End of December Book Drop

1. Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett ****

2. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn, by Alison Goodman **

3. The Lake of Dreams, by Kim Edwards ****

4. unPlanned, by Abby Johnson ****

5. Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian ****

End of November Book Drop

1. The Night Strangers, by Chris Bohjalian ****
I love Chris Bohjalian and I was intrigued throughout the novel, but for the first time with one of his books, I have to admit...I hated the ending. Still, a worthwhile read for Bohjalian fans.

2. Hush, by Jacqueline Woodson **
A young adult fiction narrative of a family that is forced to leave their home after witnessing a crime, this book follows the lives of two young girls who are searching for themselves while living under new identities.

End of October Book Drop

1. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, by Tom Franklin ****

2. What Women Fear, by Angie Smith ****

3. Mini Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella ***

4. One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich ***

End of September Book Drop

1. Bossypants, by Tina Fey ***
Some places had me giggling out loud, but toward the middle of the book, I got a bit bogged down in the descriptions of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock. Also, on an unrelated note, it took me days to realize that Tina's wearing a hat on the cover; I definitely thought that was part of her hair.

2. Blood Promise, by Richelle Mead ***
Another book in the Vampire Academy series. 3 books to go. I've enjoyed this series and can't stop reading before it's through, but I'm also ready to move on and read some adult fiction again.

3. Anthem, by Ayn Rand **
This is the kind of book I love. It's Brave New World, 1984, and The Giver, except written in the 1930s and in more complex language than the aforementioned books. The plot is essentially the same in this 100-pager, though: there is a problem with the direction this world is in, and we can either pretend we don't see it, or fight against it.

End of August Book Drop

With the beginning of the school year comes a whole set of lifestyle changes. Making meals ahead of time, for instance, because there's no way I'll have the energy to make a full-blown Martha Stewart dinner after work. And...evidently...changing how I update my book blog. I'm lucky if I can read an entire chapter at night now, but having to write about each book after I'm finished? I don't think I can keep that up at the moment. So in an effort to still keep track of all I read, I'll do monthly book drops here, and - when I read a really great book - maybe even a real book review every now and then. I'll even rate them with stars and pretend that's not super subjective and relatively unhelpful.

End of August Reads:
1. Shadow Kiss, by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy book #3) ***

2. Shopaholic & Baby, by Sophie Kinsella (anything Sophie Kinsella is a guilty pleasure of mine) ***

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling

In this fourth book of the series, Harry Potter arrives back at Hogwarts to discover that the Triwizard Tournament - a battle of the wits between three wizarding schools -  will be taking place. Although only students seventeen years old and older are allowed to submit their names into the competition, somehow Harry's is submitted (without his knowledge), and he is chosen as one of the three students that will compete. The remainder of the book relays the three challenges these students must undergo, while Harry is left to wonder who submitted his name into the competition, or - in other words - who wants him dead? One thing is sure: not everyone will survive the Triwizard Tournament. 

My physical therapist is so excited that I'm into this series now. Last week when I was getting a post-physical therapy massage by another employee, my PT read a bit of this book to me (and then spent the rest of the time silently browsing through the rest of the book, remembering how much she loved it). It has become one of our regular topics of conversation. So I think it has served its purpose well already. 

But really, I am into this series. In this second book, the Strigoi (see book one for more background) have been killing royal Moroi families, raising enough concern that St. Vladmir's Academy takes all of its students to a well-guarded ski resort in order to keep the students safe. As always, however, a few choice students (Rose included) find themselves face to face with the enemy. And, yes, Dimitri makes more than one appearance in this book as well, making it impossible not to read book three. 

Women, Food, and God, by Geneen Roth

Women, Food, and God contains many poignant thoughts and insights for those of us who have, at one point or another, had a rocky relationship with food. The caveat of "reading" an audio book is that it's nearly impossible to find a passage you want to return to, so although there were some statements I thought would be great to highlight in this review, now it seems like too much trouble to pinpoint those selections. The absolute pleasure of listening to audio books, however, is hearing the author's voice, and - in Geneen Roth's case - this was one of my favorite things about the book. Roth's voice had such a calming effect on me that at times I felt like I was listening to a yoga instructor. (In contrast, my current audio book author's voice makes me feel like I'm sprinting...but more on that later!)

