book gypsy

The Immense Journey by Loren Eiseley

2009-05-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

This contemplative and sometimes dreamlike book, a combination of nature writing, spirituality, and science writing, was first published in 1946. It is the work of Loren Eiseley, an anthropologist with an extensive career. Eiseley did a great deal of fieldwork, as can be expected, and held several academic posts, including head of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. I read the 1957 edition published by Random House.

Eiseley has a great ability of starting each chapter with a compelling statement. Here are three examples:

“I am middle-aged now, but in the autumn I always seek for it again hopefully” (p. 195).
“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water” (p. 15).
“Today, as never before, the sky is menacing” (p. 143).

Several of the chapters kept me engaged from this first sentence, but I lost focus and interest in others. The language found here is definitely of an earlier period and will appeal greatly to some, but not all. Eiseley’s chapters on the human brain and evolution I found particularly difficult to wade through. I am happy for having read the book, however, because two chapters near the end are simply great. These chapters are “The Judgment of the Birds” and “The Bird and the Machine.”

In “The Bird and the Machine,” definitely my favorite, Eiseley describes capturing a sparrow hawk: “a fine young male in the prime of life” (p. 189). The hawk is one of a pair, but due to a violent struggle between Eiseley and the birds, he is not able to capture the female. Eiseley captures the bird for a zoo, a task he is charged with and explains as “one of those reciprocal matters in which science involves itself” (p. 186). The day following the capture, Eiseley decides to take a look at the bird in the box. He writes, “I could feel his heart pound under the feathers but he only looked beyond me and up” (p. 191).

Eiseley makes a decision, after noticing how the hawk is gazing into the sky, that he will release him. He does so and shortly after hears a commotion as the hawk joins his companion in cries of happiness. The female was likely waiting for her mate in the shadows of a tree throughout the night. The way this event is described is magical and was like a treasure after toughing it out in the middle of the book. It really makes you think about keeping birds in cages and pulling them out of their natural habitat for our pleasure and entertainment.

The World According to Garp by John Irving

2009-05-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a popular book I missed until now. I picked it up on a whim when browsing at a bookstore. I was somewhat familiar with the plot before reading it, but realized early on that I did not really imagine this novel the way it truly is. I found it to be very humorous at times, but overall dark. The distance I experienced from the characters was also rather unnerving. Still, the layers to this novel are just incredible and waiting for discussion/interpretation.

Since many have read this book already and one can easily find a plot summary, I will avoid giving the basic details here. Some elements I found worthy of consideration include the violence against women, the issue of violence or threat of violence in general, and the meaning of the feminist nurse character. Beyond this, the Ellen Jamesians, women who have silenced themselves by cutting out their tongues in protest and communion of rape victim Ellen James (although Ellen James does not want their support), are intriguing and open to various interpretations. Just consider that there are all these women walking around in this novel who cannot talk, due to self-mutilation. Pretty dark, but thought-provoking as well.

I’ll end by saying that the character name Jillsy Sloper is one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time. How perfect and ridiculous is that name? I laughed all day about it.

I think I’ll watch the movie now.

The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty by Peter Singer

2009-04-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

Peter Singer believes we can end world poverty. This can be accomplished if those of us in the affluent countries donate a portion of our income to the poorest of the poor. Singer’s focus is primarily on those in the upper income brackets, but everyone, no matter your economic class, will find this book compelling. A website for the book is here.

Singer refutes many of the reasons that people will not give. One concept is the notion of “Fair Share.” For example, if I know others are not going to donate their money to help the poor, why should I? He also constructs several hypothetical situations that are quite interesting and thought-provoking. Singer can be seen discussing one of these hypothetical situations on the Amazon page for the book (just scroll down a bit to the video).

Singer is also calling on us to rethink our consumer culture and where we place value. Early on he tells the reader that if he or she is drinking bottled water then the reader has extra income that could be put to better use. Of course, he views the bottled water as far from a necessity, which is a point I agree with, although I am guilty of similar purchases (for me – it’s coffee).

Those who find the bottled water example too harsh should know that most of his criticism is on items that are considerably more extravagant, such as incredibly expensive watches, yachts, etc. In reality, many of us in the U.S. cannot afford these items, but the point is that many can. Still, it has made me think about what I spend money on and how much of my income is really spent on things I don’t need. This is not a first for me to reflect on this, but Singer forced me to consider it more deeply.

Highly recommended!

The Sorcerer's Apprentice:Tales and Conjurations by Charles Johnson

2009-04-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

I found this collection of stories randomly at a used book sale at a cafe. It was a real find!

Johnson opens his stories in such a matter-of-fact way that I had to read on. In "Menagerie, A Child's Fable," he begins, "Among watchdogs in Seattle, Berkeley was known generally as one of the best" (p. 43). "China" begins, "Evelyn's problems with her husband, Rudolph, began one evening in early March..." (p. 63). "Popper's Disease" starts out, "I visit my patients frequently, particularly those on farms like Anna Montgomery" (p. 127).

What are the stories about? Race is an issue, but they are all so different thematically. For example, "China" focuses on a late middle-aged husband's discovery and then pure devotion to martial arts and meditation, to the dismay and fear of his wife. It is incredibly well done. "Menagerie, A Child's Fable" examines the animals in a pet store who are left unattended when the owner fails to return. The conversations amongst the animals are comic and tragic, mirroring those of humanity.

Some of the stories left me a bit perplexed, particularly "Popper's Disease" and even the final one, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." A second reading may help to decipher more.

What a great discovery this was!

Some of Us Did Not Die: New and Selected Essays of June Jordan

2009-04-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

June Jordan was an amazing poet, essayist, activist, and teacher. She was the recipient of a Special United States Congressional Recognition for "outstanding contributions to literature, the civil rights movement, and in recognition of outstanding and invaluable service to the community." How great is that?

This volume is primarily a collection of political essays, but it also includes a short and beautiful piece on T'ang poetry titled "A Far Stretch Well Worth the Effort." Writings in the first section are new and most recent. At least three appear to be unpublished before their inclusion here. This includes one of the most powerful and brilliantly written (although they are all well written) essays titled "Hunting for Jews?" where Jordan interweaves an arrest of an Aryan Nation member for murder with her experience of showing solidarity by attending a Jewish religious service in Berkeley. She concludes this essay with "I'm saying, 'Are you hunting for Jews? You're looking for me!'" (p. 31). This final statement gets to the essence of Jordan; she was committed to justice and freedom for all people and was able to identify with victims of persecution across religious, racial, or any other lines.

It would be difficult to point out other important essays here, because the reality is that each one is important. If you have never heard of June Jordan, I recommend reading this book or any of her writings today. You can hear her voice reading one of her poems here: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19038

The Mysterious Life of the Heart: Writing from The Sun about Passion, Longing, and Love

2009-03-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

This book is so fabulous. There is no other way to describe it. Found here are short stories, essays, and poems dealing, in some way, with relationships. All of the selections were initially published in The Sun magazine. Be warned that the content is tipped toward longing, lost love, and even tragedy. If you are only looking for romance and “happily-ever-after” scenarios, you will want to pass some of the stories.

Besides the amazing writing, this book is also beautiful. From the front cover photograph to the page layout and overall design, it is a wondrous thing to carry around. I often sat the book on my desk while at work, so I could admire it and look forward to reading it on my lunch break or during the bus ride going home. Highly recommended!

The House on Moon Lake by Francesca Duranti

2009-02-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

Yes - the Francesca Duranti celebration continues! This is the third novel of hers I've read recently. Here, unlike the others, we follow a male character.

Fabrizio Garrone is a translator of little acclaim who moves through his life with few celebrations. By chance he discovers the mention of a lost Viennese novel titled The House on Moon Lake. This, he thinks, could be his claim to fame.

Fabrizio travels to Vienna to track down a copy of the novel and begin work on the translation. When he is offered the opportunity to write a biography of the lost novelist to accompany the publication of the discovered novel, Fabrizio invents portions of the novelist's life that the reading public, believing all is true, falls in love with.

Duranti continues her theme of a quest, as well as the examination of male/female relationships. The novel ends rather strangely in a dreamlike and bizarre world that did not quite match the rest of the work, but this is still a novel I would recommend.

Personal Effects by Francesca Duranti

2009-02-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

This Italian novel follows Valentina, a recently divorced woman who devoted years to aiding the advancement of her husband’s scholarship on the Church Fathers. Valentina, who is not certain what life now holds for her, spontaneously embarks on a road trip to track down and interview Milos Jarco, an award-winning Eastern European writer.

As Jarco becomes more and more elusive, Valentina’s focus turns to an assortment of odd literary characters who may have information about his background and whereabouts. This brings with it more complications. Valentina begins to think her hotel is bugged and there is a conspiracy against her, but why? As this unusual mystery unfolds, she starts a romantic relationship with a poet who is also somewhat elusive.

This is definitely a unique work. I did not enjoy it as much as Duranti’s Left-Handed Dreams, which was more poetic, but I continue to think she is an amazing writer.

Left-Handed Dreams by Francesca Duranti

2009-01-29T14:01:00.000-08:00

This is the second work of Italian literature I read recently. The other was Snow and Guilt by Giorgio Pressburger. I have been swept away the last few days by Duranti’s beautiful writing.

Left-Handed Dreams follows a short, yet significant, period of time in the life of professor Martina Satriano, an Italian woman who has lived for many years in New York City. The book is written as if she is speaking to her students.

Martina’s life over the past two years has involved the use of something she refers to as the Machine. The device is one element of the ritualized nature of her daily life. She uses the machine to record her dreams in an attempt to determine if the dream life can be made to flow together night-by-night as the waking life is day-to-day. There is also a question of what is reality: when we are dreaming or when we are awake? This ties into another of Martina’s discoveries.

She believes, from a memory of something decades earlier, that she may have been born left-handed, but was forced to use her right hand by her mother. She begins to wonder if her life would have been different if she went through it using her left hand as her dominant hand. How do we become who we are? Is there another “self” moving along with us that would react and do things differently?

Three male characters also help Martina to realize things about herself. The first, and most significant, is Costantino, a boy she loved and experienced a rich sexual relationship with as a young adult in Italy. The second is her next door neighbor Jerry who helps her realize something about her ability to love. The third is an Italian professor who meets several times with Martina during his attempts to encourage her to accept a job offer and return to Italy. A puppy she rescues in her apartment complex also plays a key role in altering her future.

Reading this novel was a true pleasure. I highly recommend it.

How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn

2009-01-19T21:25:00.001-08:00

I never came across this modern classic until now. First published in 1939, the book, which was later made into a film, won the National Book Award.

Llewellyn's novel captures daily life in a Welsh valley exceptionally well through the protagonist Huw Morgan. As he prepares to leave, Huw reflects on his childhood and early adulthood, while telling the stories of numerous family members and villagers. The portrayal of his mother and father are particularly moving.

Since this novel takes place in a coal mining village, there are many tragedies, as can be expected. Issues of the rights of the working class, male and female roles, and ethnic identity all come into play. This is a dense work that lovers of complex literature will find compelling.

Finding Freedom: Writings from Death Row by Jarvis Jay Masters

2009-01-19T21:08:00.000-08:00

It's time to get caught up on my posts. This is the first of two books I recently finished.

I discovered there was an Amnesty International book club at a bookstore not too far from home, but still a bit of a drive. I was so intrigued that I inquired on what the club was reading for January. I was informed Finding Freedom was the title. When I read the subtitle, Writings from Death Row, I was not sure I would proceed on. Should I wait to see what the group is reading in February? I decided to go ahead and try to read the January book.

Finding Freedom is a collection of short pieces Masters wrote and were compiled together. The copy I purchased is actually the fifth printing. Masters, who is on death row at San Quentin, is a practising Buddhist. Much of the book deals with life in San Quentin, but the final section is specifically about his interest and devotion to Buddhism.

