Nonfiction Nagging: The Stranger in the Woods

I just finished The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel and feel a little... conflicted.

This is the story of a a man named Christopher Knight, who lived in the wilderness of Maine, reportedly, for twenty-seven years. He claims to have never used fire for fear of being caught, and fed himself by burglarizing empty cabins and camps (and also stealing propane for his stove). Everyone in the area spoke of his presence, but had never really seen him or could confirm his existence. One night, he was caught, and Michael Finkel was captivated by his story and decided to pursue the truth. He met with Knight many times when he was in jail, corresponded through letters, and then also meeting with him upon his release, once he was living with his family. Knight relished in his freedom, silence, and time to reflect and read while he lived outdoors. He is blatantly honest in all regards, especially when discussing his dislike of associating with others- he partakes in no social formalities. Various psychologists speculate he has some form of Autism or a personality disorder, but Knight brushes these diagnoses off a typical desire to label others. 

Many hesitate to believe his story, especially those victims of his theft. People are also very skeptical about his desire to survive in the frigid winters of the area, where temperatures can get to far below zero (especially when he refused to have a fire). But, there are many that did accept his story and credit his ingenuity and resourcefulness. People from all over the country have offered him land, jobs, and companionship, all of which he has declined. 

Finkel mixes in some historical accounts of other hermits, as well as a dose of psychology. Finkel certainly seems to be quite the fan (see title), being a man who enjoys nature and solitude himself. Interesting to note about the author is his past issues with reporting; about fifteen years ago a major publication cut ties with him after he compiled a series of interviews from different people into one voice. He was shunned for awhile but then slowly made his way back to the journalism scene. I did appreciate him mentioning this earlier in the text, but also doing due-diligence at the end by mentioning his two fact-checkers and his reporting methodology. Nonetheless, while Finkel maybe was a bit of a fanboy, and maybe a little bit of a thorn in Knight's side, I think his interest came from a place of good and admiration. 

At one point in the narrative there is a discussion about how long one can go without human contact. Finkel includes information about solitary confinement and past accounts of sailors who have spent great lengths of time at sea. He himself has only gone a few days. Me? I really had to think about this, and I'm guessing perhaps no more than a day, back when we lived in our apartment and my husband was gone overnight during a summer when I was home? Maybe? How long would I like to go? I often fantasize about going away for a few days to spend some time reading, writing, hiking, and sleeping in a cabin up in the High Sierras (but one with electricity and good water pressure), but I really think I'd start getting a bit too lonely after, say three days? It would be an interesting experiment if I ever have the luxury of conducting it. 

April Reviews

Some days I feel like we should get awards for doing the tiniest things- "oh, you came in and unloaded the dishwasher, a gold star for you!" or "you didn't lose it with your kid for whining when you know good and well that he's probably slept twice as many hours as you have in the last day, so here's a trophy!" Validate my mundane actions, universe, val-i-DATE!

Alas, it doesn't work that way. I have a consolation prize, though: book reviews. 

The Telomere Effect by Elizabeth Blackburn and Elissa Epel

335 pages

I wrote about this book here.

Verdict: Accessible and full of great reminders on how to live a healthier life, in most every arena of existence. 

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

337 pages

Ove is desperately trying to kill himself after his wife dies and he is forced into retirement. Unfortunately his neighbors and his closeted desire to help others keeps getting in the way. 

Verdict: I was worried that this book might be a little to sappy, but it was the right amount of sentimentality in the end. I loved that it was set in Sweden and the simplicity of the prose was refreshing. I sort of get the vibe that Backman's stuff might get a little old after awhile, so while I'm not going to rush out to buy everything else, I will keep him in mind when I need a bit of a break.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

191 pages

Lucy Barton is in the hospital for an extended period of time and her mother comes to visit, a woman from a very different walk of life. Through this short book Lucy and her mother's relationship, as well as Lucy's past in general, is unfolded through quick little vignette's where the reader learns that Lucy's early life in poverty was the opposite of easy. 

Verdict: I really, really enjoyed this book. The page count and shorter chapters are deceiving; this is not an easy book. The alluded to topics are emotionally challenging and the reader must hone her powers of inference. The mother-daughter relationship is fascinating, and painful. I'm excited to order the follow up that just recently came out.  Side note: I'd love to teach this book!

Dear Ijeawele or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

63 pages 

I wrote about this book earlier in the month here. 

Verdict: Love her, love it, love the reminders, love the ideas generated for raising my son.

Antigone by Sophocles (Richard Emil Braun translation) 

50 pages

It's hard when your dad marries his mom and you are your siblings result from the marriage. It's even worse when your blind dad is dead, you brothers basically kill each other, your uncle is a tyrant, your engaged to the said tyran't son, and your sister is sort of a wimp. Antigone, dear girl, you just were not deal a good hand. 

