Year One Visitors

My map of visitors for the first year. Thanks for stopping by!

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Gathering Blue

A few years ago I had the pleasure of hearing Lois Lowry speak. I walked away from that afternoon with a goal to read all of her books. Well, that hasn't exactly happened, but the intention is still there. That's why I put her book, Gathering Blue, on my list for the Young Adult Challenge.

Gathering Blue is a companion to The Giver, which nearly everyone in my generation read in elementary or middle school. I can't even count the number of times I've brought up that book, only to hear, "Oh man! I loved that book!" Naturally, I was curious about the companion novel.

According to Lowry, she wanted to write two books about a time other than our own. Each novel tells the story of what life would be like if civilization's technology progressed (The Giver) or regressed (Gathering Blue). What a fascinating idea.

Gathering Blue is Kira's story. In Kira's community the disabled are discarded, women are forbidden to read, and people are governed out of fear of beasts. In many ways, this setup could be compared to M. Night Shyamalan's The Village. In short, not an enlightened crowd. Kira is nearly thrown out of the village due to her twisted leg until the council discovers her special gift of threading. She is allowed to stay, but at what price?

As with all science fiction, it's kind of hard to explain. It sounds a little out there unless you read it. Luckily, Lowry has the gift of creating intricate yet easy to understand microcosms of life. Not to mention a little premonitoin of 9/11. Eerie.

Recommendation: Starts out slow and picks up speed. Fans of The Giver will definitely be interested in a possible cameo.

Who Is Stealing the 12 Days of Christmas?

So I'm really caught up in childrens literature. It must have something to do with being surrounded by it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. But I'm not complaining. To prepare for a book talk tomorrow morning with some fourth and fifth graders, I read Who Is Stealing the 12 Days of Christmas by Martha Freeman.

Something strange is happening on Chickadee Court. Every year the 12 houses each display one day of Christmas in an elaborate staging of The Twelve Days of Christmas. This year, someone is up to no good. One piece of decoration is stolen each night. Who would steal the Twelve Days of Christmas? And could it be related to a string of toy store robberies in the area? Alex and Yasmeen are desperate to find out... well, Yasmeen a little more so than Alex.

In the process of solving the mystery, the story touches on several themes: guilt, prejudice, community, friendship, and getting your buns off the couch and experiencing real fun!

Recommendation: A fun read aloud to kids of all ages for the month of December. Who doesn't want to try their hand at solving a mystery?

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Although I'm almost certain Hollywood has damaged another good young adult novel, I will give it credit for bringing my attention to Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. I didn't realize it was a book until I saw it on display at Powells... a feature it was given I'm sure due to the movie release.

I added it to my list of books for the Young Adult Challenge, and I'm glad I did.

In alternating chapters, Cohn (writing as Norah) and Levithan (Nick) tell the story of Nick and Norah over the course of one night. They meet in a club when Nick asks Norah to be his 5 minute girlfriend when his recent ex shows up with her new guy. Norah only agrees because Nick's ex is also the last person she wants to see at the moment. When Nick's friends secretly pay Norah to entertain Nick for the night... a series of events takes off that just may shape up as a new relationship between the two.

The structure of the book is similar to Flipped except that Flipped retells almost the exact same moment from the other perspective, while N&N moves the story forward in each chapter. I really like the potential to teach perspective with books like these.

Ok. This book is so angsty. Norah is all over the place I probably wouldn't want to hang out with her... but Nick seems into it. The two find similiar interests in music and being sorta Straight Edge. Since when do Straight Edge kids make it into novels? Even if they're only the sorta kind. As a sorta Straight Edge kid myself, works for me.

Now, I haven't seen the film adaptation, but I suspect it differs. My impression of the trailers is that Nick and Norah are trying to track down a drunk friend all night. This doesn't really happen in the book. I also don't really see Michael Cera portraying the book version of Nick. And I wonder if all the racy bits were kept in? I was actually a little surprised with the details. I don't think I'll ever look at the ice room at a hotel the same ever again.

Recommendation: Doesn't everyone want to see the joining of two battered hearts?

Chester

Seriously, as part of my job duties I had to sit down and read the 20 books nominated for the Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award. It didn't take me long to find my personal favorite and predicted winner... Chester by Melanie Watts. See, there's already a spot for the medal on the cover.

Ok, I laughed and laughed and laughed out loud. I've been plotting how to read it aloud to the kids for maximum giggles.

You see, Melanie is trying to write a story about a mouse... but her cat Chester will have none of that. He constantly interrupts the story by breaking in with red marker. The text moves back and forth from Melanie in black and Chester in red..."dueling author/illustrators".

I loved this book so much I've convinced a few others to give it as a gift, plus added it to my own Christmas list.

Recommendation: Even if you're not a child, you'll be smiling and giggling as you witness Chester's power plays.

My Own Two Feet

About a year ago when I was working in a library, I picked up My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary. Having recently read Clementine, which reminded me of Ramona, I was inspired to track down another copy and finish it.

My Own Two Feet continues her autobiography first tackled in A Girl From Yamhill. In this portion, Cleary tells about her college experience in California during the Depression, her wedding to husband Clarence, her diverse experience as a librarian, and finally the writing of her first book.

Cleary shares a lot about her relationship with her mother, which is very strained. There's nothing like reading about a real-life tense mother-daughter relationship to make me realize how lucky I am. Cleary's mom was a real biddy! Impossible to please.

An aspect of this book I really enjoyed is that you feel like Cleary is simply talking to you. The writing isn't anything fancy. It just is what it is.

Recommendation: If you are as amazed with Beverly Cleary as I am, surely you'll want to know more about her life story.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

I've been wanting to read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie for like, ever. Ok, so it was only published a year ago... but a year is a long time to wait for a novel of this magnitude. It's only won about a billion awards, or 18 by my count. Impressive. In all, a perfect choice for the Young Adult Reading Challenge.

The novel tells the story of Junior, a 14 teen year old cartoon drawing basketball playing Spokane tribal member. Life on the reservation is bleak. Junior realizes that his only hope is to attend high school off the rez... at the white school. Faced with his tribe practically disowning him and his white peers ostracizing him, Junior experiences some of the lonelist days of his life. Slowly, Junior builds rapport with his schoolmates and eventually experiences limited acceptance. Like he says, he's a "part-time Indian".

The amazing thing about Junior is that he's faced with so many obstacles... brain damage, poverty, his father's alcoholism, the death of 3 very important people in his life, (I could keep going), but he maintains his drive, determination, and sense of humor. Did I mention this book is based on Alexie's life? Good golly.

Recommendation: An easy poignant read that will leave you wanting to give Junior a big hug.

