Friday Fill-In - May 23

1. On my laziest day I like to lie and bed and read all day long! 

2. Packing boxes for our move makes me feel like I'm being productive. 
3. I love little babies and big hugs. 
4. This summer I want to go to the beach as much as possible, since we will be living fairly close to the coast.
5. Reading other book review blogs and thinking, 'That would be a fun thing to do!' made me start my blog.
6. Red gala apples and orange julius are both yummy, but not together.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hopefully watching Juno, tomorrow my plans include packing and Sunday, I want to pack some more!

Baby Shoes - Dashka Slater

Title: Baby Shoes

Author: Dashka Slater (Pictures by Hiroe Nakata)

Country: USA

Year: 2006

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This is a very cute, fun book. Baby has brand new, white shoes, that he picked out all by himself. We follow Baby throughout the day as he tramples through plums, jumps in puddles, and plays in the grass. After each activity, a stain in a new color is added to his white shoes. 

The best part of the book is the 'refrain' that follows each mishap: Baby says, "Uh-oh!" Mama says, "Oh, no!" But those shoes just go, go, go. After reading this once with Maya, we found ourselves saying 'uh-oh's and oh-no's after each of Maya's antics. It caught on quickly, and brought quite a few laughs out of Maya. The watercolor style illustrations are beautiful and with a catchy flow, I'm sure this would be a hit for toddler-aged kids.

BTT - May 22

Books and films both tell stories, but what we want from a book can be different from what we want from a movie. Is this true for you? If so, what’s the difference between a book and a movie?

The majority of the times that I watch movies, I am looking only for entertainment. Except for the occasional documentary, I don't watch movies to learn new information. With books, although I do read for 'entertainment only' purposes at times (chick lit and mysteries come to mind), I also love non-fiction, which I read to further my knowledge about subjects that I am interested in. I also read fiction from other countries to help broaden my awareness of other places and cultures.

The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch

Title: The Sea, The Sea
Author: Iris Murdoch
Country: UK
Year: 1978
Pages: 502
Rating: 5 out of 5

First sentence: The sea which lies before me as I write glows rather than sparkles in the bland May sunshine.

The Sea, the Sea starts out in the form of a journal, written by Charles Arrowby, a newly retired playwright/actor/director, who has adjourned to an old house outside a small village on the English coastline. He has decided to leave the London scene for good, and spends his time cooking simple meals--poached eggs on nettles, spring cabbage cooked slowly with dill, porridge with brown sugar and cream, and vegetarian stew--and diving into the sea for daily swims.

The beginning of the book sets this scene, describing his meals, daily activities, and his new home in an impromptu, journalistic style. Then, about 50 pages in, two things change. First, we see Charles for the first time from an outside perspective, through the letter he receives from Lizzie, an old flame. Second, Charles spots his long-lost childhood love, Hartley, in the local village. As the book shifts focus to Charles somewhat bizarre quest to destroy Hartley's marriage and re-claim her for himself, Murdoch shifts to a more straightforward narrative technique.

The opening scenes of Charles' adjusting to a life of retirement helped me as a reader to retain a semblance of sympathy for a character that becomes quite despicable. Although I detested his actions (he seems to make the wrong decision at every turn, and succeeds in lashing out at everyone around him), I could see the unacknowledged hurt and suffering that spurred him to take those actions. I really loved the gothic undertones; there were parts of the story that sent shivers down my spine and were very unnerving, in a way that most modern horror stories fail to achieve.

At one point, Charles' cousin asks him "What is the truth anyway?" And, I spent much of the novel trying to figure that out. I never did quite succeed, but I believe that is part of Iris' point. I also loved that the sea is a character itself, and we see its many emotions: cruel, gentle, and playful, amongst others, through the course of the novel. The story was very much a page turner, and I would definitely recommend it to others!

"Jealousy is perhaps the most involuntary of all strong emotions. It steals consciousness, it lies deeper than thought. It is always there, like a blackness in the eye, it discolours the world." (p.84)

Sunday Salon - May 18

It has been a while since I have had time on a Sunday to both read and do a Salon post. Today I was finally able to make time during Maya's afternoon nap.

This afternoon I just finished reading The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch. I have been meaning to read one of her books ever since I saw the movie Iris a few years ago, and this one has been sitting on my bookshelf for more than a year. It may be the length that kept me away, as it is a bit of a chunkster, or a fear that my high hopes would not be met. I need not have worried, this may become one of my favorite books of the year, and I can't wait to read more of her books! 

Charles Arrowby, the main character, is not very likeable, in fact he is downright ornery, conceited, arrogant, manipulative, and foolish. Yet Murdoch sets a scene that is both a beautiful work of prose and a page turner, something I did not expect. I especially loved the incorporation of several gothic elements. I will post the full review in the next day or so.

I have had quite a few books trickling in over the last few weeks. Here are some of my most recent acquisitions. Up next is Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani, a novel that takes place in a 17th century Persian village. I received this as a review copy, plus one more to give away in a raffle, so keep your eyes out for that upcoming giveaway!