Verdict: I read this book every two years and each time it grows on me. When I read it originally in high school or college I loathed it. But now that I am teaching it for the third time, dare I say, I actually kind of like it. 

976 pages 

March Reviews

I'm a few days behind at life right now, but for good reason. We spent the last three nights in Yosemite, but now we're back. Laundry is in the wash, the munchkin is taking a late nap, and I'm completely unpacked, so I figured this would be a good time to get in a few words about last month's reading. 

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

374 pages

Set in the near future, Wade is trying, along with thousands of others, to solve a complex set of puzzles set in the all-encompassing video game world Oasis. The winner will inherit the late-creator's fortune, something Wade desperately need. He is on the cusp of graduating high school and is parentless, homeless, and poor. Times are tough, to say the least. He does have friends he has met through the game and together they form a relationships that surpass the VR world they are set in. 

Verdict: I am not the target demographic for this book- I am not a gamer, I am not a huge fan of '80s pop culture, and I have semi-sworn off dystopian literature until a democrat is in office. I have been looking for sci-fi books to recommend to my students, though, so I bit the bullet and finally read it. All in all? I thought it was endearing, humorous, and interesting. Sure, some of the technical jargon and the epic boss fight bored me a tad, but the rest of the book made up for it. I am actually excited about next year's movie!

This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

305 pages

This collection of mostly previously published essays discusses many topics near and dear to Patchett. Some are about her childhood, a few about marriage, and many about her work. She talks about her struggle to become a writer and the challenges she faces while carrying out her passions. 

Verdict: I absolutely, positively loved this book and it was all I could do to not order every book of hers that I don't own yet. I am holding myself to a more in-depth review of this one while I am off this week, so more on this later.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

231 pages

Somewhere unnamed, but heavily alluded to, in the Middle East, Nadia and Saeed meet in a class and feel a strong connection to each other. While their relationship develops the world around them falls apart, civil war threatening their lives every second of every day. Eventually they learn of magic doors that lead out of the country, which they can gain passage to for a fee. They escape and find themselves on an island in Greece, which they then are able to leave. This process repeats a few times, and we see their lives change and the toll the process has on their new partnership. Political, social, and magical, this book provides a strong commentary on the global refugee crisis. 

Verdict: I finished this book a few weeks ago and am still thinking about it. I am a sucker for magical realism, which this book provides a great sort of modern rendition of (so many great MR books are a set in more of the past). This is the second book of Hamid's I have read, and I love his simple, yet complex and subtly humorous style. This book is important. Read it.

After the Parade by Lori Ostlund 

337 pages

This novel starts off as middle-aged Aaron decides to leave his partner of twenty years in the middle of the night. Aaron heads to San Francisco to teach English to adults and must simultaneously come to terms with the end of his relationship with the man who provided pretty much everything for him, since he was a young adult, and his past. His father had died suddenly when he was five, and his mother abandoned him later after many years of emotional detachment. Aaron has a lot to deal with and realizes that in order to move forward he must reconcile his past.

Verdict: There are so many great things about this book and so many less-than-stellar things. I appreciated the teaching/learning themes that ran throughout, as well as some of the more minor characters. The strangeness of the book as a whole was also endearing at times, but at the same time some of these elements seemed pointless. I thought the pacing was a bit choppy, some of the characters flat, and that there was way too much context provided, as well. This is Ostlund's first book, so it will be interesting to see what she does next time. 

1,247 pages

February Reviews

A little behind, but better late than never (please note that this is NOT what I tell my students when they try to turn in late work, haha)! February's reads:

The Wangs vs The World by Jade Chang

368 pages

Charles Wang loses it all in the recession and decides that he will move his wife, teenage daughter, and college-aged son cross-country (road trip style in the car they have to take back from the housekeeper, since they've lost everything else) to his adult daughter's home. Along their way there are serious moments and plenty of light-hearted ones. Each character has a great deal of baggage and we see how relationships change, grow, and how the family must come to terms with their new future. 

Verdict: I thought the first three-fourths of this book was darn near perfect in terms of pacing, the humor:serious ratio, and character development. The last quarter felt a little rushed and a tiny bit contrived, though. I think this will definitely make a lot of literary "beach" read lists this summer, since there is still a great deal of merit there, just a few rough edges.

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

272 pages

This collection of short stories deals with pretty much every major "female" roadblock you could think of- miscarriage, abuse, heartbreak, and professional challenges. Gay's feminist lens lends a different sort of tone to the stories, though, and while the reader will still hemorrhage sympathy for many of the characters there's still a spirit of fight that permeates throughout.

