In Defense of Food

Well, there's nothing quite like stuffing your face during the holiday season while reading a book about how horrible our food system is here in the United States.  I read Food Rules by this same author and really enjoyed it's brevity and bluntness. I still apply those rules when I shop (for the most part).  I try to be very cognizant about what I'm buying and eating.

This book breaks it down a little further and discusses how the various branches of Food Science have detracted from common sense eating.  The author discusses how, by focusing only on one ingredient, the scientists essentially have made dozens of diet recommendations that could actually be pretty faulty.  For instance, by focusing on fat allegedly being bad for you, they have missed the nutritional value of the whole food that may contain the fat. He also discusses, briefly, how lobbyists in the industrial food markets (i.e. dairy farmers, meat processing plants) do their best to make sure certain research doesn't reach you.

His research seems sound and there are enough references and resources in this book to make your head spin. You could easily end up reading about food for years if you dig into all the different books and articles out there.  If you have an interest in healthy eating (not dieting) I think this is a good book to read. It's not preachy and you can come to your own conclusions.  If you never read Food Rules, you're in luck because the third and final section of the book is basically Food Rules.  So, in a way, you're reading two books.   I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to make a decision to just eat good food for better health and not follow fad diets and crazes.

The Best of Times

If you have diabetes, skip this book because the syrupy sweetness will surely put you into a diabetic coma.  This book is the Game of Thrones of chick-lit.  I say that because there are easily twenty characters. Their stories are all intertwined because of a fateful car crash on a highway in England.  At times I felt like I was reading an extended version of the movie Love Actually.  I can't even get into the multitude of characters and their back stories.  Just know there are a lot relationships started, broken, patched up, broken again, and then finally ending in either marriage or some other suitable resolution, like engagement or co-habitation.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it for what it was, but it was just entirely too long.  I think it was fine for the crash to be the catalyst for the story.  It was a good way to introduce the characters. Once they were established, and the cause of the crash was resolved, we are still subjected to the entire inquest as well as the planning for a charity fundraiser for the hospital where victims were treated. Those bits were not too interesting to me. This would have been a perfect book for summer reading on vacation.  It's also a good choice for a snowstorm weekend. Please just know what you're getting into when you pick it up.

The Sweet Life in Paris

Of course I had to read one more book about Paris before the end of the year. This one was another true story about someone in the culinary field moving to Paris to live out some dreams. The author is a pastry chef who moves from San Francisco. In each chapter he talks about the differences between living in the United States and Paris and discusses his experiences with food in the City of Lights. He also includes a recipe or two at the end of each chapter.  If you are a budding chef or a foodie, you can definitely get some good ideas from here. A lot of the recipes sound pretty mouth-watering.

I think I'm getting used to the American-in-Paris books because I'm starting to notice the pattern in them. The book is a quick read and although it wasn't my favorite book about living in Paris, it was fairly enjoyable.

Bel Canto

This is one of the most beautifully written books I've read this year.

Even though the author was inspired by real events, I completely read it as a work of fiction and enjoyed everything about the book, except the epilogue.  I wish I didn't read the epilogue, because it seemed so incongruous to everything that preceded it.  Until the epilogue, I was all in.  The story is about a group of international individuals who are attending the birthday party of a Japanese CEO at the home of a South American vice-president.  Just as a world famous opera singer (who was invited specifically by the birthday boy) is completing her final aria, a group of terrorists invade the home and take the guests hostage.  You would think because terrorists and hostages are involved that this is going to be a story about violence, anger, torture and murder.  It is the exact opposite.  It is a story about finding yourself, friendship, love and forgiveness. Violence against women is so prevalent in today's world that it was a breath of fresh air to read a story where no women were raped or beaten!

The story covers the duration of the hostage crisis from the perspective of both the hostages and the terrorists keeping them. Some unlikely friendships and romances develop even in the midst of everyone not speaking the same language.  There is conveniently a polyglot translator among the hostages and he is a key character.

The writing is lovely and this is a story that cannot be devoured quickly. Opera is a main character in the book and the book is reminiscent of a tragic opera. Sometimes you can see a book becoming a movie as you read it, but this one you could see becoming an opera. A very beautiful, tragic opera.

Lexicon

I don't post about every book I read.  Occasionally I read one that is so bad, it's not even worth taking the time to make a post about it.  So I was on the fence about posting this book.  It commits the cardinal sin of staring out interesting and then falling flat in a terrible way.  It wasn't horrible, but because it started out so promising and became so disappointing I was unreasonably angry towards the end. It is a good airport book, which is where I started reading it. I was in three airports within a 24-hour period and this book allows for easy reading and frequent interruptions. So as an airport book, it's fine because you are paying light attention and the story works for light attention.  However, once I got to my destination and finished the book, I was keenly aware of all the plot holes and it made me mad.  I also realized that none of the characters were fully developed and I didn't care about any of them.

The book follows Emily Ruff who is a teenage runaway. She gets vetted by a 'special school' that teaches mind control with the use of words.  She becomes impatient and rebellious and instead of learning things as they are taught to her, she seeks out advanced knowledge.  Of course she gets all this advanced knowledge but has no clue what to do with it because she didn't take the time to learn the basics. She ends up killing another student through misuse of 'the words' and gets kicked out of the academy and banished to some dust town in Australia called Broken Hill for several years.  Throughout these years, she somehow becomes this promiscuous young woman.  A group of other women jump her one night and beat her senseless. She then falls in love with the paramedic who takes her to the hospital.  Literally this all happens in the span of about 5-10 pages.  This is around the time when I started really rolling my eyes and cursing every male author who ever tried to write a three-dimensional female character and failed.  Anyway, to make a long story short, it turns out this paramedic guy is immune to the mind control, and when the whole town is destroyed by words he is the only one who doesn't die.  He somehow gets to the United States and lives free of any memory of Australia because Emily wipes his memory.  Because of this special ability to be resistant to mind control, the academy wants him for research, but Emily wants him for love. So the academy is trying to find both Emily and her little paramedic guy. Blah blah blah....yawn.

The book is not told in a chronological order and there are several stories going on at one time. In between the chapters there are also fictionalized examples of how the media uses words to control the minds of the masses.  I found the fictionalized examples of media mind control a more fascinating story than Emily Ruff trying to seek out and save the guy she somehow developed a lifelong passion for in the span of a few pages.  The story just wasn't cohesive enough. You will find weak, poorly developed characters. The only thing the book does develop is apathy in the reader.  I will just say read at your own discretion.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

This book was interesting because it's told from the point of view of a 15-year-old autistic boy.  Having worked with autistic children in my "day job" I think the author presents an accurate portrayal of how the autistic mind sometimes works. The story was decent and you could probably finish the book in one day.