Clementine

I think I may have found a character as delightful as Ramona Quimby, and that's saying a lot considering Beverly Cleary is pretty much my idol. (Portlander and children's librarian!) So you know I'm not kidding around here. Having seen Clementine by Sara Pennypacker in various school libraries, I finally picked it up after I noticed it on the Sasquatch Book Award list.

It is charming. Clementine is having a bad week and it all started when Margaret got gum stuck in her hair and attempted to cut it out. Clementine, being the good friend that she is, helped Maragert even out her new haircut by lopping off the rest of her hair. Of course this lands Clementine in the principal's office... and it's all down hill from there.

Clementine's narration is absolutely adorable. Like this:
"Then I got busy working on my project so I wouldn't have to hear any "Clementine-pay-attention!"s. Except I did anyway. Which was unfair because each time, I was the only person in the whole art room who was paying attention. Which is why I could tell everyone right in the middle of the Pledge of Allegiance that the lunchroom lady was sitting in the jantior's car and they were kissing. Again. No one else saw this disgusting scene, because no one else was paying attention out the window!"

Recommendation: YES!

(Read a really great review: here by E. R. Bird)

Recycle With Earthworms

I've been vermicomposting for about six months now. Lately I realized I hadn't really done much research on the subject other than checking out a few websites and skimming the worm chapters in other composting books. I came home from the library with Recycle With Earthworms: The Red Wiggler Connection by Shelley C. Grossman and Toby Weitzel yesterday and devoured the entire book. It's pretty short.

As you could imagine, this slim little book is all about using red wigglers to put your food waste back into the earth. These ladies offer a very thorough look at worms in general... then provide a tutorial on vermicomposting. There's even a chart to help you problem solve your own bin!

I learned I have a little work to do. My worms were probably due a harvest a few months ago... sorry little buds!

Recommendation: If you want to "feed the earth, starve a landfill," this book is a good start.

Cringe

I came across Cringe: Teenage Diaries, Journals, Notes, Letters, Poems, and Abandoned Rock Operas edited by Sarah Brown while browsing through the library catalog the other day. This is a companion book to the Cringe live performances. You know, people getting on stage to read embarrassing bits from their teenage diaries.

It's the same idea as Mortified... I really couldn't tell you what makes each project unique. But I recently saw a snippet of a Mortified performance on This American Life (tv version), and hope to go to a live show soon... so I was kinda excited for Cringe.

I was maybe too excited... at a few points I found myself struggling to read the handwriting of middle schoolers (too much like my day job) and skimming over the entries. That being said... it is funny. You will definitely cringe.

Like this little bit of a love poem written to impress a girl:
"I wish I could be your maxi-pad / Behind which you hide your prize." WTF?

or the love letter addressed to: "The face that launched my bicycle many times."

and the treasured bits taken from a series of entries over the course of a summer:

"June 28th 1991. This morning I met the other CITs. One of them is named Laura. She has some Jewish last name I can't remember. Also, I think she's got double C cups. They're huge.

July 23rd 1991 ... I didn't really sleep much which is good because otherwise I might have had a wet dream and that would be really embarrassing to clean out of a sleeping bag."

Recommendation: Much less painful than actually reading through your own teenage diary but find it at your local library, not the bookstore.

Criss Cross

Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins was my ninth read for the Young Adult Challenge. I loved it. I would have read it in one sitting if trivial little things like cooking dinner hadn't of gotten in the way. It was one of those books where you tell yourself you'll just read for 30 more minutes... but those 30 minutes only feel like 5, so you keep going. And then you've read so far you might as well just finish the book... Good.

The story swirls around a group of friends who are 14 with Debbie getting the most page time (Hector in second). Debbie wishes for something good to happen to her. Hector is learning guitar. Both are entertaining their first exchanges with love as well as realizing subtle changes in their friendships. I'm struggling to explain the plot because I want to do it justice. It's hard to describe authentic characters who are not purposefully tied down to gimmicks.

You'll probably just have to read it.

(Note: I'd place this book on the border of Middle Reader / Young Adult.)

Recommendation: There's a reason it won a Newberry.

The Wordy Shipmates

I love Sarah Vowell. Sadly, her latest book, The Wordy Shipmates, is now known to me as "Strike Two for Favorite Writers Disappointing Me Lately." (The first being Sedaris). Perhaps I should blame the build up and not the actual book. I've been waiting for this release for at least a year. I've listened to excerpts on This American Life. I was even the first person to check the book out of the library for goodness sakes! As someone who rarely ventures into the territory of brand new books, that's kinda a big deal. But still.

The Wordy Shipmates is all about those crazy Puritans that came to the New World in the 1630s. Vowell purposely chooses to focus on the Puritans of post-Pilgrim/Thanksgiving days, and pre-Witch/Extra-Crazy days. And really, I approve of her subject. And I like history too. But what I realized I really like about Vowell's writing is all the personal stuff she squeezes in between the historical factoids. It's lacking in this book. (Although I did enjoy knowing she wore ballet flats in the snow while seeking out the site of John Winthrop's house.)

In short, the good bits of the book were already featured on This American Life's "What I Learned From Television" episode. Other interesting bits include the few pages about the Pequot War and Anne Hutchison. The rest of the time I was trying to keep track of each stuffy player in early American history.

Recommendation: If you're a Sarah Vowell fan, I can't stop you from reading it (because you still should), if you're just getting to know her... start with Assassination Vacation.

Geek Love

Three years ago I saw a girl from my statistics class on the bus reading Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. As the quarter progressed and we became friendly, I realized she was a girl with unique interests and tastes... and she always complimented my tights. I haven't seen her in years but her book on the bus that day has been camping in the back of my mind.

Geek Love is one of those books that makes you wonder about the author. Like, what would it be like to have Dunn over for dinner? How is her house decorated? Does she have children? Because really, this book is messed up. And good. I mean, there's a reason it was a finalist for the National Book Award.

The Binewski family is the talent behind the famous Fabulon traveling carnival/freak show. Al Binewski orders his wife Lily on a regimented diet of drugs during pregnancy in order to expertly craft a child with deformities. In other words, the next showstopper. If the baby looks like a norm, the baby goes and the process repeats. You can see how the set up here boggles the mind.

The story is told through Olympia Binewski, an albino hunchback dwarf, as she looks back in time to muster the courage and explain her need to save her "orphaned" daughter. She plays back the events in her life that changed her safe and loving home into the nightmare of a fanatic cult devoted to her older brother Arty, who is without arms and legs and instead has finlike apendages.

It's sort of hard to explain. Let's call it... dysfunctional family with a fantasy carnival destructive twist.

Recommendation: Just go with it.

The House on Mango Street

Good golly. I loved this book. Last December or so I went about spending a graduation gift in the way of used books. I picked up The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros for a dollar. One dollar!

Well. I finally got around to picking it up tonight. Only a few pages in I had to stop to rave about it to my roommate. That doesn't happen very often.

