I liked Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner for its unusual setting in a remote part of Alaska and also the main character’s contemplation of his changing life. Another fiction book that I really liked was Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford for its interesting story of a Chinese American boy in Seattle during WWII.
In non-fiction The Assist by Neil Swidey really stuck with me – that means it must be good as I really do not like basketball. The author followed high school basketball players and their coach in Boston.
I also liked the delicately creepy short stories in The Diving Pool by Yoko Ogawa. A mystery author I first read this year was Stieg Larsson who wrote The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. His third and final book in the series is coming out in 2010. These mysteries are set in Sweden with a journalist and a computer hacker as the main characters – if you are squeamish they are not for you.
Happy reading in 2010!
Escape to Books
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
I enjoyed reading this novel by Lorrie Moore. It is one of those books where you can tell the author has taken a great deal of care with the language. The main character, Tassie Keltjin, is living away from her Midwestern home in a college town. It is quite a transition to city life from living with her parents and a brother on a farm. For a twenty-year-old she is very observant as evidenced here:
“After a childhood of hungering to be an adult, my hunger had passed. Unexpected fates had begun to catch my notice. These middle-aged women seemed very tired to me, as if hope had been wrung out of them and replaced with a deathly, walking sort of sleep.”
Tassie makes this observation as she is interviewing to be a nanny. All the women she interviews with seem to be in their early forties. Tassie is eventually hired by Sarah Brink who is hoping with her husband, Edward, to adopt a baby. Tassie goes with them on their adoption interviews and meets the birth mothers along with them.
The Brinks end up adopting Mary-Emma, or Emmie as they call her. She’s a toddler who had been living in foster care. Tassie takes to her.
“I felt sorry for Mary-Emma and all she was going through, every day waking up to something new. Though maybe that was what childhood was. But I couldn’t quite recall that being the case for me. And perhaps she would grow up with a sense that incompetence was all around her, and it was entirely possible I would be instrumental in that. She would grow up with love, but no sense that the people who love her knew what they were doing – the opposite of my childhood – and so she would become suspicious of people, suspicious of love and the worth of it. Which in the end, well, would be a lot like me.”
The Brinks have some adjustments to make to being parents and also find it challenging to be the parents of a mixed race child. Sarah starts a support group. Tassie spends her days with Emmie. She is taking classes and meets a boyfriend – I think this side story is a distraction from the main story. Tassie’s world starts to come apart in more than one unexpected way and how she copes is the main focus of the novel.
“After a childhood of hungering to be an adult, my hunger had passed. Unexpected fates had begun to catch my notice. These middle-aged women seemed very tired to me, as if hope had been wrung out of them and replaced with a deathly, walking sort of sleep.”
Tassie makes this observation as she is interviewing to be a nanny. All the women she interviews with seem to be in their early forties. Tassie is eventually hired by Sarah Brink who is hoping with her husband, Edward, to adopt a baby. Tassie goes with them on their adoption interviews and meets the birth mothers along with them.
The Brinks end up adopting Mary-Emma, or Emmie as they call her. She’s a toddler who had been living in foster care. Tassie takes to her.
“I felt sorry for Mary-Emma and all she was going through, every day waking up to something new. Though maybe that was what childhood was. But I couldn’t quite recall that being the case for me. And perhaps she would grow up with a sense that incompetence was all around her, and it was entirely possible I would be instrumental in that. She would grow up with love, but no sense that the people who love her knew what they were doing – the opposite of my childhood – and so she would become suspicious of people, suspicious of love and the worth of it. Which in the end, well, would be a lot like me.”
The Brinks have some adjustments to make to being parents and also find it challenging to be the parents of a mixed race child. Sarah starts a support group. Tassie spends her days with Emmie. She is taking classes and meets a boyfriend – I think this side story is a distraction from the main story. Tassie’s world starts to come apart in more than one unexpected way and how she copes is the main focus of the novel.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner
Seth Kantner was an invited author at The Nature of Words this year. I finally got around to reading his novel Ordinary Wolves. This debut novel is set in Northern Alaska and follows Catuk Hawcly, an Alaskan-born white boy. Catuk lives with his father, brother, and sister, and they are a two-day dog sled ride from the nearest village. It was difficult at first for me to follow Catuk as a young boy.
Here’s a passage that made much more sense to me when I re-read it after finishing the book:
“It was hard to look at Enuk – or any traveler – in the eyes after seeing no people for weeks. It was hard to speak and not run and hide again. Enuk’s frost-scarred face betrayed mysteries and romantic hard times that drew a five-year-old boy with swollen dreams.” … “ The day I turned old I was going to be Enuk. Small discrepancies left footprints in my faith, such as the fact that he was Eskimo and I seemed to be staying naluaġmiu. But years lined up ahead, promising time for a cure.”
It is a coming-of- age story. When Catuk tries to live in Anchorage you really get more of a sense of him and how isolated he’s been. He physically fits in better in Anchorage, but is constantly trying to figure out people.
“I paused in coffee shops, eavesdropping, trying to emulate, acclimate, relate. I watched the caribou – the average people grazing through their days – men who griped about Tongass timber harvests while their engines idled; women with big dyed hair carrying Can’t-Grows with shaved haircuts; homeless men asking for spare change and apologizing for needing it.”
Catuk’s father is an interesting character as an artist raising three children. Catuk’s sister and brother also go through their own identity crises and adapt to where they want to be in the world. Stories of the nearby villagers and Catuk and his family are interspersed with chapters following the lives of wolves.
Here Catuk seems to hit on the main reason he’s having trouble adjusting to life anywhere:
“‘Every time I get a grip on what matters, then I’m all confused again. A white-person career, with insurance? And a Pension? Something is missing in me – that feels like being born a wolf and choosing a dog’s life.’”
It would have been interesting to hear this author speak. I’d love to hear from anyone who made it to his reading or workshop.
Escape to Books
Here’s a passage that made much more sense to me when I re-read it after finishing the book:
“It was hard to look at Enuk – or any traveler – in the eyes after seeing no people for weeks. It was hard to speak and not run and hide again. Enuk’s frost-scarred face betrayed mysteries and romantic hard times that drew a five-year-old boy with swollen dreams.” … “ The day I turned old I was going to be Enuk. Small discrepancies left footprints in my faith, such as the fact that he was Eskimo and I seemed to be staying naluaġmiu. But years lined up ahead, promising time for a cure.”
It is a coming-of- age story. When Catuk tries to live in Anchorage you really get more of a sense of him and how isolated he’s been. He physically fits in better in Anchorage, but is constantly trying to figure out people.
“I paused in coffee shops, eavesdropping, trying to emulate, acclimate, relate. I watched the caribou – the average people grazing through their days – men who griped about Tongass timber harvests while their engines idled; women with big dyed hair carrying Can’t-Grows with shaved haircuts; homeless men asking for spare change and apologizing for needing it.”
Catuk’s father is an interesting character as an artist raising three children. Catuk’s sister and brother also go through their own identity crises and adapt to where they want to be in the world. Stories of the nearby villagers and Catuk and his family are interspersed with chapters following the lives of wolves.
Here Catuk seems to hit on the main reason he’s having trouble adjusting to life anywhere:
“‘Every time I get a grip on what matters, then I’m all confused again. A white-person career, with insurance? And a Pension? Something is missing in me – that feels like being born a wolf and choosing a dog’s life.’”
It would have been interesting to hear this author speak. I’d love to hear from anyone who made it to his reading or workshop.
Escape to Books
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Diving Pool by Yoko Ogawa
The three stories in this book focus on young women in Japan in seemingly ordinary situations. Each character minutely observes the world around her. In “Dormitory” a young married woman helps her cousin find a place to live while he’s going to college. From the first paragraph of “Dormitory”:
“I became aware of the sound quite recently, though I can’t say with certainty when it started. There is a place in my memory that is dim and obscure, and the sound seems to have been hiding just there. At some point I suddenly realized that I was hearing it. It materialized out of nowhere, like the speckled pattern of microbes on the agar in a petri dish.”
I think the most intriguing of the three stories is “The Diving Pool.” At first it seems like a story about a girl with a crush on a diver. She spends her afternoons sitting in the bleachers watching him dive. He lives with her as her parents run an orphanage. Here she struggles with the transient nature of her life and her parents’ focus on others:
“Sometimes I have thought it might be better if I were an orphan, too. If I could have one of the tragic histories so common at the Light House – an alcoholic mother, a homicidal father, parents lost to death or abandonment, anything at all – then I would have been a proper orphan.”
Ogawa’s word choice seems extremely important and her translator must have done a very careful job to keep her voice. She sets up initially idyllic existences while slowly increasing the slightly creepy aspects. In “Pregnancy Diary” a younger sister keeps a record of how her sister’s pregnancy is proceeding, along with her subtle attempts to alter the outcome.
The Diving Pool is a quick read, but the stories will stick with you as they explore what human beings are capable of doing.
Escape to Books
“I became aware of the sound quite recently, though I can’t say with certainty when it started. There is a place in my memory that is dim and obscure, and the sound seems to have been hiding just there. At some point I suddenly realized that I was hearing it. It materialized out of nowhere, like the speckled pattern of microbes on the agar in a petri dish.”
I think the most intriguing of the three stories is “The Diving Pool.” At first it seems like a story about a girl with a crush on a diver. She spends her afternoons sitting in the bleachers watching him dive. He lives with her as her parents run an orphanage. Here she struggles with the transient nature of her life and her parents’ focus on others:
“Sometimes I have thought it might be better if I were an orphan, too. If I could have one of the tragic histories so common at the Light House – an alcoholic mother, a homicidal father, parents lost to death or abandonment, anything at all – then I would have been a proper orphan.”
Ogawa’s word choice seems extremely important and her translator must have done a very careful job to keep her voice. She sets up initially idyllic existences while slowly increasing the slightly creepy aspects. In “Pregnancy Diary” a younger sister keeps a record of how her sister’s pregnancy is proceeding, along with her subtle attempts to alter the outcome.
The Diving Pool is a quick read, but the stories will stick with you as they explore what human beings are capable of doing.
Escape to Books
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle
The Tortilla Curtain is on my list of favorite ten fiction books. I don’t know if favorite is quite the right word to describe how I feel about this book. It’s a book that people seem to love or hate. In this book T. C. Boyle addresses race, poverty, illegal immigrants, and suburban lifestyles. No one comes out looking good.
Kyra and Delaney are the suburban couple portrayed. She is a realtor and he is a nature writer. It is a second marriage for both of them and Kyra has a six year old son named Jordan. They live in a suburban development called Arroyo Blanco and during the course of the book the homeowner’s association debates putting in a gate as well as a stucco wall around the entire community to protect the homeowners. The couple has a car stolen and loses two dogs to coyotes, yet it is hard to feel any sympathy for them.
Delaney struggles with his liberal tendencies versus what he feels are his rights. Here he listens as a teenager in his community makes a racist joke:
“This was Jack’s kid. A kid who should know better, a kid with all the advantages, raised right here in Arroyo Blanco. … But then, maybe that was the problem, and his next thought was for Jordan: was that the way he was going to turn out? He knew the answer before he’d formulated the question. Of course it was, and there was nothing Kyra or Delaney or anybody else could do about it. That’s what he’d tried to tell Kyra over this wall business – it might keep them out, but look what it keeps in.”
The story is also told from the viewpoints of a second couple. Cándido and América are from Mexico and are in the US illegally. The hardships that they face are incredible and must be somewhat exaggerated, otherwise I can’t imagine why anyone would want to be in the US illegally. América is young and pregnant and Cándido struggles to find any work at all. They camp in a canyon near Arroyo Blanco.
Cándido feels haunted by bad luck. Here he reflects after they’ve just escaped from a wildfire caused by their campfire:
“Cándido didn’t know what the next day would bring, but as he looked down into the darkened canyon he felt awed by the enormity of his bad luck, stunned by the chain of events that had led from the windfall of the turkey and the simple joy of the campfire to this nightmare of flames and smoke and airplanes that exploded across the sky. Had he really been the cause of all this?”
Their luck continues to worsen.
The two couples’ lives intersect multiple times and in unpleasant ways for all parties leading up to a final confrontation. T. C. Boyle offers no answers to the issue of illegal immigration, but he’ll make you think.