Christopher, our protagonist, initially starts off trying to solve the mystery of who killed his neighbor's dog.  That mystery is solved fairly early in the book and a larger problem is revealed.  The latter half of the book deals with this larger problem and left me feeling bland.  While it was interesting to see how this young man attempts to function in the "real world", it becomes wearisome after a while and you just feel kind of sad for him because he just does not function well socially and you fear he never will.  He's brilliant with math and science and tends to describe a lot of math and science in the book, but my eyes glazed over during those parts.

The silver lining is that he does test his limits and challenge himself when push comes to shove. Best of all, he rises to his challenges in the "real world", albeit quite messily.  So I guess if the point of the book was to open people's eyes to the world of autism, it does a very solid job.  I think this is a good introductory way of being exposed to autism in an accessible way. However, don't let the title fool you into thinking the entire book will be about solving a dog's murder. It has very little to do with dogs at all. The dog's murder is a red herring (if you read the book, you'll get my reference).

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

I really love the fact that it's a novel for adults but it reaches back to childhood and the reason why so many of us love to read stories.  We like to escape and imagine worlds that are full of adventure, excitement, and danger.  At approximately 180pages, this book is a quick read that will take you on a fantastic ride.  The boy in the story, who remains unnamed, is a shy bookworm with no friends.  One day a boarder at his family's home steals the father's car and kills himself at the end of the lane. When the boy and his father go to the end of the lane, they meet the Hempstock women.  They boy is seven years old and he meets Lettie Hempstock who is eleven years old. The two become quick friends and end up having an adventure that could mean life or death for one or both of them. I'm just going to leave it at that because this is a book that has to be enjoyed, not explained.

When we sometimes think of magical books or fantasy books, we think of Harry Potter or something similar.  This is a different kind of magic.  It's the kind that doesn't have answers and is closely intertwined with the real world in plain sight. That was one of the reasons I enjoyed it. You may never look at a full moon or the night sky in the same way after reading this book.  Is what we see on a daily basis real? Is your reality a mirage? Memory is a tricky thing.  When you remember something from your childhood, how sure are you of its veracity?

You can easily read this book in one day.  I suggest a nice quiet spot with your preferred warm beverage (coffee, tea, cider, cocoa) and a baked good.  If you can, get the physical book. Stay off social media, turn your phone/laptop/tablet off and enjoy!

The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow

This is one of the most beautiful books I've read this year.  Since this year is almost at a close, I think I can also say that it it's one of the most memorable books I've read this year.  It's set in 1950s Louisiana and the author uses such magical language in her descriptions of settings, thoughts, and emotions that you almost feel like you are right there cloaked in magical realism.

The protagonist of the book is Bonaventure Arrow who was born mute. He doesn't speak, but he has extra-sensitive hearing. He can hear the stars being born and the spices in the kitchen tell their stories about being used for gumbo.  He lives with his mother and paternal grandmother.  They are both shrouded in a deep, grieving sadness stemming from the death of Bonaventure's father. Ultimately, it is up to the spirit of the deceased father, Bonaventure, and Trinidad Prefontaine (a Creole woman with the power of healing and prophecy), to bring healing to all the characters. This story has layers that go beyond healing, though. It's also about our actions and how they affect others immediately and indefinitely.  It's also about taking the time to listen to others and to the world around you.

There are many layers to the plot, but I won't go into much detail because I really want you to read it. It's so beautifully and vividly written that I think you will get drawn in as quickly and easily as I did.

Five Star Billionaire

This is the November selection for the book club I attend. I was feeling rather lukewarm about it during the voting process.  We vote on the book for the month and while I didn't select this one, I wasn't upset when it won the vote either. I felt lukewarm and ambivalent.

Then I started reading it and I was actually pretty interested in the story.  The writing is very well done and in the beginning when the characters are being introduced and described, I was intrigued.

Then.............nothing major really happens for the rest of the 370+ pages.

Basically the story follows 5 characters who are all currently living in Shanghai, but were born in Malaysia. I didn't realize Shanghai had a lot of Malaysian immigrants.  However, if nothing else, this book does give you good geography lessons.  Anyway, one character is a pop star who gets TMZ'd after a fight in a nightclub and falls into a depression that ultimately leads him to a more "true to self" music career. The second character is a simple village girl who is obsessed with appearances and goes to great lengths to appear more successful than she is.  All she really wants is true love, but she goes about it the wrong way.  The third character is a successful businesswoman who is haunted by her past.  Her father was involved in a political corruption scandal and she carries the shame of that. The fourth character is the son of a real estate magnate. He is on the verge of closing a huge deal on a property when he is blindsided and loses the property, thereby sending his family into financial ruin. He, too, goes into a depression and isolates himself.

Which brings me to the fifth character, the five star billionaire.  He is connected to each of the characters in some kind of way.  He tries to date the simple village girl. He swindles the successful businesswoman.  He's the one who steals the property deal from the real estate guru.  He hires the pop singer to perform at a charity concert. Throughout the story, other connections are revealed as well. The businesswoman used to date the real estate guy's brother. The simple village girl is hired by the businesswoman to work in one of her spas. The pop star is chat-room friends with the simple village girl. And so on.  You get the picture. We're all connected.

The big reveal towards the end of the book is *why* the billionaire has intervened in all these lives, more specifically two of the lives. Then you see elements of a revenge novel. Even with all the interconnectedness, nothing really happens. At its core, it's just another story about everyone trying to make it in a big city.  Some people make it, some don't.  Some people stumble and stay down. Some people stumble and get back up.  It wasn't horrible, but I wasn't terribly interested in the characters. I wouldn't go out into the streets and tell the world they need to read it, but I also wouldn't tell the world they shouldn't read it. After all is said and done, my ambivalent lukewarm feeling remains.

Finding Your Element

I am constantly trying to figure out what I'm really supposed to be doing on this Earth.  I really enjoy my current career in the health field, but I think there is something more I'm supposed to be doing. What is that 'more'?  Well I picked up Ken Robinson's book to see how I could go about finding out the answer to that question.  I first saw Ken Robinson during this TED talk.  I really enjoyed the talk and felt he had a lot of valid points.  So, naturally, I was interested to see what he recommends in this book about finding out what gives you life.

As far as self-help books go, this one was pretty inspirational and helpful.  It doesn't give you too much psychological mumbo-jumbo.  What it does provide in the way of psychology and research is mostly already known and established so it's not overwhelming.  There are some step-by-step measures and recommendations given.  There are even some exercises to complete if you're interested.  I think the best thing the book does is ask the questions you need to answer in order to move forward on your quest to find your passion.  Taking personal time to just sit down with yourself and ask some of these questions might be the only jump-start you need.  I found that just reflecting on the questions and jotting down a few notes for some of the exercises got my mind flowing.

The individual stories that are interspersed throughout are good and will leave you thinking: "If they could do it, why shouldn't I be able to as well?"

If you decide to pick it up, I wish you luck on your journey.