Before I recommend the book, I do think it's important to note that Geneen Roth's "version" of God is quite a lot different than mine, but honestly, she hardly even alludes to God until the epilogue, so this didn't bother me a whole lot. 

Another plus? While the audio book took me a couple of weeks (off and on) to finish, the actual paper copy is really quite short and would only take a day or two to read from cover to cover. 

Pray for Silence, by Linda Castillo

This was another good thriller, but was so similar to the first book in the series (with just a slightly different plot) that I was a little disappointed. 

This time, Police Chief Kate Burkholder is investigating the murder of an Amish teenager and her family. There are few clues as to who the murderer might be until Kate finds the girl's diary hidden beneath a floor plank in the family's home, at which point the pieces begin to fall together, incriminating more than just one suspect. 

Vampire Academy, by Richelle Mead

"Get through the first fifty pages, and you'll be hooked," my physical therapist said when telling me about this book (& series). And I had to admit, I liked Twilight when it first came out, so there was a good probability I'd like this series, too, even if it was written for teen girls. Just one more way to connect with my students, right? 

So I trudged through the first fifty pages, not minding the book, but also not really getting into it so much that I couldn't put the book down. But my PT was so excited when I showed her what I was reading that I had to give it a chance, so I kept reading and, yep, approximately fifty pages in, I found myself unable to stop. 

This series is set in a school for vampires, but you wouldn't necessarily know it: they all act just like normal teenagers. Lissa is a Moroi princess, which means she's a vampire, but she's mortal (as opposed to the Strigoi, who never die). Since she's mortal, Rose (a Dhampir, or half human, half vampire) has made it her life's goal to always guard Lissa, protecting her from the Strigoi that are out to kill all Moroi. Sounds very sci-fi, I know, and I usually hate the sci-fi genre. But the plot kept me going all the way to the end. Overall, I rated it with 3/5 stars on goodreads.com. 

Room, by Emma Donoghue

I've been on the waiting list for this book for quite some time...but it arrived just before my vacation and proved to be worth the wait! I read it in two days and had a hard time putting it down. The setting is what makes this book so intriguing. (In fact, I plan to use it as an example of setting in my literature course this spring.) A woman was kidnapped years ago, and has been held captive in "Room" for several years. While in captivity, she gave birth to her son, Jack, who has never known any other home, and therefore does not even realize they are being held captive, but rather sees "Room" as his home (due in great part to his mother's amazing love and creativity as she creates games, activities, and even "Phys Ed" exercises in order to nurture her son and normalize his life). The book is written from Jack's perspective.

Plan to be touched if you choose to read this book. I know I was.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling

Ah, Harry Potter, I am hooked on you. In Year 3 of Harry's schooling at Hogwarts, he finds himself wrapped up in yet another adventure that has the potential to end in death. This time, a convict has escaped from the wizards' prison, Azkaban (a prison no one breaks out of, ever), and the convict is heading for Hogwarts, supposedly to kill Harry. Meanwhile, there is a new (and wonderful) teacher at the school, Professor Lupin, who has a secret, while Hermione has a secret of her own. Oh, and Professor Trelawney won't stop predicting Harry's death. But, as many loose ends as there are, the many subplots all come to a completely satisfying end before the book is through.

This was my favorite book in the series thus far...on to Year 4 I go!

Blood, Bones, & Butter, by Gabrielle Hamilton

I had high expectations of this book, and I was not disappointed. I say this is a combination of The Glass Castle (in that Hamilton is strikingly honest when it comes to her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, "warts and all" as I heard her say in a TV interview) and Julie & Julia (in its sumptuous descriptions of everything culinary). Hamilton has received rave reviews for her first book, a book that I feel is more well-written than any other food memoir I have read, a testament to Hamilton's graduate education in writing. In fact, I was so inspired by her mouth-watering descriptions that I hurriedly planned out a "food critic" assignment for my incoming seniors as a gateway to descriptive writing toward the beginning of the school year. Beware, parents, your students may soon be writing all about the dinners you prepare! 

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua

And audio book #2 is...

