Book Review: The Help

I'm going to start right out and say that if you haven't already read The Help by Kathryn Stockett, go get it. Right now.

I had heard people mentioning it for nearly a year when I finally picked it up at Borders last fall. It's a hefty volume and I was preparing myself to settle into the book for a while, but I finished it in less than two days. I brought it home to my mom over Thanksgiving and she finished it in time for me to pass it on to my stepmom before I returned to Austin. I just got it back from her a week ago because it was passed around a few more times. I love it when books garner that kind of excitement. You can almost feel the enthusiasm of readers as it has been passed from one eager reader to another.

So back to the book itself. The story is told from the perspective of three different women who live in a Southern community in the 1960s. One is a young, white, college graduate, who is struggling to find her way in a world that expects her to marry and quietly slip into the mold of perfect wife, mother and Junior Leaguer. The other two women are black housekeepers, who are best friends, but quite different from one another. One has raised over a dozen white children in her life and clearly does so with a great deal of love and steady affection. The other has trouble keeping her mouth shut and has recently lost her job because of it and has trouble finding new work. The three courageous women find themselves banded together in a secret mission that could be devastating to all of them if it was revealed.

Although parts of the book are heart-breaking and extremely maddening, overall, it is a feel good story. I think it is to Stockett's credit as a writer that she deals with a topic such as racism with such grace and humanity. The Help is as funny as it is difficult, and left me with thoughts of hope and gratitude.

image from betterworldbooks.com

Friday Book Suggestions: Relationships

This week's book recommendations all deal with relationships-specifically marriage. I found them all to be thought-provoking and insightful, though it very different ways.

Fiction:

Now, of course, I could have picked any number of novels that deal with marriages and relationships, but I chose these because the relationships were complex, and at the center of the plot and characters. I wanted something more that just a good romance.

Life After Yes by Aidan Donnelly Rowley

The charming tale of Quinn, who must find out who she really is, and what she really wants after the dream proposal from the perfect guy.

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield

Although purely fictional, this story may sound familiar if you are at all familiar with Bush family. A young woman falls in love with and marries a man who eventually becomes the President of the United States.

The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller

A young couple move into a town-home adjacent to a retired Senator and his wife. But soon they discover that the older couple's relationship is quite unconventional. Very enthralling.

Nonfiction:

I steered clear of self-help and personal development books here, but rather looked at books that take a more exploratory and analytical approach to the subject.

Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert

After meeting her love at the end of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert is perfectly content committing to him forever without the formality of a wedding or marriage vows. In fact, they prefer it that way. But after an immigration incident, the marriage-wary couple is forced to marry or spend their lives apart. Gilbert works through her feelings about the institution by studying the history of marriage across cultures.

The Committment by Dan Savage

As his 10th anniversary with his boyfriend approaches, Savage must field questions advice from family, friends, and their young adopted son about their decision not to wed. Law and politics aside, Savage and his boyfriend examine their relationship, the roles they play in it and the purpose of marriage in the first place.

Marriage, A History: How Love Conquered Marriage by Stephanie Coontz

Okay, I have to admit that I haven't finished this one yet. It's a dense, but fascinating look at the history of marriage and how it has come to mean what it does today. Gilbert sites much of Coontz's research in her book, so if you read Committed, you'll get a taste of what Coontz has to offer. However, after reading the first half, I know that there is much more here for those who want to go deeper into the subject.

What marriage and relationship books do you recommend? Has anyone else read these? What do you think?

Book Review: The Abortionist's Daughter

Image from betterworldbooks.com

My step-mom loaned me this book to read (actually, I think I still have it. Oops!), and highly recommended it. Despite it's controversial name, she assured me, it wasn't really about abortion.

And she was right. The Abortionist's Daughter by Elisabeth Hyde, is about a woman who performs abortion, and her daughter, but it's not really about abortion. The issue is discussed and argued, from both sides, but the book is actually a murder mystery. You see, the abortionist is found dead in her pool and everyone from her husband to the vocal anti-abortionist activist are suspects.