Verdict: This book was heartbreaking and just plain hard to get through. Nonetheless, I am still glad I read it and find Gay's messaging important to the movement and times.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

120 pages

Angela Vicario has gotten married, but she forgot something sort of crucial: to tell her finance that she has lost her virginity. Oops! Given the culture and times, he's pretty mad and returns her home on their wedding night. Angela's mom beats the crap out of her and her brothers demand the name of the man that stole her purity. They then proceed to murder the poor guy, a fact we learn within  the first few pages of the novella. Touches of magical realism, a non-linear format, and rich Latin American cultural elements make this book true Marquez. 

Verdict: This is the fourth time I've read this book (once in high school and now teaching it for the third time) and I still love it. If you haven't read his other books and have "always meant to," this is a great Marquez book to test the waters with.

The Clothing of Books by Jhumpa Lahiri 

80 pages

This lengthy essay turned paperback talks about Lahiri's relationship with book covers. She muses about her experiences as a child wearing a uniform, the role of the cover, and her own books.

Verdict: This quick read was insightful and interesting. Lahiri turns something that some people may not think much about into a something digestible and thought-provoking. She also adds a great deal of depth to the subject that I personally hadn't anticipated or considered. 

840 pages 

January Reviews

Favorite form of (temporary) escapism: reading.

Reasons why I need to escape right now: ugh.

Anyway, this month was such a solid month for reading and I am proud of the diversity. Nonfiction, contemporary literary fiction, feminism, a graphic novel, two classics... It was good. 

The Nix by Nathan Hill

640 pages

This lengthy novel is told from a few different time periods and perspectives. At the heart of it is Nathan Andersen-Anderson, a journalist turned disenchanted college English professor (and avid computer gamer), and his estranged mother, who is in quite a bit of trouble over throwing some rocks at a conservative politician. Nathan agrees to write a scandalous tell-all book about her, in order to make a pending unsatisfied book-deal lawsuit go away. In order to do this he needs to actually figure out what his mom has been up for the decades he hasn't seen her... and the decades before he was born that he knows very little about.

Verdict: If this book doesn't make my top ten list at the end of the year I will be really surprised. The writing is superb, some of the subject matter is timely, the characters (even minor ones) are developed, and the story is paced perfectly. Despite the length I was s disappointed to be done with it. 

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

52 pages

Gregor, a traveling salesman, wakes up one morning and is  bug. Cue family strife, existential crisis, and slow painful demise.

Verdict: This was a reread for work; this is the third time I have taught it and the fourth time I've read it. It really is a great little novella, full of thematic and symbolism to converse with teenagers about for days.

Kafka by Robert Crumb and David Zane Mairowitz

176 pages

This graphic novel highlights Franz Kafka's tortuous life while also providing brief summaries of his most famous works.

Verdict: I thought it was a great crash course in Kafka and recommended it to my students. The balance between written content and pictures is perfect and I thought both the tone and look captured the writer well.

How to Win at Feminism by the  Reductress

208 pages

The internet feminism magazine created this guidebook to teach you how to be a feminist- I plan on a more in-depth review soon. 

Verdict: A few times I thought it was maybe a tad over-the-top, but still I appreciated the satire and sentiment. It's definitely hardcore theory, by any means, but it's heart is in the right place.

A Long Way Gone: Memoir of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

220 pages

This is the story of a Beah's robbed childhood in Sierra Leone, where war destroys his family and innocence. He and his friends desperately try to avoid being captured, which would result in either death or being forced to join the military. Eventually he becomes a soldier, living off drugs and murdering others. He is taken for rehabilitation, but the process is challenging. 

Verdict- This was a really hard book to get through, especially as we are living in times of political and social unrest, granted nowhere near this degree. The horrific details were also hard to stomach. Nonetheless, it's an important book and it's good to be affected.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 

213 pages

Dorian Gray is painted by a friend Basil Hallward, all the while exploring the connections between mortality, youth, and beauty in long, philosophical discussions with other men that apparently don't have much to do. Eventually, it becomes apparent that the painting starts aging and he stops- what a horrible problem to have. Meanwhile, our friend Dorian starts to abandon morality and partake in some pretty scandalous activities that earn him quite the notorious reputation. 

Verdict- I read this in high school and college and have always been a fan of Wilde, despite the fact that I do enjoy poking fun at this book a little. I read this on the Serial App, which was awesome- every day a new installment that took 10-15 minutes or so to read was delivered to my phone. I would never read a book for the first time this way, but I think it's great for rereading classics. 

Nutshell by Ian McEwan

197 pages

Sometimes when you're little you overhear adults having conversations. You work hard to make sense of them, given your limited perception of the world. But you are smarter than they might think you are. Even if you're a fetus. And especially if your mom is sleeping with your uncle and they are plotting your father's murder (ohhhhhh Hamlet!). 