Escape to Books
Kyra and Delaney are the suburban couple portrayed. She is a realtor and he is a nature writer. It is a second marriage for both of them and Kyra has a six year old son named Jordan. They live in a suburban development called Arroyo Blanco and during the course of the book the homeowner’s association debates putting in a gate as well as a stucco wall around the entire community to protect the homeowners. The couple has a car stolen and loses two dogs to coyotes, yet it is hard to feel any sympathy for them.
Delaney struggles with his liberal tendencies versus what he feels are his rights. Here he listens as a teenager in his community makes a racist joke:
“This was Jack’s kid. A kid who should know better, a kid with all the advantages, raised right here in Arroyo Blanco. … But then, maybe that was the problem, and his next thought was for Jordan: was that the way he was going to turn out? He knew the answer before he’d formulated the question. Of course it was, and there was nothing Kyra or Delaney or anybody else could do about it. That’s what he’d tried to tell Kyra over this wall business – it might keep them out, but look what it keeps in.”
The story is also told from the viewpoints of a second couple. Cándido and América are from Mexico and are in the US illegally. The hardships that they face are incredible and must be somewhat exaggerated, otherwise I can’t imagine why anyone would want to be in the US illegally. América is young and pregnant and Cándido struggles to find any work at all. They camp in a canyon near Arroyo Blanco.
Cándido feels haunted by bad luck. Here he reflects after they’ve just escaped from a wildfire caused by their campfire:
“Cándido didn’t know what the next day would bring, but as he looked down into the darkened canyon he felt awed by the enormity of his bad luck, stunned by the chain of events that had led from the windfall of the turkey and the simple joy of the campfire to this nightmare of flames and smoke and airplanes that exploded across the sky. Had he really been the cause of all this?”
Their luck continues to worsen.
The two couples’ lives intersect multiple times and in unpleasant ways for all parties leading up to a final confrontation. T. C. Boyle offers no answers to the issue of illegal immigration, but he’ll make you think.
Escape to Books
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Nature of Words is in Bend again next week. It is a great chance to hear some interesting authors or attend workshops. Sherman Alexie, author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian among other books, is a featured guest. There was some good news in the Bend Bulletin this morning. The Crook County School Board has reversed the ban on this book!
I’ll get back to reviewing books soon. We’ve been laid low with the flu, but are definitely on the mend now.
Escape to Books
I’ll get back to reviewing books soon. We’ve been laid low with the flu, but are definitely on the mend now.
Escape to Books
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The Vaccine Book by R. W. Sears
Did you know that between the ages of 0 and 5 children may receive 35 separate shots for ~14 different diseases if they follow the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule? And, some of these shots are combined, for example, DTaP vaccinates children for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis and 5 shots of it are recommended. The Vaccine Book takes a look at each vaccine, and the severity and frequency of the disease it prevents, as well as the ingredients and manufacturing process.
This is an interesting book for a couple reasons. Even if you plan to get all the shots recommended and follow the vaccine schedule proposed by your pediatrician, there are still choices to be made. Do you want to get the MMR shot or the MMR combined with chicken pox shot? How about the DTap, hep B and polio combined shot? A combined shot makes for fewer times the child is actually poked so that would seem to be a good thing, right? Here’s what Dr. Sears has to say, “I am not a big fan of combo shots. I prefer to spread the vaccines out and give less at each visit in order to avoid overloading a baby with so many shots and chemicals at once.”
Even in if you don’t have kids, you might find some of this information useful for yourself. Each section considers overseas travel and how you might want to vaccinate differently based on where you might travel. This could be helpful reading for the college student or retiree heading off on an adventure.
I found the chapter on the Hep B vaccine very interesting reading. This shot is given to newborns in the hospital almost as soon as they are born. Since Hep B is a sexually transmitted disease, one wonders how could a baby get it except from the mother? Is Hep B so prevalent that this is a huge risk? Sears argues that the reason this shot is required at birth is because the prevalence of Hep B in infants and children was overestimated when the decision about when to vaccinate was made. According to Sears only ~360 kids per year were diagnosed with Hep B before the vaccine was used and now it’s down to about 130 confirmed cases each year. That’s nothing like chicken pox where the US went from 3.5 million cases per year to ~50,000after the vaccine was introduced.
For an up-to-date discussion on vaccines, including the H1N1 flu vaccine, see the book’s website.
This is an interesting book for a couple reasons. Even if you plan to get all the shots recommended and follow the vaccine schedule proposed by your pediatrician, there are still choices to be made. Do you want to get the MMR shot or the MMR combined with chicken pox shot? How about the DTap, hep B and polio combined shot? A combined shot makes for fewer times the child is actually poked so that would seem to be a good thing, right? Here’s what Dr. Sears has to say, “I am not a big fan of combo shots. I prefer to spread the vaccines out and give less at each visit in order to avoid overloading a baby with so many shots and chemicals at once.”
Even in if you don’t have kids, you might find some of this information useful for yourself. Each section considers overseas travel and how you might want to vaccinate differently based on where you might travel. This could be helpful reading for the college student or retiree heading off on an adventure.
I found the chapter on the Hep B vaccine very interesting reading. This shot is given to newborns in the hospital almost as soon as they are born. Since Hep B is a sexually transmitted disease, one wonders how could a baby get it except from the mother? Is Hep B so prevalent that this is a huge risk? Sears argues that the reason this shot is required at birth is because the prevalence of Hep B in infants and children was overestimated when the decision about when to vaccinate was made. According to Sears only ~360 kids per year were diagnosed with Hep B before the vaccine was used and now it’s down to about 130 confirmed cases each year. That’s nothing like chicken pox where the US went from 3.5 million cases per year to ~50,000after the vaccine was introduced.
For an up-to-date discussion on vaccines, including the H1N1 flu vaccine, see the book’s website.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Border Songs by Jim Lynch
I vividly remember an experience I had at the US/Canadian border when I was in college. I was crossing back into the US with a couple friends. As the driver I was asked what town I was from. When I replied Mt. Vernon, the border person asked me who was the vice-principal at the high school and when I answered correctly waved me through. He didn’t seem to be concerned with who else was in the car or in seeing any identification at all. It was a kinder, gentler and possibly more naïve time.
Border Songs is set at today’s border near the Peace Arch in Washington State and British Columbia. A ditch is all that separates many parts of Canada from the US there, with neighbors being on one side of the ditch or the other. I hope this is exaggerated fiction as the amount of people crossing illegally to get into the US or to smuggle in pot seems insane.
In this novel Brandon Vanderkool is the newest border agent. He makes many busts right away. It is not because he is trying, but rather he watches for birds and can’t help but see the people or anomalous items around him. His dad, Norm, is a struggling dairy farmer whose wife is losing her memory. With his farm right on the border, Norm’s tempted with monetary offers to look the other way. One entertaining scene in the book takes place when Brandon is being shown all the new video cameras that have been placed along the border. One is pointed right at his dad’s farm and he witnesses some very strange behavior while trying to pay attention to his chief’s lecture.
Brandon does not relate well to people and much of this book is about him trying to figure out if a childhood friend, Madeline, is still a friend or not. Madeline, lives on the Canadian side of the border, and is becoming more and more involved in smuggling. It seems everyone on both sides is trying to get something across the border. Brandon even ends up arresting his sixth grade teacher. Border Songs is definitely a good read and I especially recommend it to anyone who lives near the border. I’d love to hear comments on what it is like to be living in Blaine or Lynden now.
Jim Lynch also wrote The Highest Tide, a young adult novel that focuses on a 13 year old boy growing up on the Puget Sound. I really enjoyed that book as well with its great descriptions of the sound and its marine life.
Escape to Books
Border Songs is set at today’s border near the Peace Arch in Washington State and British Columbia. A ditch is all that separates many parts of Canada from the US there, with neighbors being on one side of the ditch or the other. I hope this is exaggerated fiction as the amount of people crossing illegally to get into the US or to smuggle in pot seems insane.
In this novel Brandon Vanderkool is the newest border agent. He makes many busts right away. It is not because he is trying, but rather he watches for birds and can’t help but see the people or anomalous items around him. His dad, Norm, is a struggling dairy farmer whose wife is losing her memory. With his farm right on the border, Norm’s tempted with monetary offers to look the other way. One entertaining scene in the book takes place when Brandon is being shown all the new video cameras that have been placed along the border. One is pointed right at his dad’s farm and he witnesses some very strange behavior while trying to pay attention to his chief’s lecture.
Brandon does not relate well to people and much of this book is about him trying to figure out if a childhood friend, Madeline, is still a friend or not. Madeline, lives on the Canadian side of the border, and is becoming more and more involved in smuggling. It seems everyone on both sides is trying to get something across the border. Brandon even ends up arresting his sixth grade teacher. Border Songs is definitely a good read and I especially recommend it to anyone who lives near the border. I’d love to hear comments on what it is like to be living in Blaine or Lynden now.
Jim Lynch also wrote The Highest Tide, a young adult novel that focuses on a 13 year old boy growing up on the Puget Sound. I really enjoyed that book as well with its great descriptions of the sound and its marine life.
Escape to Books
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming
I Shall Not Want is the sixth in a unique mystery series. Clare Ferguson is an Episcopalian priest and former Army helicopter pilot in a small town in upper state New York. As a reverend she has a reputation for acting before thinking. Her current Bishop is unsure of her commitment and a deal they’ve made is for her to be in the National Guard as she figures out how dedicated she is to being a priest.
Russ Van Alstyne is the police chief of the small town of Millers Kill and one main reason Clare is questioning her own judgment. To get the back story on their relationship it is best to start with the first book in the series: In the Bleak Midwinter.
In I Shall Not Want a body is found during a church picnic. Other bodies are found, all of young Hispanic men. The police chief and the town begin to wonder if they are dealing with a serial killer. Russ becomes even more entangled in this case as one of the bodies is found on his sister’s property. Even though Russ and Clare are estranged initially, she becomes involved as the number of illegal immigrants in the area and their treatment is brought to her attention.
Here’s Russ trying to tell Clare how he feels:
“It’s me. I’m …stuck. I’m like an old truck up to its hubcaps in snow. I go forward, I go back, nothing ever changes or shakes loose, and the whole time I’m cold, inside and out. The only time I feel anything is when I’m angry.”
The mystery is almost secondary to the ongoing story of Russ and Clare. Other characters are also well developed. New to town is Hadley Knox, the first female police officer in Millers Kill. A good portion of the mystery explores Hadley’s growth as an officer and her attempt to balance her job with being a single mom to two kids.
If you’re looking for a mystery that has more focus on character development than most, definitely try out these books by Julia Spencer-Fleming.
Escape to Books
Russ Van Alstyne is the police chief of the small town of Millers Kill and one main reason Clare is questioning her own judgment. To get the back story on their relationship it is best to start with the first book in the series: In the Bleak Midwinter.
In I Shall Not Want a body is found during a church picnic. Other bodies are found, all of young Hispanic men. The police chief and the town begin to wonder if they are dealing with a serial killer. Russ becomes even more entangled in this case as one of the bodies is found on his sister’s property. Even though Russ and Clare are estranged initially, she becomes involved as the number of illegal immigrants in the area and their treatment is brought to her attention.
Here’s Russ trying to tell Clare how he feels:
“It’s me. I’m …stuck. I’m like an old truck up to its hubcaps in snow. I go forward, I go back, nothing ever changes or shakes loose, and the whole time I’m cold, inside and out. The only time I feel anything is when I’m angry.”
The mystery is almost secondary to the ongoing story of Russ and Clare. Other characters are also well developed. New to town is Hadley Knox, the first female police officer in Millers Kill. A good portion of the mystery explores Hadley’s growth as an officer and her attempt to balance her job with being a single mom to two kids.
If you’re looking for a mystery that has more focus on character development than most, definitely try out these books by Julia Spencer-Fleming.
Escape to Books
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Assist by Neil Swidey
I know I just reviewed a book set in Boston, but this non-fiction book recommended by a friend is too compelling not to mention here. The Assist, subtitled Hoops, Hope, and the Game of Their Lives, is the story of a high school basketball coach and his players. It is more than the typical feel good sports story of coach pushes players, players go on to win a championship.
