My first book of 2012 was a bargain book at Books-a-Million, and store which is quickly working to lose my patronage. They make someone escort you to the bathroom now, which is annoying when you have an impatient bladder. The cost of their Millionaire cards is also up to $20 now. Considering they're not good for bargain books, I didn't bother.
But that's beside the point! My first book of 2012 was a...disappointment.
Title: Think Twice
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Dates Read: 1/2/12-1/4/12
Date Published: March, 2010
Pages: 384
Synopsis: Bennie Rosato and her twin sister, Alice Connelly, only met as adults. Though they look exactly alike, the darkness in Alice sets them apart - until the day Alice buries Bennie alive, and Bennie discovers the darkness within herself.
Review: You'd think with someone being buried alive, this would be an exciting book, but it just . . . isn't. The story doesn't gain momentum for hundreds of pages, despite quick-fire switches of p.o.v. among Bennie, Alice, and Bennie's fellow lawyer Mary. The characters are one-dimensional and strange attempts at family drama in the Mary storyline draw away from what there is of the cliched main story. I finished this book out of pure, unadulterated stubbornness. I paid for the darn thing when money is tight, and I was gonna read it!
Stars: */5
Keywords: Mystery, Drama
Showing posts with label Books: Drama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books: Drama. Show all posts
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Sunday, September 18, 2011
27: Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Jeff Lindsey
Published: 2004
Why?: How can you not want to try a book that completely screws up your view of the world by making you root for the serial killer? (What’s that you say? You’re sane? Then probably most of what I have to say doesn’t make much sense to you! 0_~) If you’ve seen the Dexter series (viva la Netflix!), then you’ll be familiar with this storyline, much of which was borrowed for the first season. After that, the novels and the series split off, with relatively little in common beyond the concept and names (especially concerning Dexter’s sexuality; he remains more asexual in the books, which I prefer). The writing of Darkly Dreaming Dexter is sly and amusing in a twisted way, which is has to be, given that it’s written in the first person by a man who deals with his urge to kill by killing on Very Bad People, and not the good ones…all while working as a blood analyst for the Miami-Dade Police Department! Strangely enough, these novels have one of the best versions of a family formed by adoption I’ve ever read. It’s about time there was a happy adoptive family who know that blood doesn’t matter when there’s loads of love involved!
Gist: Dexter Morgan is a normal dude, going about his business: blood analyst for the police by day, and serial killer killer by night. He tells about one of his most difficult cases while introducing his readers to the rules he lives by, instilled in him by his father, Henry Morgan.
Quote: “Really, now: If you can’t get me my newspaper on time, how can you expect me to refrain from killing people?”
Bonus Trivia: Jeff Lindsey has a sense of humor about creating a character who’s much more famous than he is. He claims a taxi driver once asked him if he’s seen Dexter, and mentioned that “I heard there are some books, too”!
Darkly Dreaming is on my Kindle, and there's only so many pictures to take of that. So here is Gomez, helping me type this very entry. Also, sticking his tongue out at me.
Perfect For: I guess you’ve got to be a little nutty, and not too afraid of gruesome crime scenes, though they’re less detailed than the Dresden books.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Mystery, Horror
Jeff Lindsey
Published: 2004
Why?: How can you not want to try a book that completely screws up your view of the world by making you root for the serial killer? (What’s that you say? You’re sane? Then probably most of what I have to say doesn’t make much sense to you! 0_~) If you’ve seen the Dexter series (viva la Netflix!), then you’ll be familiar with this storyline, much of which was borrowed for the first season. After that, the novels and the series split off, with relatively little in common beyond the concept and names (especially concerning Dexter’s sexuality; he remains more asexual in the books, which I prefer). The writing of Darkly Dreaming Dexter is sly and amusing in a twisted way, which is has to be, given that it’s written in the first person by a man who deals with his urge to kill by killing on Very Bad People, and not the good ones…all while working as a blood analyst for the Miami-Dade Police Department! Strangely enough, these novels have one of the best versions of a family formed by adoption I’ve ever read. It’s about time there was a happy adoptive family who know that blood doesn’t matter when there’s loads of love involved!
Gist: Dexter Morgan is a normal dude, going about his business: blood analyst for the police by day, and serial killer killer by night. He tells about one of his most difficult cases while introducing his readers to the rules he lives by, instilled in him by his father, Henry Morgan.
Quote: “Really, now: If you can’t get me my newspaper on time, how can you expect me to refrain from killing people?”
Bonus Trivia: Jeff Lindsey has a sense of humor about creating a character who’s much more famous than he is. He claims a taxi driver once asked him if he’s seen Dexter, and mentioned that “I heard there are some books, too”!
Darkly Dreaming is on my Kindle, and there's only so many pictures to take of that. So here is Gomez, helping me type this very entry. Also, sticking his tongue out at me.
Perfect For: I guess you’ve got to be a little nutty, and not too afraid of gruesome crime scenes, though they’re less detailed than the Dresden books.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Mystery, Horror
Sunday, September 11, 2011
25: A Prayer for Owen Meaney
I'm not ignoring today's anniversary, but my thoughts on Sept. 11th are so private that I'm not one to blog about it. My thoughts are with everyone who is remembering the day that changed America.
