Lara's Reading Room

A is for The Angel's Game - Carlos Ruiz Zafón

2011-11-17T19:50:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying I love, love, LOVE Zafón's THE SHADOW OF THE WIND. It's an all-time favorite and a must-read for book lovers. So with all that book baggage, picture me cracking open THE ANGEL'S GAME with mucho expectations. Now picture me disappointed when it fell mucho short.

Problemo Uno: Zafon used a key player from SHADOW OF THE WIND and his role just didn't make sense here.

Problemo Dos: Creepy kinda super-fantastical stuff which really isn't my deal.

Problemo Tres: I just didn't enjoy it.

So beware. But if you like creepy kinda super-fantastical stuff and you haven't read and fallen in love with THE SHADOW OF THE WIND, then THE ANGEL'S GAME may be your cup of tea.

Rating: 2 stars

Pages: 544

Genre: Fiction

Okay, this time I am serious. For really.

2011-11-16T20:10:00.000-08:00

So I came back in September and said I was ready to start writing reviews again. And then I off and disappeared. What's that all about?

Well, I looked back at past reviews and felt a bit intimidated. Yes, intimidated. By my own words and the amount of time I took to put those words together into phrases and then sentences and then to publish as a blog post. I am not quite sure where I found all that time.

And then I figured out how far behind I was on reviews and rather than freak out or buckle down I just kept raising the kiddo, keeping at the job, catching a movie or two, playing with my iPhone and reading. But not writing.

And then I remembered something important.

I can do this whole reading and writing thing however I want to. Back then I devoted more time to it. Right now I can't, and that's okay. There can be a happy medium... I am sure of it. It might involve bullet points and quicker turns of phrases and likely a lot fewer words. And hopefully you won't mind. And I will try not to let it bother me.

So what am I getting at with all this rambling and geeky over thinking? I will write what I can when, I can and it will be more frequent because I miss it. And even doing a little bit of writing is better than no writing at all, right?

Happy reading, friends - whatever it is you are reading. And happy doing - whatever it is you love to do.

xoxo

Catching up, kinda

2011-09-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since April 28, but that the reality.

Wow.

Sorry to be gone so long! I have had a lot of life happening. Good things. Moving into my own space. A little more defining of myself and growing into who I am. Sort of feels like I am starting a new at almost 40 and I find it invigorating a little exhausting, but overall good.

So now I need to catch up.

I can definitely get caught up on the book reviews. The Words of the Day? That's another story. I have been doing both, reading and wording. No book reviewing, until now. But wording on facebook and for whatever reason loading to facebook and my blog seems like too much. Maybe I will figure out an interim solution. Maybe not. I will just see how it goes.

Until then... stay tuned for some book reviews. And drop a comment and let me know if you have read anything worth sharing or avoiding.

It's all good, you know.

V is for A Visit from the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan

2011-03-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

When I saw the cover of Jennifer Egan's A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD, I immediately wanted to read it. I mean, isn't it great? The composition and color and the tweaked out guitar strings are just perfect. And then I read the summary and I was kind of nonplussed. It seemed to echo the summaries of books like Bright Lights, Big City or Less Than Zero which I have had no desire to read (shock, horror, I know, whatever) about privileged people doing a lot of drugs and screwing up and maybe there's redemption and maybe there's not. Who knows? I haven't read them. Go figure.

But then, I needed a V book and it had that damn-near perfect cover. It also didn't hurt any that Egan just won the National Book Critics Circle Award for A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD either. So I caved. Because really, I am not that shallow about books. Just shallow enough that Visit starts with V and fills a void on my alphabetical list.

Here's the thing about GOON SQUAD: There are some privileged people. There are some drugs. There's even some screwing up. But there's also some of the most creative storytelling I have read in a long time. THE GOON SQUAD is far from ordinary. It's a contemporary novel told from the various perspectives of its many and varied main characters: Sasha a younger-looking-than-she is music industry assistant with a tiny kleptomania problem; Bennie, her middle-aged manager struggling to find and book the next big act; Lou an overly tanned, skirt chasing father of 6 (by 3 different wives) who attempts to defy the passage of time; Dolly (aka La Doll) an out of work PR maven who gets her groove back making the worst (the really really worst) look their best; Jules Jones, a celebrity reporter who lands himself in jail after failing to keep his business all about the business.

That's probably only half of them. And Egan has them all interconnected, all telling their story from their own unique voice. From that perspective, it's really a sort of mini masterpiece. Never once could I tell where the story was going and that kept me not only interested, but invigorated, much like the characters at their most energetic moments. Egan accomplishes a significant amount of character development, considering how many key players there are and I was astonished how impacted I was by just a few of them who had smaller, bit parts to play (oh sweet Rolph!).

A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD is different. It's unlike anything I have ever read. Perhaps had I read more (or more of the stuff I have tended to avoid), I may not feel this way. Who knows? What I do know, is I thoroughly enjoyed it, in all of the quirky, eclectic goodness that it is.

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 352 pages
Genre: Fiction

C is for Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

2011-03-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying I was less than thrilled to be reading CUTTING FOR STONE. Before you get the wrong idea, let me clarify that statement. I really wanted to read this book. I was actually excited when it came up for my March Book Club. But then the excitement quickly faded and I realized that it was sixhundredandeightyeight pages (gulp) and I would have just a week to read it (unlike my fellow book clubbers who would have a month). Forget the gulps. This was freak out time.

Fortunately, having done this book-a-week thing before, I had a bunch of cheerleaders in my court. Friends who believed me able to do this much more than I believed myself. So, with that support, I dove into Vergheses ambitious and epic tale of two brothers.

It quickly turned out to be one of my busier weeks in the world of life. And in two or three days' time, I had only knocked out 110 pages.

Uh oh.

But then the weekend came, and with my folks here and taking it easy, and the kiddo with his dad... I plowed. I read and read like I have never read before. And I finished CUTTING FOR STONE in a whopping three days. A feat acheivable only because the book is tremendously good.

Written by a physician, CUTTING FOR STONE is a complex and multilayered story of Mary Joseph Praise, a devout nun, who dies while delivering conjoined twin boys. Left parentless, the boys, Marion and Shiva are raised by doctors at the Missing Hospital in Adis Ababa, a hospital that cares for the poorest of poor.

Marion narrates the saga which spans over 5o years, multiple contents and conflicts that cover coming of age, connection, betrayal, renewal and redemption. Any so many ways and at so many levels, it is a love story. Love for others, self, our place in the world and our ability to impact our surroundings.

Two of my favorite passages (and there are a far many more) from the book:

As the twin boys struggled after birth, and her colleagues
struggled with the loss and shock around them, they
remembered Sister Mary Joseph Praise's regular directives:

Make something beautiful of your life.

As the boy's adoptive mother contemplates her own place in the world:

Wasn't that the definition of home? Not where you are from, but where you are wanted?

There's too much story to cover in this review, and in no way could I summarize it as beautifully as Verghese tells it. CUTTING FOR STONE is a perfectly woven, entirely engrossing novel about human experiences, while likely different from our own, tell a story we can all identify with and appreciate.

Rating: 5 stars
Pages: 688
Genre: Fiction

P is for Poke the Box by Seth Godin

2011-03-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have been hearing about Seth Godin for years. I even feel like I have read some of his books, although I am not sure why that is, because I never have. Maybe it's because I have heard him talk about his books and I would always think: That sounds really interesting. I ought to pick that up, or at least add it to my amazon wish list. So, I would make a mental note to do that. I would think about picking his books up. I would make a decision that I should pick up his books, but I never would. In Godin's own words, I failed to "poke the box."

As it turns out, there's a lot of people like me, not poking the box. We think, we plan, we idealize. We may even fund or support others in poking the box, yet we don't do it.

What is Seth talking about? Starting.

Starting what? Just starting. Anything.

In POKE THE BOX, Godin's latest effort, poking the box could be starting that diet. That closet reorganization. A new process you are certain will make things better at work. And instead of waiting for approval, or all the lights to be green, or the perfect day for closet organizing to come along. You. Just. Start.

And sometimes a start will follow by a swift stop. But that's okay. Keep starting, Godin implores (yes, implores. He's pretty passionate about this box poking thing). And, while POKE THE BOX focuses on more business applications, you can poke the box, anywhere, in any environment. That's the beauty of it.

It's the idea that many starts will result in a stop, but we must keep at it. We must keep poking the box. The act of starting is the accomplishment that will ultimately (when done time and time again) result in success. And when you keep doing it, your success rate will increase.

Imagine that?

Sounds pretty novel, right? And yet, this idea of starting--or I should say action of starting--isn't rocket science. It's benefits are pretty obvious. We all beneft when we have people everywhere, poking the box. Moving the mark. Starting.

And so many of us don't. For a number of reasons, namely, fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of lost time. Fear of lost energy. We can create any number of reasons why we shouldn't do something, and in that time of selfpreservation and overrationalization do you know what we could have done?

We could have just started.

Rating: 3 stars
Genre: Non-fiction
Pages: 96

D is for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Jean-Dominique Bauby

2011-02-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

It's official: Size does matter. At least it does when it comes to books; and especially when we are talking about books that need to be consumed within a week. I found myself just yesterday afternoon still putting off the March book club mandate of 600+ pages and in an absolute tailspin about what to read this week that was short on pages, high on interest and starting with a letter of the alphabet that I hadn't yet covered. Oh boy.

Enter: One bookstore, a perfectly blended chai tea latte, and THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY by Jean-Dominique Bauby. At 131 pages, I knew I had hit the knock-it-out-in-one-sitting jackpot. But where the book lacks in length, Bauby more than makes up in heart.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY is Bauby's memoir, painstakingly dictated to a speech therapist through his only means of communication: The blinking of an eye. At 43, Bauby was full of life, living in France and working as the editor of French ELLE magazine. On the way to an event with his teenaged son, Bauby suffered a massive stroke to his brainstem and was left completely paralyzed--only to retain the functions of his brain and left eye. This type of outcome is often referred to as being "locked in" with no ability to communicate, yet complete awareness of one's surroundings, total cognition in tact. A sort of total confinement--imprisonment for a crime not ever committed.

And yet, Bauby is heroic in his effort to live. He connects with a speech therapist at the hospital who knows he is more than his incapacitated shell. She patiently works with him, and together, they devise a way to communicate with Bauby blinking at letters of the alphabet she shows him. Once realizing this capability, Bauby works with her to document his story painstakingly "written" one letter at a time.

His story, it turns out, is remarkable; especially when you know what he had to go through to tell it. Add to that only the merest traces of self pity or anguish and you have a completely compelling story. Bauby uses the strength of his mind to call up memories of his past (with his children, his work) and imagines a future he know he won't ever have (lying next to and caressing his girlfriend, experiencing delectable food). Rarely is there anger; sometimes there is sadness. More often than not, Bauby expresses humor, humility and grace sharing the simplest of details that we so often take for granted.

One of these simple details, his love of letters from friends and how they helped him get through the darker days of his recovery, Bauby beautifully wrote:

I hoard all of those letter like treasure, One day I hope to fasten them end to end in a half-mile streamer, to float in the wind like a banner raised to the glory of friendship.

It will keep the vultures at bay.

Unfortunately, Bauby won't have that opportunity. Just two days after his memoir was published, Bauby passed away from heart failure. He was making so much progress in his ability to communicate and connect with others that I found this truly heartbreaking. Despite the sadness, THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY is a worthy read (and as I now understand, a well received movie that I will have to check out). Bauby's story is both devastatingly simple and overwhelmingly complicated. He provides us a great reminder that we are more than our bodies--that there is so very much to appreciate in this life.

Rating: 5 stars

Pages: 131

Genre: Memoir

H is for Half a Life - Darin Strauss

2011-02-20T13:31:00.000-08:00

"Half my life ago, I killed a girl." begins acclaimed author Darin Strauss' intimate account of a regular day turned tragically inside out and upside down. As shockingly written as any first sentence of a harrowingly told tale, the shock lies in this being the true story of 16 year old Celine Zilke inexplicably swerving into 18 year old Strauss' car, leaving her dead and Strauss forever changed.

Strauss was not cited. The Long Island police declared the accident completely unavoidable and the insurance company agreed. The books and any potential case were closed. Life could officially continue on. Yet, being absolved of any blame or fault didn't erase the fact that Celine Zilke was dead and Darin Strauss was involved in her death. These two facts stayed with Strauss, affecting his life in profound and different ways.

Strauss has bravely exposed himself, sharing the complex emotions of grief, anger, fear, guilt and egocentrism he experienced in the years that followed the accident. Processing her death was complicated. Was it an accident? Could he have done something differently? Did Celine want to die? Why on earth would she turn into traffic? In addition to the unrelenting questions swirling in his head, he wrestled with his feelings (what they were, what they should be) and how to fit into a world that now knew him in relation to Celine's death.

College out of town was a bit of a reprieve. Yet Celine was always with him, not experiencing the things he was able to experience. Creating relationships with new friends or women proved challenging. At what point do you share with someone this part of your past? Celine haunted him, shaped him and helped to create the man and writer that he is today. In fact, Strauss shares that her death likely lead to his work as a writer.

I can't imagine such a fate. To have known you were involved in another person's death is incomprehensible and emotionally devastating to me. Still, these types of unimaginable situations happen everyday. While families and communities mourn the loss of life, rarely is time or attention is spent on those who were spared. HALF A LIFE give us that perspective in a completely raw, vulnerable and realistic way.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 204

Genre: Memoir

S is for Sleepwalk with Me: And Other Painfully True Stories - Mike Birbiglia

2011-02-13T18:12:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I love, love, love Mike Birbiglia. He's the funniest guy most everyone hasn't heard of; but that's about to change. And, no, not because of my review. But because he's at that place in his career where he's really taking off. He's paid his dues growing up an awkward child, into an awkward adult, traveled the country doing standup in every venue imaginable (yes, even for a college study hall, while the kids were trying to study). He's recorded a few comedy CDs, performed at some larger venues, like the Hollywood Avalon (where I saw him two years ago) and the Tempe Improv (where I saw him again last January). Last year, he had his own one man show, Sleepwalk with Me on Broadway and now he's got a book, of the same title, that chronicles his life, including his issues with sleepwalking.

Birbigs, as he's often called, hasn't produced something I haven't loved; and I expected this book to be no different. Thankfully I was right. His comedy is made up of great storytelling, and his conversational writing tone carries the same feeling. The only thing that would make reading the book better, would be to watch him tell the stories. He's hilarious to both watch and hear. Because Birbigs is a storyteller and not a one-liner comedian, it's hard to pull out anyzingers from the book, but here's my best shot at some of my favorites.

On his love of pizza:

Pizza is probably my biggest weakness. I love pizza. I would marry pizza, but it would just be an elaborate ploy to eat her whole family at the reception.

On his love of the Cheesecake Factory:

I simply can't drive by a Cheesecake Factory without stopping. I love their chicken sandwich the size of a soccer ball and their piece of cake as large as an entire cake. I love the Factory's generous portions. Their like, "We could sell you grilled cheese sandwiches for a buck fifty, or we could stuff a loaf of bread with three pounds of mozzarella and call it the Mozza Mountain." And, hey, if the Factory says it's one serving, who am I to question them? They're making this stuff to factory specifications.

On his addiction to email (which I share):

I check my phone messages and email about forty-five times a day. I don't even know what I am expecting to get in these messages. Maybe Visa will call and say, "We just realized that we owe you money!" or I'll get an email from a high school classmate that says, "We've reconsidered and we've decided you are cool after all."

On the multi-tasking ridiculousness of products and technology:

When you go to buy anything these days, the guy's always like, "You know, it's also a camera." And it's a slippery slope. Like one day I'll go to the store to buy something and they'll be like, "It's also a camera."
"I just wanted a grapefruit."
"It's a camera grapefruit. You take pictures of yourself eating the grapefruit, and then you poop the pictures.
"That is the opposite of what I wanted."

But Birbigs comedy isn't all pizza, cameras and Factory specifications.

Growing up, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and in his 30s developed a dangerous sleepwalking condition that has required medical intervention. Even through these challenges, he's able to keep his sense of humor. Upon being diagnosed with bladder cancer:

"The doctor found something in your bladder." Whenever they tell you that, it's never anything good like, "We found something in your bladder... and it's season tickets to the Yankees!"

It's really safe to say that I am probably not the most objective reviewer of SLEEPWALK WITH ME. If I had any one complaint, I would say that watching him perform or listening to his comedy CDs is better than reading a book of his. But, if this is all the Birbigs I can get right now... I will take it.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 189

G is for Goodnight Tweetheart - Teresa Medeiros

2011-02-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

I know virtually nothing about Twitter.

I mean, I know that Ashton Kutcher beat cnn.com to reach a million followers and Kenneth Cole found himself in a hot Twitter mess last week. I also know that Twitter is considered micro-blogging (and that's the one thing that might make me sound like I know a lot more about this social media channel than I actually do). But, the reality is I need to know more about it. A lot more about it. Especially because I am super involved in social media at work; it's just my focus has been more on Facebook. So, to ease my way into Twitterville, I took the recommendation of my book blogging buddy and dipped into the micro-blogging maelstrom that is Twitter with a delightful little rom-com, GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART by Teresa Medeiros.

Advertised as "A Love Story in 140 Characters or Less", GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART centers around Abby Donovan, a novelist experiencing writer's block after her debut effort tops the charts, earns Oprah's adoration and almost earns a Pulitzer. Her publisher is getting antsy and in a last ditch effort to keep Abby's exposure high and momentum going, her agent creates a Twitter account for the fledgling writer.

Within hours, Abby has a small following, including the interest of Mark Baynard, a witty, English Lit professor on sabbatical and traveling the world. Their exchanges are reminiscent of the rapid-fire, pop-culture infused witticisms of The Gilmore Girls, but more flirty since we aren't talking a mother-daugther relationship here.

As Abby and Mark's relationship develops, she becomes more smitten with this man who sends her pictures of his European escapades, has faith in her writing and who inspires her in a way that breaks the block that previously had her paralyzed. It would seem that all is peachy between the tweets, but quickly Abby learns that relationships created in an online world of direct messaging and imaginary dates can create a false reality. Abby is now forced to confront the truth about Mark and must decide if a relationship with Mark, online or otherwise, is such a good thing.

I really enjoyed the currency of GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART. Published just this year, the pop culture references are as good for the children of the 80s as they are the Gossip Girls set. Medeiros has created an engaging protagonist in Abby and I was left closing the book wanting a sequel. GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART rises above the vacuousness found in much of the chick-lit genre; it's chick-lit for the thoroughly modern, culturally aware woman.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 240

Genre: Chick-lit

I is for The Imposter's Daughter - Laurie Sandell

2011-01-30T22:09:00.000-08:00

Imagine the father you have loved and adored (and in this case, sometimes feared) was not at all who you thought he was. Imagine that by not knowing who he really was, you struggled to understand who you really were. Imagine this disconnect between the real and really unreal challenges your abilities to make real connections with men. Now imagine you have the gift of storytelling and you can also draw.

What does that get you?

Well, if you are Laurie Sandell, and this was your life, it gets you a spot on the shelf with other great graphically told stories. That's right, THE IMPOSTOR'S DAUGHTER is my new favorite graphic memoir. And if you have been keeping track, this is only my third graphic memoir and I have really enjoyed all of them. Seems like this genre is treating me well, even if the circumstances don't treat the story tellers themselves very well.

Sandell noticed early on that her father, who was a highly accomplished individual having served in Vietnam, attended and taught at prestigious universities and earned a Juris Doctorate, also seemed very quick to prove himself an authority on all things and was certain that others were out to undermine him. While many might just write this off as being a know-it-all or a bit paranoid, Sandell paid attention to other clues that her sisters and mother chose to ignore.

So before I give it all away, or more so than the book's title already tells you, Sandell spends much of her early twenties investigating her father, irritating her sisters and confusing her totally-in-denial mother. In all the various roads her digging takes her, Sandell makes some unhealthy choices for herself. In the end, though, it's the truth about her father that helps her come to terms with her self.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 272

Genre: Graphic Memoir

WOTD: Poem

2011-01-29T13:25:00.001-08:00

Seven years ago today my life changed.

Forever.

Seven years ago today I held you in my arms and stared.

In complete and total wonder.

Seven years ago today I wondered how I would do this thing called parenting.

Then one day you sat up.

And then you crawled.

You walked and you talked.

Then one day you said Mama which quickly turned to Mommy.

And one day when I told you I was simply amazed at the number of times you could call me "Mommy" in one day, you called me "Lara".

You counted and cried.

Laughed and slept.

Joked and sang.

Ran and kicked.

Wrote and read.