Jack O’Brian is a tough coach and he does want to win championships. However, his ultimate goal is to get his players into college. And, what I find really impressive is he is not trying to just get his star player on a Division I team, but he is trying to place every senior somewhere. I think people forget that you can play basketball (or most other sports) at small, private liberal arts colleges. An athletic scholarship may not be available, but often, if you are a good enough player, that school will meet your financial need. For inner city kids without financial resources (or poor, rural kids) that could mean a full ride at a great school.
The author has incredible access to the lives of the coach, his players, and their families and friends. He also includes some historical perspective. Two of the main players he follows, Ridley Johnson and Jason “Hood” White, have serious bus commutes to get to their high school in Charlestown, a traditionally white area. Swidey spends time on the attempts at desegregation that lead to this current system.
“So black kids like Hood and Ridley – as well as kids all the way down to the elementary level – still spent a big chunk of every day commuting across the city, navigating through gang turf wars, to get to white neighborhoods where the schools were just as dominated by black and Hispanic students as the schools down the street from their apartments. That couldn’t possibly be what the social engineers of the 1970s had in mind.”
O’Brian is very good at placing his players in colleges. Not every player is successful once he gets to college though. The story of Hood is especially compelling. He receives a great scholarship offer to college, but doesn’t seem to appreciate it. He seems to purposely sabotage himself with pregnant girlfriends, as well as by hanging out with a cousin with a record. I’d really like to see a follow up on where he is now.
There is a website for the book that includes a link to an interview with the author, Coach Jack O’Brian and Ridley Johnson.
Jack O’Brian is a tough coach and he does want to win championships. However, his ultimate goal is to get his players into college. And, what I find really impressive is he is not trying to just get his star player on a Division I team, but he is trying to place every senior somewhere. I think people forget that you can play basketball (or most other sports) at small, private liberal arts colleges. An athletic scholarship may not be available, but often, if you are a good enough player, that school will meet your financial need. For inner city kids without financial resources (or poor, rural kids) that could mean a full ride at a great school.
The author has incredible access to the lives of the coach, his players, and their families and friends. He also includes some historical perspective. Two of the main players he follows, Ridley Johnson and Jason “Hood” White, have serious bus commutes to get to their high school in Charlestown, a traditionally white area. Swidey spends time on the attempts at desegregation that lead to this current system.
“So black kids like Hood and Ridley – as well as kids all the way down to the elementary level – still spent a big chunk of every day commuting across the city, navigating through gang turf wars, to get to white neighborhoods where the schools were just as dominated by black and Hispanic students as the schools down the street from their apartments. That couldn’t possibly be what the social engineers of the 1970s had in mind.”
O’Brian is very good at placing his players in colleges. Not every player is successful once he gets to college though. The story of Hood is especially compelling. He receives a great scholarship offer to college, but doesn’t seem to appreciate it. He seems to purposely sabotage himself with pregnant girlfriends, as well as by hanging out with a cousin with a record. I’d really like to see a follow up on where he is now.
There is a website for the book that includes a link to an interview with the author, Coach Jack O’Brian and Ridley Johnson.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Given Day by Dennis Lehane
I have read a few books by Dennis Lehane. Mystic River, later made into a decent movie, was quite a good thriller, but I was disappointed with Shutter Island, which was more of a psychological thriller. For some reason, I was expecting another thriller when I picked up The Given Day, but it is definitely not that.
A primary character in this novel, Danny Coughlin, is a police officer in Boston in 1918 from an Irish American family. Danny is asked to infiltrate some suspected terrorist groups and in the process becomes interested in blue collar workers’ rights and very involved in trying to start a policemen’s union. This does not go over particularly well with his police captain father or district attorney brother.
Another main character, Luther Laurence, has to leave his wife and unborn child in Oklahoma after becoming involved in a murder. He ends up in Boston with some distant relatives and is hired by Danny’s father, as a houseboy. His predecessor leaves him an interesting letter about working for the Coughlin family.
“If you are reading this, I am dead. If you are reading this, you are also Negro, as was I, because the white folk on K, L, and M, Streets only hire Negro housemen. The Coughlin family is not so bad for white folk. The Captain is never to be trifled with but he will treat you fair if you don’t cross him. His sons are mostly good. Mister Connor will snap at you every now and again. Joe is just a boy and will talk your ear off if you let him. Danny is a strange. He definitely does his own thinking. He is like the Captain, though, he will treat you fair and like a man. Nora is a funny thinker herself but there is not any wool over her eyes. You can trust her. Be careful with Mrs. Coughlin. Do what she asks and never question her. Stay well clear of the Captain’s friend, Lieutenant McKenna. He is something the Lord should have dropped.”
This letter really sets the stage for what happens next. Nora is a servant that the family took in five years ago and she becomes an important figure in both Danny and Luther’s lives. Friendships across racial lines are unusual for this time in Boston. Also, Luther does get on Lieutenant McKenna’s bad side with serious repercussions.
The third story that is interwoven between these two is that of Babe Ruth. This story is loosely tied in with the Babe meeting Luther at the beginning of the novel and Danny at the end. It is always interesting to me to take a historical figure and attribute various actions or thoughts to that person. And, for the record, I don’t know if Luther or Danny are historical figures as well or simply fiction.
The Given Day is a relatively long novel with many characters. Each character is so distinct that I never had to remind myself about who was who or who had done what. I think this is a significant and complex work that gives you a glimpse of Boston during a tumultuous time.
Escape to Books
A primary character in this novel, Danny Coughlin, is a police officer in Boston in 1918 from an Irish American family. Danny is asked to infiltrate some suspected terrorist groups and in the process becomes interested in blue collar workers’ rights and very involved in trying to start a policemen’s union. This does not go over particularly well with his police captain father or district attorney brother.
Another main character, Luther Laurence, has to leave his wife and unborn child in Oklahoma after becoming involved in a murder. He ends up in Boston with some distant relatives and is hired by Danny’s father, as a houseboy. His predecessor leaves him an interesting letter about working for the Coughlin family.
“If you are reading this, I am dead. If you are reading this, you are also Negro, as was I, because the white folk on K, L, and M, Streets only hire Negro housemen. The Coughlin family is not so bad for white folk. The Captain is never to be trifled with but he will treat you fair if you don’t cross him. His sons are mostly good. Mister Connor will snap at you every now and again. Joe is just a boy and will talk your ear off if you let him. Danny is a strange. He definitely does his own thinking. He is like the Captain, though, he will treat you fair and like a man. Nora is a funny thinker herself but there is not any wool over her eyes. You can trust her. Be careful with Mrs. Coughlin. Do what she asks and never question her. Stay well clear of the Captain’s friend, Lieutenant McKenna. He is something the Lord should have dropped.”
This letter really sets the stage for what happens next. Nora is a servant that the family took in five years ago and she becomes an important figure in both Danny and Luther’s lives. Friendships across racial lines are unusual for this time in Boston. Also, Luther does get on Lieutenant McKenna’s bad side with serious repercussions.
The third story that is interwoven between these two is that of Babe Ruth. This story is loosely tied in with the Babe meeting Luther at the beginning of the novel and Danny at the end. It is always interesting to me to take a historical figure and attribute various actions or thoughts to that person. And, for the record, I don’t know if Luther or Danny are historical figures as well or simply fiction.
The Given Day is a relatively long novel with many characters. Each character is so distinct that I never had to remind myself about who was who or who had done what. I think this is a significant and complex work that gives you a glimpse of Boston during a tumultuous time.
Escape to Books
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
The Worst Hard Time is a non-fiction book describing the impact of the depression on the area in the United States hit hardest by drought. Unlike Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, which fictionalizes a family’s migration out of the Dust Bowl, Egan focuses on the families that stayed. Many stayed because they could not afford to move, whereas others were optimistic and initially believed this was only a temporary condition. After a few years even the most optimistic were fleeing, if they could.
I did not realize before reading this book how devastating the dust storms were or how many people died of dust pneumonia. Here‘s one description of the storm that happened on what became known as Black Sunday, April 14, 1935:
“The front edge of the duster looked two thousand feet high. Winds were clocked at sixty-five miles an hour. A few minutes earlier there had been bright sunshine and a temperature of eighty-one degrees, without a wisp of wind. Drivers turned on their headlights but could not see ahead of them, or even see the person sitting next to them.”
There are multiple descriptions of this storm from many different towns and people. The hardest to read is that of a mother who had just buried her baby and attended her grandma’s funeral.
There are some interesting politics going on during this time. FDR was elected president in 1932 and immediately began giving some relief to farm families. Before this there was no safety net at all. Hugh Bennett, head of the Soil Erosion Service during the Roosevelt administration, wanted to try and restore the grasslands and ensure against future dust storms.
“… as the dusters picked up in ferocity, Bennett was one of the first in Washington to try and convince people it was not just another natural disaster or an epic drought. It seemed like something caused by man, a by-product of hubris and ignorance on a grand scale. Maybe some of it could be reversed. But to do so, people would have to think anew about how they used the land.”
Bennett found Congress a hard sell. He planned his next presentation for five days after Black Sunday. That afternoon during his presentation the day turned dark and dust from that storm fell on Washington DC. Bennett got his funding.
The Worst Hard Time does a good job of illuminating the individual lives and the families that are hard hit by this tragedy as well as giving an overview of the whole time period. I did find the book a bit longer than necessary, but appreciated the historical photos included.
Escape to Books
I did not realize before reading this book how devastating the dust storms were or how many people died of dust pneumonia. Here‘s one description of the storm that happened on what became known as Black Sunday, April 14, 1935:
“The front edge of the duster looked two thousand feet high. Winds were clocked at sixty-five miles an hour. A few minutes earlier there had been bright sunshine and a temperature of eighty-one degrees, without a wisp of wind. Drivers turned on their headlights but could not see ahead of them, or even see the person sitting next to them.”
There are multiple descriptions of this storm from many different towns and people. The hardest to read is that of a mother who had just buried her baby and attended her grandma’s funeral.
There are some interesting politics going on during this time. FDR was elected president in 1932 and immediately began giving some relief to farm families. Before this there was no safety net at all. Hugh Bennett, head of the Soil Erosion Service during the Roosevelt administration, wanted to try and restore the grasslands and ensure against future dust storms.
“… as the dusters picked up in ferocity, Bennett was one of the first in Washington to try and convince people it was not just another natural disaster or an epic drought. It seemed like something caused by man, a by-product of hubris and ignorance on a grand scale. Maybe some of it could be reversed. But to do so, people would have to think anew about how they used the land.”
Bennett found Congress a hard sell. He planned his next presentation for five days after Black Sunday. That afternoon during his presentation the day turned dark and dust from that storm fell on Washington DC. Bennett got his funding.
The Worst Hard Time does a good job of illuminating the individual lives and the families that are hard hit by this tragedy as well as giving an overview of the whole time period. I did find the book a bit longer than necessary, but appreciated the historical photos included.
Escape to Books
Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu
This main character in this novel is Sepha Stephanos, an immigrant from Ethiopia who’s been living in Washington DC for the past seventeen years. He runs a small store in a rundown area in Logan’s Circle. His store is not particularly successful and he has lots of time to dwell on the past.
“Left alone behind the counter I was hit with the sudden terrible and frightening realization that everything I had cared for and loved was either lost or living on without me seven thousand miles away, and that what I had here was not a life, but a poorly constructed substitution made up of one uncle, two friends, a grim store, and a cheap apartment.”
Stephanos and his two friends, immigrants from two other African countries, meet regularly. Joseph is a waiter in an exclusive restaurant and Kenneth is an engineer. They all met many years ago working as bellboys at a hotel. Their usual pastime while drinking in a bar is to name a dictator and match it to the country and year of the revolution or coup.
Stephanos has a brief period of hope for more from his life when Judith and her daughter Naomi fix up an abandoned house next to his store and move in. Stephanos spends a great deal of time with Naomi and hopes to spend more with Judith. However, he seems to deliberately sabotage this relationship. And, to make it more difficult his neighborhood is not ready for gentrification.
If you’re looking for an uplifting immigrant story, this is not it. It is, however, a look into what it is like to be lonely in America. Stephanos is obviously not happy. His family in Ethiopia, his mother and his brother, are financially doing better than he is and it makes me, at least, question if he wouldn’t be happier living with them. It is also an interesting look into what happens to a neighborhood when people with money move in. I naively assumed that would be a good thing, but it does not seem to be for the long time residents. I’m looking forward to more novels from this author.