Overall, the book is, believe it or not, an easy read that can be quite enjoyable at times. Many details, including Masters' troubled upbringing, are revealed, but not touched on in great detail. I do not know if I would recommend the book to just anyone, but it does show how someone can find hope in the most horrible of places.

The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee

2009-01-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

Buzbee's creation is part memoir of his years in the bookstore and book publishing business and part world history of bookstores. He worked for many years at two different bookstores in northern California and then as a publisher's representative.

Buzbee's description of the sense of place of bookstores and a chapter on his favorite bookstores were the parts I enjoyed reading the most. This is one for book and bookstore lovers!

We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver

2008-12-25T21:17:00.000-08:00

After watching the movie The Piano Teacher a few years ago, I felt disturbed, but also angry at myself. What compelled me to keep watching (although I did fast-forward one scene), knowing how I was feeling? Once it was over, I felt empty and wished I could erase the whole experience. It stayed with me, in all its vividness, for more than a few days. I continued to feel disturbed. I read reviews on its merits and artistic mastery, how it was haunting and beautiful, but I couldn't help but wish it could disappear from my mind. Who cares if it is a work of art, I thought, if I am only left feeling cold?

My experience with The Piano Teacher is how I feel after just finishing Shriver's novel earlier tonight. What compelled me to go on? We Need to Talk about Kevin is a poetic and, I must say, masterfully written work. I became interested in it after reading the review and various comments on the Everyday I Write the Book Blog from this day. It is one of those books you have difficulty pushing aside to do the things you must, such as go to work or wash the dishes. You can't wait to return to it, but reading it is tortuous. Now that I'm done, I feel empty and angry. I could have been reading something beautiful these past few days!

The thing is that I'm all for tragedy, but even tragedy can be created in a way that shows the depths and layers of humanity, even the darkness, without making you feel only despair. Many great works mix tragedy with hope, demonstrating the richness of the human experience, and ultimately leaving the reader with the feeling of "wow!" that can be uplifting. This book did nothing of the sort for me.

Through a series of letters Eva writes to her absent husband, Franklin, we discover that Eva is a woman who never really had an interest in being a mother. She has her first child, Kevin, in her late 30s. How can Kevin be described? Evil? Blank? A little monster? A victim of neglect? I guess it depends on each reader's interpretation, but Kevin, we know early on, will commit a mass murder at his high school.

Although I thought it could not get more horrific, as I made it to the final pages knowing for most of the book that Kevin will murder several of his classmates, believe me, it does take a turn even further into the abyss. If I was already disturbed, it only became worse.

Yes, it is amazingly done. Yes, Shriver's writing is elegant and enthralling, but read at your own risk.

Snow and Guilt by Giorgio Pressburger

2008-12-21T18:21:00.000-08:00

"All the stories contained in this volume are true" we are told in the introduction to this curious and beautifully written book, which is translated from the Italian. While reading it, however, I could not help but think, "How could this be true? How can this detail of others' private lives be real?" I'm still not sure, but I remain intrigued.

Before the first story, the author explains that he decided to seek out information on his schoolmates from more than forty years ago. His research is revealed in the six stories in this slim volume, all of which have elements of tragedy. In one of the longest stories, "Message for the Century," we follow the life of a severely disabled man who exhibits a mix of hatred and love for his parents. In another, "The Case of Professor Fleischmann," a married man becomes obsessed, in a very unhealthy way, with a mysterious woman he has a sexual encounter with.

Once I picked this book up, I could not put it down. I was compelled to read on, even though I found some of the "characters," and their actions, disturbing and, at times, unforgivable. Still, the author dissects the emotional landscape of humanity, including its darkest corners, very well. At times, he also presents hope, beauty, and sacrifice, but something dark hovers over the majority of the text.

I was amazed by the following author's note that appears on the final page:

"There were thirty-nine of us in our class. Including wives, children and grandchildren, today I should be giving an account of two hundred and fifty individuals. I have put together brief notes about all of them. The publisher will be able to send a copy to anyone who asks for it."

Is this, like the rest of the book, really true? How bizarre. The publisher will send me these notes if I inquire?

I am happy for having discovered such an unusual creation.

The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom

2008-12-16T16:33:00.000-08:00

My mom was visiting recently and one of our excursions was walking the grounds at The Huntington. Afterwards, at the wonderful gift shop on the grounds, she purchased for me a Book Lover’s Page-A-Day Calendar with a book-a-day. Well, this was immediately an issue. Before even leaving the Huntington I found three books I just had to purchase, so we drove to Vroman’s afterwards. I’m trying to refrain from looking at this calendar, but it is difficult. This book, the first in the Mobile Library Mystery series, was discovered during that initial browsing.

When I read in the Book Lover’s Calendar that the character in the series, Israel Armstrong, is a Jewish vegetarian librarian transplanted in Northern Ireland from London, I could not resist. In this book, Israel shows up for his new librarian job in Ireland to be informed that the physical library is closed and his job has changed to driving a rusty bookmobile into remote and not entirely desirable locations. We see Israel longing for his former world of bagels, cappuccinos, and sophisticated surroundings. The mystery begins when he discovers all 15,000 books, the bookmobile’s entire collection, are missing.

Is this book great literature? Definitely, no. Is it entertaining? Definitely, yes. Would I have read it if the main character was not a vegetarian librarian? No way. Do I recommend it? Only if you like humorous mysteries and the books and libraries aspect appeals to you. Will I be reading others in the series? Yes. In fact, I’ve already purchased books two and three. Still, I have to point out some unfortunate things…

Why does Israel need to be such a bumbling fool with no common sense and social skills? This is an unfortunate stereotype for a librarian and one I was disappointed about, but can live with. Maybe he will change later in the series?
How can it be explained that Israel, a vegetarian for ethical reasons, is shown having disregard for a poor dog in one scene and ambivalence to a chicken in another? Shouldn’t this be the opposite?
Finally, why is Israel, who we are told has been a vegetarian for most of his adult life, depicted as nearly drooling over meat being served? Come on!

That sums up my thoughts on this one.

In Berkeley's Green and Pleasant Land: Stories by Renee Blitz

2008-12-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

I found this book through one of those addicting Amazon features. It may have been the “Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought” one. I have to confess I purchased it mostly for the title. I love Berkeley, having been a student there in the 1990s.

The stories in this book are full of strange and interesting conversations, odd characters, and whacky situations. They are just like Berkeley. Everyone is into some kind of new philosophy or attending a weird class. Some characters see psychologists regularly; others go to new age group sessions. I loved each story, although the ending of one with a murder was shocking and seemed to glide along too smoothly for such a disturbing twist. Still, maybe that was the point.

The majority of the characters are women hovering before middle age or having recently crossed that barrier. They struggle with sexuality and relationships with men and women friends. Some are lonely, some are desperate, some are restless, and others try to examine their life experiences while questioning feminism.

I was finishing this book while reading with my mom at a café (she is a book, café, and coffee lover too) and I said to her, “I can’t believe how creative and unusual this book is and I bet few people know about it.” For a moment I felt sad, reflecting on the true innovation and art within these pages and the fact that the book likely has a small readership.

Message to Renee Blitz: You are just awesome! You’ve captured the Berkeley essence here.

The Howling Miller by Arto Paasilinna

2008-11-22T16:07:00.000-08:00

This creative and unusual work often reads like a fairy tale. Paasilinna is a writer born in Lapland, Finland. He has held various jobs, including woodcutter and agricultural labor. First published in Finland in 1981, the first American translation of the novel appeared in 2007.

Gunnar Huttunen is an odd individual with mood swings who may have blended in just fine in New York City or San Francisco, but in a remote area of Finland his peculiar nature becomes too much for the small village.

After World War II, Huttunen buys a mill on the Suukoski rapids. In the evening he howls like a wolf (at other times he also enjoys doing impressions of various animals). The dogs love the howling and join in, but his fellow residents do not find the situation funny. Huttunen becomes a symbol of the scary nonconformist that must not be tolerated. He is first banished to a mental hospital. After escaping, he lives like a hermit in the wilderness, showing up from time to time in the town to the residents' alarm.

One element that makes the story quite beautiful is Huttunen's love for an agricultural adviser who instructs him on vegetable gardening. Even when he is banished, the adviser finds ways to visit him or have letters secretly delivered that proclaim her love.

A review by Le Monde on the back cover reads, "The purity of this fable gives...[it] the charm and power of a narrative close to myth." There is something magical about this creation.

The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates

2008-11-17T17:19:00.000-08:00

Joyce Carol Oates is a continuous source of wonder for me. How can she write so much, with such detail, and so well?

This is one of Oates' novels I have been wanting to read since it was first published in 2004. The novel begins with the drama surrounding newlywed Ariah the morning after her honeymoon night in Niagra Falls. We discover Ariah's husband of a few hours has committed suicide by throwing himself over the falls. Dirk Burnaby, a lawyer and wealthy member of the community, remains at Ariah's side during a week-long vigil as Ariah waits for her husband's body to appear. After the vigil, she returns home, but Dirk cannot forget Ariah. In fact, he becomes rather obsessed. Within a short period of time, "the Widow Bride of the Falls" marries Dirk.

The most interesting parts of the novel are those concerned with the early marriage of Dirk and Ariah. As the novel develops, they have three children with distinct personalities. The marriage begins to unravel as Dirk devotes his time and energy to what will later be known as the Love Canal case. The introduction of Love Canal was quite a surprise, but Oates masterfully weaves it in with the storyline.

The last fifth of the novel (it spans 481 pages) became difficult for me to wade through. The lives of Ariah and Dirk's children become center stage here. I did not find their stories as interesting as Ariah's. Still, this is an amazing work that I recommend to all who enjoy complex novels.

Without a Map by Meredith Hall

2008-09-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

Meredith Hall was the recipient of the $50,000 Gift of Freedom Award from A Room of her Own Foundation. Receiving this award made Without a Map possible. It is an incredible memoir – brutally honest, devastating, intoxicating, and sorrowful. Yet, it is full of wisdom and ends hopeful with Hall at peace and moving with the rhythms of the world.

At the age of 16, a pregnant Hall had her baby taken from her at the hospital. She then experienced a shunning of her friends, classmates, the entire town, and, most unfortunate, her parents. This leads Hall to lose her footing for quite awhile. There is an amazing section where she walks through foreign countries with few possessions and money. It is incredible to imagine a young, lone woman traveling by foot through certain areas including Lebanon and Syria.

Later we experience a resourceful middle-aged Hall who cares for her ailing mother, an elderly neighbor, and her two young sons. She completes her bachelor’s degree at age 44. Since this book has appeared in the major media and interviews with Hall are available online, it is no secret that she reunites with her adopted son when he is a young college student. She discovers he grew up in an abusive home of stark poverty.

Some passages of this book were difficult to read. A few pages I had to skim through, finding the material too disturbing. Twice my eyes filled with tears (including once in public!) while reading the final sections of this magnificent book. This memoir illuminates with the strength of a woman to overcome a dark journey. It has the potential to be an inspiration for many.

The Rose Cafe: Love and War in Corsica by John Hanson Mitchell

2008-09-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

This memoir captures a place and time exceptionally well. As a young college student in 1962, the American author spent six months working at the Rose Cafe on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. Mitchell romantically and magically describes the landscape of the island and its residents and visitors. The eclectic group of "characters" includes the mysterious and humorous. It is a beautiful book with rhythms that I often experienced while outside in the afternoon summer sun.

This book is a discovery that I bet few, unfortunately, know about. The book jacket mentions two of Mitchell's other works that sound intriguing: Following the Sun: A Bicycle Pilgrimage from Andalusia to the Hebrides and The Wildest Place on Earth: Italian Gardens and the Invention of Wilderness. He is also the author of Walking Towards Walden and other books. What a find!

Water by Alyce Miller

2008-08-26T08:40:00.001-07:00

I was busy all summer participating in a summer reading program at my library, but now I'm back. I just finished Alyce Miller's collection of nine stories titled Water. I'm not sure how to describe this most amazing book. Each story is intoxicating, placing the reader in various places and situations. I could not put the book down.