A Prayer for Owen Meaney
John Irving
Published: 1989
Why?: This book isn’t a quick read, and I didn’t curl up with it on the beach. I actually started it while canceling out my Audible membership and finishing off my built-up tokens. The audiobook is well-read by an almost soothing narrator, whose voice adds to the conversational narrative tone of the book. This book is great to read in chunks, letting each section sink in before moving on to the next. Its nonlinear construction makes you feel like the storyteller is weaving the tale for you right there in the room, rather than detracting from the story. Despite some fairly strong anti-American leanings (which are important to the narrator’s character; and, well, it's john Irving), the story is engaging, and the characters nuanced.
Gist: John Wheelwright is an ex-patriot who tells the story of his life and religion through his past with a boy (later man) named Owen Meany. Owen is a tiny person with a strange voice, strong convictions, and a faith born out of tragedy. The story of their lives together is covers the gamut from bitter to enthusiastic to horrifying to freeing.
Bonus Trivia: The rather horrible film Milk Money has a school named Owen Meany Elementary.
Perfect For: This is a toughie, because the book is far outside what I usually enjoy! But it’s definitely a great novel for fans of modernist fictional or fictional biographies.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Drama
A Prayer for Owen Meaney
John Irving
Published: 1989
Why?: This book isn’t a quick read, and I didn’t curl up with it on the beach. I actually started it while canceling out my Audible membership and finishing off my built-up tokens. The audiobook is well-read by an almost soothing narrator, whose voice adds to the conversational narrative tone of the book. This book is great to read in chunks, letting each section sink in before moving on to the next. Its nonlinear construction makes you feel like the storyteller is weaving the tale for you right there in the room, rather than detracting from the story. Despite some fairly strong anti-American leanings (which are important to the narrator’s character; and, well, it's john Irving), the story is engaging, and the characters nuanced.
Gist: John Wheelwright is an ex-patriot who tells the story of his life and religion through his past with a boy (later man) named Owen Meany. Owen is a tiny person with a strange voice, strong convictions, and a faith born out of tragedy. The story of their lives together is covers the gamut from bitter to enthusiastic to horrifying to freeing.
Bonus Trivia: The rather horrible film Milk Money has a school named Owen Meany Elementary.
Perfect For: This is a toughie, because the book is far outside what I usually enjoy! But it’s definitely a great novel for fans of modernist fictional or fictional biographies.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Drama
Saturday, August 27, 2011
20: The Yellow Wallpaper
“The Yellow Wallpaper”
Charlotte Perkins Gillman
Published: 1892
Why?: My connection with this story is very personal. I first read this story in college, but my memory of it was somewhat jumbled. Why? Because I spent a year falling into a severe depression without realizing it. While in many ways those of us who battle depression are no longer said to have a “nervous disorder” and locked away in an attic bedroom, there is still a stigma attached to the diagnosis. My depression was both chemical in nature (born of a hormonal disorder that affects many parts of my life) and emotional (I tried to stay in contact with high school friends and was naively devastated that I didn't hear from them; I had lost three grandparents in high school, one in the last month). As cliche as it might sound, this story helped me realize that something was wrong...and it's really about how NOT to cure the problem, rather than the problem itself!
This is a powerfully written and thought-provoking story. How well Gillman must have known the apathetic lack of energy and wandering thoughts that come with severe depression. How clearly she writes of the fact that medical science in her time did exactly the wrong thing by locking away these poor, delicate women suffering from “a slight hysterical tendency.” Like Conan-Doyle’s take on the dangers of cocaine and heroin, Gillman was ahead of her time in applying common sense to medical practice. Her use of the first person as her narrator falls from depression to psychosis is masterful and chilling. This short story works just as well as a psychological thriller as it does a social and medical commentary of the times.
Gist: A woman who has suffered a “brief nervous depression” is locked away in a rented house to recover her health. As her husband controls her days and nights, she becomes increasingly obsessed with the wallpaper pattern in her room, until it begins to consume her every thought.
Quote: "It is the strangest yellow, that wall-paper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw — not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things.”
Bonus Trivia: This is a favorite of feminist critics, though I’m not one myself. Gillman herself wrote that this story is a result of her own struggle with depression and the “rest cure” she was placed under. Only after she began to rejoin the world did she start to feel better.
Bonus Bonus Trivia: This story is free on the Kindle, as well as many locations online!
Perfect For: Ages 15+
Genres: Fiction, Short Story
Keywords: Drama, Classic
Charlotte Perkins Gillman
Published: 1892
Why?: My connection with this story is very personal. I first read this story in college, but my memory of it was somewhat jumbled. Why? Because I spent a year falling into a severe depression without realizing it. While in many ways those of us who battle depression are no longer said to have a “nervous disorder” and locked away in an attic bedroom, there is still a stigma attached to the diagnosis. My depression was both chemical in nature (born of a hormonal disorder that affects many parts of my life) and emotional (I tried to stay in contact with high school friends and was naively devastated that I didn't hear from them; I had lost three grandparents in high school, one in the last month). As cliche as it might sound, this story helped me realize that something was wrong...and it's really about how NOT to cure the problem, rather than the problem itself!
This is a powerfully written and thought-provoking story. How well Gillman must have known the apathetic lack of energy and wandering thoughts that come with severe depression. How clearly she writes of the fact that medical science in her time did exactly the wrong thing by locking away these poor, delicate women suffering from “a slight hysterical tendency.” Like Conan-Doyle’s take on the dangers of cocaine and heroin, Gillman was ahead of her time in applying common sense to medical practice. Her use of the first person as her narrator falls from depression to psychosis is masterful and chilling. This short story works just as well as a psychological thriller as it does a social and medical commentary of the times.
Gist: A woman who has suffered a “brief nervous depression” is locked away in a rented house to recover her health. As her husband controls her days and nights, she becomes increasingly obsessed with the wallpaper pattern in her room, until it begins to consume her every thought.
