catalyst

No Impact Man
Colin Beavan, © 2009
eco-memoir; 224 pages

This is a memoir written by Colin Beavan, an inhabitant of NYC, about deciding to try and live a year with no environmental impact. No electricity, no trash, no carbon emissions, etc. While retelling how he changes his and his family's life (wife and daughter) he reflects on our society and what has lead us to our current state of wasteful consumption and manufacturing of products.

He doesn't blame our society or preach that everyone should drastically change their lifestyles, but instead, tries to influence by pointing out positive aspects of living a simpler life with less consumption and better care for our environment. Reading about these positive impacts have convinced me to change some of my own habits.

I wholeheartedly believe that our culture has to make changes in how we live and what we value in order for our planet to continue to support us. This book does a great job of starting the conversation of how we can make this change happen and showing that this change doesn't mean a lower quality of life.

Check out the link above to see his website and...

read it

espionagical

The Unlikely Spy
Daniel Silva, © 1995
WWII spy thriller; 530 pages

This book was passed down to me by my Dad, a lover of all mystery, thriller trash novels. Silva won the Edgar Award (best new-comer in the mystery genre) for this debut novel, and it was well deserved.

He pits the German spy network vs. the British. Silva paints a great picture of the deceit surrounding the Allies invasion of Normandy.

If you are in the mood for a good spy novel. This one is definitely worth a read, and I have a beat up copy if you'd like to borrow it.

consider it

Identity

The Orientalist
Tom Reiss; © 2005
Non-Fiction; 464pgs

This book is utterly fantastic in the original sense of the word. Upon scanning the book jacket, I was in disbelief that the array of events described could have happened. More so than that, I couldn't conceive that these things not only happened, but the protagonist, Lev Nussimbaum, was such an unknown quantity in the popular annals of history.

Born in Baku at the turn of the 20th century, Lev came of age in a time of upheaval, albeit one lined with oil riches. He lived through the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, escaped the deserts of Central Asia, doubled back through Azerbaijan and on to Turkey before emigrating to Europe.

Enamored with the allure of the dead Ottoman Empire, Lev transforms himself into a Muslim prince, Essad Bey, and eventually becomes a European literary sensation in mid-war Berlin. Author of best-selling non-fiction books, Lev's connection in this post-war era ran from Vladimir Nabakov to arms smugglers and Ezra Pound. As Nazism rise took hold, Lev's intricate facade crumbles around him.

This book is a tantalizing account of the first half of the 20th Century. More than that, however, it relates the compelling story of an enigmatic and appealing man struggling to find his place in a turbulent world after his own idyll was shattered in his youth.

READ IT

Up in Smoke

Adrift on the Nile
Naguib Mahfouz; © 1994
Fiction; 174pgs

This book is from the Nobel Prize winning author, Naguib Mahfouz. I have long desired to read his lauded Cairo Trilogy, but could only find the third installment at Half-Price Books. I figured this book would at the least be a adequate introduction to his award-winning prose.

Not entirely certain what to expect, I was delighted with the book. It is a quick read, both for its length and for the ease with which one can read the delicately structured sentences of the author. The plot revolves around a group of somewhat disenchanted middle-aged Egyptians inclined both towards the arts and the water pipe. Each is successful in their own path, but this success is marred by the overriding suspicions they hold for the absurdity of life. Nightly, they meet the protagonist ("the master of ceremonies") on his houseboat to partake in the illicit kif.

Much of the novel revolves solely around these nightly meetings, replete with conversations, hallucinations, and love triangles. Their mildly peaceable existence is thrown in disarray with an insertion of a new member who rebels against their absurdist leanings and argues for seriousness in life. Though both the absurd and the serious are buoys buffering the despair of life, they are diametrically opposed. It is these insoluble differences that drive the story forward and forever alter the makeup of these morally adrift citizens of Cairo.

CONSIDER IT.

Connect

No One Belongs Here More Than You
Miranda July; ©2007
Fiction; 224pgs

This set of short stories was recommended to me by a new found friend. There was a slight amount of trepidation experienced about the prospect of reading this book. My familiarity with Miranda July was slight. I had seen Miranda July's award winning film, You, Me and Everyone We Know. Though it didn't exactly knock me flat, I enjoyed it. It was a unique perspective to be certain. So, while I thought I would most likely enjoy the book, the amount of praise heaped atop the collection was slightly unsettling.