Inferno

When I read The DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons years ago, I remember not being able to put them down. The chapters were short and always ended with a mild cliffhanger so you just had to keep reading, and you wanted to keep reading.  Everything was a clue to something big.  I remember being absorbed by those books.  They kept me up at night turning the page.

Now comes Inferno.  I was going to the bookstore to read it with the hopes that eventually I would move up on the library waiting list.  I think I was around number 300 or so. I know, call me an optimist.  Anyway, since the list was moving at a snail's pace, and I wanted to kick my feet up on my couch to read it, I finally broke down and downloaded it to my eReader.  What can I say now that I've finished it?  Well, I kind of wished I'd waited for the library.

The book is definitely engaging. It's the same Dan Brown style we've known all along. Short, quick chapters. The protagonist racing through the streets of a European city trying to save the world one Art History clue at a time.  This time around he is mostly in Florence, Italy following clues related to Dante's Inferno.  He's trying to stop a virus from being released into the general population.  The creator of the virus has a problem with the rapid population growth on Earth and has a mind to do something about it.  Well not if Robert Langdon and the World Health Organization have anything to say about it. The whole book you think that if the virus is released people will die, but there is a little twist to that.  If you know for a fact that you won't read the book, highlight my spoiler starting here ---> The virus actually will make one-third of the population STERILE so they won't produce any more kids, therefore putting the population in check without actually killing anyone. <---

My first degree is in Art History so I love the idea of Robert Langdon.  This is why I loved The DaVinci Code. However, I just wasn't into this book as much as I thought I would be and I know exactly why.  The writing is not good.  I was reading it and that same thought kept coming to my mind. It took away from the story for me.  There were chunks of the story that were repetitive. There were also a lot of catch phrases and clichés.  I kept thinking about Stephen King's book about writing and shaking my head because I think Dan Brown might not have read it.  If he did, he certainly didn't heed any of the advice in it. 

Overall, it's a perfectly good book for vacation and a lazy weekend.  It's a quick read and might give you some food for thought regarding population control, but don't fool yourself into thinking it's a classic.  

**Edit:  A friend of mine just reminded me that I also read The Lost Symbol a few years ago.  I forgot I ever read that book. I guess that speaks volumes.**

  

Inside-Out Simplicity

Yes, I'm on a bit of a "peace and love" reading frenzy.  It comes in peaks and valleys.  It's a process to simplify your life.  I've been working at it for about three years now and still have far to go. This book touches on almost every aspect of life and how you can make small changes to start simplifying. There are a lot of common sense ideas, but also some unique ideas that may be useful.

As with any book that promotes change, this is a book you have to be ready to read. If you are not in a place in your life where you are ready to implement some kind of change, you probably won't enjoy it.  However, if you are thinking about simplifying your life or you've looked around you lately and thought to yourself "I'm tired of this clutter and turmoil" then you might glean some tips from this book.  The author divides the book into sections dealing with our relationships to our world. There are segments regarding our relationship with ourselves, others, possessions, money, and so on.  He discusses how, by simplifying our lives, our lives become more meaningful.

It's only about $3 for the e-book.  I think that's a good deal.  Even if you end up hating it or certain sections don't apply to you (i.e. the section about your relationship with kids or spouses isn't applicable to all), you will be happy you didn't have to break the bank for it.

The Four Agreements

This book has been recommended to me multiple times.  I finally read it and I'm glad I did. I am a big believer in the power of the mind.  I think you can influence your life either positively or negatively by what you believe. This book lists and discusses four agreements you should make with yourself in order to live a life of happy freedom from the status quo.  The four agreements are:

1) Be impeccable with your word
2) Don't make assumptions
3) Don't take things personally
4) Always do your best

The author explains how, by implementing these agreements into your life, you can open your heart and mind to more compassion and love. I love reading positive writing like this.  I know it's not for everyone, but if you gravitate towards writing about inner peace or Zen-like topics, this is a good selection. It's also a quick read, but be sure to have a highlighter handy.  There are some good points made that you won't want to forget.

Franny and Zooey

Like most Americans, I had to read The Catcher in the Rye during my high school years. It was quite forgettable to me as a teen, so I re-read it as an adult and I still could not tell you what was so great about it.  It just wasn't a memorable book or one that I could relate to personally. That was the only Salinger I ever read until now.  Franny and Zooey was originally published as two separate stories in The New Yorker back in the mid-late 1950s. The two characters are the youngest children in the Glass family.

Franny (Frances - age 20) experiences the beginning of an existential nervous breakdown in her story.  She's with her boyfriend at a restaurant and starts to tear down everything he says. She basically tells him that he's an idiot and all the people in her world are idiots as well.  She's chain-smoking while doing this and refusing to eat her food. Then she passes out while walking to the bathroom. When she comes too, her boyfriend says he'll get a cab for her.  Presumably, he gets her back to her NYC family home because then Zooey's story begins shortly after this fainting incident.

Zooey (Zachary - age 25) is in the bathroom taking a bath and reading an old letter from one of his brothers who encourages him to follow his dream of acting regardless of what their mother thinks he should do.  He finishes reading the letter and proceeds to start looking at a script for a project. Then his portion of the story really takes off. The mom comes into the bathroom and has this long, drawn-out conversation with Zooey.  The conversation is borderline abusive with Zooey calling his mother stupid and fat and things like that.  The mom just chain-smokes and berates Zooey too, telling him to go talk to Franny, who we learn is malingering on the couch in the living room chanting The Jesus Prayer to herself. Zooey says he has a million things to do that day and can't be bothered since he talked to her the previous night.

To make a long story short, Zooey does go and talk to Franny in the living room (another long conversation) and eventually walks out of the room because he's driven her to tears. Then he calls her later from a phone line within the same apartment to speak more kindly to her and she fares much better with the kinder conversation. She seems to have an epiphany or a moment of enlightenment at the end of the nicer conversation, and so the story ends.

I know I usually don't type so much detail about a plot. Even with this one, I've left out a great deal about the oldest children in the family and their role in the current situation. Since they were originally two stories, though, I wanted to give each story a little description. The book has a lot of religious references and meditations. It actually reads more like a play than a book. The dialogue is so dense that it's hard to remember you're reading two interconnected stories. If you are interested in religion or spirituality, it could be an interesting read for you.  If not, I'm afraid you may be unable to finish it.  The characters do come off as pompous, entitled brats at times, especially in the way they speak to one another.  However, by the end you get the sense that they do care about each other in some odd, abstract, philosophical, academic way.  Even with characters like that, I enjoyed this one much more than The Catcher in the Rye because it was more thought provoking for me and also more memorable.

The Interestings

This book is the October book selection for the small book club I attend.  I'm already thinking about how I'll explain my ambivalence.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. It was actually kind of sad and depressing if I think too much about it.  Yet, I think maybe that was the whole point.  With a title like this you would think the book would be interesting, right?  Well if I oversimplify it, I would say it's actually about how uninteresting life can be, and that's pretty sad.