Quote: "It is the strangest yellow, that wall-paper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw — not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things.”
Bonus Trivia: This is a favorite of feminist critics, though I’m not one myself. Gillman herself wrote that this story is a result of her own struggle with depression and the “rest cure” she was placed under. Only after she began to rejoin the world did she start to feel better.
Bonus Bonus Trivia: This story is free on the Kindle, as well as many locations online!
Perfect For: Ages 15+
Genres: Fiction, Short Story
Keywords: Drama, Classic
Sunday, August 21, 2011
17: The Fables Series
I've been in a comic mood lately, largely because of all the press being given to the upcoming DC reboot. So, I decided to suggest another comic series today, though not a superhero series. This is one of my faves, and has maintained a high standard through the years, largely under the helm of the same writer and artists.
Fables
Bill Willingham (creator and author), Mark Buckingham (majority art), James Jean and João Ruas (covers), et al
Published: 2007-Present
Why?: Fables is a highly imaginative retelling of the folk tales from various cultures. The characters are engaging, the story lines vary (more in the past than they do at present), and they're even allowed to grow and change over time, which is a rarity in the comic industry. Since Willingham has stayed dedicated to the series, the characters get to stay more true to themselves than in more mainstream comics. Basically, it's a fun read and I enjoy it!
These are the collections, which are put together twice a year or so based on the individual comics. The series is released by DC, and was once part of their more adult-based, non-superhero Vertigo line.
Gist: Fairy tale characters are real, and they live among us. Although once spread across dozens of worlds, a group of them have been stranded in our "mundane" world since the first European settlements of North America. They were driven from their homes by the evil adversary, who serves as the faceless baddy for the first eight collections or so. These immortal characters have to survive in our modern world. The leaders of the society are King Cole, who serves as the face of the government, Snow White, who does the actual work, and Bigby Wolf, former Big Bad Wolf turned more-or-less full-time man, the Fables' sheriff. Those who look human live on a well guarded street in New York City; those who don't live in upstate NY at The Farm.
The early story lines changed genres, beginning with a noir-style murder mystery, moving into a conspiracy thriller up at the Farm, followed by a classic adventure story. Woven throughout these first seven books is the evolving relationship between Bigby and Snow, as well as Snow's contentious relationship with her twin sister, Rose Red.
Gomez is a fan, as you can see here. He thoroughly enjoys getting between me and my Fables collections while I'm reading.
Later on, the Fables spent a good amount of time at war, and the stories have continued to be strongly adventure-based. Some other characters who have great storylines include the frog prince (Ambrose, who is a sweet and nuanced character), the little-known but brave Boy Blue, Prince Charming (thrice divorced - Snow, then Cinderella, then Sleeping Beauty), Beauty and the Beast (still married after all these years!), and the Three Little Pigs. It's the characters who really make the series special, and the ties and nods to old folk tales, fables, and legends are huge fun!
I finally lost my patience after the last book and started buying the individual comics. *hangs head in shame* These editions are well made and excellent, though, and not ridiculously overpriced like some graphic novels.
Bonus Info: Some comic readers are offended by some of Willingham's conservative views, such as toward abortion and marriage/family (since I share his views on these, they doesn't bother me). However, in the same way that I can read mainstream comics which are increasingly liberal, I don't think your standard reader would have any trouble looking past the occasional politics in the story.
The last storyline, which will be collected for release in December, was a bit silly. I'm interested to see where he'll go from here.
Bonus Bonus Info: Television series based on Fables have died at the script stage both at NBC and ABC. :( It could make a good series with the correct writing, or it could end up just missing something, like the television adaptation of the Dresden books.
Bonus Info, The Trilogy: Fables has two spin-offs, Jack of Fables (which I'm not a fan of) and Cinderella (which is fun; she's Bigby's #1 spy/secret agent). One of the few Fables storylines I didn't care for required a lot of knowledge of the Jack series mythos, which was annoying since I don't care for the character.
Genres: Fiction, Comic
Keywords: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
I turned one of the spare bedrooms into a book-lined office, but there are a few series that stay in my own bedroom for easy access. As you can see, Fables is one of them!
Fables
Bill Willingham (creator and author), Mark Buckingham (majority art), James Jean and João Ruas (covers), et al
Published: 2007-Present
Why?: Fables is a highly imaginative retelling of the folk tales from various cultures. The characters are engaging, the story lines vary (more in the past than they do at present), and they're even allowed to grow and change over time, which is a rarity in the comic industry. Since Willingham has stayed dedicated to the series, the characters get to stay more true to themselves than in more mainstream comics. Basically, it's a fun read and I enjoy it!
These are the collections, which are put together twice a year or so based on the individual comics. The series is released by DC, and was once part of their more adult-based, non-superhero Vertigo line.
Gist: Fairy tale characters are real, and they live among us. Although once spread across dozens of worlds, a group of them have been stranded in our "mundane" world since the first European settlements of North America. They were driven from their homes by the evil adversary, who serves as the faceless baddy for the first eight collections or so. These immortal characters have to survive in our modern world. The leaders of the society are King Cole, who serves as the face of the government, Snow White, who does the actual work, and Bigby Wolf, former Big Bad Wolf turned more-or-less full-time man, the Fables' sheriff. Those who look human live on a well guarded street in New York City; those who don't live in upstate NY at The Farm.