Upon reading the first story, I was hooked. July's voice, though somewhat constant and similar throughout the series, was devastatingly effective. Though I've never seen her art showcases, the theme of the book as well as her film, is one of loneliness and disconnectedness. For all the personal isolation, these stories are simple tales with strong undercurrents of optimism. With bouts of savage hilarity and cutting depth, this is great set of stories.

READ IT

Introspection

Night Train to Lisbon
Pascal Mercier; ©2007
Fiction; 496pgs

This book received remarkable praise across the European continent. Given a dearth of US praise, I feared something might have gotten lost in translation. I began with minor expectations and was initially quite pleased with the book.

The nominal protagonist is a professor of languages, specifically Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. He works in a secondary school in Switzerland. A man bound by letters and an unfailing memory, his somewhat catatonic scholarly state is severely shaken by a somewhat crazed Portuguese woman. Inspired, he begins browsing in a book shop where he inadvertently stumbles across an enchanting book by a Portuguese doctor. Dropping everything, he leaves Switzerland for Portugal, determined to find this man. What progresses from this point forward is as much the story of Raimund the Professor as it is Amadeu the doctor/posthumous author.

While there are many pratfalls throughout the text, my biggest problems were with the endless quotations from Amadeu's writings. Initially, I found them rather engaging, but they soon traveled down hill and I began to detest these interludes to the story itself. Paradoxically, I was alternately more interested in Amadeu's life as a doctor, resistance fighter, brother, husband, and lover than in Raimund's staid life. There was no driving force in Raimund. No tense moments, nothing over which he might prevail. He was simply there, delving into his own mind, searching for answers to his life.

The work is no doubt intellectual, the work of a true and learned man. It is, however, something I would recommend skipping unless you are in a particularly confusing point of life and uncertain of the future. In that instance, some of what is discussed could be quite beneficial to those in need of some soul-searching.

Consider It

Realization

Of Love & Other Demons
Gabriel Garcia Marquez; ©1994
Fiction; 160pgs

As part of my continuing education in all things Marquez, I read this book directly after finishing A Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Though similar in length and setting, Of Love... is a wholly separate beast. Among other threads, it revolves mainly around a young girl and the affecting power she has on the world around her.

The prose in Of Love & Other Demons has a rather methodical gait. It plods forward, like an unassuming moose. As one reads, the book patiently leads the reader, lulling one into a sort of malaise. While one is vitally interested, one is never enraptured. In the last fourth of the book, the work blossoms into something unmistakably powerful and beautiful. It is a profound marvel, like walking out of a dark theater into a dazzlingly sunny afternoon...disorienting, yet wonderful. This book, of all I've read, illustrates Marquez's unique finishing power. I'm not certain I've ever found an author so adept with endings.

READ IT

doggy wisdom

The Art of Racing in the Rain
Garth Stein, © 2008
fiction; 320 pages

I'm back! After taking off the summer months from posting (not reading), I'm back to tell you about the latest book I've read. I can't remember where I read a review about this book, but what captured my attention was that the narrator of the story is a dog.

Sure enough, Enzo (a retriever, terrier mix) tells you the story of his owner's family and life. Denny is a professional race car driver, think sooped up Porsches and Ferraris not NASCAR, who marries the love of his life and has a daughter as well. While their child is still young and Denny's racing career is blossoming, the wife slowly dies from brain cancer. If this wasn't bad enough, unsuspecting villains emerge to make the reader really care about Denny and his struggle as a single parent.

Stein does a great job of mixing in great wisdom from a dog's perspective while fully developing his characters. It is a quick fun read.

read it

Guilty

Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Gabriel Garcia Marquez 1981

Fiction; 160pgs

Though enjoyed, Marquez is an author with whom I am largely unfamiliar.  Even though I've read a handful of his books, I am by no means well versed in his output.  For many years, the extent of my Marquez knowledge revolved around One Hundred Years of Solitude (coincidentally one my favorite books ever) and Love in the Time of Cholera.  While the dearth of my reading was unfortunate, it shouldn't denote any lack of interest.  On the contrary, I very much desired to read more Marquez, it just never seem to come about.  Several years ago, I started the slow path towards improvement in this regard by reading The General in His Labyrinth. Years have since passed, but I was afforded the opportunity to further broaden my Marquez horizons courtesy of Mia Iseman.  I borrowed and devoured two Marquez novellas, A Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Of Love and Other Demons.  The latter shall be saved for another day.

