Reader's Block

I was sitting with my sister-in-law a few weeks ago and we were talking about life, the universe and everything. I told her that I have not finished a book since June. She looked at me and told me that she was the same way after her dad died. (Most of you know that my mom died in July.) I've been thinking about it a lot and wondering just WHY is that the case? Is it just (JUST!) the grief? I've not been all that "efficient" at reading for the last couple of years. Grad school and Web 2.0 seems to have taken quite a bit of my reading energy. The only other time I remember going so long without finishing a book was when my son was born. Back then, I didn't even start a book. Now, I start a book but don't get it finished.

Here's a sample of books I've started:

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

The Lord is My Shepherd by Harold Kushner

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

Those poor books! They don't deserve to be neglected like this. I think a need a prescription from the doctor that says I HAVE to read for 30 minutes a day. No matter what. Not that I do everything my doctor tells me to do.

Anyway, I was just wondering have any of you ever experienced Reader's Block? If so, do you know what caused it? How long did it last? Do you remember the first books you read after your reading slump was over?

++++++++

Cross posted at T-Dot Bloggers Book Club.

Books Just Waiting to be Read

Veronica, of Toddled Dredge fame, recently posted a list of books that she has that are waiting to be read. (I guess I'm talking about books as if they are alive, but what the heck.) She encouraged others to post their lists so that "we can all shower each other with comments about which books are not worth the bother, which books saved my life, which books kept me reading till dawn."

This is a perfect project for me because I am notorious for buying books and then not reading them. Whenever anyone comes over to my house and makes noises about being impressed at what they find on my shelves, I feel compelled to disclose that many, many of them have not been read.

I made a quick run through the two main book depositories in my house and came up with the following books that I have but haven't read yet and still WANT to read. (This does not include the books on my summer reading list.) There are a few I left out because I am very ambivalent about them. Life is too short to read books you aren't interested in.

Without further adieu, Mary-LUE's Neglected Books List (in no particular order):

1. Walden by Henry David Thoreau
2. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
3. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
4. The Path to the Spiders' Nest by Italo Calvino
5. The Cranford Chronicles by Elizabeth Gaskell
6. A People Betrayed by Alfred Döblin
7. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
8. The Illustrated Zuleika Dobson by Max Beerbohm
9. Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell
10. Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
11. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
12. The Gifts of the Christ Child & Other Stories and Fairy Tales by George MacDonald
13. The Short Day Dying by Peter Hobbs
14. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
15. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
16. Real Christianity by William Wilberforce
17. Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
18. The Rock That is Higher by Madeleine L'Engle
19. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
20. Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation by Neil Howe and William Strauss

So, there it is, my list of books that have been left unread. I am so itching to explain why each book is on the list. But is that really necessary? Do you need to know which ones were book club selections that I didn't have time to read or which ones I bought because I liked the cover, etc. The only one I will explain is the last one. Most of my reading for my Master's project is journal articles. However, I need to at least get through a good chunk of this book. This one is a MUST READ and a MUST READ SOON actually. I'm hoping by posting it, I will get motivated to actually get started.

I wouldn't be me if I didn't decide to add a little bit to this project. If people are going to be coming by to look at my list of neglected books, I think I will take advantage of their presence to list a few of my "wish everyone would read and love" books. It's much shorter than the first one. I promise.

1. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I think this story is worth reading, even if you are not a science fiction fan.
2. The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy. Don't let Barbra Streisand's film version interfere with this very compelling story of the adult lives of three children from an abused family.
3. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. This book won a Pulitzer Prize for a reason. It transcends the Western genre because of it's wit and in-depth characterization of the men of the Hat Creek Cattle Company.
4. Microserfs by Douglas Coupland. Simply one of my favorite books ever and, I think, one of Coupland's best.
5. All Families are Psychotic by Douglas Coupland. This book is very different than Microserfs but still retains Coupland's ever present theme of dysfunctional families and community.
6. A Different Drummer by William Melvin Kelley. This is a book I bought because I liked the cover. I was working at a job where there was very little for me to do and so I read and read and read. It is the story how one man, Tucker Caliban, began the mass exodus all black people from a Faulkneresque Southern state. This is a book that has never failed me as a book recommendation. Every person who has read it based on my suggestion has loved it.
7. Kindred by Octavia Butler. There are many different reasons to read this book but the BEST reason to read it is the fascinating story of an African American woman who is inexplicably drawn through time to the pre-Civil War South.