Verdict: I loved this book! I thought the narration was different and amusing, and I loved that McEwan doesn't try to over-explain the baby's intellect. The Hamlet angle was done well, and the balance between humor, drama and worldly-commentary was deliberate and well-done. As a mom, I do have to confess that the excessive amounts of alcohol consumed by the mother bothered me (the baby was quite the connoisseur), but, ya know, it's not real.

1706 pages 

2016- Ten Best

This year I was lucky- out of the 51 books I read there were only three that I can say I truly didn't like. That means it was tougher than most years to choose my favorites, but I think I managed to narrow it down. In no particular order:

1. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff- I rarely use the word "epic," but that's the best word to describe this. 

2. Euphoria by Lily King- This story loosely based on Margaret Mead is fascinating.

3. The Girls by Emma Cline- This dark story heavily influenced by the Manson story is disturbing but addictive. I think I read it in two days this past summer. 

4. Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett- I think most of us have dealt with mental health issues in some form of another, whether personally or via family or friends, so this book will hit close to home on some level. Haslett writes a heartbreaking account of a family that must come to terms with the both public and private demons. 

5. Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley- This book was a little silly and an "easy," but it I loved the sentimental nature and the relationship between Lily and Ted. The magical realism/dream element at the end was also a fun touch. 

6. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie- Adichie's short essays are powerful, insightful, and blatantly honest. 

7. Purity by Jonathan Franzen- This was my first Franzen novel and I appreciated how widespread this one was, both in terms of the variances of character and setting. 

8. The Sellout by Paul Beatty- This satirical look at racial dynamics was hilarious, thought-provoking, and timely. 

9. Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer- Foer's long-awaited novel was met with mixed reviews, but I enjoyed the humor and detailed look at the dynamics of a failing marriage. 

10. The Mothers by Brit Bennett- I just finished this one a few days ago and loved her handling of abortion and the impact it has on all parties involved. Bennet's debut was written beautifully, with a healthy dose of sass. 

December Reviews

Happy New Year! Real quick-like, here are the reviews for the three books I read in December:

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D.Vance

272 pages

I wrote about this book recently here.

Verdict: I loved this book and appreciated how thought-provoking it was.

The Mothers by Brit Bennett

288 pages

We begin the novel with Nadia, a high school student from Southern California with a bright future ahead of her, despite the fact that her mother has recently killed herself and she is feeling a little lost. Nadia ends up pregnant by Luke and decides to have an abortion, keeping the secret from her new friend Aubrey and everyone else. Nadia, Aubrey, and Luke grow older and the secrets and decisions from senior of year from high school  do not grow away.

Verdict: I adored this book and applaud Bennett for handling the topic of abortion so well. We see the pro-life perspective, the pro-choice perspective, the female perspective, and the male perspective. I loved the depth of the characters, the perfection of the pace, and the writing style. I eagerly await her next efforts. 

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

110 pages

This series of vignettes focusing on Esperanza's life on Mango Street shows the struggles and triumphs of a young woman coming-of-age. The complexity to the simplicity of the small sketches is something many readers overlook- the reader is being made privy to small joys but to also deep, troubling concepts like sexual assault and parental abuse. 

Verdict: I appreciated this book, but I honestly didn't love it. I think perhaps it was the structure; on one level I commend Cisneros for doing so much with so little, but I wasn't able to connect to characters and plot in the same way I would in a novel or even short story. Nonetheless, I still think her short text is powerful and of literary importance. 

670 pages 

November Reviews

Happy December! I have never really been a Christmas person, but this year I'm excited. I am also extremely excited for December 23 when I will be off work for sixteen days and will hopefully read a few books. Meanwhile, here are November's reviews:

Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer

571 pages

In Foer's third novel he writes about the Bloch family, comprised of Julia, Jacob, and their three sons. Their imploding marriage is paralleled by a catastrophic earthquake in the Middle East; each faces a disastrous event (Julia's discovery of some scandalous texts between her husband and another woman, the Middle East a series of earthquakes), and then the need to process, cope, and recover. Both the Bloch's and Israel must reassess who they are and what they want long term; decisions must be made regarding a course of action. It's definitely a character study, though, and one that spans decades, which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea. It's also raw and graphic at times, which can be uncomfortable but is still some people's reality. People masturbate, die, are obsessed with computer games, text or say ridiculously sexual things at times, and deal with constantly defecating dogs. 

Verdict: I enjoyed this book; after eleven years Safran can still write fiction. There were some issues; I thought the pacing at the end was a bit sloppy and I wished for more time devoted to certain characters. I also thought his young sons were a bit too articulate, thoughtful and informed, but I guess you could make the whole nature/nurture argument. I think that this is a departure from his other works, though, both in length and even content, and I know that's not what some readers are looking for. 