Chronicle of a Death, I've been told, is Kafkaesque (Kafka being another hole in my first hand literary knowledge).  The story itself is seemingly simple: a man is murdered by two men.  It is only with each successive chapter than more and more of the story is revealed.  To be overly cliche, the Chronicle exists as an onion, as each page/layer is peeled, we are brought closer and closer to a more complete understanding at what exists at the core.

Though seemingly simple, there is much at work throughout the book.  It is rife with symbolism.  In particular, by the end of the story, the figure of Santiago Nasar is eerily Christlike, both in his dress and death.  Heightening this perception is the inaction of the community.  Though all were aware of what was about to take place, hardly anyone acted to prevent the death (the resultant communal guilt is given an interesting physical manifestation).

Books should be discovered on the reader's terms.  It is a singular pleasure and one I wish to respect, so I'm hesitant to enter into too much detail about the plot itself.  Instead, I will rely on each reader's desire to discover the Chronicle's gemlike prose.  It is a radiant, riveting piece of literature.  One of the best pieces of fiction I have read in a long time.

READ IT.

Majestic

Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph
T.E. Lawrence ©1922
Non-Fiction; 784 pages

Often, upon finishing a rather large tome, there is a feeling of disillusionment. This has nothing to do with the book itself, but instead it is a manifestation of the experience. It is similar to a road trip. On the trip, you itch and itch towards completion. Though you take heed of what is around you, the finish line is the goal. It is what you seek.

Throughout these trips, whether book or road, one takes note of the joys along the way. In one, perhaps it is an exceedingly profound turn of phrase, while the other might be an exquisite sunset. It is this coloring that vaults the experience towards true felicity. When one reaches the end of this favorable road, the limits of reality appear. The never ending joys of the book suddenly have a terminus. As much as you yearn for the satisfaction of completion, it is always a bit abrupt.

Recently, I came face to face with this sense of abruptness when I finished reading Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph by T.E. Lawrence. To recognize the ending as abrupt is, of course, paradoxical at best. Despite inching forward each day, despite noticing the end of the road well in advance, I was incredulous to find myself at the end of the book. After wading through thousands of words by the Lawrence of Arabia, I was face to face with the obvious finality. The house was indeed complete.

The work is a magnum opus, a classic of 20th century literature. Lawrence, in hindsight, naturally seems to have destined for his work helping unite the Arabs and overthrow the Turks in WWI. Yet, even more so, he embodied perfection as a writer of an epic military history. To quote a reviewer, "he has a novelist's eye for detail, a poet's command of the language, an adventurer's heart, a soldier's great story, and his memory and intellect are at least as good as all those." Throughout the work he is keenly aware of the role he was playing in the somewhat orchestrated charade of war. Aflame with insight, Lawrence saw everything with an unjaundiced eye, even himself. Never was he fearful of revealing himself, unfavorable or not.

It is this earnestness that lends the book a truly poetic air. One that folds nicely within the obvious majesty of the story. Both of which, I believe, are illustrated with magnificent ease in the opening stanza of the dedicatory poem Lawrence penned for his book.

I loved you, so I drew these tides of men into my hands

and wrote my will across the sky in stars

To gain you Freedom, the seven-pillared worthy house,

that your eyes might be shining for me

When I came.

From these opening lines, through the next 300,000 some odd words I waded through the myth to find the man. Stunned upon completion, I wished for more. This yearning says nothing of the ending itself. It was everything one could wish for in an ending: descriptive, illuminating, and poignant. Even though I recognized the greatness, I still found myself wanting. I desired to know more about the inner workings of his head...more about his trials on the battlefield. More, and more, and more.

While the feeling was truly odd, it illustrates the depth and wonderment to be found not only in this book, but in reading. It is within the pages of books that one is able to lose their self and in doing so find a commonality with humanity. Reading takes us by the hand and helps us learn to empathize, to love, to despise...to feel. And it is these elementary lessons that reconnects one with their self; that soften the edges of a too often hardened soul and slowly pave a path towards a redemptive flowering.

All of which leads me to say, READ IT.

Virtuous

Justine, The Misfortunes of Virtue, or Good Conduct Well Chastised
Marquis de Sade
Fiction

Many are probably loosely aware of the author of Justine, though not as an author but as the namesake for a particular brand of gratification. Much of the material that sparked the association and derivation of that word, sadism, with the Marquis occur in this particular novel. To be certain, the book is revolutionary. That quality, however, has faded a bit in the intervening years.

