My Reading Frenzy

Another One for the "Libraries I Have to Visit" List

Thomas Hughes Public Library

One of the first institutions established in Rugby was the Thomas Hughes Free Public Library. The library today is the most historically authentic in the entire Rugby Colony National Register Historic District. It presents literally the same appearance, inside and out, as the day the doors first opened on October 5, 1882. After passing through a small vestibule the visitor enters the main part of the library through a pair of swinging, green baize-covered doors. The interior reveals a decorative sophistication unexpected in the Appalachian mountains, with an ornate plaster ceiling and handsomely designed bookcases and other furniture. The original ladder, with its 1881 patent date stenciled on the bottom of the top rung, is still used; visitors may sit in the original cane-seated chairs; the 1882 shipping labels are still fastened to the bottoms of many of the captain's chairs at the massive walnut library tables.

The library contains more than 7,000 volumes--one of the best representative collections of Victorian-era literature in public view in America. The floor to ceiling shelves contain no books published later than 1898, with most published from the 1860s through the 1880s. Virtually every subject area is represented, including fiction, biography, science, history, etiquette, housekeeping, religion, poetry and drama, sociology, travel, farming and gardening. Works of well known authors such as John Greenleaf Whittier, William Shakespeare, Washington Irving, Charles Dickens, Robert Burns, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Oliver Wendall Holmes and James Fennimore Cooper share the shelves with hundreds of children's books, including some illustrated by Charles Kingsley and Kate Greenaway.

via http://www.historicrugby.org/library.php#

 

Incarceron and Sapphique - Catherine Fisher

My first comment in reviewing these two books is that I was about to leave on a long flight to Austin and had about 30 pages left of Incarceron to read.  Practicality would say I should leave it behind to finish after returning 5 days later (It is quite a big hardcover book.).  The reader in me needed to know how it turned out.  So gentle reader, what did I do???

Obviously I took it with me, and finished it before the plane took off.  (You spend a lot of time in the plane on the ground.)   The only disappointment being having to wait until I got home to read Sapphique which I had left behind. 

The story begins by  switching back and forth between Finn and Claudia.  Finn is inside the prison, Incarceron and Claudia is the warden's daughter.  We flip as the two move inexorably toward each other.  Finn as it turns out, may be the lost prince Claudia's society needs to redeem themselves from the restrictions they have been living under since the Rage.  Claudia is the agent of change needed to make the society see the error of their ways.   Finn's entourage inclues his oathbrother Keiro; Attia, a former slave he has rescued, and a Sapient named Gildas.  Claudia has her own Sapient (a monk type tutor) named Jared, but few other allies.  

Each believes themselves to be in a prison.  Claudia in her manufactured world, and Finn in Incarceron, a literal prison, but the reader is led to wonder who really has it worse, those on the inside?  Or those Outside? 

The characters adhere to some pretty predictable types, but their adventures and the unpredictable nature of these worlds makes the stock characters feel comfortable instead of tired.  The action and strangeness of this dystopian society lend all the surprise the reader needs. 

Sapphique picks up precisely where Incarceron leaves off.  This is a two book set, not a trilogy, which is a nice change.  The second book is always such filler before the big "ta-da"  in the third.  Gratifyingly, the story does not end with a nice neat bow to tie it all together.  Just like the characters we wonder if they really will be better off now.  I like a book that ends with the reader having the same questions as the characters, because those questions are universal. 

Viola in the Spotlight - Adriana Trigiani

I have liked everything I have read by Adriana Trigiani.  My favorites though are Lucia, Lucia and The Queen of the Big Time.  While I like her Big Stone Gap Series, I prefer her books set in NYC, which The Queen of the Big Time is not, but it is about a strong, independent, Italian woman.  Viola in the Spotlight takes place in NYC, but is not historical fiction and features Viola, home from a year at boarding school while her documentary film-making parents were shooting in Afghanistan.  (This year away is the subject of the first book in this series Viola in Reel Life.)  I like Viola, she is realistic, though she does lead a "nice" life, which is hard to see as beliveable these days.  While I think it is important for YA literature to address the myriad issues teens deal with these days, it is also important to portray those kids who are not beset by angst in the form of abuse, drugs, and family upheaval.  Even kids whose lives are filled with turmoil like to read about kids who are not like them.  After all, many of us read for the opportunity to explore lives that are not like our own. 

