Bonjour, Cass!

In which I completely forget the important

2010-08-29T13:26:00.000-04:00

Idgie, my new kitten, would love to meet you over at bonjourcass.com!

Hello everyone! Last month I attempted to move this blog to Wordpress, which worked except for the whole bringing-over-subscribers part. While posts redirect to bonjourcass.com from here, they do not show up in Google Reader. I would be very appreciative if you would make the move with me and update your subscription to bonjourcass.com. Thanks for your understanding, and I hope to see you over at the new place!

Discussion: The Well of Loneliness

2010-07-19T12:56:00.002-04:00

http://bonjourcass.com/2010/07/19/wol-with-danik

The first time I read (or, to be honest, tried to read) Radcylffe Hall's lesbian classic The Well of Loneliness, I threw it across the room. Then I may have gone over, picked it up, and thrown it again. THEN I may have kicked it. You get the idea. Basically, I thought The Well of Loneliness (which I will also refer to as TWOL) was awfully depressing and an awfully awful novel that had been over-praised, over-indulged, and over-suffered by many a young queer. This was probably about six years ago and was greatly influential to my wariness of lesbian fiction. (Why does someone always have to die?? And why is everyone so miserable??)

So in June I was looking at my bookshelves and was all YOU KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO? I should RE-read this book I hate! Maybe this time I'll like it! And, oh, you know what? Let's see if Danika the Lesbrarian would like to join me! Amazingly, she agreed, and then we had a couple of good chats, the first of which can be found on her blog.

(Fake spoiler: I didn't like it anymore the second time around.)

...we begin with the conversation already in progress...

Cass: Are you...lonely? Feeling wells and wells of loneliness, perhaps?

Danika: Maybe just the one.

Cass: And that uses up my allotted bad joke of the day.

I originally thought that Stephen was going to commit suicide by jumping into a well. That's how much faith I have in the endings of gay lit.

Danika: Wow, that would have been... very literal. It also seems unlikely to work. And if it did work, you'd poison the well. Not really Stephen's style, I don't think.

Cass: Do you consider TWOL to be required reading for those interested in GLBT literature?

Danika: I don't know if I think there's really such thing as required reading. I think it's required reading if you want to put GLBT literature in context, to understand the prominent earlier works, but if you're not going for a study of it and are just reading for pleasure, it's not required. It's not like you'll miss anything in other books. Heck, if you're looking for nudge-nudge references in lesbian fiction, you're better off watching Xena.

Cass: I would say a book like Stone Butch Blues is "required reading," as in a classic everyone should read, but The Well of Loneliness? ...Not so much. Unless that person happens to want to rant about the fraught prose.

Although, taken out of context, "...And that night, they were not divided" is kind of beautiful.

Danika: Very true. I actually missed it this read, I meant to take note of it, but I didn't remember reading it. There's actually a few veiled references to sex, not just that one, but that's definitely the famous line.

What was with Stephen's mother? Why did Anna resent her so much from birth? What did you think of her character in general?

Cass: "But Anna, looking gravely at her daughter, noting the plentiful auburn hair, the brave hazel eyes that were so like her father's, as indeed were the child's whole expression and bearing, would be filled with a sudden antagonism that came very near to anger" (p. 15).

Anna, lady, you need to relax. It's like she thinks Stephen is blasphemous for being a "lesser image" of her father.

Danika: Yeah, Anna seemed so put off that her daughter looked like her husband... was that because she just hated having a masculine daughter, or because-- ooh, I like your theory. It also seemed like at times Anna resented that Stephen got so much of Philip's attention. But the reason he gave so much attention/love is because he knew she wouldn't.

Cass: It's all just so FREUDIAN. (Even though Hall didn't like Freud...) Like, "My mother hates me, I'm closer with my father, I'm supposed act like a Young Lady...oops, now I'm gay."

Danika: It's completely twisted. I also think part of it was that they so badly wanted a son, and then they had a masculine daughter, who's like a son, but lesser! It's like Stephen is a bad substitute for the son they should have had.

Cass: It all leads up to Stephen's martyrdom in all her relationships, romantic or not, the most obvious being her relationship with Mary. I mean, Stephen does say at the beginning that she wants to be Jesus. And then she ends up with a Mary, who she can't be with because everyone in society looks down on them.

Danika: Oh yeah. She's a martyr even when it's not benefiting anyone. Ugh, I hated Angela so much that I flipped to the end to double check that that wasn't who she ended up with, and she bent over backwards so that Angela could lead her on. It was pathetic.

Cass: Oh, even Valerie says to Stephen (on page 434) "'...you were made for a martyr!'"

Danika: Yes. That's a perfect description!

Were there any characters you liked? Mary falling in love was freaking adorable, and I loved Puddle. Martin was a rollercoaster ride of a character, going from wesome, to tragically naive, to accepting and awesome, to awful. Lady Massey and Anna were awful.

Cass: Puddle and Mary are definitely the better characters, although I do have a little bit of fondess for Valerie at the end.

Danika: I don't remember much about Valerie, though that's a great line.

Cass: Anna was at the Joan Crawford level of awful mother. Who hates their child when the child is SEVEN?

Danika: It was so weird, because she was this picture of perfect love and femininity and greatness before Stephen was born, and then she's just so hateful. I mean, exactly.

Cass: She probably would have been WORSE if Stephen had been feminine.

Danika: You think? Why did she hate her, then?

Cass: I think the competition of having a feminine daughter to compete with for male affection would have been too much for the ole' gal.

Danika: Ah, yes, I can see that. But I don't think Philip would have been so interested in Stephen if she were feminine. At some point in TWOL it says that at least part of his affection for her is pity.

Cass: Which is exactly the reason you want your father to give you attention, right? The whole lot of them are jerks. Although I did like Philip's secretiveness with the Kraft-Ebring book.

And how he dies before he can tell Anna "what Stephen really is."

Danika: I'm sure he would have been like "She... she... she's an invert! -dies-" Anna: "...? Right." I don't even know if she knew how to read.

Cass: Do you think Mary ended up marrying Martin?

Danika: If TWOL had another chapter, yes. If Mary was a real person, no. I think Mary was a lot more gay than Stephen thought.

Cass: Stephen didn't give Mary enough credit, or even consider that perhaps Mary's unhappiness had more to do with Stephen IGNORING her and being a jerk. And, lets be real, no one wants to marry dumb Martin.

Danika: Exactly! I understand that Stephen had to write, but that she was never present for Mary? And that she wouldn't let Mary type it up? It was just so weird that Martin arrives and is like "I'm back! I am now enlightened and empathetic and understanding! I shall not fall for an invert again! ... Ooo, who's your girlfriend?|"

Cass: If I had a nickel for every time THAT happened...

Danika: Some things never change...

How much do you think Stephen is the author? I mean, Stephen's even a writer.

Cass: Are you getting all meta and suggesting STEPHEN wrote The Well of Loneliness?

Danika: No, I'm just asking if Radclyffe Mary-Sued it. (Can you verb that? I think I just did.)

Cass: Oh, yeah, Stephen is a total Mary Sue.

Because in real life, Hall DID stay with the married lady... for about 20 years...instead of letting her lead a "normal" life with her husband.

Danika: I just wonder how much of it translates?

Did she?! Wow. Well, Stephen would have, too, if Angela (was that her name) hadn't been the biggest jerk ever and outed her to her mom.

Cass: Lady Una was married still when they got together!

I think this book should be rewritten from Mary's perspective and she should end up with Beebo Brinker.

Danika: That I would read.

Many thanks to Danika for reading this book and spending time discussing it with me. Not everyone will read an almost 500 page book over the summer at the whim of another blogger.

June Round-Up

2010-07-01T06:00:00.005-04:00

The view from Boston Harbor's Spectacle Island (taken 6/29)

June was quite the busy month for me; Ethan and I went to Northampton, MA, and Maine, and we entertained his parents and his brother (who came for a rare visit from China) for four days. It was all very fun, but now I need a nap.

I don't know if it's because it's summer or what, but I have been so unmotivated lately, specifically in relation to reading and blogging. I stare at the bookshelves instead of actually reading a book. I think about posts I'd like to write instead of actually writing them. I don't even want to mention how far behind I am with my Google Reader or how few comments I have written.

It has been a challenging month, to say the least, but I have higher hopes for July.

What I Read
Audio -- 80 hours -- A special total just for audio book month!

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson. Young adult. A-
The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine. General fiction. B-
A People's History of the United States: Highlights from the 20th Century by Howard Zinn. History. A-
The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama by Gwen Ifill. Non-Fiction. A
Beat the Reaper by Joshua Bazell. Mystery/Thriller. A
The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson. Young Adult. B+
Push by Sapphire. General fiction. A
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. Mystery/Thriller. A-
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. Mystery/Thriller. B

Print -- 1,755 pages

The Magnificent 12: The Call by Michael Grant. Middle Grade. B+
Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle. Graphic travelogue. C+
Fables: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham. Graphic novel. B+
Fables: Attack of the Wooden Soldiers by Bill Willingham. Graphic novel. B+
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. Literary fiction. B+
Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China by Guy Delisle. Graphic travelogue. B
Fables: The Mean Seasons by Bill Willlingham. Graphic novel. B+
Fables: Homelands by Bill Willingham. Graphic Novel. B+

Mid-Year Totals
Grand Total: 137
Audio: 50 -- 448 hours
Print: 87 --- 21, 271 pages

Fiction: 114
Non-Fiction: 23

Male: 73
Female: 64

Own: 24
Borrow: 111
Publisher: 2

Bloggiesta: To-Do List

2010-06-11T19:37:00.009-04:00

Hello there Internet! After a seemingly endless day at work, I am home and ready to get started with this bloggiesta. (Well, after a dinner of chicken and beans and rice, because sustenance is important.)

I've decided to follow Natasha's lead with just having one update post during the weekend, which I'll edit as I go along. I'll be on Twitter, though, so I can follow what everyone else is up to. Don't forget to participate in the mini-challenge I'm hosting to find and comment on ten new blogs; there are also five other awesome mini-challenges to keep you motivated!

*cracks knuckles* Now to get started!

TO DO LIST

~~Respond to e-mail requests~~
~~Edit sidebar links to Twitter & GoodReads~~
~~Add a favicon~~
~~Edit About Me page~~
~~Update Review Policy page~~
~~Update Challenge page~~
~~Prepare a review template~~
~~Organize Google Reader, especially folders~~
Review Burma Chronicles
Review The Three Weissmanns of Westport
Review Beat the Reaper
Organize GoodReads tags on books read
~~Add a Google search bar for the blog~~
~~Edit images/files saved in my Bonjour, Cass folder~~
~~Add blog address to gmail signature~~

And, for your viewing pleasure, JibJab.com brings you the Mexican Hat Dance, as performed by Simon Cowell and Susan Boyle:

You're welcome. ;)

Bloggiesta Mini-Challenge: Embracing Community

2010-06-11T03:00:00.001-04:00

Good morning, Bloggiesta participants! I hope you have your task lists ready, your favorite beverages and snack accessories on hand, and your "working on the blog" faces on.

It's generally accepted that you should read a lot of books in order to be a good writer. Well, it is my belief that in order to be a good blogger, you should read and engage with other blogs. Blogging, at its barest, is a way for people to express their opinions and have them heard; shouldn't we then not only be expressing our thoughts, but also contemplate the thoughts of our fellow bloggers?

Just think:

How many books have you read because of a recommendation from another blogger? (Or movies you've watched or shoes you've bought, etc.)
How does it make you feel when a post you've worked hard on and are proud of gets noticed?
How many bloggers can you name that have changed the way you think about something?

And so on. Bloggers have changed the way we think, the way we read, the way we write. You are showing your belief in the power of the blogging community already, simply by participating in Bloggiesta with over a hundred other bloggers!

To complete this mini-challenge, all you have to do is visit ten new-to-you blogs and leave a meaningful comment. (You are, of course, more than welcome to visit more than 10!) "Meaningful," for this purpose, is up for interpretation--I would lean toward defining it as a comment which actively engages with a post, rather than just saying hello, but of course all types of comments are welcome.

If you are on Twitter, you can also give support to bloggers by answering questions and making connections. Be sure to use the #bloggiesta hash tag if you do so we can follow along.

When you’ve finished your task, leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win a prize.

Best of luck in completing all your goals this weekend!

This is a totally realistic interpretation of my "game" face.

I Am Ridiculously Excited About...: Upcoming Release

2010-06-06T17:48:00.001-04:00

Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation
by Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman
Released August 31, 2010

From Amazon:

In the 15 years since the release of Gender Outlaw, Kate Bornstein’s groundbreaking challenge to gender ideology, transgender narratives have made their way from the margins to the mainstream and back again. Today's transgenders and other sex/gender radicals are writing a drastically new world into being. In Gender Outlaws, Bornstein, together with writer, raconteur, and theater artist S. Bear Bergman, collects and contextualizes the work of this generation's trans and genderqueer forward thinkers — new voices from the stage, on the streets, in the workplace, in the bedroom, and on the pages and websites of the world's most respected mainstream news sources. Gender Outlaws includes essays, commentary, comic art, and conversations from a diverse group of trans-spectrum people who live and believe in barrier-breaking lives.

EVERYONE. This is an amazingly exciting collaboration (Bornstein AND Bergman??) AND the cover is awesome. I've had the pleasure of meeting Kate Bornstein and seeing her perform a piece from her one-woman show, and she is just lovely. I can't wait!

You may or may not know that the reason I started this blog was because I wanted to start reading more fiction and less theory/anthologies like this one. Because that was ALL I WAS READING. But! If they are going to publish such wonderfulness, how can I ignore it?

I'm not rationalizing. I'm not rationalizing... (Totally rationalizing, but I think I've become better at juggling fiction and non-fiction.)

Review: Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

2010-06-03T22:17:00.000-04:00

Suite Scarlett
by Maureen Johnson
Published 2008
Unabridged audio by Brilliance Audio

Fact: Maureen Johnson is hilarious. I know it, she knows it, John Green knows it, and, once you read this novel, you'll know it too.* Unless you've heard her speak at a certain nerdy convention, then you already know. THE POINT IS, she is full of wit and snark and she makes me laugh, especially in Suite Scarlett.

When I found out she would be the keynote speaker at the Book Blogger Convention (BBC), I decided to read some of her books because I like to do my homework. I read Devilish and 13 Little Blue Envelopes, neither of which I really enjoyed. I actively avoided reading Suite Scarlett because of the cover, assuming it would be a middle-of-the-road "chick lit" novel. I was confused, then, when I met Maureen and she was so charismatic and entertaining. Why weren't her books like that? At the BBC, we were given a copy of the audio book for Suite Scarlett, so I suspended my bias regarding the cover and decided to give her work another chance.

It's tradition in Scarlett Martin's hotel owning/running family that upon turning fifteen, one is given the responsibility of maintaining a suite and any possible guests that suite might have. Scarlett is a bit taken aback when she is given the Empire Suite, the most fancy and expensive in the entire hotel. She assumes her parents don't think she can handle the assignment, which is quite possible since the hotel rarely has guests as it is, never mind in the most costly set of rooms. Then a tornado of a guest, Mrs. Amberson, arrives and rents the Empire suite, hires Scarlett as her assistant, and becomes deeply involved in Scarlett's older brother Spencer's acting career. Hijinks ensue. But smart ones!

Suite Scarlett is the book I was wishing Maureen had written. Although there's a love story, it isn't corny, and the book ends up being more about Scarlett and her family (with New York City an honorary member). And it passes the Bechdel Test**!

On the narration: She did all the voices, all the emotions, even fake coughs. One of the better narrations I've heard.

Grade: A-
Read this if: You enjoy YA, John Green, and MJ's twitter feed.

*You are allowed to disagree, of course. Just don't tell me, because it will make me frown.
** Although usually used in regard to movies, the Bechdel Test requires 1) at least two female charcters who 2) talk to each other 3) about something other than boys. You'd be surprised by just how many movies and books do not reach this simple goal.

Disclosure: The mp3 audio version of the book was included in the BBC swag bag.

Happy Pride Month!

2010-06-02T23:37:00.009-04:00

From the Official Presidential Proclamation (my favorite part):

These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

I was going to link to a bunch of happy gay news but, uh, it requires a bit more digging than I thought. So instead, here is the gayest picture I could find of Ethan and I! Also, an (unintentional) ad for Zipcar!

Read LGBT books this month (and every month)! Just not The Well of Loneliness! Because it is depressing!

I will probably end up re-reading The Well of Loneliness this month because I can't stop making bad jokes about it. (Care to snark with me, Danika?)

Update: It's also National Audio Books Month. David Sedaris is promoting it, so if you listen to a David Sedaris audio book, you can double celebrate. Hooray.

May Round-Up

2010-06-01T22:29:00.000-04:00

This is the only picture I took in NYC. I'm not sure how that happened.

The good news is that I reviewed 18% of the books I read! The bad news is that I only read eleven books, which is about a third of what I usually read. Of course, two major life events happened in May: Ethan's birthday and Book Expo America/the Book Blogger Convention, so I don't think I'm allowed to complain.

Here's what I read:

Audio -- 6

Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman (Tess Monaghan #1). Mystery. B-
Dead In the Family by Charlaine Harris. Mystery. C
Then She Found Me by Elinor Lipman. Literary fiction. A-
The Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol. Non-fiction (Education). A
Ordinary Resurrections by Jonathan Kozol. Non-fiction (Education). A
Columbine by Dave Cullen. Non-fiction (History). A

Print -- 5

Finding George Orwell In Burma by Emma Larkin. Non-Fiction. A
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight In Heaven by Sherman Alexie. Short stories. C
Charm City by Laura Lippman (Tess Monaghan #2). Mystery. B-
Woman From Shanghai: Tales of Survival From a Chinese Work Camp by Xianhui Yang. Historical fiction/short stories. B+
Bad Marie by Marcy Dermansky. Literary fiction. B (Signed by the author at BEA!)