Orphaned at age 12, the aristocratic and virtuous Justine parts with her older, more cynical sister, Juliette. Juliette, through vice, goes on to find fortune and prosperity while Justine meets nothing but misfortune and abuse. The outrageous fortune of Justine is recanted in first person to Madame de Lorsagne and her husband. The novel is in essence a pulpit for de Sade to promote his own ideas and politics (there is a preponderance of didactic soliloquies by the characters in the novel which tend to wear one out).

It is, in its core, a novel of extreme poetic justice...through vice there is prosperity and through virtue despair. In the end, Justine (who uses the pseudonym Therese throughout her life) is rescued by her sister, the aforementioned Lorsagne. Her initial joy gives way to despondency and moroseness before she is struck by a lightning bolt and perishes. Her sister, greatly affected, runs off to join a nunnery, where she becomes a paragon of virtue.

If you have an interest in late 18th early 19th century French literature, I would recommend the book heartily. Otherwise, unless you have a particular interest (mine own was the namesake corollary between it and my favorite book, Justine by Lawrence Durrell) in sadism or societal theory,

SKIP IT

Soaked

The Rum Diary
Hunter S. Thompson ©1999
Fiction; 224 pages

My friend, Skip, was the impetus for reading this book. Prior to reading The Rum Diary, I was largely uneducated in the canon of Thompson. All of my prior experiences with him were articles courtesy of Rolling Stone in high school and college. Honestly, I had never really felt compelled to read him like I have in the past for other writers.

The Rum Diary is largely based on Thompson's own experiences in San Juan, Puerto Rico as a journalist. Penned when he was 22, The Rum Diary seems to have been written by a much older, world weary man (ironically, it wasn't released until he was an old man). Fast paced and highly entertaining, there is a sense of disquietude and dissatisfaction throughout. Though each character seems to have goals and aspirations for their life, they are largely inept at figuring them out. Instead, because they are incapable of ascertaining anything concrete, they are obsessed with running, getting away...leaving the island for something, somewhere better.

It is, however, the stifling nature of the island that propels them (and the novel) forward. Each day was mechanical, lived because of a glaring lack of alternatives. They seemed to sate themselves and their inadequacies in booze, vainly hoping that sooner or later something had to give. In the absence of answers, life was lived (quite wildly at times) as they waited, like we all have, for a sense of direction to take hold of their youthful indecision.

READ IT

Nonlinear

The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy ©1996
Fiction; 336 pages

Ostensibly the story of two fraternal twins growing up in India, The God of Small Things is much more, often a journey through language, culture, and characters. It is a difficult and different read, partly because of the culture it depicts, and partly because of the flowing, evocative language Roy uses. The story revolves around one fateful day during the twins' childhood, but skips back and forth throughout describing what happened in the years before and after that day and how it affected the other characters within the story. The title refers to how a number of small events can add up to have far-reaching consequences. Roy's characters all have deep, human flaws and are well-developed. The story carries political undertones and addresses various cultural issues within Indian culture, looking at the caste system and the squalor and discrimination faced by the Paravans, one of the untouchable castes, and the Communist party's activity in India in the 60s.

This book requires attention and persistence, as Roy frequently refers to phrases mentioned offhandedly in preceding chapters, or to concepts that are explained much later. Roy writes much of the book from a viewpoint sympathetic to a child's, burying within the story many references to twins' take on reality, which, not surprisingly, isn't always what is actually going on.

The language is gorgeous; Roy has a gift for describing a scene and is a terrific wordsmith. She is as much focused on creating atmosphere and imagery as advancing the story. Consequently, at times her writing is a little tedious and slow to advance the actual plot, so there are moments when the reader's patience is tested. If, however, you are willing to sit back and wait for the story to advance, then this book contains many gems and is a rewarding read.

Consider it.

Neurosis

High Fidelity
Nick Hornby, © 1995
fiction; 336pgs

Released in 1995, High Fidelity was Nick Hornby's first novel. My first notice of the book came via the film version (John Cusack, Jack Black) released in 2000. I've read it a few times in the past and decided to embark upon it again when I found it sitting under the bar at the Posse East.

For the past week I've been spending slow afternoons at the bar with Rob Fleming, the neurotic and cynical record shop owner. The force driving the narrative is a breakup. A compulsive list maker, Rob is forced to take stock of his life and his past. The story is woven for the reader with flashbacks (particularly through Rob's "Top 5 Breakups") as well as present action. It is, at times, tough to sympathize with Rob's somewhat shallow first person narrative. Though horribly self-centered and possessing a shamefully warped mindset, Rob is unflinchingly honest with himself in his self-examinations. The book perfectly captures one's ability to trouble themselves by over thinking. Even though this was my third or fourth time through the book, Hornby's prose is still fresh, hilarious, and affecting.