The Abortionist's Daughter was complex, compelling, and emotionally-charged. It follows the days following the murder, as investigators, and the victim's family try to trace back to the events on her last day. Family secrets are revealed, and it's hard to know who to trust. I enjoyed its fast pace, and the fact that it told the story from multiple perspectives. Some of the decisions made by the characters drove me bonkers, but over all, it was very satisfying.

Check out this exciting mystery if you are looking for a quick read that is full of turmoil, intrigue, and family drama.

Friday Book Suggestions: Education

It's Friday again, so I'll be recommending three fiction and three nonfiction books that all touch on a theme. This week, the books all deal with issues of education.

Fiction:

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

Most of you are probably familiar with Little Women (and if you aren't you should be!), but not as many people have read Little Men. It continues the story of the March family and the lives of several children who live and learn at Plumfield, the school run by Jo and her husband Professor Behr. (Also wonderful is the third book about the March family, Jo's Boys.

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

An American classic set in a boys' boarding school during World War II. It's an emotional and powerful coming of age story.

The Secret School by Avi

This one is short, and meant for young adults, but the themes are timeless and complex. It's the story of a young girl who must teach her classmates secretly if she wants to achieve her dream of becoming a teacher.

Nonfiction:

Why School: Reclaiming Education for All of Us by Mike Rose

This is a small book with huge ideas. Rose questions and reflects on the reasons for educating our children and ourselves. He offers critiques and powerful solutions to the education problems in our country today. It is as poetic as it is political.

The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell

Made into a movie starring Hillary Swank, this book chronicles the lives of a young teacher and her troubled students as they use writing transform their lives despite desparate circumstances.

School as a Journey by Torin Finser

This book follows Finser, a long-time Waldorf teacher, through eight years with the same classroom of students.

Book Review: The Portrait of A Lady and Ramblings on Why We Read

Even though I had read Henry James before (Aspern Papers and The Turn of the Screw), I wasn't quite prepared for the darkness in The Portrait of a Lady.

image from betterworldbooks.com

I read it as a selection from my book group, and so it wasn't something that I picked for myself. Although I probably wouldn't have chosen it, I'm glad I read it. It is one of those classics that's on so many book lists, but in addition to that, the reading experience was mostly enjoyable, though a little depressing.

This novel is the story of a young American, Isabel Archer, who travels to Europe with her aunt. Once there, she is swarmed with admirers, but remains idealistic and independent. However, as time progresses, she makes decisions and seems to change.

I don't want to give away too much more. Have any of you read it? What did you think?

At first, the book felt a bit like a Jane Austen novel. Although they are not exactly contemporaries, there were enough similarities in subject matter and setting that made me expect some of the regular elements in an Austen novel. I was expecting a clear romantic interest to emerge early on for Isabel, but there were so many, it was confusing. I was expecting things to tie up nicely, but then I only had to remind myself that I was reading Henry James.

The book was deep and complex and full of decisions and motives to analyze. Great for a book group. It made me think a lot about why we do the things that we do, and what we are willing to give up. But in the end, I think I would have rather read Persuasion (A Jane Austen that I am currently loving!).

But what does that say about me? I fear that this inclination for happy endings is somehow limiting my experiences. I don't solely read for pleasure. I also read for information, insight, and vicarious experience. So I should be open to the darker side of fiction. Then again, they always leave me with a sinking feeling that I'd rather be without. I know that I cannot avoid all bad things, nor do I want to. So should that factor into my choice of reading material?

What do you think? Are you a Jane Austen fan or a Henry James? Of course, it is entirely possible to be both, and I don't mean to say that one is better than the other. Austen is wonderfully complex as well, but there does seem to be a fundamental difference in worldview. Am I making this too complex? Too simple?

I know this is something I need to continue to think through. But I'd love your insights in the meantime.

Friday Book Suggestions: Writing

Today, I'm continuing the series I false-started back in November. I'll be sharing three fiction and three nonfiction books that have a common theme.

This weeks theme is writing.

Fiction:

The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton

A novel about a group of women who overcome huge obstacles and encourage one another to write and find gifts they never knew they had. Spectacular!