And all those skills that you build up and sock away for the keeping continue to astound me.

It's all happening so fast.

So very fast.

And sometimes

I want to go back to that day seven years ago,

and hold you in my arms.

But then I wouldn't see you as you are now,

growing and changing into the extraordinary person

You are destined to become.

All my love sweet boy, on this, your seventh birthday.

--Mommy

R is for Room by Emma Donoghue

2011-01-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

ROOM by Emma Donoghue has been on my list for some time. I almost mandated it for my turn at book club in December, but then remembered I never mandate, always preferring to offer my fellow clubbers with a choice.

Thankfully, my BFF is in book club and loves to mandate. And that's how this debut novel got promoted from the proverbial nightstand and into my hands via my beloved Kindle.

So an interesting thing happened when I started reading ROOM. I wasn't loving it and I wasn't immediately sure why. It's narrated by 5 year old Jack, in the innocent, rambling, run-on sentence babbling, precocious ways of many kiddos. Donoghue had nailed the voice of her narrator and it was completely authentic.

Maybe too authentic.

After a full day of work and a few hours with my own innocent, rambling, run-on sentence babbling, precocious six year old, I sat down to read looking for escape and found myself a bit as trapped as Jack and his Ma, in a tiny little room. Confused?

If you don't know about ROOM, that's the deal. Jack and his Ma live in a single room. It's the only life Jack has ever known. There is no outside, no parks or schools, friends or family. The only other person Jack knows of is Old Nick, the man that comes by from time to time to deliver food and highly anticipated Sunday treats. As Ma passes the time reading Jack the same 5 books, creating opportunities for physical education, math and creative time, I was wondering how she didn't go completely insane.

But I had to forge on. If not for the fact that I had heard so many good things about ROOM, I had to finish it for book club.

I don't want to spoil anything, so I am not going to cover any other plot points... I will say, however, that I ended up enjoying ROOM. The second half was the clincher for me (even though I have heard several people say they liked the first half better, go figure). Donoghue has created extremely likable protagonists in Jack and Ma in a confining and harrowing environment. I also like that the outcome was a bit of what I expected and a fair amount of what I didn't. Donoghue's storytelling is compelling, engaging and different. She's definitely someone I will keep an eye on in the future.

Rating: 3 stars

Pages: 336

Genre: Fiction

M is for The Monk Downstairs by Tim Farrington

2011-01-16T13:37:00.000-08:00

After kicking off the year with Loving Frank, love is still in the air in the reading room as I turn to Tim Farrington's THE MONK DOWNSTAIRS. As a New York Times Notable Book for 2006, my hopes were a bit high for this book; unfortunately, there was some love lost after it.

Farrington's story is the classic boy meets girl, with a twist. Let's see if I can fill you all in on this variation. Boy is Michael Christopher, a monk of 20 years. Boy is disillusioned by his faith and leaves the monastic life.

Enter girl, Rebecca.

Girl is a single mother needing to rent out her mother-in-law apartment for extra income. Her ex is a pot-smoking, surfer boy who never grew up.

Boy rents apartment from girl.

They begin a sweet, but awkward friendship. Supporting characters come and go while boy and girl struggle with their respective relationships with God and one another.

Boy pulls away, girl pulls away.

Drama. Drama. Drama.

Crisis hits and boy has to step up so girl can step back and help her mother. And, at this point, you can probably guess what will happen.

At the end of this semi-chick-lit novel, I enjoyed some of the moments, but overall did not have any real connection or care for the characters. Even though Farrington delivered the happy ending, I closed the book dissatisfied.

Rating: 2 stars

Pages: 320

Genre: Fiction

L is for Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

2011-01-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

I have had this book for years. So many people wanted me to read LOVING FRANK by Nancy Horan that I found myself with two copies, one I purchased and one that was given to me. But with oodles and oodles of books lying around, it was one of many I needed to get to. Flash forward and back up to this past November, and LOVING FRANK was selected by my Book Club for our January read. And then I did something crazy (big surprise). I bought a version for my Kindle and gave away my two copies. It was on a lark I did this, and only after having read through the first few chapters. I was instantly smitten with Horan's wordly--no, that's not a typo for worldly--ways and confident the recipients would love it as much as I was. Having finished it just in time for tomorrow's discussion, and to be on track for this year's project, all I can say is... I am loving Frank. The book, rather, not so much the man.

Let me also say that prior to cracking this book open, I knew very little about Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW). Sure, in the peripheral pockets of knowledge I keep, I know he's a major contributor to American architecture. He has two famous homes (probably more) Taliesen in Wisconsin and Taliesen West in Scottsdale (the latter I have actually visited). I also grew up in the southwest near a church inspired by his work full of clean lines, glass and nature. But his personal life, his drive and arrogance, his marriages and a rather scandalous affair in the early 1900s, I knew absolutely nothing about. My ignorance of FLW and his lover Mamah was absolute bliss when reading this captivating work of historical fiction.

In the early 1900s, Mamah (pron. May-muh) Borthwick Cheney was married and had just commissioned FLW to build a house in Oak Harbor. A masters-level educated woman who actively promoted women's rights, Mamah was a leader and much ahead of her time. Her forward thinking ideas drew me to her and I liked her fire very much. Yet upon meeting Frank Lloyd Wright, her heart took over and the two of them found themselves quickly in a complicated, romantic entanglement; both FLW and Mamah were married to other people and both had children. They believed their shared love to be the truest relationship they had found and they would do anything to be together. Even if it meant Mamah leaving her very young children in the hands of her cuckolded husband and her sister to travel the world and follow Frank's dreams.

My love for Mamah was instantly lost; but I couldn't stop reading. Horan's blend of known facts and her own imagined dialogue between these two lovers was completely compelling.

There was a bit of detail overload at times on the architecture and landscape talk. But I had to know what would come of these two people and the families they left behind. I needed answers and outcomes, impacts and consequences. I could not understand a woman being able to abandon her children. As I turned the pages, I repeatedly wondered how could she do this (how any woman could ever do it)? Could she really be that selfish? Doesn't she understand the gravity of her choices? How on earth would this turn out?

I won't answer those questions for you; read it for yourself to find out.

Suffice it to say, if you know nothing or very little of the actual events, the story will take you in completely and when you least expect it, it will throw you. It will utterly throw you, jerking you up out of your comfortable reading posture forcing you to reread the pages you just read in utter disbelief. There are answers, there are outcomes--devastating ones, at that. And we are left with a fascinating account of what might have happened in the years that Frank and Mamah eschewed the world and everything in it for each other and, of course, Frank's work.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 400

Genre: Historical Fiction

New Year, New Ways

2011-01-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year fellow readers!

Just as I put the finishing touches on yesterday's post, I must admit I was ready to dive into this new reading challenge of reading books with titles of each letter of the alphabet. Guess I am not burned out by a book a week. Thank goodness... because I own way too many books for that to happen right now. Speaking of owning so many books, I am really, really, REALLY going to try to read the most of this year's books from the vast collection I already own.

For really.

And while I could be frugal and responsible and just not buy any new books this year, the reality is this project is a bit trickier than just picking up a book every week. I will only have to knock out half of what I did last year. However, it requires a bit more forethought and planning this time around to ensure I cover every letter of the alphabet. Last time I did my ABCs there were a few letters that I though could prove tricky and I don't want half of the year to pass by when I realize I don't have books titled with J, Q, X, Y and Z. So I have assembled the following list based on what's sitting on my shelves and downloaded to my Kindle.

I present to you, my reading list for 2011.* Reviews will follow the completion of the book, just as last year.

A: The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl by Shawna Reid
B: Blankets by Craig Thompson or Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy
C: Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
D: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
E: Eventide by Kent Haruf or East of Eden by John Steinbeck
F: Family History by Dani Shapiro
G: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows or Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresea Medeiros
H: Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
I: The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell
J: James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
K: It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
L: Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
M: The Monk Downstairs by Tim Farrington
N: Night by Elie Wiesel
O: The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
P: The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
Q: Quieter than Sleep by Joanne Dobson
R: Room by Emma Donoghue
S: Still Alice by Lisa Genova
T: The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson
U: Unless by Carol Shields
V: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
W: When Katie Wakes by Connie May Fowler
X: X in Flight by Karen Rivers
Y: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Z: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

*Fine Print: Despite my desire to really want to read these titles in alphabetical order, due to my participation in a monthly book club, that's just impossible. Plus, some of the titles listed here will change as the book club selections will meet some, though certainly not all, of this year's requirements. I am also not likely to go a whole year without buying a new book. I mean, really.

That leads me to my next thought... if you have read something fantastic, don't be shy. Share the book love and let me know. You could be enabling my book acquisition habit; but I am okay with that and you should be, too.

Year in Review!

2010-12-31T14:25:00.000-08:00

Some said I couldn't do it. Heck, I even thought I was pretty crazy to tackle this project with all the living I have going on! But read a book a week I did and I absolutely loved it! So what does a book a week, every week for 52 weeks broken down look like? Well, let me tell you:

I actually read 54 books, thanks to a summer vacation. Of those 54...

15 were memoirs
13 were fiction
7 were non-fiction
7 were children's
4 were mysteries
2 graphic novels
2 were books of poetry
1 each of: short stories, business, play or other type of book
2 were Pulitzer Prize Winners
2 were National Book Award Winners

That adds up to a whopping 13,119 pages! And how did all those rate? Let me tell you:

I rated 17 of them 5 stars
16 of them 4 stars
3 stars went to another 16 of them
4 of them got 2 stars
Franny and Zooey, my least favorite of the bunch, got 1 star

And my absolute favorites of the year? If I had to pick:

THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS would take best non-fiction
My favorite fiction would go to THE SHADOW OF THE WIND.
Since the kiddo was a part of this too, my favorite Children's would have to be THE QUIET BOOK.

What a year! While it can easily be summed up in just a few words and numbers, this project was like nothing I ever undertook before. The real impact can be found here.

Thanks to all of you who read my blog and hopefully read along with me -- whatever books tickled your fancy.

I will be back tomorrow with my proposed reading list for 2011 (can't imagine trapping myself at the start of the year, but I also can't imagine needing to find a book that starts with Q at the last minute)!

Have a safe and happy new year. One full of adventure and lots of reading!

Lara

A New Daily Challenge

2010-12-31T08:25:00.000-08:00

For the past year I have been taking a photograph every day. I like the idea of doing something creative every day. Something that forces me to slow down, experience life, live in the moment. I wanted to continue that activity but in a new way. Thanks to a friend, she recommended I select a word each day to describe the day I have had. Easy enough, right? Well, to make it interesting, she suggested I not use any word more than once. Oh, sure. There you go. Make it challenging for me. And as I thought about it, this is a perfect replacement to my photo-a-day challenge. Just like my 52 in 52 book challenge last year, and my Books A-Z this year, my trusty friend Deejah will be doing the word-a-day project with me.

Each day I will post a word or phrase that captures the day. If I am feeling like it, I might even share some reasons why that word or phrase and other times I won't. It will depend on how creative I am feeling, or frankly, how much energy I have. I will organize this spare page with the most current day's word at the top for ease on everyone's part. This will definitely be an effort that will stretch my brain, hopefully boost my vocabulary, and likely offer gifts I can't yet foresee.

Week 52: How Reading Changed My Life - Anna Quindlen

2010-12-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

This week has been a gloomy and doomy weather week. Bitter cold temperatures for our desert clime: rain, wind and some even said they saw snow! While I didn't see any, I saw perfect weather for curling up with a good book; fitting that this is the last week of my book-a-week project. It also seemed rather fitting that during this last week of gray skies and personal contentment that I slide HOW READING CHANGED MY LIFE by Anna Quindlen off the shelf. Not sure how it took me so long to read this book that I have owned for a few years and yet it's a bit serendipitous stumbling upon it now after a year of doing more reading than I have ever done before.

HOW READING CHANGED MY LIFE is lifelong reader and Pulitzer-prize winning writer Anna Quindlen's account of her most favorite of pastimes. Reading trumped everything for Quindlen, and for that I felt an instant kinship.

"I did not read from a sense of superiority, or advancement or even learning. I read because I loved it more than anything other activity on earth."

Many of my current friends can't imagine me as a shy or quiet person, yet reading was my primary activity of choice up until high school theater pulled me in. Prior to that I had a very small circle of friends, preferring one-on-one interactions over large groups. Looking back I recall Barbara, a girl who preferred her nose in a book rather than sparking up a conversation... a perfect pal! We were bus riding friends, always saving a seat for one another, respecting each other's quiet ride to school, only the rustle of a page turned passed between us. And even now, years out that quiet and insular shell, I love to read more than I love to do most anything else.

Quindlen shares not just her love of reading and the importance that various books have played in her life, but the value of connection found in reading--especially among women.

"Women seem to see reading not only as a solitary activity, but an an opportunity for emotional connection, not just to the characters in a novel but to those others who are reading or have read the same novel themselves."

Is that really surprising, though? Just look at the number of book clubs that have sprung up in recent years. Almost everyone I know is in a book club or knows someone who is. My own club has been going strong for over seven years and it is for all of us, one of our most looked-forward to and favorite "me" times of the month. The diversion it creates away from work, children, partners, chores, bills and all the other to-dos gives us opportunity not just to catch up, but to escape for a few hours and talk intelligently, passionately, with no holds barred or judgements rendered on the opinions we share about the book we have just read.

Also not surprising is the popularity of book clubs (and reading in general) amongst women.

This is not the same, Quindlen states, for men. She pulls some interesting, although not shocking, data from a 1991 Gallup poll on the differences men and women share regarding reading:

Women are more likely to find reading a more relaxing pastime than watching television.
College-educated women reported reading an average of 25 books over the space of a year... men only 15.

She goes on to interview bookstore owners, uncovering that women are more likely to read novels, versus men who pick up more biographies and historical books. Just another example of the different ways women and men are wired.

As I flipped through the pages and began taking notes of some of Quindlen's recommended reading, I began to think about how reading has changed my own life. Certainly, as I was a young adult, it was pure escapism and comfort. In college, my reading for pleasure all but disappeared and was replaced by the large text books, carried in a backpack or satchel that bore a deep indentation on my right shoulder. It wasn't until 2003, and nine years after college, that I really returned to my childhood love of reading. I proposed the idea of dining and dishing on books to some friends, and on a whim we started a book club. Not only have I read some fantastic books, but I have made and kept some fabulous friendships. Books are one of my favorite topics of conversations and is one of the things that bonds me and some of my closest friends. Truth be told, I probably won't trust you if you don't have books--even a single book--in your life.

Over the years, reading has indeed changed my life. It changes the life of everyone I know that does it. When the structure of the words on the page bring tears to your eyes, remind you that you are not alone, or make you laugh so hard your stomach aches, you have been changed in the simplest and most profound ways.

I couldn't have guessed what a single year of reading a book each week would do for me, but it did more than I could have imagined. Sure I watched less television, but surprisingly, it didn't cut into my time with the kiddo, my friends or other pastimes. I felt more connected to others (my kiddo and book-loving blogging partner, in particular) this year, more objective and empathetic. Just being exposed to so many different people and circumstances inhabited in the many pages I devoured (over 13,000) will do that for you.

So many people wondered why I would take something like this on, offered me encouragement and praise or lamented they too should read more. I think you all know that I would never discourage anyone from picking up a book; I will always think there's value in doing that. But the reality is, anyone who embarks on any kind of personal project needs to do so with a real affinity for what they are undertaking and not because the "feel they should." But just know, that if you do decide to boost your reading, even if only by one book, it will change you.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Grade: 5 stars

Pages: 96

Genre: Memoir

Week 51: Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer - Robert Swartwood

2010-12-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

It's confession time again. And if you are keeping track, this is my fourth confession to date. I needed an easy read this week, the week of Christmas and all; and I didn't want to skate by on another book of poem's or kiddie lit. So I did the next easiest thing: I picked up HINT FICTION: AN ANTHOLOGY OF STORIES IN 25 WORDS OR FEWER compiled by Robert Swartwood.

Hint fiction? What the heck is that? Yeah, I scratched my head too. But when I saw that it was super short stories, micro even, I was intrigued and confident that this would be perfect for a holiday filled week. I was right on one account, it was easy to get through; I'm pretty certain, however, hint fiction is not my new favorite go-to genre.

According to Swartwood's Shorter is Better column at The Daily Beast:

Hint fiction is a story of 25 words or fewer that suggests a larger, more complex story.

In the book's introduction, by far the most verbose section of the book, he goes on to say that hint fiction should "tell a story; it should be entertaining; it should be thought-provoking; and, if done well enough, it should invoke and emotional response."

If a writer can do that in 25,00 words, let alone a mere 25!, I would say that is quite an achievement. And, some of the stories captured here do just that for me. Yet even though they did, I am still feeling conflicted about this book. I don't think it's one to sit down and read the whole way through, the way you would a book of fiction. I am certain some of these hints require as much time for processing and reflection as they did in their final construction. Knowing how long I sometimes spend on these posts, I can't imagine the time and patience it would take these writers, some well known and others I couldn't place, to string together a handful of words in just the right way to do all the things that Swartwood says they should.

Despite this conflict, some of the stories did elicit various emotions from me... humor, disgust, contentment and surprise... to name a few. And some even had me wishing there was more. So many more, though, were just okay. At the end of the day, and nearing the very end of this project, I am glad I exposed myself to this new art form--its longevity within the literary landscape remains to be seen.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 2 stars

Pages: 188

Genre: Fiction

I Dare YOU!

2010-12-22T21:03:00.000-08:00

That’s right, YOU. I am focusing on YOU… Fantastic and fabulous Y-O-U. I bet that got your attention. If that’s made you a little self conscious, that’s okay. Let me turn the tables back toward myself for a minute. But don’t run off. I are coming back to you.

I am not really into resolutions, but the turn to another year certainly brings about thoughts and ideas for change. What I have realized is I am into growth and creativity and new experiences. I am into trying something different that forces some stretch and opens the eyes, heart and mind. And while I wouldn’t have thought that taking a photo a day or reading a book a week and blogging about it would do that, it did just that. And more. It connected me to you and others. It forced me to slow down and shift my focus inward and to things bigger than my own body.

So you can imagine that when you find good things like that, you want to do all that you can to keep it going. But I also want to pay it forward. And encourage others to get in on the awesomeness of it all.

So here I are back to you. I told you I’d be back.

I want to challenge each of you (followers, lurkers - the whole lot of you) to do something creative this year. Whatever creative means to you.

It could be that you are a great cook, but never make time for yourself to do it. What if you decided to try a new recipe a week or a month?

What if you’ve always wanted to knit but don’t know how. Picture yourself this time next year wearing a scarf made of your own handiwork?

Maybe you love to hike; goodness knows there’s lots of great places explore. Can you see yourself at the top a peak breathing in the world around you?

You can do it. I know you can.

It doesn’t matter what it is, just that you do something that focuses on you, celebrates your strengths or uncovers a new interest. You don’t have to write about it, or post about it or take pictures of it. You don’t even have to tell anyone you’re doing it. But when you spread the word of what you want to tackle, it’s amazing the support it can bring. Sure I had friends say I was crazy to try and read a book a week. Some even asked me why on earth I would want to do it. Didn’t matter to me that they thought I was nutty and yet the project totally mattered to me. That’s why I did it.

So yes, I am putting it out there and challenging you to do the same—if you so desire. And let it be known this is not to induce any pressure. I am totally anti-pressure unless it’s the kind provided by a licensed and trained professional while I lay on a table at the spa. Whatever you do, it has to work for YOU. I would love to know, however, if you decided to try something a little different.

And just what are am I doing in 2011? My projects continue to focus on the things I love most: words. For 2011 I will continue to have books prominently featured in my life as I read Books A-Z (that’s a book title for each letter of the alphabet). For those of you quick at math, that’s actually fewer books than I read this year and we are totally cool with that.

In place of the photo-a-day, I am stretching my vocabulary with a word-a-day, every day (thanks to the great idea of a friend), that will describe the day I had. The trick will be to use a different word or phrase every day of the year. No repeats. Crazy, right? That’s cool. That’s just how I roll.

Have I piqued your interest? Got you thinking that you could do this? You know you can. And if you decide to take the dare, I'd love to know about it. The love of it, the pain of it, the growth of it, the success of it…whatever that success may be.

Here’s to a fantastic new year and whatever it may bring!

Week 50: The Spirit of Christmas - Nancy Tillman

2010-12-19T21:39:00.000-08:00

I have always loved Christmas. It's absolutely-without-a-doubt my favorite holiday of the year. The twinkly lights, beautiful songs, delicious food, parties and get-togethers, finding the perfect gift, time off and all that goes into getting ready for Christmas are all things I look forward to. Sure there's the stress of the holiday and the anxiety around getting everything done (some years I do, some not so much). And even now as a mother, I admit, I have lost a little sight on the the true gift of Christmas as I search for that "one" toy the kiddo wants (and throwing a few extra things under the tree while I am at it).