BIGGEST SURPRISE: I've been on a quest to read all of Sherman Alexie's work ever since I read The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian, and the short story collection I read this month, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight In Heaven, was the first one I didn't really enjoy. Since most of the stories were published at the beginning of his career, I'm not judging him at all about it.

A SERIES I MAY NOT ACTUALLY FINISH: I didn't finish several books this month, but I was most disappointed with Butcher Hill, the third book in Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan series. I know Baltimore has uh, interesting race issues, but I just couldn't deal with all the terrible stereotypes/caricatures. Sad, too, because with all that non-fiction, I wanted a good, cozy mystery series to mix it up.

I GUESS IT WAS A NON-FICTION KIND OF MONTH: I loved them all. I have a weakness for Kozol, but Dave Cullen's Columbine is a MUST READ. The audio was spectacular (and narrated by an actor who does voice overs in true crime shows).

In other news... I'm kind of addicted to twitter.

Currently Reading: The Magnificent 12: The Call by Michael Grant (ARC acquired at BEA)
Next Up: The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly, recommended by Wendy

(Shh, don't tell anyone, but I think I'm going to try to blog every day this month. It could happen.)

NYC 2010: Book Expo America, Book Blogger Convention, etc.

2010-05-31T18:29:00.002-04:00

Day 1
NEW YORK IS SCARY: Or, I arrive on bus and feel a wee tiny bit out of my element.

I honestly had no idea that four hours on a bus could bring such pain. After one hour my tail bone was all, "WHY?" and I was all (frowny face) "Let me stand up and see if that makes it better," to which the woman sitting next to me was all, "You're weird."

(Standing up, in any case, did not make it better. I have no idea what could be causing the pain. I am 23. I should be able to sit for extended periods of time. Yikes--time to make a doctor's appointment.)

When I did finally arrive in NYC and managed to relieve my old lady aches and pains, there were SO! MANY! PEOPLE! In my defense, my arrival at Penn Station was on the day of the NYU graduation, so there were about eleventy billion people around. My friends Christine and Maribeth from Long Island had come in to meet me and keep me from, oh, vomiting, so I made it through the day pretty well.

Where we ate: Toon Thai Cafe in Midtown. Delicious! I had a particularly delightful mojito with lots of fresh mint.
Poor choice #1: The only hot day of my three days in New York and I wore jeans.
Bookish adventure of the day: After Christine & Maribeth left, I walked to the Strand. I bought a hardcover copy of Emma Larkin's Everything Is Broken, a book about the Cyclone disaster in Burma, for half price (!). Yes, I am one of those people who actually bought a book during BEA week. *ducks head*
The Gershwin Hotel: For $39 dollars a night, there's not really a lot of room to complain. I do wish they had been more upfront about not having outlets available in the dormitory rooms, but I understand why they're not provided. More distressing, I had to sleep on a top bunk on a very creaky metal bunk bed set, which made it difficult to a) get in and out of the bed and b) sleep without worrying the whole thing would come crashing down on the poor girl on the bottom bunk. ...Other than that, it was fine.
Birch Coffee: Honestly, everyone should go here. Amazing coffee and ridiculously friendly baristas. I spent a majority of my evenings at the cafe, being cozy and reading. (Do all cafes in NYC serve beer? Can all cafes in Boston do this, please?)

Day 2
PART 1: BOOK EXPO AMERICA: Or, I obtain more books than may be legal in some countries.

Most Cass event of the day: I lost my phone on my way to the Javits center. I think I left it in the cab. I always lose something, no matter where I go, but to lose my phone less than 24 hours after arriving in New York was a record.
While Waiting In Line: I met a rather hilarious librarian from Vermont who not only helped me figure out just what was going on, but entertained me for the good half hour we waited to get in to BEA. (Hi, Megan!) I was freaking out about the phone quite a bit by then, so having good company was very helpful.
Understatements: I picked up a few books. They were kind of heavy.
Stand out authors/editors I met: Richard Kim & Betsy Reed, who edited the Going Rouge: An American Nightmare, a collection I've been meaning to buy/read; Ariel Leve, who made me laugh by getting endearingly excited that she was making a book out to Cassandra, also the name of the character in her book, It Could Be Worse, You Could Be Me; Arlene Alda, who was very sweet, and I managed to avoid having a total "You're Mrs. Hawkeye Pierce!" fan girl moment; and Marcy Demansky, author of Bad Marie, who remembered me when we met again at the Book Blogger Reception--and the first book I've read of all the ones picked up at BEA. (It was very good. Still processing.)
How Did I Almost Just Forget: I also met Laurie Halse Anderson. My sixteen year-old self is still smiling. (In sad news, I didn't get to meet R.L. Stine. I hope at least one book blogger did, and I want pictures.)
Secret Sigh of Relief: That the previously mentioned Ariel Leve is, in fact, not Ariel Levy, who is completely different and not nearly as cool.
WEIRDEST THING THAT HAPPENED EVER; or, I met Oliver Twist: I was waiting in line at a signing for a memoir about a woman's scientist father. I had this conversation:

Man: It's a book I could never write. I didn't know my father.

Me: ...I'm sorry to hear that.
Man: Why?
Me: ...It sounds like a very sad story.
Man: No, it wasn't sad. The orphanage took good care of us.

PART 2: BOOK BLOGGER RECEPTION: Or, I remain horrified about my lost phone and try to not throw up.

The picture on your left is an approximate rendering of what I looked like at the reception. I think it's pretty accurate.
It is quite likely I made bad jokes, said mildly inappropriate things, and had several cups of coffee.
What I learned: Mingling is hard.
I also hit a man in the face with my pen. By accident, I assure you! It was very Matrix-y. I would draw you a picture, but I've used up my photoshop skills for the day.

to be continued...

Book Blogger Hop!

2010-05-21T20:57:00.000-04:00

Jennifer at Crazy For Books hosts the Book Blogger Hop every Friday through Sunday. I usually don't have time during the weekend to participate, but with BEA and the Book Blogger Convention coming up so soon, I thought it would be fun to join in this week.

I kind of want to dress up like one of those dancing books for Halloween. Thoughts?

Review: Woman From Shanghai: Tales of Survival from a Chinese Labor Camp

2010-05-19T21:12:00.001-04:00

Woman From Shanghai: Tales of Survival from a Chinese Labor Camp
by Xianhui Yang

Translated from the Chinese by Wen Huang
Published 2009

This cover is a disaster of the highest degree, similar to the awful original Ameircan cover for Justine Laribaster’s Liar--only instead of insinuating the book is about a white girl instead of a girl of color, we are provided with a photograph of a well dressed woman in lipstick that (in combination with the left-out subtitle) thoroughly misrepresents the book and thoroughly misleads the potential reader. Based on the cover only, what would your guess as to the subject matter of the book be? If you guessed “a fictionalized account of real stories from Jiabiangou, a Chinese hard labor camp where over 2500 (out of 3000) accused Rightists died of starvation,” then, uh, major points to you.

I can say with certainty that I would not have read The Woman from Shanghai had I come across it at the library with no prior knowledge. I might have assumed it was a romance, or maybe a story about the sex trade (beware of Google results from a “Woman from Shanghai” search). Had I not seen a recommendation in Bookmarks Magazine, without a picture of the cover, I might have missed this gem of a collection.

The Woman From Shanghai, a short story collection based on conversations the author had with survivors of the camp, are stark, unembellished stories of hunger and pain and people who are forced by matter of circumstance to do terrible things. The story from which the title is taken follows a woman who travels for days to visit her husband, a prisoner at Jiabiangou, only to discover upon her arrival that he has died. She stays for several days on a quest to find his body, but when she does she discovers just how horrible the conditions at the camp are.

The prose is direct and carefully avoids being excessively gory. Some of the changes in the translation might be considered condescending--or at least eye-roll worthy--such as when characters refer to directly to the “Chinese New Year” or the “Chinese saying.” Otherwise, The Woman From Shanghai is an authentic, stirring revelation of a terrible event in Chinese history.

Grade: A-
Recommended: History nerds; human rights advocates; fans of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

For further reading: Woman From Shanghai and the marketing of Chinese Literature in Translation

Review: Finding George Orwell In Burma

2010-05-16T20:18:00.001-04:00

Finding George Orwell In Burma

by Emma Larkin

Published 2003

Finding George Orwell In Burma was the first book I ever purchased because of a book blogger--thanks, Eva! Even though I was really excited about it because of my unabashed love for George Orwell, the book ended up sitting on my shelves for over a year, forgotten. Then, two weeks ago, I stumbled on an amazing documentary, Burma VJ: Reporting From a Closed Country while channel surfing. It made me cry, made me angry, and made me want to understand just what's happening in Burma; lucky for me, I just happened to have a book about Burma on my shelves.

Here are three reasons I loved this book:

1. Investigative journalism at its finest. Reporting like this is what we stand to lose from declining newspapers (well, unless they all get book deals). Larkin, a pseudonym the author uses so she can continue to write from Burma (if discovered, she could face hard labor/prison and even death), is an accessibly informative writer.

2. It's perfect for that often neglected book-nerd-and-human-rights-activist. Not only do we learn about the history of Burma, its current political climate, and the strength of its people, we are given a great analysis of Orwell's work and how it compares to Burma's history.

3. Despite being an "outsider," Larkin manages to treat the Burmese people with a respect I find rare in Western accounts of non-Western life.

Larkin has just released a new book, Everything Is Broken: A Tale of Catastrophe in Burma, which brings new insight and much needed reporting on the devastation of the cyclone that hit Burma in 2008. I can't wait to read it--and I am chalking up another point for book bloggers and excellent recommendations.

Grade: A
Recommended: History and book nerds; human rights advocates; fans of George Orwell

Transgender Non-Fiction

2010-05-14T13:45:00.000-04:00

Please check out my guest post at the GLBT Challenge blog! There's even a giveaway of one of my very favorite books!

Please, before writing about trans people,

2010-05-03T21:57:00.000-04:00

check out some of these articles.

Here are some basic, accessible sites on terms explaining GLBT terminology and how to respectfully write about trans folk.

Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC)'s Transgender 101
Nation Lesbian & Gay Journalism Association (NLGJA)'s Stylebook Supplement on LGBT Terminology
Joanne Herman on Transgender or Transgendered

Please and thank you.

April Round-Up

2010-05-03T20:31:00.003-04:00

By the Numbers

15 Young Adult
03 Mystery
02 Non-Fiction (1 memoir, 1 history)
08 Fiction
01 Graphic Novel
01 Short Story
-----------------------

13 Audio (113 listening hours or 4.7 DAYS)
17 Print (3,933 pages)

30 Read

5 Books Owned
25 Borrowed from the Boston Public Library

5 Books Toward GLBT Challenge

Favorite Book Read: Flight by Sherman Alexie
Least Enjoyed Book: Bite Me by Christopher Moore

Oldest book: A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle
Newest book: Bite Me by Christopher Moore; Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Mini-Review: Memoir: A History

2010-04-15T21:20:00.002-04:00

Memoir: A History by Ben Yagoda
Non-Fiction (History)
Published 2009
304 pages
Borrowed from the library

The writing was engaging and entertaining, the subject was presented in an enjoyable manner and hit the right balance of two of my favorite topics, history and books about books. The problem for me was how he sacrificed depth for breadth. Memoir: A History would be the perfect textbook for The History of the Memoir 101--only I want to continue and take History of the Memoir 201. Because Yagoda follows the memoir and autobiography from its beginning to the present, he can only devote two or three paragraphs to even the most fascinating examples. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more of his books.

Grade: B+
Recommended: As an excellent overview for all you books-about-books nerds out there. Just don't expect too much detail.

Challenge: Read, Remember, Recommend

2010-04-14T23:32:00.000-04:00

From Bibliobabe's post:

Dates:
April 1st, 2010 to April 1st, 2011

Details:

Check out all the amazing books (thousands!) mentioned in Read, Remember, Recommend and plan your attack. Books do not need to be decided upon in advance. All books must be mentioned in the journal lists.
Write a challenge sign-up post on your blog. In that post provide a link to the Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Reading Challenge post. Please feel free to use the Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Reading Challenge button in your post. If you do not have a blog, introduce yourself in a comment below.
Add your name and the direct link to the sign-up post in the Mister Linky list below.
Each time you read and review a book as part of this challenge, share this with other challenge participants by adding a direct link to your book review to the list in a comment at this post. If you do not have a blog, leave your review as a comment.

Rules:

Read as many books from the Read, Remember, Recommend reading journal as you can in one year. Books read before April 1st, 2010 do not count. Overlaps with other challenges (including the Read, Remember, Recommend Teen Reading Challenge) are acceptable – and encouraged!
Rereading doesn’t count – have fun exploring new authors, awards and books!
Audio, print, and e-books are all acceptable.
Post your review or link to your review in a comment below.
You can change your commitment level at anytime.

Levels:

Notable Newbie – 5 books
Armchair Librarian – 10 books
The Library of Congress Calls Me Daddy – 20 books
A Book Intervention is Needed – 30 books

I purchased the journal a few weeks ago on a whim, and I'm really excited for a challenge that will let me put it to good use. I've decided to do the "Book Intervention is Needed" level to really challenge myself. I'll be keeping track here.

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10.

Read-a-Thon: Round Up

2010-04-11T20:49:00.001-04:00

Which hour was most daunting for you? For my second read-a-thon, I managed to stay up an extra two hours without getting over tired. I went to bed around 4:30 am, so for the purpose of this question, hour 12 was the most difficult hour.
Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? My idea to read children's classics I hadn't read before really worked out for me and gave me a sense of accomplishment with my reading I wouldn't have gotten had I stuck to the Nancy Drew manga I borrowed from the library.
Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-Thon next year? Galleysmith's wrap up post has some really great suggestions regarding cheerleading. I defer to her advice.
What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I would just like to thank everyone who stopped by and commented. The support was wonderful.
How many books did you read? I finished seven (a total of 1,303 pages!) and listened to about an hour and a half of an audio book.
What were the names of the books you read?
- Two or Three Things I Know for Sure by Dorothy Allison -- non-fiction/memoir
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine -- Middle Grade, Newbury Honoree
- Are We There Yet? by David Levithan -- young adult
- A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle -- middle grade, Newbury Award Winner
- If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson -- young adult
- Fables: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham -- graphic novel
- Geography Club by Brent Hartinger -- young adult
Which book did you enjoy most? I was pleasantly surprised by Levithan's Are We There Yet?
Which did you enjoy least? I just didn't get A Wrinkle In Time--like, at all.
~~If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?~~

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? As long as it doesn't fall on the annual company meeting day again, I'll definitely be participating again in October. I'd like to try to be a cheerleader for a portion of the time.
Total time spent reading: 13 Hours.

Comparison to the 10/09 Read-a-Thon

I stayed away for an extra two and a half hours.
I read four more books.
I managed to avoid any books that would/could make me cry.
I read an additional 585 pages.

Notes For Next Time

Prepare snacks in advance! Very important.
Don't lay down with the cats. This leads only to sleepiness.

A super big THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to comment and leave some inspiration. I couldn't have done it without you. A cookie to everyone!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 18 & 19

2010-04-11T03:05:00.000-04:00

What I'm Reading Now: Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (audio)
Geography Club by Brent Hartinger

Title of book(s) read since last update: Fables: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham
Number of books read since you started:

Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Are We There Yet? by David Levithan
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
Fables: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham

Pages read since last update: 216
Running total of pages read since you started: 1212

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 11 hours, 10 minutes

Etc.:

"Never in a million years would I have guessed that Min was bisexual. And yet, now that she'd told me, it already made perfect sense. In a way, it explained everything from her general braininess to her ridiculous perfectionism."

p 31 of Geography Club -- what the hell? I do not understand how this explains anything.

I'm still (shockingly) quite awake, but my back is hurting in the most horrendous way. I think I'm going to lie down for a while, finish this book, and, if I'm up to it, listen to the audio. Advil, here I come!

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 16 & 17

2010-04-11T01:11:00.000-04:00

What I'm Reading: Fables: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (audio)

Number of books read since you started: 5
Pages read since last update: 47 (+1 hour, 25 minutes of audio)
Running total of pages read since you started: 996 (so very close to the 1000 mark!)

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 9 hours, 30 minutes

Mini-challenges completed: none

I might be calling it quits a little early this time around Very sleeeepy.

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 14 & 15

2010-04-10T23:10:00.000-04:00

Title of book(s) read since last update: If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
Number of books read since you started:

Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Are We There Yet? by David Levithan
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

Pages read since last update: 181
Running total of pages read since you started: 949

Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 8 hours, 50 minutes

Mini-challenges completed:

Next Up: I have to do dishes--BOO--so I'm going to start listening to the audio book for Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. After that, I think it'll be Will Grayson, Will Grayson time.

For your enjoyment, because it makes me laugh:

Read-a-Thon Update: Mid Event Meme and Hours 12 & 13

2010-04-10T20:46:00.000-04:00

Title of book(s) read since last update: A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle
Number of books read since you started:

Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Are We There Yet? by David Levithan
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle

Pages read since last update: 123
Running total of pages read since you started: 768
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 45 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 7 hours, 30 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:

Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now? I haven't decided what to read next. I think maybe If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson.
2. How many books have you read so far? Four, which means I will definitely meet my goal of six since I have three graphic novels on stand by for when I get super tired.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which I bought two weeks before it officially came out and, due to a major guilt complex, I've been waiting to read it until the official release date passed.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? My aunt was kind enough to move her birthday lunch extravaganza to next Saturday instead of today. Thanks, Aunt Julie!
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Not an interruption per se, but my cat convinced me to lay down and let him snuggle in my lap for a while.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? I feel like I was way more organized about it last time! Even though I had no idea what I was doing then.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? I wouldn't change a thing :)
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? 1) Prepare snacks far in advance. 2) Avoid the cats. Just kidding. 3) I tend to be a bit obsessive about my reading lists (# of pages, when I read them, who recommended them, where I got them, etc.) but I'm having a bit of trouble being as organized with the read-a-thon. I need to think up a better way for next time!
9. Are you getting tired yet? I did yawn after I read that question! But I think I'm doing okay. I just need to eat something more substantial.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? I would highly suggest having someone around who is willing to go to the store for you. So very nice.