The early story lines changed genres, beginning with a noir-style murder mystery, moving into a conspiracy thriller up at the Farm, followed by a classic adventure story. Woven throughout these first seven books is the evolving relationship between Bigby and Snow, as well as Snow's contentious relationship with her twin sister, Rose Red.
Gomez is a fan, as you can see here. He thoroughly enjoys getting between me and my Fables collections while I'm reading.
Later on, the Fables spent a good amount of time at war, and the stories have continued to be strongly adventure-based. Some other characters who have great storylines include the frog prince (Ambrose, who is a sweet and nuanced character), the little-known but brave Boy Blue, Prince Charming (thrice divorced - Snow, then Cinderella, then Sleeping Beauty), Beauty and the Beast (still married after all these years!), and the Three Little Pigs. It's the characters who really make the series special, and the ties and nods to old folk tales, fables, and legends are huge fun!
I finally lost my patience after the last book and started buying the individual comics. *hangs head in shame* These editions are well made and excellent, though, and not ridiculously overpriced like some graphic novels.
Bonus Info: Some comic readers are offended by some of Willingham's conservative views, such as toward abortion and marriage/family (since I share his views on these, they doesn't bother me). However, in the same way that I can read mainstream comics which are increasingly liberal, I don't think your standard reader would have any trouble looking past the occasional politics in the story.
The last storyline, which will be collected for release in December, was a bit silly. I'm interested to see where he'll go from here.
Bonus Bonus Info: Television series based on Fables have died at the script stage both at NBC and ABC. :( It could make a good series with the correct writing, or it could end up just missing something, like the television adaptation of the Dresden books.
Bonus Info, The Trilogy: Fables has two spin-offs, Jack of Fables (which I'm not a fan of) and Cinderella (which is fun; she's Bigby's #1 spy/secret agent). One of the few Fables storylines I didn't care for required a lot of knowledge of the Jack series mythos, which was annoying since I don't care for the character.
Genres: Fiction, Comic
Keywords: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
I turned one of the spare bedrooms into a book-lined office, but there are a few series that stay in my own bedroom for easy access. As you can see, Fables is one of them!
Friday, August 19, 2011
16: The Molly Murphy Books
I successfully leant this book to my mother using Kindle’s newish lending option! Of course, it was one of only a teenie number of my Kindle books available for lending, but such is life 0_~
Mom likes to get things a year or so after I do, when they’ve been improved. So she bought her Kindle at the beginning of December and now she’s in love with the thing. Can’t say as I blame her! If anyone out there has sight problems and it’s come between you and your reading, take it from my one-eyed mother than the Kindle is a blessing (or any e-reader). You have so much more control over the size of the text that I think it’s really excellent for those whose eyes might tire or strain reading standard text size in paper books.
Murphy’s Law
Rhys Bowen
Published: 2001
Why?: Bowen is an author would a good sense of humor, and she also writes engagingly spunky female characters who invariably get themselves into trouble! This is the first book in her Molly Murphy series, and she does an excellent job both in making a likable character and immersing the reader into the world of New York around 1910. It’s the details that make this book so real: prices, ways of living, and the Irish society of NYC in this time period are woven neatly into the narrative.
(On a purely biased level, it's a little disappointing that the romance of the series had to be introduced first thing, and it gets a bit annoying around book three, but it smooths out later).
Molly is also a lot of fun, polite and yet sassy, outgoing but uncertain. Her natural curiosity gets her into plenty of trouble, but she has the brains to get herself out of it most of the time. The mystery is deft enough for interest, written in the classic style that is more about snooping around than the gore and science of death and murder. The story is quite reminiscent of British mysteries along the lines of Agatha Christie, but the American location gives it its own flavor and feel.
Gist: Molly Murphy has made a mistake: defending herself from a nobleman. She finds herself on the run, and circumstances bring her to America. While at Ellis Island, she becomes the inadvertent witness to a murder that will change her life as much as immigrating did.
Perfect For: Ages 13+
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Mystery, Drama, History
Mom likes to get things a year or so after I do, when they’ve been improved. So she bought her Kindle at the beginning of December and now she’s in love with the thing. Can’t say as I blame her! If anyone out there has sight problems and it’s come between you and your reading, take it from my one-eyed mother than the Kindle is a blessing (or any e-reader). You have so much more control over the size of the text that I think it’s really excellent for those whose eyes might tire or strain reading standard text size in paper books.
Murphy’s Law
Rhys Bowen
Published: 2001
Why?: Bowen is an author would a good sense of humor, and she also writes engagingly spunky female characters who invariably get themselves into trouble! This is the first book in her Molly Murphy series, and she does an excellent job both in making a likable character and immersing the reader into the world of New York around 1910. It’s the details that make this book so real: prices, ways of living, and the Irish society of NYC in this time period are woven neatly into the narrative.
(On a purely biased level, it's a little disappointing that the romance of the series had to be introduced first thing, and it gets a bit annoying around book three, but it smooths out later).
Molly is also a lot of fun, polite and yet sassy, outgoing but uncertain. Her natural curiosity gets her into plenty of trouble, but she has the brains to get herself out of it most of the time. The mystery is deft enough for interest, written in the classic style that is more about snooping around than the gore and science of death and murder. The story is quite reminiscent of British mysteries along the lines of Agatha Christie, but the American location gives it its own flavor and feel.
Gist: Molly Murphy has made a mistake: defending herself from a nobleman. She finds herself on the run, and circumstances bring her to America. While at Ellis Island, she becomes the inadvertent witness to a murder that will change her life as much as immigrating did.