In the nick of time, however, a special surprise arrived when we received THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS by Nancy Tillman (a gift from my parents). It's a gorgeous book with unique and wonderful illustrations and a story that anyone who celebrates Christmas can appreciate. The spirit of Christmas, Tillman writes, is love.

This is an especially important message for me this year as it is the first year of just me and the kiddo for Christmas. My other immediate family is all out of state. Fortunately, we do a pretty good job bridging the distance and staying connected. THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, in just a few short pages, reminded me that it's not important to check every item off my list this month, but the connection I have with the kiddo and my loved ones.

I mean, isn't that obvious? Sure it is... when you take a minute to slow down, take some deep breaths and are willing to say "no" to the next thing asked of you.

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS was a great interruption to the hustle and bustle I have been feeling lately. I think I got a little more out of it than the kiddo did. And, that's okay. THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS is now officially one of the holiday to-do's that must be read each year at the start of the season and maybe even a few times during it.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Pages: 32

Genre: Children's

Week 49: Holidays on Ice - David Sedaris

2010-12-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is rapidly approaching and this week I have a perfect little book for those of you feeling a tad naughty this year. David Sedaris, a master of satirical comedy, updated his 1997 classic HOLIDAYS ON ICE this year with the original stories and a few more thrown in for good cheer.

I read the original HOLIDAYS ON ICE back in 1997 and absolutely laughed the whole way through it. The Santa Land Diaries is by far the strongest story of the lot, which recounts Sedaris' work as an elf at Macy's Santa Land. It is hard to keep a straight face reading about the Macy's elf culture and rules regarding their costumes:

"...don't tell me 'I don't wear underpants, I'm a dancer.' You're not a dancer. If you were a real dancer you wouldn't be here. You're an elf and you're going to wear panties like an elf."

In addition to the humor, Sedaris is full of shock and awe when he shares the lengths parents will go to in order to save a place in line for their child's moment with Santa:

"I saw a woman unzip her son's fly, release his penis, and instruct him to pee into a bank of artificial snow. He was a young child, four or five years old, and he did it, he peed."

My favorite stories remain the original six, with Seasons Greeting to our Family and Friends, Based Upon a True Story, Christmas Means Giving and Dinah, the Christmas Whore being my favorites along with The Santa Land Diaries. I didn't love the additions, and I am not quite sure if that's because this is mostly a reread for me. Kind of like when you hear a song for the first time and can't every really like the cover version as much as the original. Whatever it is, HOLIDAYS ON ICE remains classic Christmas humor on the edge. And I will warn you; it is not for the faint at heart, nor is it for those who only have visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads. HOLIDAYS ON ICE is a bit rough, a bit tough and a lot funny. If you like your egg nog spiked and like your humor gritty, curl up and cool off with HOLIDAYS ON ICE.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 176

Genre: Essays

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Week 48: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

2010-12-05T21:14:00.000-08:00

Ever read a book that you can't stop talking about it--even before you have finished it? Then once you have finished it, the chatting up really begins? You are recommending it to everyone you encounter, reader or otherwise, and then you have spent so much time talking about it that you kinda forgot to review it on your blog because you have talked about it so much you felt like you have already reviewed it, extolling its greatness from the rooftops... or at least by the water cooler at work? Well, this blabbermouth is finally sitting down and making her recommendation official. The book I just can't stop talking about is Rebecca Skloot's THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS.

I don't care who you are or what you do. I don't care what you like to read and what you don't like to read; I just really hope you read. And when you do, you should read this book. (Really I do care; this tough talk just helps me make my point all the more strongly).

THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS is the stunningly true story of a young, black woman growing up in the Baltimore area. Henrietta came from a long line of poor black tobacco farmers without formal education or any real financial means. When illness struck, they relied on the trust and generosity of Johns Hopkins to provide care, at no cost--a trust that was broken when Henrietta Lacks died from cervical cancer in her early thirties.

What Henrietta and her family didn't realize (for years), was in turn for her care and treatment, doctors retained samples of her cells and tissue upon her death. These specimens were not obtained through informed consent. And unbeknownst to anyone, these specimens would literally change the course of medical history.

Henrietta's cell and tissue samples were the first that could be maintained and reproduced outside of the human body. Not only did they stay alive, they multiplied at a never-before-seen rate. Her cells were shared with scientists around the world and brought about advancements such as the vaccine for Polio, an understanding of HPV and other cancers as well as other women's health issues. Completely unaware of their mother's contribution to science, for many years Henrietta's descendants were (and still are) living without even basic medical coverage. Ironic, isn't it?

Have I hooked you yet? If I haven't, consider this: Henrietta's cell research (which still goes on today) brought to light serious and ethical concerns around medical consent, the need of specimens for advancements in medicine and whether or not individuals or their families should be compensated for providing or donating cell or tissue samples that lead to cures and medical advancements. The medical community is split on the issue and even after reading this wonderful book, I am not sure where I stand. I know that Henrietta and her family had a right to know her cells were being used. I also know that her family--especially her family (and everyone in the country for that matter)--should have access to medical care delivered by providers they can trust.

As a liberal arts minded person with no penchant for anything to do with math or science, I never would have guessed I would have devoured a book like this. Thanks to Skloot's extensive research, compassion for the Lacks family and storytelling talents, I couldn't put it down. The book alternates chapters between Henrietta and her family's lives and the science and medical communities' use of her cells for personal and professional gain. The perceptions and opinions the Lacks family has today of the medical community is understandably complicated. But for once, someone told Henrietta's story truthfully, and for that the Lacks have found a small piece of peace and honor for the woman they hardly knew.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Pages: 384

Genre: Non-fiction

Week 47: Hug Time - Patrick McDonnell

2010-11-28T17:03:00.000-08:00

It's Thanksgiving week and there's so much for which I am grateful, the least of which is extra time! But with extra time that actually means less time for reading and more time for equally important activities like connecting with family and friends, hitting the movie theater, sleeping in, playing games, and all things that a holiday weekend is meant to hold.

Thankfully, I had HUG TIME by Patrick McDonnell on hand. This delightful little book was a great way to share relaxing moment with the kiddo and keep my reading on track for the project.

HUG TIME centers on Jules, a cute kitty that wants to hug everyone. He makes a list, heads out the door and all over the world, to brighten the day of others with a simple hug. As you can imagine, his friends aren't the only ones who benefit from such a sweet and simple act of generosity.

McDonnell has written and illustrated HUG TIME as he has a number of other children's books. This is my second McDonnell book and it's a second winner. I plan on checking out more of his stories that focus on the simple yet most important things we can focus on. You should, too.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 44

Genre: Children's

Week 46: Stitches: A Memoir - David Small

2010-11-21T23:15:00.000-08:00

This week I am back to my favorite new genre, the Graphic Novel, discovered while undertaking this weekly reading challenge! No matter that it's really the only new genre I have tried all year. It's also no matter that it's only the second time I have read from this genre. I mean who's keeping score? Okay, I am. And at the end of the year I am going to have this wicked cool post full of stats and numbers (or as many stats and numbers that a Communications major can muster) and my fellow book nerds are going to love it and some will think it's dumb and that's okay, too.

So, not only being a new genre for me, it's a new one for the old book club. It's my turn to host in December and when you are the host, you hold the power to either mandate or offer up some selections from which the group can vote. I decided to shake things up and present three choices, all graphic memoirs. There were a some eager smiles, a few perplexing hmmmmms and even a couple of she-might-be-crazy-to-think-I am-reading-a-what?-an-adult-comic-book?-helllllls-no.

So after everyone softened their gazes and started reading the summaries, the majority settled on STITCHES: A MEMOIR by David Small. ~~While I am not one to gloat~~ It should be noted that two book club members e-mailed me within the last couple of weeks to say they had never read a graphic novel and were pleasantly surprised with STITCHES. Now that I have read this 2009 National Book Award winner, I can say that I was as well.

STITCHES is the shocking look at a brief, yet life altering period, in David Small's life. Born to a radiologist father and a homemaker mother, Small grew up in a household that communicated with bangs, slaps, claps and grunts. Communication was completely controlled by the parents (when they communicated at all) and the house was cold and quiet, devoid of any love and affection. When David was just six years old, he developed multiple sinus infections, which his father chose to monitor and evaluate with x-rays. This repeated exposure caused Small to develop throat cancer and required two serious operations on his throat. Complicating matters (more than your own father giving you cancer is complicating) was the fact that Small was never told why he needed surgery. It was only after the second procedure caused him to lose his voice--and what we can guess was years of guilt--that his father confessed.

As wordless as the Small household was, STITCHES is almost as quiet. Relying on his tremendous illustrative talent, Small effectively takes the reader through this fear and anger-filled time in his life with compelling imagery and few words. While there are certainly enough issues with Small's dad to write a book, his mother is a significant contributor to the family's dysfunction. We learn little about Small's brother and the story did leave me asking a few more questions than I would have hoped. Despite this, I absolutely loved the way Small uses his ability to draw to present his story. It's the illustrating (and years with a caring counselor) that enables Small to actually find his voice.

I think it is awesome when someone can write a book or draw even a single picture. But if you can do both? At the same time? That's ridiculous talent. Seriously. I now officially get why this is an emerging arena for creatives that have the ability to story tell in different ways. It's no surprise after reading this to learn that Small is now an accomplished illustrator, having won awards for his work on children's books. His talent is obvious. His story completely fascinating, ultimately redemptive and uniquely his own.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 336

Genre: Graphic Novel

Week 45: The Middle Place - Kelly Corrigan

2010-11-14T15:41:00.000-08:00

After reading LIFT by Kelly Corrigan, I was seriously jonesing (does anyone say that anymore? I guess I do) to pick up her first book, THE MIDDLE PLACE. After last week's book club selection, I wasted no time cracking it open and I am not sure I even put it down once I started.

THE MIDDLE PLACE tackles Corrigan's battle with breast cancer as a 37 year old mother with two young girls and a doting husband. If that's not enough, it's during her course of chemotherapy and radiation that her first love, her adoring and delightful father, is diagnosed with cancer as well.

Dreary and teary, right? Wrong.

Well, a little teary. It is cancer we are talking about. But mostly it's just a wonderful account of what it means to be a family, and specifically the relationship a daughter can have with her father. And that she, in turn, can create in her own life with her own husband and children.

George Corrigan is in a word, life. He's exuberant and positive and Corrigan's biggest fan. To read how she describes her father's love and support of family, you can actually feel the love coming through the pages. And before this sounds hokey and corny and too good to be true, Corrigan is just so cool. She shoots straight and bares her soul in a way that your heart aches when she's scared and you laugh as loudly as you expect her to in the many laugh-out-loud moments in the book.

And then there's Edward, Corrigan's husband. Edward is a great partner, and supportive husband committed to helping his wife through this disease and remaining a positive and united front with Corrigan as they work through her nausea, physical wear down and hair loss with Georgia (4) and Claire (2). While I certainly hope to never experience cancer, I would totally want an Edward on my team and by my side.

We often hear how important it is that we have positive relationships in our lives. That attitude is a significant contributor to our health and and well-being. It can even help ward off disease. And with a family like Corrigan's, you can't help but wonder if that's true. The perspective they all bring to life's obstacles--to face it head on and assume the best outcome--is refreshing. Corrigan actually sums this up in the very beginning of her book when describing her father:

"I think people like him because his default setting is open delight. He's prepared to be wowed--by your humor, your smarts, your white smile, even your handshake--guaranteed, something you do is going to thrill him... People walk away from him feeling like they're on their game, even if they suspect that he put them there."

Imagine if we treated every person like they have something wonderful to bring to the table. No matter how small, it would be significant. We could see value in each person we encountered. While we all don't have the opportunity to meet George Corrigan, as she recommends at the book's beginning, Corrigan has done the next best thing in writing this love letter to her family and her father for all the world to read.

To order this book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Pages: 288

Genre: Memoir

Week 44: How to Be an American Housewife - Margaret Dilloway

2010-11-07T21:29:00.000-08:00

This week's pick comes courtesy of my book club, a group of dynamic women that have met for over six years and actually talk about the books we read. Oh sure we fit in the offshoots and the tangents where art imitates life, or catch up on work, lack of work, significant others, or a lack of others that are truly significant, and then we find our way back to the book, for better or worse. This month, it was for better, because not only was HOW TO BE AN AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE by Margaret Dilloway a great read, but we also got to talk to the author during our monthly ritual of dining and dishing.

HOW TO BE AN AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE shares the story of a mother and daughter, clashing the way mother's and daughters can, but it also adds the element of a culture clash. Shoko, the mother, and the narrator of the first half of the book is a Japanese woman who marries an American serviceman to escape her war torn country. Leaving behind the mother and father who encouraged her and a brother from whom she is estranged, she sets up house in California and struggles to fit in with other servicemember wives. Her story begins in the present day, a time when Shoko's health is failing her and she needs the help of her now-grown daughter Sue.

Sue, a first-generation Japanese-American and the focus of the book's second half, is a single mother always in search of her mother's approval while just going through the motions in a job and life that lacks both passion and direction. Struggling to connect with her mother, it's this very personal request that brings the two closer and bridges years of disconnect between the two.

One of the strengths of Dilloway's writing is the authentic feel she brings to the the dialogue between Shoko and Sue. As I reader I could experience the tension between Shoko and Sue, so common between mothers and daughters, and the moments of connection and happiness. The book's authenticity is also driven by Dalloway's own experiences with her Japanese mother and the dialect she brought to Shoko's character.

My only struggle with the book was one characters rapid development, which seemed a bit too fast for all that was going on in the story. Certainly not a deal breaker, all of the other elements made for an enjoyable read, lively discussion and interesting perspectives from Dilloway herself during our book club conversation. Her favorite book is Little Women and she enjoys books the depict the realist struggles people experience, while keeping faith and hope alive despite the circumstances. I think the same can be said for HOW TO BE AN AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE.

Dilloway generously makes herself available for book club discussions, just check out her blog to find out how.

To order this book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 288

Genre: Fiction

Week 43: Lift - Kelly Corrigan

2010-10-31T23:31:00.000-07:00

This week's book came to me in padded envelope, a most unexpected gift from a friend I have recently reconnected with thanks to facebook. I had seen this book before and loved its cover and size (more than perfect for this project) but just couldn't come around to plopping down the money for such a tiny hardcover or even $9.99 for a Kindle version, which wouldn't leave me the gorgeous dust jacket. So I just did what I did with it what I do a lot of things. I forgot about it.

Imagine my surprise when this showed up from the very friend that I promised to send a book to and without me telling her what it was (just that I love-love-loved it) she ended up checking out that very same unmentioned book at the library. Wowzers, right? Or even a bit cooky? Perhaps there are NO coincidences, Oprah. And for those of you wondering what other book I was talking about, take a look over here.

So back to this lovely little book, LIFT by Kelly Corrigan. You can read it about as fast as you can watch an episode of Glee or Parenthood, but I promise LIFT will be so much better. And I love Glee and Parenthood. LIFT is a letter to Corrigan's daughters, 6 and 8, an attempt to make sure her daughters understand how they came to be. This seems driven by the fact that Corrigan once heard "the average person barely knows ten stories from childhood and those are based more on photographs and retellings than memory."

What? That sounds crazy and totally right all at once.

It's heartbreaking that I am going to remember more of my kiddo's childhood than he will. How will he not remember lying in bed and playing Two Truths and One Lie? Or just today volunteering to be the lead vocal on Beatles' Rock Band I Want to Hold Your Hand? Or cutting just about all of his hair off right before his fourth Christmas? Well the last one I do have a picture of; but she's right. I don't remember much of my own childhood unless I am flipping through a photo album, and then it's as fuzzy as the insta-matic prints staring up at me through the cellophane sleeves.

The stories Corrigan shares are a bit of a hodgepodge, which I think they would have to be when you sit down and put pen to paper for something like this. This book really is wonderful and yet it leaves me wanting more. Corrigan's writing style is conversational and in reading it I really felt like we were chatting on the phone or nestled into a really comfy couch. She's introspective and funny and cool and just the bees knees. That's why I wanted more. Reading LIFT, is like talking to the best of your friends.

I haven't read Corrigan's first effort, THE MIDDLE PLACE, which chronicles her and her father's bouts with cancer. However, I can tell you that after reading LIFT, I want to pick it up.

Immediately.

To order the book from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 96

Genre: Non-fiction

Week 42: It's a Book - Lane Smith

2010-10-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I read some article, online of course, stating that all books would be gone by two thousand something or another and that ebooks and other technology was killing the book much faster than ever predicted.

Now, I am an ereader and an actual book reader and I personally think we can live in a world that supports both environments. But I am not an economist, a technology innovator or a biz wiz, so what do I really know?

Well, I am a consumer and I know a good book when I read one, however I read it. As it so happens, the good book I am referring to is of the official book variety, with paper and a cover and dust jacket and everything. IT'S A BOOK by Lane Smith is a funny and delightful reminder for children and adults everywhere of the beauty of an actual-hold-in-your-hands-and-flip-the-pages book. Lane uses a reading monkey, a digitally crazed jackass and a mouse (the animal kind not the clicking kind) to tell the story of the value of books. With books, he imparts, we can unplug and disconnect from streaming video, tweets a plenty and a moving screen and get lost in a captivating story. He even puts in a plug for libraries while he's at it. Nice!

Now, part deux... I am certain there are individuals that will have issue with the jackass (who is only called out for his jackassiness on the very last page). I actually found this the funniest part of the book and a great opportunity to remind my own kiddo of why books - real, live books - are so wonderful. I also got to explain why we don't want to use any words to name call or hurt another person. A bonus parenting moment from this clever little book!

The reality is we are moving into a world where it's highly possible that kids will grow up without much exposure to actual books outside of text books. Will they know the pleasure of reading a book for pleasure or see the value of cracking open a new book and getting lost flipping the pages on a lazy Saturday afternoon?

I certainly hope not.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Pages: 32

Genre: Children's

Week 41: Theology: How a Boy Wonder Led the Red Sox to the Promised Land - Joe Frascella

2010-10-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

This week my BFF and I are in Beantown for a girls week away. It's her first time and my second to what's fast becoming one of my absolute favorite places to visit. Boston has history, fantastic food and so much to do. In the spirit of this trip and a great tour of Fenway Park we just took (one of the best tours so far), I decided to pick up THEOLOGY: HOW A BOY WONDER LED THE RED SOX TO THE PROMISED LAND by John Frascella. If Helen Fielding was the queen of chick-lit, I think Frascella may be on the high court for dick-lit in this breezy book about baseball for boys.

Not to say that women won't like this, but it's heavy on details and stats on the rise of one smart and quirky Theo Epstein as the youngest major league General Manager in the history of the game. Appointed at 28 in 2002, the Boston Red Sox broke an 86 year old curse to win the National Championship. Shockingly, he resigned in 2005 and was rehired just 3 months later. Since then, the Sox won another ring in 2007.

Frascella's writing is a bit light and airy and his book comes off more as a tribute than a non-fiction account of an interesting person of note. Epstein is apparently tremendously private and I understand did not participate or cooperate with the publication of this book. That being said, most of it appears to have been obtained by information you can Google about Epstein or the Sox.

I found Frascella's story to take on almost too strong a tone of adoration. Certainly, Epstein is bright and has done a lot to help the Red Sox franchise, but the high praise is a bit syrupy sweet for my taste. True baseball fans, and Red Sox aficionados for sure, might really enjoy the flavor of Frascella's writing.

For me, Frascella's THEOLOGY is no book wonder, but an enjoyable read for anyone interested in covering the bases on some recent Red Sox history making.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 2 stars

Pages: 208

Genre: Non-Fiction

Week 40: The Trouble with Poetry and Other Poems - Billy Collins

2010-10-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

Right before heading out for vacation it seemed a perfect week to revisit one of my favorite authors; a poet, no less. I love Billy Collins and after reading two of his collections (Ballistics this year and Nine Horses a while back) I was anxious to pick up a third. THE TROUBLE WITH POETRY AND OTHER POEMS was the lucky winner. The title alone cinched this week's selection for me.

I mean, there's so much trouble with poetry, isn't there? Or maybe it's there's so much trouble with me and poetry. Poetry and I have a long and sordid history. One that involves a lot of not getting along and total misunderstandings. Then Billy came along and he was like the new poetry boyfriend that really "got me".