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Of course, most of you are familiar with this book, but it's interesting to reread the book with an eye especially focused on Jo as a budding and growing writer.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

This epistolary novel follows a young British writer after World War II, who discovers a community of readers (and a few writers) on the isolated channel island of Guernsey.

Nonfiction:

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg

A beautiful meditation and reflection of the hows and whys of being a writer. Truly inspiring.

Writing to Change the World by Mary Pipher

Pipher offers ideas and inspiration for changing the world through all different forms of writing including letters, blogs, novels, essays and more.

Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen

Since I included Little Women in the fiction section above, I felt this biography is a perfect counterpart on the nonfiction side. It demonstrates beautifully how Alcott grew as a writer and the relationship she had with her books and her readers.

Borders Book Club Conversation with Author Marisa de los Santos

Once again, YouTube comes through. I found a wealth of videos with Marisa de los Santos discussing her beautiful books. Here's her with a group of women discussing both Love Walked In and its companion, Belong to Me.

Book Review: Belong to Me

Sometimes I just can't believe that it took me as long as it did to read a book. I don't know why I chose to pick up this book, after it sat on my shelves for over a year, but I am so glad I did.

When I finally read Belong to Me, by Marisa de los Santos, I was immediately captivated. It's told alternately from the perspectives of three different characters, but I immediately felt a deep connection to many of the other characters as well. The writing is enchanting, the characters are real, and the emotions are as beautiful as they are painful.

Cornelia moves to the suburbs with her husband, and immediately feels out of place. A feeling that is not assuaged by the brisk, judgmental welcome that she is given by her neighbor, Piper. But we see an entirely different side of Piper with her best friend, Elizabeth, who is battling cancer. Cornelia finally finds a like-minded friend in Lake, but she always seems as though she has something to hide. Cornelia, who is so far child-less, finds a connection to Lake's gifted son. Through joy and tragedy, the characters come through a harrowing series of events and are intertwined in ways previously thought unimaginable.

I loved the characters in the book right from the start, and felt truly sad when they were gone after I read the last page. I also love the way de los Santos deals with the complex relationships. Nearly every relationship imaginable is depicted in this story, and they are all portrayed in a realistic and raw way that made me think about the relationships in my own life. Although it is a beautifully crafted work of fiction, Belong to Me taught me great things about myself and the people in my life.

After I finished the book, I came to discover that there was a prior book by de los Santos that includes some of the same characters. The author says that although they share some main characters, the books are meant to stand independently of one another. I think that's a really interesting way to write a second book. Either way, I'm excited to get my hands on the previous book, Love Walked In, as well as anything else written by this talented writer.

Book Review: Jacob, Have I Loved

I've been on a bit of a YA book kick lately. For the most part, I've been returning to historical fiction books I read in my childhood (or ones I should have read). I'm currently rereading my way through and will write about them when I finish. But today, I want to talk about Jacob, Have I Loved by Katherine Patterson.

My sister I insisted I buy and read this book a couple of years ago when she heard that I hadn't read it. I did buy it then, but never got around to reading it.

I finally picked it up a few months ago, and was immediately transported. The characters, setting, and story were utterly captivating. I read it in two evenings, because it's pretty easy reading, yes, but also because it was so compelling.

Patterson tells the story of Sara Louise Bradshaw and her twin sister, Caroline. Sara Louise is always being compared (negatively) to her more accomplished twin. It is a beautiful tale of relationships, sisterhood and growing up.

I loved the book from the beginning, but the end wraps everything up with such perfect magic that I closed the book in awe. I'm sure there was a smile on my face, and a small ache inside me that mourned just a little bit because the book was over.

To me, that's the best way to end a book. Thanks to my sister, Lauren, for making me buy it.

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

For this week's fiction review, I wanted to talk about Harper Lee's classic, To Kill A Mockingbird. I am assuming that most of you are familiar with the book, so this will be less a review and more of a reflection on my experiences with one of my favorite books.

I reread Mockingbird a few months ago and fell in love with it all over again. It was the first time I had read it since the 8th grade. I had seen the movie many times in between, but there was so much richness that the movie doesn't capture. I think the movie is phenomenal, but there is no way a two-hour film can include all the complexity of such a well-crafted novel. I loved remembering all of my favorite scenes again.