Perfect For: Ages 13+
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Mystery, Drama, History
Saturday, August 13, 2011
13. The Help
I went to see The Help this afternoon! I was a little terrified of watching it, because I read and loved the book before the movie was even announced. I'm pleasantly surprised, though! The various storylines are well presented, I laughed and sniffled at all the right parts, and I was blessed with a huge audience of people who'd obviously read the book (there was a lot of preemptive clapping!). With the exception of Skeeter (Emma Stone), I found all the casting spot on. She was just a bit too...blah and not spunky enough for me (I'd worried about her being too petite and pretty for the role; having seen the film, the real problem was in the presentation of the character as a whole just not matching how I imagined her at all). The others were great, especially Viola Davis (Abileen), Jessica Chastain (Celia), Octavia Spencer (Minnie - she and Chastain were perfect in their scenes together!), and Bryce Howard (the easy-to-hate Millie). I definitely suggest the movie - but read the book first!
The Help
Kathryn Stockett
Published: 2009
Why?: My mother suggested this book to me. She listened to the excellent audio version, and spoke about how it took her back to the racial tensions of her childhood. She was never of the class to have full-time maids who raised your children, but she knew people who did. She also lived through the tumultuous days of the Civil Rights Movement, standing with the oppressed. The book touched her deeply, but also allowed me some insight into a time which, blessedly, seems so bizarre to my generation.
Stories of the days when the civil rights movement was new sometimes lack a core of great and engaging characterization; this is not at all the case with The Help. Novels written by different characters also often lack distinct voices among those characters. Written from multiple perspectives, each woman is given a voice and diction of her own. The story unfurls from multiple perspectives, showing both sides of the white South: those pleased with the status quo and those, like my mother’s family, who weren’t. The African-American population of the book is beautifully written, illustrating the fear and danger inherent in this fledgling movement, as well as the strange and layered relationships to be found between black maids and their white employers.
Gist: A young woman who longs to be a journalist convinces a small group of black maids to tell her about their experiences. Layers of truth are slowly revealed, and the depth of feeling between these women who raised generations of upper-middle class and high class white children and the families they worked for gradually reveal themselves.
Perfect For: ages 16+
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Drama, History
The Help
Kathryn Stockett
Published: 2009
Why?: My mother suggested this book to me. She listened to the excellent audio version, and spoke about how it took her back to the racial tensions of her childhood. She was never of the class to have full-time maids who raised your children, but she knew people who did. She also lived through the tumultuous days of the Civil Rights Movement, standing with the oppressed. The book touched her deeply, but also allowed me some insight into a time which, blessedly, seems so bizarre to my generation.
Stories of the days when the civil rights movement was new sometimes lack a core of great and engaging characterization; this is not at all the case with The Help. Novels written by different characters also often lack distinct voices among those characters. Written from multiple perspectives, each woman is given a voice and diction of her own. The story unfurls from multiple perspectives, showing both sides of the white South: those pleased with the status quo and those, like my mother’s family, who weren’t. The African-American population of the book is beautifully written, illustrating the fear and danger inherent in this fledgling movement, as well as the strange and layered relationships to be found between black maids and their white employers.
Gist: A young woman who longs to be a journalist convinces a small group of black maids to tell her about their experiences. Layers of truth are slowly revealed, and the depth of feeling between these women who raised generations of upper-middle class and high class white children and the families they worked for gradually reveal themselves.
Perfect For: ages 16+
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Drama, History
Saturday, August 06, 2011
09: Spoon River Anthology
Having attended the cast party for the local play I sang in this afternoon, I was inspired to post my first collection of poems! I first read this book in an awesome hybrid American lit/American history/performance class in high school (I *desperately* want to teach a class like this one day, but for British history and lit!). We performed it, and the next year I came back to direct the thing for that year's class. I played Minerva and the drunk parson my year, and the year I directed the teachers also talked me into playing Minerva's dad. Thank goodness I watched enough Red Dwarf to have a passably horrible British accent!
Spoon River Anthology
Edgar Lee Matthews
Published: 1915
Look! I'm getting my shelves back in order! I love this process, because I'm a dweeb. I'd've finished by now if I hadn't decided to reorganize most of them...
Why?: In high school, I was part of a class that inspired a lot of my teaching, called American Studies. This class combined American history and literature, with an emphasis on acting and creativity. We had debates as historical figures, reenacted major events in history, and traveled in imaginary prairie schooners across the western plains. We also put on plays, including an adaptation of Spoon River Anthology. The haunting, free form poems have stuck with me, and I still love to flip through and delve into this world of life and death that Masters so beautifully constructed. Unlike many books of poetry, Spoon River must be read in its entirety for all the layers of meanings and relationships to reveal themselves. A fine, upstanding family doctor is revealed to have helped a young girl end her life, and pages later her father speaks as well of being an outsider in Spoon River. Masters’ use of language is beautiful, and although this is a collection of poems told by the dead, the focus is still on life, with all its beauty and ugliness.
Gist: In a cemetery in Spoon River, the dead rise and tell of their lives. Some led everyday lives, other incredible ones. There are mothers, fathers, politicians, doctors, and factory workers, each sharing his or her story. The stories intertwine as well, so you might learn that the town’s favorite son in, in fact, the illegitimate son of a grieving mother, or a couple who appear deeply in love…actually are!
I'm amazed I got this picture without one or three cat noses in it. This is my office chair, which they consider THEIR office chair. I'm allowed to rent it from time to time in return for their room and board.
Quote: From “21. Minerva Jones” This was one of the parts I played in high school, and it’s still one of the most heart-breaking poems in the collection.