I loved listening to Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother as I drove back and forth between errands in these past couple of weeks. I realized that, for me, it's important that the author herself reads her book. When professional "readers" perform the reading, you automatically miss out on the nuances that can only be fully honored by the writer, the person that was there, either literally (non-fiction) or in her mind (fiction). So I was glad Amy Chua read her own story, the autobiography of her family's life and her children's upbringing. 

As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Chua spends much of her time describing the difference between Chinese and Western parenting. I found this intriguing. Through the way she chose to raise her own two daughters (mostly the Chinese way), it quickly becomes obvious why success is so often found in Chinese families (particularly think: musicians, academics). Chua admits time and again that she probably pushed too hard at times (her girls had to practice their instruments several hours per day, were not allowed to go to sleepovers or "play dates," and were often blatantly criticized to their faces when Chua felt they were being disobedient, disrespectful, or just plain not good enough). At the same time, though, both Chua and her daughters feel it was advantageous to do things the Chinese way, to push so hard instead of succumbing to the Western ideals of raising children with high self-esteems. 

Chua's book has earned a great deal of criticism in American book reviews. At times I understood this: I found myself angry at the way she sometimes spoke to her daughters, telling them they were a disgrace, that they weren't good enough, or that one was not measuring up to the other. But I also recognized a devotion to excellence that many Western parents do seem to lack as they focus instead on raising kids that simply feel good about themselves. (From a teacher's standpoint, I see this approach backfiring every day.) There must be some sort of balance between the two: high standards without the harsh criticism. And I have to admire the boldness with which Chua told her story, knowing criticism would quickly follow the publication of her honest account of Chinese parenting. 

This was entertaining and thought-provoking: all in all, the perfect audio book. 

Sworn to Silence, by Linda Castillo

Sworn to Silence is an Amish thriller (seems like an oxymoron, no?). In it, police chief Kate Burkholder (once Amish herself) fights to solve a series of violent murders. Unfortunately, secrets from her own past are getting in the way of her investigation and causing the townspeople to doubt her abilities, so she must fight for her job (and eventually her life) at the same time.

That's all I'll say.

I really enjoyed it, though I have to warn you: it's rather explicit in its descriptions of the crime scenes at times.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we really are, far more than our abilities."

- excerpt from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Oh, Harry Potter, you've done it again (as we say in our house). I am officially unable to stop reading the Harry Potter series. (Warning to hubby: next the movies will begin to clog our Netflix queue!) 

In Year 2, Harry Potter is warned by the Malfoys' house elf not to return to Hogwarts, for someone is out to kill him (but really, what's new? He's Harry Potter!). Of course, Harry does not heed this warning, and returns to Hogwarts, as it is still such a vast improvement over staying at "home" with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. 

This year, the Chamber of Secrets has been opened for the second time in history. It is said that only the descendant of  Slytherin himself has this ability, and rumors begin to circulate among Harry's classmates that Harry is Slytherin's evil descendant. But don't you worry, there's a nice tidy ending, as always, and Harry remains alive to see book 3. (I can say that since I'm ten years behind the rest of the world in reading this series, right?) 

In other news, I'm looking for a poster of the above quote to put in my classroom...

Incendiary, by Chris Cleave

This novel (by the same author that wrote Little Bee, which I loved) was rather riveting. I have never read a book quite like this. It is written from the perspective of a female narrator who has lost her husband and son to a terrorist bombing organized by Osama bin Laden, and she is writing the entire account directly to "Osama," as she casually calls him. She writes without censorship (and often without punctuation), her goal being to force Osama to get to know the boy and man he killed. She believes that if he had known them, he wouldn't have killed this crowd of bystanders at a soccer game. 

Although a bit of the beginning talks about the narrator's life before the bombing, more of the book revolves around what life was like for her afterward, including the relationship she has developed with another man and, oddly enough, with his girlfriend as well. The ending was rather far-fetched for me...just a little bit crazy...but overall, I was glad to have read Incendiary. 

