Into the Wild

This engaging new memoir by Cheryl Strayed captivated me from the first scene in which she movingly describes her relationship with her mother who was dying of cancer.  It was interesting to learn about the author's background and what drove her to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) alone.  As an avid hiker myself, I was curious to hear what the day to day experience is like when doing long solo adventure backpacking.  I liked that the book did not sugar coat the experience.  For example, as Strayed points out, while nearly everyone she met along the way was kind, this was not universally true, and it was refreshing that she highlighted both the triumphant moments as well as the unpleasant ones.  The pace of the story was very good.  Strayed provided enough detail to keep my interest without overloading on hiking technicalities.  On top of the captivating tale itself', Strayed is a skilled writer.   Recommended!  Plus, you'll have a new found appreciation for your toenails.  

A very (t)winsome tale

Dorothy Baker, a Californian writer, wrote only a handful of novels and plays, but I happened to stumble upon her 1972 novel Cassandra at the Wedding, and it was both brilliant and highly  entertaining.  The novel follows one weekend in the lives of two sisters, twins, who are twenty four years old.  Cassandra, who lives in Berkeley and is working on her thesis, drives to the San Joaquin valley to her family's ranch to attend her sister Judith's wedding.  Familial antics ensue, and Baker infuses equal parts wit and tenderness into this very readable book.  Here is part of one of the conversations between the two sisters, that I just loved:

"Me?  You remember the place we called from when you forgot your vaccination certificate?"

"You're there?" 

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes, really.  It's all full of waltzing mosquitos and I just fell off a ladder." 

"What?" she said, quite a lot like granny.  Concerned.  I loved the sound of it.  Loved it.

"Also," I said, "one of my ears has been sluiced."

A really good book!  Add it to your summer reading list.

Ode to Introverts

As an introvert, I appreciated Susan Cain's book Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.   She points out that there are many different definitions of the introvert/extrovert dichotomy, but she mainly focuses on the belief that introverts and extroverts differ with regard to how much stimulation they need to function in their environments.  Cain points out some interesting trends in American culture, such as shift from what she calls a culture of character in which private, inner virtue was valued, to a culture of personality in which charm and gregariousness are now valued. She points out that introverts are not anti-social; rather, they are "differently social."  Cain also discusses how introverts and extroverts differ in terms of leadership as well as how they navigate the innovation process in business culture.  Rather than suggesting that introverts try harder to be more outgoing and in the spotlight, Cain points out that introverts are capable of acting in an extroverted manner for topics and people that they value.  She also points out the importance of creating what she calls "restorative niches," or places introverts can go to feel more comfortable after being in an overstimulating setting, and even says that if introverts try too hard to act in extroverted ways that are not natural to them, this can actually compromise their immune systems. 

She also makes some specific recommendations for how to support introverted children, such as exposing kids gradually to new situations and people, or bringing kids to parties early so that they can feel comfortable in the space.

Overall, this book is certainly an ode to introverts, and the particular qualities they bring to different situations in life and work.  It resonated with me immensely!

Yates, Yet Again

Having really enjoyed The Easter Parade, I decided to read Yates' third book, published in 1969, called A Special Providence.  The novel explores the relationship between Alice Prentice and her son, Robert Prentice.  Alice is a somewhat delusional artist who often thinks that she is on the cusp of her one-woman art show which will finally bring financial stability, and Robert is a young soldier struggling to find his place and his sense of identity during WWII.  Yates is a wonderful writer who is an expert with dialogue and exploring the intimate relationships between family members.  While I will probably read everything Yates has written because I like his writing style, this was my least favorite work of his that I have read thus far.  However, I have two more Yates novels sitting on my bookshelf that I look forward to reading soon.

On the High Seas

Jack London's The Sea Wolf, published in 1904, was an awesome novel!  I recommend you read it very soon.  It's a good old-fashioned nautical adventure, complete with brutish sailors, a beautiful woman, an enigmatic captain, a desert island, and stormy weather.  That isn't to say that it is a formulaic tale, because what makes the writing so rich is that it is a psychological exploration of the protagonist, Wolf Larsen, and his thoughts on mortality and morality.  It was captivating, and was both accessible and intellectual.  This was the first book I have read by London.  I look forward to reading more. 

Gone With the Wind

Gone With The Wind, published in 1936 and the only published novel by Margaret Mitchell, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937.  I was intimidated by the size of the book and I'll admit it took me two months to read, which is surprising given that it is quite a page turner.  Set in Georgia during the American Civil War and Reconstruction, it is the story of a spoiled plantation owner's daughter, the Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara, and her romance with the brooding Rhett Butler.  It is epic, sweeping, and peopled with many characters.  It is a book that many people have strong associations with, and is widely criticized for its portrayal of African American people in the South during the 19th century.  It is a problematic book which perpetuates many stereotypes.  It is also one of the best-selling, most widely read books of all time.  Very dichotomous, and that alone makes it an interesting book to read and discuss. 

How Mr. Fox Made My Head Spin

I saw a great handwritten review of Mr. Fox, by Helen Oyeyemi, at a local bookstore and a few days later I dove into Oyeyemi's complex, captivating, charming ,and chilling book.  Oyeyemi, a young British author and the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, is the author of four novels.  Mr. Fox is a writer who consistently kills off his female protagonists, and Mary Foxe, his muse who walks the line between real and imaginary, tries to get Mr. Fox to think of other ways to end his stories without the recurring violence against women.  But the plot thickens and twists, as Mary writes her own stories, as does Mr. Fox's wife, Daphne.  Oyeyemi wrote some very beautiful and inventive stories within stories, which I appreciated and enjoyed as individual vignettes. I'm still not sure how it all works cohesively as a novel, but it is probably because I haven't wrapped my head around it yet.  It's deceptively simple and yet complicated at the same time!

Don't hesitate to read Yates

Revolutionary Road, Yates' most acclaimed novel, was one of my favorite books that I read in 2010.  I decided that I should read more Yates, so I picked up The Easter Parade from the library.  Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.  In fact,  I went on a long walk in San Francisco and picked quiet, tree-lined streets where I could walk without the possibility of bumping in to people.  That is how absorbed I was.  This is because Yates immediately draws the reader into the story, with witty dialogue and pitch-perfect scenes.  His writing is snappy and smart.

Set in the 1930's, the novella follows the lives of two very different sisters, Emily and Sarah Grimes, as they grow up and navigate relationships with men, with each other, and with their off-kilter mother Pookie.  Yates is a master of describing intimate and emotional moments between his characters, and he fines a balance between the tragic and the comic. 

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Oh dear, the way they're breeding," Pookie said on hearing of the third pregnancy.  "I thought only Italian peasants did things like that."

"There was learning not to be stricken dumb when you walked into a party full of older, certified intellectuals - and not to make the opposite mistake of talking your head off, saying one inane or outrageous thing after another in a hopeless effort to atone for whatever inane or outrageous thing you'd said two minutes before."

"God!" he said when they were back on the train for New York.  "Every time I go out there it takes me days to recover - whole days just to get to the point where I can breathe again..."

Spring with Steinbeck

I decided to ring in spring with Steinbeck, of course!  Interestingly, Tortilla Flat is considered by many to be the novel that put Steinbeck on the literary map, as it was his first commercial success when it was published in 1935.  Set on a hillside in Monterey, the novel centers around the lives of a group of "paisanos," men of mixed heritage, who come to live together after WWI as a result of Danny inheriting a house from his grandfather.  Danny and his friends, who are portrayed ironically as modern day knights, pursue adventure, love, lust, camaraderie, and jugs of wine.  The paisanos reject and resist social mores by living outside of mainstream society, without regular jobs or commitments.  It is an interesting book, with many themes based on King Arthur's Knights of thre Round Table, but it was not my favorite of Steinbeck's work.  That said, there are some great lines and images, such as when Danny refers to his friend as "my little dumpling" and when Steinbeck describes a new day by saying, "It is a time of quiet joy, the sunny morning.  When the glittery dew is on the mallow weeds, each leaf holds a jewel which is beautiful if not valuable.  There is no time for hurry or bustle.  Thoughts are slow and deep and golden in the morning."  And, my favorite, "It is astounding to find that the belly of every black and evil thing is as white as snow." 

