TSS: September Reading Wrap-Up

Oct 052008

September has come and gone and I’ve read another 20 books. Months and Seasons was the 100th book that I read this year (at least since I started keeping count on the first of March) and I am currently on track to read nearly 160 books in the last 10 months of this year. I was already planning on revising my goal for next year from 100 to 150, but I may have to consider 175. We will see what the new year holds, I suppose. The River, By Moonlight was the 100th review I posted on this blog (which is why I’m holding a huge contest, see details here).

Fiction

Trading Dreams at Midnight by Diane McKinney-Whetstone
The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters by Lorraine Lopez
The River, By Moonlight by Camille Marchetta
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows

Young Adult Fiction

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Historical Fiction

King Henry VI, Part II by William Shakespeare
Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins
Sarah’s Key by Tatianna de Rosnay
Immortal by Traci L. Slatton
The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss
The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

Short Stories

Months and Seasons by Christopher Meeks
Down to a Sunless Sea by Mathias B. Freese
The Best Place to Be by Leslie Dormer (review coming October 8th)

Memoir

Tears of the Desert: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur by Halima Bashir
Blue Genes: A Memoir of Loss and Survival by Christopher Lukas

Nonfiction

Adventure in Borneo by Jolan Durran (review pending)
Why We Hate Us by Dick Meyer

Top Pick of the Month

After staring at my September reading for a week, I have finally chosen “Tears of the Desert” as my top pick (see my review). Not only was ‘Tears’ very well written, but it touches on some very important, very pertinent subject matter: the genocide in Darfur.

Not only is “Tears of the Desert” one of the titles available in my 100th Post Giveaway, I have two additional copies to give away later in October.

Banned Books Week Spotlight – A Wrinkle in Time

Oct 042008

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Original publication date: 1962

This week is banned books week in the United States. All week I will be highlighting banned, challenged, and censored books I own and have read.

Publisher description:

It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

“Wild nights are my glory,” the unearthly stranger told them. “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I’ll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract.”

A tesseract (in case the reader doesn’t know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L’Engle’s unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O’Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

Status: Challenged in the United States (citation: #23).

Reason for challenge in the U.S.: Although Madeleine L’Engle is a Christian and writes books with religious themes (one could say they are similar to C.S. Lewis’ “Narnia” series, but more science fiction than fantasy), her books – particularly “A Wrinkle in Time” – have been challenged for essentially being too liberal a brand of Christianity. Reasons given for challenges include characters who are witches (they are not, actually, although one is named Mrs Which), crystal balls (not actually a crystal ball), and for challenging religious beliefs because Jesus is included in a list along with artists, philosophers and scientists (this is a list of people who are trying to bring light to Earth, not of ‘gods’ or some such thing) (citation).

My thoughts: When I first read this book in grade school, I really didn’t get it and wasn’t all the crazy about it, perhaps because of the science fiction elements. I reread it in middle school, though, and have loved it ever since. It certainly never challenged my religious beliefs. I actually also just reread this book in honor of banned books week, and you can see my review here.

Your Turn: Have you read “A Wrinkle in Time” or any of L’Engle’s other books? What did you think? If you are a Christian, does it challenge your religious beliefs for Jesus to be listed with philosophers and scientists as ‘one who brings light to the earth’?

Buy this book on Amazon.

Check out my Banned Books Week Spotlights all week, every day at 2 pm Central through Saturday, Octobter 4th.

Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth’s Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa — The Grapes of Wrath — The Handmaid’s Tale — Native Son — To Kill a Mockingbird — Lord of the Flies

Rebecca of The Book Lady’s Blog is doing Banned Books Week Spotlights as well, every morning at 9 am. Check her out as well!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower — And Tango Makes Three — Catch-22 — The Giver — The Things They Carried — The Bluest Eye — It’s Perfectly Normal — Fahrenheit 451

The Double Bind – Book Review

Oct 042008

The Double Bind: A Novel by Chris Bohjalian

A caution to those who are looking to read this book. It begins with a fairly graphic description of Laurel’s near-rape and murder. In fact, this is one of the central themes and plot points of the book as Laurel is still working through this traumatic experience. If this subject is a trigger, I absolutely would not recommend this book.

That being said, “The Double Bind” is a fascinating tale. The main character is the aforementioned Laurel. Now out of college, she is a case worker at a homeless shelter. Life becomes complicated for Laurel when one of the shelter’s clients dies, leaving a stack of photographs and Laurel’s boss asks her to catalog them and prepare them for a show to benefit the shelter. Laurel becomes almost obsessed with the photos, risking damage to her social life and, her friends believe, her mental health in working on them.