Inconceivable: A Woman's Triumph over Despair and Statistics, by Julia Indichova

Yes, well, I know there have been a few of these books lately that are clearly specialized to a certain kind of audience...but I'm trying to space them out, anyway, so it's not all I think about (too late) or all I read. This book was thought-provoking. I liked how the author told her story, and that she cautioned against putting 100% trust in doctors and diagnoses, but I also think she'd admit that she sometimes veered a bit far in the opposite direction. She had a "I'll try anything" sort of philosophy, and so I laughed when I read about some of the things she tried (like seeing two "specialists," one of which told her to just keep communication open between her and her husband, and voila!, while the other had her stand up straight as they asked her body which herbs would be best for her - what??). I laughed not because I thought it was funny as much as because I understand being that desperate - desperate enough to try absolutely anything - though I wish I did not. It was one of the easier books on this topic to get through, and yes, of course at the end the author became pregnant, despite the odds. These kinds of books have to have fairy tale endings. 

About Alice, by Calvin Trillin

About Alice was another small (78 page) read, and it was so sweet. This is a biographical account that Calvin Trillin writes about his deceased wife, Alice. Trillin paints a beautiful portrait of the woman he loves, idiocyncracies and all, honoring her memory through his words. 

What Now? by Ann Patchett

One of the best things about this book? Its size! I read it cover to cover in less than an hour (not only is it 97 pages, but several of those pages contain full-size pictures, and the print is quite large throughout)! 

Ann Patchett originally wrote this manuscript as a graduation speech for Sarah Lawrence College, her alma mater. It was so highly lauded, however, that it turned into a published book that applies to people in all walks of life (especially to those who feel a bit directionless). 

Patchett discusses some of the more important things in life (learning to listen and be a follower, among others) in a humorous way, sharing stories from her own life to make her points. It's worth a quick read!

The Shack, by William P. Young

And...my first-ever audio book post! 

I was reading Stephen King's On Writing last month, and he mentioned how many books he generally reads a year, stating that six or seven of those books every year were audio books. I tend to struggle with paying attention to talk radio in the car, as my mind does its best wandering while I'm driving (I know: watch out!), but when I read this, I thought, of course! Why not squeeze a little more "reading" into the day this way! 

The catch for me was that I needed somewhat "fluffy" books for the car, books that wouldn't take too much concentration. First, I bought Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson. I'm still plugging away at it, but I was a bit disheartened to hear that it's not a completely true story, even though it was marketed as non-fiction. I'm also having a hard time getting into it by just listening to the story. So the last time I was at the public library, I picked up The Shack, thinking this was a book I should probably read at some point since it made such a splash when it was first published (I'm a few years behind). 

It was ok. It's the (fictional) story of Mac, whose young daughter is kidnapped and killed by a serial killer, and it follows his journey back to healing. When Mac receives a letter in his mailbox asking him to meet the letter-writer at "the shack" (where his daughter was killed), signed "Papa" (Mac's wife's name for God), he grudgingly goes to the shack. Here, his life is transformed, as he literally meets God/Jesus/the Holy Spirit (each very interestingly portrayed) and is walked through the basics of his faith. 

I did get some good things out of the conversations God had with Mac, and there were some thought-provoking discussions pertaining to the deep pain in this world and why God doesn't prevent it, but I also think it's important for people reading this book to understand that while some of the contents of the book may be theologically accurate, most of it is still based on a fictional story, as the author admits himself. 

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Six more book reviews coming your way, starting with the second book my friend A and I chose for our classics book club (because it's due back at the library tomorrow)!

The Great Gatsby is another of those books I felt I should have read long ago. It's referred to frequently in pop culture, and many people claim it's their favorite book. Admittedly, it fell a bit short of my favorites list, but that may be partially because I was under the impression that it had a happy ending. And it doesn't. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this short classic, though. It's a love story gone wrong. There are two primary couples, tangled up in affairs, a couple of onlookers, and of course Gatsby, who has been head over heels in love with Daisy Buchanan (now married to Tom) for years. Gatsby's love is a picture of devotion (he has several opportunities to save his own name by implicating Daisy, but he protects her instead) and, possibly, obsession (he moved to an estate across the bay from Daisy's home so he could keep an eye out for her). 

In the back of the book, I read the publisher's notes, and found them extremely interesting as well, as they explained the cover art (I have always wondered what the cover "meant") and gave insights into Fitzgerald's own somewhat tragic life and how this book came to be. 