For a long time I've been saying that Mockingbird is one of my favorite books. Rereading it this fall has only reaffirmed that statement for me. I read it for the first time in 5th grade. I remember making a book report about it. I drew a tree with a big knot hole in it, and glued tin foil to it for the objects that Boo gives the children. I don't remember too many other details about my first experience with the book, but I remember being enchanted by it.

I read it again several years later for my 8th grade English class. I remember staying up late before the test on it talking to my mom about the book. After I finished studying for it, we just sat up, discussing the themes and characters in the book. I think that conversation helped me prepare for the test more than any studying I had done. Harper Lee's book made me think more than anything other book that I had read up until that point.

This time was different. I was of course moved by the important issues in the book, but this time, I was swept up in the characters and the language more so than before. I read it in a day and a half, and couldn't put it down, even though I knew exactly what was going to happen. I think I want to be one of those people who read To Kill A Mockingbird every year now. So don't be surprised it I start talking about it again this time next year.

What are your experiences with To Kill a Mockingbird? Who is your favorite character? Is there another book you loved long ago that you have returned to recently? If not, what book could you reread?

Book Review: Little Bee

And now I begin the process of reviewing the scads of books I've read during the last few months, but completely neglected to write about.

Today: Little Bee by Chris Cleave.

My mom told me about this book she found on the display table at Borders, and how she was intrigued by the non-description on the back (more about that later). Then my dear friend picked the same book for our virtual book club. Despite the fact that I haven't participated in over a year (bad me!), I made a point of asking my mom to borrow it when she was finished.

Unfortunately, I didn't get my hands on Little Bee until after the online discussion, but I did read it eventually. And my mom was right, the quasi-description on the back of the book is intriguing. It says that the book is a special story, but that they can't really tell us much else. Except that it's about two women, one of whom had to make a horrible choice. And then they meet again, and something extraordinary happens. (Okay, I'm retelling this from memory, but I'm quite certain that it doesn't get much more specific than that.)

The book left me pretty disappointed. I was expecting something life changing, based on the cryptic quality of the dust jacket, and Little Bee didn't live up to that. Perhaps if the description had actually described some of the events of the book, I would have read it with more appropriate expectations. Because some of the events of the book are intensely disturbing. And to give credit to Chris Cleave, the writing is quite vivid. The whole book has a very surreal quality to it, so even the mundane events seemed eerie to me.

Since the publisher doesn't give much away about the plot, I feel that I shouldn't either. So how will you know if you want to read it? Here's my conclusion. The book, despite my qualms with its content, is expertly crafted. There's no doubt about that. The story is original, unlike anything I've ever read, and extremely though-provoking. Overall, am I glad I read it? Yes. But, I did not close the book at the end with the warm, contented feeling I get when finishing one of my new favorites. Rather, I felt jolted, unsettled, and confused. I had serious problems with the decisions made by most of the main characters, but that gave me a lot to think about when I finished it. I don't plan on reading it again. But if you can tolerate some horrific scenes, and enjoy thought-provoking prose, give Little Bee a try. And if you want a second opinion, it received stellar reviews from critics far more talented than I.

A note about the title: I find the title ironic. It brings to mind images of something sweet and innocent, when the book is neither. In the UK, the book was published under the title The Other Hand, which I find to be more apt (a hand plays a pivotal role in the book). The cover also better conveys the eerie quality of the novel as well (plus the terrible decision takes place on a beach).

Has anyone else read it? Anything to share?

Book Review: The Wednesday Sisters

Not long ago, I shared the book trailer for Meg Waite Clayton's The Wednesday Sisters. What did you think?

Well, if the trailer didn't entice you, I'm here to try to get the job done. I LOVED this book. I found it at Target on a Saturday afternoon. Started reading it about 11:15 that night. I finally forced myself to turn the light out around 3:30am, which the majority of the book knocked out. I woke up early, read a bit more. After church and a few errands, I finished it around 2pm. So I read the whole thing in about 14 hours, included sleep and a few other extraneous details.

