My Reading Frenzy

2020 Reading Reflections and Favorites

Wanting to write a post about everything I read in 2020 made me grateful for my diligence in logging everything I read on Goodreads. I was able to pull up my 2020 challenge and look at all the books I read this year, including dates and a look at the cover. I have always told my students the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover" applies in many situations as a metaphor, but not when talking about books. Artists, marketers, and salespeople count on book covers being engaging in order to sell them to us. I am highly visual, and almost never buy a book simply for its cover, but the cover does imprint in my brain and help me remember reading it and at least a bit about it, making a walk down book-memory lane much easier. 

 

 

 

 

Here they are - My 2020 favorite reads:

In roughly in the order I read them.

• Happier at Home (eaudiobook from the library) by Gretchen Rubin - I have found valuable takeaways in all of Rubin's books, but this one hit exactly where I needed it to, when I needed it to. It was particularly prescient because I was isolated at home starting in March, not too long after finishing this listen. I was able to incorporate some of her ideas that in turn helped make staying at home less fraught with anxiety.
• Almost American Girl (purchased book) by Robin Ha - While I read this one as soon as it arrived in our library in February, it was not until August that I had the opportunity to watch an online discussion between Ha and Malaka Gharib, author of the graphic memoir I Was Their American Dream hosted by One More Page Books, an independent bookstore in Arlington, VA.
• City of Girls (egalley) by Elizabeth Gilbert - This is a work of historical fiction that takes place in 1940s New York City in the glamourous-ish theatre world. It reminded me very much of Herman Wouk's Marjorie Morningstar with a young hero who longs to be New York theatre star. This year I also read Gilbert's Big Magic (non-fiction) about living a creative life. It just barely missed being on this list, though here it is I suppose. Ha!
• New Kid and Class Act (purchased books then gifted to my niece) by Jerry Craft - New Kid was the 2020 Newbery winner, the first for a graphic novel. Class Act is an equally thought provoking companion.
• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (purchased audiobook from Audible) by Lori Gottlieb - Gottlieb chronicles her therapy journey after a sudden break up, while also sharing details of therapy patients she is seeing. And interesting look at therapy from both perspectives.
• The House in the Cerulean Sea (purchased book) by TJ Klune. This might be my favorite read of the year. It is one of the books I specifically sought at the beginning pandemic related isolation. The story of Linus Baker and the magical children he is seeking to help was a perfect mix of humor, heartbreak, and fantasy. I want to read it again to savor all the delights of the family they all become.  
• Buzz Saw: The Improbable Story of How the Washington Nationals Won the World Series (purchased book) by Jesse Dougherty - One of my most missed 2020 activities was baseball. We are and have been Washington Nationals fans, which made 2019 the culmination of 14 years of hopes with our first World Series win. It was tremendously disappointing to be deprived of all the celebrations that should have come at the beginning of the 2020 season. Dougherty's book came to me just when teams were cancelling spring training and the season was put on hold indefinitely. I derived great comfort from reliving the triumphant season through this book. I also had the opportunity to hear Dougherty discuss writing the book in  a live Twitter talk.
• Kingdom of the Blind (purchased book) by Louise Penny - Penny's mysteries get better and more sophisticated with every book. This one was particularly satisfying because it finished out a significant story arc. There are two books after this one, which I have not read. I try to stay a bit behind her publications so I do not run out. I have one with me in FL to read soon.
• A Banquet of Consequences (elibrary book) by Elizabeth George - I have found mysteries a great comfort during the pandemic, perhaps for the way they end with the solving of the crime. I read 8 Lynley mysteries this year, but this was my favorite.
• The Goldfinch (eaudiobook from the library) by Donna Tartt - I loved Tartt's The Secret History, I was less enamored of The Little Friend. The Goldfinch was wonderful. I listened to it because I balked at sitting with such a long book. In retrospect I would have torn through it, probably faster than I was able to listen. I had to pause twice because the audiobook was due back at the library before I could finish. In the end, I was on edge for most of it after the initial disaster, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It did, in spectacular fashion. I loved it.
• Magic Lessons (egalley) by Alice Hoffman - I saw the movie Practical Magic when it came out in 1998, having no idea it was based on a book, which I just read in 2019. I followed in 2020 with the others in the family of books, but this was my favorite, with its overtones of The Scarlet Letter.
• Untamed (eaudiobook from the library) by Glennon Doyle - This was my favorite non-fiction read/listen of the year. Doyle is amazing. She shares her own story in all her books, but somehow is also able to tap into the ways we all feel weak and not enough in our own situations, but then she offers badass wisdom to build us up. I like this one so much I also purchased this book to re-read and re-visit.
• Daevabad Trilogy (purchased books) by SA Chakraborty - Like I sometimes do, I rejected these books because they were too popular, everyone was reading them, I was going to be different. I am a fool because I LOVED them all. The benefit however of my stubborness is having been able to read all three books in a row without waiting. 
• The Year of Living Danishly (eaudiobook from the library) by Helen Russell - Having never lived outside the United States, I appreciated Russell's thorough exploration of her temporary (or so she thought) country. The book is organized by months, beginning when she arrives in January. She explores, in depth, 12 different facets of life in Denmark from work to motherhood to eating to winter to traditions. This detailed look at moving and living in another country was intriguing.
• The Left-Handed Booksellers of London (purchased book) by Garth Nix - I have raved about this one more than once. It was definitely ending up on this list.
• Return of the Thief (purchased book) by Megan Whalen Turner - While I really liked how Turner wrapped up this six book series, reading it was an important reminder that sometimes it is a good idea to re-read earlier books.
• The Witches are Coming (eaudiobook from the library) by Lindy West - I recently listened to Shit, Actually, West's most recent publication, but this one is so far my favorite of hers. I need regular feminist commentary in my life so I do not get complacent. 
• A Promised Land (purchased audiobook from Audible) by Barack Obama - I was so eager for this one, I pre-ordered the audiobook. I spent much of the book lamenting the loss of dignity and integrity in the White House. (I am looking forward to their return next week.) But I also learned about aspects of law making and running for office I had not known. 

 

What were your 2020 favorite reads?

 

Some 2020 Reading Reflections (based on all my reading, not just my favorites)

1. I need more diversity in authors, particularly in non-fiction. I don't feel I need to diversify in genre as I read:

• fantasy
• science fiction
• literary fiction
• historical fiction
• romance
• mystery
• non-fiction 

In all of the above I read adult as well as YA and some middle grade (mostly realistic). There were also MANY graphic novels and comics in my reading year. These tended to be memoirs, realistic, and fantasy. I will admit I avoid horror, thrillers, crime. They just take the intensity of a mystery up a notch too far for me. 

2. I want to try to tackle more of my TBR this year rather than jumping immediately to new publications. I make no promises about this one. If I decide however that I am most satisfied when I read newer releases, I need to cull my physical shelves of older books I may never get to. They should find a home with someone else.

 

What reflections do you have on your 2020 reading life? What are you looking forward to in 2021?

 

What I've Read - What I am Reading - January 11, 2021

The Beautiful Capitol Building in more peaceful times

I disappeared for a while. Between prepping to be away from home for the next few months and the holidays, I let the blog posts languish. But I am back with renewed inspiration and reading goals.

In my previous reading update, I was nearing my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 185 books, I ended 2020 having read 189. That last week of the year, the time between Christmas and New Year's is a reading heavy time for me. My next post will review my favorite 10-15 reads of 2020. 

I have relocated from DC to FL for some time, no firm plans at this point, but one goal is to avoid seeing live snow this year. I do love being inside and cozy, watching snow falling. (I dislike when it hangs around making walking the sidewalks a slushy obstacle course.) One of my most favorite walks is around the Capitol Building while it is snowing or just after it stops when the whole world is quiet. (The events of the past week, the desecration of this temple of democracy is heart breaking. I shed copious tears watching and reading about the invasion and attempts by some to thwart the democratic process with terroristic methods. I make no apologies for these strong words.) 