The House on Mango Street is a story told to us by Esperanza, a young Latina girl coming of age in a rough neighborhood in Chicago. She lives in a "sad red house, the house I belong but do not belong to." Through Esperanza's observations and retellings we come to know the various characters in the neighborhood: Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut and Papaya Juice on Tuesdays, Sally, and Minerva, are a few who come to mind. Before she tells us, we know Esperanza is a poet... speaking in similes and metaphors and images.

A few of my favorite passages:

"In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting. It is like the number nine. A muddy color. It is the Mexican records my father plays on Sunday mornings when he is shaving, songs like sobbing."

"You can never have too much sky. You can fall asleep and wake up drunk on sky, and sky can keep you safe when you are sad. Here there is too much sadness and not enough sky. Butterflies too are few and so are flowers and most things that are beautiful. Still, we take what we can get and make the best of it."

"People who live on hills sleep so close to the stars they forget those of us who live too much on earth."

I finally get what's such a big deal about Sandra Cisneros.

Recommendation: Please read this book.

Brian's Winter

All of elementary school I was convinced Hatchet by Gary Paulsen was a "boys book". I've never had strict gender role delusions, but it still didn't seem like it would be interesting to a girl. Last summer I finally picked it up and discovered a vastly complex novel aimed at middle readers and young adults but with some very grown-up themes. Brian Robeson is in a horrific plane crash that leaves him stranded and alone in the Canadian wilderness. Brian must call upon strength he didn't realize he had to try to survive the summer. Hatchet was so popular that Paulsen wrote several other companion books to tell more of Brian's story, one of which is Brian's Winter, one of my choices for the Young Adult Reading Challenge.

Brian's Winter takes on the premise of, "What is Brian isn't/wasn't rescued and had to survive a winter in the Canadian wilderness?" It's a short read (for an adult). Pretty graphic too... but really, what vegetarian doesn't want to read the details of killing, skinning, chopping, cooking, and eating wild animals? Along with collecting firewood, the book is consumed with Brian's hunting pursuits. But, I suppose when you're in survival mode, there's not much else to do.

Recommendation: If you liked Hatchet and had any lingering thoughts about Brian, Brian's Winter will give you plenty more to think about.

Mrs. Dalloway

Surprisingly I'd never read any Virginia Woolf before... I'd always meant to...

So I put Mrs. Dalloway down on my list of 1% Well-Read Challenge books.

The novel plays out a single day in the life of Mrs. Dalloway, a London socialite, as she prepares for a party and struggles with the reappearance of an old love.

I can't lie. It wasn't a smooth reading experience... always. I started the book and struggled with focusing on all the characters and all the happenings. The novel plays out over a single day without any natural breaks. It's hard to find good stopping places! (Which is probably why I put the book on hiatus and read 5 others.)

When I had the time and mental clarity to enjoy the book, I really really did. I liked the transitions between characters and all of the connections between the players. It's like one long tracking shot, which is one of my favorite techniques in film to watch develop.

Recommendation: If you had the time and patience to read it in all one sitting, I think it'd be an amazing reading experience. If you don't, try to keep your mind from wandering. It will save you a lot of rereading.

Kafka on the Shore

I was pretty excited to read this book. A teacher friend of mine who knows I love reading, emphatically recommended it to me by yelling across the library. Of course I wrote it down. Then I saw it on the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list and popped it on my choices for the 1% Well-Read Challenge. When my roommate and I decided to have a traveling book club this summer, she bought me Kafka and I couldn't wait.

Noted: This was probably not the best book to bring to Peru. Naturally, it was read in short spurts during the peak of exhaustion. Murakami deserves much closer attention than that... especially his novel that John Updike refers to as a "meta-physical mindbender." Due to lack of sleep, overexertion, and the excitement of travel... my mind was already bent.

That being the case... I enjoyed the beginning of the book. There are two distinct plots that gradually intertwine as the novel progresses. The odd chapters follow Kafka, a fifteen year old boy who is facing a series of crises and discovering that life rarely makes sense (but I think it made more sense to him than it did to me). The even chapters follow Nakata, a friendly elderly man with an unusual developmental delay and the ability to talk to cats. Each character sets out on a journey and the reader follows.

I'm not going to pretend like I understood this book. Talking it over with my roommate we both agreed that there was a whole lot more going on than what we picked up. One element we struggled with: all the sex! There's a very graphic retelling of a sex dream in a letter that doesn't relate to much, and a few different potentially incestuous relationships (Kafka and a girl he suspects to be his older sister, and Kafka and an older woman he suspects to be his mother). I'm not against sexuality in books, but I do like to know why! The only explanation in my friend's bookclub for it was, "Well, the book was written by a man." But surely, there must be more to it. Murakami himself describes the book as being written in riddles that have no answers, but that the riddles themselves will take you closer to the meaning of the book. He also notes that the book requires more than one reading.

Seriously, why did I read this in transit?

Recommendation: If you've read other Murakami books successfully, you'll probably be thrilled. If you don't have the time or energy for close and multiple readings, wait until you do.

Non-Fiction Five Wrap Up

So I finished all five of my non-fiction books awhile ago. But, true to form, I took my sweet time with the blogging. I thought I stayed pretty close to my original list, but really just 3/5.

Revised List:
1. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman (review here)
2. How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas by Josheph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zahara Heckscher (review here)
3. Control Theory in the Classroom by William Glasser (review here)
4. When I Was Elena by Ellen Urbani Hiltebrand (review here)
5. Skipping Towards Gomorrah by Dan Savage (review here)

Favorite Book: Skipping Towards Gormorrah... I just love Dan Savage.

Least Favorite Book: Control Theory in the Classroom... I knew that going in. You can't read a book that was cutting edge in the '80s without thinking, "Oh please... who doesn't know that?"

I was disappointed not to read Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating... it seemed to have disappeared from the library. Perhaps having moved to a larger city (although less vegan friendly) will increase my odds of finding it.

Thanks to Joy for another lovely challenge!

Skipping Towards Gomorrah

Well, I'm pretty much a fan of the foul mouthed, sex-posi, (just about) anything goes Dan Savage. His podcast is the perfect background for baking or cooking or when you feel the need to make an uptight roommate a little uncomfortable. Therefore, reading his book Skipping Towards Gomorrah: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Pursuit of Happiness in America was a happy substitute in my original line up for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge.

Savage uses his book to take a stab back at the virtuecrats. This country was founded on a basis of "the pursuit of happiness" so what's the problem if adults want to smoke pot, swap sexual partners, or gamble away their life savings? It makes them happy! Of course it's not that simple. Savage digs a little deeper to make interesting points in his book as he investigates the Seven Sins by attending a swingers convention (lust), visiting Vegas (greed), exploring Pot (sloth)... those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Basically, if you like Savage, you'll like this book since it's an extension of the views he routinely shares via print and podcast. If you're a bit uptight or listen to Dr. Laura... it's probably not for you.