I think part of the reason this book appealed to me is that I am well aware of the risks you take in your marriage when you have kids- Julia's section most acutely connects to this motherhood conundrum. You want your children to come first, but you have to be so careful or you can easily lose track of yourself (and marriage) in the daily rigamarole of domesticity. 

I also appreciated the look at Judaism and religion in general; he did not wear rose-colored glasses by any means- the inner-conflict was palpable. But there was still this sense of duty, obligation, and connection that I myself don't have to a belief system. I am not interested in feeling this way personally, but I find faith on a psychological and anthropological level interesting.  

*I had wanted to do a whole post on this beast, but... life. 

The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington

286 pages

I am going to review this one in more detail this weekend, so I'm going to cheat a little and just say that this self-help sort of book is about, well, how to sleep.

Verdict: I appreciated the solid science research, but was bored by the history of sleep and some of the more obvious tips. Again, more to come.

"Master Harold"...and the boys by Athol Fugard

60 pages

This is my third time (for work) reading Fugard's play about a South African white young man and his relationship with two of his parents' employees, Sam and Willy. Hally struggles with race, his relationship with his parents, and what kind of man he will grow into. 

Verdict: I love the simplicity of no acts, one setting, and really just three characters. The story is about a "world without collisions" and whether or not the true nature of humanity is conducive to living without conflict. 

917 pages

October Reviews

October! The longest month of the school year is over and I have survived. And maybe even a little better than just survived? Dare I say this month has been pretty decent? Sure, behind with grading, house a mess, tired, yadda yadda yadda, but we have had some fun and I've read some good stuff. Here's how I did:

Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg

320 pages

A tragic accident leaves June without her daughter, her soon-to-be son-in-law, her current boyfriend, and ex-husband. A town is shaken and so many lives are greatly impacted. This story shows us how people grieve differently and how easy it is to simply just be there for others (but also how to hurt them). This book touches on race, social class, and familial bonds, while focusing on vulnerability.

Verdict: This novel weighed so heavily on my heart, but at the same time was also hopeful and simply wonderful. I at first balked at having to manage so many different perspectives (that chapters are from that of several different characters), but I came around. This book will definitely be a contended for my top ten list at the end of the year (so will the next one).

The Sellout by Paul Beatty

304 pages

The narrator of this satirical novel about race and class is an African American man who decides that in order to put his town of Dickens back on the map he's going to shake things up a bit, by doing things like reinstituting segregation, keeping a slave (although he does employ the local S&M club to do his whipping, though), and changing city signage. There's so many hilarious, yet sobering elements to this book that I can barely scratch the surface here. A group of intellectuals that meet at a donut shop, a cow castration at career day in which a little girl finishes the task and keeps the remains, countless uses of the "n-word," stereotypes galore, and the obvious message that we do not live in a country where racism isn't a issue. 

Verdict: I loved this book and think Beatty is a brilliant satirist. He calls attention to important issues at hand, backslapping each with humor and wit. The problem? The people that need to read this book won't, and even if they did, they wouldn't get it. We have a long way to go.

Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple

272 pages

Eleanor is an artist who is seven years behind on her graphic memoir. Her son, a possibly homosexual elementary student, is struggling at school and needs to take the day off. Her husband, a wildly successful doctor, is basically missing. Eleanor thought that her day would be different in a good way- not in a chaotic way that would make her examine each and every element of her life closely in stressful situations. And not only is her present precarious, her past also resurfaces, showing some wounds that have still not healed.

Verdict: It sounds interesting and witty, but I think compared to Semple's other book, Where'd You Go, Bernadette, this one fell short. There were many similarities (quirky kid, Seattle, disappearing spouse, etc...) and the twist at the end was disappointing. It still did have fun, humorous moments, though, so this is most definitely one to get next year to read while floating around the pool with a cocktail.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

517 pages

Pip loves Estella. Pip gets a mysterious benefactor. Pip sort of becomes a d-bag. Pip abandons Joe, the only person that was truly good to him. Pip- wait, you read this in high school? You remember? I'll spare you. I was about to ruin it anyway.

Verdict: Dickens. Sigh. Loooooong sigh. I read this because I am advising a student on his extended essay on the book at work, so it wouldn't have been something I chose on my own. But, as much as I make fun on if, I actually like it. Yup, I like a Charles Dickens book. Sure, he's wordy and so very, very descriptive, but there's something about Miss Havisham and Jaggers and The Convict that I sort of love. 