 

Read:

December 2020

• Holly Black's How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (purchased book) - I have not read anything by Holly Black that wasn't fantastic. If you are just starting her work, I would recommend The Curse Workers series that begins with White Cat or her most recent The Folk of the Air series that begins with The Cruel Prince. The stand-alone The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is also a favorite of mine.
• I finished A Promised Land by President Barack Obama (purchased from Audible) before driving to FL. I find Obama's voice pleasant to listen to. Add to this, my preference for non-fiction read by the author and this was a 5 star read for me. This is the first of two books about his Presidency. This volume ends with the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011. With this installment coming in at 768 pages and ending before the end of his first term, I wonder if he will move more quickly through 2012-2016. I anticipate a fair bit of reflection on his entire presidency at the end of the 2nd book. Whatever the case, I will again purchase and listen.
• Super Fake Love Song (purchased book) by David Yoon - I almost stopped reading this around chapter 3. Early in the novel, Yoon uses some stereotypes of students who play sports, students who prioritize their academics, and musical students that I disliked. I was also turned off by the portrayal of teachers as indifferent at best and hostile at worst. As a high school educator I can speak from experience when I say these types have been a minority in schools where I have worked. But, I chalked Sunny's attitude up to self-absorption and moved on. I am glad to say my faith in Yoon was well placed as Sunny's story progressed. 
• Christmas at the Island Hotel (elibrary book) by Jenny Colgan - This was a well-timed read just before Christmas. Colgan's novels are not without conflict and angst, but the characters are engaging, the settings serve as integral to the characters and their relationships, and the resolutions are satisfying.
• The City Baker's Guide to Country Living (elibrary book) by Louise Miller - I can't rave about this one because of some unrealistic coincidences that served to move the plot along. But I read the whole book and did not feel like I wasted my time. 
• Carry On Warrior (library audiobook) by Glennon Doyle - I have read Doyle's books in reverse chronological order after starting with Untamed (I bought this audiobook and WILL listen to it again now I have finished all her books.)
• Second First Impressions (egalley) by Sally Thorne - This is the 3rd and final book I will read by Thorne. My first was The Hating Game, which I gave 3 stars. Next was 99 Percent Mine, which I did not finish. This one was a 2 star read. The dialogue is unrealistic and choppy. The story was boring and the characters only prompted indifference. 
• For Everyone (library audiobook) by Jason Reynolds - This isn't really a book, but a long poem. It is self-reflective for Reynolds but contains nuggets of wisdom for everyone about living a creative life. I listened to his reading but am planning to buy the print version to reread and reference. 
• The Cold Millions (ebook purchase) by Jess Walter - I agreed to read this novel in order to participate in a small book club with two friends. I read Beautiful Ruins a few years ago, but was unsure about this one because of references to violence in the book's description. I am happy to have given it a try. I don't always like novels that switch from character to character, but these interwoven stories in early 1900s Spokane, Washington were well-balanced and paced. I am looking forward to our Zoom meet up to discuss. The history was also intriguing enough to push me to further research, which is not always the case.

 

January 2021

• Act Your Age, Eve Brown (egalley) by Talia Hibbert - I am disappointed there are no more sisters in the Brown family. I hope Hibbert will discover some cousins whose stories need to be told. Funny, romantic, and satisfyingly realistic are three ways I would describe all three of Hibbert's stories of the Brown sisters. [Get a Life, Chloe Brown (#1) and Take a Hint, Dani Brown (#2) - Though there is no need to read these in order.]
• The Lost Love Song (egalley) by Minnie Darke - I read Darke's debut Star-Crossed last January and liked it enough to recommend and send through the mail to a friend. I don't read too many books that take place in Australia, so I appreciate the change of scenery. This one has a number of settings including Edinburgh, which are an element of the story of the lost love song. I liked this one better than the first in part because of the larger cast of characters who are caught up in the story of the song. (An interesting companion read would be Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano.) 
• "The Prince and the Troll" by Rainbow Rowell and "Hazel and Gray" by Nic Stone. These are part of a series of five short stories by YA authors that reimagine classic fairy tales. The other three are "The Princess Game" by Soman Chainani, "The Cleaners" by Ken Liu, and "The Wickeds" by Gayle Forman. I purchased all five stories before their release and am looking forward to finishing the series in the next few weeks. So far I like the innovative twists on tales many of us know well.
• Ready Player Two (library audiobook) by Ernest Cline. Like many others, I LOVED Ready Player One, which I listened to early in my re-discovery of audiobooks after a year or two hiatus. Wil Wheaton, King of the Nerds, was well chosen to read both books and a primary reason I chose to wait for the audiobook from the library. Having just finished listening to this over the weekend, I am still not sure how I feel about it. It was slow to get going with lots of review. I needed it, having read the book when it was released in 2011 and have not seen the movie, but this means it took almost 4 hours into the book before the inciting incident. The action section of the novel was the strongest for me. The ending is where I just cannot decide. I don't think I liked it, but that does not mean it wasn't an appropriate end. 
• Fangirl Manga volume 1 - by Rainbow Rowell, adapted by Sam Maggs, illustrated by Gabi Nam - This is the 1^st of 4 planned volumes and so far I am enjoying the visual adaptation, which I wasn't sure would work...but it does. The story line and dialogue align with the novel so unless a reader is a big fan as I am, there is no need to read both. 
• The Good, The Bad, and the Dumped by Jenny Colgan (elibrary book) - This was an early book by Colgan that seems to have been re-released. I finished the read, but was tempted more than once to stop. This is an example of an author growing and improving with each book. If you are interested in Colgan's work I would recommend staring with the Little Beach Street books or the Scottish Bookshop books.
• Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor. I am just finishing this while I am polishing up this post. I started listening on the drive to FL a few weeks ago and have continued both in the car and at home. I was attracted to Kastor's story after listening to What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. I ran my first 5K in October of 2019 in Baltimore after taking up running more seriously at the beginning of 2019 to support a friend who was planning a 10K for her 60^th birthday. The 10K was meant to take place in Richmond in April 2020, which happened only as a virtual event. I chose to defer my registration to the April 2021 event, but depending on vaccine distribution, it may be October 2021 before I participate in another race. Whatever happens I have found inspiration in listening to others talk about their running lives. I doubt I will move past a 10K, but who knows what my running future holds.

 

 

Reading:

• I read The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow when I was in Florida in April. I think many of the books I read back when I naively believed the COVID isolation period would be short will stick with me because they were of comfort or engagement when we were trying to figure out how to modify our lives to be safe. I began reading Harrow's recently published The Once and Future Witches (egalley) a few weeks ago, but took a break to read other books from the library. I have not gone back yet because it did not draw me in strongly. I am intrigued enough that I will try again before I forget the part I have already read.
• After resisting the call of a book I had decided NOT to read for any good reason at all, I started Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. There's no reason to dwell on regrets for having not picked it up sooner. But I am glad to be reading now. The banter between Gideon and her life-long enemy Harrow is a perfect mix of snarky and mean. Rich with detail the descriptions still fly by as Muir builds this world. 
• Angel Mage (library ebook) by Garth Nix - This is the second of Nix's stand alone novels I am reading after loving The Left-Handed Booksellers of London. The first was Newt's Emerald. I have his The Old Kingdom series on deck for later in the winter, which begins with Sabriel.

 

Listening:

• Since I just finished my previous listen, I have not started another yet. I will need to decide soon for my planned afternoon walk. I am wavering between two. 1. Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith. I saw her live when this book was released. I have listened to her read both Just Kids and M Train finding that I love her laid back style. This one is a short 4.5 hour listen. Might be perfect for a week of walking. 2. The Best of Me by David Sedaris. His work is always hilarious and also read by him but hard to listen to at the gym with other people around since it is only ever a matter of time before I snort laugh aloud. 

 

 

What have you read? What are you reading and listening to?

**A note on the picture. I always use an image from the Prints and Photographs collections of the Library of Congress. I like these because they are interesting, and freely available because they are in the public domain. I mainly choose images of people reading. If you click the image in any of my posts you will be able to see the Library's bibliographic record which includes whatever they know about the image including its creator. There are also usually links to other similar items or to the collection the image is a part of.***

What I've Read - What I am Reading - November 16, 2020

This was a light reading week. I traveled to visit M. in rural MA for a few days. We generally isolated ourselves because while there are small towns in the Berkshires, the weather was dreary and rainy and it was nice to stay warm with wine and take-out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read:

Over the course of the week I finished both the books I had been reading in the last update.

• The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix - As I anticipated, this book should be the beginning of a series, but no announcement to that effect has yet been made. The title is a misnomer because there are both left-handed and right-handed booksellers in London, as well as other magical entities. In a phrase the whole book was "right up my alley." I went ahead and put two of his other stand alone books on hold: Angel Mage and Newt's Emerald.
  • The good news: Nix has an extensive backlist of books to keep me busy until the second (Who do I talk to to make sure this happens?) in the Booksellers series comes out. 
  • The bad news: This means I am adding another author whose works I want to read in their entirety to my TBR list, which knowing how I can put pressure on myself to read, means some stress. 
• Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane - This means I have read all of McFarlane's available work, including a short story, After Hello, which I also read this week. 