Recommendation: Entertaining for liberals. Irritating for conservatives.

When You Are Engulfed In Flames

So. I was really excited to read When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris. I really like him. I even paid to watch a video-feed of him speak when he came to my college 2 years ago. (And I really enjoyed watching the parents and grandparents walk out on him, [it was Parents' Weekend]).

But. I really did not like this book. Usually Sedaris' books are laugh-out-loud, "oh my, let me read this to you", I can't put it down type books. Seriously. I only chuckled out loud maybe 3 times. Lousy record.

A couple of the essays I enjoyed most were: The Smoking Section and Solution to Saturday's Puzzle.

Recommendation: If you're already a fan of Sedaris you'll read this because you must. If you're new to Sedaris, start with Naked or Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

Control Theory In The Classroom

I crammed Control Theory in the Classroom by William Glasser before a job interview.

Ugh. What was I thinking? Don't bother unless you have a functioning time machine. Outdated. But it did fit nicely with the Non-Fiction Five Challenge.

Numbers Challenge Wrap-Up

Wow. I need to do a better job of keeping track of my books and challenges. Especially of reviewing books right after I read them... and not say... 3 months later. Or so.

For example, I finished the Numbers Challenge quite awhile ago and really that calls for some sort of announcement or celebration, right? My first completed challenge!

My Selection:
1. Six of One by Rita Mae Brown (review here)
2. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (review here)
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (review here)
4. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (review here)
5. One Hundred Years of Solitute by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (review here)

Favorite: Probably Slaughterhouse-Five. I don't know why it took me so long to read it.

Least Favorite: The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I knew it was a bad idea, but sometimes peer pressure gets to the best of us.

Thanks to Callista for hosting a great challenge!

When I Was Elena

I came across When I was Elena by Ellen Urbani Hiltebrand this spring when my mother's friend passed it along to me. She had heard the author speak and thought I would enjoy the story. Feeling like I was under pressure to return the book, I moved it straight to the top of my pile. It just so happened it coincided nicely with the Non-Fiction Five Challenge.

When I Was Elena is the story of Hiltebrand's experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer during the early 1990s in Guatemala. In addition to describing the adventures in her life, she also includes several chapters told from the perspective of Guatemalan women, women without voices.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. Hiltebrand was faced with some amazing challenges... all of which fueled a little anxiety I took with me to Peru. However, I did find myself more and more curious about the details of her Peace Corps assignment, which are sprinkled through the pages sparingly.

Recommendation: If you like to read about adventure from the safety of your own home, When I Was Elena offers plenty.

Note: I wish I could give a more detailed review. I read this book several months ago and returned it to the original owner. I'm working on pure memory.

Boy Meets Boy

I'd seen Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan pop up in middle schools and high schools over the past year. The Young Adult Challenge gave me an excuse to read it. I'm glad I did.

Welcome to the bizarre world of Paul, a gay sophomore in high school. At Paul's school the cheerleaders ride motorcycles, the debate team simultaneously bowls, the quarterback is a guy turned girl, and homosexuality is embraced and heartily represented. Nothing like my school where maybe 3 people were openly gay... a few we found out about later. In short, it is a school where everyone fits in... not very believable. But it fits the story, so all is forgiven.

Boy Meets Boy details the drama of life when you're in high school and everyone is discovering who they are, who they love, and who to trust. Paul meets Noah and it's a perfect match... but when Paul's ex Kyle steps back in the picture, things get confusing. On top of that, a rumor surfaces that Paul is secreting dating his best friend Tony... which relationship will Paul pursue, or will he ruin it all? His fellow students are placing their bets.

Recommendation: For a unique take on high school love, Boy Meets Boy presents a nearly fantastic background for real world problems.

Checking Out

I'm off on a Peruvian adventure for a few weeks.

Delivering school supplies and exploring.

1% Well-Read Challenge

I came across this challenge the other day, and was so very nerdily excited to join. The challenge is based on the list from 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. All you have to do is challenge yourself to read 1% of the list, which... is 10 books! The challenge runs for 10 months, starting back in May and going through February '09. So very manageable. (1% Well-Read Challenge)

When I came across this challenge I immediately downloaded the list so I could highlight the books I have already read, and mark potential titles. (See what I mean about my nerdy excitement?) Turns out I've already read 5.9% of the list, so 59 books. I was feeling pretty good about that until I noticed how many books other people have already read! Oh well!

Potential Ten Titles:
1. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
2. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
3. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
4. Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran
5. Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
6. Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey
7. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
8. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
9. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
10. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

I'm almost certain this list will mutate over the next few months.

Six of One

Six of One by Rita Mae Brown was actually the first book I read for the Numbers Challenge... way back in January. I've been putting off reviewing it for months... and months. No real reason. Since the details are no longer fresh in my mind, I'll share the bits I liked the most and therefore remember.

1. The novel includes the stories of several generations of women. It bounces back and forth between 1980 and the memories of Louise and Julia, two women who grew up in the early 1900s.

2. The novels portrays sexuality as fluid and natural during a time when it was not considered so. I like thinking about this little pocket of people in the south who are so caring and accepting of women's sexuality and homosexuality, when the same could not be said of the country at large.

Recommendation: It took a few chapters to draw me in but overall was an enjoyable read.

How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas

As someone who often feels like she's in that quarter-life crisis mode... you know, you graduate college and the world just won't stop handing you swift kicks to the gut? Then there's the bounce between..."I'm only 23 and I'm supposed to decide these things?" and "I'm already 23 and I haven't decided these things!" Needless to say, I've been exploring options.

How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas by Josheph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zahara Heckscher definitely offers food for thought when thinking over the possible adventures to include in life.

Basically, the book is the combined research of 3 well-traveled and experienced international volunteers. It provides numerous thought provoking questions for the potential volunteer. For example, it suggests thinking about your views on development and making sure they are compatible with your volunteer organization and their projects. Seems simple, but that honestly had not crossed my mind.

The book also includes an extensive overview of the Peace Corps (confirmed my suspicions, more bad than good), as well as profiles over 100 volunteer organizations.

The best tip I gleaned from the book to aid in my upcoming trip to Peru: If traveling with a partner, pack half of your clothing in your partner's pack. If the airlines lose your luggage, you won't be left with nothing. Smart.

I decided to substitute this book into my selections for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge.

Recommendation: If you've ever wanted to go somewhere to do something, this is a good book to help you clarify your goals and put your "adventure" into perspective.

Holes

I've been curious about the story of Holes by Louis Sachar for quite some time. It was published after I passed through the middle reader/young adult genres. And yes, I admit, I didn't know much about it until the movie. I didn't see the movie, so I still didn't know much other than that the Newbery committee thought it was pretty good. The Young Adult Challenge gave me a reason to give it a look.