And I sank into death, growing numb from the feet up, / Like one stepping deeper and deeper into a stream of ice. / Will some one go to the village newspaper, / And gather into a book the verses I wrote –I/ thirsted so for love! /I hungered so for life!
Bonus Trivia: A number of composers have written music for the Spoon River Anthology, from classical to alternative country to playwrights. It has been adapted by American, British, and Spanish composers. Spoon River is available free on-line.
All the pictures are bad because I'm taking them in the middle of the night! But you can see my copy here, which is highlighted with the poems that were included the year I directed the play version of the collection.
Perfect For: Ages 15+, poetry fans
Genres: Fiction, Poetry
Keywords: Drama, History, Romance, Humor
Spoon River Anthology
Edgar Lee Matthews
Published: 1915
Look! I'm getting my shelves back in order! I love this process, because I'm a dweeb. I'd've finished by now if I hadn't decided to reorganize most of them...
Why?: In high school, I was part of a class that inspired a lot of my teaching, called American Studies. This class combined American history and literature, with an emphasis on acting and creativity. We had debates as historical figures, reenacted major events in history, and traveled in imaginary prairie schooners across the western plains. We also put on plays, including an adaptation of Spoon River Anthology. The haunting, free form poems have stuck with me, and I still love to flip through and delve into this world of life and death that Masters so beautifully constructed. Unlike many books of poetry, Spoon River must be read in its entirety for all the layers of meanings and relationships to reveal themselves. A fine, upstanding family doctor is revealed to have helped a young girl end her life, and pages later her father speaks as well of being an outsider in Spoon River. Masters’ use of language is beautiful, and although this is a collection of poems told by the dead, the focus is still on life, with all its beauty and ugliness.
Gist: In a cemetery in Spoon River, the dead rise and tell of their lives. Some led everyday lives, other incredible ones. There are mothers, fathers, politicians, doctors, and factory workers, each sharing his or her story. The stories intertwine as well, so you might learn that the town’s favorite son in, in fact, the illegitimate son of a grieving mother, or a couple who appear deeply in love…actually are!
I'm amazed I got this picture without one or three cat noses in it. This is my office chair, which they consider THEIR office chair. I'm allowed to rent it from time to time in return for their room and board.
Quote: From “21. Minerva Jones” This was one of the parts I played in high school, and it’s still one of the most heart-breaking poems in the collection.
And I sank into death, growing numb from the feet up, / Like one stepping deeper and deeper into a stream of ice. / Will some one go to the village newspaper, / And gather into a book the verses I wrote –I/ thirsted so for love! /I hungered so for life!
Bonus Trivia: A number of composers have written music for the Spoon River Anthology, from classical to alternative country to playwrights. It has been adapted by American, British, and Spanish composers. Spoon River is available free on-line.
All the pictures are bad because I'm taking them in the middle of the night! But you can see my copy here, which is highlighted with the poems that were included the year I directed the play version of the collection.
Perfect For: Ages 15+, poetry fans
Genres: Fiction, Poetry
Keywords: Drama, History, Romance, Humor
Monday, August 01, 2011
07: Escape
Our internet went out! >_< It took two days for the evil company to get it fixed, and now I'm behind! *sniffle* I'm actually posting this on the 3rd, but it's been ready since the 1st, so I'll cheat a bit with the posting date!
Escape
Carolyn Jessop and Laura Palmer
Published: 2007
Why?: I connected this book to The 19th Wife because I read it after, myself. This is the story of Carolyn Jessop, one of the wives of cult leader Merrill Jessop. Her prose is tightly handled, but tells the story of a life in bondage to ignorance and lifestyle with painful clarity. Though there is certainly bitterness and heartbreak in her story, Jessop looks with optimism to the future.
Gist: This is the memoir of a woman who escaped her husband, a leader in the FDLS, and successfully gained sole custody of her children. It tells of her life from her childhood, with her mother and her mother’s sister wives, through her marriage to a much older man at 17, to her current life in the “outside” world.
Bonus Trivia: Carolyn Jessop is the only woman to have left a group of Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints and won full custody of her children. She has released a second memoir entitled Triumph: Life After the Cult, but it focuses more on personal philosophy than the events of her life. For those who might feel uncomfortable hearing just her side of the story, her eldest daughter chose to return to her father’s family. She has announced that she will write her own book about life with the FLDS.
Perfect For: Ages 17+ for dealing with mature subject matter
Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir
Keywords: Drama
Escape
Carolyn Jessop and Laura Palmer
Published: 2007
Why?: I connected this book to The 19th Wife because I read it after, myself. This is the story of Carolyn Jessop, one of the wives of cult leader Merrill Jessop. Her prose is tightly handled, but tells the story of a life in bondage to ignorance and lifestyle with painful clarity. Though there is certainly bitterness and heartbreak in her story, Jessop looks with optimism to the future.
Gist: This is the memoir of a woman who escaped her husband, a leader in the FDLS, and successfully gained sole custody of her children. It tells of her life from her childhood, with her mother and her mother’s sister wives, through her marriage to a much older man at 17, to her current life in the “outside” world.
Bonus Trivia: Carolyn Jessop is the only woman to have left a group of Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints and won full custody of her children. She has released a second memoir entitled Triumph: Life After the Cult, but it focuses more on personal philosophy than the events of her life. For those who might feel uncomfortable hearing just her side of the story, her eldest daughter chose to return to her father’s family. She has announced that she will write her own book about life with the FLDS.