Books received by publishers or authors to review:

- Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

- Crimson Portrait by Jody Shields

- Mattland by Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert (picture book)

- Cheetah Cubs and Beetle Grubs by Diane Swanson (picture book)

- The Apprentice's Masterpiece: A Story of Medieval Spain by Melanie Little

- African Psycho by Alain Mabanckou

Books bought at the Barnes and Noble bargain sale:

- The Saffron Kitchen - Yasmin Crowther

- The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany

- The Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd

- Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture  by Juliet B. Schor

- Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala

- Snakes and Earrings by Hitomi Kanehara

- The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

Books passed on to me by my mother-in-law:

-Brookland by Emily Barton

- The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier

From Paperbackswap:

- Beirut Blues by Hanan al-Shaykh

- The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman

Right now, Maya is not so quietly asking for my attention, so I will try to get back with links to the above books later tonight. I would love to hear feedback from those who have read any of them!

Friday Fill-In - May 16

1. There is absolutely NO way you can get me to bungee jump! 
2. A rise in the barometer reminds me that summer is almost here! 
3. I cannot live without my underwear. 
4. Hang gliding  and horse-back riding are two things I'd like to try.
5. When life hands you lemons, squirt them on your grilled fish.
6. Lazy summer days are my favorite childhood memory.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading more of The Sea, the Sea, tomorrow my plans include walking down the street to watch the Preakness horse race (we live 1/4 mile from the racetrack) and Sunday, I want to start packing!

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Title: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Country: Zimbabwe/UK

Year: 1998

Pages: 235 pgs.

Rating: 5 out of 5

First sentence: Mma Ramotswe had a detective agency in Africa, at the foot of Kgale Hill.

Agatha Christie's Miss Marple has long been my favorite on the mystery scene. However, she now has strong competition with Mma (Precious) Ramotswe, the one and only lady detective in all of Botswana.

After her father's death, Mma Ramotswe sells her inheritance, a herd of cows, to set up shop as a detective in Gaborone, Botswana. Her agency, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, is the only one of its kind, and it is not too long before clients begin seeking out her services. This book, the first in the series, seems to be laying the groundwork for future adventures.

Precious Ramotswe is a delight! She is a warm, compassionate, intuitive African lady, and is the embodiment of all that modern Africa is striving to be. With a love for the red desert earth she grew up next to, she is proud of her country, and I loved to read about her reflections of Botswanan life.  Her sense of humor is contagious, and I look forward to reading more of the series. And, although I have been to South Africa before (Mma Ramotswe lives very close to the Botswana/South Africa border), I can now add Botswana to the list of countries I would like to visit!

Expanding Horizons Challenge Wrap-Up

Well, we have finally moved the computer out of our bedroom, where Maya also sleeps. Which means I can now update my blog and browse the internet after 7pm, which is usually the only point in the day I have the time! I have a back log of 1000+ posts to visit, at least everyone else has been busy blogging!

I came so close to finishing this challenge, with the Indian/Indian-American category left unfinished. I don't feel too bad about this. I read a lot of Indian fiction and planned on reading less this year so I can catch up on some other regions (mainly Africa and the Middle East).

UPDATE: How could I forget a big thank you to Melissa at Book Nut! First, for hosting this wonderful challenge, and second, for sending me the lovely Bride and Prejudice DVD for posting the 100th review. THANK YOU MELISSA!!!

1. African/African-American
Links - Nuruddin Farah (Somalia) (Finished 08 Jan 2008)

2. Asian/Asian-American
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See (Finished 27 April 2008)

3. Hispanic/Latin American
The Motorcycle Diaries - Che Guevera (Finished 20 April 2008)

4. Indian/Indian-American - DNF

5. Middle Eastern (Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Turkey...)
Gate of the Sun - Elias Khoury (Lebanon) (finished 28 March 2008)

6. Native Peoples 
The Birchbark House - Louise Erdrich (finished 7 April 2008)

The best book: Definitely Gate of the Sun by Elias Khoury. While I didn't dislike any of the books, quite a few of the others only generated lukewarm feelings.

What book could I have done without: The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Che Guevera. It wasn't what I expected, and I like some of his other writing much more.

Any new authors: Lisa See, Louise Erdrich, Elias Khoury, and Nuruddin Farah were all new to me. With the exception of Lisa See, I would love to read these authors again.

Stay Tuned!

Things have been busy here, and I have not been left with any time for updates and reviews recently. But I'll be back shortly!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See

Title: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Author: Lisa See

Country: USA

Year: 2005

Pages: 269 pgs.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First sentence: I am what they call in our village "one who has not yet died"--a widow, eighty years old.

See's historical novel takes place in a remote part of China during the 19th century - a time when all girls had there feet bound at the tender age of seven, marriages were arranged by the time they were ten, and women were confined to the upstairs room of their home for the majority of their life. We meet Lily, daughter of a farmer, and Snow Flower, who is the descendent of a wealthy, respected family. They are paired up as laotong, or "old sames" in a match meant to last a lifetime, a bond that is stronger than marriage. Communicating through nu shu, a secret women's language, Lily and Snow Flower send messages to each other on a fan, sharing their hopes and dreams.

It has taken me a long time to work out a review for this novel. One reason is my currently chaotic life as we prepare to pack up and move out-of-state. But I have also had a hard time putting into words what I feel about this book. On a purely entertainment level, it is a wonderful read. However, Lisa See's American perspective dominates the novel, and I felt she really didn't have a firm grasp of the culture and time period of 19th century Hunan China to write this story. It is not necessarily a book to read for insight into Chinese history and customs, as I fear it may be filled with inaccuracies. For that I would recommend Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang.