Book Haven

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

2008-10-06T08:43:00.000-05:00

Title: Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen

Country: UK

Year: 1813

Pages: 332 pgs.

Rating: 5 out of 5

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

Amazingly, Pride and Prejudice is one of the remaining Austen novels I have not read (Northanger Abbey is the other one). Emma, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion...loved them all. So I figured it was about time I pick this one up off my shelf.

Boy, I was not disappointed! It almost felt like coming back to an old friend, even though I have never read P&P before. But I know the story very well, having fallen in love with the BBC series. And I loved it. I loved it so much that I don't know what to say. It is that good. And it is jumping right up to the top of my all-time favorite lists.

It's witty - I love the early banter between Mr Darcy and Elizabeth when Jane is recovering from an illness at Mr Bingley's home. It's funny - Mr Collins just cracks me up, and you just have to laugh at Mrs Bennett's scheming. Almost 200 years later, it is still a page turner. And as much as I love reading classics, I would not describe most of them as a page turner!

It is also a comfort book. I can't help but love almost all of the characters, despite their flaws. Immersing yourself in the novel is like having a cup of tea with an old friend. It's a joy to read, and I am positive that over the years I will be reading it again...and again...and again.

In a conversation with Lady Catherine:

"I am not in the habit of being disappointed!"
"That will make your ladyship's position more pitiable; but it will have no effect upon me." (p.303)

Sunday Salon - October 5

2008-10-05T09:13:00.002-05:00

Later today we will be going apple picking with a group of our friends, one of my favorite autumn activities! However, reading is high on my mind today, since I decided to take the leap and tackle The Cairo Trilogy...all 3 books. They have been staring at me for two years, and I figure it is about time that I took the plunge.

I'm hoping to do a little blog hopping during Maya's afternoon nap. And stay tuned for an onslaught of picture books reviews, I'm hoping to post my thoughts on many of the books we checked out from the library that have a fall theme. I'm still catching up on my own reviews, too...I hope to have my thoughts up soon on Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner, Remember Me and Shopahoilc and Baby by Sophie Kinsella, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Dappled Apples - Jan Carr

2008-10-05T06:31:00.002-05:00

Title: Dappled Apples

Author: Jan Carr

Illustrator: Dorothy Donohue

Year: 2007

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Dappled Apples is a whimsical romp through an apple orchard and pumpkin patch. I checked this book out of the library before we went apple picking, and it fit that context beautifully. It has simple, rhyming text, and the illustrations are vibrant and really stand out.

I can't say it's one of my favorite picture books, but I will probably keep it on my list of books to get from the library each autumn.

House of Leaves - Mark Danielewski

2008-10-05T05:57:00.004-05:00

Title: House of Leaves

Author: Mark Danielewski

Country: USA

Year: 2000

Pages: 709 pgs.

Rating: 4 out of 5

First sentence: This book is not for you.

I first saw this novel years ago, and it caught my interest, but I never got around to reading it. Finally, about two months ago, I saw it on my brother-in-law's bookshelf, and borrowed it. I was in for quite a ride.

There is both a lot going on in the plot, and a lot of very little. The main plot, if there is such a think, is the story of a photojournalist and his family who move into a house that turns out to be a wee bit bigger on the inside than the out

side. The analysis of The Navidson Record, a documentary made by the photojournalist as his family adjusted to their new home and discovered it wasn't quite normal, is written by an old guy named Zampano, who died in his apartment. His book was discovered by Johnny Truant, a self admitted liar and druggie whose life slowly begins to spin out of control in the footnotes of the book. Rounding out the narrators is "the editors" who occasionally throw in their own two cents. It's a dizzying, fascinating book.

You can't review House of Leaves without mentioning it's unusual styling, a postmodern piece of art. Each narrator has their own font, which really helps the reader follow what's going on and from whose perspective. As the family - and outsiders who become involved in the exploration-delve into the mysteries of the house, they are begin to expose themselves to a dark exploration of their psyche and interpersonal relationships. The text mimics both the action, and the emotional state of mind each person is in. It turns, twists, reduces to only a few words per page...it is a dizzying effect, but relatively easy to follow.

One of my favorite parts, which seems to get overlooked in reviews, is quite simple. Zampano is a blind man, and his book is reviewing a movie. What the?

Another highlight is the letters between Johnny and his mother while she was at the Whalestoe psychiatric institute. The letters are in the appendix, but they bring subtle clues to much of Johnny's narration.

Happy Rosh Hashanah and Eid!

2008-09-29T06:12:00.000-05:00

This year, the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, will be celebrated at the same time as Eid-ul-Fitr, the Muslim holiday that celebrates the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan. Both are joyful festivals and feasts of celebration. Our family is taking advantage of this nearness to host an interfaith dinner with friends and family to celebrate both.

SHANAH TOVA and EID MUBARAK!

Friday Fill-In - September 26

2008-09-27T06:30:00.002-05:00

1. Hot apple cider, butternut squash soup, pumpkin curry, more apple picking, taking walks with Maya and watching the leaves change, and picking pumpkins from a pumpkin patch are some of the things I'm most looking forward to in October.

2. Sometimes I just want time to myself.

3. John McCain actually did a decent job at the presidential debate tonight, and that's why there is a saying, "never say never"! His policies, however, are still crappy.

4. When I'm down, I pick up a good book.

5. Chasing after Maya is where you'll find me most often.

6. A rainy day is good for reading.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to watching the debate, tomorrow my plans include reading Pride and Predjudice and Sunday, I want to spend time with my family that are coming to visit!

Sing Through the Day

2008-09-23T08:53:00.000-05:00

Title: Sing Through the Day: Eighty Songs for Children

Compiled by Marlys Swinger

Country: Various

Pages: 112 pgs.

Rating: 5 out of 5

I first came across Sing Through the Day when I was compiling a list of books related to the Waldorf method of learning. This book of songs comes up on many lists, and I was intrigued. Maya loves music; the songs I have sang to her from birth almost always soothe her when she is upset or having a hard time falling asleep. And I desperately needed to add to my repertoire, I was quickly growing tired of the few songs I knew by heart.

The songs in the book (with accompanying scores), are categorized mainly by time of day, morning, playtime, nighttime...with other categories such as weather, birthdays, and games, also included. The book includes a CD of many of the songs. While the quality of the CD is not the best, it does help this musically challenged mama learn the tunes. My years of playing the flute mean that I can read music, but I have a terrible time carrying a tune with my voice, and in that way the CD really helped out. The songs are from all over the world, and many include tips on how to incorporate musical instruments, creative play, and fingerplays with the music.

We are having a lot of the fun learning the songs. Proud Missus Sheep is a wonderful alternative to the standard Old MacDonald Had a Farm (a song I was quickly growing tired of) and is easy to learn:

"Proud Missus Sheep, she has a little lamb now, down on Cherry Tree Farm. Hear them together, in any sort of weather, Baaa...Baa...Baaa." (and so on for whatever animals you want to sing about).

Squirrel Nutkin, a Spanish folk tune, is a great accompaniment to reading Beatrix Potter's Squirrel Nutkin. The Japanese Rain Song is also a huge hit in our home. The other day we got stuck out in a thunderstorm. Maya was tired and grumpy, and as we hovered under our umbrella she was quickly getting fussier. I started singing the song, and she immediately calmed down and started smiling:

Underneath my big umbrella, I can hear the rain,
underneath my roof of yellow singing down the lane.
Pichi, pichi, chapu, chapu,
Rain, rain, rain.

Underneath my big umbrella I can see the sun;
down I bring my roof of yellow for the rain is done.
Pichi pichi, chapu chapu,
Rain, rain, rain.

Some of our other favorites are the Swiss Alpine Song, the Thuringian folk tune The Rooster's Our Watchman, and the Finnish tune Sleep, My Duckling.

I have probably said this here before, but I am a firm believer in the power of music, and horrible singing voice aside, we spend a lot of our day singing and making music. Maya has learned how to bang rhythm sticks together, and loves eggs shakers and maracas. We recently started Music Together classes, so there is no longer any shortage of new music to sing, clap, and dance along to!

The Crystal Cave - Mary Stewart

2008-09-22T08:13:00.000-05:00

Title: The Crystal Cave

Author: Mary Stewart

Country: UK

Year: 1970

Pages: 512 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5

First sentence: The day my Uncle Camlach came home, I was just six years old.

The Crystal Cave is the first book in Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy. It is a series I have been meaning to read for a long time, and when I saw it on the library bookshelves, I snatched it up immediately.

Book One takes place when Merlin is just a young lad, the illegitimate son of the daughter of a local king. During his childhood, Britain is divided into tiny kingdoms after the departure of the Romans. The Saxons are a constant threat (as they will be for quite some time), but the land is also divided by internal feuding that takes place before the return of Uther and Ambrosius. We follow Merlin through many of his well known acts: his prophecy of Ambrosius' victory, transporting and building the Giant's Dance (Stonehenge), and the encounter between Uther and Ygraine that led to the birth of Arthur.

Most of the Arthurian books I have read are about the women, Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie come to mind. It's a nice change to read a book about one of Arthurian legends most mysterious characters, Merlin. The Crystal Cave certainly lives up to the hype, and I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the trilogy.

Independent People - Halldor Laxness

2008-09-21T07:22:00.004-05:00

Title: Independent People

Author: Halldor Laxness

Country: Iceland

Year: 1946

Pages: 512 pages

Rating: 4 out of 5

Independent People is the story of Bjartur of Summerhouses, an Icelandic crofter who has bought his own croft after 18 years of servitude to the Bailiff of Myri. Bjartur is conservative, stubborn, and fearful of progress. He is not especially likeable, but you can't help being drawn into his plight. Bjartur prides himself on being an independent man, defining independence as freedom from servitude. However, freedom and independence from starvation, sickness, and extreme poverty are issues he confronts on a daily basis.

Halldor Laxness won the Nobel Prize in 1955, and many view Independent People as the crown of his achievements. Despite this, it remains an obscure novel--it took months to obtain a copy through the interlibrary loan system--from a small country most Americans know little about. For me, that is part of its charm.

The book is hard describe. It is about many things: Icelandic sheep farmers in the early 20th century, self-sufficiency and independence, a satirical look at Bjartur's limitations, the impact of war, and the juxtaposition of economics and politics (particularly socialism vs capitalism), all play out through the course of this epic novel. There are long discussions of ancient Icelandic poetry, for Bjartur is a poet, which really gives the story a timeless quality. Framing these themes is the relationship between Bjartur and his only daughter Asta Sollija.

Independent People certainly hold its own in comparison to other works of the time by authors such as Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck and Pearl S. Buck. It is a book to read when you have the time to sit down and browse slowly.

Sunday Salon - September 21

2008-09-21T06:04:00.005-05:00

Wow, it has been 1 1/2 months since my last Sunday Salon post! I love blogging, and reading what my blogging friends are up to, but I found I just needed a break for a while. In retrospect, I think it was the craziness of the last few months finally getting to me: moving, unpacking, adjusting to hubby's new schedule (and the fact that most days he leaves for work before Maya gets up, and returns after she goes to bed), and beginning to chase after my little bub who started crawling, and is now close to walking.

We have also been plagued by Maya's unwillingness to eat solids, and her slow weight gain and drop from her growth pattern (already on the smal

l side, in the 3rd-5th percentiles), which has spurred v

isits to a gastroenterologist, and a host of blood work and other tests. Her pediatrician diagnosed her as failure to thrive, "not because I believe she is, but I need a diagnosis number for insurance purposes". In all other ways she is thriving, but seeing FTT on paper just makes me feel ill. So far, all of the test results have come back fine, and my gut feeling is that nothing is wrong medically, especially since she meets all the milestones far in advance. She just isn't all that interested in food. We will be going to a speech pathologist that does feeding therapy, I'm really hoping that helps more than our meeting with a nutritionist, who failed to tell me anything I didn't already know.