And finally, because I am just feeling a little bit cantankerous, here is one book I came across on my shelves that I could have gone my whole life without reading:



So let me know what you think of these books. Have you read any of them? What are your favorites? If you WANT to know why I have these particular books on my list or if you just can't stand some of my recommended books, let me know. Reading is such a subjective endeavor. I know that something I think is the best thing since chocolate truffles might be someone else's cold oatmeal. And if you are interested in participating, head over to Veronica's place and leave your link in the comments to her post.

My Summer Reading List

Books I want to read this summer, in no particular order:

Crossed Wires by Rosy Thornton
Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (read w/Marley)
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (No sparkly vampires for me)
Wrestling with God by Simone Weil (an introductory text)
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (I put it on my Amazon.com shopping list but can't remember why.)
Creating Robust Vocabulary by a bunch of Ph.Ds (I just came across this book in a professional journal and am curious about their instructional strategies. Vocabulary development is HUGE for college developmental readers.)
The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer (for Book Club 2 this Thursday)
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (for Book Club 1 next week; haven't read an Irving in AGES)

I don't know that I'll get all that read. I have a lot of cuddling with Marley to do... and laundry... and grocery shopping... and housecleaning... and exercising... and more to do. AND, in June I am writing my Master's project. I will have more reading to do for that, although quite a bit of it is re-reading.

Any other recommendations?

Ballet Shoes

Because I decided that my entire family should suffer through the most intense grad school semester I could pull together, I decided to do something special for Marley--a mother-daughter experience--before I get buried in school-related stuff. We hosted a mother-daughter book club party today. We chose to read Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield. We evited a few friends and read the book. For ages 9-12, the book was more than Marley could handle on her own, so I read it out loud to her. We didn't begin as early as we should, so we ended up reading 1-3 chapters a day for 10 days or so.

Marley enjoyed the book very much and I took advantage of her willingness to sit and listen to work on her comprehension skills. Every night that we read, we did a mini-review of the main points of each chapter. Granted, by the 15th chapter, we only covered the most recent chapters and didn't go back all the way to chapter one.  We read the last 18 pages just two hours before our guests were due to arrive.

I really wanted this to be something different for Marley. I wanted her to experience reading and discussing a good book, but I also thought my social butterfly needed some friends around her to enhance the experience... and a craft. Marley dearly loves a craft. I tweeted and facebook status'd for help and Veronica over at Toddled Dredge came through with No Sew Tutus. My in-laws scoured thrift stores for china cups and saucers. Ballet Shoes takes place in 1930s London, so of course, tea was the refreshment of the day. Used teacups are cheap and who cares if they break? The local bakery was the source for yummy tarts and petit fours. Sticky Fingers Scone mix was used for plain and chocolate chip scones. There was lemonade for the girls and tea and coffee for the moms. The final touch was 20s and 30s music courtesy of internet radio. 

Before our guests arrived, I gave Marley a crash course on hostessing. The hosts pick last. Hosts offer to take the moms' purses. The hosts offer refreshments. She did a wonderful job although her discussion faciliation was rather interesting. She tended to interrupt to move on to the next question or to share her own point of view.  As it became time for our guests to leave, Marley was a little too enthusiastic in her goodbyes. She was to go home with one of her friends for an overnighter and had her bagged pack and slung over her shoulder, ready to move on to the next experience!

Yesterday, Marley and I took some time to have discussion questions ready. We asked about favorite characters and events in the book. We considered what type of conversations we might want to have with the characters. Marley was very interested in asking what Great Uncle Matthew collected (Fossils!!!!) and wondering if everyone knew what GUM meant (Great Uncle Matthew!!!!).  My favorite question that Marley came up with, is "If you had influenza, what would you do... take medicine or not?" The girls very enthusiastically shared their thoughts and opinions. Marley had passed out questions to each of them so they could take turns. Seriously, it was just too cute. Of course, my cynical teenager had to tell me tonight that he didn't want to hurt my feelings but the party today was the DUMBEST THING EVER. I laughed at him because what else would a teenage boy think about a 1930s themed, mother-daughter book club party?

