It has truly been far too long since my last post! And, as I am sure you can imagine, I have been reading (and listening) in the interim.
On my drives to and from Massachusetts, I have listened to several (have not been counting) audio books. The ones that come to mind are "The Collectors" and "The Camel Club" by David Baldacci, a couple by Robert Parker, and a couple by James Patterson. Baldacci is my favorite, by far. He writes about interesting topics, and I love the setting. Besides that, he has some "serial" characters (the Camel Club lead by the old-but-intrepid Oliver Stone and Michelle Maxwell/Sean King). One of the things that is most troubling about good literature, to me, is that when the book is finished, so are the people we meet on the pages. It might be sappy, but when I finish a Billie Letts book, for example, I feel like I am losing friends. To have a series featuring the same dynamic and complex characters solving a continuing mystery is a treat. I think that is one of the reasons why science fiction and fantasy books are reaching a new height of popularity; people want their stories to continue. How many of use are STILL wishing for and eighth Harry Potter or a fifth Twilight? My guess: too many of us to count!
As far as novels I have picked up to read, I finished "Beach House" by Jane Green a couple weeks ago. I love Jane Green's earlier works, which feature twenty- and thirty-somethings who are struggling to balance their personal and professional lives. In a way, her characters used to represent the same or similar existential struggles, and I could relate to their tales. "Beach House", however, features more mature characters, and I think it represents a shift in Jane Green's inspiration. The central character in "Beach House" is an older woman, in her sixties, who owns a large home on Nantucket. The house is in disrepair, and she just discovers that her late husband had swindled all of their money, and she has run out. Rather than sell the home, she decides to rent out rooms. Meanwhile, Green introduces three other families, disparate (at first), but struggling with demons of their own. One family has divorced parents and a very unruly teenage daughter. Another has a husband who has just come out of the closet and whose marriage, his wife is chagrined to learn, was a total sham. As I am sure you can deduce, these people are brought together by circumstances and a collective need for simplicity and distance. Ironically, as they run from their previous lives, they find each other and start rebuilding.
Normally, I would say that when I read, I see the passages as a movie in my head. In this case, I see this entire book as a movie. The screenplay would be simple, the characters warm and familiar. The setting-- oh, my. The setting would make all movie-goers wistful. It would easily feature an ensemble cast of understated actors and draw in crowds of key demographics: house wives, gay men, and elderly women. Okay. Maybe those aren't key demographics-- but they're nothing to sneeze at!
I have started reading "Naked" by David Sedaris. He is a funny man. In addition, I am scouring "The Book Thief" to prepare for the third quarter novel unit. My mom brought home "Kingdom Keepers II", a piece of juvenile literature in which kids (whose holograms serve as tour guides at Disney World) are able to infiltrate the Magic Kingdom at night in order to protect it from the characters who come to life each night. Yeah, I know it sounds pretty juvenile, but it fulfills a need in my life to be in Disney World overnight. God, how I would love that.
Anyway, that concludes my current recap of the last two months of my reading life. I will update with more regularity, I promise. Though, at this point, I'm not sure anyone is reading this. Ah, well. Writing for writing's sake retains purpose and benefit.
Happy reading!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, November 27, 2009
Stone Cold
I should also mention that I finished listening to "Stone Cold" by David Baldacci. These audiobooks, for the record, are wonderful brain candy for a person with a long commute (a couple times a week).
"Stone Cold" left me feeling like I needed a character web to follow along, but once I grew accustomed to the characters and to their relationships with one another, I was able to just relax, drive, and enjoy the story.
Happy listening!
"Stone Cold" left me feeling like I needed a character web to follow along, but once I grew accustomed to the characters and to their relationships with one another, I was able to just relax, drive, and enjoy the story.
Happy listening!
Interpreter of Maladies
I finished the last available Jhumpa Lahiri book Wednesday. It is a short story collection titled "Interpreter of Maladies." Like her other short story collection, An Unaccustomed Earth, and her novel, The Namesake, Interpreter of Maladies focuses on the lives of Bengalis, primarily, as well as Indians. Every story centers on a single relationship: man and wife, man and landlady, impoverished old woman and her community (x2). The stories are short and well-written, in Lahiri's typical laid-back, easy style, but the storylines seemed tired and overdone. Two stories about old, unmarried women neglected by their communities? Seems a little redundant.
Unlike "An Unaccustomed Earth", which featured a variety of stories in a variety of locations, "Interpreter of Maladies" seemed to spend copious amounts of time in dirty hallways or on lonely benches. The stories lacked the spark of culture clashes, and it failed to deliver a certain amount of modernity. The stories felt old, I think.