READ IT.

warning-track power

Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen, © 2006
fiction; 330 pages

Set in America during the Great Depression, Gruen leads us through the reminiscing of an elderly man's time working for a traveling second-class circus. It's part love story part drama.

I say this is a warning-track power book because it has all the elements of an epic love story...villains, a beautiful woman, an interesting setting, and of course conflicts getting in the way of love, but it seems to fall short. I was never pulled fully into the lives of the characters and just didn't care by the end of the novel. It was interesting learning a bit about traveling circuses and daydreaming about the hardships during the Great Depression. All-in-all, I think there is better summer reading out there.

Consider it
disclaimer: if you do decide to read this book, be forewarned that there are a few graphic sexual scenes that are not for the more modest reader.

prophetic

The Quiet American
Graham Greene, © 1955
fiction; 192 pages

Written 10 years before our 'conflict' with Vietnam, Graham Greene explores the American psyche of "global police and helper". His impressions and understanding of our ways is so strikingly on the spot that at times you are found just shaking your head.

Taking place in Saigon (modern day Ho Chi Minh City) in southern Vietnam in the early 1950s during the French occupation, the protagonist, an English journalist, runs course with a young and idealist American sent to Saigon to establish a non-Communist frontline against the North. The naïveté of this "quiet American," his simple ideals and incomprehensible behavior to enact his plan, is overtly apparent and smacks the reader almost immediately. Even a younger and less educated audience will realize the aloof and blundering behavior of the American.

This book isn't an outright slam against American principles - Graham is quite subtle in his approach. But it does give us a simple kind of mirror to reflect on our oft bad behavior and meddling abroad. There is also a love-triangle sub plot for those that find the main point of the book too blasé.

read it

tragic

The Last Lecture
Randy Pausch


I received this book as a present from my maternal grandparents this past Christmas. Before receiving the book, I had no knowledge of the internet sensation that had sprung up around the video of Mr. Pausch, a CS professor dying of pancreatic cancer.

This particular book is largely based around that "Last Lecture." It is an instruction manual of sorts on how to achieve dreams. As such, it is rife with advice and adages.

For some reason I was never able to truly lose myself in the book. There was a disconnect somewhere. This was especially disheartening because I felt guilty for not being able to find that connection. Unless you have children or cancer has deeply affected your life,

Skip it.

perseverance

The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls, © 2005
autobiographic memoir; 290 pages

Perseverance is defined as steady persistence in a course of action in spite of difficulties. There is no better word to describe how Jeannette Walls, a contributing writer to MSNBC, is able to overcome her family situation and create a successful life for herself. This memoir describes Walls's life growing up in a nomadic family with an alcoholic father and apathetic yet moralistically stubborn mother. If her parents weren't bad enough, wait until you meet the extended family.

What sets this memoir apart from others I've read is it's readability. Interesting lives make good memoirs, but interesting lives plus the ability to write make great memoirs.

Thanks for the recommendation Dave and Cara.

read it

liquid

The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin'
Bill Zehme, © 1997
biography; 245 pages

My expectations were high when a friend loaned this book to me. Based on the fawning review I received, I naturally assumed it would be great. Inevitably, of course, I was let down.

The premise of the book is to let readers in on the way Frank lived his life through intimate stories and quotes. While many biographies hunt up endless minutiae to flesh out a man's life, this particular book opted for scattered relations instead of a chronological account. In many ways it was interesting and somewhat enlightening, but one a whole I found it a disappointment. Though it was by no means the intent of the author, I ended up feeling sorry for Frank Sinatra. Instead of eliciting envy and awe, there was pity. His supposed "art of livin" appeared empty and callow. While I am by no means a teetotaler, the reliance on booze for a good time made his (and by association so many others) life look sad.