Here's a slideshow of our party. Because I don't have permission, I am only posting pictures of Marley, the tutus, the teacups. If you have a daughter, I highly recommend hosting a book club. After the discussion, the girls talked and decided that for their NEXT book club, they would read Theater Shoes, also by Noel Streatfield. When a party gets kids excited about reading, that's a very good thing! (Of course, I don't know if the moms are ready for another 200+ page book read. The girls might have to wait for a couple of months!

Bob and Me

Marley has been so excited because the movie Marley and Me is coming out.  I guess if I were a kid and a movie was coming out with my name in the title, I'd be excited too.  She wanted to read the book but I explained the book was for adults and too hard for her to read herself.  Of course, at the bookstore one day, we found the junior version, Marley, A Dog Like No Other.  It said it was for ages 8-12.  She is definitely more on the 8 year old end of things rather than the 12 year old, reading-wise, but we bought it, anyway.  She read it and when I would ask her about what was happening, she would reply, "I have no idea."  (A sure sign she was reading a book that was too difficult for her!)  She insisted she was doing fine and so when she finished the book, I asked her about the end.  It was all fine, she said.  Marley was sick but he got better.

???

I happened to know that Marley did not get better.  I turned to the last few pages of the book and showed her a few key words that indicated Marley was not living happily ever after.  I got a shoulder shrug and that was about it.  Except that being a reading major now, I was not content to let that go.  We would read the book together.  Well, Paul and I have taken turns, so I've missed out on some of it.  Unfortunately, I'm getting all the bits at the end where Marley is going deaf, half-blind, and suffering through arthritic hips.  Tonight I had to stop every half a page to get myself under control. I soldiered on and managed to finishe the chapter.  Paul will have to finish the book with her. I can't even think about going to see that movie.  I'll need two boxes of Kleenex, a bottle of ibuprofen, and therapy.

It wouldn't be so difficult (I'm not that much of a softy), if it weren't for Bob.  Our Bob.  While I doubt anyone would buy a book about mine and Paul's life with that dog, there are definitely a few good stories to tell.  Bob shared some personality characteristics with Marley the dog.  He was enthusiastic beyond belief and Paul and I were often at out wit's end.  Physically, like Marley (the dog), he also had arthritic hips. He was very uncomfortable by the end and when we ripped up the carpet to have the hardwood floors refinished he changed completely. It was like he aged years overnight.  It broke my heart. So, when I read about Marley getting older, I remember my dog--because he was defnitely mine, not Paul's.

In honor of Bob, I am reposting something from my other blog, So Cal Cinema.  It has a few pictures of my boy and Paul in his Sally Jesse Raphaelesque frames that were so popular at the time. It also tells a funny story about Marley's remembering him.  

Here you go, from August, 2006:

Speak, Bob! Speak! (Speak to My Heart!)

Bob tries to convince Paul to give up some yummies.

The following conversation took place in our car Sunday on the way to church. Playing in the cd player was the first song, titled "Speak to My Heart," from our friend Erin's (also known as Elina) brand new CD.***

Colin: "Did you hear what Marley just said?"

Me: "No, what did she say?"

Colin: "She said, 'Colin, does this song make you remember Bob?'"

????

Paul and I chuckled and Marley made don't-make-fun-of-me noises. We laughed, because, if you don't know, Bob was our dog who died almost 4 years ago and "Speak to My Heart" is a song about falling in love. Marley was only 2 1/2 years old, but she remembers him. Her grandparents have a big, stuffed hound dog which she calls Bob. She calls Grandpa on the phone and asks to speak to Bob. At that point, Grandpa uses his doggy voice so that Marley and Bob can talk. I guess the song was just melancholy enough or something to remind her about how she feels about Bob being gone. I don't know. I just know that I will definitely have a different point of reference every time I hear that song!

Bob as a puppy. He was just a few months old here. I don't know if you can accurately assess the look in his eye from this picture but I would call it his Make Me look.

This is our last picture of Bob taken just a few days before he was put to sleep. Boo Hoo! (He kind of looks like he knew the jig was up, doesn't he?)

24 down, 6 to go

Booking through Thursday: Girl Detective Style

This week's Booking through Thursday question is about books as gifts:

What, if any, memorable or special book have you ever gotten as a present? Birthday or otherwise. What made it so notable? The person who gave it? The book itself? The “gift aura?”