In all other ways, Maya is a happy, healthy 9-month old baby. She has been crawling since June, and currently her favorite activity is cruising around with her Brio walker wagon. In the last few days, she has been briefly standing on her own, so it looks like walking is in our near future! She says a few words now..."ma ma", "da da", and "ne ne" when she wants to nurse. She has also learned the "milk" sign I use to ask her if she wants to nurse. And she has finally learned how to go both up and down a step, so I don't have to worry as much about the step between our living and dining room. And, her toothless grin is almost gone! She has two budding lower teeth, with one ready to erupt any day.

With all of that going on (how I digress from books!), I haven't had as much time to read as I usually do. I have finished a few books in the last two months: Independent People by Haldor Laxness, Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella, The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart, You are Your Child's First Teacher by Rahima Baldwin, Sing Through the Day, compiled by Marlys Singer, and House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. All of those reviews will be forthcoming throughout the next week or two.

And now, having finished House of Leaves yesterday, I am having a hard time deciding what to pick up next. I could read Remember Me, by Sophie Kinsella, my mom's book group pick for this month. Although I like Sophie Kinsella, I'm not expecting the book to generate much discussion, and having just read one of the Shopaholic books, I'm not as inclined to pick this one up. I also have The Blue Jay's Dance by Louise Erdrich on my TBR pile, but I don't know if I'm in the right mood for non-fiction. What I really want to read next is the second book in Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy...but my hold isn't available at the library yet. More than likely I will be picking up something small and quick, an Agatha Christie or Barbara Pym book, to tide me over until The Hollow Hills is available at the library.

Happy Sunday, fellow Saloners!

On A Break!

2008-08-23T18:30:00.003-05:00

Life is a bit busy and crazy at the moment (but in a good way - don't worry!), so I am taking a month-long break from blogging. I may still post the occasional review during that time, but won't be commenting very much. I plan on returning after our vacation in September. See you then!

Friday Fill-In - August 15

2008-08-15T10:10:00.002-05:00

1. The last meal I had at a restaurant was Vietnamese pho.

2. Road rage is something I intensely dislike.

3. The full moon is beautiful to behold.

4. Da 'burgh is one of my favorite local expressions from my college days in Pittsburgh.

5. Sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut.

6. Once is the best movie I've seen so far this year!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Shabbat breakfast at dinner (challah French toast with fruit), tomorrow my plans include going to the park if it doesn't rain and Sunday, I want to finish reading Independent People by Haldor Laxness!

Booking Through Thursday - August 14

2008-08-14T13:06:00.005-05:00

You, um, may have noticed that the Olympics are going on right now, so that’s the genesis of this week’s question, in two parts:

First:

Do you or have you ever read books about the Olympics? About sports in general?
Fictional ones? Or non-fiction? Or both?

And, Second:

Do you consider yourself a sports fan?
Because, of course, if you’re a rabid fan and read about sports constantly, there’s a logic there; if you hate sports and never read anything sports-related, that, too … but you don’t have to love sports to enjoy a good sports story.
(Or a good sports movie, for that matter. Feel free to expand this into a discussion about “Friday Night Lights” or “The Natural” or whatever…)

(For the record, I am not a sports fan at all, but I’ll watch almost any Olympics event, have indeed read books about the Olympics–and strongly recommend The Second Mark, which yes, is about Figure Skating, but was a fantastic story and particularly enthralling in its view into life as an athlete in China, so no sneering at the sport, okay? The book was fascinating. I’ve also read a history of the 1896 Olympics (there’s also a good mini-series which just came out on DVD).)

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

You'll have to bear with me these days, our internet connection is intermittent, and until it is fixed I have very little time to update my blog!

I have never read any books about the Olympics, or specific Olympians. I have never been particularly interested in reading books about sports, either fiction or non-fiction. With the exception of extreme sports, like rock-climbing, diving, abseiling, or climbing Mt. Everest.

However, I do like to watch sports. If we lived in a perfect world, with 100-hour days, I would watch more sporting events, like basketball, ice skating, soccer (futbol), and rugby, to name a few. But we don't, and I have other interests--like reading and cooking, and getting outdoors to hike, bike, or swim--that I enjoy more. I do love to watch tennis' Grand Slam tournaments, since I was a tennis player myself. I love watching both the Summer and Winter Olympics and the World Cup. Sometimes I tune into the Commonwealth Games. I never watch football or cricket, and I only enjoy watching a baseball game in person.

Global Babies - Global Fund for Children

2008-08-11T16:13:00.000-05:00

Title: Global Babies

Author: Global Fund for Children

Country: Everywhere

Year: 2007

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This is a very sweet book that shows pictures of a diverse group of babies from all over the world: Guatemala, Thailand, Greenland, Mali, USA, India, South Africa, Fiji, Peru, Afghanistan, Malawi, Spain, Iraq, Rwanda, and Bhutan. Some of the babies are dressed in bright, colorful traditional dress, others in a simple t-shirt. Some babies are worn by their mothers in a sling or papoose. All our a beautiful illustration of our global illustration.

The message of the text is simple but poignant: "Wherever they live, wherever they go, whatever they wear, whatever they feel, babies everywhere are beautiful, special, and loved." It was a perfect book to read at the start of the Beijing Olympics, especially for the 6-12 month age range.

The Planets - Dava Sobel

2008-08-10T18:26:00.002-05:00

Title: The Planets

Author: Dava Sobel

Year: 2005

Country: USA

Pages: 276

Rating: 4 out of 5

First sentence: My planet fetish began, as best I can recall, in third grade, at age eight--right around the time I learned that Earth had siblings in space, just as I had older brothers in high school and college.

I am a humanities person through and through. The only aspect of science that has ever held me interest is psychology, and astronomy usually causes my eyes to glaze over. However, when I saw raidergirl's recent review of The Planets, by Dava Sobel, and the book appeared in my library's bookmobile a week later, I knew I had to check it out.

And I am so glad I did. Dava writes in a style vastly different from most science books, turning a book about our solar system into a captivating story. She draws on astronomy's shared ancestry with astrology, geology and mathematics; each planet, along with the sun and moon, get their own chapter. Her approach is quite unique. For example, the chapter about Mars is written from the perspective of a Martian meteorite that was found in Antarctica. Some of the interesting tidbits I learned include:

Mercury experiences no real seasons, since it stands erect rather than leaning on a tilted axis;
Venus' dusk to dawn is the equivalent of two Earth months. Because of its rotation, the sun rises in the West and sets in the East;
Mars has the highest mountains in the solar system;
Jupiter is double the mass of all other planets combined, and is 300 times larger than Earth;
The Saturnian ring system spans a disc of 180,000 miles wide from one ring tip to the other. Yet the depth barely exceeds a 32-story building;
Uranus was discovered in 1781 by a novice astronomer with a homemade telescope in his garden. Two of the moons are named Oberon and Titania--the King and Queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream;
Neptune was discovered by mathematicians, not astronomers, as a way to explain Uranus' irregular orbit;
Pluto (no longer classified as a planet) is smaller than the moon.

The Planets was published before Pluto was demoted as a planet, but Dava explains the controversy surrounding its planet status, and how its demotion can actually be viewed as a sign of scientific progress in understanding our Solar System. Her book is a great introduction into our amazing and fascinating solar system.

Tucked into the Notes section at the back of the book, was a comment I found absolutely hilarious in regards to Venus:

"Former President Jimmy Carter, while serving as governor of Georgia, reported Venus to the state police. During World War II, a squadron of B-29 pilots mistook the planet for a Japanese plane and tried to shoot it from the sky."

And some more quotes:

The Chaldeans called the planet Ishtar, the love goddess ascending the heavens, and to the Semitic Sumerians she was Nin-si-anna, "the Lady of the Defenses of Heaven." Her Persian name, Anahita, associated her with fruitfulness. The dual (dawn and dusk) nature of Venus cast her by turns as virgin or vamp to her worshipers. (p.55)

Venus, the wayward sister, preaches an important cautionary tale to careless humans, for her hostile environment proves how even small atmospheric effects can conspire over time to convert an earthly paradise into a hell-fire cauldron. Indeed, much current study of Venus aims to save humanity from itself by verifying, for example, the destruction that chlorine compounds wreak in high-altitude clouds. (p.59)

Also reviewed by:

An Adventure in Reading

If you have read this book and would like your review mentioned here, just leave me a link in the comment section!

Sunday Salon - August 10

2008-08-10T08:50:00.005-05:00

It is a mild and refreshing Sunday here in this Saloner's corner of the world. For August, we are having surprisingly low-humidity, moderately warm days. It's wonderful!

I considered joining the Olympic Reading Challenge, hosted by Annie, a while back. Ultimately, however, I decided to take a completely different approach to my reading during the Beijing Olympics. Rather than reading American authors, I am reading books by authors in other countries. Yesterday, I started with Independent People by Icelandic author Haldor Laxness, and so far it is turning out to be a wonderful read. Haldor Laxness won the Nobel Prize in 1955, but his books were largely out of print for English readers until Independent People was republished in English in 1997.

It is a delight, and a challenge, to read a book that takes place in a country I know very little about. For books first published in languages such as Spanish, French, Arabic, German, Italian, Chinese, or Japanese, I at least recognize some of the places mentioned and usually know how to pronounce the names of the characters. The only thing I know about Iceland is that beautiful fjords follow the coast, the capital is Reykjavik, and fishing is the source of much of its exports. Since Independent People is not set in the capital, or in a fishing village, but in the valleys where sheep farmers reside, everything I read about is a new experience. It is armchair traveling at its best!

In the Introduction, Brad Leithauser describes the novel as the book of his life. He describes it as a "book of genius that, even in a long bookworm's life, one might never have stumbled upon." Books that are not on the well-trodded path, "in which the flaws of a book are as endearing--as treasurable--as the flaws in the face of one's sole beloved."

Do you have a book of your life? A book that most people would look at you and go, 'huh'? For me, that book would probably be The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Although well-known, it certainly doesn't do the round in the way that Pride and Prejudice, Grapes of Wrath, or the Bible can. Yet when I first read The Handmaid's Tale in a Women's Lit class, it's impact was profound. An idealistic college student, the novel (combined with a few other factors, such as the Cultural Anthropology course I also took that semester) started me on a path that eventually led towards my study abroad experience on Semester at Sea, a Master's in International Relations, and my work with refugees and asylum seekers. How did one little book do so much? Well, that's a story for another time.

On an end note, as much as I love watching the Olympics, this year is more important to me than ever. One of my former clients, Abebe Fekadu, will be competing at the Beijing Paralympics in September!!! This amazing man, who has overcome so much, is an inspiration to so many. He is a kind, gentle, and humble soul, and I am honored to know him. Originally from Ethiopia, he will be representing Australia in powerlifting. Although the Paralympics don't begin until September, I am already sending "Go Abebe!" vibes towards Beijing. :) I haven't seen Abebe since my wedding in October 2006, right before we moved back from Australia to the United States, but his journey and success are still close to my heart.

Baby Born - Anastasia Suen

2008-08-09T13:07:00.003-05:00

Title: Baby Born

Author: Anastasia Suen

Illustrator: Chih-Wei Chang

Year: 1998

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Since Maya is a November baby, this is a great board book for our family. The story follows a baby that is born in the winter through the first year of her life. Baby's growth is connected to the world around her:

"Baby turns
and lifts her head
so do seedlings
in their bed"

-and-

"Baby takes a step
and then
like the snow
falls down again"

Each page features babies of varying ethnicities. It's a cute book, with nice illustrations. There is one glaring inconsistency, however. The book starts with Baby born in the winter. Yet, at the end, when she turns 1, it is spring or summer. It could be a challenge to see at what age Maya notices this difference!

Friday Fill-In - August 8

2008-08-08T07:17:00.004-05:00

1. You know you're old when when you have to get up 3 times a night to go to the bathroom. Either that or you're pregnaant.

2. My heart is divided between reading What is the What by Dave Eggers and Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy.