Miller captures very different people, ethnically, psychologically, and economically, and makes them completely believable. For example: one story follows a suburban wife who longs for a child; another is set in a tough neighborhood with violence. One of my favorites ("My Summer of Love") involves a teenage boy with counterculture parents who goes to spend the summer with his much different aunt who wears aprons, works in the garden, and wears clothes (his mother usually parades around in the nude, even when cooking). Highly recommended!

The Legacy of Luna by Julia Butterfly Hill

2008-07-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to read this book, so when I came across a used copy at the Bodhi Tree last weekend I knew this was the time. This book tells the story of Hill's two years spent living in Luna, a redwood tree in the Northern California forest, as an act of protest to protect the tree from being cut down. Hill lived on a small platform where she became incredibly efficient with sleeping, eating, washing, working, and having visitors. Her story is an inspiring one.

Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers

2008-06-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

It has been about five days since I finished Carolyn See's amazing book. It is unlike any other book I have read on writing. Not only is See inspirational, but she is practical. Several chapters deal with fiction writing, such as characters, scenes, and plot, but the majority of the discussion applies to almost any type of writing. (Note: See does not think the book applies to poetry and scholarly writing, but I think it may apply here as well.)

The content of the chapters is revealed by the titles. Some examples are “Pretend to Be a Writer,” “Hang Out with People Who Support Your Work,” and “Make Rejection a Process.” One point of advice I particularly like is See’s recommendation to write a “charming note” to someone you admire in the literary world (writer, editor, or agent) five days a week. She also encourages weekly excursions “to a writing class or a conference or a book signing, where you buy a book from a live author” (p. xx).

I highly recommend this for anyone who writes or has aspirations to write. Thank you for a great book, Carolyn See!

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly

2008-05-31T17:52:00.000-07:00

This is not the first time lately that I have watched the film adaptation of a book and later purchased and read the book. I did this same thing with Notes on a Scandal, which I loved. In fact, I am often so intrigued when I like the movie that I will purchase the book and devour it within the next few days after viewing the film.

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly was written by French Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby after he suffered a massive stroke in late 1995. This stroke, as many of you I'm certain are aware, left Bauby in a state referred to as "locked in syndrome." Basically, his brain suffered no damage, but his body was completely paralyzed. Bauby's only means of communication was with the blinking of his left eye. Through the help of a speech therapist, who is wonderfully portrayed in the film, Bauby learns to communicate one letter at a time with his left eye. It is through these means of communication, that show unbelievable resolve, that Bauby creates The Diving Bell.

As a former vocational rehabilitation counselor, I had numerous clients with severe disabilities. These disabilities included paralysis, brain damage, and amputation. Due to my experiences, I have an interest in memoirs and films that portray the struggles and events in the lives of such individuals. Bauby's memoir is unlike any other I have read from a disabled or non-disabled person. Perhaps it is because of his inability to fully control the narrative on a grand scale and the probable strain it caused to spell out every word, the book is a collection of short descriptions of his life both post- and pre-incident.

One of the saddest parts occurs in the section titled "Paris." Bauby describes being taken by ambulance to a hospital in Paris from his usual room at Berck. The ambulance passes buildings he recognizes, including the building he worked in while at Elle. He writes, "I shed a few tears as we passed the corner cafe where I used to drop in for a bite. I can weep quite discreetly. People think my eye is watering" (p. 78).

When I purchased this book, the cashier stated, "Oh! This is the best book ever written." I cannot agree with her that there are no better books, but I can definitely recommend The Diving Bell and the Butterfly for its uniqueness and beauty and simply for how it was created. I can also understand one's enthusiasm for the book.

Dreams from My Father

2008-05-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

There has been another gap between my last post and this one, due to my busy schedule. Summer begins soon, however, and I surely cannot wait. Summer = Break from teaching and late evenings!

I was able to still complete Barack Obama's memoir Dreams from My Father. Let me explain why I began reading this book. I did not vote in the California primaries. Earlier this year I doubted I would even vote in the presidential election. Feeling completely disillusioned and like all politicians are the same whether Democrat or Republican, I thought, "What's the point? Nothing is going to change."

When the Jeremiah Wright story broke, I was immediately curious. Who is this Wright guy and who exactly is Barack Obama? I then saw Obama's magnificent speech "A More Perfect Union" and I was simply fascinated. The following weekend I purchased Dreams from My Father.

This memoir is quite lengthy, but worth the read. It reveals the story of a seeker. You will follow Obama through his childhood, youth, and college years. A good portion of the narrative is then taken up with his work as a community organizer and his trip to Africa to discover his father and his African relatives.

I was most struck by the honesty and emotional and intellectual curiosity that rings through the pages. It was interesting to have this book with me at a place where I often have lunch. People had questions and comments. "What do you think of him?" "What does he say in the book?" "I like him." "Can I borrow that when you're done?" In fact, one of the waitresses is taking my copy home with her. She plans to begin reading it tonight.

The Emotional Lives of Animals

2008-03-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

Well...it has been quite awhile since my last post. I've missed it. In addition to the one million things going on in my life, I'm now teaching a course at a community college. This has eliminated much of my time for reading beyond books I'm reading for professional reviews. This has not caused me to stop purchasing new books and checking out library books I will probably not ever get to. The piles of books around my small apartment just get taller & taller.

I recently picked up Marc Bekoff's The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy--and Why They Matter while I was eating lunch at one of my favorite places. I have been fortunate to find time here and there to do some reading of this book.

Marc Bekoff, a cognitive ethologist, is Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The field of cognitive ethology "is the comparative, evolutionary, and ecological study of animal minds" (p. 30). More about Marc is available on his page. I must say he is a remarkable individual.

In this book, he spends much time discussing the emotions of animals with examples from his own research/experiences and those of others. The final chapter on ethics explores "What we do with what we know." For someone who believes animals have emotions, much of the book had me thinking, "Well - of course! That is common sense." Not all will have this reaction, which is why this book is important. Even the repetition of some facts is not problematic, since the information provided may be new to some readers.

A review by Peter Singer on the book jacket reads, "I hope this book will be widely read by those who care about animals--and even more widely by those who don't." I think that sums it up.

The Inheritance of Loss

2008-01-27T12:58:00.000-08:00

This novel by Kiran Desai won the 2006 Booker Prize and was a winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. Reviews of the novel are highly complimentary. One review by author Gary Shteyngart states, "...she captures the terror and exhilaration of being alive in the world." I am not certain if I experienced much "exhilaration" while reading this. I found the novel overwhelming sad with moments of light.

The main characters in The Inheritance of Loss are an elderly and retired judge, his granddaughter named Sai, the judge's cook and the cook's son, Biju. There are many other characters that receive ample discussion as well. Some of the most heartening passages concern Biju in his attempts to "make it" in the United States as an Indian immigrant. Desai perfectly captures the disillusionment of the immigrant experience through Biju, while going back and forth between events in India and Biju's new "home" in New York City.

Although the novel ends on a hopeful note of reunion, I experienced this primarily as a work that illustrates the suffering of the human condition and missed opportunities.

The Good Good Pig

2007-12-27T10:50:00.000-08:00

This sweet and wonderful book by Sy Montgomery has a subtitle: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood. Through Montgomery we meet a most excellent pig that lived to be age 14 while under the care of the author and her husband. Since Montgomery is a vegetarian, she never entertained the thought of raising the animal for food. Christopher Hogwood definitely fell into the ideal home!

Hogwood arrived at Montgomery's home as a very ill piglet. His future was uncertain, but he turned out to be a robust adult pig, weighing over 700 pounds. Hogwood became quite a legend around his New Hampshire home and beyond. He received visitors on a daily or near daily basis. Bringing him food or grooming him (later called Pig Spa) was a joyous time for all involved. Montgomery, her husband, friends, and neighbors all learn something from their time with Hogwood. At the time of his passing, one friend acknowledges him as a "big Buddha master."

This book is highly recommended for all who enjoy stories about animals and the lessons they can teach us.

Flying Close to the Sun

2007-11-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

I could not put Cathy Wilkerson’s Flying Close to the Sun: My Life and Times as a Weatherman down. I carried it with me everywhere. It is no secret that I thoroughly enjoy women’s memoirs. This one was especially enticing, since it covers the turbulent times of the 1960s and 1970s.

Wilkerson, who is now an educator, was an active member in Students for a Democratic Society, which eventually led to her involvement with the Weatherman organization and later the Weather Underground. In 1970, Wilkerson was staying at her father’s townhouse in New York City while he was away. Several members of the Weatherman group were at the townhouse with her. As she cleaned, in anticipation of her father’s return, a member of the group was in the basement assembling a bomb. The bomb exploded, completing destroying the townhouse and killing three members of the radical group. Wilkerson and another woman, Kathy Boudin, escaped. After the explosion, Wilkerson went underground.

Wilkerson questions her decisions and the activities of the organizations she was involved with throughout her memoir. At times, although she was politically and philosophically aligned with the organizations, she characterizes her younger self as someone floating along and kept in the dark about some of the group's activities. Is this true? It is hard to know. I also wish more was said about her underground years and her current life.

Regardless of these issues, the memoir is an intriguing read into one woman's journey during historic times. Wilkerson's discussion of how women's issues were often deemed insignificant and counter-productive to the anti-war movement is an aspect that is often not approached. This alone makes the memoir valuable. Highly recommended!

How Starbucks Saved My Life

2007-11-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

I discovered Michael Gates Gill's memoir, How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else in a book display at a librarians' conference. I was immediately intrigued by it. Not only was the title interesting, but the back cover provided a strong endorsement by Thomas Moore, one of my favorite authors.

Gill, a child of wealth who attended Yale and earned a large salary as a creative director at an advertising company, was laid off from his job as he approached retirement age. Not having much success at his attempts to be a consultant, Gill accepted a barista job at Starbucks.

I imagined Gill's memoir would provide profound insights into how he found enjoyment serving others. I thought the memoir would be Zen-like in its approach. Unfortunately, I was never convinced by Gill and his near worship of Starbucks. There was no depth. I found his constant reminiscing to a time long ago, where he interacted with such notables as Ernest Hemingway and Robert Frost, more important to him than his present work at Starbucks.

I wanted to believe enlightenment was reached, but came away from this feeling like I was reading a long advertisement for Starbucks. I read today that the memoir is being made into a film. Perhaps the film adaptation will be more moving and less contrived.

The Best Day the Worst Day

2007-11-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

Poet Donald Hall’s The Best Day the Worst Day: Life with Jane Kenyon chronicles his twenty-three year marriage to the poet Jane Kenyon. The book has a pattern of a chapter on a period of their marriage followed by a chapter of Jane’s struggle with leukemia, which ultimately takes her life. This pattern continues throughout the book, so you are going back and forth in time. It is beautifully executed.

At times, however, I asked myself, “Why am I reading this?” The discussion of Jane’s leukemia is told with meticulous detail. We hear about operations, hospital visits, medications, and treatments. The book even followed me into my sleep. One night I woke up from a nightmare where I was telling my husband I had leukemia. After that experience, I considered no longer reading it, but I continued on.

Although this is a difficult book to get through, it is also a work of art. From reading it, we discover love in its purest form. We see compassion, service, companionship, and a desire to live. We are also permitted to view the inner workings of a marriage between two poets, which is something of a fairytale.

Highly recommended!

Bel Canto

2007-10-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

I finally finished another book that almost everyone in the world read before me: Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto. Although I had an interest in reading Bel Canto, since first seeing it at the bookstore and hearing all the rave reviews, my interest peaked after reading Lucy Grealy’s absolutely amazing Autobiography of a Face. Grealy and Patchett were friends. Their friendship is documented in Patchett’s non-fiction account of their relationship in Truth & Beauty: A Friendship, but I decided to first experience Patchett as a fiction writer. I hope to read Truth & Beauty in the near future.