The book is about a group of women in the 60's who meet each other on the playground while their children are playing. They eventually form a writing group, even though some of them haven't the slightest notion of actually being a writer. As an aspiring writer myself, I was inspired by the dedication and work ethic that the women possessed. What's more, they were writing exclusively in long hand, or on a typewriter. I find the task of editing drafts tedious with my computer. But the descriptions of one woman trying to retype a whole manuscript because of pagination errors--it just made my head hurt!

The characters are lively and very engaging. It's told from Frankie's point of view, but I felt as if I got to know each of the other women almost as well. Some of the women come to the group with little mysteries, which eventually come to light, but which kept me reading late into the night.

Clayton explores the idea of identity as the women wade through the waters of the women's movement. Some are more radical than others, but they all undergo a transformation as a result of their writing, their relationships to one another, and their reactions to the larger movement around them. When they first meet, they introduce themselves by their husband's occupation. Some of their marriages are good, others are pretty bad, but they all start out with their whole identity wrapped up in their husbands and children. By the end of the story, some of their lives have changed more drastically than others, but I believe they all come to have a new understanding of the lives they lead.

It was a great read, and I'm looking forward to Meg Waite Clayton's next book, The Four Ms. Bradwells!

MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!! Life After Yes by Aidan Donnelley Rowley

Today I am excited to share with you my review of a new novel AND my very first giveaway!!

Yes, that's right! I will be giving away TWO copies Aidan Donnelly Rowley's rookie novel, Life After Yes!

I started reading Aidan's blog, Ivy League Insecurities, back in the beginning of 2010, and quickly discovered that her first novel was coming out in a few months. In addition to reading her entertaining and thought-provoking posts about her life as a young mother and writer, I thoroughly enjoyed getting a backstage peek of the publishing process from a first-time author's point of view.

I pre-ordered my copy and was so so excited to read it when it first came out in May. And I was not disappointed!

First of all, despite the dreamy, ethereal look of the cover (which, by the way, is gorgeous, is it not? I love the swirly dress and the red ribbon), this is not a fairy tale. It is not a story of how a girl meets her prince charming, and how they finally figure out that they're meant for each other. Rather, as the title suggests, this book is about all the stuff that happens after all of that. After she says "yes!"

"She" is Quinn O'Malley, a young NYC lawyer who is engaged to a seemingly perfect beau. Quinn has a successful career, the great guy-her life is idyllic, right? But of course, things are never that simple. Now that Quinn has what she thought she wanted...what she was supposed to have wanted...things aren't so clear. She has a troubling dream the night after the engagement, and starts having doubts about her life's path. All the while, she is dealing with the inner turmoil of grief in the wake of a national tragedy. Quinn's beloved father was killed on September 11, mere months before her boyfriend proposed.

I really enjoyed Aidan's book. After so much anticipation, I was afraid I had built it up too much--I so wanted to like it. And I did! It's a charming and engaging story, that's not too hard to read, but that also has hidden depth. Beautiful themes weave throughout the storyline, and in the end, it left me thinking about quite a few issues very carefully. For me, this book is what reading should be: entertaining and thought-provoking.

And now for the truly exciting part! Aidan has graciously provided me with copies of Life After Yes to pass along to TWO of you lovely readers.

Just leave a comment on this post by Friday, September 3, 12n Central Time. I will randomly select two of you that afternoon and announce the winners!

Restrictions: Only one entry per e-mail address. Will only ship to the U.S.

This is my first giveaway, so I'm excited and nervous and can't wait to share this lovely book with 2 of you! Good luck!!

The author, Aidan Donnelley Rowley, provided me with the copies to giveaway, but I purchased my own copy originally, and my opinions are entirely my own.

Image from the author's website.

Book Review: An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England

I first heard about An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England when I heard an interview with author, Brock Clarke, on NPR (which, let's be honest, is how so many of my stories start). His book sounded very intriguing, a little dark, but very entertaining.

Basically, Sam has just been released from prison after serving a 10 year sentence for burning down the Emily Dickinson house. Except he didn't do it on purpose, and he didn't mean for anyone to die. He finally makes a life for himself after his release, but then more writers' homes go up in flame. Everyone blames Sam, but it's not him this time.