The most significant book gifts I remember receiving were from my Aunt Margaret. At some point in elementary school, it became clear that I was "a reader." My reputation for loving to read became known family-wide. However, the only books I ever received as gifts were from Aunt Margaret. For several years, at every birthday and for Christmas, she gave me six Nancy Drew books.  I loved getting them, reading them, and rereading them.

 

In a family that did not receive many gifts, the ones we did receive were often practical or generic.  These books were picked out for me, to interest me, to suit me.  I don't know if it was easy for my aunt to buy them for me because she didn't have to wonder what to get for me or if she picked them out for me to encourage me to read.  I don't know.  I do know, though, that I can't hear the words "Nancy Drew" without thinking of those gifted books.  More importantly, I remember my Aunt Margaret, a wonderful aunt, dear friend, and a fabulous person.  She died almost 10 years ago and life just hasn't been the same since.

6 down, 24 to go

A Good Enough Reason

Is liking the cover of a book a good enough reason for buying one?

I was over at Amazon.com buying the next book for one of my book clubs, Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. One of his other books also popped up, When You are Engulfed in Flames. The picture on the cover is a Van Gogh painting. I believe it was a study during his time at art school. I saw the actual painting when it was at Los Angeles with that big Van Gogh exhibit that toured about 10 years ago.

Anyway... I loved the painting, I love Van Gogh's work, et cetera, et cetera.  

Still, is that a good enough reason to buy the book?

P.S.  I am still planning on that Sleeping with Bread post.  

Unforgettable Firsts

I am reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett for one of my bookclubs.  (I am only in two.)  I was struck by the first line of the book:

"When the lights went off, the accompanist kissed her."

What a great first line.  It leads to all sorts of questions.  

"Kissed who?"

"Why did the lights go off?"

"Did he kiss her because the lights went off?"

Immediately you want answers to your questions.  That line draws you in.

It reminded me of another one of my favorite first lines from Charles Williams' War in Heaven:

"The telephone bell was ringing wildly, but without result, since there was no-one in the room except the corpse."

You get a picture in your head right away of this scene and again, it raises questions and draws you in to the story.  It also made me want to answer that phone!

There are some very famous first lines in novels:

"Call me Ishmael."

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

Anyone have trouble connecting those first lines with the novels they come from?  I didn't think so.

This first line rumination got me, well, ruminating some more...

What are some of your favorite first lines in novels, short stories, non-fiction?

I don't know what to think about this...

As a woman who named her blog after one of Douglas Adams' books, I just don't know what to think about this announcement. Eoin Colfer is writing the sixth book to the Hitchhiker's Guide series.

Oh dear.

Can ANYONE do justice to the Hitchhiker series?

I've heard of these Artemis Fowl books, but is Colfer the right man to try?

I don't know...

I DON'T KNOW!!!!

The only thing I do know is that 42 is still the answer to the question of Life, the Universe and Everything.

Literary Behind-the-Wheel

My son now has his learner's permit and, as is typical of most 15 year-olds with learner permits, is eager to drive--anywhere and everywhere. This means that sometimes I am the parent driving with my son as the "designated responsible person age 25 or older."

For laughs, I thought I'd give you all a little quiz.

Which literary character am I most like as I teach my son to drive a car?

Atticus Finch? Capable, wise, disciplined, unflappable?

Nurse Ratchit? Controlling, cruel, demanding

Mrs. Bennett? Loud, easily startled, given to fits of hysterical giggling and exclamatory remarks?

Mrs. March? Gentle, wise, soft-spoken

Mr. Bennett? Quippy, detached, overly lenient?

What's your best guess?

Year End Contemplations - Of a Mostly Bookish Nature

I will probably do a proper year-end Sleeping with Bread post sometime in the next few days; however, I thought I'd get the blog-posting juices flowing with some meandering thoughts. Maybe if I just start writing, without worrying about creativity and cleverness, something creative and clever will start coming out eventually!

First things first... some sidebar info:

New Scenic View - a little British Comic Relief wit Catherine Tate and David Tennant.