That all being said, the trouble with THE TROUBLE WITH POETRY is that overall, it's not my favorite of his collections, yet it has my all-time favorite poem of his in it: The Lanyard.

Trouble, indeed.

In simple words that evoke real emotions, Collins is able to show the attempt a child makes in saying thank you to his mother for all that she has done (including giving him life) by making her a lanyard at summer camp. It's funny and poignant and nothing short of wonderful. You, Reader; On Traveling Alone; On Not Finding You at Home; Class Picture, 1954; Fool Me Good and The Trouble with Poetry are my favorites after one reading.

While there are a handful of great poems in THE TROUBLE WITH POETRY, there are a number that I didn't connect with. Despite this, I am not sensing trouble in paradise just yet. I am finding that poetry is often something to be contemplated and considered and may not hit the spot after the first reading and I am okay with that. This reconciliation poetry and I have going on is still very much in the beginning stages. It's definitely too soon to throw in the towel. I think we are both willing to spend some time on it and see where it all goes. I might even start reading other poetry because of it.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Pages: 112

Genre: Poetry

Week 39: To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

2010-10-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

It's Banned Book Week this week and I am going back into the vault to dust off and return to a classic, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee. How this book was ever banned, I just don't understand. Well, unfortunately, I do. Fear, ignorance, control, and whatever all that mess is that goes into limiting the scope and viewpoints and minds of people, that's what. And it's such a shame, because this is a glorious book.

At a time when people weren't writing like this, Harper Lee put out a beautifully written book about the coming of age of young Scout and Jem Finch the summer their daddy Atticus Finch was set to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman in the small southern spot of Maycomb County, Alabama. And if that isn't a lot to consider, consider this: It was published in 1960 at a time when race relations where top of mind across the country. Wait now. It's 2010 and race relations are still top of mind across the country. And 50 years later, this book is still painfully and so importantly relevant.

Now, I know for a fact that I am not likely to shed any new light on Lee's masterpiece for which she earned the Pulitzer Prize. This book has been read and dissected far too many times and ways for me to have a new little nugget. And while I think everyone has read it, perhaps that's not the case, so I don't want to give away any spoilers. Just know this: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, to me, is a story about relationships.

"As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something, and don't you forget it--whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash." Atticus Finch

It's about how we are supposed to treat one another, not how we aren't.

"They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions," said Atticus, "but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by a majority rule is a person's conscience." Atticus Finch

It's about the similarities people share and in how much greater abundance they are than our differences.

"I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks." Scout Finch
I would encourage anyone to pick this up again; and if you haven't, don't delay. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a masterpiece.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Pages: 336

Genre:

Week 38: A Virtuous Woman - Kaye Gibbons

2010-09-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

Fall is the craziest time for me at work. It's my busy season if I were an accountant. My three months of Black Fridays if I were in retail. And it's a time that I don't need anything extra going on, but there always is something a little extra. This time it's an upcoming week off in Boston (timed for the change in season, not my workload) and, of course, this project. So I reached this week for a book I have had for years: A VIRTUOUS WOMAN by Kaye Gibbons.

I fell immediately into this slender love story, told in alternating chapters by Jack Stokes and Ruby Pitt Woodrow, seemingly mismatched lovers with about 20 years separating them. Jack was nothing to look at, but knew the moment he set his eyes on Ruby that she was a girl he could marry. Ruby, having just come out of an abusive marriage was looking for someone safe and kind. It was this connection, a desire to love and be loved, that seemed to work for them.

At the start of the book, we learn that Ruby has succumbed to a difficult and much to early battle with cancer. Jack is stumbling through this loss and it is through his memories and her narrative prior to her death that we learn what a rich love they had, despite or in spite of their circumstances.

A VIRTUOUS WOMAN is a lovely story told with a southern lilt that I always enjoy reading. It's not a book that will change your world, but one that can take you away from it, if only for a few hours, and expose you to an uncommon but richly told story of enduring love.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Pages: 176

Genre: Fiction

Week 37: The Table Where Rich People Sit - Byrd Baylor

2010-09-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

It's confession time. I am reading many more children's books for this project than I anticipated. They are a great pick when it's a hectic week. I also have a six year old son that I am trying to mold and shape into an avid reader in a world where video games and TV rule. And, I am actually finding that some of these books provide a nice shift in focus and perspective, reminding me of imagination, wonder and the things that really matter. Byrd Baylor's works fill that need perfectly.

I first read Byrd Baylor with the kiddo this summer (EVERYBODY NEEDS A ROCK) and fell in love with her words and the illustrations of Peter Parnall. Then through a decades-old friendship rekindled on Facebook, I received a recommendation of THE TABLE WHERE RICH PEOPLE SIT, another Baylor/Parnall partnership that is both endearing and beautifully told.

THE TABLE WHERE RICH PEOPLE SIT concerns Mountain Girl, nicknamed for her birth place, a young girl troubled by her parent's disinterest in acquiring more money and things for her and her brother. Her disdain for her parent's seemingly simple-minded approach to living is broached at dinner while sitting at "our old scratched-up homemade kitchen table."

As I turned the pages, a beautiful story focused on the riches that come from nature, relationships and experiences unfolded. The illustrations are as critical a component to the storytelling as the poetic verse, with gorgeous water colors randomly and sporadically filling in the hand-drawn shapes. I think the message went a bit over the head of my six year old. And, in full disclosure, he fell asleep before I hit the last page. But I kept reading Baylor's words aloud, savoring them along with the illustrations that truly are amongst the most creative I have ever seen.

I wholly recommend this book for children (probably eight and older) and adults. I am anxious to dig into the other Baylor/Parnall books I picked up while buying THE TABLE WHERE RICH PEOPLE SIT. I wouldn't be surprised if I am back again reviewing their other collaborative efforts.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Pages: 32

Genre: Children's

Week 36: Hector and the Search for Happiness - Francois Lelord

2010-09-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

I think this was the first near miss of a week in the project so far. Not bad, considering I am past the halfway mark. It should be smooth sailing from this point on, right? I should have this whole book-a-week thing down to a science! Not so, dear readers. Not so.

I started the week fully intending to read a certain book that, try as I might, I could not get into. After five days of scratching at the surface of this book, something had to be done. So last night at 5:30 p.m., I made an executive decision. I dumped the once-intended book and headed over to the local neighborhood bookstore to pick up a gift for a friend and hoped to find a workable replacement.

I established just two requirements: It needed to be slender in size and of a subject matter that was easily consumed in less than six hours (not counting sleep and some errands I had to run was all I had until the kiddo came home and I was back on full-time Mommy duty). I know, my options where whittled down between slim and none. Imagine my delight, however, when I came across the very thin spine of this lovely little number with the whimsical cover design and super cute title font. Shallow, I know. But, hey, what's a girl on a mission (and a rapidly approaching deadline) to do?

Well, this girl read the back cover and snatched this little beauty right up! And she can tell you that judging this sweet little book by its cover worked out like a gem because not only did she finish HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS just in the nick of time, but she found it utterly charming! Okay, enough with the third person weirdness.

HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS is French psychiatrist Francois Lelord's child-like fable about a fictional psychiatrist Hector's concern with the amount of unhappiness he sees in his patients. So concerned is Hector, that he sets out on a tour of China, Africa and the U.S. (which is never named and only described as "the country of More") to try and understand what it is that makes people happy in hopes that he can better help his own patients. It is through conversations and experiences with his international friends--and strangers he meets along the way-- that he is able to glean a handful of nuggets about happiness.

While written as a fable, HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS is not a children's book. Hector encounters real issues faced by adults everywhere, himself included. I found the simplistic style endearing and it made the book work. At the end of the day, many of the things that make us happy aren't earth-shattering discoveries. They are simple things like being with the ones we love. They are things that, when we allow ourselves to live in the moment, jump out and come into full color and clear focus.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

And stay tuned for more Hector. I have just learned that this is the first of a series of Hector books that are soon coming to America!

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 192

Week 35: Still Missing - Chevy Stevens

2010-09-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

Want to get away? I mean really away? I mean so away that you won't even know that the place you have been transported to could even exist? I am not talking about alternate universes or some sort of fantastical made up world. No, I am talking about a modern-day, hair-raising thriller that will have you flying through the chapters, while double checking your locks at the same time. I am talking about a great recommendation for your next book club meeting. I am talking about STILL MISSING by newcomer--and one to watch--Chevy Stevens.

STILL MISSING features Annie O'Sullivan, a 32 year old realtor closing up shop after an ill-attended open house when a pleasant looking prospect pops in for just a peek. Knowing that her boyfriend Luke is patiently waiting on her for dinner, Annie hesitates to spend any extra time on an unlikely buyer. But a warm smile and friendly demeanor causes her to take the few extra minutes for one last showing. It's that split second decision that changes everything for Annie. In just a matter of minutes, she's being directed at gunpoint into a van, drugged and taken to a remote cabin in the mountains where she will remain missing for a year.

So have I just given everything away? Hardly.

The book actually opens with Annie having returned from this harrowing ordeal and recounting all of the events in counseling sessions to a therapist. Details that include her new life under the controlling arm of "The Freak", as Annie calls him, a crazy psychopath who dresses her, bathes her, rapes her, tells her when she can go to the bathroom and directs what and when she can eat.

So what's left to tell? A lot, actually.

Stevens' second story line--Annie's life in the present, seeking therapy and working with the police to solve her mystery--is chock full twists and turns that had me guessing until the end. In fact, no one in my entire book club was able to figure it out. A great sign of a good thriller, go figure. Many of us said that STILL MISSING is so frighteningly real that we had to keep reminding ourselves that this was a work of fiction and not a story ripped from the headlines. Most of us couldn't read it at night, but were quick to pick it right back up during daylight hours. More signs of a good thriller.

It isn't often that I am so repulsed by the actions of a story's villian, yet so compelled to keep reading. I think that was due in large part to Stevens' ability to capture the anger, fear and vulnerabilities a person like Annie would undoubtedly experience after such an ordeal under her crazed captor. It was fascinating to see how it would all eventually unfold. My only complaint with the story was around the very predictable interaction Annie had with the lead investigator on her case. It was completely unnecessary and didn't do anything to propel the story forward. With that said, STILL MISSING is a highly engrossing read and one that leaves you thankful it's a complete and total fabrication.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 352

Week 34: Let's Take the Long Way Home - Gail Caldwell

2010-08-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

For the past 33 weeks I have chosen a book to read and write about for this yearlong reading project. Sometimes the selection process is a thoughtful one; other times there's not much more than a single thought in my brain as I reach up and grab the next book off of the shelf and attempt to dive right in.

This week, however, something different happened. I didn't choose a book. A book chose me.

I am not saying that a book flew out of my bookcase and into my hands. Nor did one come to me in a dream or some kind of vision imploring me to read it. No, it was as simple as a spontaneous late-night online shopping excursion fueled by the discovery of a long lost gift card in my in box. It didn't hurt that amazon.com had it sitting in the "We have recommendations for you" section of their site, or that it was a memoir. But it was the title, simple cover and summary that drew me in. And that's how LET'S TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME by Gail Caldwell came to me.

But that's not how it chose me.

I downloaded the book to my Kindle within seconds and then left it to wait until I was ready to read it. The truth is that I rarely, if ever, read a book right after I buy it. Sometimes I do, but not usually.

Well, welcome to sometimes.

After just a few days of having purchased LET'S TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME, I found myself eager to start this book that was already garnering solid buzz. Within the first two paragraphs, though, I caught my breath and had to stop.

It's an old, old story: I had a friend and we shared everything, and then she died and so we shared that, too.

...

For years we had played the easy, daily game of catch that intimate connection implies. One ball, two gloves, equal joy in the throw and return. Now I was in the field without her: one glove, no game. Grief is what tells you who you are when you are alone.

So very sad. And, yet, so beautiful.

And so goes LET'S TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME, a sad yet beautiful account of Caldwell's friendship with fellow writer Caroline Knapp. The two had been set up through a mutual acquaintance that was certain their love of writing and dogs would bond them. As it turned out, they had even more in common than a life of writing, they both loved the outdoors (Knapp a rower, Caldwell a swimmer) and both battled decades-long addictions to alcohol that were long left behind at the time their friendship formed.

As similar as the two were, differences abounded. Caldwell achieved literary acclaim as a Pulitzer prize winning book critic with her audience and those around her unaware of her alcoholism. Knapp came into the fray with her critically lauded, DRINKING: A LOVE STORY an intimate and candid look at a woman's affinity for the bottle. It's only now, through this book, that Caldwell is comfortable sharing her addiction and it seems as this book is as much a tribute to friendship as it is a mechanism through which she can process her own grief and come clean about her own demons.

Heavy stuff for sure. But there are also moments of humor and candor that had me quietly smiling in agreement or laughing out loud.

"Men don't really understand women's friendships, do they?" I once asked my friend Louise, a writer who lived in Minnesota. "Oh God, no," she said. "And we must never tell them."

Caldwell captures the ebb and flow of seriousness and brevity that makes friendships--especially those between women--so rich and dynamic. Despite her loss, Caldwell knows she is a better person for knowing Knapp and having shared the intimacy and connection that a rich and deep relationship affords, even if only to lose that friend far too soon.

I know now that we never get over great losses; we absorb them, and they carve us into different, often kinder, creatures.

At the end of the day, LET'S TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME is a sentimental and gracefully told story. I was eager to write my review and share this gem of a book with all my female friends, but found that I couldn't immediately do so. I needed time for Caldwell's words to settle into all nooks and crannies of my heart. I needed time to reflect on my own friendships and was reminded how very fortunate I am to have them. I needed time to wrap my head around what I wanted to capture here and I am almost certain my words fall entirely too short.

So I will leave you with a simple request: Read this book. Step away from all the responsibilities of your world and find a few hours that you can immerse yourself with an exquisite account of life, loss, friendship and all that falls in between.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 208

Week 33: The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

2010-08-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

Life has felt kind of crazy lately. Everything is swirling around me at a rapid-fire rate and I am not seeing much of a slowdown in the near future. There's a lot of external clatter. The push and pull, tug and tear of all the things that people are asking of me. Things that need to be done. Things that I demand of myself that really don't have to be done and all the things that I just wish would magically get done on their own. Focus is hard. I jump from task to task, welcoming distractions, while at the same time clamoring for a little peace and quiet.

I close my eyes.

I take a deep breath.

I relish the solitary seconds of these two infinitely small, highly restorative actions; and then I hear a small little voice calling me.

"It's time for stories mommy!"

I am confident I don't have the energy this week, or this night to pull off a dramatically engaging story with distinctly different sounding characters. But I gather what little left I have in me for this sweet child who adores this time we spend every night (as do I) cuddling and turning the pages of a curious new adventure... and then I remember THE QUIET BOOK by Deborah Underwood.

Yes! A children's book is actually the perfect remedy to all this commotion. Well, that and spending some A+ quality time with the kiddo.

There's no doubting THE QUIET BOOK is a children's book. But in the few times that I have read it, I think I have benefited more (okay, maybe differently) than my son has. It's a lovely little book, graced with delightfully drawn woodland creatures by Renata Liwska, that shares the variety of quiet moments a child can encounter in a day. Bunnies, birds, bears and deer experience quiet moments like "Sleeping sister quiet," "Lollipop quiet," and "Bedtime kiss quiet."

As we turn the pages, I feel myself relaxing and slowing down. The pace of the book actually encourages this. There are bursts of loud quiet, like "Right before you yell SURPRISE! quiet" which makes my little guy laugh and read the page again, blurting SURPRISE even louder. Now we are both laughing.

"This is my favorite kind of quiet, mommy," he says as we turn the page to "Top of the roller coaster quiet."

And I can almost picture his own face, like the furry little creatures sitting in the car at the top of the ride, a mixture of fear and exhilaration capturing their breath before they round the corner and come flying down.

"That's a good one," I acknowledge.

My favorite sits on the adjoining page, a serene scene of a bunny and bear skipping rocks across the water. "Best friends don't need to talk quiet."

We finish the book and our nightly routine of songs and hugs before the official tuck-in and lights out. THE QUIET BOOK has been the perfect silencer to all the external noise of this past week.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: Children's

Pages: 32

Week 32: House of Cards - David Ellis Dickerson

2010-08-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

So a funny thing happened on my way back to the office after lunch on October 1, 2009 (and no, I don't have a freaky good memory, just mad web searching skillz)... I was listening to NPR and came into the middle of some interview with some guy that had written a book and I think greeting cards were somehow involved. And you know how that is when you are coming into a talk radio program trying to catch up and figure out what is going on. Well, I was doing that and navigating the traffic and then all of a sudden I hear Neal Conan welcoming some caller named Tracy to the show and within the first syllable of this Tracy person opening her mouth I realize it's TracEY and she's a dear friend of mine from college who I had not seen in about six years. And here she is calling in to say she knows the author, Dave Dickerson and they went to college together and she was so excited to hear of his book and success and just wanted to say hello. And I know there were just too many ands in that paragraph but it really was all that.

AND... how cool and weird that we were all, in some way or some relay, all catching up with some part of each other through Neal's show. Now, I don't know Dave, but he sounded very affable and smart and I made a note to look up his book.

Fast forward nine months and Tracey and I are catching up over chips, salsa and a great lunch while she's in town just for the weekend. I had not picked up Dickerson's book, HOUSE OF CARDS: LOVE, FAITH, AND OTHER SOCIAL EXPRESSIONS (but I had looked it up and added it to my list to get, really!) In our chatting, she brings up her friend Dave and mentions that they have reconnected and she's terribly embarrassed, but she needs to excuse herself to send him a text about some reading event that was happening right as we were getting our 37th refills of iced tea because we had been gabbing for that long. Then you know what she says? She says, "Let's go over to the bookstore and if they have his book... I am getting it for you. I think you will love it."

Now, I am never one to pass up a book--a free one at that. And, with it being one that was already on my list to get, well picture me pleased while I picture you all wondering if I am ever going to get to my review of it. And, I will. In just a minute. I promise.

So, while I was super excited to get this book, I was also kind of nervous. Tracey knows about this crazy reading project I am doing and she knows I write up reviews of all the books I read. Big deal, right? Well, I haven't been in a situation where I am friends with someone who is also friends with the writer of one of the books I am actually reviewing. Tracey is cool beyond cool and would want me to be totally honest, which is great. But truth be told, there was a little bit of pressure. Just a tad.

Well thank goodness Tracey knows me as well as she does (college friendship plus 20 years and a facebook reconnection will do that for you). I really adored HOUSE OF CARDS.

The first thing it has going for it is that it's a memoir. You all have pretty much figured out that I love me some memoir. Secondly, it's so very well written. Very well. Dickerson is wicked smart (like so smart he creates those crazy puzzles that are published in puzzle magazines for other smarty smartenheimers that I can only imagine exist). He's also a master with the rhyme and friends with Will Shortz. Yet despite all this and his mighty brains, Dickerson brings the same conversational tone that I overheard while he bantered with Neal and Tracey on NPR back in October. This made reading HOUSE OF CARDS like sitting and having a conversation with an energetic and engaging friend.

Third, it's really interesting. In addition to getting a glimpse of life at Hallmark (which you would expect to be as warm and fuzzy as the cards they sell, but SPOILER ALERT: It's not!), you get a peek into the life of a lapsed fundamentalist Christian virgin who at 29 is trying to connect with others and make a name for himself doing what he does best: write.

Hallmark plays a major role in the book. In fact, it's almost another character. Dickerson describes, with much heart, the challenges and pain we all can feel when we are trying so very hard to fit in, locate like-people, and find our niche in an all-new world. Dickerson had envisioned Hallmark being a perfect landing spot; but, it proved to be one nut that was a pretty tough to crack.

The secondary story line that actually ends up proving to be of primary focus, is that of Dickerson's personal history and his relationships. Dickerson grew up in an extremely conservative religious environment that he began to question as an adult. Despite initially converting to Catholicism and embracing more liberal views of the world (he's now an Atheist), he found it hard to break from preconceived notions and beliefs that had guided him for so long. In his time at Hallmark, the rose colored glasses were coming off and it resulted in some hilarious, heartbreaking and cringe-worthy moments that may not be the experiences of the average modern male, but they were his own.

I guess you could say that HOUSE OF CARDS is a story that captures a window of time in the life of a man who is finding his way. A bit of a late bloomer who is finding his stride. A man who definitely has found his niche in the wonderful world of words.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Oh, and if you want to check out his chat with Neal, CLICK OVER HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 384

Week 31: Mennonite in a Little Black Dress - Rhoda Janzen

2010-08-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

MENNONITE IN A LITTLE BLACK DRESS: You had me at the cover of your delightful looking little book. Yes, it was your cover that had my interest on high alert and my mouse ready to click "Add to Cart". Then I looked closer and saw that you were a memoir. And you were endorsed by Elizabeth Gilbert of EAT, PRAY, LOVE fame. Well, I just had to add you to my shelf of all of my other impulsive book purchases that I have made but can't actually make good on reading until some later date because that's just how I roll.

