 7, 2009

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

Every once in awhile, I find an author who awes me with the way that they can paint a picture with their words and make me want to read whole sentences aloud until they sink in and I smile with their literary genius. In the beginning of The Zookeeper's Wife, I felt that exact feeling with sentences like, "On warm spring days, the lilacs' purple cones swung like censers and a sweet narcotic amber drifted in at intervals, allowing the nose to rest awhile between fragrant reveilles." However, as the book went on, the awe lessened and the book became tedious to read in parts. It was bogged down by unnecessary information. I still enjoyed the book but it was not what I thought it would be when I began, which really is unfortunate considering how excited I was when I got that rare feeling of awe.

Diane Ackerman writes the story of Jan and Antonina Zabinski. Jan and Antonina were the zookeepers of the Warsaw, Poland city zoo during World War II. When the Germans attacked Poland in 1939, many of the animals of the zoo were killed by bombs or were set loose when their cages were damaged and were later shot in the streets. It completely devastated Jan, Antonina and their son, Rys, who were all known for their uncanny ability to connect with the animal world and immerse themselves in the intricacies of animal life. This devastation fueled them to use all of their energies and means to activate themselves in the Polish Resistance.

The Zabinski's villa at the zoo became a constant hiding place for Jews, who took on alternate personas as they hid in plain sight. The Zabinskis recognized early on that hiding people in plain sight and masking them as family members visiting from elsewhere or as volunteers at the zoo helped to avoid detection. In addition to the villa's "guests", the now empty animal cages were altered to accommodate additional Jews looking for a temporary hiding place while documents were falsified and a more permanent location was established. The Zabinskis knew that they were not only risking the lives of those that they were hiding but also their own lives as well as any of their close friends who would also be killed if they were discovered. Rys lost a great deal of childhood as he was forced into a life of keeping secrets that would cause many lives to be lost if any secrets were to slip out.

Diane Ackerman has a fabulous writing style and I enjoyed hearing the true story of this brave family in Poland. However, Ackerman added a great deal of history and facts that seemed to distract from the story and caused me to get bored and skip pages to get back to the family's story. I felt like it was unnecessary to include several pages of excess information about war tactics when trying to tell a story.

I would recommend the book if you love war books, fiction or non-fiction. If you want just a war story that easily flows together, this may not be your book.

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Book Nook Club up for Best Collaborative Blog

The Book Nook Club is on the short list for Best Collaborative Blog in the Book Blogger Appreciation Week Awards! You can vote for the Book Nook and other fine book blogs at the BBAW website.

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September 6, 2009

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory Review

After showcasing as many Tudor royals as any one reader can comfortably stomach, Philippa Gregory strives to show us another English Royal family as equally interesting. The White Queen launches her War of the Roses trilogy, and focuses on Elizabeth Woodville. Gregory’s Woodville falls instantly in love with the King, and she ascends the throne at a dangerous time of civil war. An incredibly cut throat period in which each claimant to the throne has a much right as the next, and the alliances of the Great Families of England are always shifting. We soon learn that no one, especially your own family can be trusted in noble England. Elizabeth and Edward’s union makes instant enemies, and the entirety of their marriage will be spent on defending the throne.

In my opinion, while this novel is good, it is not as good as either Boleyn book chiefly because I felt that I understood those characters. In The White Queen, Elizabeth is painted as complacent and dutiful wife during the first half of the novel, and ambitious shrew during the second. Towards the end it becomes a Woodville on the throne at any cost which may have been historically accurate, but it didn’t fit with Elizabeth’s established persona up until then. Elizabeth also believes she is the descendent from a water goddess from a fairy tale which Gregory interrupts literally, and that tale is interspersed with Elizabeth’s tale although they don’t quite connect. The tenses also shift from Elizabeth’s first person to assumedly Elizabeth’s first person describing battle details as they happen which doesn’t make sense and is jarring.

However, the book is still one of Gregory’s best. As always the story is instantly gripping. You are immediately immersed in the Woodville family, and their struggles to advance their family while ensuring security for Edward’s reign. Gregory does a great job of fleshing out a family that has been villanized by history, and presenting their side of the story. And even those who know the inevitable outcome will be surprised by Gregory’s take. Gregory doesn’t attempt to pander for sympathy to Elizabeth’s plight and instead gives us as even a portrayal of Elizabeth as the historical records afford. And Elizabeth’s relationship to her own daughter (also Elizabeth) is easily my favorite element of the novel, this relationship is almost portrayed as Elizabeth wrestling with her own conscience which is not only brilliant but expertly builds interest for the next two books in the series.

Gregory’s books are one of my guiltiest and most anticipated literary pleasures. This book was no exception. Gregory fans and first time readers who enjoy the genre will want to puck it up immediately and will count down the days until her next book in the series, The Red Queen. Moderate fans may want to wait for the paperback.

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September 4, 2009

Moonlight in Odessa by Janet Skeslien Charles Review

Typically when I finish a book, I can’t help but feel somewhat proud as if I have accomplished something. It is more rare for me to come to the end of the book longing for more—just a few chapters, pages, anything! I definitely felt that I became so invested in the characters and story of Moonlight in Odessa by Janet Skeslien Charles that I was bummed to finish it.