A New Quote - from atypical brat's progeny

I also just updated my sidebar with books I've been reading. It looks like I finished about 28 books for the year. I suspect that is a middling average number. I look at the list and some of the books seem like they were read ages ago. I see that I read fewer and fewer books toward the end of the year. (School of course). I can see that the last few books of this year have been what my husband might call "light and fluffy." (You have to hear him say light and fluffy in his silly accented way to get the full impact.) In general, I have been all about romance and period dramas, not just in books, in viewing as well--from two versions of Pride and Prejudice, two versions of Jane Eyre (I don't care what anyone else says, Charlotte Gainsbourg is a stellar Jane and William Hurt, although physically not the type and a wee bit too long in the tooth, a heavyweight contender for Rochester.), Wives and Daughters, North and South, and moving into the 20th century, but still a period drama, Foyle's War. I'm just finished with Series 2. Thanks goodness for Netflix. I love Michael Kitchen.

As the year ended, I also got sucked into the vortex of some 19th century inspired fan fiction. (Imagine me cringing a little here as I write this.) It has been a lot of fun. There is a lot of really bad stuff out there. Many uses of the words frisson, tendrils, ministrations, ambit, etc. Some of it has been quite nice, though. It has been a way of staying in a well-loved story and imagining what happened next to Jane and Rochester or Margaret and John. Through the fan fiction board, I also became acquainted with a fan fic writer who ended up getting a publishing contract. Two of her books have been published so far. You'll notice More Than Love Letters in my sidebar by Rosy Thornton. I haven't read her second book yet, but MTLL was a fun romantic comedy written in the form of emails, meeting minutes, etc. There are some laugh-out-loud moments and I actually got a little teary at the end. Rosy and I have engaged in a little of our own email correspondence and it has been a treat to e-meet an author. (Hi Rosy!)

Back to books... I realized as I was looking over the book list that there are many books which I have bought this year but have not yet read. I think in 2008, I will convert my book list to show books bought AND read--that will be interesting.

Well, this post is getting long. There is more to contemplate than my reading habits for the year. I find that Christmas and New Year is a time I spend thinking about my Uncle L.T. I also made some resolutions for myself last year. Resolutions I failed at meeting. Utterly failed at meeting. But I also experienced a lot I didn't expect to. There is definitely alot of yeast for that Sleeping with Bread post I have rising, ready to bake.


Well, this post did some meandering but I don't see much in the way of creative or cliver--maybe next time! ;)

It is finished

Appx. 2:30 p.m. PDST: Began reading HP7: The Deathly Hallows.

Appx. 11:30 p.m. PDST: Finished reading HP7: The Deathly Hallows.

Appx. 11:40 p.m. PDST: Showered.

Now? Off to bed.

The Things They Carried: A Hump Day Hmm-er Double Header

The things they carried were largely determined by necessity.

What they carried was partly a function of rank, partly of field specialty.

They carried catch-as-catch-can.

What they carried varied by mission.

If a mission seemed especially hazardous, or if it involved a place they knew to be bad, they carried everything they could.

On ambush, or other night missions, they carried peculiar odds and ends.

The things they carried were determined to some extent by superstition.

Often, they carried each other, the wounded or weak.

For the most part they carried themselves with poise, a kind of dignity. Now and then, however, there were times of panic, when they squealed or wanted to squeal but couldn't, when they twitched and made moaning sounds and covered their heads and said Dear Jesus and flopped around on the earth and fired their weapons blindly and cringed and sobbed and begged for the noise to stop and went wild and made stupid promises to themselves and to God and to their mothers and fathers, hoping not to die.

They carried the sky.

They carried their own lives.

The above are all quotes from Tim O'Brien's book, The Things They Carried. When I first began to ponder last week's Hump Day Hmm-er, this book immediately came to mind. I flipped through the book looking for a quote--one quote--to use and so many of O'Brien's sentences seemed to be metaphors for Life. In my Life backpack, I carry with me the basic necessities: faith, family, friends. I carry some things according to my specialty/rank of motherhood. I carry odds and ends, peculiar to some, that I have picked up along the way (fanatic faith in Myers-Briggs Temperament theory, just to name one).

Like the young men, O'Brien describes, I hope I carry myself with poise and dignity, at least some of the time. I have known those moments of panic, though, when I have cried out to God and flopped on my bed (instead of the earth) and made moaning sounds.

I realized along the way that the soldier metaphor is imperfect, though, as I thought about all the things in life you have to let go. (Coincidentally, this week's roundtable topic was just that: how do you let it go?) And while O'Brien says that the soldiers "would often discard things along the route of march," it isn't always so easy to discard our emotional baggage, as necessary as it might be to our welfare.