Holes is the story of Stanley Yelnats, a boy who is accused of stealing the sneakers that fell out of the sky. Turns out they were a famous pair of sneakers. The debacle leads Stanley to a stint as a hole digger at Camp Green Lake, a corrections facility for juveniles.

The story introduces some interesting storylines. It mentions interracial relationships, race relations, Old World/New World philosophies, homelessness, and identity, to name a few.

I could have done without the derogatory remarks towards Girl Scouts, and the stereotypical use of cosmetics regarding the Warden and Kissin' Kate, but maybe that's just me?

Recommendation: A book that feels all over the place becomes nicely packaged in the last few chapters. Delightful.

Slaughterhouse-Five

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is one of those books that I can't believe I didn't read sooner. Luckily, the Numbers Challenge gave me just the motivation I needed to jump it to the top of the To-Be-Read list. Not to mention, a friend had "So it goes." tattooed to his arm. I had to figure out what that was all about!

Slaughterhouse-Five is the great anti-war novel with a sci-fi twist. I never read sci-fi. This was a stretch... but I'm glad I did it. Billy Pilgrim is a veteran of World War II and a witness of the bombing at Dresden. He is also at the mercy of the aliens of Tralfamadore who have gifted him with the ability to travel to different points in his life (although he cannot control it!). The story is told by whipping around to different stages of Billy's life, a very effective and surprisingly not confusing technique. The repeated refrain of "So it goes." helps to move the novel forward, despite the many tragedies it details. (However, at each "So it goes." my mind would automatically reply, "Kevin...Kevin's tattoo...")

One of my favorite bits of this book, is the alternate title. "The Children's Crusade: A Duty Dance with Death"

Reccomendation: Now is the perfect time for a classic anti-war novel.

Ex Libris

I first heard about Anne Fadiman while listening to Nancy Pearl on NPR. Pearl was actually reviewing a different work by Fadiman, At Large and Small: Familiar Essays. However, when Pearl was asked which Fadiman essay was her favorite, she referenced a piece from Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader. The essay she spoke of sounded so charming (the moment she officially felt married was when her and her husband merged libraries), I added it to my choices for the Non-Ficition Five Challenge.

Now, I like to read... but I made the fatal mistake of comparing my reading habits and knowledge to Fadiman's. No contest. Reading this book made me feel like an ignorant novice. Many of the anecdotes were cute and thoughtful... but others left me thinking, "Now I'm sure I've heard of that book before...or have I?" Fadiman assumes her reader has read it all... at least twice.

Recommendation: Unless you are a fanatical reader, don't choose Ex Libris as your first Fadiman selection. That being said, the cover is adorable.

A Passage to India

About a month and a half ago I was offered a really fun opportunity at work. Would I like to join the Culinary Roadtrip going to Surrey, BC to learn about Indian culture and Indian food and get paid to do so? Um... sure! We visited a variety of Indian businesses and sampled some delicious Indian food and sweets. Not surprisingly, this trip reinvigorated my interest in A Passage to India by E.M. Forster.

This is one of those books where you keep reading and turning pages, but not a lot is really happening. It is the story of a young British woman, Adela Quested, who travels to India to decided whether or not she'd like to marry a childhood friend, Ronny Heaslop. Heaslop is a civil servant deeply tangled in the British ruling society of Chandrapore. In a desire to see "the real India," it is arranged for Miss Quested to meet several local Indian figures, including Dr. Aziz.

The turning point in the book occurs when Dr. Aziz takes Miss Quested on an excursion to the Marabar Caves. It is interesting to note that even during the turning point of the novel (Miss Quested accuses Dr. Aziz of attacking her in a cave) nothing really happens as Forster cleverly leaves the encounter vague. When Dr. Aziz is put on trial, the tension between the ruling British and the oppressed Indians elevates beyond the British comfort level.

Forster examines the disdainful attitude of the British towards the Indians, and the complex attitude of the Indians towards the British. It is interesting to following the fluctuating emotions of Dr. Aziz as he feels frustration, an eagerness to please and feel valued, and finally an intense hatred of Brits and British rule.

This book took me longer than usual to finish. (Even my roommate noticed!) I think it must be due to the relatively subdued narration. I also noticed myself craving Indian food.

Recommendation: If you're not in a rush, A Passage to India is an insightful read, worthy of it's lasting reputation.

Non-Fiction Five Challenge

Joy from Thoughts of Joy has come up with another lovely book challenge that begged me to join it. I couldn't say no.

The Non-Fiction Five Challenge

The premise is to read 5 non-fiction books between May and September. At least one needs to be a different genre than the rest. I've had a few non-fiction books floating around in the back of my mind, so making the list was pretty easy. It's quite eclectic.

1. Playground Politics: Understanding the Emotional Life of Your School-Age Child by Stanley I Greenspan
2. When I Was Elena by Ellen Urbani Hiltebrand
3. Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating by Erik Marcus
4. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman
5. Control Theory in the Classroom by William Glasser

Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is one of those books that was required reading for everyone in high school... everyone but me. I'm actually a little shocked that it took me so long to read. The Numbers Challenge gave me the motivation I needed.

The novel is a futuristic look at censorship. In the future firemen no longer quell the flames. Instead they use their massive kerosene hoses to ignite fires in the homes of those who hoard books. While the firemen are busy starting fires and the book hoarders are busy hiding, the rest of the people are busy living their lives in front of their television screens (which now take up all four walls in living rooms).

When a rogue fireman, Guy Montag, becomes entranced by books his life quickly becomes a whirlwind of confusion.

The scenario presented by Bradbury is an interesting look at the dangers of censoring intellectual freedom. To be honest, I'm still digesting all the implications of this novel.

In the afterward Bradbury talks further about his characters. In Beatty's words: "I ate them like salad, books were my sandwich for lunch, my tiffin and dinner and midnight munch."

Recommendation: Give this book the time it requires. Read it with a friend or when you have time for proper digestion.

Anatomy of a Boyfriend

I like the YA genre. And I've been enjoying the Young Adult Book Challenge. But... good golly, I need a break from this stuff. Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky was the book that helped me see that.

The book isn't awful. To be honest, I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't had such a heavy influx of YA lately. However, it is heavily cliched... in the most annoying of ways.

Let's count, here we go: Girl meets boy in chivalric moment (1). Girl initiates online conversation with boy, eventually declares her love (after a week?). Boy does not respond, girl's life is over (2). Oops, just an internet error, boy likes girl too. Girl's world becomes boy (3). Girl changes interests to suit boy (vegetarianism, track, his dog) (4)...

That's just the beginning. I haven't even mentioned how they have sex for the first time on prom night. Really?