In Bel Canto, as everyone knows, guests at an elaborate birthday celebration in South America are taken hostage. The only female hostage to be retained for an extended time is Roxane Cross, a famous opera singer. Much of the activity, but not all, centers around Cross. Thrown in the mix are various other characters, including a vice president, a translator, and a Japanese business man. The revolutionaries also become a significant part of the story.

Bel Canto is an unusual book. For all its uniqueness and execution, I cannot say I loved it. The characters did not grow on me. I did not find myself waiting anxiously for the next time I could open the book and continue my reading, although I hung in until the end to find out if the hostages and revolutionaries would live. I imagine myself enjoying the book much more if adapted well into a film.

In many ways, my experience with this book reminded me of how I felt while reading Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees. This is not because the books are similar; they are entirely different and Bel Canto is superior in comparison. Yet, both Bel Canto and The Secret Life of Bees are books that everyone I encountered said they loved. Even a waitress who saw me reading Bel Canto took time to comment on how great the book was. I think I will refer to this syndrome of mine as the “Secret Life of Bees Problem” from now on. I hope I will not experience it anytime soon.

Autobiography of a Face

2007-10-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

Lucy Grealy's Autobiography of a Face captured me from the first sentence until the last. Originally published in 1994, the memoir follows the life of Grealy, an amazing, talented, creative, and insightful woman who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at age nine. Grealy provides vivid details of her treatment, including countless hospital stays and reconstructive surgeries to her face. I was moved by so many elements of this story, including her strong connection and love for animals.

Sadly, Grealy died at age 39 in 2002 from a heroin overdose. This passage from the book, which appears on the back cover of my edition, demonstrates the pointed beauty of her writing and story:

"I spent five years of my life being treated for cancer, but since then I've spent fifteen years being treated for nothing other than looking different from everyone else. It was the pain from that, from feeling ugly, that I always viewed as the great tragedy of my life. The fact that I had cancer seemed minor in comparison."

This is not a book that I can adequately tell you about; this is a book to experience for yourself.

Into the Wild - Book & Film

2007-10-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 29, was one of those fabulous days. In the morning, I read the final pages of Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, a book that captures the spirit of the human seeker - a quest narrative. I then drove with my husband to have lunch at one of our favorite places. This was followed up by the viewing of Sean Penn's film adaptation of Into the Wild.

The story behind Into the Wild is well-known, especially now with all the press surrounding the film. I found both the book and film captivating and brilliant. The quality of the film is only enhanced by an amazing and original soundtrack by Eddie Vedder.

Will the true story of Into the Wild appeal to all readers and viewers? Possibly not, but it has deeply touched me. We follow a young man (Christopher McCandless), disillusioned by society, who donates all of his money to charity and hits the road travelling - in pursuit of a simple and meaningful life.

Anyone who has ever considered leaving it all behind - material possessions, busy career, etc. - for a simple existence with nature will find much to admire here. Krakauer's need to view McCandless's story as a male quest was the only drawback for me. McCandless's philosophy and adventure will appeal to many women.

Highly recommended - book, movie, and soundtrack!

Eat the Document

2007-09-26T20:53:00.000-07:00

Dana Spiotta's novel Eat the Document, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, begins with the captivating line: "It is easy for life to become unblessed." The novel follows the lives of Mary Whittaker and Bobby Desoto, radical protesters during the Vietnam War, who were forced to go underground when one of their actions went terribly wrong.

Spiotta does not follow Whittaker and Desoto day-by-day or year-by-year, but skips around between the 1970s and later decades. Unlike some novels that attempt a non-linear structure and end up reading like non-cohesive fragments, Spiotta somehow manages to keep the novel tightly wrapped. This is commendable, especially since she moves well-beyond Whittaker and Desoto to include an array of lesser, yet interesting, characters.

Although I wish I could admire a novel solely for its artistry and successful experimentation, I cannot deny that I am a reader who, above all, likes to feel a connection to the characters. This was the only thing that was lacking for me here, which may be sentimental nonsense to others.

Even with this drawback, however, I can easily recommend this novel. I honestly could not put it down, so I was pulled in without having a character attachment - something very rare for me. Another bonus is the fact that much of the storyline takes place during the intense political climate of the Vietnam era - a time period that I am incredibly fascinated by. Anything with protesters, hippies, communes, and all the rest intrigues me to no end. Sometimes I think I was born 20 years too late.

The Feline Mystique

2007-09-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

My beloved cat, Susie, passed away in July. I miss her a great deal. For therapy, I started writing her story (which is now a small book!) and I read The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats by Clea Simon.

Simon includes information she gathered from interviewing many women on their cats and also provides much to ponder on the mythical meanings of cats throughout history. My favorite parts were definitely the stories of real women and their furry family members, which were sad, funny, and revealing.

Simon's book is a must for all women cat lovers.

Field Notes from a Catastrophe

2007-08-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

In this collection of writings by New Yorker staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert, readers will travel with her to unique and interesting places around the world to investigate the impact of climate change. Kolbert writes well and the material, although rather scientific at times, is still approachable for a general audience.

One of the most poignant moments for me was when Kolbert climbs back up to a ridge to take a second look at a glacier that will probably no longer be visible from the ridge in ten years (p. 66). I was surprised to get to the end, however, and never come across a mention of the impact a meat-based diet has on global warming, as discussed here and here. Still, I highly recommend this book, especially to those who are skeptical.

The Witch of Portobello

2007-07-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

The Witch of Portobello is the latest novel of Paulo Coelho, a writer I have admired for sometime. He writes for a certain type of audience, one that does not mind mysticism and perhaps a bit of New Age sentimentality tossed together with Coelho's version of Catholicism. I previously read his novels The Alchemist and By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. I enjoyed them both. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for The Witch of Portobello.

In this novel we meet Athena through the numerous voices of people who knew her. Athena is a woman on a spiritual quest who is mislabeled a witch. As the novel opens, we are informed that her life will end with a brutal murder.

The narrative structure of the various characters intertwining to tell a story is clever, but the writing is often over simplistic or fractured. This book is far inferior to his earlier novels I am familiar with. I can only recommend it to his diehard fans.

The Mistress's Daughter

2007-06-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

The Mistress's Daughter by A. M. Homes is simply mesmerizing and expertly executed. Author Homes was adopted shortly after her birth. At the age of thirty-one, her biological mother contacted her, causing an avalanche of emotions and psychological turmoil. Homes explains, with brutal honesty, the impact of encounters with her birth mother and father, as well as what becomes her obsession to search for her true identity. This obsession reaches an intensity in the chapter titled "The Electronic Anthropologist," during which Homes extensively searches in archives and records offices for documents. The memoir concludes with a chapter titled "My Grandmother's Table." It is in the final pages where Homes reveals the understanding she has reached. Highly recommended!

Coroner

2007-06-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

This read, Coroner by Thomas T. Noguchi, was an unusual one for me. I found it on a list of autobiographies/biographies compiled by a librarian I work with. I was immediately intrigued and found the book fascinating.

Dr. Noguchi was the Chief Medical Examiner for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office. He was first employed by the office in 1960 and left in a storm of controversy in the early 1980s. During his tenure he worked on some of the most interesting and mysterious cases, including the deaths of Marilyn Monroe, Robert Kennedy, Natalie Wood, Sharon Tate, Janis Joplin, William Holden, and John Belushi, as well as the fiery demise of several members of the radical SLA group that kidnapped Patty Hearst. This book introduces readers to an extraordinary individual.

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere

2007-06-13T08:06:00.000-07:00

This collection of stories by ZZ Packer, a graduate of the illustrious Iowa Writers' Workshop, is at times gritty, satirical, painful, entertaining, hopeful, and humorous. One memorable and unsettling story in this collection follows a troubled African American female student at Yale. In another story, a teenage girl runs away to track down her mother in the big city, but finds herself amongst prostitutes and a shady character named Dezi. This book is for readers who are not looking for light-hearted fiction.

The Secret Lives of People in Love

2007-05-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

I read a highly favorable review of Simon Van Booy's short story collection, The Secret Lives of People in Love, in The Los Angeles Times and felt so intrigued that I bought the book and began reading it the same day. The reviewer wondered what Van Booy could do next, since he had created such a perfect first book.

Each story in this collection is mesmerizing. I looked forward to sitting outside on my lunch hour and reading while sitting on a bench under a large tree. There are lines that took my breath away.

A man who is afraid to venture out to the American sea after experiencing a horrific tragedy in Russia writes:
"All seas are one sea. Every ocean holds hands with another" (p. 14).

In the opening to another story, the narrator tells us:
"Each year is like putting a new coat over all the old ones. Sometimes I reach into the pockets of my childhood and pull things out" (p. 1).

A man writes of his mother who abandoned him:
"I barely remember her, but I am still in love with her ghost" (p. 93).

A man who has stopped speaking for twenty years after the death of his son says:
"I've lived so long without the pain of language. My life is a letter with no address" (p. 67).

Each story in this volume carries a deep sadness, but the writing is so extraordinary that the reader is left with an experience of the horrible beauty in tragedy. The stories are also not without hope. What is most prominent is the mystical found in the everyday.

Without Reservations: The Travels of an Indepedent Woman

2007-05-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

Alice Steinbach's Without Reservations will appeal to many women, or men, who desire a break from their everyday routines. It is also for those who feel they have lost touch with their true selves. This is not, however, a "roughing it" type story, since Steinbach has enough money to take a leave from work for many months and stay in average to above average accommodations.

Steinbach travels to France, England, and Italy. She writes so well that I often felt I was traveling right along with her. Steinbach has interested me enough to pick up her other book, Educating Alice: Adventures of a Curious Woman, in the future. She has also made Freya Stark, an earlier woman traveler, an intriguing figure. Steinbach discovers Stark while on her travels and refers to her often throughout this combination memoir and travel book.

Without Reservations also reads like a spiritual journey, especially due to the solitary nature of Steinbach's travels. I recommend it!

The Little Disturbances of Man, Grace Paley

2007-04-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

I finally read Grace Paley. She was someone I have wanted to explore for years. The short stories in The Little Disturbances of Man must have been rather controversial when they first appeared. Not only would the content have been shocking for many in a late 1950s audience, but the form of the stories must have been unique and perhaps difficult to read for those used to a structured narrative.

Paley does not provide introductions for her plot or characters. The stories just begin and end like we are peering into the characters' private lives for a brief moment. It is through conversation that the various personalities are developed. Paley is a master at creating realistic conversation. The stories also have a rich New York feel.

Due to the nature of the form and heavy use of dialogue, these stories are not easy to read. I was often reminded of Tillie Olsen. Paley challenges the reader and wastes no time with sentimentality - like Olsen.

A man at my book club meeting commented that the writing resembles poetry. I agree. Paley is for those who like to think about literature; she is, fortunately, not merely for entertainment.

The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

2007-04-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

It took me awhile to get through this book. Not only is it simply packed full with stories, but Hempel's writing is deceptive. She carefully selects each word and creates stories that appear simplistic until you are completely sucked in layer by layer. Many of the stories read more like poetry, requiring slow reading and much reflection. The way the stories (and even the sentences) turn is often surprising and occasionally shocking.

Hempel can be classified as a "writer's writer." Her stories are for those who enjoy lingering over the page and dissecting writing to uncover the meanings.

Interpreter of Maladies

2007-04-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just finished Jhumpa Lahiri's collection of stories: Interpreter of Maladies. Lahiri is the author of the novel The Namesake, which has become a major motion picture. I recently saw The Namesake and loved it. This sparked my interest in Lahiri.

In Interpreter of Maladies, Lahiri beautifully examines the lives of various Indians, often immigrants to the United States, by presenting the complexities and difficulties one faces when encountering cultural differences. Each story is filled with rich characters.

In A Temporary Matter, we see a marriage falling apart; in Mrs. Sen, we are introduced to a woman who is tragically displaced from her family and culture; and in The Third and Final Continent, we meet a young man who is making his way in a new environment. In this final story, the man tells us: "I know that my achievement is quite ordinary....As ordinary as it all appears, there are times when it is beyond my imagination" (p. 198). This sums up the essence of Lahiri's writing: she turns the ordinary into the magical.