If only it were.

Even when we manage, through perseverance and hard work, to overcome a major obstacle in life, you still carry the memories of it. It may still determine choices you make. I'm not sure it ever truly leaves you.

Perhaps then, it becomes more about finding a way reduce its size and weight enough so that you can pack it in with everything else you need and want to carry with you, leaving you free to continue your journey in Life.

LUE Reviews: The Red Tent

Updated to be more expansive on the subject.

After years of hearing others rave about it. . .

After a few less than favorable opinions about it. . .

After seeing it in what seemed like everybody's Library Thing list. . .

After getting it on sale months ago. . .

I finally read The Red Tent.

I was interested in knowing where Diamont was going with the story and I read it in less than 24 hours.

But I didn't like it.

I know, I know. I'm a traitor to my sister-women. I'm brainwashed by the patriarchal society which strives to suppress women. Oprah would not approve.

I do understand its appeal. If you go to The Red Tent page at Amazon.com and sort the customer reviews in order of least stars to most stars, you can find in there most of my issues with the book.

I will tell you this, however. I am seriously considering setting up a red tent in my bedroom and disappearing into it for a few days every month. I definitely like that idea!

***************************

Okay... I've had two suggestions already that my post is too cryptic as to my dislike of this book. Instead of replying in the comments, I'll put my response here. Julie recommended listing my top five likes/dislikes. I probably won't manage five of each, but I will do a bullet point list:

Disliked:

1. While I think portraying El as just one of many gods is accurate to the time, I didn't like how the acceptance and worship of El was strictly divided down gender lines. It didn't ring true to me.
   
2. Along that vein, I thought Mists of Avalon was a far superior take on the differences between men and women as well as the impact of Christianity (as opposed to Judaism in The Red Tent) on an existing belief system. (Actually, I think if Diamant had explored that aspect of the story more, it could have been fascinating.) By using Arthurian legend as a backdrop, any liberties taken with the story are much easier to accept--at least for me. I'm sure there are some fans of King Arthur who have their own particular preferences which might not have been satisfied with Bradley's take. I think I was much less willing to suspend disbelief because it was based on a story in the Bible. Using my example above, in the Old Testament, the worship of other gods/idols is not accepted at all. Knowing that made it harder for me to embrace the women's worship of said gods.
3. It might be a function of the first person narrative and there being so many characters in the story, but the characters weren't consistently three-dimensional to me. If I didn't know the story of Jacob from the Bible, I'm not sure I could have understood where she was going with him. He's handsome! He's thoughtful! He's smart! Oh wait! He's a simpering fool! He's a liar! He has no character! It isn't as if he is drawn as a good man with flaws. He's a good man, then he's a horrible man.
4. I can make myself buy the love match versus rape, but the broad paintbrush which she uses to characterize the majority of the men in the story left me cold.
5. Some of the midwife bits seemed a bit anachronistic. They might not have been, but they came across that way to me.
   

Likes:

1. I like the idea of the book. If it had been done differently, I might have loved it.
2. I think Diamont is a good writer. I would read something else by her. Julie has just recommended The Last Days of Dogtown by Diamont. It is set in the early 1800's in a desolate part of Massachusetts. I have no qualms about reading it. I think my problem with The Red Tent is 80% about the subject and 20% about the writing.
3. Like I said before, I want my own red tent.

I hope that helps. This is all very subjective, my view of how she could have dealt differently with the story of Dinah. As I said before, I do see the appeal of the book. Plus, I think I'm just getting crotchety and ultra-picky in my old age. I've probably disliked at least 50% of my reads this year.

The Song Remains the Same

I met tonight with Book Club #1 to discuss Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. Those of us who finished it all agreed it is an excellent book. Macon "Milkman" Dead floats through life without any vision or purpose. As an adult, still living at home with his parents, he strikes his father at the dinner table before his father can strike Ruth, Milkman's mother. Afterwards, his father comes to him to explain his actions and to warn Milkman that he shouldn't assume his father won't fight back the next time. His explanation of why he has so much contempt for Ruth leaves Milkman uncomfortable and unsure. Later in the novel, Ruth tells her side of the story. Eventually, Milkman learns facts his parents aren't even aware of which put the events of the Dead family's lives in even greater perspective. Milkman is able to reinterpret the words and actions of his parents. His view of the world changes as he gains in knowledge of his family history and through his experiences. This peeling back of the initial layer of an event to reveal a deeper layer happens frequently throughout the story. Words and actions which seem easily interpreted have entirely new meanings as more information comes along.

