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

Book Review: Writing to Change the World

Today I wanted to share with you a powerful book by Mary Pipher, Writing to Change the World. If you are at all interested in writing for any kind of social change, you have to get your hands on this book. Pipher discusses all types of writing from novels to news articles to letters to the editor. She covers both writing technique and how to find what it is that you are passionate about.

And Pipher knows what she is talking about. She wrote a powerful book, Reviving Ophelia, that changed the current thinking on what life is like for modern adolescent girls. Through this book, Pipher undoubtedly directly and indirectly saved the lives of many troubled girls. In Writing to Change the World, she discusses her previous book and how it came to have such a powerful impact.

If you are interested in having an impact through your writing, whether through a blog, a newspaper, a book, or a letter to your local school board, I urge you to pick up this book. It changed the way I think about my writing, and has encouraged me to (slowly) make some necessary changes.

image from betterworldbooks.com

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.

Book Review: A Hope in the Unseen

Image from betterworldbooks.com

If you want a compelling page turner, full of trials and triumphs, this is your book. What's more--it's a true story.

More specifically, Ron Suskind's A Hope in the Unseen is the true story of Cedric Jennings'

and low-performing school in inner city Washington D.C. in the 1990s. Suskind started out writing an article about Jennings and some of his classmates in a Wall Street Journal article when he was in high school, and eventually developed it into a book. The story spans a four year period: his last two years of high school and his first two years of college.

Despite the fact that this book is nonfiction, it reads like a novel. At the end of the book, Suskind gives some insight into the process he used to interview and observe Jennings and the other people in the book.

A Hope in the Unseen was deeply moving for me. It humanizes issues of race, class, and education in a way that I have never experienced before. Jennings was remarkably gifted, but his lack of experiences and exposure to higher academic material put him far behind his peers once he got to Brown. And Cedric had advantages that many others in his situation do not have. His mother was deeply committed to his education. The book doesn't offer solutions to the education problems that many face in this country, but it does illustrate those problems in a very personal way.

I encourage you all to read this powerful book. I've read it twice and I'm still processing. And after you do, check out this story that gives an update on Cedric. He seems to be doing very well.

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.

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: The Unlikely Lavender Queen

I've been mildly obsessed with lavender for a few years. I'm not sure how it started, but my shampoo, conditioner, laundry and dishwasher soap are all lavender scented. I have a sachet of dried lavender by my best. And I'm bummed that I can't find my favorite lavender body spray at Whole Foods anymore. It's so calming and sweet. I also like the idea of all my scents coordinating.

So when I saw The Unlikely Lavender Queen: A Memoir of Unexpected Blossoming by Jeannie Ralston, I snatched it up. The cover image only pretty much sold me on the book, but I dutifully flipped it over to check. And, yes indeed, this was a book that I would like to read.

The Unlike Lavender Queen is Ralston's memoir of how she moved with her new husband for her beloved New York City to Austin, TX. Once she finally adjusted to that, her husband had another idea. He wanted to move to a small town deep in the Texas Hill Country on a large piece of land. Ralston, the city girl, resisted, but eventually, they got there. Then on a vacation to Provence, her husband (a National Geographic photographer) decided he wanted to grow lavender on their land.

The book follows the growth of their lavender business, and tells the story of Ralston's transformation from a glamorous New York City writer to something she never thought she'd be.

I was thrilled with all the references to Central Texas, Austin, and other places I've been to, but I think the book has broad appeal. Ralston is a talented writer who honestly describes both the joyful and excruciating parts of her life as a wife, mother, sister, daughter, writer, reluctant farmer, and business woman.

And then there's all the lavender. Oh, the lavender...

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: Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith

I started hearing about this book during my first year of seminary. Everyone was talking about Barbara Brown Taylor's new memoir, Leaving Church. I bought it that first year, but like so many other books, it collected dust on a shelf until a few months ago.

I'm not sure why I picked it up. Perhaps I was feeling nostalgic for my seminary days. Although they are just over a year behind me, I sometimes feel like it's been ages since I've "mastered" the divine (as if that is ever possible). I missed thinking and talking about faith and the church like I used to, and so I was drawn to Taylor's book.

First of all, she is a gifted wordsmith. Well-known for expertly crafted sermons, Taylor's skill as a writer is profound. I experienced her gift with words from the first moment I opened the book. These words swept me up and surrounded me throughout the journey of Taylor's life. She creates such vivid images that I was transported beside her as I read her story. Taylor takes you along to the places she visits in a way that few writers can accomplish.

In addition to the elegant writing, Leaving Faith content is compelling as well. Taylor starts with a narrative explaining the many twists and turns she encountered as a child and young adult in search of an authentic faith. After much searching (and trial and error), she finds a home in the Episcopal Church and eventually becomes an ordained priest. After serving as an associate in thriving church, Taylor longs to serve a tiny church nestled in the North Georgia mountains. Only that church already has a beloved priest, and Taylor believes her dream to be impossible. But eventually her dream comes true, and she is called to that very church and begins to serve in what she believes to be her dream job.