Reading:

• On my Kindle, I started Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (elibrary book -  I am only on page 6, but the world building has begun with a police officer gathering eye-witness information from a ghost about a recent murder. I'll keep reading for sure. Some of the atmosphere and jaunty tone remind me of the Jackaby series by William Ritter. 
• Island of the Mad by Laurie R. King (Library book) - This is the 11^th book (published in 2018) in the Mary Russell series. When I wrote my post about mystery series I have loved, I realized I hadn't read one of these in a while. This is the first of only two I have not read. Since these are both mysteries and historical fiction, I look forward to the jump back in time, and that the mystery is not always a murder. The current story takes place in the early and mid 1920s. While Mary and husband and sleuthing partner Sherlock Holmes have not yet left England, the blurb and helpful map tell me at least some of the story will take place in Venice, Italy. 

 

Listening:

Since The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson (audio elibrary book) is 17 hours and 49 minutes long, I anticipate a few more weeks of updates before I finish. BUT, I did pre-order A Promised Land by President Barack Obama, which will be released tomorrow. I will be torn even though the logical thing to do is finish the Larson first because it is a library book for which I waited quite long time and I will own the Obama book through Audible. 

 

What have you read? What are you reading and listening to?

 

**A note on the picture. I always use an image from the Prints and Photographs collections of the Library of Congress. I like these because they are interesting, and freely available because they are in the public domain. I mainly choose images of people reading. If you click the image in any of my posts you will be able to see the Library's bibliographic record which includes whatever they know about the image including its creator. There are also usually links to other similar items or to the collection the image is a part of.***

How to Incorporate Big Books into Your Reading Life or I Like Big Books

I love to read. I love to read books from many genres, though as you know I am particularly fond of time-travel science fiction and mysteries. (I'll write about fantasy favorites soon.) Despite my love of reading, reading, reading, I do no seek long books. I gravitate toward books that come in under 400 pages for the most part, but sometimes I am tempted by a story that is much longer. Sometimes, as happened in college, I am assigned something longer. Sometimes long books can be daunting even when the story is one I want to read because I think I will enjoy it. I have therefore read a number of LONG novels over my reading life and have some advice for those who may actively avoid big books.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Take notes: Depending on how long the reading takes, it is possible for even the most attentive reader to lose track of significant details. Taking notes can take the form of separate notes with page numbers for reference in case you want to return to a plot point, character, or paragraph that seems important. Or you may opt to use sticky flags to mark pages that have been annotated in the book (No gasping necessary, it is ok to write in a book you own.), or on a sticky note. 
2. Break up the reading with shorter works in between: If you decide to read a big book in chunks, with other shorter works peppered in, it may be even more important to take notes to refer back to when picking the big book up again. While this is not my preferred method I have used it when I cannot give a big book the sustained attention it needs. 
3. Choose one long period of time to focus on one big book: If you have travel planned, bring just one long book to read on the entire trip. If your winters are cold and you are indoors and read lots anyway, use this time to focus on just one book. I usually do this in the summer time when we do not have school. I gain both time and increased concentration when I am not distracted by working all day. Pesky job.
4. Read with a friend or book club - If you read a big book with a friend or book club you may be more motivated to continue knowing there are opportunities for discussion as you read. Instead of meeting up or chatting just once about a book, a long book offers opportunities for multiple checks ins, which may be incentive to read regularly and a fun opportunity to socialize.
5. Read a book rather than an ebook - I feel much a greater sense of accomplishment when I see the pages go by than when I see the "15%" at the bottom of the ebook. This is personal to me, but it can also limit when and where I read since a big book is by definition unwieldy and not necessarily convenient for all reading settings.  

 

Some of the big books I have read over the years in no particular order:

• The first four books in the Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean M. Auel: I am not sure what about the first book prompted someone to recommend it to me as a young teen, but I read and loved them. This is not a series I will be rereading. I am not sure the investment of time would be worth it.
• Les Misérables by Victor Hugo: After seeing the musical on Broadway, I was bound and determined to read the book. It took me an entire summer. Maybe the summer after my junior year in high school. I do not remember. I loved it and am glad to have read it, even the extensive detail about the sewers of Paris.
• War and Peace AND Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: I read these for college courses. One was definately in a European literature class and the other was for my junior seminar. I am not sure which was which. I do remember War and Peace was during the fall semester of my junior year (along with a number of other novels) and I was not able to finish before the winter break, but I did finish!  Both are books I took notes while reading to be able to discuss details in class and keep all the Russian names straight.
• Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien: Often the "books" of the Lord of the Rings series are split into three separate books. I did not read them that way. A friend who was appalled I had not read the books at age 29, bought me one big tome. (I had not read them because I was traumatized by Gollum after reading The Hobbit and watching the 1977 cartoon version.)  I had no idea they came any other way. It took me a few months because the beginning of the year in a teacher's life is often more hectic than later. I remember feeling lost after finishing since I had been immersed in Tolkien's world for so long. (This is often referred to as a book hangover.)
• The Baroque Cycle: Quicksilver (2003), The Confusion (2003) and System of the World (2004) by Neal Stephenson. These were a doozy. Theoretically, I would like to read them again one after the other. Realistically, I am not sure I have it in me until retirement.
• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: This one was a recent listen for me. I had a paperback on my shelf on and off a few times, once from the library, once from a Little Free Library, and once from my father, but in the end I listened to it over many weeks of driving and I enjoyed it immensely this way. 

 

Big books in my future reading life:

Fall by Neal Stephenson

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

I think one of these will probably be in the mix during my winter break this year and the other in the spring or summer of 2021.

 

What big books have you read?

What I've Read - What I'm Reading - September 7, 2020

Life has been hectic recently. First was my birthday, then I moved. Moving was far more stressful than getting another year better. But amid the chaos I had the idea for a recurring post on Mondays. A "what I have read"and "what I am reading and listening to" post. I read quickly but depending on the books, some weeks I read an amazing amount and others I just make progress. This was a "make progress" kind of week. 

 

 

Read:

I finished Well-Schooled in Murder by Elizabeth George early in the week. As I have written, I love this series of mysteries, but have read the 5 most recent and then went into her earlier novels to catch up with the backstory I was missing. During the week, I was also had the opportunity to participate in a book event with Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton discussing Penny's most recent publication, All the Devils are Here. (The recording of this even does not seem to be available yet, but I will update the post with a link when it is.)

 

Reading:

On the 29th I went ahead and treated myself to a birthday book, The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty. 
I devoured the first two in the series The City of Brass and The Kingdom of Copper. I love when I can read a trilogy or series without waiting for publication since I sometimes forget important details if there is too much time between books. This trilogy has been a reader's delight because the world building and characterization are a fantasy lovers dream. In addition to enjoying these as a reader, I have appreciated them for their artistry as I craft my own novel. 

Since I want to savor The Empire of Gold, I also started Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore. I appreciate how she is able to weave current issues into a historical romance. The story is swoony and political without being heavy-handed. I have Dunmore's next novel, A Rogue of One's Own in the queue on my Kindle from Net Galley to bring into my reading over the next few weeks. 

 

Listening:

I finished Lindy West's The Witches are Coming just in the nick of time before it was due back at the library. My politics align with hers so I spent time while I was packing shouting "hell, yeah" and "YES!" while I was listening.

Just as I finished, The King of Crows by Libba Bray popped into my library so i jumped in as I unpacked. This is the 4th and final book in the Diviners series, which I have enjoyed all the way through. This one is 21 hours of audio so i need to buckle down and listed regularly as I go about my day in order to finish before the audio is due back to the library on the 14th. 

 

What have you read? What are you reading and listening to?

 

When the world isn't funny, satire still is.

I have always enjoyed the subtleties of well-written satire. Three favorites are by Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, and Joseph Heller.

In one of my British literature courses as an undergrad at the fabulous Albright College, (Just ask, I could talk all day about what a good fit a small, liberal arts college was for me, and may be for others.) we read Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." My mind was blown. What an example of satire in all its glory. Unfortunately, I did not have the same reaction to Gulliver's Travels (1725) no matter how many times it was assigned in class after class (AP Literature, British lit, Great Novels, etc.). It feels overwrought and too long while "A Modest Proposal" is a master class in brevity and precision. What surprised me on my first reading was its publication date of  1729. This is 291 years ago, but there are parts relating to abuses by the government that could have been written yesterday. 