As a life-long tourist, I also like Trigiani's insight into life in NYC.  Sigh...oh to live in the Big Apple for even a little while. 

In this novel Viola must handle changing feelings for her best friend Andrew, deal with the first romance of another close friend, learn responsibility as a lighting apprentice for a Broadway show, and adjust to life back at home without her school friends.  No matter how they are packaged, teens are all worried about romance, friendship, responsibility, home life, and school. 

I like these books for the sweet story but I will read more in the series to find out what happens to the fiesty, talented Viola. 

Harris Interactive: Harris Polls > Most Americans Opposed to Banning Any Books

I am always interested in information about book banning and intellectual freedom.  The results of this survey are interesting.  In the library trade magazines we always hear about book challanges and banning, yet the survey says most people are against both....does this mean the challengers are just a few loud people?

Most Americans Opposed to Banning Any Books

Large majorities, including most African Americans, oppose changing 'nigger' to 'slave' in "Huckleberry Finn"

NEW YORK, N.Y. - April 12, 2011 - Banning or censoring books has been debated for years. A new Harris Poll shows, however, that a majority of Americans think no books should be banned completely (56%) while fewer than one in five say there are books which should be banned (18%); a quarter are not at all sure (26%). The older and less educated people are, the more likely they are to say that there are some books which should be banned completely. Opinions on banning books are linked to political philosophy: almost three quarters of Liberals (73%) say no books should be banned, compared to six in ten Moderates (60%) but only two in five Conservatives (41%) who say no books should be banned.

Read the rest and see all the results here.

via www.harrisinteractive.com

Diana Wynne Jones Discovery

In my defense, there are too many books and authors in the world. Additionally, I missed almost all children's and YA literature in the 90s and a bit of the 2000s. Still I feel badly that I just finished my first Diana Wynne Jones. I have read "Enchanted Glass" and now feel sad that I missed so much from this author who just passed away. I am looking forward to reading more, but am of course sad to know there will not be any more new books.

American Gods: 10th Anniversary Edition

I have entered a contest to be chosen to record a portion of the 10th Anniversary audiobook of Neil Gaiman's American Gods.  You can vote for me here. 

Neil Gaiman - My Hero

Neil Gaiman and his publishers are running a competition.  The lucky winner will get to travel to the Big Apple to record a part in the audiobook of American Gods.  If you feel so inclined, you can help me in this endeavor by voting for me using this link.  I have to get lots of votes to get into the 2nd round of judging.   

YALSA Anounces the Teens' Top Ten

It is always exciting when a new list of good books to read comes out...something to keep me busy over spring break. 

 

Letters of Note: Mark Twain to Walt Whitman

Tuesday, 12 April 2011

What great births you have witnessed!

In May of 1889, author Mark Twain wrote the following beautiful letter of congratulations to Walt Whitman, the indisputably influential poet behind, most notably, Leaves of Grass. The cause for celebration was Whitman's upcoming 70th birthday; the imminence of which saw Twain pen not just a birthday wish, but a stunning 4-page love letter to human endeavour, as seen during Whitman's lifetime.

via www.lettersofnote.com

Audrey Niffenegger - Graphic Novelist- Whoda thunk it?

Certainly not me.  I enjoyed The Time Traveler's Wife, enough in fact to avoid tainting it by seeing the movie.  And Her Fearful Symmetry was right at my level of weird; just enough to draw me in, keep me reading, and creep me out at the end, but not enough to force me to sleep with the light on.  Now I have read The Night Bookmobile, which should be called "The Reader's Dream."   One evening Lexi encounters the night bookmobile, or more accurately, her night bookmobile, which contains everything she has ever read.  Through the years she encounters the bookmobile and its librarian, Mr. Openshaw, just when she least expects, and each time the collection has grown to include what she has read since her last visit.  It is a wonderful premise.  I do not want to give away the twists of the story, but for a short, graphic story it is chock full.  Loved it!  The whole idea of a library of just what I have read, including all the things I cannot remember having read would be a wonderful stroll through my reading life.  For lifelong readers this would be a time machine.  Loved it! 