Escape to Books
“Left alone behind the counter I was hit with the sudden terrible and frightening realization that everything I had cared for and loved was either lost or living on without me seven thousand miles away, and that what I had here was not a life, but a poorly constructed substitution made up of one uncle, two friends, a grim store, and a cheap apartment.”
Stephanos and his two friends, immigrants from two other African countries, meet regularly. Joseph is a waiter in an exclusive restaurant and Kenneth is an engineer. They all met many years ago working as bellboys at a hotel. Their usual pastime while drinking in a bar is to name a dictator and match it to the country and year of the revolution or coup.
Stephanos has a brief period of hope for more from his life when Judith and her daughter Naomi fix up an abandoned house next to his store and move in. Stephanos spends a great deal of time with Naomi and hopes to spend more with Judith. However, he seems to deliberately sabotage this relationship. And, to make it more difficult his neighborhood is not ready for gentrification.
If you’re looking for an uplifting immigrant story, this is not it. It is, however, a look into what it is like to be lonely in America. Stephanos is obviously not happy. His family in Ethiopia, his mother and his brother, are financially doing better than he is and it makes me, at least, question if he wouldn’t be happier living with them. It is also an interesting look into what happens to a neighborhood when people with money move in. I naively assumed that would be a good thing, but it does not seem to be for the long time residents. I’m looking forward to more novels from this author.
Escape to Books
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Admission is really the story of Portia Nathan, who just happens to work in the admissions office at Princeton. Portia is dealing with the end of a sixteen year relationship and the idea that her mom has taken in a pregnant seventeen-year-old and might end up adopting the baby. She has a breakdown that coincides with these events, but seems to have more to do with a long held secret from her own college years.
I did find the insight into the admissions process of a highly selective college interesting. It must be great to be at a place with need blind admissions. I wonder what percentage of private colleges can still operate that way. Portia spends the fall visiting high schools and encouraging students to apply while the winter is spent wading through thousands of applications to find just the right students.
“It was an oddity of her work that she might know these young men and women so intimately from the records of their accomplishments, their confessed secrets, their worries and ambitions, and yet when the flesh-and-blood applicants arrived on campus a few months later, they were always strangers. Somehow, the folders turned into these bodies: high-spirited, intense, beauteous, or plain, usually clever, but sometimes quite dull. They looked like teenagers walking the campuses of Notre Dame or Texas A&M. They sounded like kids at the mall or on the subway. The special, unique eighteen-year-olds, whose applications had so thrilled Portia and her colleagues, or made them argue passionately for admission over wait list, or wait list over rejection, had somehow morphed into these strangely ordinary beings.”
Admission is a good length to pack for vacation or a long plane trip. It is not a light beach read, but slightly longer and more in depth. It might remind you of your own college admission essays, and give some insight into how the process has changed over the years. The story of Portia, her colleagues, her boyfriend(s), and the potential Princeton admitees is intriguing – slightly too many coincidences to be believable, but still a good read.
Escape to Books
I did find the insight into the admissions process of a highly selective college interesting. It must be great to be at a place with need blind admissions. I wonder what percentage of private colleges can still operate that way. Portia spends the fall visiting high schools and encouraging students to apply while the winter is spent wading through thousands of applications to find just the right students.
“It was an oddity of her work that she might know these young men and women so intimately from the records of their accomplishments, their confessed secrets, their worries and ambitions, and yet when the flesh-and-blood applicants arrived on campus a few months later, they were always strangers. Somehow, the folders turned into these bodies: high-spirited, intense, beauteous, or plain, usually clever, but sometimes quite dull. They looked like teenagers walking the campuses of Notre Dame or Texas A&M. They sounded like kids at the mall or on the subway. The special, unique eighteen-year-olds, whose applications had so thrilled Portia and her colleagues, or made them argue passionately for admission over wait list, or wait list over rejection, had somehow morphed into these strangely ordinary beings.”
Admission is a good length to pack for vacation or a long plane trip. It is not a light beach read, but slightly longer and more in depth. It might remind you of your own college admission essays, and give some insight into how the process has changed over the years. The story of Portia, her colleagues, her boyfriend(s), and the potential Princeton admitees is intriguing – slightly too many coincidences to be believable, but still a good read.
Escape to Books
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
What a great title! This novel, set in Seattle during World War II and 1986, follows Chinese American Henry Lee. Henry is twelve years old in 1942 and has recently had his parents tell him to speak only English. This is difficult as although Henry goes to an all white school on scholarship, his parents only speak Chinese. His father follows the war effort closely and has significant interest in seeing the Japanese defeated in China. He has Henry wear a button that states, “I am Chinese.”
In Seattle at the time Chinatown and Japantown were very close geographically but separate entities, and when a Japanese student, Keiko Okabe, starts at Henry’s school he is unsure what to make of her. They soon become good friends as they are both scholarship students and have to work together at the school. The story revolves around their growing friendship, Henry’s clashes with his dad over this friendship, and the impending internment of Keiko and her family.
I’ve read a few books about the impact of Japanese internment camps on Japanese Americans, including the novel Snow Falling on Cedars and more recently the non-fiction book Stubborn Twig. This novel addresses a few more issues I’ve never considered. There were thousands of Japanese Americans living in Seattle. How were they relocated? What happened to their property and their belongings? The descriptions of the temporary camp at the Puyallup Washington State Fairgrounds and the more permanent one in Minidoka, Idaho seem unreal.
The story of Henry as a young teen during World War II is interspersed with Henry’s life in 1986. He’s now widowed and has a college age son. Henry hears about belongings from World War II found in an old hotel and that starts him on a search to find out what happened to Keiko. I highly recommend this book. It is much more readable than Stubborn Twig and also gives some insight into what other ethnic groups felt about the Japanese relocation and internment.
In Seattle at the time Chinatown and Japantown were very close geographically but separate entities, and when a Japanese student, Keiko Okabe, starts at Henry’s school he is unsure what to make of her. They soon become good friends as they are both scholarship students and have to work together at the school. The story revolves around their growing friendship, Henry’s clashes with his dad over this friendship, and the impending internment of Keiko and her family.
I’ve read a few books about the impact of Japanese internment camps on Japanese Americans, including the novel Snow Falling on Cedars and more recently the non-fiction book Stubborn Twig. This novel addresses a few more issues I’ve never considered. There were thousands of Japanese Americans living in Seattle. How were they relocated? What happened to their property and their belongings? The descriptions of the temporary camp at the Puyallup Washington State Fairgrounds and the more permanent one in Minidoka, Idaho seem unreal.
The story of Henry as a young teen during World War II is interspersed with Henry’s life in 1986. He’s now widowed and has a college age son. Henry hears about belongings from World War II found in an old hotel and that starts him on a search to find out what happened to Keiko. I highly recommend this book. It is much more readable than Stubborn Twig and also gives some insight into what other ethnic groups felt about the Japanese relocation and internment.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
the green teen by Jenn Savedge
The green teen is a compact book with a subtitle of the eco-friendly teen’s guide to saving the planet. Author Jenn Savedge has done a nice job of compiling information that teens can use to change their habits, if they want. There are a number of do-it-yourself projects like making your own personal care products or simple things to do around the house to save energy. Included are text codes so teens (or anyone else) can get info on the go. For example, text BUYORGANIC to 4-INFO to get a list of food that might be best to purchase organic. Plus, there are a lot of websites included for further reading if a teen becomes especially interested in a particular project.
I thought some of the most interesting parts to read were the real life stories of teens who have done something in their community to go green. Some examples include starting an environmental club at school or converting a regular car to an electric one. I was most inspired by the group in New York City led by 15-year-old Avery Hairston. This group raises money to purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs and then hands them out to low-income families. I liked this idea because it seemed manageable, yet could really make a difference. A few more ambitious projects are also described such as working to save a lake or to clean up the water supply in India. Some practical help in the form of a recycling plan to propose to your school is included.
I also appreciated the sections where teens received suggestions on how to get their parents to go along with their plans to go green.
For example, “Be Their Guide: Save your parents time and money by researching their options for them.” The book then goes on to point out how to do that and includes some useful websites.
I especially liked this suggestion:
“Take the Hit: If it is going to cost $20 more each week for your parents to buy organic groceries at the store, offer to absorb the costs by paying for them with your allowance or giving up something you’ve been begging for but don’t really need. Make it a family effort so that your parents will know how important this is to you.”
I do have a copy of the green teen to give away to one reader. Post a comment below and I’ll do a random drawing on June 3rd. To learn more about the author visit her site at www.thegreenparent.com or click here to purchase the book.
I thought some of the most interesting parts to read were the real life stories of teens who have done something in their community to go green. Some examples include starting an environmental club at school or converting a regular car to an electric one. I was most inspired by the group in New York City led by 15-year-old Avery Hairston. This group raises money to purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs and then hands them out to low-income families. I liked this idea because it seemed manageable, yet could really make a difference. A few more ambitious projects are also described such as working to save a lake or to clean up the water supply in India. Some practical help in the form of a recycling plan to propose to your school is included.
I also appreciated the sections where teens received suggestions on how to get their parents to go along with their plans to go green.
For example, “Be Their Guide: Save your parents time and money by researching their options for them.” The book then goes on to point out how to do that and includes some useful websites.
I especially liked this suggestion:
“Take the Hit: If it is going to cost $20 more each week for your parents to buy organic groceries at the store, offer to absorb the costs by paying for them with your allowance or giving up something you’ve been begging for but don’t really need. Make it a family effort so that your parents will know how important this is to you.”
I do have a copy of the green teen to give away to one reader. Post a comment below and I’ll do a random drawing on June 3rd. To learn more about the author visit her site at www.thegreenparent.com or click here to purchase the book.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Unaccustomed Earth is a collection of short stories dealing mainly with second generation Indian Americans. The main characters in each story are well-defined and thoughtful young adults. There is drama including breakdowns, death, and alcoholism, but it is a very quiet and understated kind of drama. In many of the stories the family initially appears to be a model stereotypical Indian immigrant family with the fathers working in science-related careers and the mothers staying home to take care of the children. The children do well in school and attend well-known colleges, but it is when these children reach adulthood and make different choices from their parents that the stories resonate.
One of the stories that will stick with me is “Unaccustomed Earth.” It is told from the third person points of view of both Ruma, a young mother, and her father. It is an uncomfortable time for them both after the death of Ruma’s mother. Ruma’s father visits her in Seattle where she is expecting her second child. She is hesitant to ask him to move in with her family, although if it had been her father who passed away first her mother would have moved in immediately. Her father doesn’t know how to tell her he’s met someone else and has no intention of moving away from Pennsylvania. Ruma finds him unexpectedly helpful with her son and around the house and does decide to ask him to live with her family. Here are her father’s thoughts:
“A part of him, the part of him that would never cease to be a father, felt obligated to accept. But it was not what he wanted. Being here for a week, however pleasant, had only confirmed the fact. He did not want to be part of another family, part of the mess, the feuds, the demands, the energy of it. He did not want to live in the margins of his daughter’s life, in the shadow of her marriage. He didn’t want to live again in an enormous house that would only fill up with things over the years, as the children grew, all the things he’d recently gotten rid of, all the books and papers and clothes and objects one felt compelled to possess, to save.”
Another story, “Only Goodness”, tells of Sudha and her younger brother, Rahul. Sudha attends and graduates from U. Penn. and heads to graduate school in London. Meanwhile Rahul fails out of Cornell and it becomes obvious to Sudha that he is an alcoholic. Her parents attempt to ignore his alcoholism for a long time. And, then, are powerless to do anything about it. Sudha attempts a reconciliation with Rahul after the birth of her first child. This failed reconciliation and the guilt she feels over being the first one to give him a beer, back when he was in high school, are powerful to read. Here she attempts early on to lend advice when he is having trouble in college:
“His words silenced her, cut to the bone. She’d always had a heavy hand in his life, it was true, striving not to control it but to improve it somehow. She had always considered this her responsibility to him. She had not known how to be a sister any other way.”
Lahiri does an excellent job at dissecting relationships between family members whether parent and child or spouses. I focused here more on the parent-child interactions, but her other stories are also well worth reading. I’m inspired to add her novel, The Namesake, to my reading list.