The Grapes of Wrath

2007-04-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

I finally read Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, a book that has been on my shelf at home for years & years. It is clear to see why it is considered such an accomplishment. The story is known, even if vaguely, by people who have not even read the book. The narrative follows the Joad family and their horrible circumstances as they migrant from Oklahoma to California.

The Grapes of Wrath was the selection my book club read last month. We had one of the largest turnouts we have had for at least a year. One man came for the first time and simply stated he came, because the book has remained his favorite throughout his life. At least one member, however, was not a fan and found Steinbeck's writing and characteristics of women difficult to live with.

It was interesting to take part in a conversation of what can be called the "California dream," which, I believe, is much different from the "American dream." As the Joad family imagined California, so did many in the group before coming here. Typical to California, I think only one person at the meeting was born here. For my husband and I, California was very much a fantasy world before our arrival. Others commented it had been the same for them.

The Grapes of Wrath is sad and sometimes disturbing, but a social justice classic I am glad I finally read.

What Was She Thinking?

2007-03-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

After hearing so much about Notes on a Scandal, I finally saw the movie about one month ago. (Even a waitress at a café where I often have lunch recommended the movie to me.) I thought it was incredible. The acting is superb; the drama is intense. Judi Dench could not be better. The movie is an adaptation of Zoe Heller’s novel What Was She Thinking? I quickly set out to read the novel.

I recommend both the novel and the movie. They are equally well done. (Everyday I Write the Book Blog also agrees.)

What Was She Thinking? examines the relationship between the young Sheba and older Barbara. Both women are teachers at a secondary school where Sheba begins an affair with an underage student.

Barbara is the deliciously sarcastic narrator; Sheba is Barbara’s obsession. Hints are given early on in the movie and book that Barbara is most likely not psychologically healthy. Having seen the movie before reading the book, however, may have made me more sympathetic toward her character. I felt very sorry for Barbara and the troubled nature of her life – even if she created her own misery.

Heller writes with such precision and depth that I found the novel difficult to read at times. It is, above all, a sad and disturbing tale, but one brilliantly executed.

A Three Dog Life

2007-03-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

Abigail Thomas' memoir A Three Dog Life is mesmerizing. Thomas follows five years of her life after her husband is tragically struck by a car. He suffers a severe traumatic brain injury. The trauma eliminates his short term memory and leaves him psychologically unpredictable at times, making it necessary for him to live in a facility where he can be cared for and well monitored.

Thomas remains committed to her marriage and moves to the country, away from New York City, to be close to the facility that her husband now calls home. One of the ways Thomas copes with her new life is by adding two dogs to her family. (Thomas and her husband already had one dog.) This is where the title, of course, comes from.

There are so many passages in this book that ring with absolute beauty as Thomas grows and makes sense of her life. One of my favorite parts is when Thomas discovers the work of outsider artists and begins collecting various pieces.

Thomas writes poetically with such honesty and introspection. At times, this book will break your heart; at other times, it will uplift your spirit.

The Bell

2007-03-05T15:13:00.000-08:00

Iris Murdoch’s The Bell is an unusual book with an assortment of odd characters. At the center is Dora Greenfield, a young woman married to a much older and rather mean man. I liked Dora immediately.

The opening chapter of this novel can only be described as a brilliant display of writing. The way Murdoch can get inside the character of Dora and her thought processes left me hanging on every word. After the thrilling opening chapter, I lost my enthusiasm for many pages, but the novel captured my interest again near the end.

Much of The Bell takes place at a commune for lay church members. The commune is tied to a convent that also sits on the property. In this setting, Murdoch investigates several complex issues, including the lay community leader’s homosexuality and his struggle with his sexual desires. It is here that the awakening of Dora into an independent woman also takes place.

The novel can stimulate much conversation, which is what happened during my book club’s discussion. In fact, after the discussion I found myself rather in awe of Murdoch and the complexities of this novel.

The Illusionist

2007-02-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

I found Francoise Mallet-Joris' The Illusionist on the new books shelf at my library and was immediately intrigued by a review excerpt on the front cover: "A lesbian classic with a real erotic punch." The novel was first published in 1952 and the 2006 new edition I read is a translation.

The Illusionist tells the rather shocking (for its time) story of Helene, a 15-year-old girl who has an affair with Tamara, her father's 36-year-old mistress. Even more surprising is that Mallet-Joris wrote the novel when she was just 19. Tamara is not a kind lover, but often abusive and cold.

The novel is intriguing and unusual enough to keep one's interest, but this is not a novel for someone who enjoys a well-structured plot with an assortment of characters that is guided along by significant events. This is a novel for those who enjoy their literature rich in psychology and the interior workings of the mind.

An Alphabetical Life

2007-02-11T21:19:00.000-08:00

Wendy Werris started working in the book business in the 1970s. Her career began at Pickwick Bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard and eventually led to her representing many publishers. In An Alphabetical Life, she relays her experiences in the book publishing industry, but also discusses her personal life and growth.

The memoir is often light-hearted, but there are also sad and harrowing episodes. Werris' parents' lives did not end well. This is told most tragically when she describes the death of her father who outlived his wife by many years while his health grew progressively worse. Another chapter is devoted to Werris being attacked by a rapist in her apartment. These accounts display an openness that will make many readers feel a connection with Werris.

I found the book especially appealing due to its location in the Los Angeles area and Werris' obvious love of books. Another entertaining element is the large number of unusual characters that operate within the book business. Werris describes them with affection and humour.

Prodigal Summer

2007-02-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to reading Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer, a book I saw everywhere when it first came out several years ago. Kingsolver weaves together three stories that share ties of nature and relationship. The book received glowing reviews. It is often sexually charged and even humorous at times.

I plowed into the novel and then found myself stalled around page 300, although I did make it to the end and became interested again in the final pages. I had difficulty connecting to the characters. For example, after her husband dies, Lusa must find a way to save her farm and pay the bills. She finds a solution in raising goats, which will be sold and slaughtered for various religious festivals. I kept expecting her to change her mind, but this never came. The relationship between the older Deanna Wolfe and the coyote-hating and hunting Eddie Bondo lacked the depth I was waiting for.

Overall, however, I am happy to have read this novel and will read Kingsolver again to see if another one of her novels will provide the magic for me that so many have experienced.

The Last of Her Kind

2007-02-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading one of the best books I have read in years: Sigrid Nunez's The Last of Her Kind. The novel revolves around the relationship between two women, Ann and Georgette, who first meet as Barnard College roommates in the late 1960s.

Ann is from a wealthy New England family; Georgette comes from a rough and poor family in upstate New York. Ann feels shame and disgust for her privileged upbringing and finds her calling in the political turmoil of the times. She becomes an activist and lives her life as a pure idealist, which ultimately lands her in prison with a life sentence for killing a police officer. The intensity of Nunez's novel, told through the eyes of Georgette, is mesmerizing.

Anyone who enjoys novels that examine the politicized times of the 1960s and early 1970s will find something of interest here. This novel will also appeal to readers who simply love good writing, but be warned the book can be painful at times and is, in many ways, a tragic tale.

Frankenstein

2007-01-23T21:20:00.000-08:00

I just returned yesterday from the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. It was my first trip to the Northwest. I picked up several new books that I cannot wait to begin! I visited the very cool and independent Left Bank Books and MCoy Books. I also tasted the delicious treats from Top Pot Doughnuts. My reading focus for much of the trip was on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Frankenstein was my book club's pick for the month. I found myself feeling great sympathy for the monster. When reading the novel, it is amazing to realize how much of the story we do not think of when we say or hear "Frankenstein." Virtually everything is in there - ethical scientific debates; questions of what makes us human; questions of prejudice; the need for community or shared love with one other soul; revenge; ego; maternal/fraternal relationships; friendship...a classic indeed.

The Year of Magical Thinking

2007-01-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

I’m certain that anyone who follows book publishing, reads books, or visits bookstores has heard about Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking. I just finished the book. It was as good as I heard it was.

The book traces the moment of Joan’s husband’s death through her first year of grief. The narrative often moves back in time to relive certain memories. At the same time her husband passed away, Joan’s daughter became tragically ill and suffered several serious medical setbacks until she entered a rehabilitation center. Readers also encounter the emotional turmoil surrounding the uncertainty of her daughter’s recovery.

It is hard to express how well-written and moving the memoir is. It is not an easy read, but an incredibly compelling one.

P.S. Never underestimate the pathways leading to great books. I purchased my copy of The Year of Magical Thinking from the used bookshelves at my local Goodwill store.

Alice Walker's New Book

2006-12-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

When I hear that a new Alice Walker book is coming out, I make a note on my calendar, so I can be sure to pick up a copy on the day it arrives at the store. She has been my favorite writer since I read The Color Purple many, many years ago. I just finished her latest: We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Inner Light in a Time of Darkness.

The title of the book comes from the late poet June Jordan who wrote the line "We are the ones we have been waiting for." Jordan was my professor for one of my classes at UC Berkeley in the early 1990s. It was absolutely amazing to be in her presence. She was an unbelievably kind and inspirational human being. A great teacher.

We Are the Ones is described as "meditations." It can surely be read as this, giving opportunities to pause and reflect. The collection includes many talks and commencement addresses. Found here are talks Walker has given to the African American Buddhist Conference/Retreat (2002); UC Santa Cruz (early 1990s); Midwives Alliance of North America (2001); and International Association of Black Yoga Teachers (2003) and graduation addresses to Agnes Scott College (2000) and California Institute of Integral Studies (2002), as well as other essays.

The Kite Runner

2006-12-20T14:12:00.000-08:00

After hearing so much about this book by Khaled Hosseini, I came across a used copy at a library book sale for $1.50. I had no idea what a steal this was.

Although not always the case, I sometimes find I do not enjoy books that receive rave reviews. This was the case with The Secret Life of Bees, a book I desperately wanted to like, but had to struggle to read to the end.

The Kite Runner, however, deserves all the praise it has received. The life of the main character Amir runs alongside the story of modern Afghanistan. The novel is brilliantly executed. It has all the elements of a great story: love, tragedy, guilt, betrayal, hope, uncertainty, and forgiveness. Many readers will likely find the characters unforgettable.

Jane Eyre

2006-12-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

It's been an incredibly busy week, but I managed to finish a second reading of Jane Eyre on Tuesday. I first read the novel while an undergraduate many years ago. I experienced the novel in different ways this time.

I was most struck with the independent, fiery nature of Jane. Written in 1847, there are passages like this: "Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do...It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex."

There is also the fabulous short sentence that begins the final chapter: "Reader, I married him." In the introduction to my edition, written by Joyce Carol Oates, Oates comments how this is significant - Jane does not say, "He married me," but "I married him."

Go Jane!

Mandalas

2006-11-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

Tonight I'm going to make an exception and write about a different kind of book I purchased a few weeks back: Susanne F. Fincher's Coloring Mandalas: Circles of the Sacred Feminine. This book is the reason that my reading time has decreased slightly.

Coloring Mandalas includes an essay titled "Mandalas and the Sacred Feminine," but it is primarily an adult coloring book with varying images and designs. Some of the mandalas are strictly geometric designs, but others include drawings of the goddess in various forms both ancient, Eastern, and Western.

It's been quite amazing to me how much fun this book is. It provides hours and hours of relaxation. You can use almost anything to color the designs. I use colored markers and pencils. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the act of creating something with your hands. It is especially fun for those of us who cannot draw very well.

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant

2006-11-16T09:26:00.000-08:00

A conversation with Anne Tyler follows the text of her novel Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant in the Ballantine paperback edition. Tyler states that she is “so attached to the characters” in the novel. She comments, “I still miss them, even all these years later.” It is easy to see why.