In contrast, To a God Unknown, Steinbeck's second novel that was published in 1933, two years before Tortilla Flat, was one of my favorite Steinbeck novels to date, behind East of Eden and Grapes of Wrath.  This slim novel follows the life of Joseph Wayne who leaves Vermont after his father dies and establishes a farm in California.  Joseph is portrayed as a man of conviction with an almost prophetic quality.  The book explores man's love for and relationship with nature, and examines the sacred and profane.  It is written in an accessible yet lyrical manner, and I think it is the best entry point into Steinbeck if one is not ready to commit to his longer works.  My favorite quotes were "....an indescribable heat came into my heart," and "If ever there's need to lose some plaguing thing, that will be the place to go."  This book is classic Steinbeck - beautiful descriptions of the natural world, sparse but beautiful dialogue, and great storytelling.

Re-reading Fox's Desperate Characters

I just couldn't resist reading Paula Fox's Desperate Characters again after all these years.  Even though the book was first published over 40 years ago, the writing still feels fresh.  This novella follows a few days in the lives of Sophie and Otto Bentwood, a well-to-do couple living near Brooklyn Heights.   It all begins when a stray cat bites Sophie on the hand.  This is the first of many assaults from the outside world that can't be avoided, no matter how cloistered and privileged a life one might try to lead.  A rock thrown at a window, the sound of bongos from the street, the knocking of a stranger at the door, all are ways in which the equanimity that the protagonists seek are disturbed.  This is a witty book that blends the tragic and the comic, the mundane and the existential.  While the characters are hard to like, perhaps it is only because we find something of Sophie or Otto in ourselves in our efforts to lead lives that keep any kind of desperation at bay!

Didion's Blue NIghts

 

Blue Nights, published in 2011, is the first book that I have read by Joan Didion.  It is a memoir in which Didion mourns the loss of her daughter, Quintana Roo, who passed away at the age of 39.  It is an honest, wrenching book in which the author examines the complexities of motherhood and aging, as well as the responsibility and struggle to do enough and to do right by the people we love.  I would be interested in reading one of her novels, but I was not particularly drawn in by her fragmented and sparse writing style.

Introducing Gin Phillips

I learned about Gin Phillips' novel The Well and the Mine from IndieBound's website.  As it turns out, this was perfect timing for me to read Phillips' first book, as her second book (which I definitely want to read), entitled Come In and Cover Me, was released in January 2012, meaning I won't have to wait long to enjoy more of Phillips' work.  The Well and the Mine explores issues of race and class in a coal mining town in Alabama during the Great Depression.  The story is told from five different perspectives which represent all the members of the Moore family.  This was a very readable, engaging story that deals with social issues but also explores the intimate relationships within a family and a small town. 

Hard to put down, hard to like: IQ84

Haruki Murakami is one of my favorite authors, so I was very excited to read IQ84 as my first book of 2012.  At nearly 1,000 pages it is a behemoth of a book, and yet, not epic.  When I read such a large book, I usually expect that it will be a multi-generational sweeping tale with detailed descriptions and intricate story lines.  Yet, here Murakami focuses on a few characters within landscapes (both real and surreal, of course, as Murakami usually does), that feel sparse and cold.  IQ84 is very readable, and for that reason I found it hard to put down.  One the other hand, I found the ending very lackluster.  All in all, if you haven't read Murakami I would suggest starting with Norwegian Wood (soon to be released as a movie) and Kafka on the Shore.  As The New York Times wrote recently, Murakami certainly does have a "fierce imagination," and that is what makes him such a widely read author with almost a cult following, but for me, there was not enough to grab on to emotionally with IQ84.