Perhaps another annoying feature of the book, is how closely it resembles my life at that age. Beginning a relationship in the last year of high school, freaking out about where to go to college, going to different colleges, trying to make it work even though you both know you're drifting apart, getting blindsided and dumped. All happened to me too.

But let's be clear... the cliche bits, did not happen to me. The general plotline, my life at 18.

Oh and... the book is dedicated to Judy Blume, and I suspect some extra raunchy bits were included in her honor.

Recommendation: It may be a decent book on its own, but don't read it in a string of young adult.

Slam

I was surprised to find out that Slam by Nick Hornby was a young adult novel...but that was okay with me...it went right on the list for the Young Adult Book Challenge.

In full disclosure, I happen to be a big Nick Hornby fan. How to Be Good, High Fidelity, A Long Way Down (review), Speaking with the Angel (review)... all are good. Hornby is so skilled at developing quirky yet realistic characters and his dialogue is superb. In fact, I think I'll put About A Boy on my to be read list (I think the only one I haven't read yet).

But getting back to Slam. Slam tells the story of Sam, a teenage skater living in London. Sam is experiencing a high point in his life. Not only does he have a beautiful girlfriend (sex!), he has his own "guardian angel", Tony Hawk. But true to life, when you finally realize that things are going right... it's about time for things to go wrong. The big wrong in Sam's case. His girlfriend becomes pregnant. Did I mention that Sam himself is the son of a teenage mother? Yikes.

Hornby incorportates both realistic and supernatural elements in Sam's life. The conflict that erupts post pregnancy... very real. Tony Hawk "whizzing" Sam into the future... not quite.

Hornby proves he's a writer for all ages. And honestly, reading along as Sam takes excerpts from Tony Hawk's autobiography as gospel... hilarious.

Recommendation: If you're a Hornby fan to being with, Slam is no exception. If Hornby is new to you, Slam is a decent first start.

Peaches

I first saw Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson on the shelf at Powell's. I like to browse the children's/young adult section from time to time. Ok, a lot of the time! I didn't think too much about it until I was revising my list for the Young Adult Book Challenge. I popped it on.

It's a cute book. The plot outline is pretty basic. Three girls. All different. Hate eachother. Overcome differences. Work together. Best friends! Of course there's a bit more to it than that...

Here's a quote from the back of the book: Together these three very different girls will discover the secret to finding the right boy, making the truest of friends, and picking the perfect Georgia peach. So you have to expect it to be a little sappy, right?

I could see girls in the 12-16 range really enjoying this book. And considering it's a national best seller, it seems like they do. There's also a sequel, The Secrets of the Peaches. I probably won't bother with it.

Recommendation: If you're a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants fan (I'm not), you'll like the taste of these Georgia peaches.

Flipped

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen was one of my choices for the Young Adult Book Challenge. I kept seeing it in middle school libraries and it seemed popular with the students. Having now read it, I understand why!

Flipped is told from the perspective of two different characters alternating between chapters. As soon as you think you know what happened, everything is "flipped", and you see it from the other perspective. I enjoyed this technique because it kept the narration from becoming stale (not that that was a concern), but it also made me think about all those times I've had embarrassing run-ins, and wondering what the other perspective might have been.

The story is told by Juli Baker and Bryce Loski. Juli has a mega crush on Bryce, and has since the first moment she met him. Bryce did not feel the same. The book focuses on the romantic angles, but throws in other issues as well. As the events progress a nice compare and contrast between families appears. I have to say, one of my favorite elements is Juli's relationship with a tree. It's a special tree that makes her feel alive in a special way. Personally, I seem to have this connection with trees as well. I'll admit to crying when they cut down the trees at my elementary school... even the one we played Little House on the Prairie under. And I'll admit to having a slight panic attack when I couldn't remember if "Nathaniel's Tree" had been spared... it was! (In first grade our school planted a tree to remember a fourth grader, Nathaniel, who was hit by a car). So we can say I had a deep connection to Juli.

Talking about this book with a 4th or 5th grade student (multi-age class, you never really know!), I found it interesting that one of the aspects of the book that I liked so much (the changing perspective), was a point of confusion for her. "I could never figure out what was happening... I thought I'd know and then it would change." She solved the problem by rereading (nice strategy!) and in the end really enjoyed the book.

Recommendation: If you like the somewhat unique delivery and don't mind running through all of your own awkward adolescent encounters, Flipped is well worth a read.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

One of my selections for the Numbers Challenge is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gariel Garcia Marquez.

For some reason I had a really wrong impression of this book. It was recommended to me a few years ago by a boy I sat by in middle school band when I was bumped from first chair sax to second. (At least I think that happened, I definitely sat at first far longer than deserved.) At the time of the recommendation I assumed the book had an Indian theme. (In my defense, he didn't tell me the name of the author...) So I had a little misinformation. The next thing I knew, it was an Oprah's Book Club title. If you've read this post, you know how I feel about that.

Regardless, I gave it a try. I'll be honest. I'm still digesting this book.

As I started to read the first few chapters, I struggled to explain the mood, the casual tone of the narrator, despite the many mystifying events. When I read Marquez's explanation, of course it made perfect sense. I must quote.

"The tone I eventually used in One Hundred Years of Solitude was based on the way my grandmother used to tell stories. She told things that sounded supernatural and fantastic, but she told them with complete naturalness."

He goes on to describe his grandmother's facial expression during her stories. It didn't change. He realized he had to tell the story with a "brick face."

But what is the story? One Hundred Years of Solitude tells of the rise and fall of the village Macondo through the lives of the Buendia family. There's love, death, war, incest... and miracles. Not to mention a fairly complicated and difficult to follow family tree due to the recycling of names and aforementioned intrafamilial hook-ups.

I found myself looking forward to whatever new fantastic occurrence would happen next and the family's subdued reaction.

Recommendation: If you enjoy long meandering books and surrealism, One Hundred Years of Solitude is definitely worth a look.

I Am America (And So Can You!)

I was the 44th hold on I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert. It came relatively quickly. Probably because it's one of those books you can't put down. It went to the laundromat with me.

Hilarious. Read it.

Recommendation: If you love the show, you'll love the book. If you don't love the show and only watch it if it happens to be on in the same room, you'll love the book.

Oh, Hello Blog

I am way behind in reviews, and I swear I'll start reading grown-up books again... soon. I may have already started.

Bond Children's Literature Conference

Last Saturday was the 5th annual Bond Children's Literature Conference at Western Washington University. I went last year to hear Lois Lowry speak. It was fantastic. Did you know part of her childhood she grew up in Japan, living in a completely Americanized sector?

This year a far-off friend wanted to meet up for the conference. When I found out the speakers... I was more than happy to pay out my hard earned money. To put it bluntly, it was a sausage-fest of a conference.