Perfect For: Ages 17+ for dealing with mature subject matter
Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir
Keywords: Drama
Saturday, July 30, 2011
06: The 19th Wife
The play opened last night, and even for a one-scene character, it's a long time and a lot of work! Hopefully I can get some pics...but we have a matinee and an evening performance, so who knows?! Hey hey hey, looks like I made a few!
The 19th Wife
Avid Eberschoff
Published: 2009
Why?: My friend Brenda (she’s like a friend-in-law, because she’s my mother’s best friend and I claim her too!) lent us a pile of books because she knows the way to our hearts. Out of the pile, this is the one that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. The two stories meld together seamlessly, and the parallels between a modern gay man and a 19th century polygamist bride are drawn without preaching or shoving it down your throat. This is an engrossing novel both in the modern day murder mystery and the fictionalization of a real woman of the past.
Gist: The 19th Wife follows two storylines: the first is about a Lost Boy – a boy kicked out of polygamist sects, apparently to lower the competition for young brides. Now a young man on the streets, Jordan Scott finds out that his mother has been arrested for the murder of his father. Deftly intertwined with this modern-day narrative is the story of Anne Eliza Young, revealed through everything from Wikipedia entries to diary excerpts.
Bonus Trivia: This book was turned into a movie by Lifetime TV, but I haven’t seen it.
Perfect For: Ages 17+
Yes, Bob's tongue is sticking out. This could be because I interrupted his reading, or it COULD be that he wanders around like this all the time.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Drama, History, Mystery
The 19th Wife
Avid Eberschoff
Published: 2009
Why?: My friend Brenda (she’s like a friend-in-law, because she’s my mother’s best friend and I claim her too!) lent us a pile of books because she knows the way to our hearts. Out of the pile, this is the one that grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. The two stories meld together seamlessly, and the parallels between a modern gay man and a 19th century polygamist bride are drawn without preaching or shoving it down your throat. This is an engrossing novel both in the modern day murder mystery and the fictionalization of a real woman of the past.
Gist: The 19th Wife follows two storylines: the first is about a Lost Boy – a boy kicked out of polygamist sects, apparently to lower the competition for young brides. Now a young man on the streets, Jordan Scott finds out that his mother has been arrested for the murder of his father. Deftly intertwined with this modern-day narrative is the story of Anne Eliza Young, revealed through everything from Wikipedia entries to diary excerpts.
Bonus Trivia: This book was turned into a movie by Lifetime TV, but I haven’t seen it.
Perfect For: Ages 17+
Yes, Bob's tongue is sticking out. This could be because I interrupted his reading, or it COULD be that he wanders around like this all the time.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Drama, History, Mystery
Thursday, July 28, 2011
05: Peter Beagle Short Stories
The Rhinoceros Who Quoted Nietzsche and Other Odd Acquaintances
The Line Between
Peter Beagle
Published: Various
Why?: Though Beagle is most famous for a novel, his short stories are often wonderful. Beagle’s poetic style works extremely well with his odd sense of humor and quirky characters. Each story has a twist of characterization that makes it a fun read, while the language takes it a step up from basic humor or fantasy. Most of the stories in these collections are older, collected from various SF and fantasy magazines.
The Line Between contains the award winning short story “Two Hearts.” It’s not actually my favorite from the collection, but it’s well-known because of its connection to his novel The Last Unicorn (which will appear on this list later!). My fave is "Gordon, the Self Made Cat," which is the hilarious story of a mouse who decides he wants to be a cat. Also included are "Four Fables" (also great fun), "El Regalo," "Quarry," "Salt Wine," "Mr. Sigerson" (a Sherlock Holmes story), and "A Dance for Emilia."
Of his collections, this is my favorite. My favorite story is “Come Lady Death,” which has a taste of “The Masque of the Red Death,” but with a much more gentle and creeptastic death character. Other stories include "Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros," "Lila the Werewolf," "Julie's Unicorn," "The Naga," "Telephone Call," and "My Daughter's Name is Sarah." There are also several essays: "Pittsburgh Stories," "Learning a Trade," "My Last Hero," "D.H. Lawrence in Taos," and "The Poor People's Campaign."
Beagle also released We Never Talked About My Brother, but the included stories were newer and seemed more rushed than the two I’ve suggested here.
Gist: These collection includes stories about unicorns (who look like rhinoceri), werewolves, an extraordinary mouse, and normal kids in their neighborhoods. Each introduces a character you’ll come to care about, and is a quick read when time is tight and the imagination needs some exercise.
Perfect For: Ages 16+, Quirky types
My roomie's cat, Fred, is the snootiest looking feline in history.
Genres: Fiction, Short Story
Keywords: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Humor, Horror
The Line Between
Peter Beagle
Published: Various
Why?: Though Beagle is most famous for a novel, his short stories are often wonderful. Beagle’s poetic style works extremely well with his odd sense of humor and quirky characters. Each story has a twist of characterization that makes it a fun read, while the language takes it a step up from basic humor or fantasy. Most of the stories in these collections are older, collected from various SF and fantasy magazines.
The Line Between contains the award winning short story “Two Hearts.” It’s not actually my favorite from the collection, but it’s well-known because of its connection to his novel The Last Unicorn (which will appear on this list later!). My fave is "Gordon, the Self Made Cat," which is the hilarious story of a mouse who decides he wants to be a cat. Also included are "Four Fables" (also great fun), "El Regalo," "Quarry," "Salt Wine," "Mr. Sigerson" (a Sherlock Holmes story), and "A Dance for Emilia."