The Great Gatsby is short enough that I would recommend it as a "must read" for those who enjoy classics, but it still doesn't make my Top 10 classics list, if that means anything to you. 

The Tiger's Wife, by Tea Obreht

I'm not quite sure how to review this novel. At the end I still felt confused; the plot seemed evasive or maybe even non-existent. Or maybe I just missed it, because for whatever reason, it was easy for me to zone out a bit while reading this book. 

But it was written so incredibly beautifully. 

And by a 25 year old. 

So it was a wonderful read even though I didn't focus well enough to pick up on what exactly was going on half the time. Mostly, it was a conglomeration of stories from the narrator's grandfather's life, so maybe there wasn't one major plot that I was meant to pick up on at all. Either way, I'm glad to have read it...and if you choose to read it yourself, you might want to read it away from beautiful weather and other distractions so you can digest more of it than I did. Just a thought. 

Tattoos on the Heart, by Gregory Boyle

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion has intrigued me over these last few months because of a) its cover, b) its title, c) its description, and d) its review by Anne Lamott on the front cover. I wasn't disappointed. Although the writing style bothered me a bit at first (Boyle constantly jumps from the past to the present tense even though all of the stories he shares take place in the past tense), I was drawn in by the content. Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries (it was worth reading this just to see the word "homie" used so many times by a Jesuit priest). This organization strives to pull gang members in Los Angeles off the streets by providing jobs for them and communicating to them that they matter and have just as much worth as anyone else. Boyle's book is an important one, filled with inspirational (as well as heartbreaking) stories of the men and women he has helped through his ministry.

See below for a short video featuring Boyle and former gang members he has helped):



 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling

Ok, it would be silly to post an actual review of each book in this series, right? Because I am probably one of the last readers (especially of the English teacher variety) to read these books. I read this first book a few years back, but left it at that, ignoring the rest of the series. After teaching several students this past year who were somewhat obsessed with Ms. Rowling and her Harry Potter, I finally decided I needed to start from the beginning and make my way through until the very end this time. It is my duty as an English teacher and my duty as someone who is always looking for ways to better connect with my students.

So here's the quick review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone describes Harry's unfortunate childhood living with his aunt and uncle, the discovery that he is a wizard, and his first year at Hogwart's Academy as Harry and his friends get into all kinds of trouble while also doing some pretty fantastic things in their quest to preserve good over evil. The End. 

(I'm hooked.) 

About What Was Lost, by Jessica Berger Gross (editor)

This was one of the most thorough collections of miscarriage memoirs I have read thus far. I am including it on this blog primarily for my own reading record, knowing no one will read this book that doesn't have to. It's not happy, it's not reassuring. But for someone who has experienced miscarriage or stillbirth, it is comforting in its sense of community. Its many contributors silently scream, "you are not alone!" as you read every possible variety of stories. There are stories of parents that have lost one baby and stories of parents that have lost several; there are parents that experienced infertility, and those that did not even want to get pregnant, did, and then felt crushing grief when their baby's life was extinguished; there are parents that went on to have more children, parents that chose to adopt, and parents that decided they would no longer pursue a family. Some accounts were more difficult to read than others, and some mirrored what I experienced and how I felt more than others, but I am glad I read each one.

Safe in the Arms of God, by John MacArthur

I have never doubted where our son is right now, born too early for this earth, but even so, I found comfort in this book, which looks for biblical answers to some of the toughest questions surrounding infant death. The questions explored within these pages include: where is my child? what can we say with certainty to those with empty arms? how does God regard children? what if my child is not among the elect? will I see my child again? what is my child's life like in Heaven? why did my child have to die? and how shall we minister to those who are grieving? A book like this isn't fun to read, per se, but it is reassuring to a parent who has lost a baby or young child. 

The Hard Way, by Lee Child

This was one of the more engaging books in the Reacher series. This time, Reacher becomes involved in a case where a man claims his wife and daughter have been kidnapped (and he really seems to mean it, despite convincing evidence that he staged the kidnapping of his first wife years earlier). As Reacher begins to investigate the case, however, he discovers some more-than-unsettling facts about his "employer's" history. A lovely little plot twist wraps it all up in the end, leaving the reader more than satisfied. 