Unless you are a die-hard Sinatra lover, SKIP IT.

taxing

The Twilight Saga
Stephanie Meyer, © 2005 - 2008
vampire fiction (young adult)

If you haven't heard about Twilight by now you should probably contact Guinness Records to find out if they'll declare you the most out of touch person on the planet. Until this past summer I could have competed for that award. While dating a young woman in a lazy Arkansan town, I first discovered the Twilight saga. It was via her adolescent sister that I obtained my first knowledge of this story of star-crossed teenage lovers. Prior to that particularly warm afternoon in a poorly ventilated Mexican dive, I had never caught so much as a whiff of this vampiric saga. I was peacefully oblivious. As the weeks wore on I began to hear more and more about this "sensation" that was gripping the short, sugar-infused attention spans of female adolescents. I then began to realize that this phenomenon was not limited to overly dramatic fourteen year old girls. Actual adults were being swept up in the mania. I'm never one to dismiss any craze that promotes reading, so my level of intrigue was slowly being ratcheted up by the attention bestowed on the saga.

Despite this, I still had no real plans to read the saga. I was content with ignorantly poking fun. Then a co-worker began reading the first book (on the recommendation of her sister) and suggested I read it when she was finished. About two days later she was. The book sat, slowly gathering dust on my dresser for a couple weeks before I got around to opening it up. It was methodical (a trait I was soon to discover in all the books within the series), perhaps a quintessential example of rising action. The series is built as a formula. Step one, build the character(s). Step two, introduce possible love interest. Step three, build their relationship. Step four, throw a wrench into their bliss via danger. Step five, happy ending. While this formula varies slightly from book to book, the general process holds true (of course, in books 2-4, the happiness that ends the prior book is usually upended to drive the story forward).

What I mean to highlight with the above knowledge is an answer to the rabid popularity. Much like The Da Vinci Code or any number of best-sellers, what is being devoured isn't literature so much as it is suspense. An itching desire to find out what is going on in the story. They seek out our basest emotions. But this "suspense" is just a part of the craze behind the series. Females connect with Bella (the protagonist). They connect with her feelings of uncertainty, inadequacy, heartbreak and deep desire. In many ways she is that "regular girl," nothing overtly special about her on the outside, but she holds a wealth of internal fortitude. She blossoms into something special as the saga advances. The author does a great job of selling this, of throwing out the character bait to the reader. The audience takes it. Every female reader sees a little bit of herself in Bella.

This series is definitely geared to a younger audience. Beyond the actual writing, it is most obvious in the handling of the physical relation between two of the main characters. For the most part the issue was glossed over. Nothing more than kissing ever occurred. It was in the fourth book that true allusions to coitus appear. It was, of course, post marital though and thus, I assume, made it okay for the influential adolescent set.

Most of my complaints about the saga are rooted more in my own arrogant literary predilections than any true qualms with the saga. Though I found it to be quite formulaic and somewhat predictable, it was engaging. While I knew the final outcome would, no doubt, be a happy one, I still very much wanted to know and thus continued to read. Which, I suppose, is a good sign. The series is a bit of fluff, an easy yet engrossing read. I consider it not unlike a Lifetime special movie or some such romantic piece that overtly courts your emotions instead of your head. Which probably goes a long way in explaining its hysterical popularity among so many women. And at least one begrudging man...

Consider It.

timeless

The Hobbit: or There and Back Again
J.R.R. Tolkien, © 1937
fantasy; 290 pages

I know this isn't contemporary, but it has been on my 'to read list' for years. I borrowed an old copy from KG, which added to the experience of this great story. The Hobbit follows the adventure of Bilbo Baggins and an expedition of dwarves to reclaim their treasure guarded by the dragon Smaug. I was pleasantly surprised by the light-hearted tone Tolkien uses for this story.

My only prior exposure to his work are the Lord of The Rings movies. Although I'm glad I finally read this great story, I'm not sure I'm going to dive right into the trilogy. Not quite ready for the time commitment...yet.

read it

sonic

Across the Great Divide: The Band and America
Barney Hoskyns and The Band, © 1993
non-fiction; 430 pages

As I'm sure many of you are aware, I'm a huge fan of The Band. So, while I personally contend that they were the greatest ensemble of all time (and will argue this point with anyone willing to engage), I feel that I'm discerning enough to look at a dissection of their career with an open and judicious mind.

It was with some excitement that I first began reading Across The Great Divide: The Band and America. Barney Hoskyn's examination of the relation between the great nation and the largely Canadian group is a triumph of music scholarship (I don't buy into the contention that the Pilgrim's Progress essay within the seminal Mystery Train by Greil Marcus is more revelatory at all). While the volume tells the story of The Band, it's greater purpose is its exploration of America revealed through the eyes of these four outsiders from the north and their full-throttle razorback from the Delta. Hoskyns relates how the quintet was able to pull back a curtain and illuminate the essence of America through both their musical arrangements and their lyrics. In addition to this, he also builds on how their elucidation of America changed the shape of modern music and garnered fawning acolytes out of people like George Harrison, Eric Clapton, etc.