For instance when Swift writes "I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children," he is acknowledging the way the landlord system in 18th century Ireland "devoured" the livelihood of poor parents leading him to wonder why they might as well devour the children too. To me, this is akin to the way employers wring out employees who are just barely able to survive on the current minimum wage. A good, modern book about this topic is Nickel and Dimed. It is non-fiction, not satire, and both interesting and informative. 

I loved to read "A Modest Proposal" aloud to my students. Those who were paying attention would start to look around with questioning looks on their faces at, "It is true, a child just dropt from its dam, may be supported by her milk, for a solar year, with little other nourishment: at most not above the value of two shillings, which the mother may certainly get, or the value in scraps, by her lawful occupation of begging; and it is exactly at one year old that I propose to provide for them in such a manner, as, instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing of many thousands." Every year in every class, someone would look up, shoot a hand in the air - or maybe just shout out - "Did he just say people were going to 'eat' babies?" YES!  That is exactly what he is saying - satirically. And that would launch us into a full discussion of the power of satire.

For 8 of my 15 years teaching English I taught 11th grade British literature, which can be a hard sell to 17 year olds, who I find delightful in many ways, but not when I am trying to engage them with literature that is far removed from their own experiences. I found success with both "A Modest Proposal" and The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde. This is a play I find so compelling that when I saw a performance in Washington, DC in 2014 I was so overwhelmed by its perfection that during intermission, I bought a ticket to see it again.

The play aims its pithy satire at a number of facets of life in Victorian England (If this sounds at all familiar it is because a number of my favorite mystery series also take place in that time and place.) including romantic love, marriage, familial relationships, and materialism. The word play is fast paced and highly entertaining if you can keep up. One of my favorite segments is when Algernon (who is going by the name Ernest) and Cecily meet for the first time:

Algernon.  I hope, Cecily, I shall not offend you if I state quite frankly and openly that you seem to me to be in every way the visible personification of absolute perfection.

Cecily.  I think your frankness does you great credit, Ernest.  If you will allow me, I will copy your remarks into my diary.  [Goes over to table and begins writing in diary.]

Algernon.  Do you really keep a diary?  I’d give anything to look at it.  May I?

Cecily.  Oh no.  [Puts her hand over it.]  You see, it is simply a very young girl’s record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant for publication.  When it appears in volume form I hope you will order a copy.  But pray, Ernest, don’t stop.  I delight in taking down from dictation.  I have reached ‘absolute perfection’.  You can go on.  I am quite ready for more.

Even now, I am chuckling and tempted to stop writing this post and instead re-read the play in its entirety. 

A newer example (1961) is Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, which lampoons the bureaucracy of war and those who have made it their life's work. If The Importance of Being Earnest is farcical, light satire, Catch-22 is its dark cousin as the ridiculousness of the regulations and inept leadership have terrible consequences. I have not read this one in over 10 years, but it is on my shelf to re-read in 2020. There is also a TV series available on Hulu, but I have not seen any of it and cannot speak to how well it stays true to the book. 

Truly contemporary satire can be found in The Onion, an online publication that has new "news" stories every day. One recent headline I enjoyed: "Ian McKellen Waiting In Line At Buckingham Palace Administrative Office To Get Knighthood Renewed Before It Expires" with an accompanying picture and "NCAA Reminds Boosters That Full Bribes Still Due Even If Football Season Canceled." They are fun to follow on social media as well as a break from the news sources I follow to keep up to date. 

Do you have a favorite work of satire?

 

To travel in time, all you need is a book - about time travel.

What do the movies:

• Back to the Future (1985) and its sequels (1989 & 1990)
• The Terminator (1984)
• The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) AND
• Groundhog Day (1993)

                                                have in common?

They are all stories wholly or in part about time travel. When I searched for time travel movies I was overwhelmed by the number and shocked at how many I have not seen. Shocked because time travel is my favorite sub-genre of science fiction.  

Because this is a beloved sub-genre I have read far more time travel books than I have seen movies. 

For my reading life, the crown for Queen of Time Travel Writing is worn by two authors:

1. Connie Willis

The first I read by her was Doomesday Book (1993). The story introduced me to a group of Oxford students traveling from the 21st century. In this book, Kivrin travels to the 14th century to witness life in this harsh time. While there are moments of lightness, joy, and humor in all of Willis's books, I find her attention to historic detail to be my favorite element. I originally listened to this book, one of my earliest audiobooks (perhaps even on cassette) and it was an excellent way to experience this adventure.

I next read To Say Nothing of the Dog (1998). This one is meant to be and is hilarious. 

It has been far too long since I have read either of these, so they are on a list of books I intend to re-read. I don't re-read often because there aren't enough hours in the day for all the new books (the lament of avid readers the world over). But I will reread these.

The next I read was Firewatch (1984), a collection of short stories. I don't remember these as clearly as I would like, but the title story (1982) (or novelette, for which category it won both the 1982 Nebula and Hugo awards) (Willis has won many awards over the years, in a variety of science fiction categories.) is set in the same world as the novels I have discussed. 

This brings me to the two books I consider Willis's masterpieces: Blackout and All Clear. Both take place c. 2060 (Oh, how I wish time travel were a possibility this soon.) and during World War II. The stories are so intricately crafted that you HAVE to read them twice in order to suss out all of the brilliant hints and connections Willis peppers about. I feel confident I saw the outer web, but am fairly certain I missed at least some of the inner web. Both of these are on my current TBR shelf because I will be rereading them in 2020. I read them the first time when they were released in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Even just a year apart, I know I forgot or missed details I will catch when I read them back to back this fall. 

 

2. Jodi Taylor

I have read the first 8 titles in her The Chronicles of St. Mary's series: 

Just One Damned Thing After Another (2013)
A Symphony Of Echoes (2013)
A Second Chance (2014)
A Trail Through Time (2014)
No Time Like The Past (2015)
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (2015)
Lies, Damned Lies and History (2016)
And the Rest is History (2017)

I will read the others as well:

An Argumentation of Historians (2018)
Hope For the Best (2019)
Plan For the Worst (2020)
Another Time Another Place (April 2021)

While time travel is of course serious business, this series is also hilarious, romantic, thrilling, and altogether delightful to read. There is a regular cast of characters who are irresistible in their humanity which includes strengths, foibles, and passions all carefully wrought by Taylor. I rarely read this many books in one series. As a side note, Taylor's website says: "the Chronicles of St Mary’s series [is] the story of a bunch of disaster-prone historians who investigate major historical events in contemporary time. Do NOT call it time travel!"

There is also a spin-off series afoot that chronicles the adventures of the Time Police who do appear from time to time (pun intended) in the Chronicles of St. Mary's. 

I have read many more books featuring time travel, but I think a reader cannot go wrong starting with either of these two masters.

What are you favorite time travel books and movies?

Holiday Time Reading

I was able to do quite a bit of reading during my Christmas break along with relaxing and spending time with family and friends.

Not too long ago I read Graceling by Kristin Cashore.   I followed up with Fire the companion novel.  On one hand I was irritated not to get the continuing story of Katsa and Po, but it did not take many pages before I was caught up in the story of Fire and Brigan.  Their story takes place in the same world as that of Katsa and Po, but many years before.  There is also a significant cross-over character who will be important in the third book, Bitterblue, which is at the top of my TBR pile. 

I do like the books I read at holiday time to be generally cheerful.  I chose well with The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.  It is a love story in which the romantic lead is a man with Aspberger's.  As more and more children and adults are diagnosed we will see more and more literature of this type.  The object of his affection is Rosie, a woman who on paper, or according to Don's questionnaire, is completely wrong for him.  There are few surprises in this love story, but the tale is so sweet and so indicative of the Aspberger's experience that it is informative as well as heart-warming. 

 

Next up was The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg.  This is the first of her books I have read, though I have seen Fried Green Tomatoes, the movie version of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.  This novel moves back and forth from present day (approximately) to right before World War II.  I enjoyed both segments, which of course intersected, but the WWII were great historical fiction.  Just like in Flygirl, by Sherri L. Smith, which I read last year, this is the story of women pilots, a whole family of them.  I find this topic really interesting and appreciate the incorporation of historical accuracy with the story of women who might really have been there.  

 

For New Year's Eve I read Persepolis by Marjane Patrapi, which made me want to know more about the Iranian people.  All I know pertains to the time after the establishment of the Islamic republic.  I know almost nothing about the rich and ancient culture of Persia.  I also had time to visit my favorite used bookstore in Norfolk, The Book Exchange, where I picked up Lauren Myracle's ttyl and L8r, g8r but not ttfn.  I did not find ttyl as shocking as I expected given the buzz I have heard about the series.  I just found it to be a realistic depiction of teen life.  I look forward to the next two books.   I also started This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen, whose work I always enjoy. 