This book kept me entertained and guessing the entire time. There is a strong connection with “The Great Gatsby” that just made the book more interesting. Bohjalian wove his story well and both set up and hid information for the climax. Unfortunately, I cannot say much more without giving too much away. I will, however, tell you this:

Do not read ahead.

Buy this book on Amazon.

Banned Books Week Spotlight – Lord of the Flies

Oct 032008

Lord of the Fliesby William Golding

Original publication date: 1954

This week is banned books week in the United States. All week I will be highlighting banned, challenged, and censored books I own and have read.

Publisher description:

William Golding’s classic tale about a group of English schoolboys who are plane-wrecked on a deserted island is just as chilling and relevant today as when it was first published in 1954. At first, the stranded boys cooperate, attempting to gather food, make shelters, and maintain signal fires. Overseeing their efforts are Ralph, “the boy with fair hair,” and Piggy, Ralph’s chubby, wisdom-dispensing sidekick whose thick spectacles come in handy for lighting fires. Although Ralph tries to impose order and delegate responsibility, there are many in their number who would rather swim, play, or hunt the island’s wild pig population. Soon Ralph’s rules are being ignored or challenged outright. His fiercest antagonist is Jack, the redheaded leader of the pig hunters, who manages to lure away many of the boys to join his band of painted savages. The situation deteriorates as the trappings of civilization continue to fall away, until Ralph discovers that instead of being hunters, he and Piggy have become the hunted: “He forgot his words, his hunger and thirst, and became fear; hopeless fear on flying feet.” Golding’s gripping novel explores the boundary between human reason and animal instinct, all on the brutal playing field of adolescent competition. –Jennifer Hubert

Status: Repeatedly challenged in the United States (citation).

Reason for challenge in the U.S.: Like “To Kill a Mockingbird,” this one is a dozy. Here’s the list: demoralizing because of implications that man is no more than an animal; excessive violence; profanity (“Sucks to your as-mar!”); racism; statements defamatory to women, minorities, the disabled, and God (citation).

My thoughts: I concede that “Lord of the Flies” is violent and demoralizing but, in my opinion, this is not handled in a gratuitous way. Like “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Lord of the Flies” could be called dystopian. This is a novel about the dangers of what we can become if we completely ignore the rules of society and civilization. Whether you agree with Golding’s assessments of human nature or not, it is sure a good conversation starter. We read this freshman year in high school and I would not consider it too violent and graphic for us, primarily because it isn’t just trash, it is literature, and we discussed it as literature, working through some of the difficult issues in the book with our teacher and as a class.

Your Turn: Have you read “Lord of the Flies”? What do you think? Do you think discussing different philosophies of human nature is educationally valuable? Why or why not?

Buy this book on Amazon.

Check out my Banned Books Week Spotlights all week, every day at 2 pm Central through Saturday, Octobter 4th.

Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth’s Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa — The Grapes of Wrath — The Handmaid’s Tale — Native Son — To Kill a Mockingbird

Rebecca of The Book Lady’s Blog is doing Banned Books Week Spotlights as well, every morning at 9 am. Check her out as well!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower — And Tango Makes Three — Catch-22 — The Giver — The Things They Carried — The Bluest Eye — It’s Perfectly Normal

How Stupid Do You Have To Be…

Oct 032008

…to try to ban a book the DAY before Banned Books Week starts?

A district official in my very own old school district in California decided last Friday that Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series was not appropriate for junior high and ordered all copies of her books in any of the 12 junior highs in the district be sent to the district offices.

You can read the whole story here.

Thank you ma’am. I’m glad you’ve decided that not a single middle school student is capable of reading and processing “Twilight.” Where on earth would these children be without you? Who else could parent them in such a capable manner. Oh. Right. They have actual parents that aren’t you.

Don’t think that Twilight should be in junior high libraries? Look into it a little bit before you purchase the damn thing. I’ve heard there’s this thing called the ‘internet’ where people talk about books, including often their content.

A Wrinkle in Time – Book Review

Oct 032008

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

“It was a dark and stormy night.”

No kidding, that is actually how this book begins. No, it is not a total cheese-fest, I promise.

“A Wrinkle in Time’ is the story of siblings Meg and Charles Wallace Murray, whose father has been missing far too long. With the help of Calvin O’Keefe and Mrs Which, Mrs Who, and Mrs Whatsit, they go off to rescue their dad.