Marvelously researched and easily readable. Hands down a must for anyone with a passing interest in (popular) American music and/or the history of its aggregate parts.

Consider it

amazing

Maniac Magee
Jerry Spinelli, © 1990
children's fiction; 180 pages

Maniac Magee was my favorite book growing up. My 5th grade class read just finished reading this book together. While it was not everyones favorite we enjoyed it and had some great conversations. Here are a few choice excerpts from our final writing assignment where students were asked to describe what this book made them think about or a lesson learned.

...when someone gets tired of going to school or work I would say don't give up just keep on running, it will pay off for you one day.

[Maniac] is not doing it for fame, respect, or himself. He was thinking of others. I think that in the future, you should do more selfless acts and less selfish acts and think of others. That would probably make people friendlier.

I think the most important thing about a home is a family that cares about each other.

You should get your education so if you don't go to the pro's you can do anything else you want.

and my favorite...

Racism starts with ignorance. If you don't know what other people are like then just don't assume things about them. Try to get to know them.

Maniac is an orphan who runs away from his aunt and uncles house to a racially divided town. Through is adventures and friendships he is able to bring the town together and find a home of his own. I really enjoy reading this book with this age group because it covers great themes like friendship, family, racism, and acceptance.

read it

imperative

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
John Perkins, © 2004
non-fiction; 300 pages

Author John Perkins comes clean about his clandestine activities spreading the US 'corporatocracy' around the globe. I have often wondered how American products, banks and corporations are dotted around the world like chocolate sprinkles. Perkins gives the answer to this question as he leads the reader through his travails as an EHM (economic hit man). Once you read this book you will definitely read the news with a different perspective (that is assuming you do read the news).

As Perkins describes:
"Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other foreign "aid" organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control the planet's natural resources. Their tools included fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization."

It is imperative that this book be on a High School required reading list. Beyond that, it is imperative that you check out a copy today and read this book tonight.

read it

disappointed

The Graveyard Book
Neil Gaiman, © 2008
children's fantasy; 300 pages

Neil Gaiman is the author of Coraline, Stardust, and The Sandman comic book series. Because these books are great, I was excited to read his newest book which is the 2009 Newberry Award winner. Well...the title of this post says it all.

Bod is orphaned as a young child when his whole family is mysteriously murdered. He escapes to a nearby cemetery where the ghosts agree to care for him. He is forced to stay in the safety of the graveyard because the killer, Jack, is still looking for him.

I disliked this book because i thought the characters were boring and the first interesting conflict Bod has to face doesn't happen until half-way through the book. To top it off, I was left without ever feeling a connection with Bod or any of the other characters and was ready to just be done with this book by the end.

skip it

sensational

I Am the Messenger
Markus Zusak, © 2002
young-adult fiction; 360 pages

I must begin this post by admitting that I'm an optimist and believe people are good (or have the capability to be) and can change. Ed Kennedy is a 19 year old cab driver that lives in a small suburb outside of Sydney, Australia. He begins to receive playing cards with cryptic messages written on them, which leads him to making small and large differences in selected lives around him. Several times throughout the book as Ed finds ways to help these individuals, emotional shivers (can't think of a better way to describe it) coursed through my body. Ed is able to make people feel beautiful, accepted, safe, or loved.

I love the idea that ordinary people can make a difference in each others lives. Zusak shows us that we can make a difference in other's lives if we are willing to live in the present, be observant, show empathy and the willingness to give some of our time.

read it

Note: Zusak does not hold back on Australian slang. If you've been to 'the land down under' you'll love the reminiscense of their colorful language. If you've never been, you'll still enjoy it and learn some good phrases for your eventual trip. Also, Zusak has another incredible book, The Book Thief. You can get more information about this book by clicking on the link above. Pick it up because it will blow your mind!

Final Note: This is the second Michael L. Printz Award winning book I've read. To find out more about this award and past winners follow the link.

easy entertainment

The House of the Scorpion
Nancy Farmer, © 2002
young-adult sci-fi; 380 pages

In the future, the land between the U.S. and Mexico is a country named Opium, which is used solely for the farming of drugs to be distributed all over the world. The protagonist, Matteo Alacrán, is a clone of the drug czar and ruler of Opium, 140 year old El Patrón.