Armchair travel: Around the World in 80 Days

Around the World in 80 Days, by French author Jules Verne, is a quick, enjoyable, and lighthearted read that recounts the tale of Phileas Fogg's circumnavigating the globe in eighty days as a result of a wager.  While the storyline was predictable, it is nonetheless a fun book to read.  Perhaps more interesting is to mention the time in history in which the book was written.  The novel was published in 1872, soon after three major technological breakthroughs came to fruition which would ultimately enable one to travel across the globe - the completion of the First Continental Railroad in the U.S., the linking of a railway system across India, and the opening of the Suez Canal.  This made for a good adventure tale, but I did not find the writing particularly sophisticated or memorable. 

Just can't get enough (of Steinbeck)

If you were to ask me what author to read right now, Steinbeck would be at the very top of my list.  He is simply a master of creating immensely readable and interesting stories that tackle larger subjects such as race, class, and socioeconomic status while also exploring intimate relationships among families, workers and friends.  Quite unlike the breadth of East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath (which are two of my favorite books of all time), Of Mice and Men is of much narrower focus, and is what Steinbeck himself coined as a "playable novel," that is, a novel that can also be read as a play due to its heavy emphasis on dialogue.  This short novel (you can easily read it in one sitting), tells the story of George and Lennie, two friends who stick together as they travel around California to find work as laborers.  The book explores themes of loneliness, hope, and friendship, and depicts the daily life of the laboring class during the Great Depression.  While I think it is an important piece of work and still relevant today (see the link to a recent article in the New York Times below), it is not my favorite of Steinbeck's works.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/education/studying-steinbeck-new-jersey-students-find-common-ground.html?_r=1&ref=johnsteinbeck

Back in the (Victorian) day: Dickens!

My last memory of Dickens was reading A Tale of Two Cities in high school.  I have noticed that an increasing number of book reviews make reference to a cast of "Dickensian" characters.  Curious to know what this meant, I decided to pick up this great edition of Great Expectations published by Vintage Classics in 2012, for the nifty price of $7.00!  In this famous tale, Dickens tells the story of the iconic Pip, an orphan who grows up in a working class household, destined to be a blacksmith until a mysterious benefactor grants him the opportunity to become a "gentleman."  This is a wonderful bildungsroman, which not only tells the story of Pip's coming of age, but also explores such themes as social class and loyalty.  Also, Dickens includes many characters and describes them with panache, for example, referring to one character's "walnut-shell countenance," another one's "sawdusty fragrance," and my favorite, the "Pumblechookian elbow."  I also liked this sentence - "Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts."  The novel moved along quickly and held my interest, though it did drag toward the end.  While this wasn't a standout read for me, I'm glad I reacquainted myself with this classic author considered to be essential to any reader's literary canon. 

All in a Day's Work: Alain de Botton's Take on Our Occupations

Alain de Botton is a Swiss writer who tackles a variety of contemporary issues with a philosophical bent, from travel to love to status, referencing everyone from Plato to Zadie Smith in his writing.  In this work, de Botton takes on the complexities and daily foibles of the modern workplace.  When I picked up The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work in the hope of coming to a more sophisticated understanding of my parachute color, I was not expecting so much wit to be infused in his writing.  de Botton incorporates elements of sociology and ethnography by choosing several subjects to shadow and interact with on the theme of work.  From an accounting office to the countryside, he follows his subjects while shedding light on and and attempting to make sense of how our occupations and workplace can both nurture and damage our souls.  de Botton writes about the increased distance from knowing the makers of products, the disconnect from nature and the customers we serve, and the increasing intangibility of production (pointing out that it used to be that one could "step back at the end of  a day or lifetime and point to an object" and now how we more often produce "projects which long ago evaporated into nothing one could hold or see").  Some other great comments:

"We were now deep in the era of the technological sublime, when awe could most powerfully be invoked not by forests or icebergs but by supercomputers, rockets, and particle accelators.  We are now almost exclusively amazed by ourselves." 