Fast forward two months and my book club selected it for our August read. Picture me thrilled! Fast forward just a teensy bit more and see me glad to have read it but with a luster that's faded ever so slightly.

MENNONITE IN A LITTLE BLACK DRESS (MENNO) is writer and professor Rhoda Janzen's memoir of returning to her roots after a devastating car accident that left her physically scarred and the dissolution of her 15-year marriage that emotionally wrecked her. Home for Janzen is her Mennonite community on the west coast, thousands of miles from the midwest and her life of academia. Despite eschewing much about the faith, the food and the conservative upbringing her parents provided, Janzen finds that home is where the healing is.

In a dozen or so chapters, Janzen shares her history, both as a Mennonite daughter and then a codependent wife married to a charismatic yet bipolar, emotionally abusive and ultimately bisexual man who leaves her for another man. Her gift is in her sense of humor and ability to embrace a community that she once left behind. Janzen does this with a very conversational tone, a must for me in a good memoir. She seems very real and someone who would be great to sit next to at a dinner party.

My only real complaint was the number of stories and anecdotes she shared to give the reader a glimpse of her personal history. She crams so many of them into MENNO that I felt that she often interrupted herself to get another story in. And yet there were moments of realization, of reflection and remembrance captured so very eloquently that her talents as a writer can't be denied. And, it's this contradiction that has me struggling. I think MENNO is definitely worth a recommendation, but I wouldn't say it's for everyone. Oh, how I wanted to remain as totally smitten with this book as when I first laid eyes upon the cover! But I am a little more informed and a little better off for having read it. And I am sure, just like finding the perfect little black dress, this book will be the perfect fit for that special someone.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Pages: 272

Genre: Memoir

Week 30: Crush It - Gary Vaynerchuk

2010-08-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

It's a slim book this week. The week I am officially back in the office for just one week before I am out for another week. You know how that goes. Busting your ass so you can be out for a week only to come back from a week away to more work than you know what to do with. And then I had to use that week to prepare for another week away. So blah, blah, blah. I am talking in circles and just need to get going with what was going on this week between the covers... ummm book covers, that is!

This week, at the recommendation of a colleague, I read CRUSH IT: WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO CASH IN ON YOUR PASSION by Gary Vaynerchuk. I have a role in my company's social media strategy and presence and this colleague knows about my love of reading and blogging and this little online nook I have carved out for myself and thought this would be a perfect read for me.

In some instances, CRUSH IT was perfect. At just 160 pages during a crazy busy week, the perfect size of it screamed out to me. It's also very readable and easy to digest. But in tone and overall impact, CRUSH IT was far from receiving a 5 star rating.

Vaynerchuk is a successful business man, having taken his father's wine business from a single brick and mortar liquor establishment to multi-million dollar online business. He's created a highly social, easily accessible online environment for wine lovers to congregate, get informed and buy wine. Vaynerchuk has leveraged social media (and this is more than Facebook and Twitter) to cultivate a space for his business and his customers that is not just all about buying wine. By utilizing different space and newer technology, he's promoting not just a business but a lifestyle. He's crushed it. He's living his passion and wants everyone else to do the same.

And that's part of the same-old, same-old of CRUSH IT. In many ways, it's just another book by someone who has made it telling those of us who haven't to get off our butts, quit our jobs and live our passion. It's a great idea in theory but so very hard to execute. Maybe that's the non-risk-taker in me talking... When I get past that, the next hurdle is Vaynerchuk's explosive energy that really comes across like a multi-level marketing plan sales pitch. I'm all for positive energy and the old go-gettem-tiger! attitude... But CRUSH IT lays it on pretty thick.

When you can get past the get-rich-quick sounding vibe, Vaynerchuk does share some great ideas, gives access to online resources that are both familiar and some very new ones. He also goes out of his way to be a resource and mentor for his readers to help them do whatever it is they love, how to be the very best at it, create a space for it, and at the the end of the day... crush it.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Pages: 160

Genre: Business

Week 29: Long on Books, Short on Reviews!

2010-07-25T21:50:00.000-07:00

So this past week I have been in Oklahoma with the kiddo visiting family. It has been a week of indulgence. Sleeping in, sunning lots, laughing more, forgetting calories, competitive bouts of dominoes, Uno and Rummy. Oh, and lots of books. In a word, it has been a little slice of perfection.

I was able to knock out three books this week before getting back to the grind of daily living. I really considered just keeping this windfall a secret and writing up a single review for each of the books and posting them across the next three weeks, but you all know I just can't do that. Plus, I have the next two weeks of books already selected for my August book club and my work trip to New Orleans, so there you go. And, since that grind is about to start up here real fast, here I go with three reviews that are short and sweet.

Book 29: The Super by Jim Lehrer

Career newsman Jim Lehrer, famous for the MacNeil/Leher NewsHour and more recently the PBS Newshour, has another iron in the fire as a novelist. Who knew? I certainly didn't, but my folks did and this week while I was back in the heartland they recommended I check out Lehrer's 20th novel, THE SUPER.

THE SUPER takes readers back to 1956, a time when luxury travel was via train, most specifically, Santa Fe Railway's The Super Chief. Lehrer weaves together actual historical events and individuals with fiction to create an interesting story of what could have been during one 39-hour trip along The Super Chief's route from Chicago to Los Angeles. The individuals at the forefront are The King of Hollywood, Clark Gable; millionaire Super Chief regular, Otto Wheeler who hopes to die riding the majestic train; fading Hollywood movie producers Darwin Rinehart and Gene Matthews; as well as former President Harry Truman. When a passenger ends up dead just hours into the trip, an all-out investigation ensues.

Reading about a simpler, more luxurious time was certainly enjoyable; yet I felt that Lehrer spent too much time building up the action and it was only after page 100 that I was really engaged. Not a problem if we are talking about a 700 page book. But at 224 pages, that's almost halfway in that I finally really cared. It was also hard to distinguish between a number of the Hollywood producer types in the alternating chapters of the story. Lastly, the intrigue was not at the level of a Murder on the Orient Express, which the book jacket references, but a softer mystery.

Overall, I think people interested in train travel and the days when the silver screen ruled over the small boxes in our living rooms will enjoy THE SUPER. Folks looking for a page turning, gut wrenching thriller will need to grab a different book off the shelf.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 224
Genre: Fiction

Book 30: Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor (Author) and Peter Parnall (Illustrator)

I adored this book!

I am not going to wait and tell you and that may make the rest of what follows not really matter since I spilled the beans in the first sentence of my review, but I don't care.

I absolutely adored this book!

When visiting the folks, they save the kiddo and I the trouble of bringing books by swinging by their local library and grabbing a few titles for us. It's a great way for us to get exposure to stuff we might not normally pick up and it's even more special when there's a gem in the mix like EVERYBODY NEEDS A ROCK.

Written in 1985, EVERYBODY NEEDS A ROCK is a delightful children's book that eschews toys and other material things for the pursuit of nature and the world around us. The narrator, a young Native American girl, walks kids through the rules of navigating the great outdoors to find the perfect rock. Be it smooth or lumpy, shiny or dull, she recommends that it should be small enough to fit in your pocket and that you should select it entirely on your own (not rushed or at the direction of some adult).

Written in a poetic nature, the tone of the book is delightful and what truly makes it special are the exquisite illustrations. I haven't seen anything like them. Peter Parnall has captured the whimsy and nature and childhood with these gorgeous drawings illustrations which embody the beauty of Native American art.

EVERYBODY NEEDS A ROCK is a rare and wonderful find. I loved it so much I am buying copy for the kiddo and me. Everybody does need a rock, but they need this book too.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars
Pages: 32
Genre: Children's Literature

Book 31: Marland Tragedy by Kim Brumley

Part of my time in Oklahoma was in Ponca City, a quiet pocket of gorgeous tree-lined streets that is rich in both history and a smidge of scandal when you mention the name Marland. That's E. W. Marland, a pioneer of the Oklahoma oil industry.

I have actually spent many a summer in Ponca City just walking distance from the Marland Mansion (and walked the grounds of the property many a time, I have). It seemed only fitting to pick up a book about the highly controversial E.W., and at just under 200 pages, MARLAND TRAGEDY it was.

MARLAND TRAGEDY follows E. W.'s contributions to the oil industry, being one of the first to find and access oil in Oklahoma and creating Marland Oil Company which paved the way for companies like Conoco to enter the scene. Oklahoma native, historian and author Kim Brumley also chronicles Marland's numerous efforts as a philanthropist to improve the status and surroundings of his fellow Oklahomans. Marland lived, for many years, a life of luxury and opulence before poor business and political decisions would undermine his efforts. And, unfortunately, his legacy is a tainted one due to his marriage to an adopted niece, Lyde.

Yep, you read that right. Marland adopted the niece of his first wife (and her brother) when their parents could no longer care for the children and Marland then annulled the adoption in order to marry Lyde. And this was all after his first wife Virginia died. It was probably for the best she wasn't alive to see how his life played out.

Now, Lyde was no longer a child when the annulment and subsequent marriage occurred. They weren't technically related. She was also a willing and consenting participant in the relationship. However, it's a little Woody Allenish and, for a number of reasons, the act was considered highly scandalous and attracted the attention of city residents, business partners, politicians and peers throughout the country. What followed were years of public scrutiny, bouts of seclusion and disappearing acts, ongoing scandal and rumor, and what was probably the total destruction of Lyde's human spirit. Tragic, indeed.

While the facts, not all of which are proven, that surround the Marland family are indeed fascinating, MARLAND TRAGEDY is jumpy, a bit repetitive in structure and style and in need of a strong editing hand. Despite that, it's clear that Brumley has a passion for Oklahoma history and the indelible imprints made by this highly generous, yet equally dysfunctional family. It won't be the most eloquently written autobiography you pick up, but it reads at an engaging clip.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 188
Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography

Week 28: World of Pies - Karen Stolz

2010-07-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

The week before you go on vacation always seems to be like regular life, just intensified. Less sleep, more work, less ease, more stress... all just to take a few days off. This week was no different. I was about to pack up the boy and head out to the heartland for a week long visit of rest, cooking out, sleeping in, game nights and sun-kissed skin. I needed an easy book this week, the week before my officially easy week. WORLD OF PIES by Karen Stolz fit the bill perfectly.

This slim collection of stories centers around Roxanne Milner a young girl growing up in small town Annette, Texas in the early 1960s. Each chapter focuses on a time in Roxanne's life during the critical ages of 12 - 30 something when she's coming of age and coming into her own. Stolz does a good job creating a picture of Roxanne, her evolving best friendships, awkward first loves and losses all the way into marriage and a family of her own. The town of Annette is charming and a character of its own in the story, with mainstays such as Carl's Corsets (Roxanne's father's lingerie shop and source of embarrassment for her) and Doreen's (the best place for a burger and malt) which provide the reader a great sense of the community in which Roxanne grew up.

While WORLD OF PIES hearkens back to a seemingly simpler time, Stolz doesn't shy away from weightier subjects (racism, Vietnam) that are sprinkled throughout the book in a way that remind us where we came from and bring more depth--without overpowering the story--to what could just be retro summer chick lit. But there is a fair amount of chick in this lit and that's what makes it a perfect summer read. Desserts play a prominent role in WORLD OF PIES, shockingly though, pies are the least mentioned! That was my only complaint with the book. With a title like WORLD OF PIES, I expected them to have more of a feature role. Stolz makes up for this by providing the character's recipes at the end of the book. A sweet additional treat to an already delightful book.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 176
Genre: Fiction

Week 27: Secrets of Eden - Chris Bohjalian

2010-07-11T23:56:00.000-07:00

Just hours after Alice Hayward is baptized, she's found strangled to death in her home. Sitting a few feet away from Alice's body is her also-dead husband George, his brains blown out against the living room window in what appears to be a murder-suicide. And so starts SECRETS OF EDEN, a really hard-to-put-down and engaging page turner by Chris Bohjalian the author of MIDWIVES and THE DOUBLE BIND.

SECRETS OF EDEN wastes no time setting up the story and leaving the residents of small town Haverville, Vermont (and the reader) left to try and understand what would cause upstanding community business leader George Hayward to snap so violently and inflict such pain and devastation, all the while leaving behind a 15 year old daughter, Katie. Yet there were a few people who knew what happened behind the closed doors of the Hayward home and it's Bohjalian who utilizes four of these individuals to tell the story of their tragic ending. First up is Reverend Stephen Drew, a trusted confidante, aware of the pain and strife Alice encountered. Second is Catherine Benincasa, Haverville's resident attorney called in to investigate the deaths (and already aware of the restraining order Alice had requested just months before her passing). Spiritual self-help author du jour Heather Laurent, herself an orphan due to domestic violence, enters the fray with hopes of supporting Katie. And finally, thoroughly devastated Katie herself.

Employing this multi-narrative strategy to tell the story could have been a mess, but proves otherwise due to Bohjalian's ability to believably create four wholly unique individuals with different and often conflicting points of view. As each narrator spoke in first person, it established an intimacy that had me feeling like I, too, was a fellow resident or friend listening in and maybe even participating in the gossip that comes with such a scandal. I was also able to see the blind spots and gaps in each of their perspectives, as an effective first-person narrative allows you to do, and slowly piece together what I thought happened between Alice and George.

Now, I won't tell you if I was successful in determining the conclusion. I will tell you that SECRETS OF EDEN was a quick read, perfect for a lazy summer weekend when you want to shut off the TV and delve into a story rich with character development and full of intrigue.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 384

Genre: Fiction

Week 26: Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith - Jon Krakauer

2010-07-03T23:30:00.000-07:00

On July 27, 1984 brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty brutally murdered their sister-in-law and 15-month old niece. They said it was a directive from God, a "removal revelation."

In fact, Dan Lafferty's exact words were, "I was doing God's will, which is not a crime."

And so sets the stage for UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN: A STORY OF VIOLENT FAITH by Jon Krakauer, an exhaustive exploration into the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (The Church of Mormon or LDS) and the excommunicated sect, The Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS).

I actually sat down with this book in 2003, when I was five months pregnant. While I hadn't read Krakauer's previous books, INTO THIN AIR or INTO THE WILD, I knew he was a well-respected non-fiction writer who had received a fair amount of acclaim. After making it through 100 pages, though, I had to put it down. The violence, especially involving the baby was too much to bear while my own baby was growing inside of me and my hormones were all crazy. The historical backstory was especially comprehensive and just too dense for me to really get lost in. Fast forward six years and one of my fellow book clubbers mandated it for her turn hosting this July and here I am again.

The second time around the violence was still hard to read and the history was again dense and slow moving, much like working your way through a thatchy forest, pushing the bark and leaves out of your way to make it to the clearing. That being said, I think this is an important book, flawed and all.

Why?

It's important to understand history so we can anticipate and plan for the future. It's important to learn other's perspectives and their world views in hopes of understanding them. When things go wrong (horribly, horribly wrong), it's important to be willing to go back--even to the very beginning--to understand how it could have happened. And, hopefully, to do whatever is needed so it doesn't happen again. However, this becomes infinitely complicated when the horribly, horribly wrong is done in the name of religious freedom.

UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN recounts Ron and Dan Lafferty's movement into the fundamentalist teachings that sprang from LDS founder Joseph Smith and subsequent self-ordained prophets throughout Mormon history. The FLDS faith is riddled with documented atrocities toward women and girls (including physical, sexual and emotional abuse) placing them outside of an equal role with men, and into one that views them as property. When Ron's wife Dianna can no longer take his steadily growing controlling nature she leaves him and takes their children across the country. Her departure sets off a downward spiral in Ron, already angry at the world and profoundly narcissistic, who copes through obsessive prayer and requests for revelations from God. Finally, he gets his wish; a direct order to kill his sister-in-law Brenda and her daughter Erica, as well as two other community members, all seen by Ron as having aided in Dianna leaving and disrupting God's plan for him.

Interestingly though, Ron's revelation isn't for him to kill them, but for his brother Dan to do it. He is just the voice, while Dan is the body to carry out the revelation. Ron's increasing anger and narcissim compounded with Dan's fervent fundamentalist fanaticism enabled them to "do God's will" and take lives of two innocent people. Fortunately, they were unable to carry out the other murders due to some circumstances beyond their control.

Horrifying? Yes. Fascinating? Eerily so. Unconscionable? Absolutely. And yet, everything I shared with you was a supporting character to the chapter upon chapter of the starring role: The History of Joseph Smith and the Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This is a problem only because the book--on the front cover even--markets itself as a true crime story. I wanted to know so much more about what led up to the murders of Brenda and Erica and just enough history for me to understand the role that violence has played in the FLDS faith. Before closing the book I wanted to know:

When Ron shared his revelation with people of his church, why did no one go to the police?

Why didn't Brenda's husband Allen do anything to protect her? Yes, Ron told him too.

Why did no one tell Brenda that they feared for her life?

Why didn't Krakauer--who had access to both Dan and Ron in prison--have any follow up with Allen?

Why didn't Erica leave when she had the chance?

I can't expect all the questions to be answered, most certainly not the last one. These just seem like gaping holes in an account that is so meticulously researched documented. Still, I came away knowing more than when I came in. I came away knowing more clearly the differences between a religious community trying to appeal to the mainstream (LDS) and one that is fervently against the norm (FLDS). I came away knowing that religious fanaticism practiced under a banner of heaven, regardless of the faith being followed, can be horrifically destructive and should not be excused.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Pages: 432

Genre: Non-fiction

Week 25: The Mighty Queens of Freeville - Amy Dickinson

2010-06-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

There was not a singular moment that signaled to Amy Dickinson her marriage was over. Not her husband showing up to counseling with a suitcase having just returned from a European vacation with a girlfriend. Not when he told her he no longer loved her. Not when he said that they no longer had anything in common. And not when he reminded her that most of the men in the lives of her family had left, so it was probably something she expected. Nope. It wasn't until the moving trucks were sitting outside of her door that she registered the finality of their dissolution and was forced to move forward in life as a single mother. THE MIGHTY QUEENS OF FREEVILLE is Dickinson's account of her survival, and ultimate triumph, with the help of the women who had raised her.

It was my own mother, a single mom herself, who recommended this book to me after hearing about it on NPR or the morning news circuit or some talk show. See, Dickinson is actually a pretty famous person. She's the Amy of "Ask Amy" the advice columnist who replaced Ann Landers. She also appears frequently on NPR's "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me" and "All Things Considered". And she didn't start out that way. No, she started in Freeville, NY a small town of fewer than 1,000 people. She started surrounded by strong women who keep on when the keeping on is all you can do. And when Dickinson needed to keep on for her own sake and that of her two year old daughter, it's where she returned. Repeatedly.

Despite the title, the other women play a more secondary role than I expected. The book focuses on singular moments in Dickinson's emergence from divorce into self-sufficient, single-mother. Yes, there were a number of times that she returned to Freeville (she even bought a ramshackle house for a mere $56K to serve as a second home and safe landing spot when she needed the comfort and reassurances of home). But the book really focused on Dickinson and her daughter, Emily. That being said, I found the book thoroughly engaging, humorous, poignant and full of resonating moments.

THE MIGHTY QUEENS OF FREEVILLE came to me at a perfect time. My own single-motherhood status becomes officially official any day now and with that comes a mixture of emotions. While my situation is very different from Dickinson's, the loss of a marriage is significant, mourn-worthy and creates some of the most challenging moments going forward and out into the world with a new status. Dickinson's writing style is familiar and comforting and is probably one of the reasons she's a successful advice columnist. She's comfortable in her own skin, thanks to the independence and self-sufficiency gained early on when her own father left the family high and dry. She's bright and engaging and a bit of a self-proclaimed dork which endeared her to me further.

THE MIGHTY QUEENS OF FREEVILLE certainly has a niche demographic of readers in divorced single mothers, but I actually think it's a great book for all women struggling, needing support of others, connecting with their own resiliency and surviving because of and in spite of everything they have experienced.

And with gems like these, how could you not want to pick it up?:

On Her Mother (After Her Father Left)

She simply prevailed. Prevailing is underrated. People have the idea that unless they win, they lose. But sometimes surviving is enough. My mother knew this, and I learned it by watching her.

On Dating

The search for connection is the most basic and beautiful impulse I have. I try to enjoy my efforts--even when they are misguided, not reciprocated or doofus in the extreme.