The book starts in the 1970s when six teens (three girls and three boys) meet at a New England summer camp and become friends. The main character, Jules, is a shy girl with low self-esteem who is dealing with the recent death of her father.  She begins to feel like this new group of friends provides something she thinks she is missing from life. She glamorizes their lives because they all live in Manhattan while she lives in a suburb of NYC.  After camp is over and they all return to their respective homes, she takes the commuter train into the city to visit them often and idolize them.  She starts thinking her suburban life isn't good enough and never really ever lets go of this desire to lead a more interesting life. One New Year's Eve, one of the boys gets into a situation where he is accused of raping one of the girls.  This causes a split among them although the majority of them remain friends. Years go on and life goes on. Jules ends up in a regular marriage with a regular guy while two of the other friends from the group become a millionaire power couple.  The majority of the book is Jules wishing her life were different or that life could always be like summer camp when she was happy.  That was the sad and depressing part for me.  If you keep wishing for a different life, you inevitably miss the one you're actually living.

Spanning from the 1970s to today we follow the trajectory of each of the six teens as they become young adults, spouses, parents, and older adults. They are in their mid-fifties by the end of the book. While I didn't mind reading the book, the characters were shallow and it really was just about life.  People get jobs, they struggle with depression, they fight with their spouses, they lie, they reconcile, they move on from tragedy, they avoid sticky situations, they drink, they smoke, they are successful, they are mediocre, they are unsuccessful, they are frustrated, they quit jobs, they have kids, they defer dreams, they eat, they sleep, they worry, they stress, they desire, they love, they hate, they make good decisions, they make bad decisions, and it goes on and on. That's life.  That's pretty much what goes on in this book. The author tries to make the alleged rape the turning point of the friendships but it only comes up sporadically as the book continues hurtling the characters through life.  In the end, that's what I think the book is really about: the banality of life and the fact that we are all hurtling through it.  These particular characters weren't developed well enough for me to really care how they got through life, though.

If you read books to escape reality, this won't work for you because I suspect that most people will recognize something of the banality of their own lives in this work. The plus is that the writing flows very well so even though it's 450+ pages, you can move through it smoothly. Also, it does have good closure at the end so you won't feel it was all for naught.

Half of a Yellow Sun

It was time for me to revisit one of my favorite authors, Chimamanda Adichie. I'm waiting for the library to deliver my next book for the little web class I'm taking so in the interim I picked up an older Adichie book. I read her most recent book in July, and if you read my post about it then you already know I have a mild obsession. I actually thought I read Half of a Yellow Sun before, but I didn't.  I think I bought it in the past, but I may have loaned it out prior to reading or lost it in a move or donated it. Either way, I read it now and yes I enjoyed it immensely.

When I was reading this book, I was so vividly transported to Nigeria that the reading environment around me (coffee shop, my apartment, the park) would dissipate. I would look up and blink a few times and remind myself I was not currently in Nigeria or Biafra. The book also permeated my non-reading life in odd ways. For example, I made a stew the other day. While I was making it, I cut the meat for it into very small bits because I wanted to make sure there was meat in every bite.  In the book there is a lot of discussion about whether or not people have meat in their soups because there is a war going on and subsequent food rationing. Here I was cutting up meat for a stew thinking "I am glad I have meat in my soup".  That is a testament to the power of good writing. Adichie does this for me in all her writing.  She has a way of pulling you into the story and the story into your life.

The book is beautifully written. The story follows five main characters, Olanna and Kainene (sisters), Odenigbo and Richard (their significant others), and Ugwu (the houseboy) as they start off in a united Nigeria and are thrown into the Biafran war in the late 1960s.  It has all the expected drama of war; bombs, deaths, evacuations, displaced family, famine, starvation, and so on.  However, the personal experiences of each character and how they respond to their rapidly changing environment is the real story. I admit my knowledge of African civil/ethnic wars is abysmal. After reading this story, I did more research into Nigerian history and the Biafran war.  It made me appreciate the story so much more.  I am truly a fan of Adichie's work and I expect I will be a lifelong one.  If I taught a literature class I would make this required reading.  I highly recommend it.

Of note: I get very uneasy with the subject of rape and sexual exploitation and there are several descriptions of it in the book as a weapon of war. This was not unexpected, but I always like to give people a heads-up about it if you have uneasiness like me.  However, there are tender love scenes between the couples as well so the contrasting effect is helpful. 

Lolita

I've avoided this book like the plague because of its content.  I vaguely knew it was about a pedophile and I was not interested in the least. Well, of course it showed up on the syllabus for the literature class.  I could have skipped it because I'm not officially taking the class on-site for any kind of academic credit.  This self-study is only for my own edification.  I decided not to skip it. I figured if I looked at it critically I could probably digest it a little better.

I was surprised how much I actually liked the book.  You can't deny the writing is superb and for me that was the major reason I enjoyed it. The protagonist, Humbert, is a horrible person, but his articulation is divine.  His way of describing scenes and situations pulls you into the story even if you are disgusted by him as a person.  You can tell he views himself as part of the upper echelon of society, however through his prose you can also see how weak and pathetic he is.  His prey, Lolita, is probably one of the most tragic figures in literature.  We only see things from her perspective, very briefly, through Humbert's eyes.  Only towards the end does he come to the conclusions any sane person would have known from the beginning and by then it's too late for everyone involved.

I'm glad I read it now and not earlier.  Breaking it down as literature helped me enjoy it more than I would have reading it on my own with no guide.  Honestly if I read it independently, I may have put it down because the subject matter is uncomfortable.  Amazingly, though, I highly recommend it.  Read it for the writing.

Wise Blood

This is the second book on the syllabus for the Open Course literature class I'm taking.  I have heard critics rave about Flannery O'Connor.  I read her short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and enjoyed it.  It was not something I expected from a female writer because it was about a family on a road trip that goes horribly wrong in a violent way. I shouldn't have preconceived notions about female writers, and I didn't really think I did until I read her and then realized I did.

At first when I started reading this book I was bored, then it picked up a little bit and I found myself enjoying it. The most compelling section of the book, for me, was the last thirty pages. Those last pages made the book.  None of the characters are likable and as I was reading I was hoping that maybe someone would do something nice, but nobody does anything worthy even though redemption is an ongoing theme.  This story drips with religious metaphors and discussion. The main character, Hazel Motes, is a young man trying to convince himself (and others) that he doesn't believe in Jesus anymore even though religion was a large part of his upbringing. Along the way he meets several individuals who pretend they believe in Jesus, but are really just hustling people for money. Meanwhile Hazel, who is fighting his belief in Jesus, is probably the strongest believer of them all.

I don't know who should read this book. It definitely strikes me as literature and not a leisure read. I think if you are interested in Southern literature and strong female writers you should give it a go.  I realize it's not for everyone, though and may take some time to appreciate.