About the field of logistics coordination (regarding strawberries, in particular), he writes, "An improbable number of grown-ups have been forced to subordinate their sloth, to move pallets across sheds and wait in rumbling diesel lorries in traffic to bow to the exacting demands of soft plump fruit."  

"We might define art as anything which pushes our thoughts in important yet neglected directions."   

While I found de Botton's book to be quite interesting and entertaining, it was not revelatory.  Nonetheless, his writing style and the glimpses he offers into different types of work held my interest all the way through.  It also makes me happy to know that there are undercurrents of getting back to the way production used to be years ago as there has been an influx in recent years of small-production craftsmanship and entrepreneurship ranging from goods on Etsy, to artisan ice cream, to hand built bicycles. 

River Ruminations: Short stories by Rick Bass

There's something captivating about rivers - the sheer force and beauty of them, the ability they have to offer us new beginnings or bring tragic endings.  Rivers feature prominently in so many books, symbolic of change, the passage of time, and the power of nature over man.  I've read several books over the last few years in which a river is a central feature, for example, Ron Rash's Saints at the River and Bonnie Jo Campbell's Once Upon a River.  Rick Bass' Platte River is comprised of three short stories which include rivers in the landscape, and yet, the rivers seemed to be more ancillary than central to each story.  While each tale had some beautiful images, for example, people skating along a melting river under the moonlight and jumping over sections where the water had melted, I just couldn't really get lost in the atmosphere of Bass' stories.  Bass' imagery is well-written, but the characters fell flat and the currents of the rivers weren't strong enough for me.

The Heart of Nebraska: Tom McNeal's New Novel

Tom McNeal's second novel, To Be Sung Underwater, is perhaps the perfect "end of summer" read.  McNeal has written one of the most romantic, lush, and surprising love stories I have read in a long time.  Judith Toomey, raised in Vermont, spends the summer with her father in Nebraska shortly after her parents separated.  She meets Willy Blunt, raised on a farm and working as a carpenter.   The two spend an idyllic summer together in far-reaching pastoral corners of the Nebraska plains.  The story weaves between Judith's life as an adult living in Los Angeles married to a successful banker and the telling of her first experience of love that fated summer in Nebraska.  The novel explores how we either let go of or hold on to what has shaped us.  

The New York Times recently had a feature on McNeal's beautiful home amidst the orange groves of Southern California.  Interestingly, the airy, colorful, peaceful photos of his home seem to align with the style of his writing.  His home is downright gorgeous, just like his novel.  Check out these fabulous photos:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/09/garden/at-home-with-tom-mcneal-an-imagination-with-built-ins.html?pagewanted=all

Review: The Last Brother

The Last Brother, written by Nathacha Appanah, a French-Mauritian of Indian origin, is an exquisitely written novel.  I was captivated from the first word to the last by Appanah's poetic but accessible language.  There were many sentences I read over and over again.  Appanah writes of extremes - unfathomable poverty and unrelenting violence, selfless friendship and fierce motherly love.  Just when you think the story is going to leave you broken, Appanah infuses the scene with an unexpectedly quiet or serene moment.  To give you a sense of Appanah's unique and strong voice, she writes, "I went and sat down by the vegetable plot and breathed in the forest with all my lungs, the green, ravaged scent of it, its strength as yet hardy resurgent following the cyclone, throwing my head back to open up my chest, and it seemed to me that I was inhaling the sky as well, the cloudless blue extent of it."  The simple act of a nine year-old boy breathing becomes a moment of grace and peace, and we as the reader breathe along with him.  Another sentence that I was struck by is "Silent tears coursed down his face in such a brutal manner that I was afraid this would never stop."  Brutality and tenderness in just a few words.  Appanah has written a small masterpiece.  I wouldn't miss this one.