On Advice to Her College-bound Daughter

I told her that the feelings she has when she is young will be the same feelings when she's old, and that she should try not to be afraid of them. I wanted her to be bold in her choices but careful in her actions. I told her never to be mean to someone who loved her, because regret is the only true casualty of love.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 240
Genre: Memoir

Week 24: 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight To Survive Inside the Twin Towers - Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn

2010-06-20T23:58:00.000-07:00

It was a Tuesday like any other. I rose after my normal snooze delay, always thankful for a few more minutes of rest, and got ready for work. My daily routine was uneventful. This morning was different, though. Unlike other weekdays the television remained off, freeing me from the usual background chatter of morning news anchors as I dabbed on some mascara and brushed my teeth. I relished the empty house and the total silence. I got in the car, buckled myself in and made a point not to turn on the radio as I embarked on my 45 minute commute into the the office. A few minutes into the ride my cell phone rang, jolting me out of my quiet fog and into a day that would forever live in infamy.

I can't tell you much else about that day except that it was Tuesday, September 11, 2001, and after that jarring phone call asking if I knew what was going on, the silence of the day was instantly shattered. I, along with our nation, was glued to the radio while in the car, in front of the computer at work and the television at home. It seemed that time stood still, or rather, needed to be rewound so that we could understand what was happening. We learned that American Airlines flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of New York's World Trade Center at 8:42 a.m. Surely it was a pilot error or some kind of horrible mistake. But when 16 minutes later, at 9:02 a.m., United Airlines flight 75 crashed into the South Tower (followed by American Airlines flight 77 into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. and the crash of United Airlines flight 93 near Shankesville, Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m.) it was clear this was no accident. This was a calculated, premeditated terrorist attack with aims to do severe and everlasting damage.

I am sure that for many of us the events that immediately unfolded became a blur. New York Times writers Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn bring clarity to the day by recounting every single moment of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center starting at 8:42 a.m. when the first jet crashed into Tower 1, until 10:29 a.m. when the second tower fell. 102 MINUTES: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE FIGHT TO SURVIVE INSIDE THE TWIN TOWERS is a significant body of work in capturing heroic and heartbreaking moments within and around the World Trade Center that fateful day.

Through countless interviews with survivors, families, city, state and federal officials, and research and review of phone and e-mail records, Dwyer and Flynn tell the stories of the day from the voices of the people who lived it, and those who ultimately did not. At just under 4oo pages, readers are exposed to the harrowing events of the crashes and the aftermath of challenges facing the World Trade Center's occupants due to the communication breakdowns between city agencies and the structural issues with the towers themselves.

I was fascinated reading their detailed account of the World Trade Center towers which were massive in their size and reach, yet ill-equipped to sustain the crash of a jumbo jet, despite building plans and agencies that said otherwise. They were built to maximize rentable space over safety, each with only three stairwells for 110 floors, four million square feet of office space and 20,000 occupants (versus the Empire State Building's nine stairwells for 102 floors, 2.25 million square feet and 15,000 occupants). I was baffled that infighting between NYPD, NYFD, NY Port Authority and other rescue agencies trumped necessary disaster recovery training and processes that clearly had a negative impact on the ability to share information. Rescue teams were unable to communicate which stairwells were clear and free for use, or that helicopters needed to be released to rescue tenants on the roof that couldn't descend past the floors consumed with wreckage, or even more crucial... when it was clear for folks to go back upstairs and back to work, to stay put and wait for help or when a total evacuation was necessary.

It's evident there were a number of mistakes attempting to clear out the towers. 102 MINUTES seeks not to point fingers at the failures, but to shed light on opportunities to do differently knowing what we now know. What they uncover through their research is important, vital even. It should be required reading for all of us, but most especially those in positions to impart change in the way we approach disaster and recovery efforts during an attack or high-rise fire.

And despite the harrowing events of September 11, I found myself utterly captivated by this book. My heart swelled reading the stories of humanity and generosity amongst strangers in a window of time--not even two hours!--that was fraught with terror and uncertainty. 2,749 people died in the attacks and 4,400 were injured. Dwyer and Flynn do not claim to have collected all the stories, but they have created an enduring record. As they share in their own words:

No single voice can describe the scenes that unfolded at terrible velocities in so many places. Taken together, though, the words, witnesses, and records provide not only a broad and chilling view of the devastation, but also a singularly revealing window onto acts of grace at a brutal hour.

102 MINUTES encourages us to carry on their legacy--even those we didn't have the pleasure to meet--and to never forget them.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: Non-fiction

Pages: 384

Week 23: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley

2010-06-13T23:07:00.000-07:00

I have always enjoyed a good mystery. It started with the classic Encyclopedia Brown mysteries of my childhood and grew to enjoying the likes of Agatha Christie, Dennis Lehane and Harlan Coben. Now, an expert on the mystery genre, I am not; but I do know when I like something. And I am ready to add Alan Bradley to the list of mystery writers to follow.

A first-time novelist at 70, Bradley has created an engaging heroine in the highly precocious, chemistry loving Flavia de Luce, an 11 year-old super sleuth and the star of THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE. Flavia (Flave) is the youngest of three girls and constantly finds herself at odds with her much older sisters Ophelia (Feely) and Daphne (Daffy). The distance from and desire to terrorize her sisters is a great encouragement for Flave's love of chemistry, which manifests itself as a passion for poisons. And despite this morbid-sounding affinity, THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE is as delightful as the title and a lovely little read on a hot summer day.

After brief introductions of the de Luce family, the story opens with a mysterious death at Buckshaw, the de Luce's English estate, and even stranger leave-behind: a dead jack snipe, with a collectible postage stamp impaled on his beak. Flavia's father is immediately taken into custody and it's the young girl's mission to get to the bottom of this mystery, much to the chagrin of all involved.

So much of THE SWEETNESS makes it an engaging story: The all-things-English about the setting and its eccentric cast of characters, the turn of events and the smart-aleck leading lady herself. If I had to mark it down a smidgen, it would be that you really do have to suspend your disbelief to fully appreciate that an 11 year old could really have the knowledge, insight and wherewithal to accomplish what she does. But isn't that sometimes the joy of a good mystery? The ability to get fully engrossed and let a little of the imagination stretch beyond the realm of logical possibility and wrap up to a satisfying conclusion?

This self-proclaimed realist must have found a little soft spot at the bottom of the pie.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 416

Week 22: One More Theory About Happiness - Paul Guest

2010-06-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

Paul Guest is just 12 years old when a biking accident indelibly changes his life forever. Now 27, ONE MORE THEORY ABOUT HAPPINESS is Guest's account of the events that resulted in his broken neck and adjustment to life as a quadriplegic. In a word, this memoir is stunning. In a few more words, it's more than I expected--even in its mere 208 pages--and one that I think everyone should read.

It's easy to tell in the first few pages of ONE MORE THEORY ABOUT HAPPINESS that Guest is a bright, mindful and considerate person. Wrapping up his sixth grade year at a barbeque hosted by his teacher, Guest and his best friend take off on a pair of old bikes while the food is still being prepared. The bikes are dilapidated at best and leave Guest wondering if a ride is the best thing to do; but once the tires are filled with air, the two take to the hilly streets of the neighborhood. Guest couldn't have anticipated that the bike's brakes were out of commission, nor could he have seen the drainage ditch lying in hiding under overgrown foliage. But when his speed picked up and he hit the ditch, he "was thrown from the bike, over the handlebars, catapulted, tossed like a human dart into the earth."

What follows, in beautiful and lyrical prose, is Guest's journey to find himself in this new body and to connect with others in real and meaningful ways. Understandably, he struggled with the forced intimacy that must be shared with a caregiver that sees you at your most vulnerable, when in need of help with basic life skills like eating, bathing and using the bathroom. And yet, I wonder if this exposure helped him create such an intimate account of his life, one that I felt fully welcomed to enter.

Despite what may seem like a grim story, Guest's eloquence, insightfulness and humor convey a life that is not to be pitied. In fact, I found his story to be a reminder that, while life is fragile, we are all so very capable of greatness... whatever greatness is for us. Guest most certainly could have become embittered and resigned, yet he always worked through his therapies and sought his passion and is now not only a memoirist, but an award-winnng poet. I kind of wonder if he would have become a writer were it not for his accident. We may never know.

What I do know is that he has immense gifts and significant talent. I know that the words I write here don't do any justice to the words he placed on the page for us all to experience. I know, or was reminded, that happiness is a choice no matter what your circumstances. I also know that I wanted just a little bit more from this otherwise perfect book. He is still so young with such a promising career that is just beginning to unfold.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 208
Genre: Memoir

Week 21: Where You Once Belonged - Kent Haruf

2010-05-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

I think I have an author crush. My first experience with Kent Haruf was a number of years ago when I picked up PLAINSONG, a simple and graceful story of discordant lives colliding and intersecting in the small prairie town of Holt, Colorado. He drew me in with his carefully crafted prose and did it in such a way that made beautiful writing seem effortless.

You should know that when I have a literary crush and a penchant for buying books, it's all I can do to not scoop up all of the works I can by the object of my affection. Such was the case after reading PLAINSONG. I actually got to meet Mr. Haruf at a local book fair sometime back and picked up his two other novels and got all of them signed, PLAINSONG included. Yes, I was hearts all a flutter.

And while I am loyal to the end in my real life, in my literary world, I kinda play the field. Yeah, I get around. I get all enamored with so many different ones and they all just swirl around and come in and out of my life while so many are relegated to patiently wait in the wings and on the shelves, waiting for a chance with me. For what it's worth, in my heart of hearts I know I will come back for them.

And this week I did just that with Haruf's WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED. Let me say, after years of being away, he did not disappoint. Let me also say I am a sucker for a story of art imitating life that seems so real you feel like you are sitting just on the fringes of the action watching the events unfold in front of you.

WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED centers on Jack Burdette, an arrogant, impetuous hometown hero whose frequent missteps are brushed aside. But as he grows up under the microscope of small-town living, his life takes turns with effects that are both far-reaching and impossible to imagine. The book opens with Burdette returning to Holt (the same setting as PLAINSONG) after an eight-year absence. The Holt community is angry, resentful and wanting revenge. As a childhood friend and foil narrates the story, the events that take place after Burdette's unexpected arrival result in a climax that was both shocking and frustrating... and totally believable.

I don't want to tell too much of the story or give away any more details than just enough that would encourage someone to pick it up. WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED is very different from PLAINSONG and just as engaging. I loved this somber story and all its mess and complication, much the way real life can be. And I also liked that in the end, it was just a story. One that I could safely tuck back on the shelves, or better yet, pass on to another book lover that can appreciate a perfectly constructed, hauntingly told story.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 176

Week 20: When You Are Engulfed in Flames - David Sedaris

2010-05-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

So y'all know that I am not big on picking up a book again once I have read it. I am, however, a fan of certain authors and if I love them, I want to read all of their work. Yep. If you've wowed me once, I want to be wowed again; and such is the case with David Sedaris. I have read just about everything he's written and was shocked and awed when I saw him earlier this month and realized that I didn't have his latest effort, WHEN YOU ARE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. So, I grabbed a soft cover, got it signed, and tucked it away for a week I wanted to be engulfed in laughter.

WHEN YOU ARE ENGULFED IN FLAMES is a solid collection of essays, 22 in fact, that cover a wide range of adult-themed topics, with the most pervasive theme being death. (Note: That's the only parental advisory warning I will provide; any future reading and laughing is done at your own risk). For those familiar with Sedaris, there are the definite moments where it's crucial you set your beverage down while reading or the liquid will spew from your lips (and maybe your nose), but there are more moments of humility, sensitivity and reflection than I have seen in his other works... and it actually works.

I laughed out loud during "What I Learned" when he recounted the story of going to Princeton and studying literature only to have his father say,

"You're going to study literature and get a job doing what? Literaturizing?"

"Solution to Saturday's Puzzle" is a hilarious account of a plane ride in which he found himself next to Becky, a woman who becomes engulfed in anger when he won't trade seats so that her husband can sit by her. Mind you, it's a 90-minute flight and the hubs is sitting in the bulkhead. When Becky's beloved quietly mouths "How come? [he won't change seats]" Becky yells across the plane, "Cause he's an asshole, that's why." At that moment the game is on and, Sedaris takes on his nemesis through the Saturday Times' crossword puzzle:

An elderly woman in aisle A turned to look at me, and I pulled a Times crossword puzzle from the bag beneath my seat. That always makes you look reasonable, especially on a Saturday, when the words are long and the clues are exceptionally tough. The problem is that you have to concentrate, and all I could think of was this Becky person.

Seventeen across: a fifteen letter word for enlightenment: "I am not an asshole," I wrote, and it fit.

Five down: six letter Indian tribe: "You are."

Look at that smart man, breezing through the puzzle, I imagined everyone thinking. He must be a genius. That's why he wouldn't swap seats for that poor married woman. He knows something we don't.

There were cringe-worthy moments, like when he was repeatedly (and rudely) propositioned by a surly truck driver that offered him a ride in "Road Trip" and the realization that his friendship with a neighboring man would have to change when that man was proven to be a child molester, in "The Man in the Hut".

But there were also moments of humility and maturity, such as when reflecting on his mother's death and father's mortality, as well as his own efforts to break a decades long smoking habit, that suited Sedaris' writing style just fine. For those brand new to Sedaris, I would recommend my all-time favorite, Naked, followed by everyone else's favorite, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and then hit the holidays with either The Santaland Diaries or Holidays on Ice. But for those looking for a balance of the rollicking good humor and little kinder, softer Sedaris WHEN YOU ARE ENGULFED IN FLAMES is the perfect fit.

To order the book from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Essays

Pages: 336

Week 19: Hand Wash Cold - Karen Maezen Miller

2010-05-16T16:29:00.001-07:00

Over the past few weeks, I have noticed a trend developing. I don't ~~get much~~ allow myself to get enough reading done during the week. So I end up saving all 200+, 300+ or even some 400+ page books to devour all day every Saturday (and sometimes into Sunday). Now, this is not a problem if:

a) The book is totally awesome.

b) I can get through it quickly (especially if I am not digging the book).

c) I want to make plans to do something other than reading.

This occurrence of the weekend reading slam-and-cram has, as you can probably imagine, left me feeling a little off-balance, a little chained to the project and a little bit cranky about it. And I haven't even hit the halfway mark. What's an over-committed-but soon-to-be-committed-reader-if-I-don't-make-some-changes-and-fast to do? Chill out and pick up another book that can remind me of the simpler things and how to get in control of myself. Duh.

The book I chose to revolutionize my life--or at least provide some perspective--was Karen Maezen Miller's HAND WASH COLD: CARE INSTRUCTIONS FOR AN ORDINARY LIFE. I came across this book when I was actually searching for another of Miller's books, Momma Zen, that I found through a blogger I follow, Kerenika. Part memoir, part self-help guide on Miller's path to finding balance and appreciating life, HAND WASH COLD seemed to fit the bill I needed to pay.

I don't want to get too much into comparisons (as Miller says that's one of our biggest problems worrying too much about how others do things, live or navigate the world), but her account had sprinkles of similarity to Elizabeth Gilbert's wildly successful Eat Pray Love. I say that because, I don't think this quiet little book has the backing or support of Gilbert's, but I found it as nugget-worthy about living in the now and living our life's purpose, whether that's eating your way through Italy, praying through India or possibly finding love in Indonesia (no spoilers here, but really hasn't everyone read Eat Pray Love?) as Gilbert did, or becoming a Zen priest as Miller did.

Miller is restless, hyper-critical of herself and unfulfilled. It's only through the demise of her first marriage and losing everything that she takes time to reflect and take care of herself through focusing on her spiritual health that she finds her way and the real ease that exists in just living life and focusing on the here and now.

Miller is bright and clearly a solid writer. Those factors may have contributed to the book feeling little more literary than conversational, and that's my only real complaint. I am not knocking a smartly written book. It just created, for me, a bit more distance from her than I would expect when reading such a personal story. Despite this, it did inspire me. I am going to work to make one hour of reading a daily priority. I am going to focus on one thing at a time. I am going to put my phone not just down but away when it's mommy-kiddo time. I am also going to return to these (among the many other) gems Miller offered up:

On time:

Time doesn't even exist. You are what exists. Time is what you are doing at the time you are doing it. There is no other time than this, so stop searching for the perfect metaphor for time and pick up the rake already. It's time to rake, it's time to cook, it's time to clean, it's time to write, it's time to drive, it's time to rest, it's time to pay attention to how we use our time.

On seeking perfection:

We must go farther and completely forget ourselves to see that there is no need to perfect the life that appears before us. It is already perfect as it is.

On balance:

When I grow weary of what's undone or anxious about what's to come, I remind myself that I am not the maker or the order-taker in this life. I am this life, and it is unfinished. Even when it is finished it will be unfinished. And so I take my sweet time. Time is savored when you take it by the hand.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Memior/Spirituality

Pages: 200

Week 18: The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafón

2010-05-09T23:57:00.000-07:00

So, I have another confession to make: I don't ever read books again. Well, not ever. But aside from rereading all of Judy Blume's coming of age novels right after college (which I actually loved just as I did the first time), I typically think it's too big of a risk to return to something you love for fear that the initial magic will be lost. That's why I have really only returned--and on just two occasions--to books that I haven't loved. That's right. When there's so much out there to explore, I chose to reread books that I didn't love.

In my defense, both of the books were critically lauded or at least highly praised and I just didn't see what the big deal was. Maybe I missed something that everyone else caught. For some reason, I decided they warranted a second look. Well, after revisiting I can tell you that I had misjudged The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank and was absolutely right about Zadie Smith's White Teeth being a waste of time, at least for me.

I mean, what do book reviewers know anyway? Aren't we just readers with big mouths? And lots of opinions? And of the mind that people should care about what we think?

Well, this reviewer does know that sometimes there is a book that just knocks your socks off, takes your breath away and requires you to tell everyone about it. It might even change any previously conceived notions you may have held about rereading books. Yep, that's right (part two). When there's so much out there to explore, I have found a book worth returning to again, and even possibly again: THE SHADOW OF THE WIND by Carlos Ruis Zafón.

I am actually not quite sure one can absorb in one reading everything that is this multi-layered, expertly cast work that is part thriller, love story, fairytale, drama, historical fiction, and modern-day classic. Zafón has written a complex, yet highly readable story centering on Daniel Sempere and a single book he chooses one fateful day during the summer of 1945. Daniel's bookstore owner father has taken them to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, secretly hidden within the streets of Barcelona, and tells his son to select a book, any book, amongst the thousands housed there. According to the older Sempere, in adopting a book from the cemetery, this once forgotten book will gain new life and live on forever.

Daniel takes the charge seriously and spends a great deal of time walking through the maze of books. He settles on a book titled The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax, a gothic mystery. Having loved the book, Daniel goes on a quest to read all of Carax's works only to find that the novelist is no longer living. Not only that, the few books he's written have all but disappeared. Daniel begins digging for answers and learns that he isn't the only one interested in Carax. His own curiosity sends Daniel on a thrilling yet dangerous journey to uncover the mystery of this Julián Carax, while learning much more along the way.

At the end, and at its heart, THE SHADOW OF THE WIND is a book about books. Our love of books, the importance of books, and the value of the story. There's nothing like a book that can take you in, transport you to another place and stay with you long after you have returned it to the shelves. In the opening pages of this gem, Daniel himself describes the feelings we experience when we have found a perfect book:

I lay in the bluish half-light with the book on my chest and listened to the murmur of the sleeping city. My eyes began to close, but I resisted. I did not want to lose the story's spell or bid farewell to its characters yet.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 487

Week 17: Rough Country - John Sandford

2010-05-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

Week 17 marks a first for Lara's Reading Room: I was asked to review a book! Well, actually, Allan of Pop Culture World News was sent the book from the publisher and he passed it to me! Happily, I obliged.

ROUGH COUNTRY is the third in a mystery series (and my first) featuring Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers. Written by John Sandford, this installment has Flowers pulled from a fishing trip to investigate the murder of Erica McDill. Rich, powerful, well-known but not well-liked, McDill was on vacation at the all-female Eagle Nest resort, resting up before taking ownership interest in her firm and slashing positions, two openly known facts. Also openly known were McDill's steady relationship with agency partner Ruth Davies, several sexual entanglements she had at the resort and her interest in promoting a band with a questionable history. Throw in years' old murder that may be connected, a recent murder attempt that may not, a cast of characters with valid motives and a man's-man-ladies'-man investigator, and you've got the makings of a good mystery.

And good mystery it is. Not great, but certainly good.