Edit: After I type that, he came over for an impromptu dance party to Janet Jackson's Nasty. Yeah, y'all need one of these. :)

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 10 & 11

2010-04-10T18:58:00.000-04:00

What I've Been Reading: A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle

Number of books read since you started:

Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Are We There Yet? by David Levithan

Pages read since last update: 80
Running total of pages read since you started: 645
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 40 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 6 hours, 45 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 8 & 9

2010-04-10T17:06:00.000-04:00

Title of book(s) read since last update: Are We There Yet? by David Levithan
Number of books read since you started:

Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Are We There Yet? by David Levithan

Pages read since last update: 127
Running total of pages read since you started: 565
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 6 hours, 5 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:

Prizes won: I won two books from the hour three muti-time read-a-thon participant drawing! Very exciting, if I do say so myself.

I'm seeing dinner on the horizon. Something very, very delicious.

Read-a-Thon Update: Drabble mini-challenge

2010-04-10T15:24:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time--for that is how all stories should begin--there was a boy who lost his mother. What is it about this first line that makes it stick in my head, a line that I can remember even when the date or the location of my keys escapes me? What is it about this simple line that makes me smile a little inside and take comfort that the story following will be so good? The simple twenty words call to me from my bookshelf, begging to be read just one more time. I hear the pages rustling my name.

Hour 8 mini challenge hosted @ Midnight Book Girl

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 6 & 7

2010-04-10T15:14:00.000-04:00

Currently Reading: Are We There Yet? by David Levithan
Number of books read since you started:

Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Pages read since last update: 88
Running total of pages read since you started: 438
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour 30 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 4 hours, 35 minutes
Mini-challenges completed:

Still waiting for Ethan to come back with my delicious snacks. The cats are still snuggled. I could really go for ~~a cigarette~~ some chocolate right about now.

I'm really enjoying Are We There Yet? by David Levithan. I may have been the only person who didn't like Boy Meets Boy, but I'm happy to see that was just a fluke.

Just for fun, here's one of my favorite photographs.

Read-a-Thon: Sentence Mini-Challenge

2010-04-10T13:51:00.001-04:00

College girl, everything is illuminated in the woods.

Sounds like the refrain of a folk song, like,

hey! college girl,

everything is illuminated

in the woods

you'll see everything

you never thought you could be

Or something like that. Maybe.

hosted @ Bart's Bookshelf

Read-a-Thon: Hours 4 & 5

2010-04-10T13:36:00.000-04:00

Title of book(s) read since last update: Ella Enchanted
Number of books read since you started: 2
Pages read since last update: 247
Running total of pages read since you started: 344
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 3 hours, 5 minutes
Mini-challenges completed: Hour One

My lovely boyfriend made me a delicious brunch--I have a weakness for egg and cheese sandwiches. He also made me some coffee which finally woke me up a bit. Now he's out buying me snacks. I should give him an award for Best Read-a-Thon errand runner/breakfast maker.

Also, the cats had a random chasing fight that ended up with poor Gino losing a hunk of hair. Now they are cuddling. Weirdos.

Next up: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 2 & 3

2010-04-10T10:58:00.000-04:00

Title of book(s) read since last update: Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
Number of books read since you started: 1
Pages read since last update: 97
Running total of pages read since you started: 97
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Mini-challenges completed: Hour 1

I was a bit underwhlemed by Allison's book, which is definitely surprising since I love her other work.

Now I'm working on Ella Enchanted, which seems promising despite the mom death in the first chapter.

I still haven't had my coffee. Or breakfast. Oops!

Read-a-Thon: Hour 1 Mini-Challenge

2010-04-10T09:12:00.002-04:00

Hello, hello! I just got up after hitting the snooze for a good hour and twenty minutes--oops. It was some much needed extra sleep, though, and I'm up now and ready to get started. (I just yawned like three times in a row. Coffee is very, very necessary.)

Hour 1 mini-challenge:

Where are you reading from today?

Boston, Massachusetts

3 facts about me … I really, really love lists. I am currently craving some Dunkin' Donuts french vanilla coffee. I have a mole on the wrist of my right hand that I used to try to scare other kids with.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? See, now that's funny. I have a lot in the pile, but mostly just to comfort myself with all the options.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? I would really like to read maybe 6 books (including young adult and graphic novels) and visit a bunch of blogs. We'll see!

I'm going to try reading for about two hours and then blogging/reading other blogs for one or two hours. I'm going to go start reading! (Dorothy Allison's Two or Three Things I Know For Sure)

Read-a-Thon, I'm Ready For You: A Post in Lists

2010-04-09T22:59:00.001-04:00

Why I'm Excited for Tomorrow

The spring Read-a-Thon, which, luckily, isn't a) during my birthday weekend, and b) the same day as 1) a company-wide annual meeting and 2) the first annual Boston Book Festival
Since this is the second read-a-thon I've participated in, I finally know that other bloggers weren't exaggerating when they suggested preparing snacks and getting short, happy books. I made the poor decision to read Olive Kitteridge last time at like 3 am; it was a great book, but it made me cry and I had to go to bed.

Why There are So Many Books on My Library Shelves

I wanted to be prepared! I'm hoping to read maybe 6 total, including the graphic novels, so I need plenty of choices to avoid crankiness.

Quick Notes on My Book Possibilities

Top Shelf:

Mean Little Deaf Queer: A Memoir by Terry Galloway: I love the title, and it's nominated for the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir/Biography.
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan C. Bradley: I was #1 on the hold list to get this from the library. I take a certain pride in that.
American Nerd: The Story of My People by Benjamin Nugent: Best title kind of ever.
Flight: A Novel by Sherman Alexie: I have a bit of a nerd crush on Alexie. He's just SO. GOOD.
Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore: The only Moore book left to read!
Likewise: The High School Comic Chronicles of Ariel Schrag by Ariel Schrag: Also up for the Lambda Literary award for Lesbian Memoir/Biography.
Fables: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham
The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd: ...this one's up for the Lambda Literary award for LGBT Children's/Young Adult. Do you sense a theme here?
Holes by Louis Sachar: A book I've been meaning to read for a long time. I thought it might fit the bill tomorrow.
Wench: A Novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson: I read the sequel, I might as well read the, uh, prequel, right?
Are We There Yet? by David Levithan: Giving the guy another chance. Why not.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle: I've never ever read this. Maybe tomorrow will be the day.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine: Seeing the movie without reading the book makes me feel guilty.

Bottom Shelf

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan: I probably won't end up reading this at all, unless someone assures me the Mom doesn't die.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan: Now that it's officially out **COUGHCOUGH** I guess I don't have to feel guilty about reading it.
Alfred Applebee, nook: On stand-by, as always.
The Witch Doctor's Wife by Tamar Myers: Impulse borrow.
Geography Club by Brent Hartinger: Features a gay teen. This cover is ridiculous. I want to give him a hug and a "gay is okay!" button.
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan: My boss told me to read this. I'm going to, because, uh, she's my boss.
Dress Reversal by Stefan Petrucha (Nancy Drew Manga series): I have a feeling it might give me a frowny face.
Two Or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison: The only book of her's I haven't read.

Okay, so, that's a lot of books. Reading even half of them just isn't possible for me, so please don't think I'm bragging. I'm just...picky.

Although, if you can find a read-a-thon list with more GLBT titles, I'll give you a cookie. Or something.

In Which I Me(e)t Christopher Moore and Look Awful In a Photo

2010-04-07T23:10:00.001-04:00

The first Christopher Moore book I read was Fool, which I borrowed, on a whim, from the Boston Public Library. It led to ridiculous amounts of giggling and reaffirmed my love for footnotes; it also sent me on a mission to read all his other books (as of right now, I have only Coyote Blue left to read!) I haven't loved all of them, but I appreciate the writing and he usually can make me laugh at least twice.

He was at my favorite bookstore last week, so I figured, what the heck, bought his new book, Bite Me, got it signed, and had a rather unfortunate photo taken with him.

What I learned on this occasion:
1. Do not drink a very large (hot!) latte when you have to stand in line for three-ish hours. You will get unreasonably warm and have to pee.
2. During readings, be sure to not sit in front of fans who will discuss, in detail, every minute detail of every book the author you are seeing has written--particularly if the person you happen to be with has not read any of the books.
3. Moore is, thankfully, not a jerk. I was a little worried.

Review: Dexter in the Dark (audio)

2010-04-05T20:33:00.003-04:00

Dexter In the Dark

by Jeff Lindsay

Narrated by Nick Landrum

Published 2007

12.75 hours

Completed April 2, 2010

It's difficult for me to admit, but the Dexter Morgan series is one of the rare adaptations that works better on screen. The credit for that goes to the writers from Showtime and the amazing ~~David Fisher~~Michael C. Hall, who skillfully brings Dexter to life--which is ironic, considering that Dexter would love nothing more than to put an end to other people's lives. (Please excuse my weak attempt at mimicking Dex's humor.)

This post, however, is not meant to be a place for me to rave about the TV show or Showtime or even my secret boyfriend. This post is to whine a bit about the direction Jeff Lindsay decided to take in the third installment of his series. Although Dexter In the Dark received mostly positive reviews, I was slightly outraged and not a little put off by the introduction of a surprise!paranormal element regarding the reasoning behind Dexter's and other serial killers' urges to kill. Why, oh, why?

Here is a brief summary of my mental response to the change of story:

Me: La dee da da dee daaah WHAAA? Really? Seriously? Boo! Hiss!

Here is an excellent artistically rendered image of what my face looked like at the time:

Can't you just feel the disappointment?

Ahem.

On the Narration: Nick Landrum manages to give the literary Dexter Morgan a voice befitting everyone's favorite alliteration-loving, cold-blooded serial killer. Dexter in the Dark would have been a real struggle to finish in print form, but with Landrum's help I managed to get through the lengthy audio in two days. Thanks, Nick.

Grade: B-

Recommended: Unless you're like me and have to read all the books in a series, no matter how painful some of them are, I suggest reading the first two, skipping this one, and going on to the fourth book.

Disclosure: I purchased this audio book through Audible.com

Absolute April

2010-04-01T19:40:00.005-04:00

Now that the crisis-filled March is over, I want to get back into the groove of posting/writing. So, as a personal challenge to myself, I've decided to try to review every book I read in April--kind of a big deal for me, since I reviewed a whopping 0 books of the 26 I read in March.

My fingers (and maybe even my toes) are crossed in hope that I can do this. At least I made a cute button for it!

I'm going to keep a list of the books I read from April 1st to the 30th here, and update with links to the reviews when they've been posted.

1. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay, audio
2. Memoir: A History by Ben Yagoda
3. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay, audio
4. War Dances by Sherman Alexie
5. In Mike We Trust by P. E. Ryan
6. Bite Me by Christopher Moore
7. Two or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison
8. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
9. Are We There Yet? by David Levithan
10. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle
11. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
12. Fables: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham
13. Geography Club by Brent Hartinger
14. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, audio
15. Mean Little Deaf Queer: A Memoir by Terry Galloway
16. I Am A Genius Of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Leib, audio
17. Flight by Sherman Alexie
18. Hocus Pocus by Kurt Vonnegut, audio
19. The Cat Ate My Gym Suit by Paula Danzinger, audio
20. Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh, audio

March Round Up

2010-04-01T13:22:00.000-04:00

Beware the rains of March.

Totals

15 Print

General Fiction: 3

Graphic Novel: 3

Mystery: 1

Young Adult: 6

Non-Fiction: 2 (1 Memoir)

11 Audio

Classics: 1

General Fiction: 3

Mystery: 1

Young Adult: 6

Total: 26

3 books read by a single author (tie): Christopher Moore and Jacqueline Woodson. I'm trying to read their complete works. I have two more Moore books (hahaha!) to read (Coyote Blues and Bite Me, the new one) and about a bajillion more from Woodson. One day.
12 new-to-me authors: I'm sad to say that only one of these books really stood out to me; Pedro & Me, Judd Winick's graphic memoir of his friendship with fellow Real World housemate Pedro Zamora. I read this for March's GLBT mini-challenge, but with all the hubbub with the rain and the moving and, you know know, life, I failed to write a real review of it. Maybe this month. The biggest disappointment was Amanda Grange's Mr. Knightley's Diary, wherein the author managed to take one of my favorite Austen characters and remove all his charm, intelligence, and likability.
Unintentional trend: I read/listened to a whopping six books with multiple narrators/points of view.

In Which I Have to Move Unexpectedly

2010-03-24T23:57:00.001-04:00

Henry with (some of) our books, in their temporary home.

Last weekend it rained a lot in Massachusetts, possibly Mother Nature's retaliation for our ONE snow storm during the winter. I can understand her frustration, and I would have been completely fine with the rain IF a) I didn't live in a garden level apartment and b) I had floors that could better handle 10000 inches of rain (I may be exaggerating, but still!). Unfortunately for me, I was missing both A and B, so I was very much not fine with the inch or so of water that started coming up from my carpet. I had to wear rain boots in my living room/dining room (I live in the city, don't judge).

So, I whined a bit, as I am doing now, and the management of my condo complex was like "Oh hey! we'll wet vac and bring you a dehumidifier!" and I was all "HUMPH." As my lovely little pond began to dry, the awful, hold-your-nose-so-you-don't-vomit smell came, and I was all "No way Jose!" (Disclaimer: I did not really say that. I have nothing against Jose, and I used many more expletives.) This was Thursday.

Friday afternoon I get an email telling me I can either move down the hall or have the carpet shampooed. I, in my infinite wisdom, chose to move. Over the weekend. By Monday.

Don't ever do that.

My new apartment is crowded with things (although I did decide to get rid of about 75% of my books--still trying not to hyperventilate about that one) and I feel a bit zombie-like and cranky (perhaps I need...brains? Ha?). But the new place is dry and smell-free, so I suppose I can't really complain. I just need to sleep for about three days.

Lambda Literary Awards--Finalists Announced

2010-03-17T22:33:00.000-04:00

http://www.lambdaliterary.org/datastream/news/03/16/finalists-announced-for-the-22nd-annual-lambda-literary-awards/#more-752Okay, so there are 113 finalists in 23 categories, but still. I love lists, and I've actually read quite a few of the books listed (read: two or three).

I may or may not be adding heavily to my TBR pile.

Quick Hit: The Devil's Arithmetic

2010-03-14T22:10:00.000-04:00

I must have read and re-read The Devil's Arithmetic about twenty times when I was in fifth grade. I used to get in trouble for reading it in class, where I'd hide the book under my desk. I can remember the whole story (almost) perfectly, but somehow I can't remember minor details about To Kill a Mockingbird, which I read only once during my Junior year of high school and loved just as much.

I suppose the easy explanation is that I, you know, read it about twenty times, but fifth grade was so many more years ago!

And according to IMDB, The Devil's Arithmetic was a TV movie?? With Kirsten Dunst?? I was so much happier before I knew that.

February Round Up

2010-03-02T23:20:00.002-05:00

photo from kretyen @flickr / CC BY 2.0

By the Numbers...

7 Young Adult
4 Graphic Novels                                       Audio:
4 Non-Fiction
3 General Fiction                             5 General Fiction
2 Classics                                              1 Young Adult
___________________                   ___________________
Total: 20 Books                           Total: 6 Books
# of Pages: 4,787                                     Listening Hours: 51

58% written by women, 42% written by men
78% from the library, 22% owned

Reviews...

How Beautiful the Ordinary edited by Michael Cart
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
Black Girl/White Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
The House You Pass On the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Completed Challenge!

Four Month Challenge
Completed!
220/260 points

Without this challenge I would probably never have read Confederates In the Attic by Tony Horwitz or A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, books I really enjoyed but had no previous motivation to read. Needless to say, I loved this challenge--in no small part because it was a true "challenge" for me.

Martina at She Read a Book is hosting a new Four Month Challenge, beginning this month. Check it out.

Review: The House You Pass on the Way

2010-02-27T20:49:00.000-05:00

The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson
Penguin Books (SPEAK imprint)
Published 1997
114 pages
Finished Reading February 11, 2010

I first heard of Jacqueline Woodson when I read her short story in How Beautiful the Ordinary, and while her addition was not my favorite, I was intrigued to read more of her work. It seemed obvious to start with The House You Pass On the Way, the winner of the Coretta Scott King award and perhaps her best known work.

Woodson manages to explore several Big Topics here: coming of age, the importance of family, and the search for identity. It's a quietly complex, beautiful little story, without being over-dramatic, preachy, or heavy handed--no small feat when you consider all of the questions/topics raised. She manages to prompt critical thinking and disucssion in only 128 pages, in a way that many authors aren't able to do with much longer stories.

I've been stuck on this review for a couple weeks now, because all I really want to write about is this quote:

"Nobody ever told me I had to hide it," Staggerlee said. "I think I just told myself. I read this book once where this woman fell in love with another woman and she couldn't deal with it, so she jumped off this cliff. It scared me[...]" -- p. 88

Throughout the novel, Staggerlee is grappling with the feelings she has for girls. She's nervous and unsure, and despite having a loving, close family, doesn't discuss any of her fears with them. Kids and teens like Staggerlee are the reason we need more positive representations of GLBT people in novels. While a novel can be good literature and have, for instance, a lesbian character who commits suicide, there also needs to be books with POSITIVE endings, where identities are reaffirmed, where gay and lesbian relationships work out in the end, where characters find a queer community, where families love and accept their GLBT children. Thankfully, there are books like this, but we need to emphasize the importance of reading positively. Many kids don't know anyone who is gay or lesbian or bisexual and/or trans, and it's important that their are POSITIVE representations of these people. I'm not saying there shouldn't be sad endings or heartbreaking stories; I'm saying we need to place value on affirmation.