Your Favorite Kids Books..and what they mean

Books

What Your Favorite Kids Book Then Says About You Now

1:31 pm Saturday Apr 9, 2011 by Emily Temple

Everyone had a favorite book as a kid – you know, that tattered old thing you carried from room to room and made you parents read out loud to you over and over again, the one that you quoted until you were, um, a little too old to be doing so. We know our lives were shaped in part by the literature we loved as children, so inspired by this recent list of books every child should read, we got to thinking about what your favorite kids book back then might say about you now that you’re all grown up. Click through for our predictions, and do your best to take it with the grain of salt we intend – don’t worry, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory lovers, we’re not really accusing you of advocating slavery. Be sure to add to the fun and make up your own in the comments!

Read More »

via flavorwire.com

"The Iron Queen" Redemption

Ok, so I did not really think too highly of Julie Kagawa's The Iron Daughter.  And after having read The Iron Queen I still like The Iron King the best.  Meghan was whiny and annoyingly dependent in The Iron Daughter, but in this one she gets back quite a bit of her mojo and won me back...mostly.  The title explains part of the reason for the change.  Meghan becomes a queen in this story, partly by defeating the false king, and partly because she steps into the role.  She is not a perfect queen, nor a wise queen, nor even a benevolent queen, but she has potential, and quite frankly in the last book I was worried she was just going to be a pathetic and moony about Ash FOREVER.  I am looking forward to The Iron Knight because it will be Ash's story, presumably after Meghan becomes the Iron Queen. 

In addition to Meghan's transformation, I liked all the critters and the battle scenes.  I do not think any of this series is headed for major awards, sorry, but in the third novel, I can once again respect and admire Meghan Chase.

3 Reasons I Liked Wishful Thinking by Alexandra Bullen

There are actually many reasons I liked Wishful Thinking, but as Hazel only gets three wishes I felt I should limit my list to three specifics. 

1.  The ending:  Yes, I know I am beginning my list with the ending, but it was my favorite part. The end of the novel did not just wrap everything up all neat and tidy. I like a happy ending as much as the next person, but it is just not realistic all the time.  Hazel's story progressed as it should without contrivances and false plot elements.  I like its authenticity, yes, I said authenticity, despite it being a fantasy novel.  The fantasy elements are simply the vehicle for Hazel's search for identity.  It is even more authentic as she is the only one who knows what is really going on so the other characters simply accept her as she is.

2.  Adoption:  While this is not the first book to address the topic of adoption, it is the first I have read recently, in which the adoptee does not have faery blood. (It is a nice change.)  Hazel is entirely human, and at age 17 looking for some answers about her biological identity, lamenting her difficult life as a adoptee.  She is given a unique opportunity to have some of her questions about herself answered, then return to her life a bit wiser and more mature...maybe cliché, but well done. 

3.  Hazel:  I just really liked her.  I was rooting for her the whole time and I wanted it all to work out for her, and though it did not turn out how she or I thought it would, she handled it with grace, maturity, and love.  She is someone  I would like to know. 

Deep Down Popular

This is another by Phoebe Stone, that I picked out after I LOVED the Romeo and Juliet Code.  This one was especially appealing because it takes place in VA, just outside Charlottesville, one of my favorite VA towns.   The story is a sweet look at a middle school crush as well as the hardships of being unique at this age.  Jessie Lou is a tomboy with a crush on Conrad Parker Smith the most popular boy in 6th grade. Jessie Lou is of course a wonderful girl who just wants the freedom to be who she is without judgement or comparisons to her lovely (on the outside) older sister.  The story is a nice break from the angst of so many children's and teen books, as it portrays love, self doubt, and the search for self experienced at this age.  Phoebe Stone's greatest talent is the way she describes normal feelings and experiences in a way that makes them feel special as they do for the individual who experiences them, and not as if this is what EVERYONE goes through.  Being able to identify with Jessie Lou will make a reader feel she is a kindred spirit, but not as if his/her experiences are mundane and insignificant.  I intend to read more of Phoebe Stone for her beautiful portrayals of childhood experiences. 

My So Called Life Excitement

I am soooo excited that My So Called Life is coming to the Sundance Channel.  I realize this has nothing to do with books, but I loved My So Called Life, and was so very sad when it was over.  Hmmm....I hope I get the Sundance Channel.  