I enjoyed the book, but you have to read it with a bit of suspended belief. It was definitely written in a distinctive style. The only way I can really describe it is to say that parts reminded me of Catch-22. The characters and the events of the novel are extreme. It left me with an odd feeling at the end; I wasn't quite sure what to think. But on the whole, I was glad I read it and it made me want to go back and read Catch-22 again.

Has anyone else read it? Anyone else hear echoes of Catch-22?

Image from arsonistsguide.com.

Very Belated, but Enthusiastic Praise for the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

It only recently occurred to me that I neglected to write a proper review of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows. This is unacceptable because I read it almost a year ago and it was one of the most perfect books I have ever read.

Back when I first read it, I shared a few of my favorite passages, but didn't write more because my best friend hadn't finished it yet and we were going to discuss it later. Then I forgot to get back to it, which is unforgivable. So here I am do remedy the situation.

Guernsey is an epistolary novel set in Great Britain just after WWII. It is the charming story of how Juliet (a London columnist and author) and the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (don't worry--you learn what that name is all about) come to know each other through correspondence. It begins when one member reads a book that once belonged to Juliet and still bore her name and address in its inside cover. Soon other members write to her too and she eventually visits them on the island. The story is rich with hilarious and heart-breaking characters, and is utterly heartwarming. I loved the people and the stories that unfold around them, but Guernsey is also beautiful testament to the beauty and power of reading and books.

The book was written by two women, an aunt and her niece. Sadly, Aunt Mary Ann died several months before the book was published.

For a bit more of a taste of Guernsey and its residents and letter-writers, watch these two clips. The first features the niece, Annie Barrows talking about the characters and the birth of the literary society. The second, dramatized readings of some of the letters. Let me know what you think of these trailers, whether you've read the book or not. I'm curious about this trend of book trailers, and plan to write about them in the future.

P.S. Stay tuned! My first giveaway is coming up this week!

The Devil in the Junior League

Here comes another audiobook review for Audiobook Week over at Devourer of Books.

I recently listened to The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee. It was great! It's not highly sophisticated literature, but it's fun, enjoyable, and not entirely frivolous.

It is the story of Fredericka Mercedes Hildebrand Ware, a young but powerful member of the JLWC (The Junior League of Willow Creek). Everything about her life is about wearing the right clothes, knowing the right people, and saying the right things. In a series of horrifying revelations, "Frede" finds out that her husband is leaving her and has stolen all of her money. She must do things she never thought possible in order to restore herself (and her bank account) into proper order.

Frede, though maddeningly snobby, is actually a very likable character, and does come around on a lot of things as a result of her ordeals. I was completely taken by the story, and drove around aimlessly at certain points because I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. I was always sad when I reached my destinations in the car. The book is probably not for everyone, and it probably appealed to me specifically for a couple of reasons.

First, the location. It takes place in her hometown of Willow Creek, Texas. The town is fictional, but from various day trips throughout the story to real places like San Antonio, Austin, and Fredericksburg, it seems like it is supposed to be located somewhere in the Hill Country--probably west of San Antonio and Austin. As I am from San Antonio, currently reside in Austin, and have spent a great deal of time in the Hill Country-the places all seemed familiar to me and that was exciting. The author also mentions local Texas places like H-E-B grocery stores!

The second reason the story especially interested me was the subject matter: the Junior League. I was a member of a Junior League when I lived in Atlanta for a couple of years. I eventually quit because school was taking up too much time, but I really enjoyed it. My experience was nothing like what is described in the book, but a lot of the lingo was the same. The book held up a lot of typical Texas stereotypes about Junior Leagues and sororities. So if you're not from Texas, read it with a grain of salt. Not everyone's like that, but there is certainly a hint of truth in its pages.

Finally, the reader was phenomenal. I probably enjoyed this book more because it was an audiobook. She had a perfect Texas drawl, and made the whole southern aspect of the story really come alive.

Overall, it was the perfect story to keep me entertained in the car. I'd definitely recommend it to someone who wants a fun read, and particularly recommend checking out the audiobook version!

Has anyone read it? Do you find that you enjoy books more that take place in familiar places and have local elements in the story?