A few years pass, and Taylor is miserable and must face the reality that she is mentally, physically, and spiritually depleted. She makes the difficult and courageous decision to leave both her beloved church, and church ministry all together. Stepping away from her dream is beyond challenging, but she ends up finding a new calling that continues to inspire and fulfill her.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in faith journeys, or is perhaps exploring religion, spirituality, and faith. Taylor's journey is compelling, and helped me to think about my own faith in new ways.

This book also has a lot to say, even to those of you who are not religious or spiritual. It is a phenomenal exploration of what it takes to walk away from something that you thought you wanted. I learned so much from the process that she describes and she makes such a difficult decision.

I loved this book, and am looking forward to reading some more of her memoirs. I have two others, and there is a new one that looks fantastic!!

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!

Audio Book Review: My Life in France by Julia Child

I loved loved loved this book. It was sweet and charming and delicious! I already knew a lot of the basic storyline because it is woven into the movie, Julie and Julia, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. When I first sat down to read Julie Powell's memoir of the same name, I was expecting to learn more about Julia Child than I did. The movie was more of a balance between Powell and Child, and I found both stories to be delightful. I kept meaning to go back and read My Life in France, as it is the basis for Julia's portion of the movie. For some reason (probably the ridiculously precarious stacks of books already taking over my apartment), I never got around to it.

However, I saw the audiobook version at the library and snatched it up! And it was delightful! The story of her life was absolutely fascinating. I was utterly inspired by the way Julia transformed her life and blossomed into the person that we all know of. She didn't begin cooking until she was in her mid to late 30s. And it wasn't all smooth sailing. But she persevered.

I also adored the relationship between Julia and her husband Paul. Their marriage was so sweet and kind. He was so much a part of her story, and so much a part of her success. I was so inspired by their relationship, their encouragement and support for one another, and their steadfastness. I must admit that since becoming so disillusioned with Julie Powell and her marriage, I think I was doubly grateful to see Julia's marriage and husband so cherished.

I did listen to an audio version, and the only trouble I had with it was the fact that I already knew what Julia Child's voice sounds like. And the reader, to her credit, did not try to imitate that. It threw me off at first, but in no time, I was swept away by the story and the writing and Julia's "voice" shone through.

Has anyone read it? What did you think? What about reading it along with Julia and Julie (either the book or the movie)? How do these three works and two lives inform one another?

Review: Sixpence House

I'm still playing catch up to write about all of the books I've read over the past few months. So, here's another one for you.

I finished this book a month or so ago. It's a memoir by Paul Collins called Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books. I picked it up years ago because it a) it's about books and b) it primarily takes place in Wales. My mother's mother grew up in Wales and my grandparents met and married, but I didn't know much about it when I bought the book. My grandmother died when my mom was young, and we didn't have much contact with her family there. I started the book right away, but never got past a few chapters. Since then, I actually visited my grandmother's hometown of Tenby, Wales and stayed with my mom's first cousin and met a few members of her family. It was fantastic! But I did not get to visit the setting of this book. But I so want to go back and see it.

Hay-on-Wye. Sixpence House takes place in Hay-on-Wye, Wales and it sounds like a magical place. According to the author, there are 40 bookstores in Hay, but only 1,500 residents. Most of the bookstores are used and rare books. His family decide to move there and the book tells the tale of their journey and adventures along to way. Collins introduces his readers to a variety of interesting characters (residents) from Hay along the way. We also meet quite a few houses that the family thinks of buying. And finally, Collins introduces us to many near-forgotten authors and books.

To be honest, at times the book was a little slow, but overall, I did enjoy it. It makes for an interesting partial history of the book industry, and painted a lovely picture of a beautiful Welsh town. My favorite aspect of the whole book was the chapter titles. I didn't notice them until the fourth or fifth chapter, but they are very clever. You'll have to check out the book to see what I mean.

This volume is just one in my rather large collection of books about books. Do you have any favorites in that category?

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...

Amish Grace

I'm back after a long silence. Maintaining momentum has been a challenge for me on this blog, but I have so many great books to write about, I hope they will keep me going for a while! I'm trying to read at least 50 books in 2010 and with a little more than a week left until the half-way point, I'm up to 22 books. I think I'm on the right track!

On to today's book. I finished Amish Grace a few months ago, and it was fantastic. I remember hearing about the Amish school shooting several years ago. Although school shootings are always tragic and terribly unnerving, this one was particularly disturbing. I thought, of all places, a placid one-room school house in Amish Country would be immune to such horror. But the communities response to the tragedy was even more remarkable. I remember hearing about how members of the community reached out to the shooter's wife and even attended his funeral. I was amazed. I remember wanting to know more about their beliefs and their views on forgiveness, but never really took the time. That is, until I came across this book years later.

I was immediately attracted to its tranquil, idyllic cover, and excited to dive right into its contents. The authors provided a lot of background into the customs and history of the Amish people, which was really helpful to understanding their reaction to the shooting. They explained that forgiveness, while not easy, was an expected reaction to any kind of wrongdoing and was rooted in what they believe Jesus taught in the Bible. The authors also addressed many of the criticisms and questions they Amish were faced with in response to their acts of forgiveness.

I highly recommend this informative and beautifully crafted book. It provides a glimpse into another culture during its most challenging time.