 
 

Flavorwire » Famous Last Words: Our 20 Favorite Final Lines in Literature

Famous Last Words: Our 20 Favorite Final Lines in Literature

11:00 am Saturday Apr 2, 2011 by Emily Temple

Endings, as we all know, are important. An entire novel can be ruined by a disappointing ending, but by the same token, an entire novel can be made by a wonderful one. We’ve already given you a rundown of our favorite opening lines in literature, but since every beginning needs an ending (and you’d be surprised at how many works with awesome first lines also have awesome last lines – or perhaps you wouldn’t be surprised), we feel compelled to treat you to a list of our favorite last lines as well. Click through for 20 of our favorite endings from our bookshelf of classic and contemporary greats, and let us know your own picks for best last lines in the comments.

via flavorwire.com

I was not sure they would include it, but my Number 1 favorite last line is from The Great Gatsby.  It is a last line that even has some impact if you have not read the rest of the book, but will completely wreck you if you have read it, especially if you have read it straight through all at once.  Gatsby is a book I think everyone should read in as close to one sitting as possible..it is just that powerful. 

 

Jane Austen and Lord Byron- Really?

Yes, really.  In this latest in Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mystery series, Jane works to solve a murder of which Byron has been accused, which is therefore appropriately titled Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron.  This is the 10th in the series and the book at which I may have to throw in the towel.  The author readily admits in the interview included after the story there is no evidence Jane Austen and Byron ever met, though they were certainly contemporaries.  This is not a problem for me.  A little historical speculation is the whole point of historical fiction.  What I did not like was the solution.  It just did not seem authentic, it seemed too neat, it was too hurried, there was little reason to believe he had done it, his motive was not developed enough so I did not feel particularly that justice had been served when he was caught.  There was no investment in his being the murderer.  I would have much more readily accepted one of the other possible perpetrators, even Byron.

What I do like about these mysteries is the peek at the time period.  The discussions of the Prince Regent (George IV), clothes, books, horse and carriages, Assembly Balls, and the references to Jane Austen's books are what may keep me reading, but another disappointing denouement will chase me away for good. 

Thursday Next...

and no I do not mean next week on Thursday, I mean the star of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series.  The latest in the series is One of Our Thursdays is Missing, and it is the written one...not the real one, who is the star of the book, or is she really the real one suffering from some memory and delusion issues.  I would definitely recommend starting this series at the beginning with The Eyre Affair, in which the premise of being able to move in and out of books is introduced and book tourism is huge.  It is a clever fantasy premise that Fforde has carried through five previous books. 

If you are not a reader these will be difficult to get through as there are frequent allusions to classic and contemporary literature and liberal references to various literary devices.  (A former English teacher's nerdy fantasies in mystery form.)   Each book does have a serious premise lurking under all the banter and this one is no different.  Written Thursday's dilemma stems from her  identity crisis as she grapples with being different from and maybe inferior to "real" Thursday.  She is certainly leading a very different life and cannot quite decide if she is ok with that or not.  But if you are not interested in introspective, humorous characters, then just read the series for the fun of romping through literature. 

 

Internet Filtering in the Public Library

Very interesting point-counterpoint discussion of the use of on-line filters in public libraries....yet another intellectual freedom issue. 

In the Library with the Lead Pipe welcomes Audrey Barbakoff, a librarian at the Milwaukee Public Library, and Ahniwa Ferrari, Virtual Experience Manager at the Pierce County Library System in Washington, for a point-counterpoint piece on filtering in libraries. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors, and are not endorsed by their employers.  We thank them for their time and energy in writing this piece!

via www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org

Freedom to Read Issue

These sorts of things always get me all fired up.  If you do not like a book, do not read it, do not allow your children to read it, but do not try to make those decisions for someone else by removing the book from the library....this is censorship!

Decision made on controversial kids' book

Case closed after weeks of review

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - After weeks of a review process, the Hillsborough County Public Library System has ruled that a controversial kids book will stay on public library shelves.

The book is called My Mom's Having a Baby by an author named Dori Butler based in Iowa. The book was published in 2005. As the story line goes, a little girl named Elizabeth is curious about how her mother became pregnant and childbirth. Throughout the book's 30 pages, little Elizabeth learns about these topics in great detail.

Read All About It!

via www.abcactionnews.com