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, similar to Tyler’s The Amateur Marriage, has characters so rich that they can easily become part of the reader’s life during the reading. Tyler first introduces Pearl Tull on her deathbed. From this introductory chapter, the novel stretches back in time and tells a complex and often tragic story through different character viewpoints.

Pearl marries Beck Tull and they have three children: Cody, Jenny, and Ezra. Beck leaves Pearl when the children are young and she never sees him again. Pearl is not a benevolent mother figure, but a character that I found difficult to empathize with. She is a tough woman who finds a way to admirably support her family, but crosses the line by verbally and physically abusing her children.

Cody, Jenny, and Ezra have distinct personalities and it is easy to see how their childhood experiences continue to influence their adult lives. Neither Pearl nor her children can be characterized as happy. There are moments of contentment, but a void, or the feeling that something not quite right is lurking in the background, is always present. Only Ezra seems to find a passion in life, but even his psychological makeup is fragmented.

The depth of this novel is extraordinary. I continue to believe that Tyler is a master.

Peace Pilgrim

2006-11-09T15:36:00.000-08:00

"...if I could choose my breakfast from all the foods in the world I could not make a better choice than blueberries covered with dew" (p. 55).

"How inspiring it is to walk all day in the sunshine and sleep all night under the stars" (p. 54).

These are just two of the many lines I have found inspiring thus far during my read of Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words, a used book I recently picked up for $5.

Peace Pilgrim was a woman who felt called to go on a walking pilgrimage for peace. She followed no organized religion, but embraced universal truths. She began her pilgrimage in 1953 and continued until her death in 1981. She walked over 25,000 miles and was crossing the United States the seventh time when she passed away.

The book is divided into several sections, many dealing with spiritual matters, such as "Living the Spiritual Life" and "The Way of Peace." There are also reprints of newspaper articles and a Questions/Answers section. Her stories about people she met during her life are most interesting.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading spiritual autobiographies and/or the lives of interesting women. The entire book can be read online or downloaded from here. Copies can also be found in many public and academic libraries.

The Amateur Marriage

2006-10-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today I finished Anne Tyler’s novel The Amateur Marriage. This is her sixteenth novel out of seventeen, but my first Tyler novel.

I only knew a little about this book before purchasing it. This may sound horrible, but I will sometimes purchase a book just because of the title or how it looks. (I get overwhelmed with the beauty of books.) I saw The Amateur Marriage, along with Tyler’s Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, on a table at the bookstore last week. I purchased both. There is a haunting simplicity to the titles and the design of the editions I purchased (Ballantine quality paperbacks).

Now that I’ve finished The Amateur Marriage, I’m glad I also purchased Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. Tyler is a master of her craft.

The Amateur Marriage is not about anything spectacular; the plot revolves around everyday life. It is in everyday life, however, that things really do happen. Tyler illustrates this beautifully.

The novel follows the marriage of Pauline and Michael Anton, beginning with their first meeting. An excerpt of a review from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the back cover describes the book as “…disarming, deceptively rich…” I find this accurate.

The Amateur Marriage cannot be described as a happy story. It is better to label it a slow, unfolding series of small tragedies. The tragic elements are not unique, but common, which makes the novel even more moving. It rings with truth.

When I reached the end of the book, I had to read the final paragraphs a few times. It was difficult to allow the story to end. Highly recommended!

Frederick Douglass

2006-10-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

Last night was my monthly book club meeting. We discussed the classic autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. It was the first time all of us read the book in its entirety. There was agreement that this is a memoir for all Americans to read.

One image that will remain with me is Douglass’ mother walking twelve miles each way to be with him in the evening when he was a small child. This was the only way she could see her son, since they were separated when he was an infant. I can't imagine working all day, walking twenty-four miles with little rest, and then resuming work the next morning. His mother died when he was just seven. He reports her death ended "her hardships and suffering," but he experienced her death, due to their separation, as he might experience the death of a stranger.

Douglass' autobiography is short and poignant. There is unbelievable cruelty, as can be imagined, but hope prevails above all.

Jane Kenyon's Poetry

2006-10-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight I read Jane Kenyon's first book of poetry: From Room to Room. It was published by Alice James Books in 1978. It is a slim volume (59 pages) with simple and elegant, but haunting poems.

In the poem titled "Leaving Town," Kenyon weaves images together that would resonate with anyone who has reluctantly moved. She describes listening to a baseball game on the radio until the signal becomes too faint to hear. At this point, she writes: "I felt like a hand without an arm."

In "The Circle on the Grass," a man comes to chop down a tree that was damaged the previous night by wind. The sounds of the man's tools are disturbing and create anxiety. Kenyon captures the feeling perfectly with lines like "I keep busy in the house" and "I clean with the vacuum / so I won't have to listen." After the man has finished, she writes: "When it's over, there is nothing left / but a pale circle on the grass, / dark in the center, like an eye."

I recommend these poems to anyone who enjoys poetry that is stripped down and concerned with the events of daily life. I also recommend reading the poems as I did - at night - in bed - and with a cup of coffee (or tea if you like).

Bhagavan Das

2006-10-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

I'm familiar with Ram Dass' spiritual journey from America to India that led to his encounter with his guru Neem Karoli Baba. What I did not know until recently is that Bhagavan Das (formerly Michael Riggs) traveled to India first from his home in Laguna Beach and it was through Bhagavan Das that Ram Dass met Neem Karoli Baba.

I thoroughly enjoy reading memoirs. My favorites are women's memoirs and spiritual memoirs. While I was at the Bodhi Tree on Sunday, I picked up a used copy of Bhagavan Das' It's Here Now (Are You?) : A Spiritual Memoir, which was originally published in 1997.

Sometimes I think I have too much of a Western skepticism within me. I've read of a two-headed dog attacking Bhagavan Das (he awoke the next day to find his wound completely healed by a Buddhist master) and of him witnessing Neem Karoli Baba perform many astonishing acts, including multiplying apples, eating more food than a human being could possibly digest, disappearing into thin air, and creating paper money out of fire. I'm sure more is to come, because I'm only about one-third of the way through the book.

I asked my husband last night what he thought of all of this. He responded that he believed it was probably true. Perhaps it is.

Library Plans Ahead

2006-10-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

I've just lined up visits to check out some interesting libraries to possibly include in my book.

Later this month I'm visiting the Helen Hawkins Memorial Library and Research Archive located at the San Diego Women's History Museum and Educational Center. The library has over 7,000 volumes with the majority written by or about women, including many hard to find and out of print titles.

I'm also visiting the Philosophical Research Library described on the library's website as "virtually unique in the United States as a wisdom literature resource."

How can one ever find life boring with libraries and books around every corner?

Everyday I Write the Book Blog

2006-10-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

The other day I heard from Gayle Weiswasser who has a most fantastic blog: Everyday I Write the Book Blog. Very cool on her blog are "Now Reading" and "I'm Done" areas. It's a great place to check out.

Iowa Writers' Workshop

2006-09-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

Lately I've become somewhat obsessed with the Iowa Writers' Workshop. It all started with my reading of Kim Edwards The Memory Keeper's Daughter. I found a great article on the workshop at Wikipedia that includes a list of notable graduates. I'm now completely absorded by Jennifer Haigh's Mrs. Kimble, for which she won the PEN/Hemingway Award.

In Mrs. Kimble, readers discover the not very likable Ken Kimble through the three very different women he married. It is tragic and beautifully written. Highly recommended!

Writing a Book

2006-09-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

My manuscript is due to the publisher in 3 months and 3 weeks. My first book.

When I think of it, I feel a bit sick in my stomach. I have approximately 63,000 words of the 75,000 required and still need to do final editing, organization, and write captions for all of my husband's photographs to include. Let me just say that once you reach 50,000 words you know you have written a hell of a lot.

In my yoga class this past week, we were given the assignment of writing down an intention - something we hope to accomplish over the next few months or so. My intention:

I will remain calm and focused as I enter the final stages of my book project.

Joyce Carol Oates

2006-09-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

I just finished Joyce Carol Oates' Missing Mom, a recent novel published in 2005. I simply don't understand how someone can write so amazingly well and be incredibly prolific at the same time.
In Missing Mom, we meet Gwen Eaton through her 31 year old daughter Nikki Eaton. Within the first 30 pages or so, Gwen Eaton is found murdered. The 400+pages follow Nikki through the first year after her mother's murder. The depth of the characters and Oates' craft make it definitely worth reading. I read it in one week, which is saying a lot, considering my busy work schedule this time of year.

The edition of Missing Mom I read is one of those Harper Perennial P.S. books that includes several pages in the back with things such as an author interview, etc. In response to the interviewer's question of a guilty pleasure or "favorite trashy read," Oates says, "I never read, watch, or listen to anything remotely 'trashy,' for life is too short." No wonder she is so prolific.

I was also very surprised to read that she writes the first draft of all of her books in longhand and then continues her work on a typewriter. She does not own a computer.

I think reading Missing Mom created a desire in me to write something different from the book I'm currently writing on California libraries. I wrote (in pencil!) an outline and the beginnings of several short semi-autobiographical pieces. It felt so good to write something completely creative.

The Wise & Kind Dr. Massey

2006-09-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

I found out earlier this week that one of my former English professors, Dr. Tom Massey, passed away. He taught at Chapman University. He was the first professor I had for an early American literature course when I started my M.A. I later had him for a critical theory course and contemporary American literature. He was also one of three professors on my oral exam committee.

There are a few professors that I shared memorable moments with. He is one of them.

I would often encounter Dr. Massey on the stairwell. There were several flights of stairs leading to classrooms and faculty offices. Perhaps it is because a stairwell is such an archetypal image that my encounters with him either ascending or descending carry such meaning.

Dr. Massey had a great love and passion for literature. At the time I was taking the American literature course, I was working as a counselor along with my good friend Deanna. I especially recall the discussions of Thoreau and Emerson in the class. Each morning after the class met, I would share my experiences with Deanna while we were supposed to be working. There were days where we spent hours talking about my class and related topics that came up instead of working. This started a love affair for both of us of early American literature.

Dr. Massey was always so kind and offered me great support. He continues to be an influential person in my life.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

2006-09-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

I came across Kim Edwards' The Memory Keeper's Daughter at the bookstore Saturday evening. I refrained from buying it, since my goal is to spend less and save. True to my addiction, however, I kept seeing the book in my mind all night and into the next day. I then took the next step and looked up the author online and the book on Amazon.

Sunday afternoon I decided to go back to the bookstore and read the first chapter while drinking some coffee. If I felt like I had to keep reading, I told myself, I would give in and buy it. So, there I sat and found myself immediately under the trance of Edwards' excellently crafted story.

The story begins in March 1964 when an orthopedic doctor finds himself in an emergency created by a snow storm. His wife is about to give birth and he must deliver the baby. After his son is delivered, his wife continues to act as if she is in labor. He discovers there is a second baby. His wife is gassed and unaware of what is to follow.

After delivering the second baby, the doctor discovers the baby girl has Down's syndrome. He asks the nurse to take the baby away to the Home for the Feebleminded. Once his wife awakens, he tells her she had twins, but the baby daughter died. The drama only begins here. The nurse, as instructed, takes the baby away, but ends up leaving town and taking the baby with her to raise.

I'm on p. 112 of 401 pages. This book cannot be put down.

Saul Bellow

2006-08-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight we discussed Bellow's short novel Seize the Day at my Great Books Discussion Group. What an intriguing read it is! Interestingly, Bellow kept me reading and eagerly anticipating a moment of enlightenment for the main character, Tommy Wilhelm. This moment never comes, at least according to my reading. I was left feeling frustrated, but still happy for reading such a creative work. (My frustration was reminiscent of how I felt many years ago when I read Robbe-Grillet's The Voyeur for an experimental literature class.)

The entire novel takes place in one day. We follow Wilhelm around from one disaster to the next, but we are often in his thoughts of past events. Wilhem is a sad figure, his father is a sad figure, a bizarre psychologist named Tamkin is also a sad figure, yet is it really comedy or tragedy?