Christoper Paul Curtis, Newbery Award winner
John Rocco, illustrator linked to Shrek (the movie)
Eric Rohmann, Caldecott Award winner
Chris Crutcher, banned book author extraordinaire.

As most conferences go... some speakers are good, others are great, and some you kinda wonder what they are talking about and why. That being the case, I'll focus on the highlights.

Christopher Paul Curtis:
Not only an incredible writer, but an incredible public speaker as well. He told his story of going from a factory worker to Newbery award winner, with humor and humility. To summarize a bit... right after high school he entered the factories of Flint, Michigan. During down time on the job he took up writing. When he fell in love with a girl several miles away and killed two cars visiting her, he took up writing. When that same girl told him to take a year off work to take up writing, he was in heaven. He also has extremely large hands. When he signed my book we shook. Just big hands, that's all. His works include: The Watson's Go to Birmingham 1963, Bud, Not Buddy, and Elijah of Buxton. Curtis was a real treat.

Chris Crutcher:
Now probably my main draw to the conference was Chris Crutcher. In high school my favorite teacher was highly distraught that the book Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes was being challenged or banned somewhere (I have no idea where). Now, I didn't have the slightest clue as to what this book was about, but I figured if it was being banned... I better read it. Crutcher has many many challenged and banned books. There's even a pamphlet for teachers about teaching banned books with his photograph on it! I was dying to know what he would say to defend/explain/justify/glorify his writing. Ok, so he didn't really do that. At all. But he did read excerpts from his autobiography, King of the Mild Frontier. Luckily, I'd purchased it that morning on a hunch because his reading was hilarious and all the copies sold out. Reading the book now I have Crutcher's voice in my head, making all the delightful bits that much more delightful...("I was working my sphincter muscles like a body-builder.") I also like how he explains moments in his life that later play into his writing. Plus, his unique background as a family therapist enriches the characters and situations he writes in his books. I love banned books. They only make adolescents want to read them all the more.

Other conference notes:
Next year, bring own lunch. Two years in a rough of tough eggplant and soggy bread sandwiches are enough for me. Plus, my sandwich was half the size of my friend's.
Next year, don't drink water at lunch. No matter how hard you try you can't get down to empty before the speakers come on... and hearing stories about someone nearly wetting their pants does not take the focus off your own situation.

My purchases:

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I spent the morning yesterday doing some TLC on my compost bin. Later in the day I couldn't pass the library without stopping in to snatch a few books on compost, organic gardening, and our ecological impact. There's nothing like sunny 50 degree weather to affect your reading regimen.

I finished Compost by Clare Foster this morning, excellent.

Please Bury Me in the Library

I spotted the book, Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis, in Village Books several weeks ago. I loved it so much I politely sent a little note to my mom suggesting it would make an excellent birthday present. Luckily, she agreed.

This book is so cute. It is a collection of poetry for children about books and reading. Some of these will definitely be posted in my classroom and around my library (when that joyous day comes).

Here's my favorite:

Great, Good, Bad

A great book is a homing device
For navigating paradise.

A good book somehow makes you care
About the comfort of a chair.

A bad book owes to many trees
A forest of apologies.

Recommendation: If you have a soft spot for children's literature, or reading in general, you'll enjoy these cute little literature inspired poems.

The Five People You Meet In Heaven

I knew it was a bad idea. But see, I'm doing this Numbers Challenge... and everyone else has read it. But really... I knew it was a bad idea.

So clearly, before picking up The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom I was biased. It just seemed so... Oprah's Book Club. You know, before she did the revamp and "discovered" Steinbeck. Plus, my horrible horrible roommate had it as a fixture on her desk in our dorm room. (Thank goodness those days are long over). This wasn't going to be a book I'd like.

But I had to try it because... 1. It was a national best seller / everyone's read it and 2. I did enjoy Tuesdays with Morrie.

Starting out I surprised myself. I didn't mind it. Lately there's been the circus/carnivale setting trend going around, I like it. (Water for Elephants, Carnivale, etc) I enjoyed hearing about the old time pier amusement park, all that. And I even started to wonder who Eddie would meet in heaven. But that's about it...

The second half of the book I had to force myself through. I actually set a time limit.

My complaints? ... I've been trying to figure that out. I think I felt like Albom was trying too hard. It was too sentimental? It didn't work for me. Sorry I can't be more eloquent.

Recommendation: If you are the one other person out there who hasn't read this book, skip it.

The Chocolate War

My first book crossed off the list of the Young Adult Challenge.

When I first heard about The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, I didn't realize it was a young adult book. It just sounded like a really good book. Maybe that's proof that people of all ages can enjoy really good literature. That being said, I guess I'm still pretty close to the age group cornered by "young adult" writers. Even so.

The Chocolate War takes place in New England at a Catholic private high school in the 1970s (at least the copyright is '74). The school is unofficially led by a secret society, The Vigils, and officially led by Brother Leon, the stand-in for the ill headmaster. When Brother Leon calls upon the boys to sell double the number of boxes of chocolates at double the price during the school's annual chocolate sale, things start to heat up. The magnitude of the venture requires The Vigils' participation. So what was Jerry Renault to do when The Vigils, infamous for giving out risky "assignments" to the student body, ordered him to refuse to sell chocolates? Furthermore, what's Jerry to do when his assignment is over and the words from his mouth continue to refuse to sell the chocolates? Finding inspiration from a poster hanging in his locker he ponders the question, "Do I dare disturb the universe?"

The Chocolate War is a quick read exploring powerful themes including: death, peer pressure, sexuality, violence, power, and personal identity. As a result, parents around the country have attempted to have it banned. What better way to encourage students to read a book than try to prevent them from reading it! Here's an interesting (if somewhat outdated) article explaining one circumstance of the book's controversy. My own opinion aligns with the authors: The bits of the book parents object to (swear words and masturbation), are the bits of the book that give validity to the characters. And heaven forbid young teenagers read a swear word or brief descriptions of masturbation... because we'd hate to "encourage them". But really... wouldn't we rather have them masturbating than potentially reproducing? Not to diverge too much here.

Another bit I learned recently is that the story was inspired by the author's own son.

(Just a brief note on the cover shown: This is not actually the cover of the copy I own. I only mention that because the cover on the copy I own is way better! It's a dejected looking boy (Jerry Renault) in football uniform alone on the ball field with the school looming in the distance.)

Recommendation: If you enjoy the setup of an all boys private school (which I seem to) and you appreciate young adult books that tackle tough themes, The Chocolate War will not disappoint.

Listening Is an Act of Love

You know when you read a really great book and want to stop people on the street to tell them about it? This is that book.