One of the stories that will stick with me is “Unaccustomed Earth.” It is told from the third person points of view of both Ruma, a young mother, and her father. It is an uncomfortable time for them both after the death of Ruma’s mother. Ruma’s father visits her in Seattle where she is expecting her second child. She is hesitant to ask him to move in with her family, although if it had been her father who passed away first her mother would have moved in immediately. Her father doesn’t know how to tell her he’s met someone else and has no intention of moving away from Pennsylvania. Ruma finds him unexpectedly helpful with her son and around the house and does decide to ask him to live with her family. Here are her father’s thoughts:
“A part of him, the part of him that would never cease to be a father, felt obligated to accept. But it was not what he wanted. Being here for a week, however pleasant, had only confirmed the fact. He did not want to be part of another family, part of the mess, the feuds, the demands, the energy of it. He did not want to live in the margins of his daughter’s life, in the shadow of her marriage. He didn’t want to live again in an enormous house that would only fill up with things over the years, as the children grew, all the things he’d recently gotten rid of, all the books and papers and clothes and objects one felt compelled to possess, to save.”
Another story, “Only Goodness”, tells of Sudha and her younger brother, Rahul. Sudha attends and graduates from U. Penn. and heads to graduate school in London. Meanwhile Rahul fails out of Cornell and it becomes obvious to Sudha that he is an alcoholic. Her parents attempt to ignore his alcoholism for a long time. And, then, are powerless to do anything about it. Sudha attempts a reconciliation with Rahul after the birth of her first child. This failed reconciliation and the guilt she feels over being the first one to give him a beer, back when he was in high school, are powerful to read. Here she attempts early on to lend advice when he is having trouble in college:
“His words silenced her, cut to the bone. She’d always had a heavy hand in his life, it was true, striving not to control it but to improve it somehow. She had always considered this her responsibility to him. She had not known how to be a sister any other way.”
Lahiri does an excellent job at dissecting relationships between family members whether parent and child or spouses. I focused here more on the parent-child interactions, but her other stories are also well worth reading. I’m inspired to add her novel, The Namesake, to my reading list.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Mao Case by Qiu Xiaolong
Detective Inspector Chen works in Shanghai in the 1990’s. He gets an assignment to take personal leave, but it is a cover for him to work on a case that Internal Security is also working on. It involves Mao and something he may or may not have left with a dancer during his lifetime. The dancer’s granddaughter has recently come into good fortune and the speculation is that it must be an item from Mao that is behind this. Internal Security is involved in case it is something potentially damaging to Mao’s reputation.
This book, one of a series, by Qui Xiaolong is interesting for many reasons beyond unraveling the mystery. The society is still recovering from the Cultural Revolution. For example, Detective Yu, Chen’s assistant, and his wife, Peiqin are solidly middle class with two stable paying jobs. They live in one room with their son and struggle to make ends meets. Both were impacted by the Cultural Revolution as illustrated by this passage:
“Peiqin had been a straight-A student in elementary school, wearing the Red Scarf of a proud Young Pioneer, dreaming of a rosy future in the golden sunlight of socialist China. Everything changed overnight, however, with the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution. Her father’s ‘historical problem’ cast a shadow over the whole family.”
Detective Chen is also a poet and a translator of poetry. This case involves examining some of Mao’s poetry. That adds another dimension to this mystery novel. I don’t really know of the tradition behind Chinese poetry or whether Mao’s is any good. Here’s an example of a poem written supposedly for Madame Mao:
“Against the gathering dusk stands a pine, sturdy, erect / in composure with riotous clouds sweeping past. / What a fairy cave it is, born out of the nature! / Ineffable beauty comes at the perilous peak.”
My favorite part of the book is the descriptions of life in Shanghai and Chen’s trip to Beijing. I especially appreciate all the meetings that take place in restaurants and describe the various dishes. I spent some time in Asia and definitely miss the food – hard to get in the middle of Oregon.
This book, one of a series, by Qui Xiaolong is interesting for many reasons beyond unraveling the mystery. The society is still recovering from the Cultural Revolution. For example, Detective Yu, Chen’s assistant, and his wife, Peiqin are solidly middle class with two stable paying jobs. They live in one room with their son and struggle to make ends meets. Both were impacted by the Cultural Revolution as illustrated by this passage:
“Peiqin had been a straight-A student in elementary school, wearing the Red Scarf of a proud Young Pioneer, dreaming of a rosy future in the golden sunlight of socialist China. Everything changed overnight, however, with the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution. Her father’s ‘historical problem’ cast a shadow over the whole family.”
Detective Chen is also a poet and a translator of poetry. This case involves examining some of Mao’s poetry. That adds another dimension to this mystery novel. I don’t really know of the tradition behind Chinese poetry or whether Mao’s is any good. Here’s an example of a poem written supposedly for Madame Mao:
“Against the gathering dusk stands a pine, sturdy, erect / in composure with riotous clouds sweeping past. / What a fairy cave it is, born out of the nature! / Ineffable beauty comes at the perilous peak.”
My favorite part of the book is the descriptions of life in Shanghai and Chen’s trip to Beijing. I especially appreciate all the meetings that take place in restaurants and describe the various dishes. I spent some time in Asia and definitely miss the food – hard to get in the middle of Oregon.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Spring Reading Thing
Callapidder Days is doing a spring reading challenge.
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (don’t know how much of this I’ll read since I haven’t started and I think it is due back in a week)
Damage Control by Robert Dugoni
Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg
Charlie Bone and the Shadow by Jenny Nimmo
The Mao Case by Qiu Xiaolong
The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter, and the Town That Raised Them by Amy Dickinson
Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo
The Renegades by T. Jefferson Parker
Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley
The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber
The Skeleton Man by Jim Kelly
The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
And, I plan to reread Busman’s Holiday by Dorothy Sayers, one of my favorite mystery writers.
It started March 20th so I’m a little behind, but basically you just list the books you’re planning to read between now and June 20th. I can’t possibly think ahead to June, but here are the books in my reading pile or on hold at the library:
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (don’t know how much of this I’ll read since I haven’t started and I think it is due back in a week)
Damage Control by Robert Dugoni
Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg
Charlie Bone and the Shadow by Jenny Nimmo
The Mao Case by Qiu Xiaolong
The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter, and the Town That Raised Them by Amy Dickinson
Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo
The Renegades by T. Jefferson Parker
Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley
The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber
The Skeleton Man by Jim Kelly
The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
And, I plan to reread Busman’s Holiday by Dorothy Sayers, one of my favorite mystery writers.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Consumption by Kevin Patterson
This novel is set in Rankin Inlet on the west coast of the Hudson Bay. Most of the residents are Inuit with a few Kablunauks (Caucasians) thrown in. The story focuses on Victoria Robertson and her family. Victoria’s father was a traditional hunter on the ice. However, Victoria is rather removed from this when she contracts tuberculosis and is sent south for treatment from the ages of ten to sixteen. She comes back to a family life in transition. Her father has taken a job in a mine and that means giving up their nomad life and living in mining housing. Victoria marries a Kablunauk and this story is as much about her three children fitting in to the Inuit community as it is about her.
The town is small and conflicts arise when Victoria’s husband advises a South African company on opening a new mine. Victoria’s son, Pauloosie, spends most of his time learning about traditional ways from his grandfather. Her two daughters attempt to adjust to the modern world, one with more success than the other. These stories are interspersed with journal entries from a Kablunauk doctor, Balthazar, who spends his winters there. Here is part of one such entry:
“It is important not to distort the matter with nostalgia and sentiment. The Inuit led harder, more painful lives when they lived on the land, and this is why they have chosen not to return to it. The children died one after the other and their mothers sobbed with grief undiminished by the regularity with which it was summoned. Hunters who were merely affectionate fathers, imaginative storytellers, and tender husbands – and not adept trackers and good shots – could not feed their families. It was not a romantic life. It rewarded only a narrow set of attributes: focus, endurance, and distance vision.
And yet. Something about the way we have constructed ourselves now leads us, and anyone who tries to live like us, to immobility and engorgement.”
The story includes murder, accidental death and suicide. It is a grand story and tells of more than just this one family and the people they interact with over the years. It illustrates many of the challenges that come with change to a region and the toll they can take, especially on the transitional generation. There are also a few successes such as Victoria’s brother Tagak, known as a poor hunter, who finds his place in the mine administration as a bookkeeper.
Consumption reminds me of any Ivan Doig novel about Montana, where the nature of the environment almost forces the stories to be epic.
The town is small and conflicts arise when Victoria’s husband advises a South African company on opening a new mine. Victoria’s son, Pauloosie, spends most of his time learning about traditional ways from his grandfather. Her two daughters attempt to adjust to the modern world, one with more success than the other. These stories are interspersed with journal entries from a Kablunauk doctor, Balthazar, who spends his winters there. Here is part of one such entry:
“It is important not to distort the matter with nostalgia and sentiment. The Inuit led harder, more painful lives when they lived on the land, and this is why they have chosen not to return to it. The children died one after the other and their mothers sobbed with grief undiminished by the regularity with which it was summoned. Hunters who were merely affectionate fathers, imaginative storytellers, and tender husbands – and not adept trackers and good shots – could not feed their families. It was not a romantic life. It rewarded only a narrow set of attributes: focus, endurance, and distance vision.
And yet. Something about the way we have constructed ourselves now leads us, and anyone who tries to live like us, to immobility and engorgement.”
The story includes murder, accidental death and suicide. It is a grand story and tells of more than just this one family and the people they interact with over the years. It illustrates many of the challenges that come with change to a region and the toll they can take, especially on the transitional generation. There are also a few successes such as Victoria’s brother Tagak, known as a poor hunter, who finds his place in the mine administration as a bookkeeper.
Consumption reminds me of any Ivan Doig novel about Montana, where the nature of the environment almost forces the stories to be epic.
Monday, March 30, 2009
The Mercury 13 by Martha Ackmann
I do not remember who recommended this book to me, but since my daughter was studying space in class I thought I would finally sit down and read it. It was not the inspiring story I thought it might be from the subtitle: The Untold Story of the Thirteen American Women and the Dream of Space Flight. This book is set primarily in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and the first woman, Sally Ride, did not make it into space until 1983. The first female commander (pilot) was Eileen Collins in 1999. Obviously the thirteen women profiled in this book never made it into space.
The author details the lives of these thirteen (and a few more) extraordinary pilots. Many set distance, altitude and speed records. She describes the tests the women underwent, which were comparable to those of the Mercury 7 – the first seven astronauts chosen by NASA in 1959. The way in which these men were chosen automatically limited the field as the author points out here:
“Eisenhower initially believed that astronauts should come from a variety of professions – arctic explorers, mountain climbers, meteorologist, flight surgeons, deep-sea divers. People with a wide range of abilities and perspectives would enhance space exploration, he thought. But the President changed his mind. In late 1958 he decided that NASA should narrow the field and choose astronauts from the ranks of military jet test pilots, a field that barred women and included few minority men.”
It was surprising to me to learn that the Army was the first to allow female military jet test pilots in 1974, the Navy in 1983, and the Air Force not until 1988.
Jerrie Cobb is the female candidate profiled the most extensively and the one who went through the most tests. The tests were privately done and primarily overseen by Dr. Randy Lovelace who was interested in the possibilities of women in space and how their tests might differ from men. The tests were eventually shut down by NASA. Cobb and a fellow hopeful candidate, Janey Hart, appealed to the vice-president Lyndon Johnson. Janey Hart was a senator’s wife and the mother of 8 children. Johnson’s assistant had drawn up a letter for him to send to NASA’s head that was slightly supportive of having women astronauts, and here is what Johnson wrote on it:
“In his distinctive hand, Johnson announced the verdict that Hart, Cobb, and the press never knew: ‘Lets Stop This Now!’”
A congressional hearing as well as some fighting over control of the Mercury 13 group did not change anything. Another woman extensively profiled in the book is Jackie Cochran, who at the time was too old for the tests – possibly in her fifties. She had headed the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during WWII. She was also the only woman with jet test experience due to her connections. She is portrayed as doing everything in her power to keep women out of space if she couldn’t be the first one or at least in charge of picking who would be first.