March-an audiobook review

For the second day of Audiobook Week, I am supposed to write a review of an audiobook. As I mentioned yesterday, I don't really have a special format for reviews of audiobooks. To be honest I don't really have a set format for audiobooks in general. As I am reading more book blogs, I am beginning to wonder if I should. But that's the topic for another day's post.

It already happens that I was planning on reviewing this book this week, and I listened to it as an audiobook, so bonus! It also keeps with the Louisa May Alcott theme I started.

March is an extension of the Little Women story by author, Geraldine Brooks. She follows the father, Robin March through his trials as an Army Chaplain in the Civil War. Through a series of flashbacks, she also reinvents some of the back story of the March family. She writes of how he and Marmee met, how he lost his fortune, and how he became a chaplain. Sections are introduced from real quotations from Alcott's book, and certain familiar scenes are retold and reinterpreted from the father's perspective. Characters from the Alcott's real lives (such as Emerson and Thoreau) were present in the book as well. After reading Alcott's biography, I was easily able to pick up on parallels. Brooks has Mr. March meet his future wife in much the same way that Bronson and Abby Alcott met. And Mr. March spent time in his youth as a peddler in the South, just as Bronson did in real life.

The majority of the book is told in first person from Mr. March's perspective. At one point it switches to Marmee's voice when she goes to take care of him in the army hospital, but then it finishes from his perspective again. At first the switch was jarring, but it made for some very interesting plot developments.

It was narrated by a man, which was fitting since most of it was told from Mr. March's perspective, but it kind of made me forget at times that it was written by a woman. The narration was very fitting though, and pulled me right along with the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It's much darker than Little Women, and clearly more for an adult audience. Brooks graphically shows the consequences of horrors such as war and slavery. For me, it ended on a very unsettling note, and sort of changed the way I thought of Mr. March, and the March family in general.

This reaction made me wonder about the concept of taking someone else's characters and further developing them. There was recently a case with J.D. Salinger when someone tried to publish a sequel to Catcher in the Rye. Salinger sued and successful held up publication. Salinger said it was a ripoff. I believe the issue was still unresolved at the time of his death. So I'm unsure of my opinion here. There are other examples of books with unauthorized sequels, such as Gone With the Wind and Pride and Prejudice. In someways it seems not quite right.

Is it stealing a character, or a clever retelling? At what point does a story become part of a culture's literary fabric, and can be retold freely? Is there a difference between retelling a story from another perspective and writing a sequel where the original left off?

Have you ever read a book that used another author's story or characters? What did you think? Does it count? Do you believe that that is what really happened to those characters? Or can only the creator determine its character's fate? I'm still very undecided...

The School of Essential Ingredients

I found Erica Bauermeister's new novel, The School of Essential Ingredients will browsing in Borders a few weeks ago. Although I was reading several other things at the time, I went through this great book in about four days.

One of the endorsements on the cover predicts that lovers of the Food Network will adore this book. And that's probably true. The novel is rich with delectable descriptions of food, cooking, flavors and ingredients.

The novel follows the lives of a cooking teacher and her students across the duration of their cooking class. The class is held monthly at the teacher's restaurant. The lessons are a bit unorthodox, but the results are phenomenal. The writing is both vivid and compelling. The author is involved in the Slow Food Movement and the principles of that are definitely a strong presence in the novel.

My only complaint about the book was the format. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character. Each chapter gave background into the life of that particular character, often going far back into their personal histories. I was frustrated because I would become so engrossed in one character's story that I was unhappy when their chapter came to a close. The characters would reappear as characters in later chapters, but only from the periphery. When the book ended, I had many questions left unanswered.

However, the read itself was delightful. It definitely inspired me to cook more!

image from amazon.com

My thoughts on Mansfield Park

I'm a bit hesitant to write about Mansfield Park (by Jane Austen, of course) because the foremost Jane Austen scholar that I know is probably this blog's most loyal reader. And it's possible that she will be disappointed to discover that I haven't read it already.