3. A pot of tea is what I need RIGHT NOW!

4. I have felt the crisp pages of a new book, I have known the depths of the basement that hides the older, funky novels.

5. Gah, won't these people learn how to drive?

6. Eat a pie as soon as you can!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Shabbat dinner, tomorrow my plans include a day trip to NYC and Sunday, I want to have a couple hours to myself!

Booking Through Thursday - August 7

2008-08-07T06:11:00.004-05:00

Are there any particular worlds in books where you'd like to live?

I think it would be a lot of fun to live in the alternate England of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series. I would love to be a literary detective, and have that kind of interaction with my favorite books!

Or where you certainly would NOT want to live?

I would most certainly not want to live in the Republic of Gilead, the world Margaret Atwood created in The Handmaid's Tale. Gilead is a totalitarian state that has replaced the USA, and Offred is a handmaid who has the 'privilege' of sleeping with other women's husband's in an attempt to bear them children. A handmaid is treated as a slave, and if they do not become pregnant, are sent to a concentration camp.

What about authors? If you were a character, who would you trust to write your life?(This came to me when reviewing a Jonathan Carroll book - I'm not sure I'd like to live in the world of his books).

I would love for Isabel Allende to write my life. I love her writing style, and it would be nice to see my life touched by a spot of magical realism.

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

Oh no! Not my opinion!

2008-08-06T15:08:00.004-05:00

Last week's absence was unplanned, but I seem to be getting back into the swing of things again. I find that I go through moods where my books (and life!) consume me much more than blogging. I take that as a healthy sign. :) Of course, there's nothing like another attack aimed at book bloggers to get me back to the keyboard!

Lissa Warren, from The Huffington Post, seems to be jumping on the band wagon in criticizing bloggers for...blogging. In her post, Will Blogs Save Books, she makes the claim that blog reviewers are writing about the wrong thing, focusing instead on self-indulgent drivel:

Well, I think book reviews on blogs -- particularly those of the Blogspot variety -- tend to be self-indulgent. Book reviewing bloggers need to move away fromopinion in favor of judgment. How does the book compare to -- and fit in with -- the author's previous work? What's the book's place in the genre? The canon? Does the writer succeed in doing what he or she set out to do -- meaning, is it the book they meant it to be? Whether it's the book the blogger wanted it to be is of much less importance to me, frankly.

Her complaint is exactly what she rails against...her opinion. And opinion is main reason I read blogs. I want to know what other people think about a book. I like to discuss the novel I just read with others, I find the personal interaction stimulating. In my opinion, I am glad that many bloggers generally stay away from some of the above topics. If I want to know how a book fits in with its genre or canon, I'll go to a book or magazine of literary analysis and criticism. But that's not what I'm looking for here.

One thing her article did was cause me to really think about why I blog. In case you are wondering, this is what I came up with:

1. It's a hobby that I really enjoy.

2. I find it adds another level to my reading, and I now tend to retain more from the books I read.

3. I love reading the opinions of other bloggers who have read the same books.

4. I love discovering new books through other bloggers reviews and discussions.

5. I find the book blog community contains a wonderful group of very interesting, intelligent, kind people! It's great to be a small cog in this little world.

I do not blog because I want to be a professional book reviewer. I do not want to upstage newspaper book reviewers.

There are quite a few other wonderful comments out there in reaction to this article. Check out book-a-rama, caribousmom, minds alive on the shelves for further discussion.

I have also been tagged by seachanges for the six quirky things about me meme.

The rules are:

Link to the person who tagged me
Mention the rules
Tell six quirky but unspectacular details about myself
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them
Go to each person's blog and let them know they are tagged

Some of my quirks are:

1. I am very particular about how I drink my tea. Some I drink with milk and sugar (ceylon, chai). others with honey (lemon tea, chamomile), and still others with no additions (most herbal teas, green tea, and white tea). With the exception of black teas, almost all my tea is loose leaf.

2. I almost always only read one book at a time.

3. I have a weakness for gossip blogs like pink is the new blog which completely contradicts my personality.

4. I spend most mornings going on mini-hikes or bike rides with my daughter.

5. I rarely watch tv, sticking mainly to an occasional The Daily Show and Lost. The rare times I turn on the tv randomly, I have a strange addiction to Law & Order and CSI (the Las Vegas version only).

6. One of my favorite hobbies which I rarely get to indulge at the moment is traveling to other countries.

Because Maya is almost out of patient, instead of tagging six people, everyone reading this can consider themselves tagged!

And finally, I've realized that I am quickly finishing quite a few of the challenges I signed up for this year (with a few I have failed miserably and all but given up on). So, I am looking for some new ones. I have ignored almost all new challenge posts over recent months, so I don't know what's currently out there. So, in your opinion, what are some of the most exciting challenges that have just started, or will start in the next month or so?

What's In A Name Challenge Wrap-Up

2008-08-06T07:46:00.000-05:00

Challenge Blog: What's in a Name?

Books Read:

1. Book with a color in its title:

- The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison (finished 12 February 2008)

2. A Book with an animal in its title:

- Tears of the Giraffe - Alexander McCall Smith (finished 17 June 2008)

3. Book with a character's first name in its title:

- Sarah, Plain and Tall - Patricia MacLachlan (finished 28 January 2008)

4. Book with a place in its title:

- The News from Paraguay - Lily Tuck (finished 5 August 2008)

5. Book with a weather event in the title:

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See - (finished 27 April 2008)

6. Book with a plant in its title:

- The Birchbark House - Louise Erdrich (finished 8 April 2008)

Favorite: It would be a toss-up between The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith.

Least Favorite: Definitely The News from Paraguay. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.

New-to-me authors: Lily Tuck, Lisa See, and Louise Erdrich were all new to me.

The News from Paraguay - Lily Tuck

2008-08-05T19:10:00.005-05:00

Title: The News From Paraguay

Author: Lily Tuck

Year: 2004

Pages: 248

Rating: 2 out of 5

First sentence: For him it began with a feather.

The News From Paraguay chronicles the relationship between Francisco Solano, the future President and dictator from Paraguay, and the Irish courtesan Ella Lynch, who follows Francisco back to Paraguay, bearing and raising his children. The story is set amidst a backdrop of war and violence as Francisco, as President, declares war on virtually all the countries surrounding Paraguay.

There is not much to like about this book other than the first sentence. The story is disjointed, and jumps from character to character, never fully explaining anyone or anything. As historical fiction, it never gave me the feeling that the author really understood the time period and country she was talking about; the exploration into Paraguay's War of the Triple Alliance and its relationship with other South American countries, England, and the United States was superficial at best. Most of the scenes were almost immediately forgettable. I am amazed it won an award.

If you have read this book and would like your review listed here, just leave a comment with the link to your review!

Midwives - Chris Bohjalian

2008-07-30T12:29:00.004-05:00

Title: Midwives

Author: Chris Bohjalian

Year: 1997

Country: USA

Pages: 372

Rating: 3 out of 5

First sentence: Throughout the long summer before my mother's trial began, and then during those crisp days in the fall when her life was paraded publicly before the county--her character lynched, her wisdom impugned--I overheard much more than my parents realized, and I understood more than they would have liked.

Midwives is the story of a homebirth gone terribly wrong. Midwife Sibyl Danforth does everything she can to save the life of one of her mothers during labor. When the mother passes away, she performs an emergency c-section to save the baby's life. When her actions are questioned, she faces the hostility of those who oppose homebirth, especially physicians and the state attorney's office.

When I started reading Midwives, I was worried the subject matter would hit a bit too close to home. When I was pregnant, we seriously considered homebirth, however our apartment's small bathtub and thin walls did not promise a comfortable experience. Instead, I opted for the care of the Special Beginnings birth center midwives. By the time my labor rolled around, I completely trusted all four midwives. Which is why, 23 hours into my 24 hours of non-medicated labor (and 4+ hours of pushing!), when my midwife told me he (and yes, a midwife can be a he) thought I should transfer to the hospital for an emergency c-section, I didn't hesitate. He was confirming what my instinct was telling me--if not the fetalscope--that something was wrong. Maya came out 45 minutes later, with a shorter umbilical cord that was wrapped around her neck. She had also turned into the posterior position, which explained the almost two hours of almost unbearable back labor I had been dealing with.

If we would have been unable to go to a hospital, would Maya have eventually been in distress because of the umbilical cord? What about me? Thankfully, we'll never know. But with her birth still fresh in my mind, it was emotionally difficult to read the beginning of this book.

Other than that, it's a fairly enjoyable read. Right away, I could tell the author had read Ina May Gaskin, a well-known midwife, and her book Spiritual Midwifery is mentioned in the acknowledgments. I didn't particularly like the story written from the perspective of the midwife's daughter, and some of the character development fell flat. The style of writing - and topic choice - reminds me a lot of Jodi Picoult. Overall I enjoyed the story, but I'm not extremely motivated to pick up another one of his books.

Also reviewed by:

Founding Mothers - Cokie Roberts

2008-07-27T13:41:00.005-05:00

Title: Founding Mothers: The Women who Raised our Nation

Author: Cokie Roberts

Year: 2004

Country: USA

Pages: 348 pgs.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First sentence: When you hear of a family with two brothers who fought heroically in the Revolutionary War, served their state in high office, and emerged as key figures in the new American nation, don't you immediately think, "They must have had a remarkable mother"?

I remember very little about my schooling on the Revolutionary War, other than an awarness that my old history books were filled with dates of battles, and the heroics of soldiers, and not much else. Therefore, when I first picked up this book, I met quite a few people I should have heard of...but didn't.

I never knew that one of the most influential writers of the Revolutionary area was a woman, Mery Otis Warren. That a British writer and feminist--Catherine McCauley played a large part in influencing the minds of the American federalists. That a woman was the money (and a good part of the intellect) behind Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin--Eliza Lucas Pinckney. There are many more stories in Founding Mothers of women who helped to shape the newly created American nation.

You can tell that Roberts was meticulous in her research into the women who provided a vast amount of courage, patriotism, and dedication to a fledgling nation that afforded them hardly any rights. It is also very obvious that this is a book that she truly enjoyed writing, the author's passion for the topic shines through. One of the only downsides is that the reader is often bounced from topic to topic, which, for someone without a solid knowledge about the Revolutionary Era, can become a bit confusing. Especially when so many people shared similar names!

If you have reviewed this book and would like your review listed here, let me know!

Sunday Salon - July 27

2008-07-27T08:40:00.004-05:00

My mind is a bit scattered this morning, and Maya is clamoring for my attention, so this will be a bit brief...and erratic. :)

I am still reading (but almost done!) Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts, about the mothers and wives of America's Founding Fathers. Many of the locations talked about are near my current home, a place that I lived in the past, or somewhere I have gone on vacation: Philadelphia, Baltimore, York, Princeton, Charleston, New York, etc. In addition to the places I have already visited, I have now added quite a few more to my list.

I can't be the only one that does this! Do you ever read a book, bookmarking things are places to visit on a vacation? Since I'm not a huge war-buff, my interest mainly lies in learning more about the people behind the Declaration of Independence, rather than battles fought. Often, I'll read a book and end up with a desire to travel there: Paris, Turkey, Egypt, Prince Edward Island, Chile...my list is endless.

For those who might be wondering, some of the Revolutionary-related places I have gone are:

Morven House, Princeton - Home of Richard Stockton (signer of the Declaration of Independence) and Annis Boudinot Stockton, poet.
Valley Forge, outside Philadelphia, PA
Monticello - Thomas Jefferson's home, Virginia
Montpelier - James Madison's home, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Gates House, York, PA (General Gates lived here when the Continental Congress was evacuated to York during the war)

And those I would like to visit include:

Monmouth Battlefield State Park
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, South Carolina
Mount Vernon, Virginia
Liberty Hall, New Jersey

Happy Reading!

Booking through Thursday & Friday Fill-In - July 26

2008-07-26T16:00:00.004-05:00

Here’s another idea about memorable first lines from books.