Bukowski

2006-08-20T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today I went with my husband to see Factotum. The film is based on one of Charles Bukowski's novels by the same title. Matt Dillon plays Henry Chinaski. Chinaski is a character who appears in many of Bukowski's writings. The character is a thinly disguised Bukowski and understood to be Bukowski by most.

We both enjoyed the film. I was a huge Bukowski fan in my 20s. I still have nearly an entire shelf devoted to him in my personal library.

Knowing we were going to see the film today, I pulled some of his books out last night and read a few poems I marked many years ago. I can see why I marked those particular poems. There is an intense beauty of language found there.

I will always have a soft spot for certain writers. Bukowski is one of them.

Alvarez, Gluck, & Native Foods

2006-08-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

This has been a productive weekend. I completed another chapter for my book. I finished a complete draft of my review of The Encyclopedia of Feminist Literature by Mary Ellen Snodgrass. I continued my reading of Lawson's biography of P.L. Travers.

I ate a delicious meal with my husband last night at Native Foods in Costa Mesa.

I also started reading poems from two wonderful collections: Julia Alvarez's The Woman I Kept to Myself and Louise Gluck's Meadowlands. I intend to take both books along with me to work tomorrow. Even if I'm too busy to take a peek, I can at least look at the book covers in anticipation of the evening.

Is it work or play?

2006-08-09T19:15:00.001-07:00

I've been having way too much fun updating my research guides to get ready for the fall semester. In addition to the two I've been responsible for, English and Women's Studies, this semester I was added Gerontology and Human Services. In fact, call me crazy, but I could not wait to get to work this morning and arrived at my desk around 7:30 a.m.

In addition to this, I'm working on preparing materials for a September exhibit on banned books. This is in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week. One brochure I'm working on will provide students with a listing of selected challenged or banned books from the library collection. I'm using lists and other information from the ALA site.

Feminist Collections

2006-08-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

A wondrous delivery came to my mailbox today. I'm very happy to have received a copy of The Encyclopedia of Feminist Literature by Mary Ellen Snodgrass to review for Feminist Collections: A Quarterly of Women's Studies Resources.

I began my subscription to Feminist Collections, along with Feminist Periodicals: A Current Listing of Contents and New Books on Women & Feminism while still in library school. I now have a growing stash of these helpful and always intriguing publications. All three are published by Phyllis Holman Weisbard, the Women's Studies Librarian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

I'm continuing my reading of the biography of P. L. Travers (what an interesting life she led).

It was somewhat sad to finish 44 Scotland Street over the weekend. I enjoyed the characters and the book created a sort of calmness while I was reading it.

Mary Poppins and Synchronicity

2006-08-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

These 3 things below illustrate synchronicity:

1. While in Berkeley in late July, I pointed out South Hall to my husband and explained it was the first building on campus and also where a scene from Mary Poppins was filmed. (I was informed of this many years ago when I was a student. I have since discovered that the Mary Poppins filming at South Hall is an urban legend.)

2. Yesterday a new book arrived for me to review from Library Journal. What is the book? Mary Poppins, She Wrote: The Life of P. L. Travers by Valerie Lawson.

3. Then, my husband mentioned to me last night that Mary Poppins is playing down the street tonight at the historic Fox Theatre in Fullerton. This film was selected to start off the Fullerton Film Festival.

Maybe I'm just too much into the synchronicity thing, but I rarely think of Mary Poppins on a regular day. Now she seems to be everywhere.

I'm looking forward to beginning my reading of Lawson's biography of P. L. Travers. Being a reviewer for Library Journal has been one of the most rewarding activities I've been involved with since making a career change to librarianship.

Making Book Plans

2006-08-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

One just shouldn't make plans with the order of reading books, because another book, or several, will come along and change everything. My plan was to finish Jamaica Kincaid's Lucy (which I did - it was wonderful) and take her Mr. Potter along to begin reading while in Berkeley.

I took Mr. Potter along, but Alexander McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street caught my eye at Moe's and Mr. Smith's book became the next on the list. I'm near the end and enjoying it immensely. Of course, it is not the mastery that one will find in Kincaid, but I don't think the two can even be compared. Smith's books are entertaining and perhaps not masterpieces, but they are also not fluff. He writes well and creates interesting characters.

Late last week I also purchased a Jack Johnson DVD that includes a concert at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley (where my graduation ceremony in 1993 was actually held). I am a huge Johnson fan. I also discovered another band on his label, Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO), that I need to explore more. ALO sounds like pure hippie music. What can I say? It sounds great.

Berkeley

2006-07-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'll be leaving soon for my (hopefully!) final research trip to visit California libraries for my book project. The trips are simply a lot of work and I usually return home tired, even though I have seen many wonderful and amazing things. This trip will include visits to the San Francisco Public Library - Main Library, Berkeley's Doe Library, Flora Lamson Hewlett Library at the Graduate Theological Union, Coast Community Library in Point Arena, and the Mendocino Community Library.

I'm looking forward to being back in Berkeley, which is my first stop on this next trip. I hope to arrive in the late afternoon, so I will have time that evening to look around a bit before my work starts early the next morning.

I can already taste the mocha bianca at Caffe Strada; smell the musty, intoxicating scents of my favorite bookstore Moe's; and imagine myself biting into a delicious slice of pizza from Caffe Giovanni. One sad note is the closing of Cody's on Telegraph, which was always one of my first stops. My husband hopes the Bancroft is continuing their tradition of brandy & biscotti in the afternoon.

On to Berkeley...

Jamaica Kincaid

2006-07-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

This summer, I have worked with my colleagues on a huge weeding project. We are moving many books from the Reference area to the stacks. While weeding an area in the literature section, I found several books that were shelved incorrectly, including some novels and critical essays. I located one particular book, Jamaica Kincaid's My Brother, this way.

Before taking the book over to where it could be shelved correctly, I thought I would read a few lines. I was already familiar with Kincaid. I read her The Autobiography of My Mother when it was first published in 1996. I can't remember the details of the book, but my memory can be horrible at times.

My Brother never made it over to its proper place in the stacks that day. I couldn't put it down, so I checked it out and took it home. I read it in a few days. The autobiographical work tells the story of her brother's passing from AIDS. Kincaid did not know her brother well; she moved to the U. S. when he was still young. It was brilliant, poetic, sad, beautiful. She has developed a mastery of the English language. Is it poetry or prose? Both!

I have since checked out two more of her works: the semi-autobiographical Lucy, following a young girl from the West Indies who comes to the U.S. to be the nanny to a wealthy family, and Mr. Potter, a story of Kincaid's father.

I am close to the end of Lucy. The writing is not at the level of mastery as I found in My Brother, but it is amazing nevertheless. It is a struggle to put it down.

I leave for my final large research trip on Sunday to visit libraries in San Francisco, Berkeley, and the Northern Coast. I plan on taking Mr. Potter along.

Wild Parrots, Hockney, Klimt, Incense - so much!

2006-06-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was one of those weekends where you discover many inspiring things and simply feel fulfilled when you climb into bed Sunday night.

Friday night I watched the documentary The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, about a flock of wild parrots living in a San Francisco neighborhood. Mark Bittner, a resident of Telegraph Hill, began feeding and observing the birds several years ago. The documentary follows not only the birds, but Mark's transformation from interacting with them. It was so beautiful that I've been telling everyone about it.

There is also a book by the same title written by Mark Bittner. I purchased the book on Saturday. The book is as wonderful as the documentary. I highly recommend both.

On Sunday I met up with my friend from library school who is now a librarian at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). We went to the David Hockney exhibit at the museum. I haven't been much of a Hockney fan, but didn't really know much about him also. The exhibit, titled "David Hockney Portraits" was a huge display that filled many, many rooms. It was astonishing and lovely.

Also at LACMA were some KLIMT paintings. Having been an admirer of Klimt for many years, seeing the paintings in the flesh was incredible.

After all of this, which was enough to lift my spirit high, we went to two of my very favorite places: The Bodhi Tree Bookstore and the Urth Caffe on Melrose. I made some purchases from the Bodhi Tree's always impressive incense collection, as well as the latest copy of Shambhala Sun with a feature article on bell hooks. Yeah, bell!

The Urth Caffe was packed - it always is. I had to control myself, but only took one piece of cheesecake home with me. Oh, was my honey vanilla latte good.

The weekend ended with a traffic jam-free ride home on the Los Angeles freeways, something that seems to never happen.

I'm now getting ready for a trip next week to visit libraries in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Carmel, Big Sur, and Pacific Grove for my book. I also hope to tour Robinson Jeffers' Tor House in Carmel. Can't wait!

Memoirs - Change of Heart

2006-05-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

I commented too quickly on Lara Vapnyar's Memoirs of a Muse, which demonstrates why it is a crime for someone to write a review of a book before finishing it. Vapnyar's muse developed considerably and did experience a transformation. In fact, the novel ended so beautifully that I can recommend it. Maybe others will not be as annoyed by Dostoevsky's exploits with Polina in the secondary plot. I still wish that part was axed, but Vapnyar's final 40 pages or so deserves praise.

Memoirs and Muses

2006-05-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

My affair with Steinbeck was short-lived, at least for now.

When I saw Esmeralda Santiago's The Turkish Lover in paperback at Borders, I had to buy it and begin reading immediately. I read the first part of her memoir: When I was Puerto Rican. I have Almost a Woman, which is part two, but haven't read it yet. The Turkish Lover, part three, is the one I had been simply intrigued by, I then forgot about it for awhile, but found it once again. It was a highly enjoyable read that covered Santiago's life through graduating from Harvard.

After The Turkish Lover, I picked up a new novel by Russian-born author Lara Vapnyar: Memoirs of a Muse. I guess I'm in the mood for stories about women in problematic relationships.

Although Memoirs of a Muse provides an enticing story that is often framed in beautiful language, it is difficult for me to deal with the focus of the muse's attention: New York writer Mark Schneider. It is hard to tell if the narrative is poking fun at the relationship or if there is something inherently anti-feminist at work. I guess I will find out soon. It is possible that the character will experience a transformation and leave behind muse work to create something of her own. Let's hope!

Another aspect of Memoirs that I find intrusive is an underlying historic second plot that involves Dostoevsky and his muse Polina. Whenever these two appear, I hope their stay is short, so I can get back to the much more interesting story concerning the modern day muse and her New York writer.

I was also happy to receive a new book to review on Friday for Library Journal: Strangers in the House: Life Stories by Dorothy Gallagher. So far this is turning out to be a rich collection of short, biographical stories.

My New Affair

2006-04-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

It's true. I tried to get into Steinbeck in the past, but just couldn't. I'm not sure why. Just one of those things. I remember reading the short classics in high school (The Pearl; Of Mice & Men), but it all stopped there and they were required reading. A few years ago I purchased The Grapes of Wrath. It is still on my shelf. Maybe I read one or two pages once, but wasn't moved.

How can I explain then that I've now fallen for him?

I was at Borders a few weeks back and browsed his section of the store. The books all looked lovely - the titles, colors, and different editions. I purchased Cannery Row. I started it earlier this week and just finished last night. My new affair is official. I was swept away by the language, the depth and poignancy of the characters, the California landscape...

Yesterday I browsed his area at my workplace. I brought home To an Unknown God and Travels with Charley: In Search of America.

I do hope the affair continues. I've been so busy lately and feeling a bit numb and overwhelmed. When I sit outside with Steinbeck though, I feel like the real me. The true book gypsy.

Murder, Revenge, and Electronic Resources

2006-04-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

Joyce Carol Oates' use of language is often wonderfully dark and poetic. I read her first for her use of lanuage and second for the dark undercurrent. I couldn't resist buying and reading The Female of the Species: Tales of Mystery and Suspense. Reviews I have read on this new collection often comment on Oates' ability to show how the "weaker" sex may be the darker - in terms of murder and revenge. Not sure that I agree. Nearly all of the females in these stories were first victimized by males, but there are those who simply act on their own.