And she will probably also be disappointed further when I reveal that I did not "read" Mansfield Park; I listened to it on my iPhone. I got it very inexpensively from iTunes (Katie, you might like to know that P&P is the top classic audiobook on iTunes.) It was the only Austen that I didn't have in a hard copy. And while I am a strong believer in the value and delight of paper books, I love audiobooks as well. The reader for this one in particular was superb. I don't think it replaces the experience of holding a real book in my hand; rather, it is a lovely supplement. But I digress.

I started Mansfield Park back in the fall, but I'm counting it as a 2010 book because I listened to the bulk of it over the last 2 months. I had seen the movie about ten years ago, and knew bits and pieces of the plot from friends and The Jane Austen Book Club (GREAT book, by the way.) But as I listened to the first lines, basically what I knew about this book can be summed up in 2 statements. It is by Jane Austen (which conveys all manner of things). And everyone seems to dislike Fannie Price. That was it.

So I was waiting to hate Fannie. Or at least be annoyed by her. But it never happened. I adore Fannie Price. I think she's fabulous. I identify with her shyness, which is probably part of what I find endearing about her. But I like her general attitude and demeanor. And while I question her feelings for a first cousin, I guess that was pretty common in Jane Austen's time.

I still prefer Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, but thoroughly enjoyed Mansfield Park. I still have a few more Austens to get through, but I'll probably do them the old-fashioned way.

Have you ever picked up a book that you had preconceived notions about? Did they affect your reading of the book? Were you surprised?

All the King's Men

I have a catalog of "favorite books", neatly listed on my facebook profile. I'm working one writing a review of all of them here on the blog. There are so many it's hard to pick just one, but if I'm asked for a single favorite, I always respond with All the King's Men. This Robert Penn Warren classic has it all. Romance, history, politics, scandal, intrigue. The characters are so compelling and the writing is superb. I first read it in AP English, with a teacher who adored the book. She instilled that love in us as well. We would spend whole class periods analyzing a single page of Warren's writing. None of the movie version's I've seen do it justice. It is a truly powerful story.

What is the story about, you ask? For those of you who haven't read it, All the King's Men is narrated by Jack Burden, a young man who becomes political aide to Willie Stark, an up and coming Louisiana politician. Known as "The Boss", Stark becomes the governor of the state, with aspirations of becoming a Senator. Corruption and scandal ensue. But the book also takes you back, and shares glimpses of Jack's past, with his friends Anne and Adam Stanton, and his mother's long line of husbands. We're also taken on a tour of Stark's past, learning how he went from a country boy to a successful and powerful politician. There are twists and shocking revelations throughout. The story is gripping and full of the political quandaries I love. But simple pieces of beautiful writing that stick with me the most, and that keep All the King's Men at the top of my all time favorites.

Whenever I am driving alone at night on a highway, I think of this passage, when Jack is traveling from his family home in Burden's Landing back to Baton Rouge in the middle of the night (because of an urgent call from "The Boss".)

"There is nothing more alone that being in a car at night in the rain. I was in the car. And I was glad of it. Between one point on the map and another point on the map, there was the being alone in the car in the rain. They say you are not you except in terms of relation to other people. If there weren't any other people, there wouldn't be any you, because what you do, which is what you are, only has meaning in relation to other people. That is a very comforting thought when you are in the car in the rain at night alone, for then you aren't you, and not being you or anything, you can really lie back and get some rest. It is a vacation from being you. There is only the flow of the motor under your foot spinning that frail thread of sound out of its metal gut like a spider, that filament, that nexus, which isn't really there, between the you which you have just left in one place and the you which you will be when you get to the other place.

You ought to invite those two you's to the same party, some time. Or you might have a family reunion for all the you's with barbecue under the trees. It would be amusing to know what they would say to each other.

Meanwhile, there isn't any one of them, and I am in the car in the rain at night."

It's that lovely? Driving alone is kind of like a respite, if we let it be. If we turn off the radio and put down our cellphones, driving alone is a kind of disconnectedness that it's hard to find elsewhere. And I love the idea of inviting all the different variations of myself from different parts of my life to meet each other. Maybe I will invite them all to tea.

Have you read All the King's Men? Have you seen the movie versions? Do you still love any of the books you read in school?

If pressed, what is your ONE top favorite book of all time?

Image from amazon.com