The Mercury 13 is an interesting book to read, and a part of our history that we shouldn’t overlook, even if it is slightly depressing.
The author details the lives of these thirteen (and a few more) extraordinary pilots. Many set distance, altitude and speed records. She describes the tests the women underwent, which were comparable to those of the Mercury 7 – the first seven astronauts chosen by NASA in 1959. The way in which these men were chosen automatically limited the field as the author points out here:
“Eisenhower initially believed that astronauts should come from a variety of professions – arctic explorers, mountain climbers, meteorologist, flight surgeons, deep-sea divers. People with a wide range of abilities and perspectives would enhance space exploration, he thought. But the President changed his mind. In late 1958 he decided that NASA should narrow the field and choose astronauts from the ranks of military jet test pilots, a field that barred women and included few minority men.”
It was surprising to me to learn that the Army was the first to allow female military jet test pilots in 1974, the Navy in 1983, and the Air Force not until 1988.
Jerrie Cobb is the female candidate profiled the most extensively and the one who went through the most tests. The tests were privately done and primarily overseen by Dr. Randy Lovelace who was interested in the possibilities of women in space and how their tests might differ from men. The tests were eventually shut down by NASA. Cobb and a fellow hopeful candidate, Janey Hart, appealed to the vice-president Lyndon Johnson. Janey Hart was a senator’s wife and the mother of 8 children. Johnson’s assistant had drawn up a letter for him to send to NASA’s head that was slightly supportive of having women astronauts, and here is what Johnson wrote on it:
“In his distinctive hand, Johnson announced the verdict that Hart, Cobb, and the press never knew: ‘Lets Stop This Now!’”
A congressional hearing as well as some fighting over control of the Mercury 13 group did not change anything. Another woman extensively profiled in the book is Jackie Cochran, who at the time was too old for the tests – possibly in her fifties. She had headed the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during WWII. She was also the only woman with jet test experience due to her connections. She is portrayed as doing everything in her power to keep women out of space if she couldn’t be the first one or at least in charge of picking who would be first.
The Mercury 13 is an interesting book to read, and a part of our history that we shouldn’t overlook, even if it is slightly depressing.
Friday, March 20, 2009
A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn
This mystery is set in South Africa in 1952. Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Cooper is sent from Johannesburg to investigate the murder of an Afrikaner police captain in a small town. Captain Pretorius’s body is found in a river and the investigation is complicated by the fact that the other side of the river is Mozambique and off limits. Pretorius’s five sons are used to ruling the town and interfere in the investigation as well.
Emmanuel forms an alliance with Shabalala, a black policeman in the town. Shabalala has been given the native name of Mfowemlungu or “brother of the white man”, with Captain Pretorius being the white man with whom he grew up. As Emmanuel looks more into Pretorius’s life he finds a number of contradictions. Unfortunately he is soon sidelined from the case by the Security Branch as discussed here:
“Prime Minister Malan and the National Party had begun to enact their plan as soon as they’d taken office. The new segregation laws divided people into race groups, told them where they could live and told them where they could work. The Immorality Act went so far as to tell people whom they could sleep with and love. The growth of the defiance campaign meant that the Security Branch, or Special Branch as it was tagged on the street, would walk right into Emmanuel’s investigation and call the shots.”
This mystery has many twists and intriguing characters. It is also set in a very interesting time in the history of South Africa, right before there are going to be many changes. I hope the author continues to follow this character in South Africa. It is in reading a book like this for fun that I realize how much history of the world there is that I never studied in school.
Emmanuel forms an alliance with Shabalala, a black policeman in the town. Shabalala has been given the native name of Mfowemlungu or “brother of the white man”, with Captain Pretorius being the white man with whom he grew up. As Emmanuel looks more into Pretorius’s life he finds a number of contradictions. Unfortunately he is soon sidelined from the case by the Security Branch as discussed here:
“Prime Minister Malan and the National Party had begun to enact their plan as soon as they’d taken office. The new segregation laws divided people into race groups, told them where they could live and told them where they could work. The Immorality Act went so far as to tell people whom they could sleep with and love. The growth of the defiance campaign meant that the Security Branch, or Special Branch as it was tagged on the street, would walk right into Emmanuel’s investigation and call the shots.”
This mystery has many twists and intriguing characters. It is also set in a very interesting time in the history of South Africa, right before there are going to be many changes. I hope the author continues to follow this character in South Africa. It is in reading a book like this for fun that I realize how much history of the world there is that I never studied in school.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
oxygen by Carol Cassella
This novel centers around the life of Marie Heaton, an anesthesiologist at a hospital in Seattle. It is written by a practicing anesthesiologist and is an interesting look into this profession. The story points out how much time and consideration one may take choosing a particular doctor for a surgery, but the anesthesiologist is usually whoever is assigned to that particular surgeon on that day. They rarely meet with the patient for more than five minutes. It seems like there should be more choice and input on the part of the patient, if this person is in complete control of your sedation.
Marie is portrayed as a very kind and caring doctor. She tries to make her five minutes with each patient reassuring. A surgery that she works on results in a death and the anesthesia is thought to be to blame. She takes this very hard. I found this surprising; of course, my only experience comes from watching ER where lots of patients die. On TV, at least, as long as the doctors did their best they pick up and move on. Marie cannot seem to move beyond this case and goes over and over in her mind what could have been done differently.
It is at this point, when for the first time she feels vulnerable in her career, that her father is becoming more and more ill. It is clear that either Marie or her sister will have to do something. This takes Marie away from Seattle and her problems there and down to Texas. The contrast between her sister’s life with a husband and three kids and Marie’s solitary life is readily apparent. How Marie resolves longstanding issues with her father and the potential harm to her career from the unexpected death in surgery is at the crux of this book.
There is a significant amount of detail in the book about what being an anesthesiologist is like. Here Marie reflects on her skills after reading the autopsy of the difficult case: “I have lost the ability to look at a stranger’s face without estimating the ease of difficulty of intubating their trachea. I have forgotten what it was like to be ignorant of the telltale clues that failing internal organs and multiplying infectious organisms surreptitiously display. Physical diagnosis is the study of optical illusions, the art of seeing through what is expected in order to detect which part of the pictures is changed, what hidden shape hides in the shadows and creases of familiar scenes. Since I began medical school fifteen years ago this second sight has seeped into me the way tea stains dental enamel or cigarettes color smokers’ fingers. To read Jolene’s autopsy report is to slap my forehead - my own moment of ‘Aha!’”
I’m looking forward to more from this author. I did wonder why the cover of this book has a picture of a button down white collar shirt on it – maybe it is supposed to belong to the patient who died? Anyway, it does not make for a very interesting cover.
Marie is portrayed as a very kind and caring doctor. She tries to make her five minutes with each patient reassuring. A surgery that she works on results in a death and the anesthesia is thought to be to blame. She takes this very hard. I found this surprising; of course, my only experience comes from watching ER where lots of patients die. On TV, at least, as long as the doctors did their best they pick up and move on. Marie cannot seem to move beyond this case and goes over and over in her mind what could have been done differently.
It is at this point, when for the first time she feels vulnerable in her career, that her father is becoming more and more ill. It is clear that either Marie or her sister will have to do something. This takes Marie away from Seattle and her problems there and down to Texas. The contrast between her sister’s life with a husband and three kids and Marie’s solitary life is readily apparent. How Marie resolves longstanding issues with her father and the potential harm to her career from the unexpected death in surgery is at the crux of this book.
There is a significant amount of detail in the book about what being an anesthesiologist is like. Here Marie reflects on her skills after reading the autopsy of the difficult case: “I have lost the ability to look at a stranger’s face without estimating the ease of difficulty of intubating their trachea. I have forgotten what it was like to be ignorant of the telltale clues that failing internal organs and multiplying infectious organisms surreptitiously display. Physical diagnosis is the study of optical illusions, the art of seeing through what is expected in order to detect which part of the pictures is changed, what hidden shape hides in the shadows and creases of familiar scenes. Since I began medical school fifteen years ago this second sight has seeped into me the way tea stains dental enamel or cigarettes color smokers’ fingers. To read Jolene’s autopsy report is to slap my forehead - my own moment of ‘Aha!’”
I’m looking forward to more from this author. I did wonder why the cover of this book has a picture of a button down white collar shirt on it – maybe it is supposed to belong to the patient who died? Anyway, it does not make for a very interesting cover.
Monday, March 2, 2009
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
This novel has long been a favorite of mine. It is a fictionalized account of four sisters in the Dominican Republic under the Trujillo reign. The Mirabal sisters did exist and three were murdered after visiting their imprisoned husbands, but most details of their lives are unknown, hence the fictionalization. Although the outcome of the novel is never in any doubt, Alvarez does a fine job of bringing each sister to life and also examining the grief and guilt of the surviving sister, Dedé.
Here Dedé dreads the annual November visitors that come to honor her sisters: “Usually, if she works it right – a lemonade with lemons from the tree Patria planted, a quick tour of the house the girls grew up in – usually they leave, satisfied, without asking the prickly questions that have left Dedé lost in her memories for weeks at a time, searching for the answer. Why, they inevitably ask in one form or another, why are you the one who survived?”
The story is told by Dedé in 1994 and also by all of the sisters from the late 1930s to 1960. Here is Patria, the oldest sister, in 1959.
“My sisters were so different! They built their homes on sand and called the slip and slide adventure.
Minerva lived in a little nothing house – or so Mate had described it to me – in that godforsaken town of Monte Cristi. It’s a wonder her babies didn’t both die of infections.
Mate and Leandro had already had two different addresses in a year of marriage. Renters, they called themselves, the city word for the squatters we pity here in the country.
Dedé and Jaimito had lost everything so many times, it was hard to keep up with their frequent moves. Now they were in our old house in Ojo de Agua, and Mamá had built her up-to-date cottage on the main road from Santiago, complete with aluminum jalousies and an indoor toilet she called ‘the sanitary.’
And me, Patria Mercedes, like I said, I had settled down for life in my rocksure house. And eighteen years passed by.”
I highly recommend reading this book to learn more about how these four women may have lived during this time and why they became targets of the regime. It is an amazing story of women standing up to tyranny. And, it is so difficult to imagine doing that while raising children. But as the story eventually brings out, how could they not fight for a different way of life for their children?
Here Dedé dreads the annual November visitors that come to honor her sisters: “Usually, if she works it right – a lemonade with lemons from the tree Patria planted, a quick tour of the house the girls grew up in – usually they leave, satisfied, without asking the prickly questions that have left Dedé lost in her memories for weeks at a time, searching for the answer. Why, they inevitably ask in one form or another, why are you the one who survived?”
The story is told by Dedé in 1994 and also by all of the sisters from the late 1930s to 1960. Here is Patria, the oldest sister, in 1959.
“My sisters were so different! They built their homes on sand and called the slip and slide adventure.
Minerva lived in a little nothing house – or so Mate had described it to me – in that godforsaken town of Monte Cristi. It’s a wonder her babies didn’t both die of infections.
Mate and Leandro had already had two different addresses in a year of marriage. Renters, they called themselves, the city word for the squatters we pity here in the country.
Dedé and Jaimito had lost everything so many times, it was hard to keep up with their frequent moves. Now they were in our old house in Ojo de Agua, and Mamá had built her up-to-date cottage on the main road from Santiago, complete with aluminum jalousies and an indoor toilet she called ‘the sanitary.’
And me, Patria Mercedes, like I said, I had settled down for life in my rocksure house. And eighteen years passed by.”
I highly recommend reading this book to learn more about how these four women may have lived during this time and why they became targets of the regime. It is an amazing story of women standing up to tyranny. And, it is so difficult to imagine doing that while raising children. But as the story eventually brings out, how could they not fight for a different way of life for their children?
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Water Clock by Jim Kelly
The Water Clock is the first in a series of mysteries with journalist Phillip Dryden as an investigator. I found the backstory on the journalist almost more interesting than the central mystery. He’s working for a local paper, somewhat of a comedown, from his former job in London. Phillip has taken this job because his wife has been in a coma for the past two years ever since a traffic accident that he barely survived. Unfortunately, his unidentified rescuer (and the cause of the accident) did not realize that Phillip’s wife had been in the back seat. Phillip feels guilty about Laura being left behind. He also is beginning to acknowledge his feelings that he’d almost rather have her not recover than for her to need constant care for the rest of her life.