In 400 pages, Sandford has laid out a well-developed cast of interesting characters and punchy dialogue that moves the story on at a reasonble clip. ROUGH COUNTRY lacked a bit of action, and could have benefited from a few more twists and turns throughout the middle of the story that would have kept me more fully engaged and turning the pages a bit faster. I was also disappointed that the majority of female characters (who were mostly lesbians) seemed to fall into stereotypical behaviors and dialogue, while the commentary from the men about or directed to the women was, at times, cliched. These faults weren't enough to turn me off of the book, but were worth noting. I thoroughly enjoyed the end, which I thought Sandford wrapped up creatively in certainly with a fourth book in mind.

ROUGH COUNTRY is a perfect book for a lazy weekend or when you are lounging on the sand. As breezy and juicy as that umbrella drink you reach for between the chapters.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 400

Week 16: Stink: The Incredibly Shrinking Kid - Megan McDonald

2010-04-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

It's Kiddie-lit this week in the Reading Room! At just 102 pages--and that's with pictures, too!--I just know some of you are thinking:

"Are you for real?"

"Hey, that sounds like an easy out!"

"That can't count! C'mon now!"

Okay, so perhaps those are really questions I was thinking as I actually attempted a grown up book and got bogged down with too many other things this week. But as I rationalized not finishing the other book, I took comfort in reminding myself that this project will be as successful as I am flexible. And, truth be told, I committed myself to including one of the many books I read to my kiddo in this project.

So, let's get to it!

STINK: THE INCREDIBLY SHRINKING KID is a delightful book by Megan McDonald, the creator of the ever popular (although never read by me) JUDY MOODY books. James Moody (aka Stink) is Judy's younger and much shorter brother, who desires what many young boys want: to be bigger. It's the only thing on his mind until he's selected by his teacher to care for the class pet, a Newt aptly named Newton.

Hilarity and unexpected outcomes occur at the Moody house when Newton comes home and McDonald has created an enjoyable story that kept both me and my six year old engaged. She realistically conveys the feelings of a young boy growing up in the shadow of an older sister and does so with overall positive messaging. I really appreciated that there wasn't a heavy focus on potty humor that seems rampant in youth series targeted at young boys.

I should also note that McDonald also scored points with me when she made Stink a lover of homework. I could only hope that's a key message my guy took from the book.

But when I asked him his favorite part? "When the newt shed his skin."

Oh, a mother can dare to dream.

To order the book directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Children's

Pages: 102

Week 15: Why I'm Like This - Cynthia Kaplan

2010-04-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

It was going to be a bit of a crazy week; and I knew this going into week 15. So, I took some time to find what I hoped would be a perfect book to serve as a welcome distraction to all the Have-to, Must-do, Can-you-also, and We-really-need-you-to responsibilities of the week. When I saw USA Today's "Knee-slapping hilarious." on the back of WHY I'M LIKE THIS: TRUE STORIES by Cynthia Kaplan, I was sold.

WHY I'M LIKE THIS chronicles milestone moments in Kaplan's life that have shaped her into the woman she is today: her loss of virginity and the succession of Mr. Wrongs who followed until she met her husband, the relationships she shared with her grandparents and the impact their deaths had on her, and her struggle with infertility. I felt a connection with Kaplan in the opening stories. Her love of the arts, the admiration she felt for her grandparents, and challenges with dating felt familiar. I mean, I almost felt a sisterly bond with her when I read:

"I gave the guy a second chance but it ended anyway when I came to the realization that his grammatical errors would eventually drive me out of my gourd."

A perfect match, right?

Wrong.

For whatever reason, Kaplan couldn't sustain my interest. Perhaps it had something to do with the busy week I mentioned above. The reality is, WHY I'M LIKE THIS was easier to put down than it was to pick up. I really believe that timing--just like with meeting the right guy, landing the perfect job, or even nabbing the perfect parking spot (a shout out to Tepper!)--can be crucial with how we take to the books we pick. Where we are and what's going on in our own worlds can certainly impact our impressions. But I also know that a really good book will keep you turning the pages, no matter what's going on.

So, while I liked a few passages and loved the title of these stories, at the end of the day WHY I'M LIKE THIS was just okay.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 2 stars

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 240

Great News (aka A Reader's Ramblings)

2010-04-12T00:08:00.000-07:00

I am interrupting the usual posts of my book reviews with a pretty awesome story.

So back in the high school day, I was a big 'ol drama geek. I hung around with other creatives who liked to act and sing, design sets, sew costumes and watch just about every movie ever made. It was during that time of my life that came out of my shell and met really cool people, some of whom I can still call friends today.

Enter, stage left: Allan (one of the really cool people).

Like me, Allan was a lover of the arts and was also in the theater program. We worked on countless shows together (okay we could probably easily count them, high school is only 4 years for most of us), hung out in the large groups of hip-to-be-square kids that the drama geeks were and then we both went off to separate colleges and into the whole wide world.

Fast forward 20 years and Allan and I have more than inhabited whole wide world, we were now residents of the World Wide Web. Through the advent of this tiny little social networking site called Facebook, we bumped back into each other. Turns out that Allan graduated with a degree in English Lit (a course of study I attempted and fault Herman Melville and John Milton for my change in direction and subsequent five-year undergrad run) and made his way to California to do great things in the world of entertainment. Such great things that he had started his own pop cultural-themed Web site and was seeking content contributors.

I was more than flattered when Allan, who knew I was a huge bookie ... wait, that doesn't sound right. It works for foodies, but not book lovers ... asked if I would like to contribute book reviews to his up and coming site. Heck yes I was interested! I just wasn't sure how much I could commit to reading and reviewing, with a demanding work schedule and life as a single mom. Allan was super flexible and was willing to take what I could offer, whenever I could offer it.

So, I submitted a few book reviews and even wrote my first-ever movie review and then life got busy for the both of us. The holidays were here which took me out of commission for a lot of things and at the height of the holiday hooplah, I decided to pile just a little more on. Yep, that was just about the time that my partner in project crime and I decided that we would read a book a week, every week, for all of 2010.

If you are still with me, you are so very kind or I caught you on a Wednesday night and you don't have the stomach to watch the American Idol results show which could be handled during a commercial break versus "after the next 2o commercial breaks". Whatever the reason, I am so very flattered and will try to get to the exciting point I promised at the beginning, because there really is one.

So, Allan and I were briefly out of touch and then were suddenly back in the swing of communicating about a week ago. His site has grown and is really taking off, garnering some great interest and readership and he's seen my little old blog here and wants to know if he can set up a Lara's Reading Room area of his own site, where all my reviews will also be featured and possibly read by some cool people like all of you who read me here and maybe even some people in the actual business of books. BREATHE and yes I know that was the biggest run-on but this is kind of exciting for me. Actually, though, I have no idea what that all means beyond my reviews being in more than one place. But it's pretty stinkin' cool in my book.

I will tell you this, though. My blog is staying put for now. I don't have any plans to delete it. My reviews will appear here and on on his site, which I encourage you all to check out:

http://www.popcultureworldnews.com/

It's really an entertainment junkie's paradise. I don't think that's how Allan is officially marketing it, you know. But, if you love entertainment, you just need to bookmark his site. Wasn't that a hot plug? He probably won't be hiring me to do any real site promotion after that sorry "just bookmark it" push. Thankfully, I have a day job and this little slice of reading books and sharing my opinion of them on the side.

Happy reading, surfing or pop culture site bookmarking!

I will be back in seven days...

Week 14: Official Book Club Selection - A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin

2010-04-10T23:16:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: If you don't like Kathy Griffin, you aren't going to like this book. It doesn't matter how many stars I give it or what I say about it, although, how flattering if it would! If you are reading this and don't know who she is, I will just say she's hysterically crass (that's Rated-R) and most celebrities fear her. Or should.

I saw Kathy Griffin perform on tour this past January and her show, a 2-hour rant against celebrities and their crazy antics, had the audience roaring from start to finish. My sides were actually hurting so much that I counted the outing as my ab workout for the day. I definitely had a blast at her show; yet I am not a big celebrity memoir person. I did not rush out to buy the book that Kathy herself said she named OFFICIAL BOOK CLUB SELECTION in hopes that consumers would think Oprah had chosen it. Imagine my delight, however, when my gal pal Cynthia loaned me her copy and said, "You will cruise through this. I bet you can knock it out in four hours." Confession time: I don't read as fast as Cynthia thinks I do, but it was definitely a cruiser and I cleared it within the week.

OFFICIAL BOOK CLUB SELECTION chronicles Griffin's upbringing as the youngest of four children to John and Mary Griffin of Oak Park, Illinois. A self-proclaimed "... kid who needed to talk. All the time.", Griffin loved television and storytelling more than anything else (maybe not as much as cake, but they surely ran a close second). After high school she decided to take her gift of gab and love of Hollywood to the City of Angels with dreams of breaking into the biz.

Griffin does a great job detailing the road to stardom - it's full of hard work, paying dues (unless you are John Corbett or Heidi Montag, one of whom she loves and the other she loathes), lots of rejection and definite double standards. She maintains a highly conversational tone and I felt as if I was following her around to auditions and growing up with her as she struggled to find her niche. As a member of the Groundlings (picture LA's version of Second City) she worked day in and day out attempting to perfect her craft but had her share of failures, like when she blew the audition with Lorne Michaels to secure a spot on Saturday Night Live (Groundlings member Julia Sweeney nabbed it).

While the book is certainly funny, Griffin does a good job covering the not so funny stuff: a brother with many secrets, her volatile friendship with Andy Dick, and her failed marriage. I admit that prior to reading OFFICIAL BOOK CLUB SELECTION, I thought anyone was fair game for her, yet she does have boundaries. Also revelatory, she hasn't pissed off everyone in Hollywood (and there's even a key group of folks with whom she strives to stay in the best of graces). I thought she handled the serious sections well and they exposed a side of Kathy Griffin outside of the brash and off-color that most don't ever get to see.

But let's face it. Griffin's job is to find the funny and make people laugh at almost anyone's expense. And, laugh I did. The most, in fact, during the last two pages of the book. It was her hilariously written Reading Group Guide Questions that had me bump my final rating up a star. Yes, the questions are that funny.

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 357

Week 13: The Help - Kathryn Stockett

2010-04-03T23:16:00.000-07:00

It's a milestone week! By completing this book, I have officially read more in the first three months of this year than I did all of last year. That's a bit crazy to me and yet, I am feeling really good after the first quarter of this project to read a book a week for an entire year. I still have momentary flashes of my bookshelves caving in on me or having the super ability to read multiple books at once, the words flashing through my eyes like all the images scrolling across an iPad. But I consider these minor psychological casualties and onward I press.

THE HELP came to me courtesy of my book club and was mandated by one of our original members--and my bestie--Claudia. Claudia has wanted to read THE HELP for the past six months and was eagerly anticipating her month to host. And, why not? The book has been quite the talk of the town: A Today Show "10 Must Read Books for Spring", it currently sits at number 2 on the New York Times Hardcover Best Seller list and in the number 14 spot on amazon.com's Top 100. And, a gazillion people have given it rave reviews.

All of this, of course, is good news; but it's also kind of bad. It reeks of hype and overselling and all that, "You have to read this great book--you'll love it! Everyone loves it! My sister and her friend and her friend and her friend, well, I mean just everyone's reading it but you, so just read it, okay? You'll love it; I just know you will. I mean, have you read it already? MY GOD WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?"

Ugh. So, I cracked open my Kindle version of the book and started reading, hoping it hadn't been ruined by, well, everyone.

I am here to officially report that nobody ruined it. Kathryn Stockett's novel lives up to the hype machine and she's delivered a knockout the first time out.

Set in Jacksonville, Mississippi in the early '60s, THE HELP concerns Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a college graduate returning home in hopes of embarking on a career in journalism; but she's not quite sure where to start. Unbeknownst to her, there's a wealth of story brewing right under her very own nose. Skeeter grew up, as did her privileged white friends, with hired help. The maids were brought in and entrusted with a woman's children, but not the family silver. The racial, socioeconomic and hierarchical lines were strong and clear and become more strained when Skeeter's best friend spearheads a community effort encouraging white families to build separate, external bathrooms for their help.

Outraged by the notion and sensitive to stepping outside her social boundaries, Skeeter goes underground and slowly gains the trust of maids Aibileen and her best friend Minny to share their stories of what it's really like to work for a white family. This is extremely tricky and risky, with a number of implications if any are found out. As Skeeter gains the trust of Aibileen, a multi-layered story unfolds. A story that had me cringing and outright disgusted with the actions and attitudes of Skeeter's friends, and enlightened by the relationship between a family and their help, which is a complicated one, fraught with many different emotions.

Stockett tells her story from the perspectives of its three main characters, using a first person narrative that alternates across the chapters. She is able to capture Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny's different voices and, because it's done so effectively, she keeps the story progressing at a rate that I didn't want to put it down. I actually read the book in just two marathon sittings! I was most impressed with how well developed all of the characters were. Stockett brings their lives to life, showing them as individuals with hopes, dreams and desires, but also with talents and abilities well outside of what others--or they themselves--may expect.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 464

Week 12: The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care - T. R. Reid

2010-03-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

It has been a monumental week, no matter what side of the political fence you sit on. This week, the President of the United States signed healthcare reform into law. Now, I am not here to debate arguments, the situation or the yet-to-be-seen outcomes. I think we can all agree that our system is not a perfect one and it's one that could benefit from some form of redesign. So that's what I took a look at this week, turning to a non-partisan, highly informative and tremendously fascinating book: THE HEALING OF AMERICA: THE GLOBAL QUEST FOR BETTER, CHEAPER, AND FAIRER HEALTH CARE by T.R. Reid.

Ried, a former Princeton graduate, naval officer, reporter having covered four presidential campaigns and chief of the Washington Post's Tokyo and London bureaus is taking on the U.S. healthcare system and attempting to find solutions--by looking at the World Health Organization's top-ranked countries for health care (we aren't one of them). He hits the road with his bum shoulder and the knowledge that we have the highest percentage of deaths that are cureable with medical intervention and some 22,000 Americans die annually due to lack of medical coverage. How will treatment and cost differ between the U.S., France, Germany, Britain, Japan and Canada, and what best and worst practices will he identify in the process?

I found the individual country case studies fascinating. France has successfully converted to a completely digitized medical record all contained on a microchip that is affixed to a credit-card sized piece of plastic (a system, ironically enough, that was created by Americans). Preventive care is the focus of many of our European counterparts. Japanese citizens have access to over 2,000 health plans and can see a specialist immediately - often without an appointment.

Now, I am touting the pluses; but Reid goes into an objective analysis showing the successes and failures of each country's system. He speaks to top health officials, health reformers and providers along the way creating a full picture of how other comparable nations are managing and providing health care. He breaks down a number of different models (of which the U.S. uses a little bit of every kind), myths (it's not all socialized medicine outside of our contiguous 50 states) and realities (we are the only industrialized nation that doesn't hold health care as a basic right for all its citizens).

Reid's research found that American's aren't cold hearted. When polled, the vast majority are in favor of everyone having access to health care and think that most do. Unfortunately, there is a significant number of Americans who are uninsured, underinsured and unable to obtain health care. There is so much we can learn when looking at how others not just provide health care, but finance its delivery. There is tremendous opportunity to arm ourselves with information and knowledge to understand what we really have available and use that information to create a better, cheaper and fairer system.

I think Reid's book is one tool to do just that.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Non-fiction
Pages: 288

Week 11: She Got Up Off the Couch - Haven Kimmel

2010-03-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

I read Kimmel's first memoir, A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana during one of my annual girls' trips to Mexico a couple years back. While taking in the sun, tasty margaritas and enjoying the simple things, I was enamored with this quirky small-town girl and her cleverly down-home way with words. She made childhood in a town of just 300 (THAT'S small!) a bit romantic. Living where everyone knows your name (forget that they all know your business, too) and where life seems less complicated or harried than that of the big city. I found her book utterly delightful, as did the friends with whom I shared it.

After that first book, Kimmel's mother, Delonda, became as popular or intriguing as Zippy herself. One to sit firmly planted on the family couch, surrounded by books or knitting, Delonda did nothing much more than that - parenting from old, upholstered sofa cushions. Kimmel was repeatedly asked, "So did your mother ever get up off the couch?" And, so, a follow up was born.

SHE GOT UP OFF THE COUCH is really a story of Delonda Jarvis and her transformation from couch potato to college graduate at 40 (much to her husband's disbelief), told from Zippy's childhood perspective. It covers a time of significant change in the Jarvis household, when Zippy's beloved brother marries and moves away, her sister starts her own family, and Delonda steps out of her comfort zone to go after her own dreams. It's a time when Zippy begins to see her parents no longer as superheroes, but human and just as capable of achieving greatness as they are of falling from it.

Kimmel weaves her stories with both compassion and humor that left me laughing out loud and pausing for reflection. One of my favorite passages involved Delonda's recent acquaintance with a foul-mouthed friend, "Big Fat Bonnie" a woman who would play a small but significant part in Delonda's newfound independence:

"Well, I'll be &*@! if I can't teach you how to drive, and I will, too, you can bet your &*@!" Bonnie was saying. "No man would keep ME from driving a car, forget it! What is this, a Turkish prison? What do you do all day, just sit around watching the %*#^TV?!"

Mom blushed, but also looked a bit sheepish, then noticed me. "Bonnie, this is my daughter."

I just continued to stand frozen in the doorway. I wanted to raise my hand and wave, but I was afraid I'd break the spell and miss a whole stream of good swears.

It's clear that Kimmel has immense respect for her mother and the journey she took off the couch and into the classroom. Following her dreams, however late in life she did, largely influenced Kimmel herself to go after her own as a writer. Interestingly enough, her memoirs were never intended to be published, just documentation of her family for her family.

Fortunately, she too did what may not have been expected of her and shared them with all of us.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 336

Week 10: A Three Dog Life - Abigail Thomas

2010-03-13T21:39:00.000-08:00

I scooped up several copies of Abigail Thomas' memoir, A THREE DOG LIFE, after hearing her read at a local, indepdendent bookseller a couple of years ago. The seal of approval on the cover by Steven King noting it as "The best memoir I have ever read." was certainly intriguing, but I was more taken by her and the glimpse she gave us into her life.

Simply told, in April 2001, Thomas' husband Rich took their dog Harry for a walk and was hit by a car. The accident shattered his skull and the life that he and Abigail once shared. Not so simple was the reality of what would happen next. All were left traumatized by the event that permanently altered Rich, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury and a sketchy recollection of the world he once inhabited.

Thomas' memoir is a love letter to her husband and the one, then two, then three dogs that ultimately helped her through the emotionally painful and unpredictable moments that followed Rich's accident. She imparts so many lessons learned on the value of living in the moment, appreciating what you have right now, and wasting no time worrying about the future.

That's not to say her road to these realizations was an easy one. Thomas regularly struggled with guilt about what happened and her husband's eventual placement in a skilled facility that could better manage his volatile emotional state and physical limitations than she ever could.

Her writing is simple without being simplistic, authentic and just plain good. One of my favorite passages is when she realizes that life can go on and she can even expereince moments of joy and happiness:

"If only life were more like this, you will think, as you and the dogs traipse up to bed, and you realize with a start that this is life."

I was certain this book could have the possibility of wrecking me, sucker punching me when I least expected it, or even when I did. Thomas' story is such a tragic one, but one that is offset by her sheer commitment to her husband and herself. It's so beautifully told that I actually came away not with feelings of sadness but admiration for her, her perspective and her expertly and seemingly effortlessly crafted words.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 208

Week 9: The Complete Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi

2010-03-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

Week 9 was finished just time with Marjane Satrapi's coming-of-age memoir, THE COMPLETE PERSEPOLIS, about growing up in Iran in the early 80s, at the height of social change, opression and war. What's unique about her story, aside from the fact her story is in itself very unique, is the medium through which it's told--graphically.

A graphic novel was a first for me. My knowledge of graphic novels was limited and had me thinking of superhero stories geared at teenaged boys. Never would I have guessed that the same technique could so effectively tell a story of a young girl navigating her way through a world where freedoms are being stripped from everyone and newer, harsher rules are being placed on Iranian women, simply because they are women. Satrapi was a rebellious, spitfire of a young woman. Raised by parents who questioned the world around them and bucked convention, they helped raise a woman who did the same, all the while respecting herself and others in the process. But the world they live in, under conservative and opressive religious fanatacism, proves to be too much, Satrapi's family must decide whether the teenaged Marjane should stay in Iran or continue her education in another country.