Of his collections, this is my favorite. My favorite story is “Come Lady Death,” which has a taste of “The Masque of the Red Death,” but with a much more gentle and creeptastic death character. Other stories include "Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros," "Lila the Werewolf," "Julie's Unicorn," "The Naga," "Telephone Call," and "My Daughter's Name is Sarah." There are also several essays: "Pittsburgh Stories," "Learning a Trade," "My Last Hero," "D.H. Lawrence in Taos," and "The Poor People's Campaign."
Beagle also released We Never Talked About My Brother, but the included stories were newer and seemed more rushed than the two I’ve suggested here.
Gist: These collection includes stories about unicorns (who look like rhinoceri), werewolves, an extraordinary mouse, and normal kids in their neighborhoods. Each introduces a character you’ll come to care about, and is a quick read when time is tight and the imagination needs some exercise.
Perfect For: Ages 16+, Quirky types
My roomie's cat, Fred, is the snootiest looking feline in history.
Genres: Fiction, Short Story
Keywords: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Humor, Horror
Sunday, July 24, 2011
03: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Mark Haddon
Published: 2003
Personal Story: I read this novel more or less by accident. I was staying at my aunt’s house for a visit and, in classic fashion, everyone was asleep in the house while I was wide awake. I’d finished the book I’d brought along, and so I went surreptitiously poking around in the bedroom bookcase. Most of what is stored in that room is my uncle’s collection of religious texts, and I was in the mood for a novel. Propped unassumingly on top was a little orange book – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. As a well-established Sherlock Holmes nerd, the title caught my eye and I curled up in bed with it.
The title comes from the Holmes short story "Silver Blaze," though it's often incorrectly attributed to The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Actually, it turned out the book didn’t belong to my aunt and uncle – it belonged to a college student who sometimes stayed with them. Whoops!
This book dragged me in on the first page. Simply written, yet layered with meaning not clear to the narrator himself, it is a beautifully written “mystery” that I couldn’t put down until it was about time for everyone else to get up!
Gist: Christopher Boone knows all the prime numbers to 7,057. He likes dogs, but doesn’t understand the emotional ups and downs of people. He is autistic, a mathematical savant who can’t stand to be touched and sometimes has to escape into a world of white noise to escape the overwhelming information that comes at him in everyday life. When he finds that the neighbor’s dog has been brutally murdered, he determines to take on the case, unknowing that it will change his life forever.
While it’s extremely unlikely that any truly autistic child could sit down and write this novel, this is nevertheless a fascinating look into the special minds of autistic individuals. Told with empathy and understanding, as well as humor, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time helps us to understand that autism makes a person different, but not “stupid” or deserving only of pity. Haddon worked with autistic children in his youth, and his respect and affection for them shines through in this book.
Please forgive the blurry pictures. It's so blasted humid outside that I can't keep my lens from fogging over. -_- We'll pretend I purposefully went for the classic ST:TOS soft focus, yes?
A Bit of Trivia: There is a film adaptation in the works, but this is one of many books I adore but, because of the importance of the narration, I don’t think it could be nearly as effective as a movie.
Perfect For: Ages 15+, younger for more empathetic teens
Don't let Alfred fool you. He's generally much, MUCH too hyper to settle down and read a book. Sigh.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Drama, Mystery
Mark Haddon
Published: 2003
Personal Story: I read this novel more or less by accident. I was staying at my aunt’s house for a visit and, in classic fashion, everyone was asleep in the house while I was wide awake. I’d finished the book I’d brought along, and so I went surreptitiously poking around in the bedroom bookcase. Most of what is stored in that room is my uncle’s collection of religious texts, and I was in the mood for a novel. Propped unassumingly on top was a little orange book – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. As a well-established Sherlock Holmes nerd, the title caught my eye and I curled up in bed with it.
The title comes from the Holmes short story "Silver Blaze," though it's often incorrectly attributed to The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Actually, it turned out the book didn’t belong to my aunt and uncle – it belonged to a college student who sometimes stayed with them. Whoops!
This book dragged me in on the first page. Simply written, yet layered with meaning not clear to the narrator himself, it is a beautifully written “mystery” that I couldn’t put down until it was about time for everyone else to get up!
Gist: Christopher Boone knows all the prime numbers to 7,057. He likes dogs, but doesn’t understand the emotional ups and downs of people. He is autistic, a mathematical savant who can’t stand to be touched and sometimes has to escape into a world of white noise to escape the overwhelming information that comes at him in everyday life. When he finds that the neighbor’s dog has been brutally murdered, he determines to take on the case, unknowing that it will change his life forever.
While it’s extremely unlikely that any truly autistic child could sit down and write this novel, this is nevertheless a fascinating look into the special minds of autistic individuals. Told with empathy and understanding, as well as humor, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time helps us to understand that autism makes a person different, but not “stupid” or deserving only of pity. Haddon worked with autistic children in his youth, and his respect and affection for them shines through in this book.
Please forgive the blurry pictures. It's so blasted humid outside that I can't keep my lens from fogging over. -_- We'll pretend I purposefully went for the classic ST:TOS soft focus, yes?
A Bit of Trivia: There is a film adaptation in the works, but this is one of many books I adore but, because of the importance of the narration, I don’t think it could be nearly as effective as a movie.
Perfect For: Ages 15+, younger for more empathetic teens
Don't let Alfred fool you. He's generally much, MUCH too hyper to settle down and read a book. Sigh.
Genres: Fiction, Novel
Keywords: Drama, Mystery
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)