In summary... Read this book. It will not take you very long and it will make you (and me!) very happy.

Grade: A

For GLBT mini-challenge

Review: Black Girl/White Girl (audio)

2010-02-14T13:42:00.003-05:00

Black Girl/White Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
BBC Audiobooks America, 2006
Nine hours
Finished Reading February 4, 2010

I don't like to do this, but here's the Indie Bound summary of this novel:

In 1975 Genna Hewett-Meade's college roommate died a mysterious, violent death partway through their freshman year. Minette Swift had been assertive, fiercely individualistic, and one of the few black girls at their exclusive, "enlightened" college—and Genna, daughter of a prominent civil defense lawyer, felt duty-bound to protect her at all costs. But fifteen years later, while reconstructing Minette's tragic death, Genna is forced to painfully confront her own past life and identity...and her deepest beliefs about social obligation in a morally gray world.

The summary on Amazon is similar. I'm consistently amazed when the "official" summary of a book is so different from the actual story. In this case, it's an instance of what's implied v. what is real; a lie of omission. I've been thinking of how to synopsize Black Girl/White Girl and came up with only one word: obsession. Genna, as the "daughter of a prominent civil defense lawyer," has been raised in a white Liberal bubble, which, combined with unchecked privilege, leads to a fetishistic obsession with black culture and African-American people. When she goes off to college, she goes out of her way to live in the Scholarship dorm (with the assumption there will be more people of color) and ask for a non-white roommate. She gets Minette Swift, the daughter of a prominent Washington D.C. preacher, as a roommate, and believes that they are going to be best friends, despite a) not having anything in common with Minette, b) Minette's outright dismissal of any attempts on Genna's part to become friends, and c) that Genna's sole goal is to have "a black friend," as opposed to, say, being friends with Minette for who she is.

It is clear to the reader that Minette has no desire whatsoever to become friends with Genna, but Genna thinks it's only because of her whiteness, and therefore no fault of her own--even though Minette shows no interest in becoming friends with the other women in their dorm, no matter their race. This refusal of friendship leads the other women to give up on friendly overtures to Minette, but Genna doesn't take it that way. She defends Minette at all costs. Once Minette begins to be the victim of racist attacks, Genna thinks it's her duty to protect her.

This story line is thoroughly thought provoking, but the subplot between Genna and her parents seems like a last minute add-on. I think this book would be great for a book club or discussion because of all the questions it raises. Minette is a great if ultimately, unsympathetic character, because she is not at all what one would expect--she is not the saint that Genna, and perhaps the reader, expects her to be. She is multi-dimensional without falling back on stereotypes. I think it raises a lot of important questions about white privilege, white Liberalism (yes, with a capital L), and the enduring underlying racism in progressive circles.

In summary... Be prepared to be creeped out at the end. I suggest reading this if you have someone to discuss it with afterward because it will make the reading experience much fuller.

Grade: a solid B, mostly because of the weak subplot.

Quick Quote: bell hooks

2010-02-09T12:38:00.002-05:00

Again and again, I have to insist that feminist solidarity rooted in a commitment to progressive politics must include a space for rigorous critique, for dissent, or we are doomed to reproduce in progressive communities the very forms of domination we seek to oppose.

--bell hooks, "Censorship From left and Right" from

Outlaw Culture:Resisting Representations. (p. 67)

Masterpiece Theatre Presents Emma

2010-02-08T20:45:00.003-05:00

My long standing refusal to have anything to do with one Jane Austen subsided a bit last year when I agreed to watch the Ang Lee-directed, Emma Thompson-adapted screenplay of Sense and Sensibility (I mean, Alan Rickman was in it!). Of course, after I watched the movie I had to read the book. I'm sure you can understand that. I was a bit partial to Elinor because of my partiality to Emma Thompson, and I enjoyed the book thoroughly because of it. Or so I thought. Then, I figured I might as well read Pride & Prejudice, because, well, why not?

Oops.

Over the past three weeks I have been completely sucked in to the new Masterpiece Theatre mini-series "Emma." After the first two hour installment, I picked up the book--well, okay, I downloaded the Google books version on my nook. Whatever. I'm sure Austen would understand. Or maybe she would just be completely confused by the technology, but that's not my point! My point is that I loved it, and now that the mini-series is over, I can say I very much enjoyed that, too. Just not in the same way.

Spoiler-y, of course. Proceed at your own risk.

The (Very) Good

Romola Garai as Emma. Perfect.
The estates and the town of Highbury were wonderfully cozy and lovely.
Mr. Knightley and Emma's first dance together was charming, but also authentically country. They're not in London, after all.
The perfect chemistry between Mrs. Weston and Emma. Mrs. Weston, while maybe not as reserved as I might have thought, oozed motherlyness. (I refuse to admit that is not a word.)
They included everything! Kind of. Okay, not exactly, but much more than a major production would have. Hurrah for PBS!

Nit Picky McPickertons

Mrs. Elton did NOT get enough lines. She was my favorite (in a bad way) character. I missed all her ridiculousness during the strawberry picking at Donwell. She was annoying, but not as wonderfully annoying as in the book.
When Emma goes to Mrs. Weston in a panic to discover the news of Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax, she REFERS TO MR. KNIGHTLEY AS KNIGHTLEY. As we know from that long passage at the end of the book, she refuses to call him that even after they are married!
I kind of wanted to see or hear Emma totally denounce Harriet. Oh well.

If you missed the original airing, you can watch the whole thing at PBS's website. I linked through the picture.

I blame book bloggers for making me reconsider my position on Jane Austen. Boo hoo to you all. (And thanks!)

P.S. I may or may not be getting a head start on Northanger Abbey, which is airing this coming Sunday. Ahem.

Review: Kindred

2010-02-02T22:47:00.001-05:00

Kindred by Octavia Butler
Beacon Press 25th Anniversary Edition
Originally Published 1979 by Doubleday
264 pages
Finished Reading January 29, 2010

Dana is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her husband in their Los Angeles apartment. The year is 1976--until it's not. The first time Dana materializes somewhere else, she saves a young boy from drowning only to have a gun pointed at her by his father. On the next occasion, she meets the same boy, slightly older, and saves him from burning down his house, only to discover that she is in Maryland--in 1815. The boy, whose name is Rufus, is her great-great grandfather, and she is frequently called back in time in order to save his life. The problem, however, is that Maryland in the 1800s was a slave state, and Dana, as a black woman, is considered the property of Rufus, the white man.

This book made me want to vomit. Usually this is grounds for me to not end up liking a book, but somehow, Kindred made me want to vomit in a "holy crap this is tramautizing and amazing and disgusting and wonderfuly written" kind of way. While there are a few brutal scenes, I wouldn't say it's overly graphic; the psychological aspect of someone living a nightmare is enough. This is the first book I have read by Butler, and I was struck by how modern it felt despite having been written over thirty years ago. The characters are fully developed, the writing is flawless, and Big Questions are raised without feeling preachy.

In summary... a powerful, striking feminist classic. I remain in awe of Octavia Butler. Pick this one up.

Grade: A

Review: How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity

2010-02-01T22:42:00.004-05:00

Edited by Michael Cart

Published by HarperTeen, 2009
369 pages

How Beautiful the Ordinary is a collection of short stories that tackles issues faced by GLBT youth, in the tradition of the now-classic 1995 anthology Am I Blue? Coming Out From the Silence. In fact, several of the same authors contribute stories here, including Francesca Lia Block, Gregory Maguire, and Jacqueline Woodson.

The Good

I am particularly pleased that the subtitle includes “identity,” which seems so much more flexible and open-ended than the traditional "GLBT."
David Levithan's story "A Word From the Nearly Distant Past," a message from the older generation to the new, is beautiful and, I think, makes How Beautiful the Ordinary necessary for adult collections as well. The title of the collection is derived from it, as is the quote on the back of the book:

Freedom isn't just about voting and marrying and kissing on the street, although all of these things are important. Freedom is also about what you will allow yourself to do.

"My Virtual World" by Francesca Lia Block, written as a series of e-mails between a girl and a young trans man. So many real issues are raised in this short story, but it doesn't come across as heavy handed. I found it touching and pleasantly surprising.
"Dear Lang" by Emma Donoghue, a letter from a non-birth mom to her lost daughter from a previous relationship.

The So-So

"Trev" by Jacqueline Woodson: Some people will love this story. It's an important topic and a well written, good story, but it's also the ubiquitous trans narrative.

The...Not So Good

"Dyke March" by Ariel Schrag: Written in graphic form. I found a couple of the panels offensive.

In summary... a good, modern collection of stories. Check this one out, if only for the David Levithan story.

Grade (Overall): B

For GLBT Challenge & Four Month Challenge

Also reviewed more substantially at QueerYA.

January: Wherein My Least Favorite Month Comes To a Close

2010-01-31T13:05:00.002-05:00

On January 29, 2003, my mom died of breast cancer. I was 16. I am not particularly fond of January or cancer, but continue to have a soft spot for moms. This year, I donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in her memory, with the hope that someday in the near future, a cure will be found and no one else will have to go through what I have over the past seven years.

Now, on to happier subjects. I am a bit embarrassed by how many books I managed to finish this month, not only because of the number (which is far more than I was reading when I was unemployed)but because I have absolutely no idea how it happened. I've been working full time, spending time with the boyfriend, making dinner, even going to bed early. The logical explanation is that I picked books that I was interested in, and were therefore quick reads, but I'd like to think it had something to do with a magical butterfly who gave me speed-reading abilities. Or something.

Audiobooks

Lost In a Good Book by Jasper Fforde, 2002: I finally started the Thursday Next series at the end of 2009 in order to keep the peace in my house(Ethan's a big fan), and I continued, with audio this time, and the narrator is wonderful. I found myself getting a bit impatient near the end, but over all a solid listen--great for accompaniment while filing at work!
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett, 1990: Ever notice unintentional trends in your reading? After listening to Christopher Moore's Lamb and reading R. Crumb's graphic interpretation of Genesis, I used my Audible.com credit to download Good Omens, a rather hysterical story of the Apocalypse. Should I begin referring to myself as a fan of humorous interpretations of Biblical stories?
Until It's Over by Nicci French, 2007: I downloaded this on a whim at work, and had to force myself to finish it. I am the worst solver of mysteries (except while playing Clue, I'm great at that), and even I knew who the murderer was within the first quarter of the book.
Alchemyst: The Immortal Nicholas Flammel by Michael Scott, 2008: Not for me. Was there even a story line here?
Well Of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde, 2003: Best Fforde book so far. Excellently paced, great villian, and even amusing puns (yes, it's possible)!

Classics

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, 1843. nook. (Four Month Challenge): This is the first time I ever read anything by Dickens--somehow he was overlooked during high school. I was amazed by how funny it was. I'm actually looking forward to reading Great Expectations now. And yes, Miss Havershim's appearance in the Thursday Next series has helped as well.
Emma by Jane Austen, 1815. nook: I decided to read this after watching the first third of the new PBS Masterpiece Theater movie. It was nice to finally read an Austen novel where the women aren't destitute, and Mrs. Elton may have made my "Characters You Love to Hate" list.

Non-Fiction

Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards, 2009. Owned. Heartbreaking.
Lynnee Breedlove's One Freak Show, 2008. Owned. (GLBT Challenge): Very amusing.
Confederates In the Attic: Dispatches From the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz, 1998. From BPL. (Four Month Challenge): So much to say and no idea how to say it. Read this book, or I'll consider you a farb.

Graphic Novels

American Born Chinese by Luen Gene Yang, 2006. (Four Month Challenge): A story in three parts about friendship, race, and accepting who you are. Excellent.
A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn, 2008: Oh Howard Zinn, how we will miss you. No one makes history as accessible and interesting as he did.
Arab In America by Toufic El Rassi, 2008: Why is it that when it comes to books I really liked, I have no idea what to say about them except "read this."
Fables: Legends In Exile by Bill Willingham, 2002: I have a weakness for reinterpretations of fairy tales. This one is particularly good.

Young Adult

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, 2007. (2010 Challenge): The highest praise I can give is that I can't wait to read more by Alexie.
Flowers In the Attic by V.C. Andrews, 1979. (Four Month Challenge): I think I originally read this book in fourth or fifth grade, and, upon rereading it, I was happy to still find it enjoyable.
Liar by Justine Larbalestier, 2009. (2010 Challenge): I think this would be a great book for a teen book club because of all the unanswered questions.
Not the Only One: Lesbian and Gay Fiction for Teens edited by Tony Grima, 1995. (GLBT Challenge): I thought one of the stories was quite good, but there the ratio of good to what the hell is going on was not at all favorable.
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin, 2007: Great premise, poor execution.
Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst, 2007. (2010 Challenge): Second best reinterpretation of the seven dwarfs--first place, of course, is held by The Book of Lost Things.
How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity edited by Michael Cart, 2009. (GLBT Challenge): I find David Levithan to be hit (Realm of Possibility) or miss (Boy Meets Boy) with me, but his short story in this collection is beautiful. I also really liked Jacqueline Woodson's story, Trev.
Getting the Girl by Markus Zusak, 2003: Average. Still much prefer I Am the Messenger.

Fiction, Misc.

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde, 2005: A cozy mystery series for book nerds written by a reliable author. Thanks, Fforde.
The Witness For the Prosecution and Other Stories by Agatha Christie, 1948: I'm on a secret mission to read all of Christie's classic works.
MASH by Robert Hooker, 1968: I love the TV show and Alan Alda's Hawkeye, and while the book and the literary version of Hawkeye are nothing like the TV show, I loved it, too.
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, 1979: I think this book is going to break my blogging block. So amazing. I want everyone to read it and discuss it with me.
The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde, 2006: It's good to be in safe hands.

29% written by authors of color (excluding the short story collections)
44% written by non-American writers (mostly thanks to Jasper Fforde)
36% written by British writers (mostly thanks to Jasper Fforde)
3 books I wish people would read and talk to me about
2 books about war
1 book which will make my Best of the Year list

GLBT Mini-Challenge 1

2010-01-10T12:30:00.002-05:00

As a teenager, I used to Ask Jeeves (remember him?) "How do you know you're gay?" I had all of these feelings I didn't understand and I was absolutely terrified. I didn't know any gay people, I didn't see any on tv or read about them in books; I just had a general impression of what gay people were like from my classmates and bits of overheard conversations.

Of course, no web search would tell me if I was gay or not. It's not as if there's a simple test, like, "Do you like the color mauve? If so, you are a flaming homosexual." I was pretty sure being gay and out meant that your life was horrible, you were constantly harassed, and you had to move either to the city or out to the country where no one was around so you wouldn't be killed.

Then I went to college in Boston and met a girl who I started dating about three days after we arrived (no Uhaul was involved and she wasn't my roommate). In a journal from that time, I would write long entries about how I wished I could be straight and how much easier life would be and blah blah blah. That journal, looking back, is terribly depressing--and, to my now grown-up self, super frustrating. How could I believe such things?

My growth to acceptance and then love of myself and who I am is indebted to books . If only I had known, as a young teen, that books like Annie On My Mind or Patience and Sarah or even The Well Of Loneliness existed! While my identity has changed over the years, from identifying as a lesbian and now as a queer, and as a femme, these books are the foundation of my understanding, acceptance, and love. And I read on.

BTT: Gifts

2010-01-09T17:01:00.001-05:00

A little late, but:

Barbara wants to know:
What books did you get for Christmas (or whichever holiday you may have celebrated last month)?
Do you usually ask for books on gift-giving occasions or do you prefer to buy them yourself?

Having two close relatives who work at bookstores, I usually receive at least a couple books for Christmas. This past year, however, with the explosion of my reading, I had foresight enough to create an Amazon wishlist, but was still pleasantly surprised. I asked mostly for non-fiction, because I tend to not buy them for myself.

English History Made Brief, Irreverent, and Pleasurable by Lacey Baldwin Smith: I've become a bit (just a little bit!) of an Anglophile, and this small volume seems to be a good place to start. (And it has little cartoons! Yay cartoons.)

The Children of Henry VII by Alison Weir: My knowledge in this category is approximately 2%. I will learn!

Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt by H.W. Brands: Oh, this one's only about 900 pages. I will probably read it in small chunks in order to get through it all.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir: Yeah, I'm going to know a lot about Henry VIII's relatives when I'm done with all of these, huh?

When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present by Gail Collins: Looking forward to her take on the second wave of feminism, somewhat dreading her take on the third wave.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: I've never read this classic, and I'm glad to finally own it. Also, my 16 year old brother picked it out for me, and that makes me smile.

In a Perfect World by Laura Kasischke: My brothers also picked this one out, so I kind of have to read it.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis: I've only ever read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and I'm looking forward to reading the whole series.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson: My friend who lives in Denmark brought me this contraband, which is, of course, not yet released in the states. Unfortunately I still haven't managed to get the nerve to finish The Girl Who Played With Fire. (By the way, this book cost 229.95 kronar.)

My wonderful boyfriend gave me quite the Christmas surprise this year: he organized my (usually unable to be organized) family, and everyone pitched in to get me a nook. I'm still in awe. So far I've only read a couple of newspapers and A Christmas Carol on it because I'm still a bit tentative.

If anything, this post has reminded me I need to get my thank you notes out asap!