Two of the most chilling and well-crafted stories are the final ones: "Angel of Wrath" and "Angel of Mercy," with the latter, a tale of a nurse who finds it necessary to perform God's work in the hospital, being, dare I say it, delightfully disturbing. "Hunger," a story that follows the tragic repercussions of a woman's extra-marital affair, is full of all the suspense, tragedy, and longing that makes you unable to stop reading. I wouldn't pick this up if you are feeling depressed, unless reading such things somehow helps your own psyche.

Using a completely different area of my brain, I read, processed, evaluated, and submitted my review of Vicki L. Gregory's Selecting and Managing Electronic Resources: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians (2006) to Serials Review. Overall, the manual would be a great addition to a new electronic resources librarian's bookshelf. What I reviewed is the revised edition, which has been updated enough to justify the purchase. One plus is the significantly enhanced bibliography that I've already dug into a little.

California, Lolita, & Fiona

2006-03-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

My 36th birthday is next week. It will also be my 20th anniversary as a vegetarian. I have the day off. No doubt, I'll need to find time to eat a great meal with my husband and read some good books!

I finished Joan Anderson's A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman. It was time well spent. Anderson's memoir adds more to my desire to write something comparing women's memoirs. I can clearly see the commonalities here and with Alix Kates Shulman's Drinking the Rain. Both women experienced profound changes in mid-life and found refuge within small, humble, solitary structures near the water.

Last week I picked up a copy of the reference book A Companion to California at my library's used book sale. What a find this was! Compiled by former Bancroft Library director and UC Berkeley professor, James D. Hart, this book has entries on nearly everything one would want to look up. My copy is the first edition. A later, revised edition would, I'm sure, be equally wonderful. This creation captures and demonstrates a true love for California.

I also recently picked up a copy of Reading Lolita in Tehran for 25 cents at the Cardiff-by-the-Sea Library in San Diego County. I started reading it earlier this week.

Besides all this, I made a CD purchase of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine over the weekend. I have liked her from the time of her first CD, but somehow I missed this new release. It is simply amazing music - such passion and creativity. It comes with a 2-sided disc. The DVD side includes footage of live performances. I was just blown away and had to watch several of the performances over & over the first time I put it in. I could not get enough. Yeah, Fiona!

The Guilty Pleasure of Amanda Cross

2006-03-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy lately with work and my book project that over a month has passed since my last post here. I finished Miss American Pie and loved it. The ending was completely satisfying, since Sartor concluded her girlhood memoir with current updates on what all became of her "characters."

In between my busy work schedule, I've had little time to read, but I did get a chance to fit in an Amanda Cross mystery: Death in a Tenured Position. Oh! The writing is so clever. Cross, which is a pseudonym for the late English professor and feminist theorist Carolyn Heilbrun, crafts highly entertaining mysteries that appeal even to those of us who don't generally enjoy the genre. Her mysteries are for literary types and academics.

I have now started Joan Anderson's A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman along with a book I'm reviewing for Serials Review titled Selecting and Managing Electronic Resources. More will come later on these two.

The Mystery of Books

2006-02-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

I have always been amazed by the coincidences experienced with books. It is why I believe there must be a special magic to them. Here are two recent examples:

First Story
I was recently researching libraries to visit in California for one of my research trips this year. I became quite intrigued by the small city of Grass Valley, especially when I discovered an old Carnegie library building is still in use there. My interest was only heightened when I also found another old Carnegie building still in use in nearby Nevada City. Well, going to Grass Valley will extend my trip by a day or two, but I am so interested in what I might find there that I’m going to try and find the time.

Yesterday I was walking outside of the library to get my afternoon coffee when I noticed the library cart of “freebies” was outside the door. I quickly grabbed some old copies of MS. Magazine off the cart (very cool – one even had bell hooks on the cover!). I then saw a used copy of Wallace Stegner’s novel Angle of Repose. I have never read it, but opened it up to take a look. The book fell open to the beginning chapter titled Grass Valley. Of course, I took the book. There must be a reason for this. How often does Grass Valley appear in literature?

Second Story
My good friend wrote me that she just finished her dissertation for her doctorate in psychology. She said that the book she decided to read first, now that she has the time to read freely, is Moby Dick. She has embarked on her journey with Melville and is completely enthralled.

After passing the oral exam for my MA in literature, a professor on my oral exam committee asked what I planned to do next. I replied, “Read Moby Dick.” I have no idea where this thought came from. This was in 1998, so many years ago.

Maybe people think of Moby Dick after completing a major event in their lives?

It doesn’t stop there though, because I was at a library for a meeting a few days after hearing from my friend and saw a large special edition of Moby Dick within a glass case near the meeting room.

Then, this past Sunday evening I was leaving Trader Joes with my weekly groceries when I ran into the former leader of a meditation group I used to go to. He started to talk to me about his concern over young people not taking the time to read books. He asked me if I thought anyone is reading Moby Dick anymore.

Miss American Pie

2006-01-28T13:08:00.000-08:00

I received an advanced reading copy of Miss American Pie: A Diary of Love, Secrets and Growing up in the '70s by Margaret Sartor to review for Library Journal. The author teaches at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. The diary traces her life from age twelve to eighteen. I'm currently on page 82 of 272 and surprised by how much I am enjoying it. I was skeptical about the ability to enjoy or receive much insight from the diary of someone so young, especially since I take such pleasure in reading the memoirs of older women. My skepticism was only heightened when I initially scanned through the book and discovered many of the entries were only one sentence long. It has proved, however, to be a gripping read thus far. I have put my other reading aside to finish this book. I also need to write for my own book this weekend, so I'm stocked with coffee and ready to go.

Journal of a Solitude

2006-01-18T13:19:00.000-08:00

I finished the masterful The Heart is a Lonely Hunter last week. Simple brilliance. I'm now nearing the end of May Sarton's Journal of a Solitude. I can relate to Sarton's anxiety and feeling that she must keep producing as a writer. For this reason, I loved the following line on p. 89:
"The most valuable thing we can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of a room, not try to be or do anything whatever."

Great Article

2006-01-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

I highly recommend Justine Alsop's "Losing Our Minds: The Impact of Technology on Reading and Reflection," which appears in College & Research Libraries News (Dec. 2005). Her article is beautifully written and truly resonated with me. I share her concern over the loss of contemplation in our fast-paced society.

Books Read 2005

2006-01-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

Beginning in 2001, I started recording each book I read during the year in a small notebook. I now have a tradition of typing up the list after the new year. This will be the first time that my list is online. (In mid-2005, I started reviewing books for Library Journal. An asterisk follows the titles of the books I reviewed.)

1. Coelho, Paulo. Veronika Decides to Die
2. Hathaway, Katharine Butler. The Little Locksmith
3. Colette. Break of Day
4. Kingston, Maxine Hong. The Fifth Book of Peace
5. Shulman, Alix Kates. Drinking the Rain
6. Hegi, Ursula. Stones from the River
7. Erdrich, Louise. The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse
8. Sikelianos, Eleni. The California Poem
9. MacLaine, Shirley. Out on a Limb
10. Brown, Stephanie. Allegory of the Supermarket (Poems)
11. Gaines, Ernest. Mozart and Leadbelly*
12. Epic of Gilgamesh
13. Brittain, Vera. Testament of Youth
14. Chicago, Judy. Beyond the Flower: The Autobiography of a Feminist Artist
15. Briggs, Julia. Virginia Woolf: An Inner Life*
16. Best American Essays 2005*
17. Gorman, Michael. Our Own Selves: Meditations for Librarians
18. Lessing, Doris. Time Bites: Views & Reviews*
19. Smith, Alexander McCall. No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
20. Smith, Alexander McCall. Sunday Philosophy Club
21. Kavan, Anna. Asylum Piece
22. Kavan, Anna. Julia & the Bazooka
23. Martin, Steve. Shopgirl
24. Bolen, Jean Shinoda. Urgent Message from Mother: Gather the Women, Save the World
25. Brownley, Martine Watson & Kimmich, Allison B. (Eds.). Women and Autobiography
26. Feinstein, Elaine. Anna of all the Russias: The Life of Anna Akhmatova*
27. Kostova, Elizabeth. The Historian

Jung, etc.

2005-12-26T19:34:00.000-08:00

Today I'm reading Jung's The Stages of Life to get ready for my Great Books book club that meets tomorrow night (we meet monthly). Jungian psychology has always appealed to me, so I'm looking forward to the discussion.

I also started James P. Carse's Breakfast at the Victory: The Mysticism of Ordinary Experience. I discovered Carse in the wonderful book The Way to Compassion: Survival Strategies for a World in Crisis, edited by Martin Rowe, which provides brief interviews with various individuals on vegetarianism, environmentalism, animal advocacy, and other religious and ethical topics.

I'm still continuing with The Historian. I think I have less than 200 pages to go now. The story seems to be picking up the pace. Some reviews have criticized the book for being too long. The language is simply beautiful, but it does seem a bit long to me also. Two fellow librarians loved the book and would never throw this criticism at it.

Soon I must put the reading aside for a few days and concentrate on writing or I will not meet my goals for the holiday break. I still have one week off and hope to complete two chapters of the book I'm writing and have outlines for three others.

Small Press Distribution

2005-12-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

Last night I unexpectedly found the Spring 2006 catalog for Small Press Distribution (SPD) in my mailbox. I had forgotten about this wonderful place that I came across one day while walking in Berkeley. The catalog is full of interesting titles. One that I've been meaning to purchase is Directed by Desire: The Collected Poems of June Jordan. This volume is wonderfully large at over 600 pages and includes 70 new, never-before-published poems. I completed June Jordan's women's studies course at Berkeley, titled "Coming into the World Female," in 1993. She was the most amazing teacher and a true inspiration. I often reflect on certain moments and can still hear her original laugh.

Well, time to go back to perusing the SPD catalog some more...

The Little Locksmith

2005-12-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

I highly recommend Katharine Butler Hathaway's The Little Locksmith. This book, originally published in 1943 and a bestseller at that time, sadly fell out-of-print and disappeared. Fortunately, The Feminist Press republished the book in 2000. Hathaway's memoir begins in 1895. The book provides an amazing story of a disabled woman who found spiritual fulfillment and independence through the purchase of her own home, truly a remarkable endeavor for a woman of her era. It is very much the story of a romance between a woman and a house, but it is also so much more, including an examination of a writer's life.

Little has been written about Hathaway's memoir, which I find disheartening. I have the beginnings of a draft essay where I discuss Hathaway along with other women's memoirs that center around houses. Although houses have also been places of imprisonment for women who were not allowed to do much else, for some women, a house is a welcome refuge and a place for spiritual development. I have found this particularly true for single women, artists, or, as in Alix Kates Shulman's Drinking the Rain, women going through divorce. I hope, if I can find the time someday, to complete my draft and seek publication. In the meantime, I will just spread the word about this most remarkable book.

The Historian

2005-12-22T16:31:00.000-08:00

I'm getting ready to perform my annual ritual of creating a list of all the books read for the past year. Will I finish The Historian in time (currently on page 253 of 642)? This book is rich in library settings. Some passages related to library as place that I particularly like:

"My favorite bench in the nave of the old university library was still being warmed by the last sun of a spring afternoon. Around me three or four students read or talked in low voices, and I felt the familiar calm of that scholar's haven soak through my bones. The great hall of the library was pierced by colored windows, some of which looked into its reading rooms and cloisterlike corridors and courtyards, so that I could see people moving around inside or outside, or studying at big oak tables." (p. 49)

"...I read Dracula sitting in a slippery chair by a library window. If I peered outside, I could see one of my favorite canals, the Singel, with its flower market, and people buying snacks from a little stand. It was a wonderfully secluded spot, and the back of a bookshelf sheltered me from the other readers in the room." (p. 55)

"The circulation desk stood where the altar would have in a real cathedral, under a mural of Our Lady - of Knowledge, presumably - in sky blue robes, her arms full of heavenly tomes. Checking out a book there had all the sanctity of taking communion." (p. 115)