What are your favourite first sentences from books? Is there a book that you liked specially because of its first sentence? Or a book, perhaps that you didn’t like but still remember simply because of the first line?

My favorite first sentence (and it's a long one!) is both the first sentence and paragraph from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. It was one of the only things that I had to memorize in high school that I still remember:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

In this way Dickens sets the scene for the novel as a metaphor of the rich and the poor, and links 1850's England to the atmosphere in France before and during the French Revolution. It is the perfect opening passage for a novel that explores duality through characterization, setting, and narrative. In short...it's perfect. :)

1. I believe whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

2. If you're good at something, don't stress out trying to be perfect at it.

3. Why so serious.

4. Something is out there, it's going to get found.

5. If my life were a sitcom, it would be titled lollipops.

6. Sitting on my back porch [if you don't have one, use your imagination] I see my neighbor's fence and my poor, dead lavender.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to going to a Shabbat dinner, tomorrow my plans include a picnic at the park and Sunday, I want to relax!

Wordles, wordles everywhere

2008-07-23T14:03:00.006-05:00

These little guys have been popping up all over the place. So I thought I'd try it out. Here is a quote from a book that I read recently...can you guess what the book is? There's one word in their that is a really big hint. :)

Update: The quote is from Cheri, by Colette. :)

Book Awards II Challenge

2008-07-23T13:07:00.002-05:00

Challenge Blog: Book Awards Reading Challenge

I finally have a chance to think about which books I would like to read for Michelle's follow-up to the first Book Awards Challenge. The rules are slightly different this time around: 10 books over 10 months, and five different awards must be represented. Some of my choices this time were the books I did not get to on last year's preliminary list.

A tentative selection:

Walk Two Moons - Sharon Creech (Newbery)
Parable of the Talents - Octavia Butler (Nebula)
Bel Canto - Ann Patchett (PEN/Faulkner; Orange; NBCC)
Hotel Du Lac - Anita Brookner (Booker)
The Cairo Trilogy - Naguib Mahfouz (Nobel)
Flotsam - David Weisner (Caldecott)
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha - Roddy Doyle (Booker)
The English Patient - Michael Ondaatje (Booker)
Sophie's Choice - William Styron (NBA)
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides (Pulitzer)

To see what I read for the first challenge, go here.

Positive Discipline - Jane Nelsen

2008-07-22T09:16:00.005-05:00

Title: Positive Discipline: The First Three Years

Author: Jane Nelsen

Year: 2007

Country: US

Pages: 304

Rating: 5 out of 5

This is by far one of the best parenting books I have read so far. Jane Nelsen presents a non-corporal punishment approach to child-rearing that crosses virtually all parenting philosophies. This book helps the reader understand what behaviours are age-appropriate, and how to respond to these behaviours in a way that is kind but firm, and encourages children to explore the world and their newly found independence (ie...my legs can now carry me away from mom and towards that shiny vase!).

The author presents a balance between the parent who is always scolding and reprimanding their child, and the parent who lets their child get away with everything. Positive discipline is not about being permissive, it is using discipline that is age-appropriate. A toddler's brain is not yet equipped to fully understand concepts adults take for granted, and the techniques in this book are geared towards the developmental level of the littlest kids.

For the 0-3 category, this is largely distraction and re-direction. One of the things I really loved about this book was the abundance of practical advice, and specific examples and anecdotes about how other parent's respond to certain behaviours--pulling a cat's tail, or throwing a tantrum in a grocery store--using positive discipline techniques.

We're just now entering the time when Maya is beginning to understand language. I have been finding myself saying "No!" quite a lot...especially when the cat is around...accompanied by distraction. My kind words, "touch nicely" seem to have gotten lost with the move. It is hard to repeat the same thing over and over again ("touch nicely", along with physically showing her how to do it) knowing she doesn't understand what I mean yet. Although this book doesn't present an easy answer--in fact, it reminds the reader that raising confident, capable, children is HARD work--it does provide the encouragement for me to continue with the repetitive demonstrations and encouraging, explanatory phrases, followed by re-direction. Someday, she will understand. There are also lots of great examples of ways to prevent and/or avoid power struggles.

Positive discipline helps parents create an environment for their children to learn through play, exploration and discovery, while setting the foundations of morals and values. I will definitely be reading more of the author's books in the future.

If you have reviewed this book and would like your review listed here, just let me know!

On The Day You Were Born - Debra Frasier

2008-07-21T07:01:00.000-05:00

Title: On the Day You Were Born

Author: Debra Frasier

Year: 1991

Country: USA

Rating: 5 out of 5

First sentence: On the eve of your birth word of your coming passed from animal to animal.

I love this book. Love, love, love it. It is currently one of my favorite picture books. It comes in a few different versions, including a board book, but we bought the picture book that comes with a CD. It is a story of celebration of the birth of your child, and is told in a wonderful, lyrical way. Reading this book to a child tells them they are a blessing--without any religous undertones--incorporating their birth into the natural world in a way that would make any child feel special.

"On the day you were born the Moon pulled on the ocean below, and, wave by wave, a rising tide washed the beaches clean for your footprints..."

The illustrations, also done by the author, are simple and breathtaking, a perfect fit for the nature-oriented tone of the story. The CD is a must have. I thought it would only contain an audio version of the story. In addition to that--which is wonderfully narrated and set to music. In addition, there are a few more tracks of songs which are a delight to listen to. This would make a wonderful gift for any new mother.

"On the day you were born the Earth turned, the Moon pulled, the Sun flared, and, then, with a push, you slipped out of the dark quiet where suddenly you could hear...a circle of people singing with voices familiar and clear."

A quick Meme

2008-07-20T15:05:00.003-05:00

So, instead of doing the Positive Discipline review, I've decided to do the meme that Seachanges tagged me for.

What were you doing five years ago?

Let's see. That would be July 2003. Aahh! I would have been celebrating the completion of my master's thesis, skipping the graduation ceremony, and laughing at how fake the University of Queensland, Australia diploma looks in comparison to my undergrad one from the University of Pittsburgh. My degree was a Master's in International Relations and Asian Politics. Quite a mouthful. In recent years, I've dropped the "Asian Politics" when telling people what degree I hold.

Five snacks I enjoy in a perfect, non-weight-gaining world:

1. Chocolate brownies.

2. Tiramisu

3. Tim Tams

4. Chewy chocolate-chip cookies

5. Iced mocha's

Can you tell I like chocolate?

Five snacks I enjoy in the real world:

1. Fruit smoothies

2. Chocolate brownies

3. Trail mix of my own design (dried cranberries, roasted unsalted almonds, cashews, peanuts, seeds of some sort, and ginger pieces)

4. Pita chips

5. Trader Joe's fruit leather

Five things I would do if I were a billionnaire:

1. Pay off my husband's school loans

2. Start a foundation to help women and kids suffering from severe burns to come to the United States to receive treatment. The foundation would also fund programs that help doctors and hospitals in developing countries receive training and equipment needed to treat severe burns.

3. Buy a house.

4. Travel the world. Over and over again!

5. Donate large sums of money to Habitat for Humanity, as well as various micro-enterprise programs.

Five (non-academic) jobs that I have had:

Well, the only academic job I have ever had is a student. So...

1. Joint Director of an asylum seeker support centre.

2. Sales Associate for Sheridan, Australia.

3. Hostess at Red Lobster.

4. Salesperson at Sally Beauty Supply. (It was horrible. I rarely wear makeup, never style my hair...I knew nothing)

5. Freelance grant-writer.

Five habits:

1. Chewing on my shirt collar when I am thinking.

2. Losing my keys.

3. Reading.

4. Prone to over-reacting.

5. Drink different types of tea in certain ways (green tea with a touch of honey, herbal teas plain, ceylon tea with milk and sugar)

Five places I have lived:

1. Seattle, Washington

2. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

3. Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

4. Baltimore, Maryland

5. North Brunswick, New Jersey

Five people I want to get to know better (and should consider themselves tagged!)

Maggie, Laura, Sharon, Andi, and Jeane

Sunday Salon - July 20

2008-07-20T10:30:00.004-05:00

Last week, I said I planned on starting Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts. I ended up a bit derailed from that plan, finishing Positive Discipline: The First Three Years by Jane Nelsen instead (I'm hoping to write my review later today, this is one of the best parenting books I have read so far!). I then picked up and finished M is for Malice by Sue Grafton. It was only this morning that my frequently changing reading tastes led me back to Founding Mothers.

With most of our unpacking done, and hubby with a whole weekend off of work, he has promised a few undisturbed hours this afternoon so I can catch up on blogs, read the NY Times Sunday Book Review, and delve into Founding Mothers to my heart's content. I am really looking forward to the experience. Growing up near Gettysburg, PA, I believe my high school American history classes were a bit skewed towards the Civil War. Philadelphia was only two hours away, but for some reason, not once during my schooling did we go on a field trip there. Gettyburg, on the other hand, I have been to dozens of times.

As a result, my knowledge of the Revolutionary War and early American history is sketchy at best. Beyond George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, I am at a loss. I know next to nothing about the colonial women that supported the men that signed the Declaration of Independence, and wrote our Constitution. With the exception of Betsy Ross--and what I learned about her in school has controversially been debunked by historians--I could not name a single other woman of that time except for Martha Washington. Therefore, I am really looking forward to delving into this book!

On another note, Maggie's recent question to her readers "What is your definition of young adult literature?" had this topic fresh in my mind. Therefore, my eye was quickly drawn to an essay in today's NY Times Sunday Book Review about books that were written for adults...only to get marketed as YA, usually against the author's wishes. There are novels such as The Book Thief, which is marketed for adults in Australia, and young adults in the United States. Personally, the demarcation seems very random, subject to the whims of a publisher's marketing department. What's a shame is that many "YA" authors are shunned by other writers, and not taken as seriously. Quality literature can be found in any format, whether it's a board book, Young adult, or targeted at adults!

BTT and Friday Fill-In - July 18

2008-07-18T07:50:00.003-05:00

Do you buy books while on vacation/holiday?

Do you have favorite bookstores that you only get to visit while away on a trip?

What/Where are they?

I have been known to drop into fun-looking used book stores if I pass one while on vacation. I found a real gem when we went to Charlottesville, Virginia two years ago. There was another great one in Banff, Canada that I found on our honeymoon. Since we typically always go to new places on vacations, I don't have favorite bookstores I visit while away.

1. If I could be a fly on the wall I would be at Woodstock. Except it was outside and there were no walls. So, maybe I would be a fly on the wall of an Egyptian pyramid when they were being built.

2. Jealousy is different from envy.

3. When I see a shooting star my wish would be that a brand new Prius would show up in our driveway in the morning.

4. I'd rather be short than tall any day!

5. Certain songs when I hear them make me wanna dance like there's no tomorrow.

6. If time were in a bottle I would pop the cork.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to hopefully sleeping, but it looks like Maya is teething which means no one is sleeping lately, tomorrow my plans include going to an Italian Festival and Sunday, I want to organize Maya's new toy shelves from Ikea!

Chunkster Challenge Wrap-Up

2008-07-16T12:19:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to clean house a bit, and I realized I finished this challenge without even realizing it.

Hosted by: So Many Books, So Little Time

Books Read:

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (552p) finished 25 February 2008

Gate of the Sun - Elias Khoury (531p) finished 27 March 2008

The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (502p) finished 20 May 2008

Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (546p.) finished 6 July 2008

Favorite: They were all great, but The Time Traveler's Wife would squeak by with the gold.

Least Favorite: None. I liked them all. Unless I would count The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans. This was one of my original selections, and I don't think I made it past page 30.

New-to-me authors: All of them!

Snakes and Earrings - Hiromi Kanehara

2008-07-15T13:10:00.006-05:00

Title: Snakes and Earrings (Hebi ni piasu in Japanese)

Author: Hiromi Kanehara (translated by David James Karashima)

Year: 2004

Country: Japan

Pages: 120

Rating: 3 out of 5

First sentence: "Know what a forked tongue is?"