I had a strong response to this. As I read about Milkman's discoveries, such as his grandmother's real name being Sing and how that completely changed the message his grandfather's ghost had shared with Pilate, his aunt, I thought about the times in my life when I have experienced my point of view changing based on a new piece of family information, revelations which have not always been positive. Sometimes the perspective I have gained has been disheartening.

In addition to reading A Song of Soloman, a recent event and last week's round table discussion over at The Ravin' Picture Maven's blog have had me thinking about secrets and lies in the context of family. Specifically, I've been pondering the secrets I have learned about my family and whether or not to share that information with my children, and if so, when. It is a tricky thing--knowing when and when not to divulge family history which has been kept secret. First, because it is often only secret to a few. Next, you are often only one of several people involved and it is hard to know exactly what is yours to tell.

The temptation to keep the secret is strong. If you keep it, there are fewer people to by angry at you. There is less explaining to do--not as many questions to answer. Milkman's mother and father kept their secrets for a long time. But, a foundation of secrets is like the proverbial house built on the sand. When the storms come, the sand is washed away and the foundation crumbles. Before the Dead family's relationships could improve, that house of sand had to be demolished.

Revealing the secret can also be a strong temptation. The pressure of knowing and pretending not to know is released like steam from a kettle's spout. To reveal information that is suppressed can be a way of saying, "Don't you understand me better now that you know this?" However, the revelation can also be a way of passing along a burden you are uncomfortable bearing and once you've shared it, you cannot un-share it. By attempting to divide the burden by sharing it, you might end up multiplying it.

Ultimately, I don't know that there is one answer which will fit every circumstance and let you know when to share and when not to share. For Milkman Dead, his journey of perspective changes his life for the better. He learns the truth about himself and his family origins and is able to help enlighten his father and aunt, to widen their perspective also.

I still have Frost's miles to go on my journey, but I think I prefer the knowing to the not knowing and I have hope that what is now a source of discouragement has already changed my life for the better and will continue to do so.

Book Recommendation Anyone?

I've been compiling a books to read list on and off this past year. Sometimes I have referred to it when looking for my next read. Often it has just sat, quite and undisturbed, in My Documents file. Recently some new books have been added and the list is getting long. So, my blogging reading buddies, I am curious which books off of this list you would recommend to me and why. (I am getting over a cold and way too tired to link these titles up. Sorry.)

The Last Witchfinder by James Morrow

Intuition by Allegra Goodman

The Bright Forever by Lee Martin

Dream Life of Sukhanov by Olga Grushin

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

King Rat by China Mievielle

Bill Bryson books esp. A Brief History of Almost Everything

By Alice Munro:
The Love of a Good Woman
Runaway
Open Secrets

Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

By Ursula Hegi:

Stones from the River
The Vision of Emma Blau

The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

By Jasper Fforde:

The Big Over Easy
The Fourth Bear

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose

If you have any other titles you think I'd be interested in, just let me know.

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Miscellaneous:

As I said above, I've had a cold and so, while I've been doing some blog reading here and there, I've not had much energy for commenting. My latest theory is that my body is out to get me. It seems like every time I turn around, there is some new creak in the metaphorical floorboards of my body. Now, I'm a few days behind on some projects as well as in preparation for a busy weekend. So, if I seem pretty quiet, those are the reasons.

I hope you are all doing well. I'll be back in form next week!

Sleeping with Bread: with bloghorrea and very few commas

My mind is ajumble right now. It has been a long, but good, day. Bobby, the hamster is spinning madly around his little pink wheel, all set to ride to Nowheresville for the next eight hours. The whrrr, whrrr, whrrr of his plastic transport provides the background noise for this post. I've got something of a headache and I don't know if it is from allergies, too much sun (Yes. You read that right. It was in the low 80s today.), or low blog sugar levels. I want to watch TV, finish reading What is the What, and blog simultaneously. I know I can manage two out of three, but three out of three would probably make my already aching head explode. I'm using the laptop and a wireless connection which has already proved unreliable enough that an utterly brilliant comment was lost over at The Ravin' Picture Maven's most recent post. (The only good thing about it being lost is that I can claim it as genius and no one can prove otherwise! Hah!) So, what's a woman to do on a night like this? Ramble on like a maniac, of course. It's free form Sleeping with Bread where you take a bunch of ingredients, throw them together in the bread machine and hope it turns out all right.

First, the ingredients, in no particular order.

One viewing of Amazing Grace

One husband on a business trip from Tuesday to Sunday

One son, age 14, put on a plane as an unaccompanied minor for the first time on Friday, returned with father on Sunday

One trip to Petco to leave guinea pigs for adoption

One white-with-black eyes dwarf male hamster purchased complete with all pink Crittertrail cage, breast cancer awareness version. (Really.)

One windy two hour session at Sam's Club selling Girl Scout cookies with clingy daughter who won't speak or look at one person.

One weekend of bad food choices which virtually wipe out all floater points on Weight Watchers plan for the week

One does of further engrossment (Is that a word?) in What is the What

One trip out to the movies with sweet, thoughtful friend (See Amazing Grace above.)

One deduction of 1.5 pounds from total body weight (measured before weekend food binge)

One weekend with daughter alone

One purchase spree of too many items in one weekend for daughter

One generous dash of food for thought regarding identity crisis (see talk with thoughtful friend), purpose and calling in life (see Amazing Grace), epiphany regarding Year of Restraint (in car alone)

Mix all these ingredients together and you come up with a jumbled up, tired in a good way woman.

A woman who is thankful for her comfortable bed at 8:41 at night.

A woman who is a little sun- and wind-burnt.

A woman who was surprised at how well her daughter entertained herself at home while said daughter's brother was out of town.

A woman who cannot stand the state of her house one more week and has requested her husband take a day off this week, said day to be dedicated to the ordering of the household--no excuses.

A woman who is relieved her son's travel was without incident.

A woman who cannot get out of her head the use of the term unaccompanied minor in the book What is the What to describe these poor Sudanese boys who experienced so much over so many years and then cannot help but compare their experience to that of her son who, for a fee of $75, was literally escorted to and from the plane and handed into the hands of his father in Dallas.

A woman who's ready to watch Heroes and get lost in the world of cheerleaders who can't die, policeman who can read minds, artists who paint the future, political hopefuls who can fly, former Dr. Whos who are invisible, cute Japanese men who manipulate time and desire to fulfill their destiny to be heroes.

As always, this week's Sleeping with Bread posts will be found here.

Word Beads & Book Memes & Blogging To Do List

Word Beads: Fever Reigns (A True Story)

Marley's fever mechanism grinds away unabated.
My simplistic mind grapples with the consistent registration
of degrees on the thermometer.
Seven days.
This virus has become in my mind a behomoth,
a thundering bison leaving trampled behind it
my daughter's body, her schooling, my plans and birthday celebrations.
Wretched virus!

Word Beads, a weekly meme, can be found here.



For ennuiherself, in response to being tagged for the 123 Book Meme. Thanks Ms. Ennui for what I believe is my first meme tag!

1. Find the nearest book.
2. Name the book & the author.
3. Turn to page 123.
4. Go to the fifth sentence on the page. Copy out the next three sentences and post to your blog.
5. Tag three more folks.

What is the What by Dave Eggers

Bor is in the south of Sudan, the region called the Upper Nile. The people there are like you, but different. We're all Dinka, but their customs vary.

I can't tell you much about these sentences because I'm not that far along in the story yet. I'm reading this book for my book club this month and am very excited about it. I like Dave Eggers and this story of the journey of one Lost Boy is compelling, to say the least. When I finish it, I am going to try to write a decent review and share it here.

Officially, I am supposed to tag three people to do this meme. I know this one has been done by a lot of you, so I'm going to hope that I tag three people who haven't done it yet. Terri B., Sheila and Chickenone: Tag! You're it! (If you have already participated in this meme, maybe you can tag someone else in my name.)


Blogging To Do List:

In no particular order:

1. Finish draft on identity.
2. Finish draft on what to expect when you blog mean and nasty in the name of changing the world and then get forced to resign a good gig. (Add kindness button to sidebar.)
   
3. Take picture of scenic view of hometown like Meredith did recently over at Poppy Fields.
4. Get back to more creative writing like I did during NaBloPoMo.