Black Boy (American Hunger)

Since I live in one of the college sections of my city (within walking distance of both Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania) I'm acutely aware of summer's demise because of the influx of students.  As much as I may internally groan about the increase in foot traffic and longer wait times at local eateries, I've always loved "Back to School" season even when I was a little kid.  New school supplies, new books, new things to learn, new people, and did I mention new books?  So I decided this year that I would take a free online literature course offered by Yale.  I selected the course entitled The American Novel since 1945. Now I can secretly be the English student I've always wanted to be without paying actual tuition. I'm still paying for my Nursing degrees and I refuse to go further into debt for higher education, but this is not a blog about debt. I'll link the site for the classes below. They have a pretty diverse class offering so even if literature is not your thing, you may find something else you like.

The first book on the syllabus was Black Boy by Richard Wright.  I have never read anything by Richard Wright.  I vaguely remember attempting to read Native Son once or twice back when I lived in New Jersey in my early 20s. I don't have a concrete reason why I didn't get into it or finish it. After viewing the Intro class online and hearing about the original publication fight regarding Black Boy, my interest was piqued. Apparently it was chosen as a Book of the Month Club selection, however the president of the club did not want both parts of the book published. She only wanted the first half and there was a significant amount of back-and-forth correspondence between her and Wright.  Eventually, only the first half was published and it was a huge success.

Fast-forward to today when I have a chance to read the book in its entirety as the author intended.  Well, I have to admit; I could see why the BOTMC leadership said ditch the second half.  The first half was very engaging to me.  I vacillated between being incredulous and sympathetic.  The book is about the author's childhood and touches on the themes of racial segregation, child abuse, violence, religion, education, intellectual escape, and self-actualization. Many have conceded that although the book is called an autobiography it's really semi-autobiographical.  There are instances that are somewhat fictionalized or not the memories of the author, but rather those of his friends or acquaintances.  At the end of the first section I was pleased and there was hope.  I would have been completely satisfied with that ending.

The second section has to do with his participation in the Communist Party.  While this was interesting, it did not hold my interest at all.  There is a great deal of infighting (of course) and Wright shuffles around trying to understand his world and his place in it as a young adult.  I can appreciate coming into one's own in a politically volatile atmosphere, but the way he told that portion of the story was dry and unengaging.

So I would definitely recommend the first part and leave the reading of the second part of the book to your discretion. If you are interested in stimulating your mind, click the text to check out the Yale Open Courses.

Enjoy!

The Fault in Our Stars

In May of this year, I completed an earlier book by John Green called Looking for Alaska.  I had lukewarm feelings about that book.  This book, The Fault in Our Stars, received rave reviews and I was on the library waiting list forever and a day.  Finally it came in for me this week and I devoured it in two days.  Hands down, for me, this book trumps Looking for Alaska ten-fold. As I was reading the book, I already told myself that I would re-read it one day.

I don't want to give too much away, but the story is about two teens who are both cancer survivors. They meet at a support group and their story goes from there.  The fact that there is cancer involved should tell you that there are going to be some rough patches. If you are a parent, you will cry when you read this book.  If you aren't a parent, you might cry too or at least get a little misty eyed.  While I didn't cry, there were some moments when my emotions were being tugged in several directions.  My disclaimer is that since I work in pediatrics, it takes a lot for me to cry when I hear pediatric stories.  I get too wrapped up in the medical.  Fair warning though, the "tear-jerker" factor of this book is pretty high.

Speaking of emotions, I think I really enjoyed the book because of the emotional maturity of the main characters.  Green doesn't write about teens who play the victim. They are very observant and astute.  They read literature and have existential thoughts about it.  Whenever I read a book that was written for a young audience and find that the characters are smartly portrayed, I breathe a sigh of relief.  The girl isn't playing dumb and coy and the boy has more going for him than looks.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and think it deserved the wonderful reviews.  I may have picked it up from the public library, but I think it's worthy of purchasing for my personal library.

Yes, Chef

I heard about Red Rooster a while back, but have never been.  I'll be back up in NYC next weekend taking my mom to see a play so I figured we could check this place out for dinner. I only vaguely knew that the chef who revitalized Red Rooster had written a memoir.  I remember hearing about it, but just putting the book on my 'To Read' list, not racing out to get it. Since my mom is coming up soon, I finally grabbed a copy of the book from the library and read it.

As a memoir, the book is really good.  It's well written and Samuelsson does a good job describing memories through food.  His recollections of food are often vivid and colorful. His recollection of his adopted family and his struggles as a black chef are heartfelt.  He really tries to dissect what makes him tick and why he has the drive he has. I found myself really enjoying the story.  Then he gets to the part in his life where he has a one-night stand and the woman gets pregnant. She keeps the baby and Samuelsson pays child support.  However, he voluntarily does not meet his daughter until she is fourteen years old.  I couldn't wrap my head around that.  He gives a couple of reasons for this, but honestly I couldn't see it. I mean damn, really dude? Not even for, like, one holiday? Or right after she was born? Or one birthday in fourteen years?  Or hell even just her first birthday?  For fourteen years?  I found myself feeling quite sad for his daughter and the pain she went through growing up. When he finally does meet her, it's bittersweet for both of them. He put in thousands and thousands of hours towards cooking, and that helped him contribute financially to his daughter, but my wish for him is that he mends that personal relationship because the part that money can't buy is damaged.

That didn't make me enjoy the book any less; it just made me kind of sad for him.  If you consider yourself a foodie and love vivid descriptions of falling in love with food, pick this up.  Just realize that he really does put it all in this memoir and it's not just about food. It's also about sacrifice, personal relationships, family, food security, travel, and a little bit of politics. Even though I felt a bit saddened by his absence in his daughter's life, it does not diminish the good writing and the flow of the story.  It just goes to show that no matter how successful one becomes, there is always a struggle.

Walden on Wheels

I count myself as one of those who is frugal.  Some of my co-workers will tell you that I can't go a few days without mentioning how getting out of debt is my top priority in life.  I hate how owing someone money makes me feel.  So when I came across this book and read the brief description I put it on hold at the library immediately. While I was waiting for it to arrive at the library I downloaded the free sample to my Kindle.  Initially, based on the sample, I thought it would be a decent read, but I wasn't running to the library to pick it up once notified about its arrival.  So much for me judging a book based on a free sample, because I should have gone and picked this book up the minute it arrived.  I realized I was hooked this past Wednesday when I spent the majority of my day off voraciously reading the first 200 pages of the approximately 300-page book.