Still, this read, though, for me, a bit banal, comparatively speaking, is a light and pleasurable read. I did not devour it voraciously, as I did the first two books, but I enjoyed it nonetheless (just over time).
On tap: I really do not know. I have a small pile of books gathering beside my bed. Perhaps I will read "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie. This would fulfill a promise I made to a student, and I do love a good mystery.
Happy reading!
Unlike "An Unaccustomed Earth", which featured a variety of stories in a variety of locations, "Interpreter of Maladies" seemed to spend copious amounts of time in dirty hallways or on lonely benches. The stories lacked the spark of culture clashes, and it failed to deliver a certain amount of modernity. The stories felt old, I think.
Still, this read, though, for me, a bit banal, comparatively speaking, is a light and pleasurable read. I did not devour it voraciously, as I did the first two books, but I enjoyed it nonetheless (just over time).
On tap: I really do not know. I have a small pile of books gathering beside my bed. Perhaps I will read "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie. This would fulfill a promise I made to a student, and I do love a good mystery.
Happy reading!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
First Family
I have also been listening to audiobooks on my drives to Massachusetts and back. I listened to First Family, a novel written by David Baldacci. The story unfolds as the President's niece is abducted and brought to a farm/mine in Alabama, the mother of one of the investigators is murdered, and the First Lady plots to hide dangerous family secrets.
The mystery unravels over twelve CDs, and, I have to say, listening to the rendition really makes a drive go more quickly. In fact, with First Family, I found myself looking forward to getting into my car, grateful for trips to the grocery store because they meant twenty more minutes of story time.
I think this goes to show that humans are never too old to be read to. Since First Family, I began my second foray into Baldacci, and I am now listening to Stone Cold. It is a little more confusing (characters abound!), but now that I am five CDs in, the story is becoming clearer.
Happy reading-- and listening!
The mystery unravels over twelve CDs, and, I have to say, listening to the rendition really makes a drive go more quickly. In fact, with First Family, I found myself looking forward to getting into my car, grateful for trips to the grocery store because they meant twenty more minutes of story time.
I think this goes to show that humans are never too old to be read to. Since First Family, I began my second foray into Baldacci, and I am now listening to Stone Cold. It is a little more confusing (characters abound!), but now that I am five CDs in, the story is becoming clearer.
Happy reading-- and listening!
Identical
A student recommended I read Identical, a collection of poems written by Ellen Hopkins. The story is told via poems written by identical twin sisters. Essentially, the collection functions as a modern-day epic poem, relating in poetry a story that would normally be told through basic prose. But the poetic form gives life to these girls and to the struggles they face. They are not typical teenagers. Instead, they are the daughters of a prominent politician mother and a renowned judge father. They endure the public facade erected by their parents, and they battle internally with demons no one should ever battle.
I was disturbed the entire time I read the book. Switching from one twin to the other and back, I felt, as a reader, that I was on a roller coaster with them. One minute a girl binges to swallow her pain, and the next another is purging to force it out. A boyfriend with sweet intentions contrasts several with the worst. Through it all, a father and mother neglect and abuse their children with truly reckless abandon. I cringe simply thinking about it.
In so many ways, I'm afraid this is reality (in some form) for many of my students, and that disturbs me in every imaginable way. It is the harsh reality of our world, the sick reality of some people in it, and the impossible reality for young people trying to survive.
Poetry was a powerful vessel to deliver the message. Feeling intimate and vulnerable and connected to these girls' words means living their terrifying experiences. A short story told from their first-person points-of-view would not have the same power. The vessel would not be fluid enough to represent the chaos of their lives. For this reason, I believe Identical's unique format gives it a structureless structure and allows the story to be told eloquently and viscerally, drawing the reader in even as it makes her want to turn away.
I was disturbed the entire time I read the book. Switching from one twin to the other and back, I felt, as a reader, that I was on a roller coaster with them. One minute a girl binges to swallow her pain, and the next another is purging to force it out. A boyfriend with sweet intentions contrasts several with the worst. Through it all, a father and mother neglect and abuse their children with truly reckless abandon. I cringe simply thinking about it.
In so many ways, I'm afraid this is reality (in some form) for many of my students, and that disturbs me in every imaginable way. It is the harsh reality of our world, the sick reality of some people in it, and the impossible reality for young people trying to survive.