Snakes and Earrings is as much a story about disillusioned youth as it is about the young Japanese counter-culture. Lui is a 19 year old girl who travels away from her "Barbie-girl" image once she meets Ama. She is mesmerized by his forked tongue, an extreme form of body modification, and she spontaneously sets out to split her own tongue, moving in with Ama as well. The short novella is filled with S&M, anorexia, alcoholism, and drugs.

The tattoos, forked tongues, and piercing', and other physical transformations hint at the underlying mental transformations that Lui is faced with by the end of the novel. It is one of those stories in which the end is only the beginning, and I am left wondering where her life will ultimately lead her.

I have been meaning to read a book about the youth counter-culture in Japan, but I think that craving would be better served with non-fiction. Ultimately, this was a quick read (I read it in one sitting at the beach), but not particularly satisfying. Snakes and Earrings did win the Akutagawa literature prize in 2003.

Also reviewed by:

Tanabata at In Spring it is the dawn

If you have reviewed this book and would like your review listed here, just let me know!

The Blessing of A Skinned Knee - Wendy Mogel

2008-07-14T10:04:00.004-05:00

Title: The Blessing of A Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Kids

Author: Wendy Mogel

Year: 2001

Country: USA

Pages: 304

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

I read this book a few weeks ago, so many of the details have already slipped my mind. Therefore, I'm writing this review in a slightly different format.

What it's about: Wendy Mogel discusses practical tools and Jewish spiritual values to address many of the issues that confront today's parents: overindulgence, over-scheduling, overprotection and rebellion, to name a few. Her strategies aim to teach kids to be respectful and gracious while staying true to their individual personalities.

What I liked: This is not just a book for Jewish parents, as her philosophy easily crosses religious boundaries. Her suggestion to treat children as "unique, but ordinary", by putting a child on a pedestal can cause self-esteem problems down the road. She tells readers that you should not expect children to be anyone other than who they are, rather than pushing them towards extraordinary achievements in areas that they just aren't interested in.

The book is organized in an easy to read format, great for busy parents, and covers topics such as "The Blessing of Work: Finding the holy sparks in ordinary chores", "The Blessing of Time: Teaching your child the value of the present moment" and "The Blessing of Food: Bringing moderation, celebration, and sanctification to your table". Overall, she has some very valuable advice that relates well to our parenting style, and I will definitely be coming back to the book in the future.

What I didn't like: There were a few things that really stand out, causing my to give it a lower rating. Her diatribe on the negative affects of gender equality really struck my feminist nerve. I also found some of her comments on disabled children abhorrent coming from the voice of a psychologist. I also felt that some of the "problems" she addressed were really only specific to families in the same socioeconomic class of her previous clientele (her practice was in Beverly Hills, California). The spoiling and indulgence she talks about just can't occur in lower economic class families, so it was a bit hard for me to relate to that (that's not saying that kids whose families aren't rich can't be spoiled, they can...but her writing doesn't address the issue in a way that easily applies to all socio-economic levels).

Recommended to: Parents with kids aged 5 and up.

Sunday Salon - July 12

2008-07-13T09:31:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, we took a trip to Morven House in Princeton, the home of Richard Stockton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and his wife Annis Boudinot Stockton. During the tour, I learned that Annis, a feminist and patriot, was one of America's first female published poets, and wrote more than 12o works. Wanting to learn more, I asked if any of her works were still in publication. The tour guide did not know (I since looked it up; they were collected and published in 1995 in a book called Only for the Eye of a Friend: The Poems of Annis Boudinot Stockton) but another visitor on the tour reminded me of a book that has been languishing on my TBR pile: Founding Mothers: The Women who Raised our Nation by Cokie Roberts. Annis is covered in the book, along with Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Reed Franklin, and Eliza Pinckney. I ran out this afternoon on the way back from the beach and picked up a copy of the book from the library, and that will be my reading material for this not-so-leisurely Sunday!

Cokie Roberts has a new book out that also sounds good which seems to pick up where Founding Mothers leaves off. It is titled Ladies of Liberty: The Women who Shaped our Nation.

Yesterday I breezed through a small book by young Japanese author Hitomi Kanehara, Snakes and Earrings, an explicit look into the counter-culture of Japanese youth. It's...interesting.

Happy Sunday!

Friday Fill-In - July 11

2008-07-11T17:42:00.003-05:00

1. Oh, I can't wait until I have a baby-sitter.

2. Watermelon is the first thing I see when I open my refrigerator.

3. I never leave home without my keys.

4. If I were a condiment, I would be BBQ sauce because it's sweet and tangy.

5. People cutting into a line is really high up on my list of pet peeves.

6. The last thing I thought of before I went to bed was how tired I am.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to sleeping, tomorrow my plans include going to the beach and reading a good book and Sunday, I want to buy new dressers!

Booking Through Thursday - July 10

2008-07-10T18:48:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite bookstores burned down last weekend, and while I only got to visit there while I was on vacation, it made me stop and think.

What would you do if, all of a sudden, your favorite source of books was unavailable?

Whether it’s a local book shop, your town library, or an internet shop … what would you do if, suddenly, they were out of business? Devastatingly, and with no warning? Where would you go for books instead? What would you do? If it was a local business you would try to help out the owners? Would you just calmly start buying from some other store? Visit the library in the next town instead? Would it be devastating? Or just a blip in your reading habit?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

I don't even want to think about it! My favorite source for books is the library, and I would be devastated if our local one burned down. Not only would it be a loss of thousands of books, but it would be the destruction of a meeting place for the community. Our (new) public library has children's storytimes, arts and crafts programs, a meeting rooms for all types of community organizations, a location to hold ESL classes, computer classes...the list goes on and on.

What would I do? I would chip in to help rebuild. I would donate time and energy, and money; I would help organize fundraisers, and share my grantwriting skills to help the library bounce back.

The Sunday Salon: The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

2008-07-06T09:47:00.010-05:00

Title: The Time-Traveler's Wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Year: 2003

Country: USA

Pages: 546

Rating: 5 out of 5

First sentence: CLARE: It's hard being left behind.

Back in 2007, Chris at Book-a-rama thought that she was the last person on Earth to read The Time Traveler's Wife.

You're not, Chris. I just finished it last night. :)

When a book is as popular as this one was , I often wait a very long time to delve into it (unless I read it before it become the "in" book. I don't like reading books at the height of their popularity. So I patiently avoid all of the gushing reviews, and let it sit there for months, sometimes longer. This one has been sitting on my bookshelf since December 2006.

It finally caught my attention last week. Once I picked it up, it was very hard to put it down, much to the consternation of my husband and, yes, even Baby Maya!

Henry is a reluctant time-traveller, possessor of some screwed up DNA. He can't help it, he involuntarily travels back in time without any forewarning. He can be gone for minutes, or days. His wife Clare, who first meets Henry when she is 6 (while he is time-travelling - although they are eight years apart in age, Henry does not meet Clare until he is 28), is not so linearly challenged, and always stays rooted to the present. The story is largely the story of their relationship, so don't be fooled by the title. It is not a science-fiction novel in any form.

Henry time travels; he does not change the past. When he learns too much about his future, he is left with the burden of living that reality without being able to do a thing to change it. Once married, Clare is burdened by the reality of waiting. Waiting for Henry to meet her childhood self, to experience all the memories she already has. Waiting for Henry to come back from an unknown time and place, sometimes okay, but often bruised, tired, or injured.

It's a book that really drew me in emotionally. I was vested in these characters, I ached when they were going through very painful circumstances. I wanted Henry's doctor to discover a cure, I wanted them to be happy. It's not that often that a book can make my heart pound with sympathy and anguish, and this one did.

For that, I'm giving it five stars. There were one or two small things that were left dangling that I really want to know more about. On a certain night in question, I really wanted to hear the perspective from Mark and Philip, Clare's brother and father. And, at one point, Henry states that he now understands what Clare's childhood friend Helen said to him at his wedding. But we never get to hear what she said (unless I missed it somehow). Small things, really, in an otherwise outstanding debut novel. I will definitely be reading more by Audrey Niffenegger in the future!

Other reviews of the Time Traveler's Wife can be found at:

Dog Ear Diary

Books, Memes and Musings

Confessions of a Bibliophile

SmallWorld Reads

If you have reviewed this book, and would like to have it listed here, just let me know!

Friday Fill-In - July 4

2008-07-05T16:14:00.003-05:00

I'm a day late on this one. Oops!

1. Holidays in the summer are fun to celebrate with BBQ chicken, watermelon, and berries and cream.

2. Pineapple slices and sweet potatoes are my favorite things to grill.

3. My thoughts are always whirling around in my head.

4. Fourth of July picnics is what I'm most looking forward to this weekend!

5. My favorite book so far this summer is The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (still reading).

6. A shower is the best way to begin a day.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to going to a BBQ, tomorrow my plans include meeting up with a new friend in my new town at a really fun coffee shop and Sunday, I want to get some of our artwork up on the wall in our new townhouse!

To all the Americans, Happy 4th of July weekend!

Booking Through Thursday

2008-07-03T13:12:00.002-05:00

It’s a holiday weekend here in the U.S., so let’s keep today’s question simple–What are you reading? Anything special? Any particularly juicy summer reading?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

I am about halfway through The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I absolutely love it. It is one of those books that, if I didn't have a baby daughter, I would stay up all night or day reading until I finish it. My parents bought it for me for Christmas 1 1/2 ago; I'm not sure why I waited so long to pick it up!

Themed Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

2008-06-30T13:41:00.001-05:00

My theme for Wendy's Challenge was to read books that feature strong, quirky female heroines. I barely finished this one, in the end counting both the first and second book in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency for this challenge. The latest in Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series was my final selection, but I haven't got around to buying the book yet! Thanks for hosting a great challenge, Wendy!

Books Read:

1. Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich (finished 16 February 2008)
2. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith (finished 4 May 2008)
3. K is for Killer by Sue Grafton (finished 15 January 2008)

4. Tears of the Giraffe - Alexander McCall Smith (finished 17 June 2008)

Favorite: The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, what a great introduction to a wonderful series!

Least Favorite: Lean Mean Thirteen, the storylines are starting to get too formulaic and repetitive for me.

Authors new to me: Alexander McCall Smith

Have we read the same books?

2008-06-29T14:19:00.002-05:00

Have I reviewed a book that you have read? If so, leave a comment at any time with a link to your review, and I'll add it to my reviews!

Sunday Salon - Catching Up

2008-06-29T13:25:00.004-05:00

Whew, it has been one long month. We moved into our new townhouse on June 21, travelling from Baltimore, Maryland to North Brunswick, New Jersey with two cars, one Uhaul, my husband and brother-in-law, one cat that gets motion-sickness and was so stressed she threw up before we left, and Baby Maya, who slept the whole way (literally, she fell asleep almost as soon as I turned on the car, and woke up 3 hours later when I parked in front of our new home).

We are slowly unpacking, and everyone is adjusting well to the new home. Isabel, our cat (pictured on the home page of this blog) loves having stairs to run up and down, and a huge bay window to sit and look out from. Maya loves the additional floor space where she can practice her newly developed crawling skills. My husband and I are just happy to know that we will be staying put for at least three years while he finishes his surgery residency. Pictures will be up soon. Through the whole thing, reading has been my lifeline to staying sane. I finished up The Blessing of A Skinned Knee by Wendy Mogel (review forthcoming), Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith, The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany, and am just now starting The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

I logged on to Google Reader to find 1,000+ posts waiting for me! Egads! I also realized it was hour 18 of Dewey's 24 hour Read-a-thon, so I must give a big hoorah to all the participants!!! The first read-a-thon I was 9 months pregnant so opted to be a cheerleader instead of a participant. This time around was really bad timing and I didn't even attempt to participate. If there is a third, I definitely plan on being a reader, finally!

I promise next week's Salon will be a bit more bookish, as I become more settled in!