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand

"You don't have to be a sports fan or a war-history buff to devour this book - you just have to love great storytelling." 

- excerpt from Rebecca Skloot, praising Unbroken 

Generally it takes me a few days to write these reviews. Even though I enjoy cataloging the books I've read for future reference and helping friends find good books, writing is still work, and I tend to avoid it when there are more pleasurable things to do (like starting a new book!). 

But I couldn't wait to write about Unbroken. 

I loved this book. 

It was slow going as I first began to read. I love a good autobiography or memoir, but I've rarely been drawn to biographies, as they are often written with just enough emotional distance that I become bored and disinterested. But it only took a few pages for the reading to pick up its pace. Laura Hillenbrand writes with the confidence and knowledge of someone who is familiar with her subject through years of research and personal interviews. Zamperini told his story to Hillenbrand himself, bridging the distance I so dislike. Soon, I couldn't put the book down. 

The autobiography records the life of Louis Zamperini, an almost-Olympic runner (the Olympics were cancelled due to WWII the year he qualified), and the book begins with Zamperini's childhood and adolescence, during which the boy was a rascal and a runner (putting both skills to good use with a bit of thievery). When he was of age, Zamperini was enlisted as a bombardier in the war, and in 1944 his plane was struck down, leaving Zamperini and two other men stranded on a raft in the middle of the ocean. For forty-six days they drifted over two thousand miles, facing starvation, Japanese gunfire from up above, and the constant presence (and occasional attack) of sharks around their raft. One of the men died, but Zamperini and his friend Phil Allen were still alive when their raft floated within sight of a series of Japanese-inhabited islands. 

From that point on, Zamperini and Allen faced the most tortuous and nightmarish years of their lives, as they were passed from one execution island to another as unofficial prisoners of war. Zamperini in particular was treated with utter inhumanity, beaten, starved, and degraded day after day. The fact that he lived through his experiences in POW camps is, in itself, extraordinary. As I read, I found myself thinking time and time again how blessed I am and how easy my life has been. I gained such insight and appreciation for men and women that have been in the service; it is a life I cannot imagine. 

Even if the book had ended with Zamperini's liberation from the POW camps, I would have heartily recommended it. But what really made me love this story was the ending, because after an initial struggle with anger and alcoholism, Zamperini came to forgive his captors and the men who tortured him relentlessly. And this forgiveness...well, it's what amazes me most.

The Law of Similars, by Chris Bohjalian

Chris Bohjalian has quickly become one of my favorite authors, ever since L introduced me to his writing. The Law of Similars is one of his older novels (published in 1999) and doesn't possess the surprise ending all of his newer novels are known for, but I still enjoyed it quite a lot and learned a great deal about alternative medicine while I was at it. 

Carissa Lake is a homeopath, healing her patients under the belief that "like cures like." One of her patients, Leland, is a lawyer who can't kick a cold, and while he heals under Carissa's care, he also falls in love with her. Another of her patients, Richard, is an asthmatic with allergies, but his story ends rather differently as he suddenly has a severe allergic reaction and falls into a coma. 

Things get tangled fairly quickly when Carissa is blamed for Richard's sudden downfall, putting Leland in a precarious (and unethical) position as his law firm handles the case while he tries to cover up his relationship with the homeopath. 

On Writing, by Stephen King

This is one of my new favorite writing books (along with Annie Dillard's, Anne Lamott's, William Zinsser's, and Natalie Goldberg's). But, truth be told, I've rarely read a book on writing that I didn't like.

On Writing contained the perfect balance of autobiography and writing techniques. The first section discussed Stephen King's early life and how he was led to the field of writing. Then King dove straight into some of the techniques he feels are most important in good writing, and just when this section could have become a bit too tedious (because few of us can read for days on end about tone, point of view, dialogue, etc.), he retreated back to autobiography, this time discussing the car wreck that nearly took his life and how his writing process has changed as a result.

Originally, I borrowed this book from the library, but a third of the way through I realized I was folding over the corners of far too many pages, so I bought the book used and started marking it up like crazy with my pen (perhaps the highest recommendation I could give a book). There's no doubt this book will shape my writing instruction in the near future. 