The book is a true account of the author, Ken, who initially has $32,000 of student debt after earning his undergraduate degree. This staggering amount makes him very uncomfortable and he proceeds to aggressively pay it off over the next few years.  In the process of paying everything off, he goes to Alaska and works a variety of grunt jobs that teach him a lot about life, nature, consumerism and capitalism (all of which he discusses very well). He vows to never go into debt again. The story takes an interesting turn when he decides to return to graduate school.  Keeping to his vow about zero debt, he buys a van and lives in the van during his entire graduate school experience. The book covers it all perfectly. A parallel story also develops about his best friend who owes $62,000 in student loans but follows a different, more arduous path in order to pay it off. His friend's story is, in some ways, the typical story that most of us are living but afraid to admit.

I loved this book, because of the inspirational tone.  At this point in my life, it was a message I was ready to hear and open to receiving.  I am motivated to continue to aggressively pay my own debt down as well.  I'm not quite at the point where I would live in a van, but I respect the author for sticking to his newfound values. The book was also pretty funny!  I wasn't expecting that and found myself laughing unexpectedly on several occasions.  I enjoyed the book so much more than I expected. Actually, this is one of the best books I've read this year. Also, if you want to read a book about finances, but don't want a book that feels too much like economics, this is it.

The Good Nurse

I am a nurse by trade so I was sickened by this story and I have a lot to say about it.  It's the true story of a nurse named Charles Cullen who, over the course of his sixteen-year career, murdered and injured hundreds of patients. This man was very disturbed and also had multiple known suicide attempts.  He would attempt suicide just enough to get some medical attention and maybe go to a psych facility, but never enough to actually get the job done.  It was always a cry for help, because if he were serious he would have just shot himself in a strategic location.  Being a nurse, he would have known what to do. This man clearly needed a LOT of psych help that he did not receive.

I was uncomfortable reading this story because I just cannot fathom doing harm to a patient.  There were multiple times in the story when I would pause and just think "How can he be okay doing this to people?" and "What the hell is wrong with this dude?" Honestly, when I have to give a medication at work, I'm breaking out the calculator and making sure that the dose is right several times before I even give it.  We even have rules in place where certain medications have to be checked by more than one nurse so multiple people check the dose several times before it reaches the patient.  This guy was BLATANTLY putting insulin in normal saline bags, loading syringes with overdoses of digoxin and injecting the heart medication right into the patient without a second thought, overdosing patients on medications that paralyze the body.  It was crazy!  I have always had a difficult time understanding mental illness.  I understand that the body and brain can experience such severe stress that one can 'just snap', but this guy was cold and calculating.

What really made me angry was that hospitals were not held accountable for their hiring practices.  All this was going on from the late 1980s until around 2003 in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, so it's fairly recent history.  He was able to continue to get jobs!  He worked at at least NINE DIFFERENT HOSPITALS. I started nursing in 2008. At that time we had to get fingerprints, a background check, a drug test and more.  At the time, I thought all that testing was standard for nursing. Come to find out, it was all implemented after this guy was caught and convicted!  Maybe if these protocols were in place back then he would have been either caught earlier or not allowed to enter the field of nursing in the first place.  However, with his mental illness, he may have still found a way to harm people.

As a side note, there is currently no 'national' nursing license. Nursing is regulated state by state.  This is a problem. I am a huge proponent of a national nursing license.  Charles Cullen was able to go from New Jersey to Pennsylvania because each state requires a different license so he could easily hold a license in both states and they may or may not communicate with each other about his questionable history. A lot of nurses have multiple licenses, especially if you live in a 'tri-city' area that covers multiple states like NY-CT-NJ or DE-MD-VA or NJ-DE-PA.  Even I hold a license in two states because I live in a 'tri-city' area.

The book is very well written with accurate sources and footnotes that cite those sources. The author does an excellent job of making the reader think about several hot button topics like mental illness, hospital transparency, patient rights, patient safety, hospital safety, and hiring practices.  I thought more about my career while reading this book than I have since being a nurse.  I've never been exposed to the underbelly of it and I think that's why it made me uncomfortable and incredulous.  That's why it stuck with me. I love my job and can't imagine anyone being in this field and behaving the way this guy did. This book will stick with me for a while.  If you're in the health field, I highly recommend it.  Even if you're not in the health field, I think it would still be an interesting read.  Not good for the beach or vacation, because you may be sad or enraged afterwards.  Save this one for Fall/Winter.

Paris was Ours

I'm starting to think I'm just a little biased when it comes to books about Paris. I'm starting to wonder if I only like them because I loved my trip there so much.  I think moving forward all my reviews about books regarding Paris should be taken with a grain of salt. It's kind similar to when parents think their kids can do no wrong, but everyone else thinks they are brats.  I wonder if I love Paris and books about it, but everyone else thinks it's all crap.  Hmmm....well anyway, I loved this book!

This is a collection of thirty-two essays written by writers who have each had their own varied experiences in Paris.  Each writer makes their essay their own individualized account of Paris as they know or knew it.  What I enjoyed about it was that it wasn't always a love fest. Some writers were not as smitten with Paris as others.  Some longed for home and were only in Paris because of wars ravaging their homeland or politics that had pushed them out. Others were very much in love with Paris.  Nobody was ambivalent about it.  It was interesting to see how a Parisian experience can change someone's view of the world and of himself or herself.  I took my time with this book.  It could have easily been a quick read. The essays are short enough to breeze through, however I suggest you sit down on a quiet weekend with some coffee and maybe a soft flaky croissant and take the time to slowly absorb the stories.

Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots

This is supposedly a memoir about a young Hasidic Jewish woman who leaves the Hasidic community and becomes 'secular', if you will.  There is some controversy about the book and its veracity.  I didn't realize that until after I finished it today.  I have been trying to just read books without gathering any external information that may mar my reading experience. I try not to read any reviews or press about the book until I've finished.

With that being said, frankly this book bored me.  I wanted to like it.  I wanted to cheer for the woman who felt trapped by tradition and was barred from getting a 'real' education.  I thought based on the title that maybe something crazy happened that caused her to make the break and obtain her freedom, but nothing really happens.  She is married off at age seventeen and the marriage has problems and she leaves.  I'm oversimplifying it, but that's because prior to age seventeen absolutely nothing of interest happens in this book. She goes to school, but sneaks secular books like Pride & Prejudice and Little Women home to read.  Honestly, even after she gets married, not much happens. She and her husband argue a lot and have some sexual problems, but nothing glaring that hasn't happened in other bad marriages. If the author wasn't Jewish the book would just be about a woman who vaguely divorces her husband.  She doesn't offer many details about how exactly she escaped this Hasidic world.

After finishing the book, I started to read the reviews and found out that there was controversy about the book.  There were some reports that parts of the book were fabricated and she only wrote the book so she could fund her escape from the Hasidic community.  I read these claims and since I didn't like the book, I simply didn't care if the story was true or not.  I feel like the book is so boring it has to be true because if you're going to make something up, wouldn't you make it interesting?  You can definitely skip this one.