One Word Meme

2008-06-29T06:22:00.004-05:00

I have so many things I should be doing right now, but this looked fun when I saw it over at Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All you have to do is answer each question with one word, and tag four people. I'm opting out of the tagging part; if you'd like to play consider yourself tagged!

1.Where is your cell phone? Kitchen

2. Your significant other? Wonderful.
3. Your hair? Brown
4. Your mother? Happy.
5. Your father? Beach.
6. Your favorite thing? Books
7. Your dream last night? Popsicles.
8 Your favorite drink? Tea
9. Your dream/goal? Travel.
10. The room you’re in? Office
11. Your hobby? Many.
12. Your fear? Bees.
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Carolina
14. What you’re not? Purple
15. Muffins? Apple
16. One of your wish list items? Molok'ai
17. Where you grew up? Pennsylvania
18. The last thing you did? Sleep
19. What are you wearing? Pajamas
20. Favorite gadget? Camera
21. Your pets? Crazy
22. Your computer? Mac
23. Your mood? Sleepy
24. Missing someone? No
25. Your car? Red
26. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes
27. Favorite store? Amazon
28. Like someone? Many.
29. Your favorite color? Purple
30. When is the last time you laughed? Yesterday
31. Last time you cried? June

Book Awards Challenge Wrap-Up

2008-06-28T18:07:00.003-05:00

I can't believe a year has passed since I started this challenge! 3M's Book Awards challenge started in June 2007, and I have definitely read some wonderful book in fulfilling this one. The goal was to read 12 books that have won an award; I read 13 books that would fit into this challenge. In all, I read books that won the Man Booker Prize, Pulitzer, Neustadt, Newbery, Pen/Faulkner, Pura Belpre, National Jewish Book Award, Hugo, Printz, and Nobel.

1. The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch (1978 Booker) finished 20 May 2008
2. March - Geraldine Brooks (2006 Pulitzer) finished 24 January 2008
3. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee (1961 Pulitzer) finished 13 August 2007
4. Links - Nuruddin Farah (1998 Neustadt) - finished 9 January 2008
5. The Giver - Lois Lowry (1994 Newbery) - finished 24 October 2007
6. The Hours - Michael Cunningham (1999 PEN/Faulkner; Pulitzer) - finished 19 September 2007
7. The Optimist's Daughter - Eudora Welty (1973 Pulitzer) - finished 15 July 2007
8. Esperanza Rising - Pam Munoz Ryan (2002 Pura Belpre) - finished 9 December 2007
9. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke (2005 Hugo) - finished 17 October 2007
10. Sarah, Plain and Tall - Patricia MacLachlan (1986 Newbery) - finished 28 January 2008
11. The Road - Cormac McCarthy (2007 Pulitzer) finished 4 February 2008

12. The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison (1993 Nobel) finished 12 February 2008

13. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (2007 Printz; 2006 National Jewish Book Award) finished 25 February 2008

The best book: That's really, really hard. If I had to name one, it would probably be The Book Thief. But I liked them all.

What book could I have done without: None. They were all good!

New authors: Most of the authors I read were new, it's easier to list the ones I am already familiar with: Toni Morrison and Lois Lowry.

Thank you Michelle, for hosting this challenge! I definitely plan on participating in the new round starting soon!

The Yacoubian Building - Alaa Al Aswany

2008-06-28T14:16:00.005-05:00

Title: The Yacoubian Building (Imarat Ya'qubyan in Arabic)

Author: Alaa Al Aswany (translated by Humphrey Davies)

Year: 2002

Country: Egypt

Pages: 253

Rating: 5 out of 5

First sentence: The distance between Baehler Passage, where Zaki Bey el Dessouki lives, and his office in the Yacoubian building is not more than a hundred meters, but it takes him an hour to cover it each morning as he is obliged to greet his friends on the street.

In The Yacoubian Building, a look at the residents of the title's namesake reveals the overlapping layers of Egyptian culture and politics. They represent the multiple facets of modern Egyptian society: the old, the new, and everything in between.

Zaki Bey el Dessouki, one of the Yacoubian building's longest-residing tenants, is the son of a former prime minister, and was one of Egypt's wealthiest men before the Revolution.

Busayna tried pushing him gently so they could cross the street, but he went on, "You know,Busayna, I feel as though I owned the Yacoubian Building. I'm the longest resident in it. I know the history of every individual and every square meter in the building. I've spent most of my life in it. I lived my best days in it and I feel as though it's a part of me. The day this building's demolished or something happens to it, that'll be the day I die." (p. 165)

Hatim Rasheed is the homosexual son of aristocrats, whose mother is French. Hagg Azzam is nouveau rich, a self-made millionaire who started out as an immigrant shoe shiner on the streets of Cairo. Taha el Shazli, the doorkeeper's son, is an observant Muslim who is lured to fundamentalism after his dream of becoming a police officer is denied to him due to his family's poverty and low social status. Busayna, Taha's childhood sweetheart, also resides on the rooftop of the Yacoubian building and is subject to overwhelming sexual harrassment as she struggles as the sole income-earner for her mother and siblings.

The sheer number of main characters followed throughout the story can at times be hard to follow, but is well worth the frequent reference to the "Cast of Characters" given at the beginning of the novel. The story paints a vivid and insightful portrait of Egyptian society for the reader, and sets a high standard (along with Naguib Mahfouz) for some of the other Egyptian literature I have on my TBR pile.

About the real Yacoubian building: The Yacoubian building does exist at the address given in the novel. A six-story building, it was built by Nishan Yacoubian, an Armenian, in the 1930's.

Also reviewed by:

Musings

Lotus Reads

Bookgirl's Nightstand

Baby Signs - Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn

2008-06-18T17:44:00.005-05:00

Title: Baby Signs: How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk

Author: Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn

Year: 2002

Country: USA

Pages: 194

Rating: 4 out of 5

First sentence: Carlotta was sound asleep when her inner "mommy alarm" went off.

I knew that I was going to introduce sign language to Maya when she was a baby. Since I took four semesters of American Sign Language (ASL) in college I have some background in the language, and luckily even have my ASL dictionaries still on hand. What I didn't know was what age to start, which signs are good to introduce, and when to expect Maya to start signing back.

Authors Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn claim that signing with your baby helps them to communicate what they need, feel, and think at a much earlier age than if you rely solely on the development of verbal language. Although Maya is still too young to start signing, I happen to wholeheartedly agree with their assertions, knowing many parents who have successfully signed with their babies.

Baby Signs is not strictly ASL; the method incorporates "baby friendly" signs from ASL combined with signs that have been created by babies, parents, and the authors. Although we will be using only ASL signs with Maya since that is what I know, and I do believe that most ASL signs can be "babyfied" (in the same way that a parent knows "too-bus" to mean toothbrush). It is still a wonderful starting point for parents who want to try signing with their baby. Even if you're not planning on signing, there is a wonderful chapter of rhymes (with signs to accompany them) that would be a great addition to a parent's song and nursery rhyme repetoire!

Moving house!

2008-06-17T15:58:00.004-05:00

We're moving house!

You have probably already noticed that I have been very bad about visiting my bloggy friends over the last few weeks. I hope to catch up with everyone the beginning of July, after we are settled into our new home. We're (finally!) moving everything this weekend, so while I still have a few reviews scheduled to post over the coming two weeks, things will probably be a bit quiet here. See y'all soon!

Tears of the Giraffe - Alexander McCall Smith

2008-06-17T15:34:00.005-05:00

Title: Tears of the Giraffe

Author: Alexander McCall Smith

Country: British Lit

Year: 2000

Pages: 227

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tears of the Giraffe, the second book in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, is a fine following to the first in the series. Not a typical mystery series, there is no complex, intertwining mystery that needs to be solved. Instead, a few small cases are interspersed around a focus on Mma Ramotswe's relationship with Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, their upcoming marriage, and the impromptu adoption of two orphans. I whip through books in this series, and they are a wonderful, enjoyable escape from the drudgery of packing up a house!

One of the most beautiful quotes from the book is where the book draws its title from:

It was a traditional Botswana basket, with a design worked into the weaving.
"These little marks here are tears," she said. "The giraffe gives its tears to the women and they weave them into the basket."..."You are very kind, Mma", she said. "But why did the giraffe give its tears?"
Mma Ramotswe shrugged; she had never thought about it. "I suppose that it means that we can all give something," she said. A giraffe has nothing else to give--only tears." (p.226)

The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide - Melissa Stanton

2008-06-11T07:31:00.007-05:00

Title: The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide: Field tested strategies for staying smart, sane, and connected while caring for your kids

Author: Melissa Stanton

Year: 2008

Country: USA

Pages: 385

Rating: 5 out of 5

Author's website can be found here.

First sentence: Surely, for some women, being a Stay-at-Home mother is an entirely magnificent, totally blissful, always fulfilling, happily-ever-after dream come true.

When I first became pregnant, there was no question in my mind about becoming a stay-at-home mom. I had just finished a four-month stint of physical therapy after a car accident, during which time I had lost my full-time job at a refugee resettlement organization. I was doing some freelance grantwriting work, and thought I might pick that up again after Maya was born, but knew that I wanted to focus on my daughter for the time being. Since my husband works 80 hours a week as a surgical resident, and a qualified position in my field often involves 50-60 hours, I was afraid if I didn't stay-at-home, our daughter would never see either of her parents. When an amazing job offer came along when I was six months pregnant, I did consider it, until I researched child care costs, which would have taken 80-90% of my income (unfortunately, we don't have a retired grandparent nearby and said job required a fair bit of international travel).

After Maya was born, six months ago, my world instantly became one of dirty nappies, marathon nursing sessions, and hours of pacing our apartment trying to soothe a colicky baby. For the first two months, I was too tired to even think about what my daily life involved. When I emerged from the fog--and Maya left the colicky traits behind--back in January, I slowly began to realize just how draining the day-to-day life of raising a child can be. I jumped at the chance to review The Stay-at-home Survival Guide, both for the comfort in knowing that I am not alone, and to glean some advice on how to deal with the occasional mind-numbing boredom and isolation that can be a part of staying at home.

I love my daughter. I wouldn't change my decision to stay home with her for any reason. But every time I get the urge to punch someone for saying "You don't know how lucky you are to be able to stay home", I think I'll pick up this book instead. (Off to play peek-a-boo, go on a walk, put Maya down for a nap).

Melissa Stanton's The Stay-at-Home Survival Guide: Field-tested strategies for staying smart, sane, an connected while staying for your kids, is definitely what it claims to be. One of the best tidbits of advice is found in the preface:

If there's one thing I hope women will learn from this book, it's that it is okay to sometimes not love being a Stay-at-home mom. Women often fear that admitting as much as tantamount to sayin gto the world and themselves that we regret not being part of the paid workforce...Few people love their job every minute of the day. The same goes for the job of being a Stay-at-Home mom. (p.7)

As soon as I read that I knew this book was for me. I could identify with almost everything she talked about. The Guide is reassuring for days when I pass Maya off as soon as my husband walks through the door, and run the other direction--usually into the shower.

The Guide, as Stanton refers to the book, covers a host of useful topics: how to come to terms with your new identity when asked with the all-pervasive "What do you do?" question, balancing raising more than one children, especially when a child has special needs, how to fight the feelings of financial dependence on your spouse, making time for yourself, and your love life, and tips on finding meaningful activities to do away from your kids, and transitioning back to a career.

The advice is great, but what I love the most about The Guide is the real-life anecdotes, both from the author and all the SAHM mom's she surveyed while writing the book. I could really relate to her acknowledgment that the reason there are ten half-completed tasks scattered throughout the house is because "you have spent the day performing dozens of tiny, uninspiring, seemingly meaningless tasks and chores and errands, each of which took a little bit of time, but when added together, consumed the entire day." (p.229) That passage was underlined, highlighted, and left in plain view for my hubby. He also was requested to read the following passage in the chapter 'Sex and the Stressed-Out Stay-at-Home Mom':

...instead of pouncing on her when she collapses exhausted into bed, make and take her on a real date. (p.206)

Her experience on being introduced to others as "Brian's wife" instead of "magazine editor"at parties really hit home. I struggled with my husband's social functions before Maya was born. When I used to respond to the "What do you do?" with "grantwriter for a refugee resettlement agency", the person I was talking to (usually a doctor) glazed over as soon as they realized I was not in the medical profession. Now that I answer that I am a SAHM, the conversation almost always stops there, while I want to scream "there is more to me than that! I AM interesting!!" For it seems, when the placenta was discarded, so was my backbone.