In addition to telling a compelling story, Satrapi is a talented graphic artist. Her "comic book" drawings were exceptional and able to convey the moments of fear, anger, sadness and true happiness that she, her family and her friends felt and, in turn, I felt when reading it. Her personal story resulted in the making of a motion picture that has garnered much critical acclaim, and one I am looking forward to adding to my Netflix queue. I am also looking forward to another turn at this emerging genre.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Graphic Novel
Pages: 352

Week 8: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

2010-02-28T07:31:00.000-08:00

I've had a secret: This week's book was actually attempted last week and I made an executive decision to put it down and hold until another time, a less busy week, a week when I would have more time to devote to what I could tell was going to be a wild ride of a book.

I've got a another secret: It won't do you any good to save this book until you have several days available to read. You will need a nice solid block of time because once you dig in, you won't be able to put it down. The dishes, facebook, e-mail and maybe even meals will have to wait.

Okay, so maybe those weren't the bombshells you were expecting. I will leave the juiciest secrets to the masters, the late Stieg Larsson being one of them. A former Swedish journalist, Larsson wrote three unpublished books--the first being THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (TGWTDT), before his untimely death of a massive heat attack at age 50 in 2004. According to sources at wikipedia.org, Larsson had no intent of publishing the books, it was how he filled is leisure time at the end of the day serving as editor-in-chief of Sweden's Expo magazine.

Thankfully, the books were published and readers can experience the page turning exhilaration of an expertly crafted thriller. TGWTDT centers around a disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist who is hired by wealthy industrial mogul Henrik Vanger to investigate the decades-old disappearance of beloved family member Harriet Vanger. Out of work, for reasons you will learn when you read the book, Blomkvist reluctantly takes on Vanger's obsession with no real thought that he would discover anything new that trained professionals hadn't unearthed over the years.

But that's where he's wrong.

Quickly, Blomkvist finds himself mired in the details of the contentious Vanger family history; a history that when further researched turns up far more questions than answers. It seems as though the mystery will never be resolved. Further complicating matters is the young, heavily tattoed researcher with multiple piercings he's forced to partner with to decode the secrets, all the while maintaining a host of her own.

Larsson's work strikes all the right notes of a perfect freaky-deaky-ultra-creepy thriller and he kept me guessing up until the end. In creating two lead characters that so effectively work together, despite their glaring differences, he's also elicited enough intrigue to make me want to pick up his subsequent novels involving Blomkvist and the curious girl with the dragon tattoo: The Girl Who Played with Fire and the soon-to-be-released The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Perhaps you'll do the same.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 5 stars
Pages: 480 pages
Genre: Thriller

Week 7: August: Osage County - Tracy Letts

2010-02-20T21:42:00.000-08:00

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I ended up where I intended to be." Douglas Adams

Week 7 started out very strong. With the President's Day holiday on Monday, I got a solid start on this week's book. However, it quickly got blown out of the water with the busy-ness of life and work. Complicating matters was that by Thursday night, I knew there was no way I could possibly finish the 360+ pages I still had to read (and that was with my having already knocked out 130 pages). Furthermore, I was enjoying this book so much that I didn't want to jam it into two days--too reminiscent of the college cram and not the goal of this project at all.

So I made an executive decision: I put the book on hold so that I could keep reading it at an enjoyable pace at a later date, and so I picked up something smaller. More to come on the on-hold book in a future post.

The something smaller book was an amazon.com recommendation that was a slim and interesting 240 pages that I was certain I could read in a couple of days.

WRONG.

There's something very special about the amazon-recommended book that I had downloaded in just a few moments to my Kindle. It was also one that needed time for focused reading and reflection.

CRAP.

This challenge is not getting the best of me in week 7!

Executive decision number 2: I scanned my bookshelves and picked up an even smaller book (a play, actually) August: Osage County by Tracy Letts.

Letts is the son of novelist Billie Letts (Where the Heart is and The Honk and Holler Opening Soon) and a native of Oklahoma. His play, which in addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, ran on Broadway from 2007-2009 and picked up a Tony in the process.

I haven't read a play since my high school acting days; and never before have I read a play like this. Letts pulls together in three acts a multi-layered tragicomedy with dialogue that is so spot on I felt like I was overhearing a real-life conversation unfolding. The play centers around the Westons, a family forced back together by the death of one of their own. As is common with these types of reunions, when families have been separated for some time, old wounds are opened and new ones form as the family struggles with funeral arrangements and the getting on of getting on. It's like family dysfunction on overdrive and Letts deftly balances the awkward silences and vicious verbal spars with moments of comic relief and clarity that propel both the story and the reader forward.

This was another gift from my folks, and having been signed by the playwright himself it's a bit extra special. I never would have heard of this or thought to pick it up, but his talents are obvious and his words worth reading. Especially after two extremely worthy but ultimately false starts that will have to join this reading challenge later in the process.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 4 stars

Pages: 138

Genre: Play

What's That Up There?

2010-02-19T22:19:00.000-08:00

At the top of my blog? That random assortment of words? Well, it's a collage of words I have used on this very blog randomly thrown together by this very cool program that you can access at http://www.wordle.net. You type in your blog name and it picks up frequently used words on your site and assorts them. Then you can really have fun when you click on "Randomize" and it rearranges the words, changes the colors and messes it all up in a crazy fantastic way! Then you can create a screen shot and post it somewhere, anywhere, so long as you give the cool people at http://www.wordle.net a shout out.

So here I am shouting: WORDLE! WORDLE! WORDLE!

It's reverberating off the virtual rooftops of the world wide web!

Can you hear me?

Week 6: Franny and Zooey - J.D. Salinger

2010-02-11T19:39:00.000-08:00

Dysfunction, junction... this collection's a malfunction.

Last week, Mr. I don't-want-to-be-famous-so-I-am-going-into-hiding-and-this-will-actually-make-me-even-more-famous J.D. Salinger, passed away. At 91, and with just three notable works, he became an American icon of the literary landscape. My project partner in crime Deejah and I decided to honor his passing by reading FRANNY AND ZOOEY, which--surprisingly--neither of us had read.

I will start by saying that I am so thankful my first exposure to Salinger was The Catcher in the Rye. I absolutely loved the angst-ridden, mentally unhealthy Holden Caulfield. It seemed ahead of its time even at the time that I read it.

While Salinger keeps with some familiar themes and territory in these stories, their execution falls nothing short of disastrous. The title characters are the youngest of Salinger's fictional Glass family. The Glass children, 7 or 9 in total (I honestly don't remember), grew up in the spotlight while having appeared multiple times on a television quiz show. Now adults, Franny is on leave from college suffering a nervous breakdown and her brother Zooey is... how can I put this? An asshole. Oh yes, they have suffered the ills of growing up in the limelight and the loss of their oldest sibling Seymour (by his own hand), but I am not sure what the reader is supposed to take away from these two stories.

Immediately it felt like I had walked in on on a behind-closed-door conversation that was not juicy, but boringly cringe-worthy. The dialogue is long and the characters long-winded. It came across as overtly pretentious and I just really didn't care about these indivuduals. Franny is a blubbering mess and Zooey spends the bulk of his story insulting everyone around him in a callous and arrogant manner. I found nothing redeeming about this book except for its slender size and the reality that I could quickly move on to something more enjoyable.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 1 star
Pages: 201
Genre: Fiction, short stories

Week 5: Tepper Isn't Going Out - Calvin Trillin

2010-02-06T15:09:00.000-08:00

Within just the first few pages of reading TEPPER ISN'T GOING OUT, I knew I was in for a pleasant ride (or perhaps I should say stay). Calvin Trillin's slim story is a humorous tale of one Maury Tepper and his quest to find a perfectly good "legal spot" and park his Chevy Malibu to enjoy a read of the New York Post. His simple act to steal some quiet time puts the city in an absolute tailspin. Consipiracy theories abound as to why a middle-aged man would take to reading in his car versus an easy chair.

The behavior befuddles his wife Ruth and their daughter Linda. His business partner and friends are certain something must be wrong. And rather funny things start to happen when strangers begin to notice the man in the parked car. Of course he gets his share of "Ya bastard, ya! That's a perfectly good spot!"--it's New York. But Tepper also gains a following of strong supporters, which he'll need when his story hits the desk of the city's tyrannical mayor and even makes the very newspaper he parks to read.

What the plot lacks in depth, it more than makes up in great humor and solid writing. It's just a perfect read for a perfect day when you have found yourself the perfect spot to park yourself--wherever that may be.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 3 stars

Pages: 213

Genre: Fiction

Week 4: The Last Report of the Miracles at Little No Horse - Louise Erdrich

2010-01-30T22:55:00.000-08:00

This week's entry was picked for me as my February Book Club's selection. Admittedly, it actually took me two weeks to read it, but finishing it up this week, I am counting it now. For those that know me well, I considered heavily (probably too much) if I should count this or not since I didn't read this in an actual week and then I was quickly reminded that I had many more mundane things I could be fretting over and moved on.

So this is my third Erdrich undertaking, the first being The Master Butchers Singing Club (a literary marvel and masterpiece and all that good stuff that comes when you read something remarkable). Second, I tackled her first novel, Love Medicine, and fumbled big-time. I couldn't get through it. The third and most current is THE LAST REPORT ON THE MIRACLES AT LITTLE NO HORSE, which falls somewhere between the two. And, just so you know, here on out I will refer to it as LITTLE NO HORSE because the title, while wonderful is just too much to type and I have too many acronyms I have to deal with in my 8-5 job, so TLROTMALNH was a headache-inducing proposition and so quickly off the blog posting page it falls.

All of my Erdrich readings have been due to my book club and I am not sure I would have picked her up otherwise. I love, love, LOVED The Master Butchers Singing Club and went into LITTLE NO HORSE with much anticipation, it being a National Book Award finalist and all. But unfortunately, the love affair faded rather quickly.

There is no doubt that Erdrich has crafted a truly unique story with LITTLE NO HORSE. She's an extremely talented writer. To create a full community of feuding Ojibwe Indian families, their difficult life on desolate land and their desire for counsel and guidance from a dedicated priest (Father Modeste) is an achievement. She crafts a story of major transgressions, dark violence and closely held secrets. One where thought I would be quick to turn the page and slow to put down, but that wasn't the case. Certainly, there were moments that were pretty spectacular and then there were more times than I expected that I found the book to drag on and, dare I say it?, where I was a little bit bored.

This is not a book to consume quickly. It takes a bit of time, focus and quiet. The sentence structure is long, the list of characters complex and, at times, it's hard to follow. At least, that was my experience. And I don't officially award books with prestigious honors or even seals; so who am I to say? I just read some of them and write about them on this little blog that a small contention of folks follow. So at the end of the day read it at your own risk and decide for yourself. And if you do that, let me know what you think.

To order directly from Amazon for less, CLICK HERE.

Rating: 2 stars
Pages: 361
Genre: Fiction

Week 3: Ballistics: Poems - Billy Collins

2010-01-23T01:38:00.000-08:00

I have often shied away from poetry. In all my love of literature, it has always seemed like the better educated sibling with whom I really couldn't converse. While poetry would expound upon themes and metaphors, illusions and allusions, I would be wondering if anyone would jump in and be able to talk about the latest episode of the newest popular TV show, saving me from embarrassment and, ultimately, engaging me in something more my speed. In other words, smart as I think am, I didn't always feel like I was in poetry's league.

And then I was introduced to Billy Collins.

I don't want you to think that he's poetry's younger, dumber sister; because he's not. Having held the position of Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003, and the New York State Poet in 2004, he's quite the opposite. What he is, and what for so long poetry hasn't been for me, is accessible. He writes about every day experiences and situations and weaves in glints of humor, sadness and reality that fit as comfortably as a pair of well-worn jeans.

My first exposure was several years ago to his collection, Nine Horses, which I found absolutely delightful. Charming, even.

After becoming a parent, I listened to him read his famous poem, The Lanyard (listen to it now - you won't be sorry), and I connected with it in a way I haven't been able to with other poems (let alone novels).

And now I pick up BALLISTICS, his latest collection sent to me by my dad and step mom a few months ago. It was the perfect read during a very rainy and reflective week. Several of the poems brought a curl to my lip where others forced me to close my eyes and savor the words just a little bit longer before turning the page and moving on. I have some clear favorites from this collection and some that I wasn't as able to connect with, and that's okay. There's something about his poems that not only feel accessible, but personal. I think that his poems will resonate differently with different people in their various places and stages of life.

I am certainly not one to find myself in deep dialogue with others about poetry, its history, construction, relevance or whatever people talk about when they talk about poetry; but with Billy Collins I feel like I can finally contribute to the conversation. Even if he is one of only a handful of poets I can actually reference.

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Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 128
Genre: Poetry

Week 2: Tender at the Bone - Ruth Reichl

2010-01-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

TENDER AT THE BONE has been in my library for a number of years now. So many that I have lost count. I have obviously wanted to read it, or I wouldn't have purchased it way back when. Unfortunately, when I finished the book, I wanted to have liked it more.

Reichl recounts the story of her youth, life with a manic depressive mother and a goes-along-with-everything father, and how she came to love the culinary and written arts. Her mother plays a prominent role in her young life, exposing her to some of the worst food she's ever eaten (or that anyone has for that matter - reference the hospitalizations of more than 25 people after her mother hosted an engagement party for Reichl's brother). The matriarch of the family is pushy, singularly focused on herself and pays her daughter he greatest favor when she sends her off to boarding school. It's in Quebec that she meets young Beatriz and her wealthy french family. Each night, dinner is prepared by exquisitely trained French chefs, and so does Ruth's romance with food begin.

Reichl's tone is spot on, capturing moments of hilarity, shock and sadness. I just found, at times, that I was a little bored. I also think that I had a different picture of what I thought the book would be about and what time frame it would cover, and it was far different than my expectations. It didn't help that this week did not afford me as much reading time as I had hoped, and this felt a bit more like an assignment than leisurely reading. We are only in week two. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is just a reflection of this week and not a sign of the year ahead.

When all is said and done, I did enjoy it. There are certain friends of mine to whom I would recommend it. It just didn't leave me with the feelings I had ultimately hoped it would.

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Rating: 3 stars
Pages: 282
Genre: Memoir

Week 1: You Remind Me of Me - Dan Chaon

2010-01-09T16:03:00.000-08:00

My January book club's selection of Dan Chaon's YOU REMIND ME OF ME is my first read of the first week of the year. It also happens to be my hosting month and this was one of three options I gave the group.

It has been a while since I have read something that is just so exquisitely written and Chaon's first novel (after reaching critical success with a collection of short stories, Among the Missing) is one that I am adding to my short list of all-time favorites. Following a shifting timeline, Chaon takes the reader Bowville, South Dakota and St. Bonaventure, Nebraska to tell the story of three troubled individuals seeking to understand their role in the world, find connection and uncover meaning. Spanning over 30 years, the book opens with a tragic accident that will shape the main character, Jonah, and forever change his view on the world and other's view of him.

Chaon is a master of the details without being overbearing and has painted such clear pictures of pain, loneliness and isolation that I couldn't help but feel empathy for his lot of misfits, who, in actuality have a lot about them that is unlikeable. However, Chaon writes with objectivity, simply telling their story, free of judgment and it's this perspective that enabled me to embrace these characters and plow through the book not wanting to put it down. In fact, YOU REMIND ME OF ME would be the perfect book to pick up on a long rainy weekend, when a comfy couch and a warm blanket are within arm's reach.

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Rating: 5 stars
Pages: 356
Genre: Fiction

Here I Go

2009-12-28T21:56:00.000-08:00

I just finished Sara Nelson's book, So Many Books So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading. Oh. My. God. It's like she and I are twins. Forget the fact that she's a Yale-educated, professional writer, married to someone on the SNL team (yes that's Saturday Night Live), mother and lives in Manhattan and I am a state university graduate, single mother who works in health care... that's not where our similarities lie. It's in our likes and dislikes, reading styles and preferences and our sometimes snobby judgments. I felt an immediate sisterhood when she admitted she couldn't finish critically lauded White Teeth by Zadie Smith (although she was much more successful in her one attempt clearing over 300 pages to my two attempts, first to page 56 and then again to page 58 before I simply had to put it down). I was intrigued when she spoke so highly of Michael Faber's The Crimson and the White and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, both patiently sitting on my shelves awaiting their time with me.

While her book served to provide some review of what she read (and some great recommendations for me to add to my own wish list), it was also a memoir of her life, her most important relationships and, of course, her love of books. Her writing style takes on a very interpersonal tone, where I felt like I was having a conversation with a good friend. She shared enough of her life--strengths and flaws--to create a connection with me as a reader, while maintaining a respectful distance to protect those most important to her. I have to also say, that I loved that there were two weeks out of the year that she couldn't conquer a book. Knowing that I am about to embark on this same project, I felt instant relief. I mean, I want to read a book a week, and that is certainly my intent. But this project is a personal goal designed to unplug and spend time on my favoritist of favorite hobbies--my reading. If I hit all 52 weeks, great. If I don't, I know I will have read more than I ever intended without a goal in place. This may not sound like the Lance Armstrong training approach to reading, and that's okay. It's mine.

When I closed Sara's book and took that moment to savor a good book read, I quickly moved into my own thinking about how I would like this year of reading to take shape. Sara let books come to her and so many of them seemed to come at the right time. I am hopeful there will be some of those serendipitous moments for me this year, but I also know the planner in me doesn't want to leave too much to chance or too many Sunday nights to wondering what in the heck I am going to take on for the week. So, to get me started and in the zone for this challenge, I am establishing the following guidelines:

1. All 52 books will be books I currently own. With a library of over 600 books and only about 125 of those having been read, I certainly don't need to be buying any more.

2. The only exception to the books being ones I already own will be with regard to my book club's monthly selections. You can better bet that my book club reads will be included in the count and with one each month, that only leaves me with 40 more to read.

3. The only exception to the books being ones I already own or have to buy for book club are ones that I just can't wait to get my hands on. Really, if I already own more than 600 and have only read just over 100 of those, does anyone think I can really go a year without buying a book?

4. I really don't want to take the easy way out, but with a pretty demanding job and a 6 year old embarking on back to back soccer and T-ball seasons and all that goes into being 6, I think the reality is that most of my selections will be under 300 pages. I would like to see if I can fit in 1 or 2 significant reads (300 - 500 pages).

5. I am a lover of contemporary fiction and memoirs and that will likely be the bulk of what I read; however, in the mix I will include:
- One Pulitzer Prize Winner
- One National Book Award Winner
- One collection of short stories or essays
- One collection of poetry
- One true classic that I should have read in school but didn't
- One contemporary classic
- One non-fiction book
- One parenting-related book
- One business-related book
- One graphic novel (oops, I might have to purchase outside of my collection on this one)
- One children's classic read with my son

I think that about covers it. I am really excited about this project and taking it on with my good friend, Deejah. It will be nice to have a partner in crime, one with whom I can share in the delight of a perfect passage, commiserate when the going gets tough and from whom I can gather new reading possibilities (that I won't procure until the end of the year, of course).

I am also just a little bit terrified.

It's All Her Fault

2009-12-25T17:17:00.001-08:00

Sara Nelson's fault. I don't even know her, but it seems right to place the blame squarely on her shoulders.

I mean, she wrote So Many Books, So Little Time about her passion for reading, chronicling how she read a book a week for a year. It's December 25, I am only about 30 pages into her book (and loving it, by the way) and am immediately compelled to try the same thing at the start of the new year. I mean, why not? She talks about her busiest times in life being the times she's actually reading the most. It's something I always want to be doing. Reading more. Watching TV less. Reading more. Facebooking less. Reading more. Doing just about anything else, less.

I know I can do this. I love reading and I adore books. I buy books at a rate that's fairly faster than my ability to read them, so I have amassed a small but sizeable collection. My friend Deejah is also willing to do it with me. Those experts are always saying to have a buddy when you embark on a new and challenging project, so I have that on my side.

It's fitting that I am coming to the close of two similar endeavors: Project 182 (my half-year version of Project 365, where I have taken a picture a day for six months and December Daily, a daily digital scrapbooking project). Both of these efforts were met with lukewarm excitement from my closest of friends. "I give you 5 weeks on this picture a day thing," said Claudia, who, in her defense, knows me very well. She's the one who knows the dreamer in me, the idea generator that can quickly move onto the next big thing. And with only six more days of taking photos to meet my Project 182 goal, well we all know what I COULD say. But I won't. I am thinking it, though.

In addition to improving my shutterbug skills, the daily photo project forced me to slow down, be alert, always prepared and live in the moment. It produced delightfully unexpected results that, admittedly, I want to continue to develop and experience. I think unplugging a little bit--well a lot, actually--this next year can allow me to do that. And who knows what other treasures it will bring. Whatever comes of it, I will document here. But before I can do any of that, I have to finish Sara's book and I have to do it fast. Week one starts January 3.

Eeeks.