This is a great action adventure read that also gives interesting possibilities and ramifications of cloning and other scientific advances. Winning three different awards for young-adult literature it is definitely worth a look.

consider it

humor, loathing, and lessons

Second Hand: A Novel
Michael Zadoorian, © 2000
realistic fiction; 270 pages

I thought I would try and continue the theme of one-word titles for my posts, but I could not think of a fitting word to describe this book. However, I believe these three describe Zadoorian's first novel nicely.

This book is written from the perspective of a hipster who owns a junk store and is constantly searching for the next "cool" thing at a garage or estate sale. Besides junk, he deals with death, a crazy girlfriend, and his own self-loathing.

At first, I felt as if I could not identify with any of the protagonist's problems, but Zadoorian does an amazing job of developing his characters so that by the end of the book you are able to relate to the character and learn something from them or in the least realize that you have some of the same feelings about life. This is why Zadoorian is becoming one of my favorite authors. He reminds me that though people may look and act uniquely, we have more similarities than differences. I am comforted by the fact that there is common ground, we just have to search for it.

To conclude, here is my favorite sentence from the book, "...know that all of us have the authority to assign value, that we don't have to want the things we're told to want, that it's good to love that which seems to have no worth."

consider it

poetic

The Underneath
Kathi Appelt, © 2008
illustrations by David Small
children/young-adult fiction; 310 pages

Lyrical, suspenseful, heart-breaking and warming, and mystical are all words that can describe the debut novel of Kathi Appelt. I discovered this book while at BookPeople shopping for holiday presents. It was one of the staffs' picks for best children's novels. This is no ordinary children's novel.

Set in the bayou woods bordering Texas and Louisiana, the novel describes how the lives of a bitter alcoholic, a hound dog, a calico cat and her kittens, and the mysterious animals and trees of the swamp converge. I personally loved the author's imaginative depiction of trees as sentient and wise.

read it

unexchangeable

I am an advocate of public libraries and thus do not purchase many books. However, they always seem to accumulate through gifts and last second airport terminal purchases. Every few years I notice the clutter on our bookshelf and start to gather books to be redeemed at a used book store. Although I'd like to live a totally simplified life with as few possessions as possible, there are a few books which I cannot bring myself to exchange. Here they are in no particular order:

The Phantom Tollbooth
Norton Juster, © 1961
fantasy, children's fiction; 260 pages

I didn't discover this children's classic until college when it was given to me by a friend, Thanks Goldbogen! The author has an imaginative perspective and loves word play. You will still enjoy this book as an adult.

consider it

The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom
Slavomir Rawicz, © 1956
non-fiction, survival; 240 pages

This autobiographical account describes a prisoners escape from a Siberian Soviet labor camp and his trek to freedom through China, the Gobi Desert, Tibet, and over the Himalayas to British India. This book was recommended to Cara while she was hitchhiking in Banff, Alberta. An unbelievable story!

read it

Oh, The Places You'll Go!
Dr. Seuss, © 1990
children's poetry

It will inspire you to do great things!

read it

Travels with Charley: In Search of America
John Steinbeck, © 1962
non-fiction, 280 pages

I was hooked after the first paragraph, but I do love a road trip story. Follow the link to read the first paragraph.

consider it

Harry Potter Series
J.K. Rowling, © 1997 - 2007
fantasy, young-adult fiction

I ignored these books during the early crazy hype, but relented when the praise did not stop. After the first one, I too was hooked and eagerly anticipated the releases of the final books. Give the first one a try and see if you can stop. The books are not nearly as cheesy as the movies.

consider it

emotive

The Leisure Seeker
Michael Zadoorian, © 2009
Realistic Fiction; 270 pages

Pagan Kennedy had this to say about the book, "Is it possible to outrun death and take one last vacation? That's the fascinating premise of Zadoorian's terrific novel, in which an octogenarian husband and wife flee their doctors and take to the highway. She's dying of cancer, he's so Alzheimered that he can't remember her name. Nonetheless, they gun the gas on their RV and rev into a madcap blur along Route 66. Zadoorian has done no less than reinvent the American road story. These Easy Riders - drugged up on meds, desperately in need of their naps, and determined to enjoy every last moment - are some of the most memorable characters I've ever met on the page."

I read this book while on my own road trip with Cara to Taos, New Mexico. It is a very touching story that I was easily able to relate to in many ways such as the love of the road and the ups and downs of lifelong partnership. It spurred me to reflect on the truly important things that I'd like to carry into my golden years...memories, photos, friends, family, and the desire and ability to keep traveling.

read it