 1413 pages

September Reviews

It was 93 degrees today, on September 30th. Every year it is this hot and every year we Southern Californians bitch and moan about how it's not fall weather and how we just wanna wear our hoodies. So there we are. Got that over with. 

This month was a weird one, reading wise (and maybe in terms of life, too, now that I think about it). I was reading multiple books at once for most of it and ended up coming to a conclusion that I already knew- I'm a serial monogamist in life and when it comes to reading. Four books at one time? No thanks. I did manage to finish three, though, all by female writers, all dealing with issues of race/ethnicity, but still very different. 

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt

640 pages

Harriet is a smart, sullen, sassy little thing, but for good reason. She has lived under the black cloud of her older brother's tragic, unsolved death since she was tiny. Her parents are separated, her mother is an emotional wreck nearly a decade later, and her older sister's main hobby is sleeping. So, she decides to solve her brother's case, which leads to an exploration of class, race, and family bonds. There are several side plots as well, dealing with her aunts, grandmother, and the housekeeper, but in the end everything connects in it's own way. 

Verdict: This book felt very reminscent of To Kill a Mockingbird- there was a Boo Radley, there was a Scout, there was issues of morality, there was a Southern-gothic kinda of feel. Unlike Mockingbird, though, The Little Friend is much longer and much denser. I liked it, I really did, but you know that feeling you get after eating a Thanksgiving? Like you've had too much of a good thing and you just want to get out of the house into the fresh air and walk away from the turkey? That's kind of how I feel about this book right now. 

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

219 pages

I've read this two other times before as a teacher and have written about it before, so I'll spare everyone the summary (I am teaching it right now). 

Verdict: I love the book and I love teaching it. I know there are issues with her potential misrepresentation of race relations and she has been accused of pandering to a white audience, and I this does bother me. But she did do a lot for African American writers, and African American female writers. So, at the end of the day this book raises many of points through it's content and context.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christine Lamb

368 pages

Given the media attention paid to Malala over the past few years, I'm assuming every know her story of being shot while on a school bus by the Taliban in the Swat Valley. Malala was a political activist with her father prior to her attack, and has been a voice for educating all girls, in all countries.

Verdict: I found this book to be incredibly interesting, both in regards to Malala's story and the region's politics and history. I went into the book thinking that there would be more on her attack and recovery, but that actually only ended up being the last fifty or so pages. 

1,227 pages 

August Reviews

August was a weird little hodgepodge of books, from Franzen to Harry Potter. My reading has obviously slowed way down since starting work (long gone are the seven books a month happy days), but I still managed to finish five this month. My thoughts:

Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

304 pages

The third book in his (allegedly) unintentional trilogy, is set during the Christmas holiday when a stranger comes into Daniel Sempere and his father's bookstore, insinuating a past relationship with Fermin Romero de Torres. Fermin then recounts his past experiences as a prisoner and how his identity was changed in order to ensure his safety once he escaped. Meanwhile, Daniel Sempere is worried that his wife is having an affair... 

Verdict: I though this book was definitely the weakest of the three Zafon books I have read. It was so incredibly rushed, and the beautiful writing at least partially absent. The whimsy was gone and I didn't enjoy reading it like the others. 

Purity by Jonathan Franzen

608 pages

Pip is a young college graduate living in the Bay Area in a squatter's home, wondering how she's going to pay off her debt and when the heck her mom will every divulge the identity of her father. She is recruited, basically, to work at a sort of WikiLeaks type place in South America, where she is then sent on assignment to Colorado. There she becomes weirdly involved in the marriage of two of the people that run the publication where she works (which is in and of itself a long story). The book, meanwhile, is split into sections that involve all these people, plus more. We're all over the world, all over the realm of reality, and all over every character in the book. There's murder, there's travel, there's sex, there's secrets, their tricky relationships, and whole lot more. It is a long book, after all. 

Verdict: This was my first Franzen novel, and I really ended up loving it. Of course there are flaws, and there are definitely sections that could have been condensed, but, nonetheless, I think I am definitely Team Franzen. The way he creates characters and a story is impressive and I appreciate his risk-taking. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling

320 pages

I discussed this book here. Spoiler alert: nothing special.

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

240 pages

I have read this book five or six times now, and I am still teaching it in class. Please don't make me talk about it more than I have to. It's a classic. It's the ultimate coming-of-age novel. It's oh-so-risque for the fifties. He says "phony" seventeen thousand times. And so-on and so-forth. 

An Innocent Abroad: Life Changing Trips from 35 Great Writers by Lonely Planet 

320 pages

There really are some great authors in here- Ann Patchett, Dave Eggers, and Jane Smiley, to name a few. And the destinations? Pretty exotic, whether Burning Man, Yemen, Cuba, or France. And their life-changing moments vary too, from dramatic to more introspective.