The Postmistress, by Sarah Blake

Toby (my dog) really loved the smell of this book. (He's one of very few that truly understands that the scent of a book, whether new or used, is just as important as the cover, and of course the contents.)

So. That's always a good sign.

But the cover and contents were pretty great, too. The Postmistress is set during World War II and primarily follows the lives of three individuals/couples. Iris James faithfully fulfills her duties as postmistress each day, stamping, sorting, and stuffing envelopes into P.O. boxes day after day. ...Until one day, when she decides to pocket a letter and keep the rightful reader in the dark as to its contents.

Frankie Bard is a radio broadcaster, reporting on the war from London and France, in hopes that America will respond to her call for action.

And Will and Emma Fitch are a couple that catch Frankie's broadcasts every now and again, and find themselves particularly touched by one report of a young boy who suddenly finds himself without a mother.

By the middle of the novel, each of these lives intersect.

I couldn't put this book down. It was a nice fast read that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

The Art of Losing, Edited by Kevin Young

I'll keep this short and sweet. The Art of Losing is a collection of poetry from old and new renowned poets. All of the 250 or so poems relate to the loss of a loved one, and are organized by stages of grief (not the typical "denial, anger, etc." stages, but stages like "redemption" and "remembrance"). I appreciated that there was also an index in the back that organized the poems based on what type of loved one was lost: a parent, a child, or a friend. 

After reading this volume cover to cover, I do not think I'd buy this book for my poetry collection (and I do collect poetry books, so this is saying quite a lot), but I did write down several of the poems for future reference. 

Handing One Another Along, by Robert Coles

My dad-in-law sent me a link for this book, and I'm glad he did. While I don't love how the book was organized (it looked like it was organized into authors that Coles would then discuss, but it really wasn't organized in any recognizable way at all, from what I could tell), I plan to use a good bit of the content to re-shape the literature course I teach.

It's hard to summarize the content of a book like this. It doesn't have a plot, per se. Mostly, it discusses various authors and how they lived among the poor or otherwise underprivileged in order to better inform their writing and have compassion for these marginalized social groups. It made me appreciate good authors all the more, as so many of them put such careful thought and research into what they do, and truly try to identify with people with whom they might not otherwise cross paths.

After reading Coles's book, I determined that sitting in his classes as a student (he was a professor at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School) would be convicting and thought-provoking. I felt like a student as I read his words, and it made me long for another college class or two...at least for a minute. 

Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte

I love the classics, and Victorian literature is my favorite. A friend and I have both been wanting to read more classics lately, so we decided to read Wuthering Heights and then have a tea party (very Victorian!)/book discussion/movie viewing afterwards. 

When it was originally published in 1847, this novel was the basis for a great deal of controversy. Its rough and often abusive characters disturbed critics and readers, many of whom were convinced the novel was written by a man (all of the Bronte sisters used pseudonyms and Emily's was the androgynous "Ellis Bell") because of the violence and hatred the book contained. 

That said, the novel is rather complex, both in its storyline (where a boy and a girl grow up together, fall in love, marry other people, and then have children who love each other but are never happy or fulfilled) and narration (there are two different narrators, and the book spans two generations). I found myself consulting Cliffs Notes more than once just to make sure I was understanding everything that was going on. I loved reading it, though, and being transported to another time, where people lived in grand estates and had to walk a mile or two to visit their neighbors (who, it seems, they always ended up marrying). It's not satisfying in the sense that everyone lives happily ever after (I don't think a single character did), but at the same time it's rather nice sometimes to read a more realistic portrait of life and love. 

This summer I plan to read several more classics, including The Great Gatsby, which I always feel I should have read, but never actually have. Any more suggestions for me? I have twenty or so "must read" books currently sitting on my dresser waiting impatiently to be read, but I could always add a few more! 

High School Confidential, by Jeremy Iversen

I love the idea of this book: a recent college graduate is hesitant to go straight from the rigors of Princeton University to the work world. His explanation is that until you graduate from college, you are climbing up on the fun scale, gaining more and more freedom as you venture from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and high school to college. But then, suddenly, you plummet downward again, because leaving college with all of its free time and freedom to enter a nine to five job seems...well, depressing. So Jeremy decided to leap backwards, and he entered his senior year in high school all over again, this time undercover. 