Listening Is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the Storycorps Project is a phenomenal collection of stories gathered by the ingenius people at Storycorps. Storycorps sets up booths around the country and people make appointments to interview friends and loved ones about important moments in their lives. At the end of the interview, two cds are made. One goes to the participants, the other goes in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

David Isay, the creator (and editor of this book), takes the philosophy that history should be told from the bottom up (the lives of everyday people) instead of the top down (celebrities, politicians, etc.). I completely agree and it makes for amazing reading. It's like what it would be like if you could actually talk to all the people Howard Zinn references in A People's History of the United States.

Sometimes I feel like there's a lot to be down about in America these days. Want a few examples?
1. parking lots
2. housing developments with identical houses 3 feet apart from each other
3. million dollar condos blocking free views
4. consumption
5. library cutbacks

And I get really frustrated in general with people because if we could all decide to make small changes, we could change the world. I get frustrated with the apathy (I'm guilty too, I know!).

Reading the stories in Listening is An Act of Love reminded me of Anne Frank's profound quote, "Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart." And that's a wonderful piece of positive thinking.

I was especially moved by the stories in the last section of the book, "Fire and Water," about September 11th and Hurricane Katrina. I sat in a Starbucks (where you can buy the cd I believe) and cried through the last several pages. When I got back to work I quickly read the afterward and got that funny feeling in my stomach that I only get from holding back emotion.

And if a book can do all that...!

Recommendation: If you cry easily, grab a tissue. This book is full of touching stories to make you consider the elements of our everyday lives.

PS. Subscribe to the podcast!

Peter Pan

I can't say I'm a huge fan of Peter Pan. I mean, as a kid I enjoyed the story and watching various productions. But somehow, looking at it through adult feminist eyes... I don't see much appeal in a boy refusing to grow up and take responsibility while at the same time convincing a girl to take care of him and his friends. Like, what?

However, I am a huge fan of this cover.

Speaking with the Angel

I came across Speaking with the Angel edited by Nick Hornby while I was trying to find some light books for holiday reading. It proved to be a good find.

The book is a collection of short stories by several prominent writers in today's (well, late 90's early 2000) scene. Each writer contributed a story to make a collection that benefits Treehouse, a school for children with autism. Hornby's own son has autism and attends the school. In the introduction Hornby describes children who have autism and the amazing ways Treehouse is able to reach them. Worthy cause, right?

On top of appreciating the purpose of the collection, the stories were really great as well. The writers include Helen Fielding, Irvine Welsh, Dave Eggers, Colin Firth (yes, Mr. Darcy!), and Hornby himself.

Here's a recap of a few of my favorites:
Last Requests by Giles Smith is the story of a prison cook who prepares the inmates' last supper. It took me a few pages to catch on... and then the premise coupled with the cook's attitude struck me as so absurd and delightfully funny.

PMQ by Robert Harris is the hilarious explanation by the Prime Minister as to why his "mental breakdown" was not a mental breakdown at all... simply a series of coincidences and unfortunate events.

Catholic Guilt (You Know You Love It) by Irvine Welsh begins as a somewhat disturbing look into a young homophobic man's life. However, by the end, you'll be chuckling at his "Catholic" punishment and the scheme that he's laid out.

Recommendation: If you like the British literati and are impressed by unique points of view, you'll enjoy this book.

Frindle

All over school libraries I kept seeing books by Andrew Clements with the blurb, "By the author of FRINDLE" ... really now. It was getting annoying. What was this Frindle all about? I had to know.

So I bought it, I read it, I love it.

Frindle by Andrew Clements is a very lovable little book for middle readers.

Nick is now in 5th grade and his teacher is tough. She's in love with words and in love with the dictionary. When she makes a point to Nick, "dog means dog because you say it does" (ok, I'm paraphrasing there)... Nick decides to explore how far he can push the limits of language. When the whole 5th grade, then the school, then students at other schools, join in... can it ever be stopped?

It's been especially fun to be in classrooms and meet students who are reading the book.

Books of 2007

I tend to be someone who actually keeps New Year's resolutions. Maybe I just don't set the bar too high? The past few years my resolution as been the same: Read more books than the previous year.

To succeed for 2007 I needed to read 48 books (I think). I did. I read 57 actually. Here they are:

Books of 2007
1. Is There No Place On Earth for Me? by Susan Sheehan
2. Global Woman: Nannies, Maids and Sex Workers in the New Economy edited by Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russell Hochschild
3. Inside Organized Racism: Women in the Hate Movement by Kathleen M. Blee
4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
5. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by John Krakauer
6. Living Among Meat Eaters: The Vegetarian's Survival Handbook by Carol J. Adams
7. Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
8. My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
9. Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser
10. I Thought My Father Was God and Other Tales from NPR's National Story Project
11. Pipi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
12. Righteous: Dispatches from the Evangelical Youth Movement by Lauren Sandler
13. A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
14. A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small In Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel
15. Vegetarianism: A History by Jon Gregerson
16. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
17. She Got Up Off the Couch and Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel
18. The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works- and How It's Transforming the American Economy by Charles Fishman
19. Love Is a Mix-Tape: Life and Loss, One Song At a Time by Rob Sheffield
20. The Lost Daughters of China by Karin Evans
21. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
22. 101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian by Pamela Rice
23. Making Kind Choices by Ingrid Newkirk
24. The Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser
25. What Is the What by Dave Eggers
26. Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules edited by David Sedaris
27. Night by Elie Weisel
28. Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading by Maureen Corrigan
29. Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
30. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
31. Have You Heard of Wes Anderson? by Joshua Young
32. The Kiss: A Memoir by Kathryn Harrison
33. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
34. Bad Blood: A Memoir by Lorna Sage
35. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost
36. The Littlest Hitler: Stories by Ryan Boudinot
37. Am I Thin Enough Yet? The Cult of Thinness and the Commercialization of Identity by Sharlene Hesse-Biber
38. The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles
39. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
40. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson
41. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
42. The Night in Question by Tobias Wolff
43. Gossamer by Lois Lowry
44. Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
45. Ida B by Katherine Hannigan
46. Full Frontal Feminism by Jessica Valenti
47. The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
48. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
49. In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World It Made by Norman Frank Cantor
50. The True History of Chocolate by Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe
51. The Book of General Ignorace by John Mitchinson and John Lloyd
52. St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves: Stories by Karen Russell
53. Take the Cannoli: Stories from the New World by Sarah Vowell
54. Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan
55. The American Way of Death Revisited by Jessica Mitford
56. Wigfield: The Little Can-Do Town that Just May Not by Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, & Stephen Colbert
57. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

The Numbers Challenge

I've also joined the Numbers Challenge, hosted by Callista. I'm pretty excited to get started. The goal is to read 5 books with a number in the title by June. I can do it!

The List:
1. Six of One by Rita Mae Brown
2. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
4. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
5. One Hundred Years of Solitute by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I think I'm going to start Six of One as soon as I finish Frindle and a few library books I had waiting for me after the holidays.