Verdict: I have actually been reading this for months, an essay or two at a time. While I found some more interesting than others, as a whole the book was incredibly enjoyable. I can't wait to travel more, and this just fueled the fire. 

1,792 pages 

July Reviews

Oh, July. You were so good to me, in so many ways. I got in some serious reading time yet again, and like June, got through seven books. Here's the quick lowdown on my thoughts (and I think four of them are by first time authors!):

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

64 pages

I wrote about this long, fantastic essay here.

Verdict: Everyone should read this, no matter what age, gender, race, or position on feminism.

In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri

256 pages

This non-fiction linguistic memoir, told in both English and Italian, is sort of Lahiri's love letter with the Italian language and her journey in trying to learn to speak and write it. In order to do so she immerses herself in the culture and language, even moving her family to Rome to do so.

Verdict: It's hard to describe this book; in a way it is sort of boring, but in a way it is wonderful and inspirational. She writes about something that sounds quite dull and, at moments, is. But the transformation and passion she writes about experiencing is anything but mundane. I really loved my trip to Italy several years ago and also feel draw to the country, so I guess on some level I was able to relate. 

Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett

368 pages

I wrote about this and the personal connections I have to the book here. 

Verdict: It's very well-written, heartbreaking, and will for sure be on my top ten of the year list. 

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley 

320 pages

I wanted something a little easier and possibly lighter after some of the heavier books I read, and this fit the bill. This novel is about a man who notices an "octopus" on his dog's head and must fight his beloved Lily's tumor and his own life as a middle-aged man with intimacy issues. The book floats between the past, present, and Teddy's imagination with ease and fluidity. 

Verdict: This book will make you laugh and groan and cry all sorts of tears. It will make you give your pets some special attention, wonder if you need a therapist, and encourage your desire for another tattoo (or maybe that's just me...). It reminded of a similar sentiment of The Art of Racing in the Rain, so if that was your jam you'll like this one too. 

Thirteen Ways of Looking by Colum McCann

256 pages

This is basically a novella and a few short stories and they were all strong. The title story (or novella, really) is about an older judge's murder and the different perspectives that come with solving it, showing us how our actions and behaviors aren't really just our own. The other short stories are just as strong, including one about a recently divorced woman who buys her adopted, deaf, son a wet suit for Christmas... [raises eyebrows].

Verdict: McCann's writing is always, heavy, thought-provoking, and basically perfection. I will say that while this was still powerful, I think his novels are actually what I prefer. This is probably for more selfish reasons, though, since I like seeing what a few hundred pages under one story arc transpires to. 

The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth Church

352 pages

Meridian must choose between love and her academic career, and, since it's the middle of the twentieth century, she chooses to follow her husband's path. She puts her promising career in ornithology on hold for Alden's career doing things like, oh, developing the nuclear bombs that would cause serious damage in Japan. Meri isn't content, though, and for that I give her credit. For years she wrestles with her position in her marriage, profession, and community, taking steps forward and steps back. 

Verdict: As a whole, I really enjoyed this book. Without giving much away, I thought there were parts that led some of the characters down unrealistic paths, given the nature Church created for them, but I guess it is human nature to go off script at least occasionally. I also thought there were points where the bird metaphor was perhaps taken a bit too far, but nonetheless I would definitely read another novel by Church. 

Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

368 pages

Tess moves to New York City as a recent college graduate looking for all that cliched crap everyone moving to the Big City always is (fresh start, opportunities, etc...). She gets a job with no experience at a famous, expensive restaurant (hmmmmm....) and becomes quickly tangled up in the various dramas that exist in most of these places, including love triangles, drug use, and alcohol abuse. Throw in a side of mentor-worship and you're set.

Verdict: I am a bit of a sucker for books set in restaurants, but I did have some issues. First of all, she would have never gotten hired at this place with her limited barista skills; the industry is too cut throat and they don't have time to deal with training someone who has never been in a kitchen before (even at the places I worked there was no way you could get a job doing anything but bussing tables or showing people where to sit with limited experience). The writing was a bit too forced at times, and the entire thing was just a bit melodramatic. Although, most things in your early twenties are a bit melodramatic, so I guess I can chalk that one up to being realistic... maybe. I don't think this is a bad book by any means, and would read her second novel, I just don't think this one was quite worth the hype it received. 

1984 pages (ha!) 