In Between: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2010-01-09T15:54:00.000-05:00

"At the hospital, my mother wept and wailed. She'd lost her other. When anybody, no matter how old they are, loses a parent, I think it hurts the same as if you were only five years old, you know? I think all of us are always five years old in the presence and absence of our parents."

--page 157

I am loving this book. Like John Green, you can tell Alexie respects teens, which, in a young adult writer, is an attribute that can turn a good book great. And, with the added cool factor of having had his book banned or attempted to be banned in several schools, I think The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian will become a modern classic. The National Book Award win doesn't hurt either.

(Also, there are quotes from Neil Gaiman, Amy Sedaris, and Alison Bechdel on the back. How can you argue with that?)

2009 Round Up In a Simple Survey

2010-01-02T13:12:00.002-05:00

I saw this meme at Fizzy Thoughts, and she found it at This Book and I Could Be Friends.

How many books read in 2009?

I read 137 books and listened to 24, a total of 161.

How many works of fiction and non-fiction?

16 non-fiction
149 fiction
While it was my goal to read more fiction, since before 2009 I was more of a non-fiction person, I plan on reading at least 25 non-fiction books this year.

Male/Female author ratio?

68:93, or 42% and 58%.

Favorite book of 2009?

Fiction: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
Non-Fiction: The Working Poor by David K. Shippler
And of course, both are highly recommended.

Least favorite?

According to my absurd grading system, Scott Westerfeld's Specials and Julia Hyzy's Hail to the Chef both received Ds, the lowest grade I gave (does not include books I didn't finish). In Westerfeld's defense, however, I did enjoy the other two books in the Uglies trilogy. Hyzy gets no such disclaimer: her cozy mystery series about a chef at the White House was a good idea badly executed.

Any that you simply couldn’t finish and why?

So many, and I didn't keep track. Although I did have to abandon the audio book for The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs because of the surprise! mom/cancer/death deal. Not necessarily a bad book, just not a plot twist I appreciate.

Oldest book read?

Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen, published 1811.

Newest?

Truly, Madly by Heather Webber, which will be published in February.

Longest and shortest book titles?

The longest, without doubt, was There Once Was a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbor's Baby: Scary Fairy Tales by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya. Phew.
Christopher Moore's Lamb and Fool; Laurie Halse Anderson's Prom.

Longest and shortest books?

Longest: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling, 870 pages
Shortest: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, 114 pages

How many from the library?

132. I love the Boston Public Library.

Any translated books?

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson, translated from the Sweedish.
There Once Was a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbor's Baby: Scary Fairy Tales by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya, a short story collection, translated from the Russian.
Inkheart by Cordelia Flulke, translated from the German.

Most read author of the year, and how many books by that author?

I am rather amazed to say Charlaine Harris, with 20 books. Her books are like twizzlers: tasty at first, but leave you with a bit of a stomach ache.

Any re-reads?

I read and re-read the Harry Potter series.

Favorite character of the year?

Biff from Lamb
Lisbeth Salander from Girl With a Dragon Tattoo

Which countries did you go to through the page in your year of reading?

England, Ireland, Sweeden, Israel, India, South Africa, Germany, Russia, Iran, Australia, Nigeria

Which book wouldn’t you have read without someone’s specific recommendation?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, which was recommended by basically every book blogger, but I didn't really like, save the ending. I also read I am the Messenger, which I did really like, save the ending.

Which author was new to you in 2009 that you now want to read the entire works of?

Christopher Moore, who makes me laugh.
Jane Austen, who I have finally given a chance.

Which books are you annoyed you didn’t read?

I'm disappointed I didn't read anything by Dickens, but I plan on fixing that this year.

Did you read any books you have always been meaning to read?

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Brave New World by Aldus Huxley
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Agatha Christie

I didn't love them, per se, but I'm glad I can finally, honestly say I read them.

Division of Genres:
52 Young Adult
39 Fiction
30 Mysteries
16 Non-Fiction
12 Graphic Novels
6 Short Story collections
6 Classics

Goals for Next Year:

Read Canterbury Tales
Read at least 30 books I own
Read more books from around the world
Write and publish at least 50 reviews

GLBT 2010 Challenge

2010-01-01T20:19:00.010-05:00

Okay, I'm caving--it was only a matter of time. Amanda from the Zen Leaf is once again hosting the Challenge That Dare Not Speak Its Name (thanks for that clever phrase, Lord Alfred Douglas), only this time it has it's own fancy blog and will have monthly mini-challenges, which should make it that much more fun.

There are three levels of participation, and I'll be taking on the Rainbow level of reading 12 or more books. I have a bunch of owned-but-unread GLBTQ books I'd like to read, and this challenge will be helpful in making that happen. In fact, until this year, the majority of books I read were queer non-fiction.

In honor of this great challenge, here's my top five(ish) recommendations.

Full disclosure: they all have happy(ish) endings--no Well Of Loneliness here (I'm still shaking my fist at you, Radcliffe Hall), all are by GLBTQ authors, and all of them have a special place in my heart (but if you don't like them, I promise I won't take it personally).

1. Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg: Required reading within the queer community, Feinberg's semi-autobiographical first novel is an excellent account of what it was like to be a butch lesbian in the 1950s. This is a realistic, heartwrenching tale from someone who was there and lived the experience. Warning: crying is highly probable, but there's an optimistic ending. (I also recommend Feinberg's non-fiction Transgender Warriors.)

2. Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden (YA): This was my first girlfriend's favorite book, and the first lesbian novel I ever read. It's beautiful, timeless, and deserves to be read. (Side note: the new cover is awful. I much prefer this one.)

3. Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg: One of the most angering book-to-movie de-gayings I've ever seen. Try the book and read between the lines, and don't believe Mary Stuart Masterson's attempt to convince you Idgie and Ruth were "just friends." (Somewhere, Fannie Flagg is on the "I didn't know she was gay!" list with Lily Tomlin.)

4. Valencia by Michelle Tea: She's a great writer, even if she is a) the biggest Gen X-er who ever Gen X-ed and b) kind of awful in real life (or at least when she's shopping in the chocolate store I worked in when I lived in Provincetown).

5. Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters: Sarah Waters is basically the Jane Austen of lesbian romance. (Nan is up there with Idgie on my list of literary crushes. Mr. Darcy is nowhere to be found.)

Bonus Non-Fiction:

Whipping Girl by Julia Serano, if you have a solid understanding of trans issues and feminism. This book blew my mind in the best way possible.
S/He by Minnie Bruce Pratt (who happens to be Leslie Feinberg's partner): I keep this one by my bed and refer to it often. Minnie Bruce is an inspiration.
Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity (anthology): My favorite essay in this collection is "Quantum Femme."

Books I've Read for this Challenge:

Not the Only One: Lesbian and Gay Fiction for Teens, edited by Tony Grima (short story collection)
Lynnee Breedlove's One Freak Show (humor)
How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity, edited by Michael Cart (short story collection)
Scarlett Takes Manhattan by Molly Crabapple and John Leavitt (naughty graphic novel)
The House You Pass On the Way by Jacqueline Woodson (young adult novel)
The Philosophy of Andy Warhol by Andy Warhol
The Last Time I Wore a Dress by [Dylan] Scholinski (memoir--Scholinski is a trans man, and began using Dylan after the memoir was published. Out of respect I use his chosen name, even though it is not the name on the book.)
Pedro & Me by Judd Winnick (graphic novel)
Behind You by Jacqueline Woodson (young adult)
Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger (young adult)
In Mike We Trust by P.E. Ryan (young adult)
Two Or Three Things I Know For Sure by Dorothy Allison (memoir)
Geography Club by Brent Hartinger (young adult)
Mean Little Deaf Queer: A Memoir by Terry Galloway (memoir)
The Family Man by Elinor Lipman (literary)
My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (young adult)
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (young adult)
The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine

Mini-Challenges Completed:

1. January: Why the Challenge Is Important
2. February: Review of The House You Pass On the Way
3. n/a
4. n/a
5. May: Transgender Non-Fiction
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

** Note: For the purpose of this challenge I have decided to only record books that feature a GLB and/or T main character. Therefore, books with only minor GLBT characters or books by GLBT authors without GLBT characters are not included.

Global Reading Challenge

2010-01-01T13:32:00.005-05:00

Global Reading Challenge

Dorte and Kerrie are hosting the 2010 Global Reading Challenge to read books from around the world. There are three different levels of participation, and I will be joining the medium level:

The Medium Challenge
Read two novels from each of these continents in the course of 2010:

Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North America (incl Central America)
South America

Try to find novels from twelve different countries or states.

Africa:
1.
2.

Asia:
1. Finding George Orwell In Burma by Emma Larkin (Burma)
2. Woman From Shanghai by Xianhui Yang (China)

Australia:
1. Getting the Girl by Markus Zusak
2. The Magnificent 12: The Call by Michael Grant

Europe:
1. The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry (Ireland)
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen (England)

North America:
1. The Three Weismanns of Westport (Connecticut, US)
2. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson (New York, US)

South America:
1.
2.

To learn more or join the challenge, visit the post about the challenge on the dedicated blog.

(Thanks to A Novel Challenge for helping me find this one.)

Books Read 2009

2009-12-31T23:59:00.003-05:00

Master List: Books Read 2009

March

Doyon, Stephanie The Greatest Man In Cedar Hole
Karlan, Dan The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived
Green, John Paper Towns
Green, John An Abundance of Katherines
Green, John Looking For Alaska
Satrapi, Marjane Chicken With Plums
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Seigel, Andrea Like the Red Panda
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

April

Loeb, Jeph Hush: Vol. 1
Loeb, Jeph Hush: Vol. 2
Miller, Frank The Dark Knight Strikes Again
Miller, Frank Batman: Year One
Miller, Frank The Dark Knight Returns
Meyer, Stephanie Eclipse (Book 3)
Meyer, Stephanie Breaking Dawn (Book 4)
Dawson, Mike Freddie & Me
Gunning, Sally Bound
Haddon, Mark A Spot of Bother
Kelter, Bill Veeps: Profiles In Insignifigance
Golding, William Lord of the Flies
Connolly, John The Book of Lost Things
Card, Orson Scott Ender's Game
Halpin, Brendan Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Gershow, Miriam The Local News
Anderson, Laurie Halse Prom
Anderson, Laurie Halse Twisted
Gunning, Sally The Widow's War
Funke, Cornelia Inkheart
Zusak, Markus I Am the Messenger
Hood, Ann The Knitting Circle
Zusak, Markus The Book Thief

May

Bennett, Alan The Uncommon Reader
Harris, Charlaine Grave Sight
Harris, Charlaine Dead Until Dark
Harris, Charlaine Grave Surprise
Anderson, Laurie Halse Wintergirls
Groff, Lauren The Monsters of Templeton
Harris, Charlaine An Ice Cold Grave
Dessen, Sarah Someone Like You
Harris, Charlaine Real Murders
Jacobs, A.J. The Know-It-All
Collins, Suzanne Hunger Games
Groff, Lauren Delicate Edible Birds
Califia, Patrick No Mercy
McFarland, Dennis Letter From Point Clear
Ebershoff, David The 19th Wife

June

Harris, Charlaine A Bone to Pick
DeVita, James The Silenced
Hyzy, Julie Hail to the Chef
Harris, Charlaine Three Bedrooms, One Corpse
Krakauer, Jon Under the Banner of Heaven
Westerfeld, Scott Uglies
Westerfeld, Scott Pretties
Harris, Charlaine Dead and Living in Dallas
Garsee, Jeannine Say the Word
Brunvand, Jan Harold Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid
Duno, Steve Kiss Guide to Cat Care
Willett, Jincy The Writing Class
Zusak, Markus Fighting Ruben Wolfe
Sedaris, David When You Are Engulfed In Flames
Gaiman, Neil The Graveyard Book

July

Westerfeld, Scott Specials
Harris, Charlaine Club Dead
Satrapi, Marjane Embroideries
Gaiman, Neil The Sandman: Endless Nights
Harris, Charlaine Dead Over Heels
Waters, Sarah The Little Stranger
Gruen, Sara Water for Elephants
Kidd, Sue Monk The Secret Lives of Bees
Ferris, Joshua Then We Came to the End
Sittenfeld, Curtis American Wife
Harris, Charlaine Dead as a Doornail

August

Lockheart, E. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Levithan, David The Realm of Possibility
Harris, Charlaine Definitely Dead
Browne, S. G. Breathers: A Zombie's Lament
Harris, Charlaine All Together Dead
Morris, Bob Assisted Loving
Albom, Mitch The Five People You Meet In Heaven
Harris, Charlaine From Dead to Worse
Korelitz, Jean Hanff Admission
Harris, Charlaine Dead and Gone
Shelley, Mary Frankenstein
Harris, Charlaine A Fool and His Honey
Price, Charlie Dead Connection
Harris, Charlaine Last Scene Alive
Bzdek, Vincent The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fufilled

September

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harris, Charlaine Poppy Done to Death
Oates, Joyce Carol Black Water
Johnson, Dana Break Any Woman Down
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Christie, Agatha And Then There Were None
Williams, Sheila Girls Most Likely
Christie, Agatha Murder On the Orient Express
Graham, Laurie The Importance of Being Kennedy
Sheehan, Jason Cooking Dirty: A Story of Life, Love, and Death in the Kitchen
Simon, Clea Mew is for Murder
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Moore, Alan V for Vendetta
Connolly, John Nocturnes
Peters, Julie Ann Between Mom and Jo
Adiga, Aravind White Tiger
Aizley, Harlyn (ed.) Confessions of the Other Mother: Non-Biological Lesbian Mothers Tell All
Collins, Suzanne Catching Fire
Bradbury, Ray Fahrenheit 451

October

Randall, Alice The Wind Done Gone
Asher, Jay Thirteen Reasons Why
Wilchins, Riki Anne Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion and the End of Gender
Austen, Jane Pride and Prejudice
Pahlnuik, Chuck Invisible Monsters
Sullivan, J. Courtney Commencement
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Larsson, Steig The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Austen, Jane Sense and Sensibility
Colbert, Stephen I Am America and So Can You
Jinks, Catherine The Reformed Vampire Support Group
Bergman, S. Bear Butch Is a Noun
Strout, Elizabeth Olive Kitteridge
Connolly, John The Gates
Bradley, Alan Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Huxley, Aldus Brave New World
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Shipler, David K. The Working Poor: Invisible In America
Martin, Ann M. Kristy's Great Idea: A Graphic Novel
Martin, Ann M. The Truth About Stacey: A Graphic Novel
Martin, Ann M. Claudia and Mean Janine: A Graphic Novel

November

Martin, Ann M. Mary Anne Saves the Day: A Graphic Novel
Evanovich, Janet Fearless Fourteen
Stine, R.L. Goosebumps: Vampire Breath
Moore, Christopher Fool
Cleave, Chris Little Bee
Christie, Agatha The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Moore, Christopher Lamb
Fforde, Jasper The Eyre Affair
Martin, Ann M. Stacey and the Cheerleaders
Favorite, Eileen The Heroines
Moore, Christopher Fluke
Evanovich, Janet Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Moore, Christopher The Stupidest Angel

December

Toole, John Kennedy A Confederacy of Dunces
Oates, Joyce Carol Big Mouth & Stupid Girl
Crumb, R. Genesis
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Moore, Lorrie A Gate at the Stairs
Harris, Charlaine A Touch of Dead
Petrushevskaya, Ludmilla There Once Lived a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbor's Baby: Scary Fairy Tales
Harris, Charlaine Grave Secret
Stead, Rebecca When You Reach Me
Gill, Robert Gates How to Save Your Own Life
Kovac, Tommy Wonderland
Stevenson, Robert Louis Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Webber, Heather Truly, Madly
Moore, Christopher Practical Demonkeeping

Total: 161

Favorite Reads of 2009

2009-12-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly: If you haven’t yet read this dark and enchanting adult fairy tale, it would be a great way to begin 2010. From the first line, “Once upon a time--for that is how all stories should begin--there was a boy who lost his mother,” Connolly weaves a magical, gripping coming-of-age story that I began begging friends to read when I was only about half way done. Beautiful.

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff: This was the first audio book I managed to actually finish, and while the print version has fun charts and family trees and pictures, Nicole Roberts’ narration kept me from feeling I was missing anything. Despite picking it up because of the cover, Groff managed to fight the odds and live up to it.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff: Part mystery, part historical fiction, part epistolary novel--all awesome. I paired this one with Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven, a non-fiction investigation of fundamentalist Mormon sects, but The 19th Wife was better by far.

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Water for Elephants Sara Gruen

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld: I want there to be dozens more books like this one.

Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates

White Tiger by Aravind Ardiga

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling: I finally gave in and read everyone's favorite series. Jim Dale's narration brought the stories to a new level.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: My first ever Austen book--definitely not my last.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Paper Towns by John Green: I love his quirky characters and appreciate how he doesn't talk down to teens. Young adult fiction at its finest.

Lamb by Christopher Moore: Hi-larious.

A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore

The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler

Holiday Swap: Secret Santa Revealed!

2009-12-28T21:21:00.001-05:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Scrumptious. You deserve an award for investigative gift giving.

(Henry was really excited about the wrapping paper.)

The Loot:

The Middle of Gender: Science, Activism, and Transgender Rights by Deborah Rudacille (Somehow this book completely missed my radar. Excited for a good (unread) book on gender stuff for the GLBT challenge!)

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester (Um, nerdiest book ever. Can't wait to read it.)

Lust: Kinky Online Personal Ads adapted by Ellen Forney (Hilariously wonderful. A+)

girly by issak (A hand-made graphic novel about a friend's journey with gender, inspired by one of my favorite books of all time, Whipping Girl. Many thanks to Issak for letting Scrumptious send this to me.)

Also, these buttons? Perfect. Thank you times a million.