I like sweet love stories and I cannot lie

I have managed to read quite a bit recently, but have not managed to blog much. But here I am to get in a post before Christmas hits, though honestly I should probably still be outdoors enjoying this freakishly warm weather. 

1.  Attachments by Rainbow Rowell  Rowell is the queen of the slow burn.  She pulled it off beautifully in Eleanor and Park as well as Fangirl, both YA romances.  Attachments is a romance featuring adult characters.  (I dislike using the phrase "adult romance" because it makes me think of "those" kind of adult romances.)  It does not pack quite the romantic power of the YA stories, but it was Rowell's first and I think she just needed to settle into her romance groove.  Beth and Jennifer are friends who work together and use work e-mail to chat through the day.  (The books takes place in 1999 and 2000.)  Lincoln's job is to monitor employee e-mail that is flagged for inappropriate content.  This leads to Lincoln falling for Beth because of her witty banter.  Her cute freckles do not hurt once he sees her.  It is a sweet story that is not saccharine and though the set-up could be creepy, but with Rowell's way it is not. 

 

2.  Meet me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenni Colgan  This story on the other hand is far too sweet, but I love it anyway.  For crying out loud, the story centers on Issy opening a cupcake cafe. It does not matter to me that the ending is predictable, and even some of the more major plot points.  I read mainly for enjoyment and I do not take umbrage at a story that does not surprise me.  I like Colgan's style and enjoy the storytelling, and I like a happy ending.  

3.  Less a straight love story is Adriana Trigiani's The Supreme Macaroni Company, which picks up just after the end of Brava, Valentine.  Valentine and Gianluca's romance has progressed to engagement and marriage.  This story is really about how two independent people come together in a marriage.  It is not all birds singing and romance, but instead Trigiani focuses on how each person must give a little in order to be married successfully.  I always like Trigiani's stories and look forward to more. 

4.  I took a bit of a break from YA with the titles above, but I have not neglected it entirely.  I have had The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle for a few weeks.  I have not read any of Myracle's Internet Girls series (ttyl, ttfn, and l8r,g8r), but I have read Shine.  There is no doubt this is a romance.  Wren and Charlie meet just as high school is ending, the set up for a summer romance.  However, what they find with each other is more intense and probably long-lasting than a summer fling.  The issues with which Wren (overbearing parents) and Charlie (foster home) deal keep the story from being purely romance, but the two fall hard for each other in the way only teens can.  Sadly, adults tend to be a bit more jaded about love and romance.  The story has some pretty graphic sex scenes, but I would not label these as gratuitous. They serve to illustrate the intensity of the relationship as well as present the reality that teens are sexual beings no matter what some churches, schools, and parents would like to believe. 

4.  Just to avoid having to write an entirely new post for one book, I am going to include From Norvelt to Nowhere by Jack Gantos in this post.  While it does contain an element of romance I would place it more in the comedy genre than anywhere else.  I loved Dead End in Norvelt to which I listened (narrated by the author).  In that novel, Ms. Volker takes center stage when she composes the fasinating obituaries for all the women who are murdered.  In this one, Ms. Volker and Jack travel from Pennsylvania to Florida with more than a few stops in between.  Note: These are the only two books by Gantos I have read.  I found this story to be empty.  I did not care much what happened to anyone, which really made me sad.  The tale was just so far-fetched I had trouble suspending my disbelief, which led to apathy.  

Now that I have a break from work I am planning a full scale attack on my TBR pile, hopefully followed by lots of posting!

 

 

 

Jodi Picoult does it again with The Storyteller

I have said it before and I will say it again.  I really like Jodi Picoult's books.  They always cause an emotional reaction.  Some really get to me (Nineteen Minutes) and others are affecting, but not in a personal way.  This one was a mix.  While it is about the Holocaust, specifically focused on Poland, it is also about family, love, self-knowledge, and forgiveness.  Picoult is wildly successful and talented at writing about timely and difficult topics.  I have read criticisms of her work which run her down for the very things that make her books popular and effective.  No matter my level of connectedness with the issue in the book, I always spend time while reading and later really mulling over the intricacies of the moral dilemmas she presents.  Books that make us think and consider an issue from more than one side are all to the good I think.  This story was well researched, intricate on many levels, and heartbreaking, but a good cry is good for the soul. 

Big Bloggin' Slacker

Some people might give me the benefit of the doubt over my long posting absence.  Those of you who just leapt right to judging me....well you are in the right.  I have been lazy and not blogging about what I read.  This of course, as I have lamented before, completely goes against the reason I started a blog in the first place, which was to record the books I read because they do not all stick in my mind the way I would like.

In my defense:

1.  I do write a journal every day to record my adventures as the Teacher in Residence at the Library of Congress, so I am doing a lot of writing. 

2.  I also spend a lot of time exploring Washington, DC so my time for blogging is more limited.

Neither of these excuses is strong, but at least they are honest.  So without further ado, here are some of the books I have read since last blogging, with mini-reviews. 

1.  The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness:  I liked this one most especially because it was another re-imagining of a dystopic world, but one totally different from anything before and gladly after.  Next up in my reading pile is the second in the series: The Ask and the Answer.  On one hand I am afraid to read because book 1 ended with our hero and heroine in a very precarious situation, but on the other hand....I MUST find out what happens to them.

2.  The Disenchantments by Nina LeCour: This novel was fabulous because its characters are all artists of one sort or another.  There are lots of sports novels that I think are meant to draw in sporty kids who someone believes do not like to read.  But I love a story about musicians and artists.  This is definitely a high school book, but one I would recommend to any high schooler who likes to read and is perhaps a bit apprehensive about life post-high school.

3 & 4.  Jepp Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh and The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd:  I did not finish either of these books because the first did not really catch my interest and the second because its first 50 pages were filled with ridiculous cliches of plot and metaphor. 

5.  Allegiant by Veronica Roth: WOW!  What an ending!  Roth has done it, she has ended a trilogy in what I felt was a totally satisfying way.  I know there is chatter around the blogs that she broke readers' hearts, but I say, all's fair in dystopic YA fiction.  This is a series I will read again to capture the emotional impact of all three books without a year or more of time between.

6.  The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater:  I have said it before and I will say it again. Maggie Stiefvater and I should be friends.  I will not go so far as to say "we are just alike" and "I totally get her," because those two things are ridiculous, but I think she has an outlook with which I agree and I think I could bring a lot to the friendship.  The books was amazing.  It does not suffer from second book syndrome.  Stuff happened, important stuff happened, the story progressed, there was no treading of water so that the third book can be tumultuous and earth-shattering.  I listened to The Raven Boys before reading this to refresh me on the details, and I am glad I did.  Now I wait for the third installment.  Sigh.

7.  Graceling by Kristin Cashore:  Yes, I am a bit late to this party, but I have wanted to read this trilogy for a while, and just never did.  This is of course good because I can read all three quickly without waiting for the next book to be released.  I realize this is good for book sales in many ways, but it is frustrating to me as a reader who does not often re-read books.  It is difficult for me to remember details from earlier books, but I also dislike when the other front-loads a book with reminders from the previous stories.  Yes, I am very picky!

8.  March by John Lewis:  There is a lot of weight on the shoulders of Congressman John Lewis who is the only surviving speaker from the 1963 March on Washington.  He has handled some of his legacy by writing a graphic novel about his experiences.  While the book is aimed at middle grade readers, I think it is still a great way to look at the Civil Rights movement from the first person perspective.  I look forward to the continuation of the story. 

There may be others I have read, but I cannot remember any right now.  I am part way through Foodist by Darya Pino Rose and The Secret Lives of Codebreakers by Sinclair McKay. 

6 down....infinity to go

After challenging myself on August 4th to read a book a day until I finish the pile of kids books I have selected along with some books of short stories I need to finish, I have read six and a half books, and anticipate finishing the 1/2 today.  This means I am a bit ahead of the pace!  Yay me!

I have read:

I'll Pass for Your Comrade by Anita Silvey, which I mentioned in the original book challenge post.  I really liked this, but it left me wanted to know more about each woman Silvey mentions.  Right now I have no time for further research, but someday.... 