Phillip hasn’t driven since the accident. He has a long-term driver, Humphrey Holt or Humph, to take him to various accidents and interviews. Humph is strange character and pretty anti-social, but backs up Phillip when necessary. The discovery of a murdered body in the trunk of a car in a frozen river starts off a chain of events. Phillip doesn’t have much faith in Detective Sergeant Stubbs, who is assigned to the case, and begins investigations on his own. Evidence implicates an unsolved robbery from more than twenty-five years prior as central to the current crime. Phillip’s investigations put Laura at risk, but also offer him bargaining power with Stubbs in his hope to obtain the sealed documents about his own accident.
The story is set in the Fens of England. Water very much plays a role in Phillip’s life as he was rescued as a child from a frozen river, his father died of ‘misadventure’ during a flood, Laura and his car ended up in a ditch during their accident, and, as the identity of the murdered becomes clearer to Phillip, the Fens are threatened by a severe flood. I think astute readers will be able to solve the mystery before the end of the book, but I didn’t. I’m looking forward to reading the next few books in the series to find out what happens to Phillip and Laura as well as Humph.
Phillip hasn’t driven since the accident. He has a long-term driver, Humphrey Holt or Humph, to take him to various accidents and interviews. Humph is strange character and pretty anti-social, but backs up Phillip when necessary. The discovery of a murdered body in the trunk of a car in a frozen river starts off a chain of events. Phillip doesn’t have much faith in Detective Sergeant Stubbs, who is assigned to the case, and begins investigations on his own. Evidence implicates an unsolved robbery from more than twenty-five years prior as central to the current crime. Phillip’s investigations put Laura at risk, but also offer him bargaining power with Stubbs in his hope to obtain the sealed documents about his own accident.
The story is set in the Fens of England. Water very much plays a role in Phillip’s life as he was rescued as a child from a frozen river, his father died of ‘misadventure’ during a flood, Laura and his car ended up in a ditch during their accident, and, as the identity of the murdered becomes clearer to Phillip, the Fens are threatened by a severe flood. I think astute readers will be able to solve the mystery before the end of the book, but I didn’t. I’m looking forward to reading the next few books in the series to find out what happens to Phillip and Laura as well as Humph.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Brain, Child
I was not much of a magazine reader until recently. I always have preferred novels to a short story and fiction to non-fiction. However, after becoming a parent, magazines occasionally fit easier into my lifestyle. For example, they contain more current (and possibly relevant to your children) information than most novels, and you also can read a short article before being distracted by your children.
One of my favorite parenting magazines is Brain, Child, which is subtitled the magazine for thinking mothers. I have heard that plenty of dads read it as well. It is a mixture of news, personal essays, fiction, reviews, and a non-fiction feature piece. Also, in each issue a debate is featured. In the Winter 2009 issue the debate was “Does a Family Need to Share a Surname?” with two writers coming down on opposite sides. A more controversial debate in Winter 2007 was “Is Prenatal Sex Selection Okay?”
I think one of the reasons I like this magazine is that it does not sugarcoat parenting or even pretend that moms should be happy all the time. Some of the personal essays are tough to read, but they offer unique insight into another person’s life. “Between Depression and a Hard Place” by Anna Blackmon Moore (Winter 2009) describes her decision on how to treat her depression while pregnant. Other essays examine stages of life that, for whatever reason, are unfamiliar to me. In “Wrestling Moves” by Valerie Weaver-Zercher (Winter 2009) the author reflects on wrestling her boys’ lives.
“I began to acknowledge a growing intuition, an inchoate idea that wrestling might contain some kernel of meaning for my sons, something having to do with restraint, and deference, even beauty.”
My only complaint about Brain, Child is that it comes out just four times a year. I think every other month would be great. If you’re interested in trying out this magazine, Brain, Child is offering one one-year subscription to readers of this blog. Send an e-mail to escapetobooks (at) gmail (dot) com. I’ll let one of my daughters pick names out of a hat.
One of my favorite parenting magazines is Brain, Child, which is subtitled the magazine for thinking mothers. I have heard that plenty of dads read it as well. It is a mixture of news, personal essays, fiction, reviews, and a non-fiction feature piece. Also, in each issue a debate is featured. In the Winter 2009 issue the debate was “Does a Family Need to Share a Surname?” with two writers coming down on opposite sides. A more controversial debate in Winter 2007 was “Is Prenatal Sex Selection Okay?”
I think one of the reasons I like this magazine is that it does not sugarcoat parenting or even pretend that moms should be happy all the time. Some of the personal essays are tough to read, but they offer unique insight into another person’s life. “Between Depression and a Hard Place” by Anna Blackmon Moore (Winter 2009) describes her decision on how to treat her depression while pregnant. Other essays examine stages of life that, for whatever reason, are unfamiliar to me. In “Wrestling Moves” by Valerie Weaver-Zercher (Winter 2009) the author reflects on wrestling her boys’ lives.
“I began to acknowledge a growing intuition, an inchoate idea that wrestling might contain some kernel of meaning for my sons, something having to do with restraint, and deference, even beauty.”
My only complaint about Brain, Child is that it comes out just four times a year. I think every other month would be great. If you’re interested in trying out this magazine, Brain, Child is offering one one-year subscription to readers of this blog. Send an e-mail to escapetobooks (at) gmail (dot) com. I’ll let one of my daughters pick names out of a hat.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Get Known before the Book Deal by Christina Katz
Christina Katz is the well-known author of Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids, a book that has been the inspiration for many writers. It is primarily for those new to the craft and attempting to publish in magazines. The book is broken down into manageable chapters such as Tackle the Clips-Catch 22 or Draft Your Query. Each chapter includes tips, examples, and exercises to get you on your way to publishing an article. She does a really nice job of breaking down and explaining the different types of articles, including writing tips, list articles, fillers, and how-to articles along with personal essays and feature-type articles that require a query.
Katz’s latest book is Get Known Before the Book Deal and she graciously agreed to share some questions and answers about her latest book here.
What is a platform, and why is it so important for unpublished writers to have one?
A platform is a promise, which says you will not only create something to sell (a book), but also promote it to the specific readers who will want to purchase it. Your platform communicates your expertise to others and it works all the time so you don’t have to. Your platform includes your Web presence, any public speaking you do, the classes you teach, the media contacts you’ve established, the articles you’ve published, and any other means you currently have for making your name and your future books known to a viable readership. A platform isn’t what you once did. It’s what you currently do. If others already recognize your expertise on a given topic or for a specific audience or both, then that is your platform. A platform-strong writer is a writer with influence.
Why is it so important to publishers that writers have a platform?
One writer can have a great book idea at the perfect time and be the absolute best person to write that book and still not land the deal if he or she doesn’t have the platform that is going to fulfill the promise to sell the book. Agents and editors have known this for years and look for platform-strong writers and get them book deals. If you want to land the book deal, today, then you need to become a platform-strong writer. You need to stand out in the crowd by the time you are ready to pitch your book.
Why did you write Get Known Before the Book Deal? What was the intention behind the book?
Most of the other self-promotion books for writers pick up with the book deal. No other book dials self-promotion all the way back to how to get started. My intention for Get Known was that it would be the book every writer would want to read before attending a writer’s conference. It should increase any writer’s chances of writing a saleable proposal and landing a book deal whether they pitch the book in-person or by query.
As I was writing the book, I saw how this type of information was often being offered as “insider secrets” at outrageous prices. No one should have to pay thousands of dollars for the information they can find in my book for the price of a paperback! Seriously. You can ask your library to order it and read it for free. Get Known outlines the complete platform basics step-by-step.
Can you give three specific tips to help writers launch their platform?
Sure. Here’s my top three…
1. Clarify the expertise you have to offer. If you don’t know what your expertise is, then mulling it over could take some time. And that’s okay. Consult experts you respect. Do some self-reflection. Get out and connect with others like you through associations or conferences. Write some articles on things you know how to do. Don’t be afraid to take time for platform development before you start spending a lot of time online…especially if you already are online but are not getting any closer to accomplishing your professional writing goals. When it comes to clarifying your expertise, taking a step back and looking within is a good strategy.
2. Carve out a distinct niche among others who are offering similar expertise. How are you different? Inquiring minds want to know. You’ll have to communicate who you are and what you do quickly. Attention spans are getting shorter, so writing down what you do concisely is critical. Platform isn’t the credentials or your resume; it’s what you currently do. It’s current, constantly evolving, and updated on an ongoing basis. A blog is a good example of a place where a writer can authentically share what she is learning to assist others. Any niche should always be a win-win proposition like this. But again, give your topic some forethought. Realize that a hundred people might already be blogging on the same topic.
3. Identify and respond to your audience. If you are vague about your audience, the whole writing process takes longer and typically requires more rewriting. This applies to books, blogs and everything else. But when you identify your specific audience and begin speaking to them directly, the conversation can spark all kinds of wonderful ideas, connections and opportunities. Small concrete steps build over time and create career momentum.
When you're done platform building, how do you find time to write?
My career goes in cycles. I have periods that focus on writing followed by periods that focus on self-promotion. I’m in a promo cycle right now and it’s fun! I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. And I’m still writing plenty. I have noticed that these supposed “non-writing times” often yield the next book idea, which has been the case again this time. I can’t wait to pitch it.
If a writer starts today and allows platform development to be an integrated aspect of her writing career, I’m sure she will find that the two efforts—writing and self-promotion—feed each other and help her career to grow naturally and authentically. And what writer wouldn’t want that?
You can learn more about Christina Katz and her offerings at http://www.christinakatz.com/. And, I have a copy of Writer Mama to give away. Just comment and let me know how you would benefit from the book.
Katz’s latest book is Get Known Before the Book Deal and she graciously agreed to share some questions and answers about her latest book here.
What is a platform, and why is it so important for unpublished writers to have one?
A platform is a promise, which says you will not only create something to sell (a book), but also promote it to the specific readers who will want to purchase it. Your platform communicates your expertise to others and it works all the time so you don’t have to. Your platform includes your Web presence, any public speaking you do, the classes you teach, the media contacts you’ve established, the articles you’ve published, and any other means you currently have for making your name and your future books known to a viable readership. A platform isn’t what you once did. It’s what you currently do. If others already recognize your expertise on a given topic or for a specific audience or both, then that is your platform. A platform-strong writer is a writer with influence.
Why is it so important to publishers that writers have a platform?
One writer can have a great book idea at the perfect time and be the absolute best person to write that book and still not land the deal if he or she doesn’t have the platform that is going to fulfill the promise to sell the book. Agents and editors have known this for years and look for platform-strong writers and get them book deals. If you want to land the book deal, today, then you need to become a platform-strong writer. You need to stand out in the crowd by the time you are ready to pitch your book.
Why did you write Get Known Before the Book Deal? What was the intention behind the book?
Most of the other self-promotion books for writers pick up with the book deal. No other book dials self-promotion all the way back to how to get started. My intention for Get Known was that it would be the book every writer would want to read before attending a writer’s conference. It should increase any writer’s chances of writing a saleable proposal and landing a book deal whether they pitch the book in-person or by query.
As I was writing the book, I saw how this type of information was often being offered as “insider secrets” at outrageous prices. No one should have to pay thousands of dollars for the information they can find in my book for the price of a paperback! Seriously. You can ask your library to order it and read it for free. Get Known outlines the complete platform basics step-by-step.
Can you give three specific tips to help writers launch their platform?
Sure. Here’s my top three…
1. Clarify the expertise you have to offer. If you don’t know what your expertise is, then mulling it over could take some time. And that’s okay. Consult experts you respect. Do some self-reflection. Get out and connect with others like you through associations or conferences. Write some articles on things you know how to do. Don’t be afraid to take time for platform development before you start spending a lot of time online…especially if you already are online but are not getting any closer to accomplishing your professional writing goals. When it comes to clarifying your expertise, taking a step back and looking within is a good strategy.
2. Carve out a distinct niche among others who are offering similar expertise. How are you different? Inquiring minds want to know. You’ll have to communicate who you are and what you do quickly. Attention spans are getting shorter, so writing down what you do concisely is critical. Platform isn’t the credentials or your resume; it’s what you currently do. It’s current, constantly evolving, and updated on an ongoing basis. A blog is a good example of a place where a writer can authentically share what she is learning to assist others. Any niche should always be a win-win proposition like this. But again, give your topic some forethought. Realize that a hundred people might already be blogging on the same topic.