Visit Scrumptious's book blog, which focuses on young adult books: http://ya4oa.wordpress.com.

Harry Potter Reading Challenge! Completed 12/22/09

2009-12-28T19:43:00.000-05:00

I first read the Harry Potter series during a two week stretch in March. I'd been avoiding them forever, partly because I assumed they were completely overrated, and partly because I have a Harry Potter-esque scar on my forehead and people used to call me Harry in high school because of it. I know, lame. But! I had just finished reading the Twilight series, and I figured if I could get through THAT awfulness, Harry Potter couldn't be that bad.

Needless to say...I loved the books. I've been considering rereading them, and then I found out about this challenge over at GalleySmith! Hurrah. You can also win the entire series in either paperback or hardcover--how exciting!

It's running from August 1, 2009, to July 31, 2010. I think I'll try to space them out and read one every month or so, instead of cramming them all in like the first time.

Oh, and here's a picture of my infamous scar. Not quite a lightning bolt, but it's not too shabby.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (finished in August--audiobook)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (finished in September--read aloud)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (finished 9/27--audio)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (finished 10/26--audio)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (finished 11/15--audio)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (finished 11/27--audio)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (finished 12/22--audio)

Censorship & Graphic Novels

2009-12-05T13:37:00.001-05:00

I saw a bit of red when I came across this gem of an article from Kentucky.com:

The graphic novel that got two employees fired and launched a book-banning campaign in Jessamine County is being recataloged, along with other graphic novels with mature themes, to the adult section of the library.

Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier was previously shelved in a section of the library that critics said was too close to Young Adult Fiction and too similar to comic book material and, in the case of Moore's League, too obscene for young readers.

Two employees were fired because they checked out a graphic novel for a patron? And then a "book-banning campaign" began? Are you kidding me? Seems a bit excessive, no? Reading material for kids should be between the child and his or her parents, not crazed community members.

I also like how the graphic novels were "too close to Young Adult Fiction." Bah humbug.

TwentyTen Challenge

2009-12-03T22:20:00.005-05:00

I'm joining the TwentyTen Challenge hosted at Bart's Bookshelf! As of December 3rd, I have no idea what I'm going to read for it, but I will update this post as I decide.

Rules:

Read 2 books from each category, making a requirement of 20 books total.
The categories are intended to be loose guidelines only, if you decide it fits, then it fits. (Apart from those marked **)
Categories marked with ** have tighter rules, and these must be followed.
Each book can only qualify for one category.
Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
Books read from 01/01/2010 to 31/12/2010 are eligible.

Young Adult

The Book of Everything by Guus Kuijer
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

T.B.R. **

Finding George Orwell in Burma by Emma Larkin
The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama by Gwen Ifill

Shiny & New

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Bite Me by Christopher Moore

Bad Blogger’s ***
Books in this category, should be ones you’ve picked up purely on the recommendation of another blogger count for this category (any reviews you post should also link to the post that convinced you give the book a go).

Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst: Recommended by Bookfoolery and Babble
Crossing Washington Square by Joanne Rendell: Recommended by Amy Reads Good Books

*** Bad Bloggers: Is hosted by Chris of Stuff as Dreams are Made on.

Charity
Support your local charity shops with this category, by picking up books from one of their shops.

The Last Time I Wore a Dress by Dylan Scholinski
Outlaw Culture: Resisting Representations by bell hooks

New in 2010

Angel of Death Row: My Life as a Death Penalty Defense Lawyer by Andrea Lyon
Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford

Older Than You
Read two books that were published before you were born, whether that be the day before or 100 years prior!

Emma by Jane Austen
The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

Win! Win!
Have a couple of books you need to read for another challenge? Then this is the category to use, as long that is, you don’t break the rules of the other challenge by doing so!

Who Are You Again?
This one isn’t just for authors you’ve never read before, this is for those authors you have never even heard of before!

Black Hole by Charles Burns
Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon

Up to You!--Recommendations from Ethan

Lost In a Good Book by Jasper Fforde
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

Confession: SURPRISE!explained

2009-12-02T20:56:00.000-05:00

I've started to think of an unanticipated, unwanted plot twist as a "surprise!", such as "Oh no, not a surprise!baby story line!" or "Where in the heck did this surprise!cancer come from? I thought this was supposed to be about knitting!" The line between an annoying surprise! jolt and an unexpected-but-helpful-to-the-story development is a bit ambiguous and subjective, so I've done my best to explain below.

A good plot twist in a novel advances the narrative, makes sense for the story line (not to mention the summary on the back cover or inside flap), and happens for a good reason. If, in a mystery novel, a character happens to be in disguise and it's not discovered until the end of the story, it's not a surprise!, just a development.

A surprise!, on the other hand, is in direct opposition to the summary and/or reviews of the book. If a book has a quote on the front cover proclaiming it to be "wickedly funny," I might, just maybe, expect it to be funny--not to end up being about an OFFICE SHOOTING with a bonus BREAST CANCER DEATH (I'm looking at you, book that will not be named). If a book is written up in the New York Times as being a read for smart women, I pick it up with certain expectations, which probably don't include trite characters and oh a MOM CANCER DEATH and RAPE and generally unlikeable characters. And when I pick up a book that is said to be about the admission process at Princeton and it quickly devolves into a snooze fest surprise!baby story, I get a bit frustrated.

Now, I know authors usually have little to no control over the covers of their books, and I am aware that they do not write the accompanying synopsis, so I'm not going to blame them (completely). The problem with my "surprise!" concept is that not everyone is going to be upset about the same sorts of surprise!s.

Here are the ones that really, really get me:

Surprise!cancer but especially surprise!momcancer leading to surprise!momdeath: Okay, ho hum, you might be saying. No one can predict cancer! It makes sense to be a surprise, you say. And here's a surprise! especially for you: I agree. But (of course there's a but)--I hate cancer stories. My mom, with whom I was very, very close, died from cancer. Reading about cancer upsets me. I want to be prepared--and if I, lets say, pick up an innocent book about mothers and daughters and knitting and then THE MOM SUDDENLY DIES OF CANCER, yeah, hey, I get a little frustrated. I wish there was a website with WARNINGS about such things. (If these topics also bother you, I've learned to stay away from books that feature three or more women who are best friends. Without fail, one will either: have the cancer, die of the cancer, have a kindly mom/grandmother/aunt/sister who gets the cancer, or have a kindly mom/grandmother/aunt/sister who dies from the cancer.) I just can't deal with these books, try as I may.

Surprise!rape and/or surprise!gratuitous sexual violence: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Great book, I loved it, but, um, holy crap. I was listening to it at work when some terrible things started happening and it made me want to hide under my desk.

Surprise!gay if it leads to surprise!homophobia (not excluding internalized homophobia) or surprise!hate crime: The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff had a surprise!gay character that worked. ...Aaaand that's about all I can think of.

Surprise!message book with terrible ending: See: Sarah Dessen's Someone Like You. Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls. Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper.

Of course, there are exceptions. Stone Butch Blues, one of my favorite books, has a lot of sexual violence and rape and homophobia, but it works. Of course, it wasn't really a surprise! anyway, because it's about a butch in the 1950s--holy homophobia! holy gender roles!

My surprise! theory is not a perfect science, sadly. Hopefully I'll work it all out.

November Round Up!

2009-12-01T19:40:00.000-05:00

November may have been the best month of the year (although I still have high hopes for December): I got settled into my new job, which I happen to love and be rather good at (!!); Ethan and I had a surprisingly lovely Thanksgiving with my mother's side of the family in Connecticut, with cheer all around; and if all goes well, Ethan will have some very exciting news by the end of this week *knock on wood*.

As far as reading goes, November brought more quantity than quality. The highlight was discovering the laugh-out-loud humor Christopher Moore's books provide, but other than that, sadly, nothing really stood out except that two were almost thrown across the room.

I'm pretty much in awe that I managed to finish eight audio books--but this is only because we're allowed to use headphones at work, which has made the Boston Public Library's free audio downloads my new best friend. Well, kind of: it's hard deciding which books to listen to without previews! For instance, I downloaded Cold Mountain yesterday but it's read by the author, who uses a heavily accented monotone voice--not okay! I think I've been spoiled by Jim Dale.

Finished Books

(Modern) Classics

Brave New World by Aldus Huxley (1934, 268 pages): I say pass this one over and just re-read 1984.

Audiobooks

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (2003, 24 hours--HARRY POTTER CHALLENGE): I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS BOOK WAS TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LONG. Luckily my buddy Jim Dale kept up the goodness, and the CD box provided a nerdily exciting fact.
Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich (2008, 6.5 hours): I'm one of those tortured people who have to finish a series when I start it, no matter how bad it may be. Will Stephanie ever grow up, just a teensy-tiny bit?
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (1900, 5.75 hours)
Lamb by Christopher Moore (2003, 17.25 hours): I laughed so much while listening to this; the narrator isn't bad either.
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (2009, 6.25 hours)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005, 19 hours--HARRY POTTER CHALLENGE)
Fluke by Christopher Moore (2002, 9.75 hours): Not the best, but generally entertaining. I'm not really a fan of reading about scientists, particularly in-depth details about whales.
The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore (2004, 6.25 hours--FOUR MONTH CHALLENGE)

Non-Fiction

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett (2009, 288 pages): Yawn.

Young Adult

Mary Anne Saves the Day: A Graphic Novel by Ann M. Martin (2007, 190 pages)
Goosebumps: Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine (1996, 114 pages--FOUR MONTH CHALLENGE)
Stacey and the Cheerleaders by Ann M. Martin (1997, -- pages)

Fiction

Fool by Christopher Moore (2009, 311 pages--FOUR MONTH CHALLENGE)
Little Bee by Chris Cleave (2009, 288 pages): I am one of the few book bloggers who didn't like this.
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (2002, 374 pages--FOUR MONTH CHALLENGE)
The Heroines by Eileen Favorite (2008, 231 pages): Surprise!s galore! How did this seemingly cute idea of a book end up being about a very scary 1970s mental hospital? Not fair!

Other Activities

The Four Month Challenge, hosted by Virginie, began on the first and will run through February.
I posted a review(ish) of the graphic novel adaptations of the first four Baby-Sitters' Club books as part of My Friend Amy's Baby-Sitter Club Week.
I mailed out my Secret Santa present for the Book Blogger Swap.
I caved and joined the GLBT challenge, very exciting.

I am so excited that it's finally December! I am truly feeling the Christmas spirit this year, and since it's my first year with an apartment that's all mine (well, and the boyfriend, but that's different), I'll actually be able to have a real Christmas tree and lots of kitchy decorations! I already have my Christmas tree pot holder and my Gingerbread-people and -house table cloth out and ready to go. On top of that, Ethan and I are working on a Secret Project that is going to be a lot of fun even if we're not quite sure what we're going to do with it after. AND HOW COULD I FORGET--my best friend in the world is coming home for three weeks!! She's been living in Denmark for the past couple years, which means I don't get to see her often, and I'M REALLY EXCITED. (Hi, Jenn!)

As for blogging, I'm working on a few year end posts involving lists, lists, and more lists. I'm just hoping my reading will be a little better in December.

Weekly Geeks Top Ten: Published 2009

2009-11-28T10:37:00.000-05:00

Best Books Published 2009

1. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (FIC)
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (YA)
3. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (FIC)
4. The Gates by John Connolly (FIC)
5. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson (MYS)
6. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (MYS)
7. A Short History of Women by Kate Walbert (FIC)
8. Genesis as illustrated by R. Crumb (GN)
9. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (YA)
****10. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt (FIC) [I haven't read this one yet but I'm going to in the near future, and I'm sure it will make my list then.]

The Weekly Geek post inspiring this one can be found here.

Babysitter's Club: The Graphic Novels

2009-11-09T20:12:00.002-05:00

I was really excited when I read about Amy's Great Idea (nudge, nudge--see what I did there?) to have a week spotlighting my childhood favorite series, The Babysitter's Club by (Smith alum!) Ann M. Martin. Like many girls of a certain age, these books helped form my love for books and reading.

My favorite character was Stacey, the ever cool New York City-native with hair I dreamed about (mostly I blame Keri Russell), but I had to acknowledge, even then, that I had more of a Mary Anne personality. Although I loved the characters and their exploits, I had (and still have) two major complaints about the original series: 1) the redundant second chapter detailing how the club was formed and what the members are like--which any self respecting BSC reader should know by heart after at least #32, and 2) the outdated, ridiculous fashion sense of the characters.

In order to keep up with the new trends of kids these days, Scholastic enlisted Raina Telgemeier to transform the first four books in the Babysitter's Club into graphic novels. I've read them all, and I'm here to tell you that THEY ARE AMAZING. Okay, maybe not Persepolis or Maus amazing, but Telgemeier manages to revitalize the series in a way I didn't know was possible. She addresses complaint #1 by having a list of the characters and their positions in the club on the first page and adresses complaint #2 by, well, drawing Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, Stacey, and Dawn in twenty-first century appropriate outfits. I was further pleased to find that the handwritten journal entries, one of the highlights from the regular print version, are still included.

I highly recommend the graphic novel adaptations as a great nostalgic turn, and maybe a way to get your favorite tweens into your childhood joy.

As a bonus, the song that still gets stuck in my head ALL THE TIME:

Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine: Comments

2009-11-03T20:08:00.002-05:00

Dear Mr. Stine (Can I call you Bob?),

Yesterday, for the first time in over ten years, I read a Goosebumps book, Vampire Breath (1996). I didn't get around to reading as a tween--I think I was done after Say Cheese and Die Again. I'm finally at that age where books and movies and music I cast off as being "babyish" have begun to charm me with their nostalgic pleasantness, so please don't think I wasn't able to appreciate a middle-grade novel in my "advanced" years.

I have to tell you Bob, you used to scare the beejesus out of me. Granted, I happen to be the only person in existence who was terrified after watching Hocus Pocus, so I'll let you interpret that comment as you see fit. Nevertheless, Vampire Breath was everything I was hoping for: a good setup with two bullies (one's even a girl! Kudos to you, Bob) find a creepy hidden passageway and awake a hundred year old vampire named Count Nightwing, nervous tension with the threat of said bullies being turned into vampires if they don't help the Count find his teeth, and a creepy ending (Don't worry, Bob, I'll leave that out, just in case you haven't read it yet).

Sure, I finished the hundred plus page book in less than half an hour, but who's keeping track of time? I was even excited when I got to the end and saw a form to join the Goosebumps fan club for just $8.95--too bad the offer expired in 1997. Bring it back! I'll join!

Thanks for the chills, Bob.

Fondly,
Cass

P.S. A Night in Terror Tower was way scarier.
P.P.S. I'm not going to reread that one, just in case it loses its magic.

Grade: This is ungradeable. It's GOOSEBUMPS!
Recommended: As a dose of nostalgia for my fellow 20 somethings. Just don't be disappointed if your younger siblings don't think it's as cool. Count Nightwing doesn't even sparkle.

Five points to me towards the Four Month Challenge!

Full Disclosure

2009-11-02T23:06:00.000-05:00

I finally started using Goodreads and I must admit I'm a liiiiitle addicted. I promise not to make it awkward if you add me.

****

I made the innocent mistake of reading Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World within a month of one another, and I'm completely dystopia-ed out. Maybe that explains my otherwise unexplainable urge to read Babysitters Club and Goosebumps books. I already had to hold off finishing The Girl Who Played With Fire because it was making me too anxious--I think I need someone to hold my hand as I read that one.

In fact, even writing about these books is making me nervous. Instead, here is a picture of two super cute Persian cats who were up for adoption at the MSPCA a few months ago. (They were adopted!--sadly, not by me.) Doesn't his cute little old man face just get you??

So, uh...anyone read any good books lately? *ahem*ahem*

October Round Up!

2009-11-01T22:02:00.002-05:00

October Fun!

I paricipated in the 24 hour Read-a-Thon for the very first time! I made a few beginner's mistakes in regard to book selection, but I'll be prepared for next time.
The first (hopefully annual) Boston Book Festival showed some great promise; hopefully they'll have it again next year and it won't rain!

Completed Books
Classics

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: I'm glad I read this book, but it wasn't at all what I thought it was going to be. Review forthcoming.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: I never thought I'd read a Jane Austen novel, and I certainly never thought I'd actually enjoy it. Why didn't I read this earlier? Elizabeth Bennett isn't my favorite heroine ever, but she's pretty fabulous.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: I'm kind of partial to Elinor. Also Colonel Brandon. I blame Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman.

General Fiction

The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall: I'll be honest, I hated Gone With the Wind, so Randall didn't have to try hard to make me like her interpretation. I hope she doesn't look at her Good Reads reviews, though; it would give her a complex for sure.
Commencement by Courtney J. Sullivan: I want back the time it took me to read this novel. I didn't like any of the characters and the big conflict is ridiculous. Also there was surprise!mom death. I believe the New York Times said this was a "beach read for smart women," and to that I say, "No, no, no."
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson: So good.
The Gates by John Connolly: Read-a-thon!
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout: Read-a-thon!
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley: Not as good as I thought it was going to be, but still rather sweet--er, charming.

Young Adult/Children's

Kristy's Great Idea: A Graphic Novel by Raina Telgemeier
The Truth About Stacey: A Graphic Novelby Raina Telgemeier
Claudia and Mean Jeanine: A Graphic Novelby Raina Telgemeier

Non-Fiction

Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion and the End of Gender by Riki Wilchins
Butch Is a Noun by S. Bear Bergman: Read-a-thon!
The Working Poor: Invisible In America by David K. Shipler: Highly reccommended. Review forthcoming.

Audiobooks

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Pahlanuik
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
I Am America and So Can You by Stephen Colbert: Amusing, but I like Jon Stewart's America better. Then again, I did miss out on the funny charts and graphics, so maybe I shouldn't compare the two.
The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling: For the Harry Potter challenge! My heart belongs to Jim Dale.