The Guide is a wonderful resource for stay-at-home moms, and it will definitely be added to my list of book recommendations I give to pregnant friends. The topics are well-organized, made for the mom that only has snippets of reading time. You can read it in the bathroom, while pushing a stroller, waiting at the bank/pharmacy/etc. drive-thru window. And the next time I meet a "life is perfect, I'm blissfully happy" SAHM, I won't feel overburdened by guilt for thinking I'm a terrible mother.

This review is part of a MotherTalk blog tour.

Sunday Salon - June 8

2008-06-08T13:45:00.006-05:00

This weekend has been very busy, but I have still managed to get quite a lot of reading done. I seem to be in the midst of a lot of parenting books at the moment. I recently finished Baby Signs by Linda Acredolo (review forthcoming), and I am currently reading The Blessing of A Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children, by Wendy Mogel, for the Mother's Circle I belong to. Up next is the The Stay-at-home Survival Guide by Melissa Stanton, which I am reading as part of a Mothertalk blog tour.

As Maya gets a bit older, her personality is really starting to come through. And this is one child who never stops going! Take, for example, Maya's behaviour at a baby shower we went to yesterday. There was another baby there only three weeks older than Maya. These two babies couldn't be any more different from each other! While Maya had to be on the floor demonstrating her ability to sit and her attempts at crawling, the other baby was content sitting in her mom's lap attentively but quietly watching what was going on. Maya reveled in being handed from person to person, complete strangers she had never met before, while the other baby stayed with her mom. At one point, when the two babies were sitting next to each other, Maya started reaching over and scratching the other baby. I was really dismayed, and felt a bit humiliated that I didn't catch what she was doing right away, until I figured out what her intention was...she was trying to reach the other baby's face, and when I held her arms and leaned over she planted a big drooly kiss on the other baby's forehead! I definitely don't have a mellow baby.

If Maya's current personality is anything to go by, she is going to be very sociable and outgoing, the kind of kid that runs over and knocks other kids over with a big bear hug, and I will be reading Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka to figure out how to best nurture this wonderful, challenging, energetic, exhausting, active child I have been blessed with. Come to think of it, I may be reading it sooner rather than later, since my darling cherub is already pulling herself up to a standing position in the crib. Oy vey!

Giveaway Winner!

2008-06-06T18:20:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Random.org, we have a winner!

Congrats to Corinne of The Book Nest!

And thanks to everyone who stopped by! I wish I could give a copy to all of you.

BTT and Friday Fill-In - June 6

2008-06-06T14:54:00.002-05:00

Have your book-tastes changed over the years? More fiction? Less? Books that are darker and more serious? Lighter and more frivolous? Challenging? Easy? How-to books over novels? Mysteries over Romance?

My book tastes not only change over the years, they change depending on my daily mood! I tend to read the same amount of non-fiction and fiction. In the non-fiction corner, my tastes have changed a little bit. I used to read a lot more dense books about international relations, current events, etc. While I still read some of these, I have started to read more memoirs (often with an international or non-American focus), and books about different world religions. Parenting books populate my TBR list, whereas 10 years ago it was psychology books. I also have started reading more books about writers, artists, and historical figures or time periods.

In regards to fiction, I am definitely reading more books in translation than I used to, and branching out from my preference for Western, Indian, Japanese and South American literature. I am discovering some wonderful authors from the Middle East and Africa, which motivate me to seek out more authors from these geographical areas. I am starting to read mysteries again as my form of light reading, but my choice of authors has changed. Ten+ years ago it was Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Although I still enjoy King, I am finding pleasure in Agatha Christie, Sue Grafton, Boris Akunin, and Alexander McCall Smith. I never read a strictly 'romance' novel.

1. Idle hands are taking a much-deserved break.

2. I love to wash my hair in the shower.
3. My favorite time of the day is when Maya wakes up, rolls over, and smiles at me.
4. The last tea I drank was freshly made Rooibos Blood Orange iced tea with cloves and cinnamon. I just made a jug today in an effort to finish up some of my loose teas before we move!
5. I like to drink cold drinks in the Summer: homemade iced tea and lemonade, or chilled white wine.
6. My mother always said don't take the Lord's name in vain.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to having a nice dinner, tomorrow my plans include going to a friend's baby shower and Sunday, I want to read!

M is for Malice - Sue Grafton & Series Challenge Wrap-Up

2008-06-04T14:09:00.002-05:00

Well, I failed miserably with Kathrin's Series Challenge. I was hoping to get caught up with Grafton's Alphabet Series. At the beginning of the challenge, I was up to K. I just finished M is for Malice, so I didn't make it very far! But, I'm giving myself a second chance, and will be participating in Kathrin's follow-up challenge.

I did catch up on Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, but seeing as I only had to read one book to be caught up, I didn't count it.

My original post can be found here.

Title: M is for Malice

Author: Sue Grafton

Country: USA

Year: 1996

Pages: 352 pages

I honestly don't have too much to say about this one. I read it a few weeks ago, and it is already a bit dim in my memory, which is why I'm not giving it a rating (plus, I typically don't review series books, but these are part of a challenge). As always, I enjoyed the escape into Kinsey's world!

Cheri and The Last of Cheri - Colette

2008-06-03T15:50:00.003-05:00

Title: Chéri and The Last of Chéri

Author: Colette

Country: France

Year: 1920 and 1926

Pages: 247

Rating: 5 out of 5

First sentence (Chéri): Give it me, Léa, give me your pearl necklace!

First sentence (The Last of Chéri): Chéri closed the iron gate of the little garden behind him and sniffed the night air: 'Ah! it's nice out here!'

For a more detailed analysis of the first novella, check out my Sunday Salon post.

The Last of Chéri picks up five years after the end of Chéri. In between, World War I has happened. Chéri seems to be one of the fortunate; he returns home not only alive, but unscathed (at least physically). His wife is fulfilling her patriotic duty working as a nurse at a Parisian verteran's hospital, and financially, he could want for nothing. Yet, while Chéri was sensual, The Last of Chéri is a chilling masterpiece. Unlike the first, this time around we only see the world from Chéri's narcissistic perspective. After visiting a much-aged Léa, he delves into a semi-manic depression, spurred on by his demands on another aged courtesan to recount Léa's younger life.

In all, this has been a great pair of novels to read. I also heard that a film version will be coming out in 2009, with Michelle Pfeiffer in the role of Léa, and Kathy Bates as Madame Peloux (Chéri's mother). I have a feeling it's not going to be in French, but I'm interested to see what they do with it.

Chéri never forgot their nocturnal journey home, the sadness of the lingering crimson in the west, the smell of the grasses, the feathery moths held prisoner in the beam of the headlamps. (p.167)

She put back the receiver, showing nothing but the curve of her back. As she moved away, she inhaled and exhaled puffs of blue smoke, and vanished in the midst of her cloud like a magician whose task is accomplished. (p. 181)

Sunday Salon - June 1; Cheri by Colette

2008-06-01T09:07:00.001-05:00

I recently started reading the combined story Chéri and The Last of Chéri by Colette. It did not take very long to finish the first novella, Chéri. Colette writes in exemplary prose, and I regret that it has taken me this long to read one of her books.

In Chéri, we meet Léa, a middle-aged courtesan whose lover for the last six years is Chéri, the twenty-five year old son of one of her contemporaries. Chéri is childish, spoiled, and petulant. They live in pre-World War I Paris, a time and place when the arts flourished alongside pleasures of the flesh. Both characters have an eye for the finer things in life: June strawberries with rich cream, dry champagne, a gold rose-embroidered cloak, antique furniture upholstered in modern silks. The vivid observations of both characters highlight Colette's own keen eye. The divine Colette was a sensualist, and her attention and devotion to the details of love and life make her scenes tantalizing but not tawdry.

Léa and Chéri separate after Chéri is arranged to marry Edmée, a young, innocent girl with a large inheritance. Both have constructed such a large defense around their heart, that neither at first recognizes the love that they feel for each other.

The book has a fabulous setting in the demi-monde of Parisian society, which has brought it a fair amount of controversy, and I'm really looking forward to delving in to The Last of Chéri to see where the two lovers go from here.

A few of my favorite passages:

The hand of the sleeper relaxed and the tapering fingers, tipped with cruel nails, drooped like wilting flowers: a hand not strictly feminine, yet a trifle prettier than one could have wished; a hand she had kissed a hundred times--not in slavish devotion--but kissed for the pleasure of it, for its scent. (p.28)

She sank into a chair and fanned herself. A sphinx-moth and a number of long-legged mosquitoes hovered round the lamps; scents of the countryside drifted in from the garden, now that night had fallen. A sudden waft from an acacia burst in upon them, so distinct, so active, that they both turned round, half expecting to see it advancing toward them. (p.36)

At a loss for an answer, he stood uncertain for a moment, shifting from one slender foot to the other, poised with winged grace like a young Mercury. (p.41)

A liaison of six years is like following your husband out to the colonies: when you get back again nobody recognizes you and you've forgotten how to dress. (p.112)

You might not be able to tell from my recent reading selections, but I love novels set or written during the late 18th and early twentieth century, particularly the time period of 1890-1920. I always seem to prefer those set in Europe, but have a few American favorites as well. A few I've read include The Awakening by Kate Chopin, O Pioneers by Willa Cather, Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and To the Lighthouse and Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (those with links go to my review).

As always, there are more books set or written in this time period on my TBR list than I have actually read: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield, Three Lives by Gertrude Stein, A Room With a View by E.M. Forster, In Search of Lost Time by Proust, The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, and the Growth trilogy by Booth Tarkington. Of course, further reading recommendations are always welcome!

The No-Cry Sleep Solution - Elizabeth Pantley

2008-05-30T16:34:00.003-05:00

Title: The No-Cry Sleep Solution

Author: Elizabeth Pantley

Year: 2002

Country: USA

Pages: 276

Rating: 3.45 out of 5

As the title implies, Elizabeth Pantley's book introduces a method of helping your baby get to sleep, and stay asleep, without CIO (crying it out). I picked it up for two main reasons: Maya often didn't fall asleep until 9-10pm at night, and she would only take naps on my lap or in her baby carrier. This was our situation two months ago, when she was four months old.

I can't profess to know if her method would help stop night wakings, because for us, that is not a problem. Maya still wakes 2-3 times a night, but goes right back to sleep (usually) after a quick eating session. She's a tiny baby, so I don't want to cut out the night feeds yet, and since we co-sleep it really hasn't bothered me.

Although fairly common sense, Pantley's advice on setting up a bedtime routine was probably the most important change we made that helped Maya fall asleep. It's hard...the computer was in the same room that she sleeps, but I made a firm 'lights off, no computer' rule after 7pm. Combining this with a daily nighttime routine of bath, book, nurse, sleep...and we noticed immediate improvement. Now, Maya is almost always asleep by 8pm, and my hubby and I have a good 1-2 hours of free time at night! Furthermore, she typically wakes up for the day around 7.30am - almost 12 hours of sleep!

Our other problem is nights. I applied the book's ideas for nighttime sleep to her daytime nap with somewhat mixed results. I sort of got Maya to sleep in the crib, but not very well (this was after two weeks of using her method) Instead, I now put her down for naps in the family bed, the same place she sleeps at night. I might go back to the book after we move and start to transition Maya to sleeping in the crib at night, but I'm not too sure how effective it will be, and I may be looking for some ideas elsewhere.