Poetry was a powerful vessel to deliver the message. Feeling intimate and vulnerable and connected to these girls' words means living their terrifying experiences. A short story told from their first-person points-of-view would not have the same power. The vessel would not be fluid enough to represent the chaos of their lives. For this reason, I believe Identical's unique format gives it a structureless structure and allows the story to be told eloquently and viscerally, drawing the reader in even as it makes her want to turn away.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Book Stacks
I have not blogged in over a month, but this is not for lack of reading. I am working on several pieces right now, including a couple for work and a few for fun.
I am still pushing through "Julie and Julia", but the movie is out of theaters now, so I have until the DVD release to finish it. Unfortunately, the story has not grabbed my attention in a way that compels me to read, but it is an easy book with a relaxed tone, and the experience of reading it is a good one. It is simply not high on my reading priority list.
For Read for Yourself, I am reading two books suggested by students. The first, "Identical", is, essentially, an epic poem in parts. The story is told, piece by piece, in one to two page poems. These poems take on different forms, some of which inform the reading, and they are told by twin sisters who have very different perspectives on the turmoil in their lives. The format is interesting, the content is disturbing. I feel viscerally disgusted when I read about the dynamics between the female narrators and their father. However, I can see how young adults might connect to it, particularly if they have endured abuse in the past.
The other book I am reading at a student's suggestion is "Naked" by David Sedaris. I have heard only good things about Sedaris, and it was only a matter of time before I read his work. But that time has arrived. The first chapter hooks the reader. The writing is cheeky and often sarcastic. He uses powerful imagery and detailed descriptions of his family members and experiences. It is a great read.
Naturally, I'm still fawning over "The Book Thief" and "Boy in the Striped Pajamas", endlessly brainstorming the best ways to teach these two texts. I need to find a focus for both of them. I would really like kids to journal as they are reading, so that I can have an individual dialog with them as they are reading. Still, the unit remains unfinished.
Other than that, I am reading job-specific articles and books. That said, the books I am reading for fun a far more interesting, and I am excited to keep pushing through.
Happy reading!
I am still pushing through "Julie and Julia", but the movie is out of theaters now, so I have until the DVD release to finish it. Unfortunately, the story has not grabbed my attention in a way that compels me to read, but it is an easy book with a relaxed tone, and the experience of reading it is a good one. It is simply not high on my reading priority list.
For Read for Yourself, I am reading two books suggested by students. The first, "Identical", is, essentially, an epic poem in parts. The story is told, piece by piece, in one to two page poems. These poems take on different forms, some of which inform the reading, and they are told by twin sisters who have very different perspectives on the turmoil in their lives. The format is interesting, the content is disturbing. I feel viscerally disgusted when I read about the dynamics between the female narrators and their father. However, I can see how young adults might connect to it, particularly if they have endured abuse in the past.
The other book I am reading at a student's suggestion is "Naked" by David Sedaris. I have heard only good things about Sedaris, and it was only a matter of time before I read his work. But that time has arrived. The first chapter hooks the reader. The writing is cheeky and often sarcastic. He uses powerful imagery and detailed descriptions of his family members and experiences. It is a great read.
Naturally, I'm still fawning over "The Book Thief" and "Boy in the Striped Pajamas", endlessly brainstorming the best ways to teach these two texts. I need to find a focus for both of them. I would really like kids to journal as they are reading, so that I can have an individual dialog with them as they are reading. Still, the unit remains unfinished.
Other than that, I am reading job-specific articles and books. That said, the books I am reading for fun a far more interesting, and I am excited to keep pushing through.
Happy reading!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Lost Symbol
Amazing. As I write this message, my mind swirls with the theories to which it has just been introduced. In some ways, I have met these theories before. In other ways, it is brand new and perplexing, unbelievable, the tip of a very large iceberg.
I just finished "The Lost Symbol", within the last two minutes running my eyes over the last words. I think I should process the book, but, instead, I will write about it. First, a quote:
"He thought about how every culture, in every country, in every time, had always shared one thing. We all had the Creator. We used different names, different faces, and different prayers, but God was the universal constant for man. God was the symbol we all shared... the symbol of all the mysteries of life that we could not understand. The ancients had praised God as a symbol of our limitless human potential, but that ancient symbol had been lost over time." (509)
Dan Brown is notoriously controversial. His books delve into worlds of religion, culture, history, and science. He appears to question and to "undermine" religion (Christianity, in particular) even as he illuminates the truth contained within. "The Lost Symbol" is classic Dan Brown in this way. The story is littered with the detritus of millenia of human existence and thought, riddled with symbols and obscure text, scaffolded with deft explanations and elaborate demonstrations. Though fiction, the book may be classified a hundred different ways. In part it is philosophy, considering the ancients in depth and making contemporary connections that can be ignored, but only if that ignorance is tempered with curiosity. In another part, it is historical fiction, painting detailed portraits of historic figures captured at their various appropriate points in history but coming together anachronistically in Brown's novel. In another part it is advanced science, drawing on humankind's most recent scientific and technological work and its seemingly odd marriage to religion and philosophy.