Next was Everything on a Waffle, by Polly Horvath, a Newbery Honor Book from 2002.  This one takes place in a quaint town in British Columbia with some stock characters like the gruff uncle, the quirky diner lady, and a sort-of orphan.  But when the plot veers away from the expected, the characters do as well, which is I suppose why this was considered for a Newbery. 

After that I read the companion books Just as Long as We're Together and Here's to You Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume.  I enjoyed both and they moved well covering just brief periods in the lives of 7th graders Stephanie, Rachel, and Alice.  These were not as delightful as Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, nor as controversial as Are You There God it's Me Margaret, but were nonetheless good showings by Blume. 

The final book I have read so far in its entirety is Romeo Blue by Phoebe Stone, the sequel to The Romeo and Juliet Code, a book I LOVED!  Ironically I stated in my review that I would prefer their not to be a sequel, but there is and I read it and love it too!  Just goes to show how much I know.  I love Stone's phrasing, it is almost poetic, and since I dislike verse novels, I am surprised I like her style.  Because the book takes place during World War II, it is not primarily a happy story, but the way the characters go on with life, managing to find joy amid the awfulness is a real portrayal of life at this time.  It is historical fiction, without feeling like historical fiction.  I love historical fiction, but my students avoid it, but this is a book that might trick them. 

The book I am half done with is Diana Wynne Jones's The Ogre Downstairs.  It is really about step-families and not surprisingly, a magical chemical set.  So far I am enjoying it.  I find Jones's books fabulously inventive.  Other people may follow in her footsteps, but she is fresh and unique every time.  Not sure what I will move to after this one, it will depend on my mood later this afternoon when I finish. 

Summer Reading: Brain Candy or Lit-ra-chure

I seek out two different types of books in the summer. 

1.  Light reading that some would call "beach reading."  These are the books that are entertaining, often with a charming setting and a happy ending.  To that end I have already devoured Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams, Where Have all the Boys Gone?, and Amanda's Wedding, all by Jenny Colgan, a recent discovery of mine.  Additionally I have read Mr. Darcy's Dream by Elizabeth Aston, bittersweet by Sarah Ockler, and The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes, though honestly I read that one before the school year officially ended, but mentally I was there already.  I can honestly say I enjoyed each of these books and have an extensive line up of this sort of reading ready for July and August.  I set my expectations low, but thus far have been happy to have been told a good story by competent to excellent writers.  

2.  Literature,  the types of books that require all my concentration.  This summer I WILL read both Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel, both of which have been on my shelf for an embarrassingly long time.  I also have a few by Salman Rushdie, both Midnight's Children that I am really looking forward to and The Satanic Verses.  Not too long ago I read Fall of Giants by Ken Follett, which I loved.  I have the sequel Winter of the World on deck for July as well as Pillars of the Earth.  These books are so chock full of characters and plot machinations that they need my full attention.  I also place non-fiction in this category.  I have trouble reading non-fiction sometimes as it does not always have the quick pace of a novel, but I pick subjects in which I am interested to keep me going.  I am currently two-thirds of the way through Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss.  The writing is excellent, exceeded only by the depth of research on the scary topic of processed foods. 

Fitting into neither the former category nor the latter are Legend by Marie Lu and The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway.  These are not just entertaining, but also fodder for thought, but do not require quite the same level of intense reading as do Booker Prize winners Mantel and Rushdie.  Lu's book has a sequel to which I am looking forward, along with a bevy of other YA items I have been piling up in anticipation of summer.  I find that sometimes YA fits into the brain candy category and sometimes it does not.  I almost always like what I read in YA, but sometimes find the plots to be too predictable. 

 

Anyway, I wish a full shelf of summer reading for you all!

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Sometimes I do not read "bestsellers" because I do not want to hop on the bandwagon.   Then I end up reading them later, sometimes years later, then having to kick myself for not reading them sooner, because of course they were not bestsellers by accident, it is because they were fabulous books.  This happened to me with the novel Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, which I read recently for my book club.  The book has been around since 2009 at which time I steadfastly ignored it.  I can admit because I can admit when I am wrong that once I started it, I raced through it.

I can also admit that I have never, in any way had any interest in medicine.  Really, truly, the insides of the human body hold no fascination for me.  Now, this being said, I found the parts of this novel involving medicine to be enthralling.  At the heart of the book is the story of Marion Stone and his twin brother Shiva, whose births result in the death of their mother and the running away of their father.  They are raised in Ethiopia, specifically Addis Ababa, as the sons of a gynecologist and an internist.  Interwoven with their personal story is the story of Ethiopia as ruled by Haile Selassie. However, as the hospital in which their parents work is rudimentary at best, Marion and Shiva spend a great deal of time there and learn much before setting foot in a medical school, which Shiva never does, though he works very successfully as a gynecologist specializing in fistula. 

The novel is part historical fiction and part romance, though both of these elements are secondary to the medical story which is literal as well as metaphoric.  Parts of the book read like non-fiction,  but at no point was I too disgusted or bored to stop reading.  Verghese has a way of making the medical details so integral to the story that the reader does not even realize it is happening.  These details are interwoven in such a way that they are indispensible to the arc of the story. 

To be a bit more concise.  I loved this book!

Kate Morton has done it again...

she has written a book whose ending I could not predict.  While there were some elements of the story I could see coming, she stumped me in many ways in her most recent novel, The Secret Keeper.  You know what this means, I will be able to continue reading her books, which I really enjoy.  I find her similar to Jodi Picoult in that I am drawn in by the story.  These two authors are vastly different in every other way, but once I begin a book by either I have trouble stopping until I have finished.

Morton writes historical fiction in a small way.  Meaning, reading her works do not teach me about BIG historical events and their import, but instead I learn about what it was like to live in a particular period and/or place as a regular person.  In this latest book, WWII London, which is a time and place by which I am fascinated, is a significant setting.  What is predictable about the novel is the switch between the past and the present, as the main character Laurel Nicholson tries to make sense of some haunting childhood memories involving her mother who is close to death in the present.  

If you have seen the movie Midnight in Paris, which I liked a great deal despite the involvement of both Woody Allen and Owen Wilson about whom I have mixed feelings, you will know that in it, Wilson travels back in time to Paris of the 1920s.  He believes this time period to be far superior to his own.  While there he meets Marion Cotillard with whom he travels back to the Belle Epoch where she decides to stay, believing this time to be superior to the time Wilson finds so enthralling.  To finally get to my point, this is the way I feel about a number of time periods in history, but I feel the most drawn to the second World War, specifically England.  Therefore I am happy to read both fiction and non-fiction about this time. 

Sigh, sadly, while I fervently wish Morton were home working on her next novel, she is instead travling Australia to promote this one.  I do not think authors should have to do that....I think they should be home writing, so I do not have to wait too long for another book.

Some End of Summer (Sob) Reading

So, I have been reading furiously these past two weeks to get in all the books I wanted to read this summer.  I have managed to get through all but two of the middle school Virginia Readers Choice books so I can book talk them with the 6th graders during library orientation.  Besides those I have read Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones, The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner, The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty, The Kill Zone by James Dashner and am partway through The Age of Desire by Jennie Fields.  I read all of these for myself even though some of them are middle grade or YA novels.

Castle in the Air is actually the second book in the Howl's Moving Castle series by Diana Wynne Jones, but I got mixed up and read them out of order.  It turns out not to have mattered much because Howl and Sophie are not the main characters and do not put in an appearance until the last quarter of the book.  Their son Morgan is just born in this one and was a toddler in the 3rd book, House of Many Ways but that was the only significant confusion, though it wasn't, in reading them out of order.  Jones is a wonderful story-teller.  I have quite a few more of hers in my TBR pile.  They will be great for winter time in front of the crackling fireplace that does not work.  

 

The day James Dashners' The Kill Order came out I went out to get it.  Because it was also a rainy day, I read it the whole book.  I was excited to read more about the world Dashner created in The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, and The Death Cure.  The story takes place just after the world has been changed by the sun flares.  Both the prologue and epilogue take place just before Thomas is dropped into the maze.  The book was exciting with many new characters and a close up look at the way the world deteriorated and much of humanity was overtaken by the Flare.  However, there really was not much in this book that we do not already know.  While I am glad to be "shown" what happened, rather than "told," about this time period, there is nothing really revealingly new, so it was a bit of a disappointment for me.  I am wondering if this is the last prequel book, or if we will get a closer look at Teresa and Thomas as they do whatever it is they do to help WICKED plan the maze and what they hope it will accomplish. 