My Favorites of the Month

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
The Gates by John Connolly
The Working Poor: Invisible In America by David K. Shipler
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

25% of the books I read in October can be listed as favorites?? That has to be an all time record!

Currently Reading

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: Hopefully I'll finish this one tomorrow.

Challenges

I joined the Four Month Challenge. I'll be starting out with the five-point Vampire challenge by reading Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine. I picked it up at the thrift store and I'm super excited to enjoy a little Goosebumps nostalgia.
For the Harry Potter Challenge, I finished ...and the Goblet of Fire and started ...and the Order of the Phoenix. Hopefully I'll finish a post on these soon.
I'm participating in Babysitter's Club Week hosted by My Friend Amy and will be posting a review on either the surprisingly delightful graphic novels or the one BSC book we actually have in the house, if I can find it.

Four Month Challenge

2009-10-31T15:52:00.010-04:00

5 Point Challenges Total: 20
Read a book with a proper name in the title: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Finished 12/25
Read a book about a queen or king: Mary Queen of Scotland & the Isles: a Novel by Margaret George
Read a book by or about/related to a Bronte: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Finished 11/16
Read a book about Vampires: Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine Finished 11/2
Read a book by V.C. Andrews: Flowers In the Attic Finished 1/14
10 Point Challenges Total: 40
Read a book by Canadian author: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett Finished 11/5
Read a book by or about/related to Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol Finished 1/4
Read a book set in France: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown Finished 2/19
Read a book by Georgette Heyer: A Lady of Quality
Read an ‘art’ themed book: The Philosophy of Andy Warhol by Andy Warhol Finished 2/15
15 Point Challenges Total: 75
Read a book with a Civil War theme (any country): Confederates In the Attic: Dispatches From the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz Finished 1/19
Read a book with characters inspired by King Arthur or about King Arthur/Camelot: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table Finished 2/11
Read a biography/autobiography: Angel of Death Row: My Life as a Death Penalty Defense Lawyer by Andrea Lyon Finished 2/3
Read a book related to or something by Shakespeare: Fool by Christopher Moore Finished 11/8
Read a book by an author born in November, December, January or February: A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris (Born November 15th) Finished 12/8
20 Point Challenges Total: 80
Read a book with a wintery theme (Christmas, snow, ice, freezing, star, camel, mistletoe, etc.): The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore (audio) Finished 11/29
Read a book that was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (audio) Finished 12/3
Read a book that begins with A and one that begins with Z: American Born Chinese by Luen Gene Yang Finished 1/8 and the Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
Read a book from The Modern Library Top 100: Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut Finished 2/7
Read a book and then write a review: How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity, edited by Michael Cart Finished 1/25, Reviewed 2/1

Read-a-Thon: Round Up

2009-10-25T11:44:00.000-04:00

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? Well, as you may or may not have noticed, I dropped at the beginning of Hour 20. I had just finished a book and felt a little too overwhelmed to get involved with another one.
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? The Gates by John Connolly kept me laughing, but I would just advise having 4-5 short books to choose from so when you're super tired you don't feel dumbfounded trying to decide which book to read.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? I think everything was great!
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? The mini-challenges were fun, the cheerleaders were amazing, and the encouragement spectacular. A+ to everyone. (What is with my weird obession of grading everything? Must have missed my true calling as a teacher.)
5. How many books did you read? Three and I started a fourth.
6. What were the names of the books you read? Butch Is a Noun by S. Bear Bergman, The Gates by John Connolly, Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, and The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson (which put down and went back to Olive because I was getting too nervous. Don't try to tell me that book is not exciting.)
7. Which book did you enjoy most? The Gates was really funny, but Olive Kitteridge lived up to it's high praise. Just, note to self, make sure to read happier books next time.
8. Which did you enjoy least? I liked all my books, some were just not exactly Read-a-Thon appropriate.
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? n/a
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I am probably about 96% likely to participate in April. Now that I have the benefit of my experience, I know to rush the graphic novel section.

Other important things to note for next time:

I managed to mess up not only my grand total of pages read, but also I deleted a post by accident, and I'm sure some of my sentences didn't even make sense. Next time: prepare the posts in advance, with the ability to plug numbers in, which will make it easier to spend a few minutes actually writing instead of just posting boring things.
I orderered a pizza at 12:30 and it got here at 1:15. I had to go to sleep by 2:00. Next time: get a pizza earlier, because it was delicious. Also, not from the place I orderered it from, because there wasn't enough cheese.
NEXT TIME: HAPPY BOOKS. Honestly, Olive Kitteridge is the most depressing book I can remember reading that didn't involve dead moms and/or surprise!cancer. Don't get me wrong, Olive is really well written, the characters are real and almost too relateable, and I'm glad I read it; BUT the emotions got a little intense. I knew I just should have picked up Alice In Wonderland.

A super big THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to comment and leave some inspiration. I couldn't have done it without you.

Read-a-Thon: Hour 19

2009-10-25T02:50:00.001-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 19

Pages read this hour: 58

Books finished this hour: 1

Mini-Challenges completed: 1

Total Pages read: 785

Total Books finished: 3

Total Mini-Challenges: 9

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Published 2008
270 pages
Short Stories

Grade: A
Bonus: I have a couple great aunts who are very similar to one Olive Kitteridge. My maternal side of the family is from Maine, and really, these aunts share a lot of Olive's quirks.

My body is yelling at me to get to bed, so I'm going to listen. I'm going to try to have it be just a nap, but we'll see.

*Phew*

Read-a-Thon: Hour 18

2009-10-25T02:06:00.000-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 18

Pages read this hour: 57

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 0

Anything else:

Total Pages read: 727

Total Books finished: 2

Total Mini-Challenges: 8

Read-a-Thon: Hour 17

2009-10-25T01:01:00.000-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 17

Pages read this hour: 35

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 1

Anything else: I ordered a pizza!

Total Pages read: 670

Total Books finished: 2

Total Mini-Challenges: 8

Note to self: next read-a-thon, be sure to pick only happy books.

Read-a-Thon: Hour 16!

2009-10-25T00:02:00.000-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 16

Pages read this hour: 46

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 1

Anything else:

Total Pages read: 635

Total Books finished: 2

Total Mini-Challenges: 7

A note or two: I had to go back and count all the pages I've read because I seem to have messed it up quite a bit. Thank you, Care, for pointing that out! My sleepiness is starting to get a little more intense than I hoped.

Also, Olive Kitteridge made me cry. That is all.

Read-a-Thon: Hour 15!

2009-10-24T23:01:00.001-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 15

Pages read this hour: 41

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 0
Anything else: I only read for about a half hour.

Total Pages read: 469

Total Books finished: 2

Total Mini-Challenges: 6

Read-a-Thon: Hour 14

2009-10-24T22:06:00.003-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 14

Pages read this hour: 42

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 0
Anything else: The Girl Who Played With Fire is one of those books you don't want to read because you're scared of what's going to happen next but you have to read because it's so good. It's probably a bad idea to read it so late!

Total Pages read: 428

Total Books finished: 2

Total Mini-Challenges: 6

Books I've Read:

Butch Is a Noun by S. Bear Bergman

The Gates by John Connolly

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (on page 48)

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson (on page 42)

Read-a-Thon: Hour 13 and Mid-Event Meme

2009-10-24T20:54:00.000-04:00

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now? Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, but I think I'm going to put it down for now.
2. How many books have you read so far? I've finished two: Butch Is a Noun by S. Bear Bergman and The Gates by John Connolly. Luckily for me, they were both very enjoyable!
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? The Girl Who Played With Fire--I can't resist, it's going to be my next book. Sorry, library.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? In fact, I did. We had a two hour meeting today for work that I had to plead (ok, just ask--my boss is very nice) to not go to. I'm working on my birthday, so I thought it was a fair trade.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Only self imposed interruptions, luckily.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? I'm surprised I'm not reading faster. I'm also a bit surprised by how amazing the cheerleaders are--all the great comments have been making me smile.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Just for me, I think I'll keep better track of how much time I spend actually reading, blogging, and gazing off in the distance. My inner organizer is very impatient.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? I will definitely be participating in April. I think I'll make a better schedule regarding the books I'm reading, make sure I have a couple graphic novels to break everything up, and make food the day before.
9. Are you getting tired yet? I am, mostly because its been raining all day and that always makes me tired.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? I wish I did. My hat is off to all who are reading AND cheerleading. The hours are going by so quickly!

Read-a-Thon Hour: 13

Pages read this hour: 24

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 1
Anything else: I went to the convience store, what a blast, and took a rather long break.

Total Pages read: 404

Total Books finished: 2

Total Mini-Challenges: 6

Read-a-Thon: Hour 12

2009-10-24T20:02:00.000-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 12

Total Reading Hours: 10 (ish)

Pages read this hour: 25

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 2
Anything else: I deleted my post for hour 10 and was really confused about it. I only ended up reading for about 15 minutes!

Total Pages read: 380

Total Books finished: 2

Total Mini-Challenges: 5

Read-a-Thon: Hour 10 & 11 because I deleted 10 by accident

2009-10-24T19:01:00.002-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 11

Total Reading Hours: 9

Pages read this hour: 82

Books finished this hour: 1

Mini-Challenges completed: 0
Anything else: I ate dinner and wrote a couple e-mails.

Total Pages read: 355

Total Books finished: 2

Total Mini-Challenges: 3

The Gates by John Connolly

Published 2009

296 pages

Fantasy

Grade: A-

I thought it was going to be a bit spookier/scarier, but the humor in it was a pleasant surprise. Highly Recommended, particularly as a fun Halloween read.

Read-a-Thon: Hour 9

2009-10-24T16:59:00.000-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 9

Total Reading Hours: 7

Pages read this hour:77

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 0
Anything else: Nothing.

Total Pages read: 273

Total Books finished: 1

Total Mini-Challenges: 3

From The Gates by John Connolly, p. 98, footnote #19:

"Nefarious" means very wicked indeed, in a cunning way. If you plan on being nefarious, it pays to look the part: dress in black; wear a hat, preferably one with a wife brim and no flowers; and perhaps grow a mustache that you can twirl. It also helps to have a deep and sinister laugh, to indicate when you're being nefarious. You know the kind: "BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!" That kind.

I am thouroughly enjoying this.

Read-a-Thon: Hour 8

2009-10-24T16:04:00.000-04:00

Nise is hosting a challenge this hour with the task of taking a photo of those who are keeping you company during the Read-a-Thon.

The Boyfriend, Gino, and Henry were kind enough to pose for this picture.

Read-a-Thon Hour: 8

Total Reading Hours: 6

Pages read this hour: 53

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 1
Anything else: Nothing.

Total Pages read: 273

Total Books finished: 1

Total Mini-Challenges: 3

Read-a-Thon: Hour 7

2009-10-24T15:03:00.001-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 7

Total Reading Hours: 5

Pages read this hour: 47

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 0

Anything else: I took a fifteen minute break.

Total Pages read: 220

Total Books finished: 1

Total Mini-Challenges: 2

I just started John Connolly's The Gates and it is, as I was hoping, AMAZING. It may end up being better than The Book of Lost Things which I love so much.

It's really funny and uses a lot of humorous footnotes, which easily get my seal of approval.

Read-a-Thon: Hour 6

2009-10-24T14:14:00.000-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 6

Total Reading Hours: 4

Pages read this hour: 63

Books finished this hour: 1

Mini-Challenges completed: 0

Anything else: Nothing!

Total Pages read: 173

Total Books finished: 1

Total Mini-Challenges: 2

Butch Is a Noun by S. Bear Bergman

Published 2006

173 pages

Essays

Grade: B+

Recommended by: Many a friend. There are quotes from Kate Bornstein, Helen Boyd, and Carol Queen on the cover as well. So, um, yeah. How could I resist?

Read-a-Thon: Hour 5

2009-10-24T13:27:00.000-04:00

Read-a-Thon Hour: 5

Total Reading Hours: 3

Pages read this hour: 49

Books finished this hour: 0

Mini-Challenges completed: 0

Anything else: Ate delicious lunch and opened presents!

Total Pages read: 110

Total Books finished: 0

Total Mini-Challenges: 2

Read-a-Thon: Hour 2, 3, 4

2009-10-24T12:37:00.001-04:00

I braved the rain and headed out to the first ever Boston Book Festival--unfortunately I managed to get burnt by a wayward cigarette and overwhelmed by the amount of people in the one booth I wanted to look at, so I came home a little early. I managed to keep reading on the bus, though. I was also rewarded by a free book which will make a great present for my aunt, a t-shirt & a resuable bag from State Street promoting Corporate Culture whiiiich will probably not get much use, and a free cup of coffee, so I can't say it was an entire waste.

Read-a-Thon Hour: 4
Total Reading Hours: 2

Pages read this hour: 38
Books finished this hour: 0
Mini-Challenges completed: 1
Anything else: Visited the Boston Book Festival!

Total Pages read: 62
Total Books finished: 0
Total Mini-Challenges: 2

Great thanks to all the Cheerleaders who have been stopping by. You are all fabulous.

Edit: My wonderful, octopus-drawing, slept-in, braved-the-rain-for-books boyfriend gave me some of my birthday presents! He's almost as good as a Cheerleader! ;) Also, he wrapped them in t-shirts. How's that for eco-friendly. I guess the library books will have to wait while I catch up with Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander. I love birthday weekend.

Read-a-Thon: Hour 1 update

2009-10-24T09:13:00.000-04:00

Ethan left this book loving Octopus for me to find this morning. He's still sleeping.

Read-a-Thon Hour: 1
Total Reading Hours: 1

Pages read this hour: 24
Books finished this hour: 0
Mini-Challenges completed: 1 (hour 1 meme)
Anything else: Caught up with blog posts

Total Pages read: 24
Total Books finished: 0

Read-a-Thon: Hour 1 meme

2009-10-24T08:33:00.000-04:00

I'll make this short and sweet, since I've only read three pages so far.

Where are you reading from today? Boston, MA: more specifically, my desk, my kitchen table, and my favorite arm chair.
3 facts about me … 1) I have a bit of a Pepsi addiction. 2) After refusing to read Jane Austen out of spite, I read Pride and Prejudice AND Sense and Sensibility this week. I feel a little embarrassed that I liked them so much. 3) I'm eying Emma on my bookshelf, but trying to focus on all the library books I have that are due soon.
How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? Wellll, about that. I have 12 library books (all holds that came in at the same time--oops!) and all of my owned TBR books if I need some diversity. I forgot to have anything SHORT ready!
Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? I would really like to read for the full 24 hours and leave a total of 50 comments, fingers crossed.
If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time? Everyone's been saying have snacks ready! choose a short book for the beginning! And you know what I did? I DIDN'T DO THAT. Ah well.

Here's the link to everyone else's responses.

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon: The Beginning

2009-10-24T08:09:00.001-04:00

Good Morning!!!!

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE WAKING UP AT 8 AM??? On a Saturday??? (Actually, I went to bed ridiculously early last night for just this reason. So I'm not complaining.)

Even though I've been a little MIA these past couple weeks, I've been looking forward to read-a-thon like none other! It's also my birthday weekend (I turn 23 on Monday) as well as the weekend of the first ever BOSTON BOOK FESTIVAL which I'm going to try to go to for this event with Richard Russo. Full disclosure: I kind of hated Empire Falls, the only book I've read by him, but the event sounds the most interesting

I'm going to try to start reading now, even though I haven't had my coffee yet...which this entire post may make entirely apparent. I'm going to try to start commenting on the other blogs in about an hour.

(Note to myself: why do all the books I have from the library average about 400 pages? Oops.)

P.S. Okay, I've woken up a little. Hurrah. Here's the book I'm starting the day with:

It's only 173 pages and it's a library book, so it won. It's a classic.

Thoughts: Between Mom and Jo by Julie Ann Peters

2009-10-10T22:18:00.000-04:00

began reading: 9/22/09
finished reading: 9/22/09
genre: YA
recommended by: Amanda

Between Mom and Jo, the 2007 Children's/Young Adult Lambda Literary Award winner, is Nicholas Nathaniel Thomas Tyler's story from toddlerhood to adolescence of his experience growing up with two moms and struggling through the aftermath of their break-up. Nick, as he's known to his nearest and dearest, is a precocious but endearing narrator who just wants the best for his moms.

As the title relays, he refers to one parent as Mom and the other as Jo, which threw me a bit. Neither parent seemed progressive enough to warrant being on a first-name-basis with their son, and it seemed the "first name" versus "mom" titles were used purposely to highlight the rift between Erin, the birth mother, and Jo, the non-biological mother. While these titles were somewhat effective in implying tensions between Erin and Jo over their parental status with Nick, they were not very realistic.

I generally avoid reviewing books with gay themes (despite actively identifing as queer, having previously identified as a lesbian, and being particularly interested in GLBT storylines) because I get a little nit-picky and maybe overly-sensitive about how GLB and/or T people are portrayed in novels. There are just too many surprise!rape and surprise!abuse and surprise!misery themes that depress me. Well, I actually avoid reading them altogether and stick to non-fiction, unless the novel is by a writer I'm familiar with. (I sobbed the first time I watched But I'm a Cheerleader, and it's a comedy. With a happy ending.)

Further disclosure: I've been working on this post for over two weeks now because I've been trying to figure out how to convey how much I really did appreciate Between Mom and Jo while being honest to my objections. Instead of just waiting for that to happen, I've decided to label this as "thoughts" instead of a "review."

A Minute Detail that Made Me a Little Crazy: Jo tells Nick at one point that she "hates unions." Huh?

A Major Detail that Made Me a Little Crazy: Despite being far superior at parenting than Erin in most respects, Jo is constantly teasing Nick for being a sissy, a pansy, a wimp. Her emphasis on adhering to strict gender roles for her son was particularly frustrating, especially since she does not exactly adhere to them herself.