Truly, this, like all of his other work, is a masterpiece in and of itself, with the power to inspire readers to learn more, to seek information and to demand a clearer picture of humankind's history and present. The final word of the novel is "Hope", and in some (intended, I'm sure) way, Brown is leaving his audience with that single concept. At the end of a novel where the characters (angels and demons) are searching for The Last Word, this is his: Hope.
I am always astounded by how much I learn from Dan Brown's books. They are utterly entertaining, but they are the only books I read with my laptop as a constant accompaniment. His elaborate descriptions of locations and artwork and objects of public consumption inspire me to learn more, to seek a faithful visual representation. With Dan Brown, Wikipedia can be a reader's best friend, enhancing the experience of reading even as it removes the reader from the text itself. I re-read full chapters after conducting my Wiki-research, and my reading is brought to life by this necessary (for me) investigation. The reality of his work is not lost on me; at the beginning of his books, he includes a page titled "Fact:" as if anticipating disbelief. Because, in truth, the fiction he expertly weaves has nothing on the nonfiction into which it is woven. Without his disclaimer (and my previous experiences with his work, all of which left me with hours of additional research to conduct), I would not believe many of the things that are described on these pages.
But sometimes the truth, lightly veiled but astonishingly accessible, is more powerful than any imagining.
Happy reading.
I just finished "The Lost Symbol", within the last two minutes running my eyes over the last words. I think I should process the book, but, instead, I will write about it. First, a quote:
"He thought about how every culture, in every country, in every time, had always shared one thing. We all had the Creator. We used different names, different faces, and different prayers, but God was the universal constant for man. God was the symbol we all shared... the symbol of all the mysteries of life that we could not understand. The ancients had praised God as a symbol of our limitless human potential, but that ancient symbol had been lost over time." (509)
Dan Brown is notoriously controversial. His books delve into worlds of religion, culture, history, and science. He appears to question and to "undermine" religion (Christianity, in particular) even as he illuminates the truth contained within. "The Lost Symbol" is classic Dan Brown in this way. The story is littered with the detritus of millenia of human existence and thought, riddled with symbols and obscure text, scaffolded with deft explanations and elaborate demonstrations. Though fiction, the book may be classified a hundred different ways. In part it is philosophy, considering the ancients in depth and making contemporary connections that can be ignored, but only if that ignorance is tempered with curiosity. In another part, it is historical fiction, painting detailed portraits of historic figures captured at their various appropriate points in history but coming together anachronistically in Brown's novel. In another part it is advanced science, drawing on humankind's most recent scientific and technological work and its seemingly odd marriage to religion and philosophy.
Truly, this, like all of his other work, is a masterpiece in and of itself, with the power to inspire readers to learn more, to seek information and to demand a clearer picture of humankind's history and present. The final word of the novel is "Hope", and in some (intended, I'm sure) way, Brown is leaving his audience with that single concept. At the end of a novel where the characters (angels and demons) are searching for The Last Word, this is his: Hope.
I am always astounded by how much I learn from Dan Brown's books. They are utterly entertaining, but they are the only books I read with my laptop as a constant accompaniment. His elaborate descriptions of locations and artwork and objects of public consumption inspire me to learn more, to seek a faithful visual representation. With Dan Brown, Wikipedia can be a reader's best friend, enhancing the experience of reading even as it removes the reader from the text itself. I re-read full chapters after conducting my Wiki-research, and my reading is brought to life by this necessary (for me) investigation. The reality of his work is not lost on me; at the beginning of his books, he includes a page titled "Fact:" as if anticipating disbelief. Because, in truth, the fiction he expertly weaves has nothing on the nonfiction into which it is woven. Without his disclaimer (and my previous experiences with his work, all of which left me with hours of additional research to conduct), I would not believe many of the things that are described on these pages.
But sometimes the truth, lightly veiled but astonishingly accessible, is more powerful than any imagining.
Happy reading.
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