3. Identify and respond to your audience. If you are vague about your audience, the whole writing process takes longer and typically requires more rewriting. This applies to books, blogs and everything else. But when you identify your specific audience and begin speaking to them directly, the conversation can spark all kinds of wonderful ideas, connections and opportunities. Small concrete steps build over time and create career momentum.
When you're done platform building, how do you find time to write?
My career goes in cycles. I have periods that focus on writing followed by periods that focus on self-promotion. I’m in a promo cycle right now and it’s fun! I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. And I’m still writing plenty. I have noticed that these supposed “non-writing times” often yield the next book idea, which has been the case again this time. I can’t wait to pitch it.
If a writer starts today and allows platform development to be an integrated aspect of her writing career, I’m sure she will find that the two efforts—writing and self-promotion—feed each other and help her career to grow naturally and authentically. And what writer wouldn’t want that?
You can learn more about Christina Katz and her offerings at http://www.christinakatz.com/. And, I have a copy of Writer Mama to give away. Just comment and let me know how you would benefit from the book.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
I am against banning books; just to get my bias out in the open. And, I was surprised recently to learn of a local high school that had banned Sherman Alexie’s first young adult novel. Sherman Alexie is an amazing and inventive writer. I am always on the lookout for his next book. If you haven’t read any of his books for adults, try Flight or Indian Killer. These are not happy, feel-good books, but they will make you think.
I read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian to find out what was so offensive about it. In the story a teenage boy realizes that his life is not going the way he wants and he is not being educated well at his school on the reservation. He decides to attend a high school in a nearby town where he is the only Native American in the student body. Major themes in the book include death, poverty, racism, and alcoholism. Secondary themes include leaving a best friend, family relationships, parental abuse, bullying, dating outside your race, and revenge among others. What an amazing book for high school students to talk about! It certainly beats the anthologies my 9th grade class had to get through.
There are a few pages of what can euphemistically be called “locker room” talk. Copying these few pages and bringing them to the school board really misses the whole point of the book. These brief detours are not central to the story and I suppose the author could have easily left them out, but then how realistic would that be in a teenage boy’s life?
My issues with the book are related to the plot in that I found Arnold Spirit’s acceptance at the all white school pretty amazing, his basketball debut as a freshman unbelievable given all his previous health issues, and the end of the book piles on too many tragedies. Still, those issues don't detract too much from the overall story. It is definitely at an appropriate level for teens and contains much less sex and violence than many young adult novels - such as the Twilight series. I did think the cartoons throughout by Ellen Forney really added to the book.
An excerpt from the book after Arnold’s team beats his previous high school and former best friend, Rowdy.
“I realized that my team, the Reardan Indians, was Goliath.
I mean, jeez, all of the seniors on our team were going to college. All of the guys on our team had their own cars. All of the guys on our team had iPods and cell phones and PSPs and three pairs of blue jeans and ten shirts and mothers and father who went to church and had good jobs.
Okay, so maybe my white teammates had problems, serious problems, but none of their problems was life threatening.
But I looked over at the Wellpinit Redskins, at Rowdy.
I knew that two or three of those Indians might not have eaten breakfast that morning.
No food in the house.
I knew that seven or eight of those Indians lived with drunken mothers and fathers.
I knew that one of those Indians had a father who dealt crack and meth.
I knew two of those Indians had fathers in prison.
I knew that none of them were going to college. Not one of them.
And I knew that Rowdy’s father was probably going to beat the crap out of him for losing this game.”
Here is the most recent news about this book being banned. Parents of high schools students, I'm interested in learning what you think: Would you want this book taught in your child's classroom?
I read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian to find out what was so offensive about it. In the story a teenage boy realizes that his life is not going the way he wants and he is not being educated well at his school on the reservation. He decides to attend a high school in a nearby town where he is the only Native American in the student body. Major themes in the book include death, poverty, racism, and alcoholism. Secondary themes include leaving a best friend, family relationships, parental abuse, bullying, dating outside your race, and revenge among others. What an amazing book for high school students to talk about! It certainly beats the anthologies my 9th grade class had to get through.
There are a few pages of what can euphemistically be called “locker room” talk. Copying these few pages and bringing them to the school board really misses the whole point of the book. These brief detours are not central to the story and I suppose the author could have easily left them out, but then how realistic would that be in a teenage boy’s life?
My issues with the book are related to the plot in that I found Arnold Spirit’s acceptance at the all white school pretty amazing, his basketball debut as a freshman unbelievable given all his previous health issues, and the end of the book piles on too many tragedies. Still, those issues don't detract too much from the overall story. It is definitely at an appropriate level for teens and contains much less sex and violence than many young adult novels - such as the Twilight series. I did think the cartoons throughout by Ellen Forney really added to the book.
An excerpt from the book after Arnold’s team beats his previous high school and former best friend, Rowdy.
“I realized that my team, the Reardan Indians, was Goliath.
I mean, jeez, all of the seniors on our team were going to college. All of the guys on our team had their own cars. All of the guys on our team had iPods and cell phones and PSPs and three pairs of blue jeans and ten shirts and mothers and father who went to church and had good jobs.
Okay, so maybe my white teammates had problems, serious problems, but none of their problems was life threatening.
But I looked over at the Wellpinit Redskins, at Rowdy.
I knew that two or three of those Indians might not have eaten breakfast that morning.
No food in the house.
I knew that seven or eight of those Indians lived with drunken mothers and fathers.
I knew that one of those Indians had a father who dealt crack and meth.
I knew two of those Indians had fathers in prison.
I knew that none of them were going to college. Not one of them.
And I knew that Rowdy’s father was probably going to beat the crap out of him for losing this game.”
Here is the most recent news about this book being banned. Parents of high schools students, I'm interested in learning what you think: Would you want this book taught in your child's classroom?
Monday, January 12, 2009
Stubborn Twig by Lauren Kessler
This book takes a factual look at multiple generations of the Yasui Family. Masuo Yasui arrived from Japan via Seattle in 1904 to work on the railroad, meeting up with other members of his family. He lived in Portland for a time where he learned English and converted to being a Methodist. He settled in Hood River in 1908. His wife, Shidzuyo, was a well-educated Japanese woman who knew Masuo and his family before he left home at 16. She came to the United States as Masuo’s wife in 1912. Masuo and Shidzuyo are known as Issei or the first generation of Japanese to settle in the United States.
The story of Masuo and Shidzuyo begins like every immigrant’s dream. Masuo opens a store in Hood River that becomes quite successful. They start a family. They begin to buy land and become very involved in the fruit business. However, they were not allowed to become citizens because of a law, more than 100 years old, “that declared nonwhites ineligible for citizenship.” And, then in 1924, Oregon passes the Alien Land Law making it illegal for non-citizens to own land. It is possible to get around this law by putting the land in the names of their children, known as Nisei or Second Generation, who are citizens of the United States.
“By 1941 Masuo owned, co-owned or had interest in close to one thousand acres of orchard land, had a financial stake in one out of every ten boxes of apples and pears shipped out of Hood River and was the area’s biggest grower of several row crops. He had operated a successful store in the heart of downtown for a generation. He had a nice house on a quiet street in a middle-class neighborhood. One son was married and taking over some of the farm operations; another had a law degree. Three children were in college.”
Pearl Harbor changes everything. Read this book to find out what happens to one family of Japanese Americans, citizens and non-citizens, during World War II. The repercussions to the first, second and further generations of Japanese Americans are serious. The culpability of the state of Oregon and the town of Hood River in this loss of land and relocation are astounding. What would Hood River or Oregon look like today if this hadn’t happened? What would you have done if you lived at that time?
“People who spoke up for the Japanese were shunned. When the mother of one of Yuka’s hakujin friends (Masuo’s daughter’s friend) defended the Japanese to the women in her literary club, she was met with silence and stony stares. Her friends rejected her so completely that she took to her sickbed and later left town for several months to stay with her sister.”
Stubborn Twig is part of Deschutes County Public Libraries 2009 A Novel Idea. Also, as a celebration of Oregon’s 150th year of statehood, the book is part of Oregon Reads sponsored by the Oregon Library Association. I am interested to find out what events related to this book will be happening in Bend.
The story of Masuo and Shidzuyo begins like every immigrant’s dream. Masuo opens a store in Hood River that becomes quite successful. They start a family. They begin to buy land and become very involved in the fruit business. However, they were not allowed to become citizens because of a law, more than 100 years old, “that declared nonwhites ineligible for citizenship.” And, then in 1924, Oregon passes the Alien Land Law making it illegal for non-citizens to own land. It is possible to get around this law by putting the land in the names of their children, known as Nisei or Second Generation, who are citizens of the United States.
“By 1941 Masuo owned, co-owned or had interest in close to one thousand acres of orchard land, had a financial stake in one out of every ten boxes of apples and pears shipped out of Hood River and was the area’s biggest grower of several row crops. He had operated a successful store in the heart of downtown for a generation. He had a nice house on a quiet street in a middle-class neighborhood. One son was married and taking over some of the farm operations; another had a law degree. Three children were in college.”
Pearl Harbor changes everything. Read this book to find out what happens to one family of Japanese Americans, citizens and non-citizens, during World War II. The repercussions to the first, second and further generations of Japanese Americans are serious. The culpability of the state of Oregon and the town of Hood River in this loss of land and relocation are astounding. What would Hood River or Oregon look like today if this hadn’t happened? What would you have done if you lived at that time?
“People who spoke up for the Japanese were shunned. When the mother of one of Yuka’s hakujin friends (Masuo’s daughter’s friend) defended the Japanese to the women in her literary club, she was met with silence and stony stares. Her friends rejected her so completely that she took to her sickbed and later left town for several months to stay with her sister.”
Stubborn Twig is part of Deschutes County Public Libraries 2009 A Novel Idea. Also, as a celebration of Oregon’s 150th year of statehood, the book is part of Oregon Reads sponsored by the Oregon Library Association. I am interested to find out what events related to this book will be happening in Bend.
Monday, January 5, 2009
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer is widely known for her young adult Twilight series. I enjoyed her 4-book saga about vampires, werewolves, and teenage love. I appreciated that it was set on the rainy Olympic peninsula in Washington State. All that rain has to be good for something, even if it just allows vampires to be out during the day. I look forward to eventually seeing the movie Twilight, if our library gets it in.
The Host is technically classified as an adult novel. After reading it I really wonder what makes it an adult as opposed to a young adult book. The Host definitely has less sex and violence than the Twilight series. I wonder if it is a marketing decision, but then plenty of adults read the Twilight books. Is it because the book is science fiction rather than fantasy? Are vampires and werewolves more acceptable reading for teens than aliens?
Regardless of how it is classified, The Host is an interesting read, and I’m not usually too interested in stories about aliens. In the book a species from another planet has taken over most of the humans on earth. This species cannot live outside of a host body and is termed a soul. The soul is inserted into the human and controls the human body. Not all humans can be completely assimilated, which leads, in some cases, to the soul and the human cohabitating the same body. However, the soul is in complete control of all physical actions. Of course, this is a love story as is the Twilight series. Here the problem is that the soul may be in love with one person and the human with another. And, obviously the remaining humans are less than thrilled with the souls’ takeover.
The Host is technically classified as an adult novel. After reading it I really wonder what makes it an adult as opposed to a young adult book. The Host definitely has less sex and violence than the Twilight series. I wonder if it is a marketing decision, but then plenty of adults read the Twilight books. Is it because the book is science fiction rather than fantasy? Are vampires and werewolves more acceptable reading for teens than aliens?
Regardless of how it is classified, The Host is an interesting read, and I’m not usually too interested in stories about aliens. In the book a species from another planet has taken over most of the humans on earth. This species cannot live outside of a host body and is termed a soul. The soul is inserted into the human and controls the human body. Not all humans can be completely assimilated, which leads, in some cases, to the soul and the human cohabitating the same body. However, the soul is in complete control of all physical actions. Of course, this is a love story as is the Twilight series. Here the problem is that the soul may be in love with one person and the human with another. And, obviously the remaining humans are less than thrilled with the souls’ takeover.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)