Something That Is Not Okay, Ever: Nick has a moment where he thinks he might be gay. Jo tells him no, of course he's not. He accepts this without question. YOU CAN'T DECIDE SOMEONE ELSE'S SEXUALITY, even your own child (regardless of their age), even if you are gay.

Grade: A- (Bonus points for Erin not ending up with a man at the end, no one dying, and no one being beaten up for being gay. These things come up all too frequently in books with GLBT themes, and I was glad Peterson avoided them here.)

Recommended: It's a cute, well-written book, but please keep in mind that being gay does not necessarily mean you are constantly harassed, facing homophobia, dealing with alcoholism, or being a general bee eye tee see h.

Related Reading: After finishing this, I was inspired to read Confessions of the Other Mother: Non-Biological Lesbian Moms Tell All, a collection of essays edited by Hazel Aizley that I've been meaning to get to for a while. I didn't enjoy it as much as I might have because, to be honest, breast feeding freaks me out and there is a lot of breast feeding discussion to be found here; BUT I think the real life experiences of non-biological moms make it an excellent companion to Between Mom and Jo in order to more fully understand Jo's experience. As a side note, I was pleasantly surprised to find an essay by the blogger of Lesbian Dad, a blog I have been following for a couple years now and really enjoy. Again, I might be a bit biased, but her essay was my favorite in the compilation.

September Round-Up

2009-10-02T14:25:00.000-04:00

Here is September, in lists.

Blogging

I participated in Book Blogger Appreciation Week for the first time. The events included and interview with Melissa from Book Nut, a reading meme that I had a little too much fun with, and a lot of blogging inspiration.
I added a bunch of great blogs to my Google reader, including ecelectic/eccentric, Pudgy Penguin Perusals, and The Zen Leaf.
I posted more than ever, which is an accomplishment I am quite proud of. I hope to keep it up in October.

"Real" Life

After eight long, seemingly endless months, I have a job! Not just a job, a career that I'm excited about. I couldn't be happier with it.
Ethan and I celebrated our one year anniversary with lots of delicious food from Boston's Italian North End--basically we ate a lot of canoli.
I met D, my wonderful future brother-in-law, who visited four days from China, where he's lived and worked for the past two years. Ethan and I are trying to convince him to move to Boston, since he wants to go to law school in America and, obviously, Boston is the best place to go. Wink wink. (Side note--their mother told D that he could move in with Ethan and I in our "spare room." We live in a one bedroom apartment. I offered D our closet, but I don't think he was very excited about it.)

Reading
I read 19 books (and 4793 pages) in September, a record for me since I started keeping track in March. This brings my year-to-date total to 109 books for the year (well, since March).

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz -- 449 pgs, B- (FIC)
The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fufilled by Vincent Bzdek -- 253 pgs, B- (BIO)
Poppy Done to Death [the last in the Aurora Teagarden series!] by Charlaine Harris -- 230 pgs, B (MYS)
Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates -- 150 pgs, A (FIC)
Break Any Woman Down by Dana Johnson -- 155 pgs, B (SS)
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie -- 275 pgs, B (MYS)
Girls Most Likely by Sheila Williams -- Audiobook, 11 hours and 30 minutes, B+ (FIC)
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie -- 212 pgs, B- (MYS)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling -- 341 pgs (YA)
The Importance of Being Kennedy by Laurie Graham -- 353 pgs, C+ (FIC)
Mew is For Murder by Clea Simon -- 223 pgs, D+ (MYS)
Cooking Dirty: A Story of Life, Love, and Death in the Kitchen by Jason Sheehan -- 355 pgs, B (MEM)
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore -- 288 pgs, A (GN)
Between Mom and Jo by Julie Ann Peters -- 285 pgs, A- (YA) [recommended by The Zen Leaf]
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling -- Audibook, 12 hours (YA)
Nocturnes by John Connolly -- 496 pgs, C+ (SS)
White Tiger by Aravind Adiga -- 304 pgs, A (FIC)
Confessions of the Other Mother: Non-Biological Lesbian Mothers Tell All edited by Harlyn Aizley -- 173 pgs, B (MEM)
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins -- 391 pgs, A (YA)

Can I just say how excited I was to finally read Catching Fire? I feel like I'm the last book blogger to read it! I'm already anxious for the next book. Anyone want to take bets on their being a prequel, since this was supposed to be a trilogy?

Looking Forward to October

Ethan and I will be voyaging to Connecticut to celebrate my step-mom's birthday. It will be the first time I've spent it with her in years, and I'm sure she'll be excited to put her feet up. (She has three teenage sons and my dad to take care of--the woman deserves a break.)
I will be participating in the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon for the first time!
I'm also going to squeeze in some events at the first annual Boston Book Festival which is the 23rd
These two exciting events are scheduled during my birthday weekend (my birthday is on Monday, the 26th) which means my birthday will be book themed. Oh, darn. ;)
I am vaguely throwing a Halloween party, only I don't know when or how or who I'm going to invite, but, you know, those are just details.

October is my favorite month of the year (not that I'm biased or anything) and it looks like it's going to be a good one! Do you have anything special planned?

A Note on Audio Books

2009-09-24T15:43:00.000-04:00

I have a new theory: my new-found enjoyment of audio books is in direct correlation with my new enjoyment of talk radio. It started like this: I love Rachel Maddow, but sometimes I miss her shows. Thus, I began downloading her podcasts. Thus, I was listening to something that wasn't music but was still pleasant and enjoyable. So, I thought, perhaps I will try this mystical "book on CD" thing and see how it works.

The first audio book I ever tried to listen to was The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman (about whom I will not speak badly in case she attacks me on Twitter); however, despite it being about a librarian who gets struck by lightening (sounds awesome!), it was, in fact, not awesome. Annoying background piano music played throughout. I stopped listening around disc two.

Luckily for me, this did not affect my desire to find an enjoyable audio book. My first great success was The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff. Despite a ridiculously boring first chapter, it ended up being one of my favorite books this year. I kept finding excuses to listen to it and giggled like a creeper whenever I listened (which was particularly fun when I was walking around, you know, in public).

And thus my love of audio books was born. Here's a list of the books I've listened to so far and my brief thoughts on them:

Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris: I am really, really glad I listened to this one and not the third book in the series with all the gross SPOILERkind of incestuousSPOILER sex. I gave this one an A, so even if I don't really remember it--I read it in May--I must have liked it. (I have a bad habit of purposely trying to forget Charlaine Harris books.)
The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff: This one really deserves its own post. So, so good, but you do miss out on some graphics, like family trees and photographs.
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris: I think the audio made it a little more fun. Also, I had to get the audio book because I couldn't bear to wait for it in hard copy at the library.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling: I liked this so much it really did get its own post. Love the McGonnagal and Uncle Vernon voices, kind of makes up for Hermoine's squeal.
Girls Most Likely by Sheila Williams: The book is narrated by four different people, which works really well with the book format.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling: My favorite of the series, and I love Jim Dale's Lupin voice almost as much as the actor from the movies.
Step on a Crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge: The library branch I go to has a really bad selection of audio books. This one has all sorts of background noises and I had to stop it after the first track. I guess I'll never read anything by James Patterson. Good thing the rest of America reads enough to make up for it.

Do you have any suggestions for audio books? Anything you really loved? I hate blindly picking them out, so any recommendations would be welcome!

Review: Cooking Dirty by Jason Sheehan

2009-09-22T21:08:00.002-04:00

began reading: 9/14/2009
finished reading: 9/22/2009
# of pages: 355

Jason Sheehan is a James Beard award-winning (think the Oscars of food) restaurant critic for Westward, a newspaper based in Denver, Colorado. Cooking Dirty, his first book, is a memoir covering his experiences in kitchens, beginning in a local pizza parlor at fifteen, to his current gig as a writer. He is a true blue Gen X-er, and this book reads like a Kevin Smith film. True to Smith's style, Sheehan has a mouth like a sailor, drinks like a fish, smokes like a chimney, and does drugs like a...drug addict(?), so beware.

If you can make it past that, Cooking Dirty is a solid addition to the food memoir genre. Whether he's slumming it in a 24-hour diner or heading the line in a French-colonial restaurant, Sheehan consistently proves his love for food and his love for the battles of the kitchen.

For example, the following scene happened while in New Mexico, in a bad part of the city late at night, while Sheehan was reading in a waffle house. I think it is a great example of his writing style and the humor of the book.

...I was shocked when the four-foot-tall cholo with the crazyweed eyes and yellow bandanna leaned over my table and yelled, "Hey! Wha'choo doing, mang? Reading?"

I allowed that yes, I was, in fact, reading. I even went so far as to hold out the book to show him. You know, in case he'd never seen one before.

And he batted it out of my hand (on the second try), looked at me as hard as he could, and said, "What're you, some kinda faggot?"

Now, I've been called a lot of names over the years. Sometimes I've deserved them, sometimes I haven't. But I was boggled by what leap of logic my diminutive friend must've made in that tiny, fogged-up little brain of his to equate reading with flagrant homosexuality. Sitting there, I tried to think how he'd arrived at one from the other, but gave up and instead shouted back, "Why? You looking?"

He slammed his fists down on the table. I laughed at him. And he punched me square in the face. He was then immediately set upon by two waiters, a very large cook, three customers, and one homeless guy who dragged him, kicking and spitting, out the door and into the parking lot, where they proceeded to beat the mortal shit out of him and stop half the teeth out of his head.

Meanwhile, I went back to my book. I'd been going to that particular Waffle House almost every night for several months at that point and had made a lot of friends. I was a regular. My little buddy, tragically, was not. (p. 294)

While I enjoyed this book thoroughly, I didn't love it, and I'm not quite sure why. It could be my ambivilance to food writing; if I'd worked in a kitchen, I would probably have connected to it more. I liked that he didn't edit out his failures, as usually happens in autobiographies. I'm glad I read it, but I won't be rushing out to read other cooking memoirs.

Grade: B
Recommended: If you have any desire to read a cooking memoir. Just be prepared for all the swearing!

Great Finds: Bookmarks Magazine

2009-09-21T14:23:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, I have a bit of an obsession with magazines, which helps ease my news obsession. I have subscriptions to Newsweek, Time, The Week, Entertainment Weekly, and Real Simple. They comprise a signifigant portion of my reading. Of course, me being me, my favorite section of these magazines is the book feature. There's usually a page or two devoted to new books (The Week is particularly good--they have a writer or politician or general celebrity recommend five books), but it just isn't quite enough for me.

On Friday I dragged Ethan to Borders (mmhmm) and found Bookmarks Magazine, which is basically a book blogger's dream (or burden, because so many good books are featured!). I am so excited that a magazine for book lovers exists. One of the best features of Bookmarks is how they summarize all the book reviews for each book, compiling all the major publications' thoughts in one place. Oh, it's dreamy.

Now we just need a magazine for book bloggers!

Note: I just wanted to share my find--I've had no contact with the magazine.

Weekly Geeks: Burn Outs

2009-09-20T18:17:00.000-04:00

This past week wrapped up Book Blogger Appreciation Week, in which I'm sure many of you participated. In two weeks will be Banned Books Week, in which I'm sure some of you also will participate. I'm also sure that many of you participated, and will participate, with at least a post per day, if not more, on your respective blogs.

Personally, after such weeks, I feel almost burnt out and think, "Why am I doing this? I'm not getting paid for this." Do you ever feel the same way after weeks like the ones mentioned above? If you do, what do you to counter it? How do you keep going? Do you take a break from posts after that, or do you just "soldier on"?

Book Blogger Appreciation Week left me with the opposite feeling; instead of being "burnt out," I feel inspired.

Before all the festivities, I felt like such an outsider to the blogging world. I've read blogs for ages but never really commented or got directly involved, despite my interest. When I discovered this whole world of book blogging, I knew I finally found my niche. I love books, I love thinking about books, I love reading about books. This is what I wanted to be doing, but I didn't know what steps to take to really get immersed in the community.

BBAW not only held the door open for me, it sent a whole welcoming committee with treats. I feel like I finally understand where I want to do with this blog and what I want to say. I've even found my commenting voice!

Book blogging is not a chore for me. If it ends up becoming something I dread doing or something exhaustive that I feel takes more out of me than I have, I will reevaluate my blogging commitments. To ward this off, I'm making a plan. I'm going to start a Google document with all the reasons I blog and all the the little things that make me happy about participating. I'll add to it frequently and read it when I start to feel jaded.

I sincerely hope bloggers who don't want to be involved realize we readers understand. If you're not happy doing what you're doing, it's not worth it. It shouldn't be something you feel is a chore. Take breaks and take pleasure in the simple things. As much as we might miss you, hearing from you less is worth your happiness. We understand.

BBAW: Setting Goals

2009-09-18T08:48:00.000-04:00

What do you like best about your blog right now? Where would you like your blog to be a year from now?

I really love my little blog. There's not too much special about it, I suppose, except that it's mine and I put a whole lotta love into it.

I'm looking forward to continuing to be involved in events like Book Blogger Apprecation Week and the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon (the one in October is the day before my birthday!)

I'm going to set three goals, to be completed by 9/18/2010:

Post 50 reviews;
Enter and complete two challenges;
Host one challenge (even if I'm the only one who enters);
Participate in 2010's Book Blogger Appreciation Week

A little ambitious, maybe, but I've been inspired. Here's to books, blogging, and our great community!

(Lovely still of me, no? hahaha.)
Standing In the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg

BBAW: Recommended Books

2009-09-17T14:40:00.000-04:00

Two of my favorite books this year I read thanks to book bloggers.

Say the Word, a young adult novel by Jeannine Garssee, was featured on Becky's Book Review in May. It focuses on a Shawna Gallagher, "perfect daughter" (maybe Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters would be a good non-fiction companion) whose estranged mother passes away without a will, causing a battle between the main character's father and her mother's female partner of many years. Garssee depicts homophobia in an honest, compelling way, and Shawna's journey to understanding her mother is touching. I think it's an excellent book for straight teens who love their gay friends and/or parents but still struggle with being uncomfortable.

I read The 19th Wife because of a blog book tour. David Ebershoff's fictionalized take on Ann Eliza Young--especially his (fictional) "primary sources"--was the beginning of my new found love for historical fiction. It also helped that there was a surprise!gay main character who doesn't die or hate himself for being gay (if these sound like low standards for books with gay characters, they are). The 19th Wife inspired me to agree to read the nonfiction book Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, one of my cousin's favorite books (it was just okay), which in return convinced her to buy Ebershoff's book.

The most constructive part of today's BBAW topic for me is that it has convinced me to start keeping track of the books I read because of reccomendations, since it took me A REALLY LONG TIME to remember any. I had been just starring reviews in Google Reader, adding the book to my library hold list, and then deleting the star, leaving no trace of where I heard about the book! Oops.

Bonjour, Cass!

In which I completely forget the important

Discussion: The Well of Loneliness

Related Readings: “Controversial” Books for Politicos (and Fans of Patriotic Covers)

June Round-Up

Bloggiesta: To-Do List

Bloggiesta Mini-Challenge: Embracing Community

I Am Ridiculously Excited About...: Upcoming Release

Review: Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Happy Pride Month!

May Round-Up

NYC 2010: Book Expo America, Book Blogger Convention, etc.

Book Blogger Hop!

Review: Woman From Shanghai: Tales of Survival from a Chinese Labor Camp

Review: Finding George Orwell In Burma

Transgender Non-Fiction

Please, before writing about trans people,

April Round-Up

Mini-Review: Memoir: A History

Challenge: Read, Remember, Recommend

Read-a-Thon: Round Up

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 18 & 19

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 16 & 17

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 14 & 15

Read-a-Thon Update: Mid Event Meme and Hours 12 & 13

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 10 & 11

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 8 & 9

Read-a-Thon Update: Drabble mini-challenge

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 6 & 7

Read-a-Thon: Sentence Mini-Challenge

Read-a-Thon: Hours 4 & 5

Read-a-Thon Update: Hours 2 & 3

Read-a-Thon: Hour 1 Mini-Challenge

Read-a-Thon, I'm Ready For You: A Post in Lists

In Which I Me(e)t Christopher Moore and Look Awful In a Photo

Review: Dexter in the Dark (audio)

Absolute April

March Round Up

In Which I Have to Move Unexpectedly

Lambda Literary Awards--Finalists Announced

Quick Hit: The Devil's Arithmetic

February Round Up

Review: The House You Pass on the Way

Review: Black Girl/White Girl (audio)

Quick Quote: bell hooks

Masterpiece Theatre Presents Emma

Review: Kindred

Review: How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity

January: Wherein My Least Favorite Month Comes To a Close

GLBT Mini-Challenge 1

BTT: Gifts

In Between: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2009 Round Up In a Simple Survey

GLBT 2010 Challenge

Global Reading Challenge

Books Read 2009

Favorite Reads of 2009

Holiday Swap: Secret Santa Revealed!

Harry Potter Reading Challenge! Completed 12/22/09

Censorship & Graphic Novels

TwentyTen Challenge

Confession: SURPRISE!explained

November Round Up!

Weekly Geeks Top Ten: Published 2009

Babysitter's Club: The Graphic Novels

Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine: Comments

Full Disclosure

October Round Up!

Four Month Challenge

Read-a-Thon: Round Up

Read-a-Thon: Hour 19

Read-a-Thon: Hour 18

Read-a-Thon: Hour 17

Read-a-Thon: Hour 16!

Read-a-Thon: Hour 15!

Read-a-Thon: Hour 14

Read-a-Thon: Hour 13 and Mid-Event Meme

Read-a-Thon: Hour 12

Read-a-Thon: Hour 10 & 11 because I deleted 10 by accident

Read-a-Thon: Hour 9