This is a great youth’s science fiction story, full of ‘tessering’ (which enables one to travel faster than the speed of light), interesting ‘persons,’ and other planets. I love this book, as well as the rest of L’Engle’s “Time Quartet.”

Buy this book on Amazon.

100th Review Giveaway Update #2

Oct 022008

Okay.

Yesterday we hit 75 people who had entered my contest and I added this book to the prize list:

I told you all that I would continue to add another book for every additional 25 people entering. Little did I know that we would reach that in about 24 hours (okay, only 24 more people have entered so far, but I have little doubt we’ll be at 100 total by the time I get around to posting anything else on the blog). So, of course, I have to add a new book (note: all of this information is being updated on the original post as well, for any newcomers). Here’s the new book:

Click on either cover to see the review. Same deal will apply for the next 25 people, although I have to go home and figure out what else I can bear to part with.

Banned Books Week Spotlight – To Kill a Mockingbird

Oct 022008

To Kill a Mockingbirdby Harper Lee

Original publication date: 1960

This week is banned books week in the United States. All week I will be highlighting banned, challenged, and censored books I own and have read.

Publisher description:

Lawyer Atticus Finch defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee’s classic, Puliter Prize-winning novel–a black man charged with the rape of a white woman. Through the eyes of Atticus’s children, Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unanswering honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930′s.

Status: Challenged and occasionally temporarily banned at libraries and high schools around the country (citation).

Reason for challenge in the U.S.: Wow, people really went to town on this one: vulgar language (because of the words ‘whore lady’), representing institutional racism (I don’t get it, did they deny this exists/existed? Do they think TKAMB promotes institutional racism??), use of the word n*gg*r, racial themes, conflicting with the values of the community (get me out of that community!), profanity, racial slurs, being degrading to African Americans (citation).

My thoughts: It drives me crazy that a depiction of racism is challenged for racial themes. READ THE BOOK, PEOPLE! Clearly Atticus is dissatisfied with the status of race relations in his community, he is working to make a change. It wouldn’t be dramatic that he is fighting racism if Lee didn’t include a realistic description of racism. Like “The Grapes of Wrath,” this is one of my favorite books of all time (.doc), and one I re-read frequently.

Your Turn: Have you read “To Kill a Mockingbird”? What do you think? Does it accurately depict race relations in the South at the time of writing, or is it a racist novel?

Buy this book on Amazon.

Check out my Banned Books Week Spotlights all week, every day at 2 pm Central through Saturday, Octobter 4th.

Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth’s Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa — The Grapes of Wrath — The Handmaid’s Tale — Native Son — In Cold Blood

Rebecca of The Book Lady’s Blog is doing Banned Books Week Spotlights as well, every morning at 9 am. Check her out as well!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower — And Tango Makes Three — Catch-22 — The Giver — The Things They Carried — The Bluest Eye

BTT: The ‘Eh’ of the Best

Oct 022008

What, in your opinion, is the best book that you haven’t liked? Mind you, I don’t mean your most-hated book–oh, no. I mean the most accomplished, skilled, well-written, impressive book that you just simply didn’t like.

This is not a particularly easy question to answer.

My first though was, “Well, anything by Paulo Coelho.”

Then I realized that I didn’t really count the books I’ve read by him as ‘accomplished, skilled, well-written, impressive‘ (apologies if you like him, I know some do), they just annoy me.

Looking through my LibraryThing catalog at some of the books I gave the lowest ratings, I determined that the best book that I didn’t really like was “Snow Falling on Cedars.” Reading about the prejudices towards Japanese-Americans was interesting, the book’s pretty well written, it has a good overall rating on LibraryThing, but I was just sort of ‘eh’ towards it.

What about you? What great book were you just not crazy about?

There’s a ton going on here at Devourer of Books this week! Check out my huge giveaway in honor of my 100th review, as well as my Banned Books Week Spotlights.

Twilight – Book Review

Oct 022008

twilight picture Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Okay, so everyone and their mother has heard at least something about “Twilight” by now. However, I read it, so I’m going to review it.

“Twilight” is your basic story: Girl moves to new town, meets boy who is also relatively new. Boy seems to hate girl, girl is intrigued. Boy saves girl, likes girl, turns out to be a vampire whose very existence threatens girl’s life.

Okay, so the book is totally cheesy and definitely not great literature, but I thought it was fun. From what I hear the other books may be more whiny, with Bella (the aforementioned ‘girl’) mooning too much over Edward (the aforementioned ‘boy’). However, I’m willing to at least give them a try – this made for a quick, fun read at a time when that I was I needed.

Buy this book on Amazon.