June Reviews

Summer is in full swing over here, clearly evident as I was able to get through seven books this month. Nap times by the pool and a few days of travel have definitely been factors and I'm most definitely not complaining. Some quick thoughts:

People Who Knew Me by Kim Hooper

304 pages

This book was written by someone my husband used to work with a long time ago and when I heard that after many years of efforts she was being published I was interested in reading what did the trick. This story is about a young woman named Emily who decides to reinvent herself when the Twin Towers went down in 2001, leaving NYC for California. Emily's husband and family assumes she has died, unaware that she has begun a new life and ends up giving birth to a daughter. Emily, who changes her name to Connie, ends up being diagnosed with breast cancer, bringing to light a variety of new challenges when approaching both her and her daughter's futures.

Verdict: This was a quick, easy read that was often interesting and entertaining. I did think that the some of the dialogue was unnatural, and that the end was a bit predictable. 

Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America by Rich Benjamin

368 pages

I saw a TED Talk by Rich Benjamin, an African American, a few months ago and thought his trek through the "whitest cities" in America was fascinating (he was also very humorous and articulate, so I figured a book by him would be a solid read). This nonfiction text looks at his time in places like St. George, Utah, and the Panhandle of Idaho, and describes how these extremely white communities handle those of other race (spoiler alert: not always very well). He also discussed New York City's racial politics, especially in places of wealth like Manhattan, and also demographics in general.

Verdict: I found many parts of this book really interesting, namely the times when he was actually discussing his experiences in specific communities. I have to admit that sections that focused on more of the sociological statistics of race and whatnot a little dated and a tad dry at times. Nonetheless, I thought this was a readable, educational text about racial inequality in the country.

Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson 

304 pages

I've always admired the discipline of ballet dancers and have been interested in documentaries and movies on them, so when I saw that this book was out I knew I had to read it. This book's narration was split between young Mira and middle-aged Mira; young Mira was a talented dancer in New York City that developed an odd, inappropriate relationship with a patron of sorts named Maurice. Middle-aged Mira finds herself on the opposite end of the spectrum as a dance professor, allowing herself to become briefly involved with a student who then files a complaint against her. Mira heads back to New York City and between both narrative threads the culminations of both relationships are revealed.

Verdict: I really, really enjoyed this book, both in terms of the actual writing and the story. The climax wasn't really a shock, but it was delivered in such a way that this was acceptable. I will definitely be on the lookout for Wilson's sophomore novel. 

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 

256 pages

I wrote about this memoir here.

Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey

272 pages

This novel begins with a famous Brazilian novelist, Beatriz Yagoda, climbing up a tree and then disappearing. Her American translator, Emma, feels compelled to fly south to help the writer's children locate her. While trying to find this woman she admires, Emma also works to find herself, along with the help of an affair she begins with grown son. They learn that Beatriz has lost a substantial amount of money in online gambling and have to actively avoid a loan shark's promise of dismemberment. Her editor also jumps aboard, using clues from her communications and old books to aid his own half-hearted search. 

Verdict: This book reminds me a lot of Where'd You Go, Bernadette in terms of the idea of a quirky, fast-paced search. I thought that it fell a bit flat during a few parts, but it was still decent. 

The Girls by Emma Cline

368 pages

What is it about cults that are just so darn interesting? This novel tells the story about Evie, a fourteen-year-old girl whose parents have recently divorced. She becomes fascinated with an older girl named Suzanne, who eventually leads her to their ranch, where Russell (think Charles Manson) holds court. Evie becomes more involved, stealing money for the group, allowing herself to be lent out to have sex with a musician they're trying to woo, and taking other emotional and physical risks. This book's narration is split between the present and 1969, when the group commits a heinous crime.

Verdict: This book definitely lived up to it's enthusiastic buzz. Cline is a very capable writer and she brilliantly captures the incredible insecurity that teenagers feel about pretty  much everything. It is a bit sexual, though, so if that offends you stay away. 

The Vacationers by Emma Straub

320 pages

Seven people come together in Mallorca, Spain for two weeks- seven people with secrets, desires and resentment. Sylvia wants to lose her virginity. Her parents, Jim and Fanny, struggle with Jim's recent affair and forced retirement. Their son, Bobby, comes with his girlfriend Carmen, who feels out of place with the family, but insists Bobby ask his parents for money to clear up the large debt he has accrued from his failed protein-powder business. Lawrence and Richard, family friends, wait not-so-patiently for news about an infant to adopt back in New York. Things get messy. But, they also eat some great food and lay by the pool a lot, so at least they get something out of the trip. Eventually, there's resolution for all.

Verdict: Back to that "resolution for all" bit- I tad unrealistic. But I still enjoyed the book; it was entertaining in a pretentious, Upper East Side, "I'm eighteen but don't know what debt means" sort of way. Basically, I got the same satisfaction I got from watching Gossip Girls from it; they were all a bit ridiculous, bit it was witty and scandalous enough to keep me going. I read a lot of this on the plane, which seemed fitting for a book about travel. 

2,192 pages