The book begins with Daria (who has a degree in Engineering) landing a dream job (secretary at a shipping company): amazing pay, she can speak English all day, and she will get exposure to the luxuries of the world which are very scarce (expensive) in Odessa. The only catch is that her boss makes it clear that sleeping with him is a job requirement. The aftereffects of Communism hit the Odessan economy hard, and bribery, extortion and poverty are part of everyday life. Daria navigates these challenges of commerce expertly, and finds that she loves the security her job offers. Determined to stall her boss until she can come up with a way to dissuade him, Daria makes some questionable moral moves which end up changing her life.

For plot reasons I won’t disclose, Daria ends up in America. At this point the story kind of hit a stalemate, losing a lot of its grip, and when Charles finally tied the plot up, some of the major storylines seemed unresolved. It was an abrupt ending as if the author had simply ran out of steam, and yet kudos to Charles for making me care so much about a group of fictional people. They are endearing to say the least. Charles has done an amazing job at making them feel authentic. As in I may not like something that Daria did, but I understood why she did it. The book is also a smart yet entertaining look at the sad ramifications of an economic collapse and the lengths which some will go to secure their own American dream. I am definitely recommending this one.

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September 3, 2009

The Hidden Man by David Ellis Review

This book is billed as “Another exhilarating thriller from Edgar Award winner David Ellis, introducing the new series protagonist Jason Kolarich.” After reading it, I concluded: One, this book is a textbook definitive exhilarating thriller. Two, if this is just another of such that Ellis’ has written, it absolutely raises my interest in getting my hands on more of Ellis’ work starting with whatever won him the Edgar Award. And finally, that Jason Kolarich is the perfect character to anchor a series.

This thriller begins with a creep eyeing a little girl in a park. The little girl then goes missing, and the police settle on a pedophile that has an obsessive collage of babies including the victim in his home. The little girl is never found. About twenty five years later, Jason Kolarich is representing the brother of the missing girl who is accused of murdering the pedophile. Suffice to say Jason must solve one case to solve the other and without a moment to spare. Any mistake could cost Jason more than his life.

The book hops around in time upping the emotional and then the physical stakes. The reader is almost as in the dark as Jason, and it isn’t until the last possible moments that Ellis finally gives it up in the masterfully climatic final pages. I am not sure that I’ve ever read a book faster. Ellis also takes the time to thoroughly set a compelling back story for Jason and the other characters. Jason for example is embroiled in both mysteries, and is recovering from the devastating loss of his wife and young daughter. He’s barely making it through the day, not only broken but bleeding heartache all over his life. A former athlete he is a force to be reckoned with and the reckless decisions stemming from his tangible pain are a stunning success of characterization. Adding to the complexity, Jason is a lawyer, so we not only get the cop and detective drama, but Jason’s thought processes add another layer of legal suspense--a winning combination reminiscent of everything that is great about Law and Order or classic John Grisham. Jason has been so marvelous crafted that I desperately want to read more about him. THE HIDDEN MAN has the potential to launch a block buster series.

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The Help by Kathryn Stockett

If you are looking for a powerful, emotional, character-driven novel, then look no further than The Help. Set in Jackson, Mississippi in the middle of the Civil Rights movement (1962-1964ish), Stockett's novel paints a magnificiant portrait of three main characters: Miss Skeeter - the wealthy young white woman, Aibeleen - the experienced, yet bold black maid, Minny - the strong black maid with the amazing cooking and smart mouth. The narration in this novel is shared by these three women and Stockett truly excells at giving each woman a unique voice, complete with different speech patterns and spellings of words to indicate accent and vocal variety. By showing the events from three different points of view, the reader gets a complete picture of the volatile environment in which these characters exist and really feel their anger, embarrassment, shame, and fear right along with them.

At the same time that other white members of her Junior League are building separate bathrooms in the carport for the colored help to use so they don't pick up any "Nigra diseases," Miss Skeeter is a white woman who finds herself asking questions about why the black men and women of Jackson are treated they way they are and why they have to continue to just accept it as the norm. She begins on a quest to share the stories of "the help," the hired maids of Jackson, through a series of interviews with women. You will find yourself cheering for your three champions and relishing in their victories over their "white women" and crying at their defeats, fears, and tragedies.

The Help discusses common human decency and the question of why we treat one another the way we do, whether it is based on the color of our skin, the money in our bank account, the level of our education, or the brand name on our clothes. The question the author raises is if we have, in fact, moved beyond the days of Jackson in the 1960s or if the same prejudices continue under another name. Great book!