(I should note here that I love this idea only because I find anything undercover fascinating. The part of me that loves students and feels protective of them doesn't so much like the idea of deceiving them and writing a book about everything they do and say, even if the names and places are disguised.) 

It's an interesting read, revealing the student life of a particular California school. What I didn't like was the negative slant that pervaded the entire book. You hear the vulgar conversations, discover who is using drugs and drinking alcohol (according to this book, nearly everybody), and peek into classrooms where teachers are spending all their time befriending students or showing pre-1950s slide shows all period every day - and while I realistically know this is partially accurate, I like to think for every student that has taken the wrong path and every teacher that has chosen the wrong occupation there are dozens more students and teachers that are giving it their all and making their high school proud. And, after half a dozen years of teaching, I don't think I'm being naive in thinking this. 

So, for the bitter taste this book left me with, I wouldn't recommend it. 

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist (HarperOne, 1988) is an older novel, but seems to be coming back into vogue, as I only just recently started seeing it everywhere. Written as a parable of sorts, the reader follows a boy (who is simply named "the boy" throughout the tale, as he is a universal character, whose name really doesn't matter) on his quest for his "Personal Legend." He has dreamed of treasure at the pyramids in Egypt, so is journeying through the desert, seeking this treasure with the help of those he encounters along the way (including the alchemist himself). 

Generally, I don't get into books like this, but I enjoyed the allegory and the wisdom the boy gleaned along the way to the pyramids. Here are a few of the highlights: 

1.  "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.

     "Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself." 

2.  The alchemist said, "No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it." 

3.   He thought of the many roads he had traveled, and of the strange way God had chosen to show him his treasure. If he hadn't believed in the significance of recurrent dreams, he would not have met the Gypsy woman, the king, the thief or..."Well, it's a long list. But the path was written in the omens, and there was no way I could go wrong," he said to himself. 

     He fell asleep, and when he awoke the sun was already high. He began to dig at the base of the sycamore. 

     "You old sorcerer," the boy shouted up to the sky. "You knew the whole story. You even left a bit of gold at the monastery so I could get back to this church. The monk laughed when he saw me come back in tatters. Couldn't you have saved me from that?" 

     "No," he heard a voice on the wind say. "If I had told you, you wouldn't have seen the Pyramids. They're beautiful, aren't they?" 

The Wedding Girl, by Sophie Kinsella

It is only a matter of days before Milly's wedding. It's not just any wedding, but a wedding to a multimillionaire's son, a wedding that has required lavish plans, all of which have already been made as the story begins. Unfortunately, there's a problem.

Milly is already married to a man she wed ten years earlier, when she was eighteen, as a favor to help keep him in the country. It didn't mean anything to her at the time.

But now it matters, very much. Milly's wedding photographer just happened to have also been at her previous courthouse wedding, and is enjoying knowing her secret, a secret he might just spill to her family and husband-to-be, none of whom know she is already a wife.

The Wedding Girl (Thomas Dunne Books, 1999), by Madeleine Wickham, a.k.a. Sophie Kinsella, is another easy "beach read," good for an afternoon in the sun when you just want a fun, frivolous story to keep you occupied for a few hours. 

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson

I did it. After one previous, failed attempt, I finally read this entire book, prompted by my friend L, whose book advice I am happy to take 100% of the time. It took me 100 pages or so to get into the plot, and admittedly, I usually say that's too long to have to read with only minimal interest. But it was worth it. The plot thickened, and I found myself unable to stop reading after awhile. 

Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist in this first Larsson novel (published by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 2008). He has just been convicted of libel, so finds himself with extra time on his hands before he is sent to jail for a short time. Right around this time, a member of the once-wealthy and powerful Vanger family requests Blomkvist's help in solving a 40-year-old mystery: namely, the disappearance of the young Harriet Vanger. Over the next year, Blomkvist uncovers unimaginable horrors and ties up the loose ends of the Vanger family's secret history once and for all. (Meanwhile revealing corruption in the financial journalism world as well, but that part of the plot was slightly less fascinating to me, I'll admit.)