The Devil in Pew Number Seven

I have mixed feeling about this book. The message is a good one. It is about the power of forgiveness.  Throughout the book, I would vacillate between thinking the family was crazy for staying put in that Podunk town and thinking all the townspeople were just plain crazy.

This is a true story about a family of four who is terrorized by the man who lives across the street from them. The father in the family is the pastor at the local church and the man who lives across the street from them is a mentally disturbed power hungry man of influence.  Basically when the townsfolk really start to appreciate the pastor and care less about this other crazy man, he tries to assert his authority by setting off explosives in the family's backyard and riddling their car and house with bullets on occasion.  This madness goes on for about five years before finally someone dies. In the midst of all this destruction and chaos, the pastor stays put because he believes the Lord has led him to preach in this town and he does not want to abandon his flock.  Meanwhile, the psychological damage to his wife, son and daughter is outlined in great detail by the author (who happens to be the daughter all grown up now).

I understand the power of forgiveness, however the willingness of the father to keep his family in harm's way ultimately leads to death, loss and grief.  I kept wondering if he knew that it is possible to forgive an individual from a distant location.  You can pray for your enemies while residing in another state.  I felt like so much of the sorrow in the story could have been prevented if he packed his family up and left.  I'm reminded of the parable about a farmer who was caught in a flood. He prayed to God for help or a miracle. The waters were not too high yet and a friend rode by in a boat. He offered a ride to man. The man replied that he had prayed to God and was waiting for a miracle. The friend rode on.  The waters continued to rise until finally the man was on his roof. He continued to pray to God for a miracle.  A helicopter flew by to survey the area and noticed the man on his roof. The occupants of the helicopter threw a ladder down and told the man to climb up.  The man refused, saying that God was going to save him.  The helicopter flew away.  Eventually the man was swept away by the floodwaters and drowned. When he reached Heaven, he was angry with God.  He told him he prayed and prayed but God never saved him.  He was accusatory and asked God why didn't he help him or save him. God simply said, "I sent you a boat and a helicopter".

That's what I thought about when I read this book. The signs were there.  The opportunities to leave were there.  I guess one could say that God was trying to tell them to get the hell out of that town. The pastor believed God was telling him that there was more work to be done in that community.  This was the mid-1970s and I wasn't there so who know what God put on that man's heart.  I do believe though, that I would not have allowed my young children to be terrorized with explosions and gunshots if I could help it. I would have packed my family up, thanked the Lord that we all got out alive and prayed for that crazy man to be healed. I would have been praying in a safe non-bullet riddled location though!

Overall, the book was interesting but it went on little too long.  I don't highly recommend it, but if you are interested in stories about forgiveness and mercy pick it up.

All That I Need

I just found out recently that Francis Ray died.  When I heard that, I impulsively bought one of her books for my Kindle.  I rarely buy romance books. I usually pick one up at the library when I need a break from the "serious" books.  Anyway, I recently took a trip to Los Angeles and this worked as a quick plane book.  One that could be completed in two round trip flights lasting approximately 5 hours each.

I think I may have read this book too soon after this one. I really can only read a book like this on average about once per year.  Or, if I read more than one per year, the first one has to be in January and the second one around November/December.  It's only been four months.  Not enough time has passed for me to appreciate the cheesy romance this time around. It was the same predictable story.  I outlined the formula  plot for you in my previous review of Francis Ray's work, but it never hurts to go over it once more.

Boy meets girl; girl is reluctant; girl isn't reluctant beyond page 60; nobody wants to admit they are in love; big argument or misunderstanding; something potentially tragic or dangerous happens; then everyone admits they actually ARE in love...the end!

There you have it again, in a nutshell. This book ended kind of abruptly too because it is part of a series.  The next book in the series is called All That I Desire and the events of that book are foreshadowed towards the end of this one.  I felt kind of "meh" about this installment.  I think I just went for the guilty pleasure book too soon without reading enough heavy/non-fiction/cerebral material prior to picking it up.  However, if you are in the market for a book like this for your summer enjoyment, go for it.

Americanah

I will confess that I am mildly obsessed with this author recently. I subscribe to The New Yorker fiction podcast.  One of the episodes is Adichie reading a story by Jamaica Kincaid. Her voice is mesmerizing.  It's built for story telling. Then I saw a TED talk she gave regarding "The Danger of a Single Story". Again, her voice, combined with the fluidity and beauty of her words, was mesmerizing to me. In March she had a short story published in The New Yorker, which I found out was actually a part of this novel. So, a few months ago in May, I found out she was going to be presenting her book Americanah at one of the Free Library's author events. Of course I went and bought the book and had it signed. She complimented my hair you guys!!!  But I digress. The point is, I am a total fan girl so this review may be skewed.

The book spans about fifteen to twenty years and follows two Nigerians, Ifemelu and Obinze. The two were a couple in high school and throughout their early university days.  However, as political conditions cripple the education system in Nigeria, Ifemelu finds her way to study in America.  Obinze is supposed to follow, but fate places him on a different path.  The two tell their stories in separate interwoven chapters and the common thread is that they have never forgotten one another.  But is this a love story? In some ways, yes.  As you read it though, you realize it's so much more. The themes that Adichie touches upon are black hair, immigration struggles, internal transitions, race, and fidelity.  The love examined is both the love for one another as well as the love of one's country. The work is beautifully written. It's lyrical and introspective.  The observations are poignant and sentimental. I greatly enjoyed the book, but again this may be because I already loved the idea of it from the beginning.

Here is a link to The New Yorker story if you want to get a taste of her writing.
Here is a link to the Free Library podcast from her Author Event.
Here is a link to her TED talk: The Danger of a Single Story.

Murder in the Yoga Store

This book was so disturbing. I had not heard about this real-life case, but the book popped up on my "Best Books (so far) in 2013" list on Amazon.  It was only $2 for Kindle so I downloaded it and read it.  It is a short book, probably better listed as long-form journalism, coming in at close to ninety pages.  Since I was not familiar with the crime, the entire story and all the details were new to me. I was disgusted by the brutality of the crime. I was saddened by the motive, which was completely and utterly  asinine!  I already hold a very fragile faith in humanity and this just made me shake my head.  Stories like this make you want to give up on people and live off the grid.

The story outlines the murder of a young woman in a Lululemon store in Bethesda, Maryland in 2011. Bethesda is a pretty affluent part of Maryland so it was a crime that shocked that community and had people living in fear.  After the initial shock of the crime, the investigation and its results just add salt to the wound.  If you delve deeper, there is also something to be said about how humans do not connect with one another anymore. This particular crime was overheard by employees at an Apple store next door and they did not even bother to call 911.  I was disgusted all over again when I read that part of the story.  If you have a strong stomach and an interest in the law and forensics this is a quick read, but it may haunt you for a while.