Next, I read The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner.  I enjoy Weiner's books: they are always entertaining, generally realistic, and usually have a happy ending.  (There is nothing wrong with a solidly happy ending.)  I also like that they usually take place in the Philadelphia area.  This one did not.  I am going to give Weiner a pass on the location....this time.  The novel is the story of Ruth Saunders who lost both her parents and was seriously injured in a car accident when she was very young.  Since then she has lived with her grandmother, who raised her and then moved with her to California when Ruth wanted to try writing for TV.  The heart of this story is Ruth's chance to produce a show she has written.  If Weiner's details are correct, which I suspect they are, getting a TV show made is about 80% - right place, right time and 20% - talent, good writing, and quality show.  The novel is about family, love, and that ever important search-for-self.  While I could feel the happy ending coming a long way from the end, I really did not know how it would all work out and was carried along by my desire to see Ruth triumph. 

 

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty, is historical fiction about the 1920s silent film actress Louise Brooks, but Louise is not the main character, instead, Cora Carlisle, the chaperone is.  Using Cora in the setting of New York City, with a forward thinking and somewhat shocking future star, Moriarty illustrates the turbulence of the time.  Just after women have won the right to vote, before the end of Prohibition, and in the heart of a time when conservative, Victorian mores are getting dusty Cora must deal with this flamboyant and decidedly un-traditional teen.  Aside from caring for Louise, Cora has agreed to this trip in order to find out more about her own life which began in NYC before she was put on an orphan train and taken to Kansas.  While the story of Cora in NYC and after she returns to Wichita is plenty full of interest, the historical details are what drew me in.  I love a well-research snapshot of a time period. 

Finally, I began reading The Age of Desire by Jennie Fields yesterday.  It is historical fiction about the life of Edith Wharton, who is one of my all-time favorite authors.  It mainly covers the time in her life in 1907-1911 when her marriage was falling apart and she began an affair with Morton Fullerton.  I am not quite half-way through, but so far I appreciate the inclusion of actual letters between the two and between Wharton and others.  Though I know how it all turns out, I am drawn in by the author's imaginings of scenes between the two and the details about Paris, Wharton's writing, and her home, The Mount in Lenox, MA. 

Some "Grown-Up" Titles

And by "grown-up" I do not mean 50 Shades of Grey or any of its sequels...I mean recent winner of the Orange Prize, Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles and Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale by Lynda Rutledge.  In non-fiction I recently read That Woman by Anne Sebba about the life of Wallis Simpson, who not surprisingly to me anyway, is not a person I feel I can admire. 

The Song of Achilles begins when Patroclus and Achilles are boys and continues until after both are dead.  The premise is that over time their friendship grew into a strong, love relationship, not one of the traditional dalliances that often happened between powerful men and their much younger military proteges.  It is a truly interesting premise as Homer tells in The Illiad, Achilles was so distraught at the Patroclus' death that when he killed Hector he dragged his dead body around behind his chariot for days, until King Priam came to humbly ask for the return of his son's body.  While the death of a close friend is devastating it seems a strong reaction given what both cultures believed about the honor due a fallen warrior.  Miller's supposition that perhaps there was more to their friendship would certainly explain Achilles' intense behavior.  The book is well-written, moves through the beginnings of their relationship at an appropriate pace, then takes us quickly to the war where there is much more of interest swirling around affecting them as life's pressures affect all couples.  

The best part of having read the book is that Miller is coming to my local bookshop next week for a reading and signing.  I am very excited. 

 

Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale had Joshilyn Jackson overtones for me.  I do mean this as a compliment as I like Jackson's work very much.  Faith Bass Darling wakes one night firm in her belief that the Lord has told her to sell her family's precious antiques at one enormous garage sale.  Afterwards she will be able to die in peace.  For anyone who is an antique collector, reading about Faith selling Tiffany lamps for $5 and Stickley furniture pieces for $20 is painful, but it does all work with the greater cause of finding peace if only Faith can stay focused and remember why she is out in her yard taking money from strangers.  Throw in a family tragedy, a Prodigal daughter, and a small town mentality and you have a delightful, but quick read. 

 

Finally, just before school ended I read That Woman by Anne Sebba about Wallis Simpson.  I waited quite a while for my turn to come to get this book from the library.  I also must mention that I while I love reading about "real" people in non-fiction, I rarely find it as engaging as fiction.  This is why I try to listen to most of my non-fiction.  This however was an excellently written and absorbing story. 

Let me start by saying that this book confirmed my belief that rich people are nuts.  And royal rich people are no exception.  It seems likely that England was fortunate not to have had David as its king during WWII.  Outside his possible Nazi leanings, he was just insane.  Without giving anything away I can say that their story was not the grand love story we have been served.  The author also makes some jumps using some thin facts to arrive at possibly dubious conclusions.  This does not bother me (as it does a friend of mine), I just ask that the author tell what is known and that his/her guess is just a guess. 

Ok, so not finally, I also need to mention another YA novel I read called Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.  While it is YA historical fiction, most of the YAs I know would not like this book.  It is the story of Verity's work for England before her capture by the Nazis in France.  It is also the parallel story of Maddie, Verity's friend and the pilot who flew her into France for her mission.  It is fascination in format and according to the author's note, as close to possible true as it can be without being non-fiction.  It was not fast paced enough for the young readers I know, but for anyone interested in WWII and intricately written characters, it is a wonder.   There should not be a sequel to this story as it stands alone so beautifully, but I do hope Wein will take on another historical topic.

Goliath - Scott Westerfeld

I loved Scott Westerfeld's trilogy that began with Leviathan, continued with Behemoth, and just ended with Goliath.  The steam punk combination of World War I, Darwinists and Clankers with teen protagonists is brilliant.  The artwork by Keith Thompson adds to the charm.  As much as I love description, I also appreciate an artist's rendering.  The illustrations were illustrative (ha ha) without being obtrusive.  All the better if the author approves the vision of his story presented by the artwork.  And as much as I dislike when movie studios get ahold of great books and ruin them, I think this trilogy would make fantastic, special effects laden films.  Just as the books are multi-generational, so too would be the movies.

So enough blathering.  The trilogy ended satisfyingly, for me anyway.  With the war heating up, this book was bound to be exciting as the Leviathan travels the world on what are essentially diplomatic missions that somehow always involve excitement for Dylan and Alek.

The creatures Westerfeld has created are fascinating in their talents and uses.  I find the Darwinists much more interesting than the Clankers.  When the ship gets to the US, the separation of the Clanker North and the Darwinist South is an interesting commentary.  It is certainly believeable the North would be Clanker with its industry being a key reason they won the Civil War.  However, the Darwinist South is based on the agrarian tradition of the South, but I am not so sure the religious traditions of the South would realistically allow for the genetic manipulation of creatures by humans.  This is a tiny little part of the story, but one I find intriguing.

Dylan/Deryn continues to be an admirable character.  Alek grows into a man in this novel.  Despite the time arc of the three books being only a few months, both of these young people change quite a bit.  Their sense of honor and the behaviors it inspires are realistic and I believe relevent to current generations of young people who cannot understand the patriotism of World Wars I and II, not the glory of these wars, but the way that nations came together to support what they believed was right.  Alek's struggles as a monarch in that world are significant and mold him right before the reader's eyes. 

This really is a wonderful series that does not drag on, but knows when to exit gracefully after a barking good adventure.

The Luxe Series by Anna Godberson

I blogged already about the first book in the series, The Luxe.  Since then I have read the other three, Rumors, Envy, and  Splendor.  I will admit I was tempted to give up after the second book.  The first two books were not terribly action packed, the historical elements were superficial, when I prefer more about the politics and NYC history, and they were not particularly well written.  However, I did like the characters, especially the Holland sisters, Elizabeth and Diana.  So, I kept reading.  I am glad I did because the stories got better: more interesting and better written.  And I really do like the descriptions of Gilded Age fashions. 

Penelope continues to scheme, Diana continues to charm, Lina continues to lie, and Elizabeth just wants to be left alone with her man, but family and the call of NYC interfere.  In the end each character ends up just how he/she should.  No huge surprises, but I was not disturbed by the predictability either.  I often have a difficult time determining if books are predictable because I am a well-read adult reading YA novels, or if the books really are too obvious.  Giving these the benefit of the doubt, there were enough small surprises to make me think teens who have not read too widely in this genre would not be disappointed.

While I did enjoy the series in the long run, I am not sure I will follow up with Godberson's next series beginning with Bright Young Things.  Had the characters been related to those in The Luxe series I might have given them a shot, but since they are not I will probably take a pass. 