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September 2, 2009

I Love a Man in Uniform by Lily Burna Review

Although I claim to be a big fan of the memoir genre, I will admit that eventually in every memoir, I find myself irritated. I start reframing the story the author was trying to tell in coulda, woulda, shoulda. Memoirist authors re-construct their feelings and reactions into a narrative arc, and we get so deep into their thought processes that I face the threat of the too familiar, and that kind of knowing kind of becomes annoying. This was particularly the case with I Love a Man in Uniform (cute title). Why was I so bothered by a former stripper/Playboy model who married an Army Officer and their bouts with PTSD and depression? Then it hit me. I didn’t want to know. I don’t want to think about the men and women who actively serve and fight in our country’s name (and indirectly for me and my children). It is hard to confront the idea that while these men are risking their lives that the marriages they’ve built and the women that they love are falling apart.

These women are expected to endure long lapses away from their husbands, are forced to constantly fear for their loved ones safety, and are routinely subjected to the deaths of friends and colleagues. Military women must hold strong when there husbands come home changed. They alone answer their children’s difficult questions. They do all of this while single handedly maintaining a household which they are expected to do perfectly and with a smile. What is the likely outcome of that sort of pressure? Of course it is depression.

The book’s first half starts with a lot of details of military life and the expected protocol for a wife, and there is also the obligatory ‘perspective thoughts on stripping’ chapter. While these stories are entertaining, it takes some time for Bettina to come to the meat of her story. So all the cute kitschy titles and anecdotes aside, this book is an honest look at the long term costs of war and service. Honestly told as only someone who was accustomed to putting herself out there could tell. So as well-written, and smart as this book is, it is still tough to read. Eye-opening, though-provoking, and gratitude inducing--this story works its heart breaking affects long after you’ve finished reading.

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My Life in France, by Julia Child

Many of you who read my blog know I love to cook. It's a great passion of mine. I read cookbooks for fun. That sort of thing.

Recently, after seeing the new "Julie & Julia" movie I was curious to read Julia Child's autobiography My Life in France. Since we were soon leaving for a trip to Denmark, I thought this would be a perfect book to take on the plane. I have always liked Julia Child as a chef, so I was hoping to learn more about how she got started and things of that nature.

And so, three weeks later, I have found myself only half way through the book. I simply can't finish it. It is an interesting read when she is talking about her life in France, and her adventures in learning to cook French cuisine, exploring the French towns and countryside, that sort of thing. For me it was very interesting to read about France post-WW2 from an "American" point of view.

But when she is talking about things, such as her political viewpoints, she comes across as downright snobby and self-centered. She makes it very clear that she has absolutely no use for people who do not share her exact political viewpoints or undying love of everything French. And especially her obsession with food.

I daresay that if we were to have met in person, she would not have wanted to be my friend. I doubt if she would even talk to me, she would have probably dismissed me as unintelligent.

Overall, I just really got tired of reading about two things...her disdain for anything not French (if it wasn't French, it was sub-standard, and people were unintelligent if they didn't love French culture as much as she did), and for her disdain of anyone who did not think the way she did. This included her father. Her thoughts and feelings about her father were just really uncalled for and made me uncomfortable reading them. She felt far superior to him, because she was liberal-minded and lived a sophisticated life in France; whereas he was a Republican living in California who did not have much use for French culture. She belittled him every chance she got.

It's hard for me to reconcile the Julia Child we know from her cookbook and TV show to the woman in the pages of this book to the Meryl Streep version in Julie & Julia. They seem to be three completely different women. The cookbook and movie Julia is charming and endearing. The biography Julia is a haughty and snobby woman. Which one is the true Julia?

So all I can say is, if you ever had an inkling to read this book, be prepared. Otherwise, just stick to her cookbook. You'll like that Julia Child much better. I give this book 3 stars because it does have some interesting parts.

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The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Recently I just haven't had time to read books for fun. I read for reviews, I read for swaps, I read for church, etc. I just don't read for fun. The House at Riverton I read for fun. And it was fun.

I was an English major in college and one of my favorite classes was contemporary literature. I think we read five or six different novels that semester including Atonement, Possession, Waterland, and Blackwater Lightship. There was something about every single one of those books that made me think or changed the way I looked at the book. I fell in love with contemporary literature and haven't gotten into a lot of it since I graduated.

Until I read Kate Morton's book. The book reminded me of those contemporary lit books I read three years ago and made me remember why I love reading so much.

The House at Riverton is narrated by the elderly Grace, who in her younger years was a maid at Riverton. She's been approached by a woman in her mid 20s who is making a film about the suicide that took place at Riverton so many years ago. Grace is taken back to a time long ago when she was a confidant for the young ladies in the house, Hannah and Emmeline, and when she witnesses something she'll never forget. Morton takes you into the lives of this family living in the time of World War I and dealing with the pains of war, loss, coerced marriages, and real love. She pieces things together slowly as you finally find out what happened on the night of Robbie's (a rich young poet) suicide. She keeps you guessing until the very end and even then I was surprised by the ending.

This is one I recommend for anyone. There's really nothing in it that I didn't like, and there was a lot that I loved. I loved how Morton developed Hannah's character through Grace's eyes and how Morton just kept stringing me along. I like to be led somewhere in the dark rather than being able to see exactly where I'm going. And Morton definitely kept me in the dark. So if you ever get the chance, pick up this one or her other book, The Forgotten Garden. 5 stars.

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