The Writing Life

This book was discussed in a weekly newsletter I receive via email from this awesome website. If you have a chance, you really should peruse the offerings there and support it. Anyway, I really do enjoy reading about writing and the process of writing. This book came to me at just the right time in my own writing life.  I have an unfinished work that has about 25,000+ words so far. However, I haven't added to it in at least two months and I fear it is languishing into nonexistence. So to read this book where the author so accurately describes the inner turmoil of writing was refreshing for me.  I can't really explain a synopsis here because the title is basically what the book is about. Anyone who has ever written will understand that the writing life can be filled with varied experiences and this book describes some of those experiences. I would only recommend this book if you are interested in writing or the psychological aspects of writing.  I got the book from the library, but I enjoyed it so much that I'm contemplating adding it to my personal bookshelf. Below are a few quotes that I stood out to me for various reasons.

"People who read are not too lazy to flip on the television; they prefer books. I cannot imagine a sorrier pursuit than struggling for years to write a book that attempts to appeal to people who do not read in the first place."

"There is no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by.  A life of good days lived in the senses is not enough. The life of sensation is the life of greed; it requires more and more.  The life of the spirit requires less and less; time is ample and its passage is sweet. Who would call a day spent reading a good day? But a life spent reading - that is a good life."

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

The last quote was the most profound for me right now as I observe my writing/reading life and my daily life merge.

A Game of Thrones

Well 22 days after starting this behemoth I am finally finished.  I heeded all the warnings and tried not to get too attached to any one character because I heard that George Martin would kill a character in a heartbeat. With that being said, sometimes I did find myself thinking "What's the point of the back story if the person is dead three pages later?"  I just let it go and let the story take me away.  You have to suspend a little bit of disbelief. For instance, apparently in this world siblings can procreate with one another and their kids have no genetic defects.  *shrug* I do love these pseudo-historical, political, adventure stories, though, so I just filed my medical knowledge in the back of my brain and kept on reading. I don't know if I will finish the entire series because it will definitely take a substantial time commitment. I may just have to read one book from the series per year because I'm not sure if I'm ready to invest that kind of time in 2013.

I'm late reading this book so I think most people already know the synopsis, but basically the title tells you what it's about.  A fight for who is the right and just king of the realm. Who should rule from the Iron Throne?  Within the battle for the throne there are a million subplots and side stories.  This story truly has it all.  Love, betrayal, war, murder, sex, child abuse, castles, mystical animals, knights, incest, kings, queens, and even zombies (although they aren't called zombies in this context). I can't even begin to discuss the intricacies in the book, but if you have some time to dedicate to the series I would recommend it.

EDIT:  Okay I just read the synopsis for the rest of the books on Wikipedia.  I just don't see myself dedicating the time needed to the seven book series.  I couldn't even get through all of the Kushiel books so who am I kidding?  The only seven book series I read in its entirety was Harry Potter. Let's keep it real.

Heads in Beds

I love staying in a good hotel. I like the anonymity of it and, frankly, I like the fact that I don't have to clean the bathroom for a few days. The author of this book was on NPR a little while ago discussing the book and the secrets of the hospitality industry.  More specifically, the secrets of hotels.  I will definitely have a new outlook when I take my next trip and stay overnight at a hotel.  I'll also have a few new tricks to try in order to get upgraded.

I liked the book for two reasons.  First, the author is very candid and doesn't try to make the industry seem fabulous.  It's like he wants you to know that even though you are entering what appears to be the lap of luxury, the people behind the scenes are everyday folks trying to make ends meet. Second, it's funny.  After hearing his interview on NPR, I didn't expect it to be as funny as it was.  The cast of characters and co-workers lends itself to some funny anecdotes. Some stories were so outrageous you just know they have to be true.

If you've ever worked in a service industry where you get to see the underbelly of humanity on a daily basis, you'll enjoy this book. It's also a quick read so I'd recommend it for the summer.  Read it before you go on vacation so you can employ some of the suggested tricks to improve your hotel stay.

Some of My Best Friends are Black

When I went to the author talk featuring Baratunde Thurston he mentioned that one of the best books he'd read recently on the subject of race was Some of My Best Friends are Black by Tanner Colby.  You know me.  I picked it up at the library and started reading.

I didn't dislike the book.  However, I didn't love it.  Some of the sections went on much longer than I cared for the topic.  I would be interested for a chapter or two and then I'd be disappointed when the next chapter was still about the same thing.  A lot of it was predictable because he would say something like "guess what happened when black people tried to get mortgages...they were denied!" I'd read something like that and sarcastically think, "Wow, I never saw that one coming."

Since the book is supposed to discuss how and why integration essentially failed in America, I think I was expecting a more generalized history and examination.  I am fascinated by the topic and often wonder what would have happened if, instead of integration, black America got the appropriate resources to be self sufficient.  Instead of taking a look at that, the book is divided into four sections and each section focuses on a subject (education, housing, advertising, and religion). Each section further narrows the examination by geographic area.  He focuses on one neighborhood for each subject (Vestavia Hills, Kansas City, New York, and Grand Coteau respectively).  I know integration is a very broad topic to tackle, and the author recognizes this in the preface of the book as well, but I think I was expecting something different than what I got.   As I was reading, I felt like the book was too narrow. There were some interesting facts sprinkled along the way that kept me reading, but I can't honestly say there was an overarching point to drive home or that the book was exceptionally memorable.

I submit that the best book on race that I recently read is The Warmth of Other Suns because that book managed to touch on a lot of the same topics in a more dynamic and broad way. If you have to choose between the two, go for The Warmth of Other Suns.

No Exit & The Respectful Prostitute

I read the quote "Hell is other people" a few weeks ago.  It's one of the most accurate quotes I ever read so once I found out it was from a play called No Exit, I ordered the book from the library.  I didn't know the play was not that long so the book I ended up receiving contained four plays by Sartre.  I read No Exit as well as The Respectful Prostitute.

No Exit is basically about three people who are trapped in hell.  Over the course of the play we find out why they are in hell and why they may be specifically trapped with each other.  I enjoyed it and I thought to myself that if I had to be trapped with two other people who pushed my buttons it most certainly would be worse than the traditional image of hell. I even thought about the people with whom I would absolutely NOT want to be trapped.

The Respectful Prostitute is a short play about a lady of the night who has morals. It is set in the Deep South in the late 1950s.  The night prior to the start of the play, a drunken white man murders a black man. The black man's friend runs off in order to avoid being killed too.  The prostitute witnesses all this. The drunken white man claims that the men were raping the white woman so he, naturally, had to kill.  The prostitute, however, tells a different tale and refuses to lie. She is from "up North" and thinks it's despicable how things are run in the South.  Turns out that the white man is from a political family with a lot of power and they step to try and persuade the prostitute to lie.  I enjoyed this play too.  I might even say I liked it more than No Exit. I thought it was very telling that even a man who was not American could so clearly see how America worked at the time.

Both plays are short so you could easily read both in one sitting if you have some time on a weekend and want to delve into the world of theatre.