 

The Luxe by Anna Godberson

This book has been on my radar for a while, but had not made it yet to a TBR pile, however I saw it on the shelf during my most recent trip to the library to pick up some hold items.  Soooooooo to get to the point, I checked it out and read most of it when I was stuck indoors all day Saturday for hurricane Irene.  This book was a perfect "rained in" book.  It was light with some female backstabbing, lots of fashions, and more than a smattering of romance. 

The prologue begins with the funeral of Elizabeth Holland.  The bulk of the book goes back about two weeks to take us through the events leading up to her death.  These events include more than one ball, some sex, lots of flirting, an engagement, some nefarious plotting, and a few visits to the dressmakers.  The story takes place in September and October of 1899.  Its historical elements include fashion, the lives of the New York City rich and fabulous, and a teeny, tiny bit of politics.  I wish there had been more about NYC in this time, but this is a book meant to be high interest for teenage girls, who might appreciate a wider look at the historical context of the story, but who are more likely to be bored by too much detail in that area. 

I enjoyed the story enough to have gone on-line to reserve book two in the series, Rumors.  I liked the characters well enough to be interested in what happens to them next.  Will Diana get the man of her dreams?  Will Penelope get her man?  What will be the repercussions of Elizabeth's death at such an important time for her family?  While I would appreciate more historical references, I think I can simply enjoy the next book, and perhaps the following two as the snapshots of society life they are meant to be. 

Deanna Raybourn - The Dark Enquiry

I have enjoyed Raybourn's Lady Julia nysteries, but this one, my 5th, may be my last.  There is no flaw in the mystery; I did not figure it out until just before the protagonists.  There is no flaw in the characterizations; the characters are exactly the same as they have been.  Therein lies the problem.  I am bored by Julia and Brisbane.  Brisbane revealed a few secrets about himself in this installment, but all the development of these characters is superficial.  Most interestingly this story dovetailed nicely with a non-fiction I am currently reading about the daughters of Queen Victoria.  Her eldest daughter Victoria, married Fritz of Prussia.  Prime Minister, or Chancellor at the time was Otto von Bismarck.  Bismarck plays an ancillary role in this mystery.  But I did not even learn much history in this hictorical fiction.  I wish I could give this story high praise, as I liked the other novels, but it was boring.

The Distant Hours - Kate Morton

I have sadly finished the third book by Kate Morton; sad because there are no more to read right now.  I wrote about the first two The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden in a previous post.   I did not read those two in the order in which they were written, but the order does not actually matter as Morton's books are not related to each other.  What they do have in common is fantastic-ness. 

The Distant Hours is again a work of historical fiction revolving around World War II.  Edie discovers, in the present, after the delivery of a 50 year old letter, that her mother was evacuated to Milderhurst Castle during the war.  At Milderhurst, reside the three Blythe sisters; twins Persephone (Miss Percy) and Seraphina (Miss Saffy) and their younger sister Juniper.  They are the now elderly daughters of Raymond Blythe the renowned author of The True History of the Mud Man.  There is not much else I can say without giving the book away.  Just as with the other two, Morton has story-wrighted (just like wheelwrights, shipwrights, and playwrights are crafters, so too is Morton) a story of love, betrayal, death, longing, and loyalty that just carries the reader along.  When I read her books my brain is firing all its neurons trying to figure out where she is going with these characters and their secrets.  Sometimes I get it partially right and other times I am just wrong, wrong, wrong.  But that is what I look for in a good mystery: brain exercise and twists and turns I cannot anticipate.  

Read it!  Then join me in waiting patiently (or not) for Morton's next book! 

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

I finished The Help a few weeks ago, but wanted to wait until after my book club met to discuss it before blogging.  I liked it about 100 times better than Wench.  Sadly, I was one of two people who had finished the book in the group, so the conversation was a bit stilted. 

The Help was everything Wench was not.  The story was told from multiple perspectives, I cared about the characters, and there was a solid historical perspective.  As I used to teach, all truly good novels that will live on beyond their time include commentary on religion, politics, economics, and society.   While the society of rich/middle class white ladies in Jackson, Mississippi is the focus,the assassination of Medgar Evers takes place in the scope of the novel.  The politics of a few characters who are running for state and national office is also an undercurrent.  Additionally the hypocrisy of self-proclaimed "Christians" who treat the help as if they are not people touches every part of the story. 

There are parts of the novel that made me angry, as they were meant to.  Other parts made me cry.  Any book that can truly raise the emotions of the reader is a success.   As the author grew up in the area where the story takes place, I can only hope she got the historical details correct as I have no basis to judge.  A non-fiction account of the same time period with interviews of both employers and employees would be a wonderful supplement to The Help. 

The Help is all over the place these days in part because the movie is coming out this summer.   I am a little wary about seeing it because I rarely think the movie version lives up to the book.  But I will probably see it anyway as I liked the book enough to want to see the characters come alive, especially Miss Celia and Minny who were my favorites. 

 

Kate Morton - Two for the Summer

So far, I have read two novels by Kate Morton.  The first was The Forgotten Garden, which I did not read all that long ago, but did not blog about for some reason.  Maybe the I needed to wait for the impact of the second book I have read called The House at Riverton.  The books are not related to each other, but I did read Morton's second book first.  I think though I may have liked her first better, which I finished this morning in my jammies because I could not wait to find out how it would turn out.  I went as long as I could last night, but my eyes just would not stay open for another moment.  There is a third book called The Distant Hours, which I have placed on hold at the library. 

All three of these books deal with family mysteries. The Forgotten Garden switches back and forth from the present of a young woman who has lost her husband and child in a car accident.  After her grandmother dies Cassandra seeks to solve the mystery of her families origins.  The story moves in to the past as Morton allows us to discover the clues along with Cassandra.  While pieces of the mystery come out quite early one, the last one does not click in to place until the very end.  In this way, the reader may feel like she has it all figured out, but does not.  The main character in the past is a children's book writers who is herself adrift without family support.  I read this on the recommendation of an English teacher friend who liked the inclusion of a literary mystery along with the family mystery.  The garden is also a bit reminiscient of Frances Hodgeson Burnett's The Secret Garden. 

The House at Riverton kept reminding me of Masterpiece's wonderful mini-series Downton Abbey because of the inclusion of the perspective of the servants in a grand English home.  The novel begins just before the start of World War I but is told by Grace who is now 98 years old looking for someone to whom to tell her story before all the secrets of the Hartford family are lost with her.  She chooses to record her message on tapes she sends to her grandson whose whereabouts are unknown to her and his mother, though he sends postcards.  Grace began as a housemaid at Riverton, but by the time she left service she was a ladies maid to Hannah Hartford, the eldest daughter in the family.  It is difficult to talk about this book and The Forgotten Garden without giving away any of the mystery.   One of the strongest elements of the book besides the characterization is the attention to detail when describing the time.  I love historical fiction of this time period; so much changed in the way people lived and saw their place in  the world because of World Wars I and II.  So much of our modern sensibilities were formed by these incredibly destructive experiences.   One can read history books to review the facts, but biographies and historical fiction are the only way to understand what people's lives were like if you are not able to speak with someone who lived through it all. 

I am looking forward to the third book hoping for more of Morton's attention to detail and vivid portrayals of the way people are affected by history. 

Okay for Now - Gary Schmidt

I read this a few weeks back and had not gotten to writing a review of it.  There is no good reason for this especially since I liked the book a great deal.  Okay for Now is a follow-up to The Wednesday Wars.  It is not really a sequel because it takes just one character, Doug Swieteck and moves his family to Marysville in upstate New York. 

Doug is a kid trying to avoid becoming what his rough upbringing wants him to be.  His father is abusive, his mother has difficulty standing up to her husband, his brother Christopher is on the path Doug is trying to avoid, his brother  Lucas is fighting in Vietnam, and Doug struggles with school and interacting with people.  His story is a reminder that "bad" kids become  that way; there is always something to find out about them if you care enough. 

Vietnam is in the background of the story (until Lucas comes home) the way WWI is a backdrop for The Great Gatsby and WWII is there in The Catcher in the Rye.  Neither war drives the action of the story, but instead lurks in the background subtly influencing the action.  Until Lucas returns seriously injured, Vietnam is also a cloud hanging over them, but not raining. 

Ultimately the story is about the power of art, friendship, hard work, and second chances.  Sounds mushy, gushy, but really the reader is a cheerleader throughout and a few tears fall just as they should.   Doug is a kid you want to take home and be nice to, but Schmidt gives him those people and we see how powerful caring, attentive adults can be in the life of a kid. 

Bottom line: READ this book!