It's a good place to start, especially for any parent who does not want to use a crying-it-out method. But, I'm not entirely convinced her methods work.

Friday Fill-In May 30

2008-05-30T10:29:00.002-05:00

1. For me cynicism is the opposite of creativity.

2. The Blood of Flowers was the last excellent book I read.
3. I like fill-ins because they're fun and a great source for procrastination.
4. In nature I like looking at everything!.
5. Obama should win the US elections.
6. The last time I laughed with all my belly was when Maya was making some very silly faces in reaction to my husband's antics.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching up on my blogroll, tomorrow my plans include going to the farmer's market and Sunday, I want to go to a festival!

Giveaway: The Blood of Flowers!

2008-05-29T17:39:00.005-05:00

Title: The Blood of Flowers

Author: Anita Amirrezvani

Year: 2007

Country: USA/Iranian-American

Pages: 377

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

You can find the author's website here. The book was also long-listed for the 2008 Orange Prize.

First sentence: First there wasn't and then there was.

Blood of Flowers is set in 17th century Iran, and describes the journey of a young woman and her mother from a small village to the large Persian city of Isfahan. The pair are forced to migrate to Isfahan after the death of the girl's father leaves them without a dowry for her marriage. They seek out shelter and assistance in the home of a wealthy uncle. The uncle, Gostaham, is a master rug designer and colorist for Shah Abbas. Although his wife Gordiyeh treats the mother and daughter as servants, Gostaham sees a natural rug-making talent in the young girl, and begins a personal tutelage that is usually only reserved for boys.

The fourteen-year-old girl, who is never named in the novel, is a headstrong individual who tends to make rash decisions that often lead to disastrous results. One such decision puts her in a position in which she is forced to accept a sigheh--temporary marriage--to a wealthy son of a horse trader. Throughout the story, she struggles through a personal journey on many levels: arriving in an unknown city, honing her skills as a rugmaker, but most importantly, growing into a greater maturity level while staying true to her inner spirit.

The tradition of rug-making is explored in-depth, and is a delight to read about; Amirrezvani describes this rich tradition in a beautiful, insightful prose. Folktales are interspersed throughout the narrative in a style reminiscent of Arabian Nights, paying homage to Iran's rich oral tradition. One of my favorite aspects of the book is the description of the Isfahan. All of my senses were awakened with the lush descriptions of the city's great square--The Image of the World--and the adjacent bazaar filled with thousands of vendors selling food, spices, carpets, wool, shoes, leather, in a cacophony of food, culture, and entertainment.

Historical fiction is a wide, varied genre, and has its fill of not-so-great books. Blood of Flowers is definitely one of the more original stories in this genre that I have read in a while. This story is about a girl in a male-dominated culture wishing for more independence, as well as a rich description of the arts-centered Persian culture and traditions of the 17th century. The paperback edition includes a conversation with the author, where she hints at another novel exploring Iranian history. I am eagerly looking forward to her next publication! I also greatly appreciated her recommended reading appendix. I love when books include these lists, and while I have read a few on the list, and already have a few mentioned on my TBR list, there were enough new-to-me titles named to get this book lover's heart racing.

"All our labors were in service of beauty, but sometimes it seemed as if every thread in a carpet had been dipped in the blood of flowers." (p.351)

More quotes from the novel can be found in my last Sunday Salon post here.

Blood of Flowers Giveaway

The publisher was kind enough to include an extra copy of the book along with my review copy, so I will be giving away a copy to one lucky reader! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. The drawing will remain open until Friday, June 6th, at 5pm EST. You can receive an extra entry--and double your chances of winning-by linking to this giveaway on your blog. Just leave a link in the comment section. Sorry to those outside North America, but this contest is only open to those in the United States and Canada.

Baby Maya at six months!

2008-05-27T11:43:00.007-05:00

Wow, I'm six months old!!! And just as cute as the day I was born. :)

This picture was taken the beginning of May, but I can't believe how much Maya is growing! We have started solid foods recently, and her current repetoire includes sweet potatoes, avocado, rice cereal, and banana. All homemade and organic, she's one healthy bub! We're still trying to figure out her eye color, which seems to hover somewhere between blue/grey, hazel, and brown--which pretty much covers just about all the options. :)

In the writing world, Rachel Carson was born on May 27, 1907 in Springdale, Pennsylvania. I have long admired her work, particularly Silent Spring, a book that was both groundbreaking and ahead of her time. First published in 1962 as a serial in the New Yorker, it helped to launch the environmental movement, educating the general population on the dangers of pesticide use, specifically DDT. More than 40 years later, her work maintains its relevancy, as well as both its critics and supporters.

- this info courtesy of 'Maryland Morning' on NPR Radio, which I heard on today's broadcast.

Sunday Salon - May 25

2008-05-25T12:13:00.004-05:00

I was hoping that today would be a relaxing day, with a break away from packing. And, with how the day has started, it is certainly looking optimistic! Maya woke me up today at 8.00am. I couldn't believe it! I feel lucky that she sleeps until 7.30, but this was a real treat.

We got up, and I had one of my favorite breakfasts at this time of year when the days are warm but the mornings cool: oatmeal with strawberries and cream. The strawberries are delicious, pesticide free, and from a local farmer that really produces some sweet, delicious, beautiful strawberries (his asparagus is really good, too). The cream (actually, milk) is from Trickling Springs Dairy, comes in glass bottles, made from cows that are free-range and grass-fed and not given hormones or antibiotics. To top it off I had a cup of Eastern Shore Tea Company's Victorian Rose tea, in the little ribboned bags the company is known for. With the exception of the oatmeal, all the food came from a 50-mile radius of my home (well, the tea was probably imported, but the company is local).

And now, on to the reading. I have been taking a break from going through all of our boxes in storage, and focused on reading the last few days. I finished L is for Lawless by Sue Grafton, and am right in the middle of The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani. If I didn't have a six-month old baby (yes - she will be 6 months old tomorrow!!), I probably would have lounged around all day yesterday finishing this wonderful book.

The Blood of Flowers largely takes place in a city I know little to nothing about, Isfahan in Iran. The descriptions of 17th century life in the city are exquisite, and have spurred a bit of research on this time period in Persian history. I have also added another destination I would love to visit. The massive square at the center of the city, Naqsh-e Jahan Square, is still intact and is a UNESCO world heritage site.

"As we walked into the square, I noticed that most of the buildings were tiled in the purest colors of sun and sky. The dome of the Friday mosque looked all turquoise from afar, but up closer I could see it was enlivened with swirling vines in yellow and white. Garlands of white turquoise blossomed on the dome of the Shah's lemon-colored mosque. The arched gateways to the mosques sprouted a profusion of tiled white flowers that looked like stars sparkling in the blue of twilight. Every surface of every building glittered with ornament. It was as if a master goldsmith had selected the most flawless turquoise, the rarest of blue sapphires, the brightest yellow topaz, and the purest of diamonds, and arranged them into an infinity of shimmering patterns that radiated color and light." (p. 35)

On the south side of the square sits the Shah mosque, and on the eastern side is the Isfahan Grand Bazaar. The bazaar is one of the oldest and largest in the Middle East, and sounds so irresistible:

There were thousands of shops in the bazaar to answer every desire, whether for carpets, gold jewelry, silk and cotton cloth, embroidery, shoes, perfume, trappings for horses, leather goods, books, or paper, and on normal days, all kinds of foodstuffs. (p.55)

Pair this with the detailed description of persian carpet making, from creating a design, knotting the rug together, and negotiating a final price, and you could almost list this book under the Middle East travel section! I have always been disappointed that my opportunity to visit parts of the Middle East was thwarted (my study abroad program in college, Semester at Sea, had included parts of the Middle East in the itinerary until the 2000 Cole bombing caused the Suez Canal to close while we were in India, and our passage was blocked). This book is certainly renewing my desire to head over there.

I have many friends from Iran, and Persian culture has always fascinated me. Therefore, I might have more exuberance than most over this novel, but unless the ending is thoroughly disappointing, I have a feeling I will be recommending this one to many of my friends! And, the publisher was kind enough to include an extra copy along with my review copy to giveaway on my blog, so if you think you would enjoy this book, keep an eye out for that giveaway. I will be putting my review and the giveaway up on my blog by the end of the week.

This is a longer Salon post than I usually write, but I will still end it with a few of the books I have added to my TBR list this week.

Book coveting around the blogisphere:

Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, reviewed by Callista at SMS Book Reviews
Ending Slavery: How we Free Today's Slaves by Kevin Bales, mentioned by Eva at A Striped Armchair
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford, reviewed at Lotus Reads
The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton, reviewed by alisonwonderland at So Many Books, So Little Time

Friday Fill-In - May 23

2008-05-22T18:57:00.000-05:00

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

2008-05-22T18:24:00.004-05:00

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

2008-05-22T18:16:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-20T17:49:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-18T16:42:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-16T01:09:00.001-05:00

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

2008-05-14T19:24:00.006-05:00

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

2008-05-13T19:49:00.005-05:00

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!

2008-05-13T08:37:00.004-05:00

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

2008-05-07T19:40:00.000-05:00

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.

A Winner!

2008-05-06T04:57:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Madeleine, who won a copy of Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I love the randomness of random.org in choosing prize winners!

I am on my way back to Baltimore today from house-hunting in New Jersey. After a stop over in Philadelphia to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit, we'll be heading home, and hopefully I'll have more reviews up soon (as well as posting my own challenge list for the Neustadt Challenge). I have a terrible back log of reviews to write, including Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See and The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.

Oh, and yes we did find a home! We decided to rent again for the time being, but found a cute 2 bedroom townhouse in a nice area. After looking at quite a few dumps, we came across this gem. Now, the packing begins. :)

Thanks to Maggie for the great challenge button!

The Neustadt Challenge

2008-05-01T14:44:00.000-05:00

**This is a sticky post**

(scroll down for most recent posts)

Up for a Challenge??

After much thought, I have finally decided to dive into the world of hosting challenges. Therefore, I introduce the Neustadt Challenge, which will run from May - August 2008. The Neuwhat, you say?

The Neustadt International Prize for Literature is a biennial award for a body of work by poets, novelists, or playwrights. The prize is not limited by geographic area, language, or genre, and is hosted by the University of Oklahoma and the international literary publication World Literature Today.

I only recently learned of the existence of the Neustadt Prize, after reading Links by Nuruddin Farah, the 1998 award recipient. I quickly looked up other winners, and added quite a few authors to my TBR list. Then, I thought to myself, I should share this joy with others! Hence, a challenge is born. And if anyone could help create one of those neat image buttons for the challenge, let me know!

You have two options with this challenge, which will run from May - August, 2008.

1. Read three books/plays/collection of poetry by one of the authors who have received the award.

2. Read three books by three different authors.

You can combine any or all of your books with other challenges. There will be giveaways and fun stuff for participants, because I love to give things away!

Here is the list of award winners. In the weeks leading up to the challenge start date, I will be posting information about each writer and their work. If you would like to join me, just sign up with Mr. Linky below.

2008 Patricia Grace (New Zealand) - to be awarded in Fall 2008)

2006 Claribel Alegría (Nicaragua/El Salvador)
2004 Adam Zagajewski (Poland)
2002 Alvaro Mutis (Colombia)
2000 David Malouf (Australia)
1998 Nuruddin Farah (Somalia)
1996 Assia Djebar (Algeria)
1994 Kamau Brathwaite (Barbados)
1992 João Cabral de Melo Neto (Brazil)
1990 Tomas Tranströmer (Sweden)
1988 Raja Rao (India)
1986 Max Frisch (Switzerland)
1984 Paavo Haavikko (Finland)
1982 Octavio Paz (Mexico)
1980 Josef Škvorecky (Czechoslovakia/Canada)
1978 Czeslaw Milosz (Poland)
1976 Elizabeth Bishop (USA)
1974 Francis Ponge (France)
1972 Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia)

1970 Giuseppe Ungaretti (Italy)

The Neustadt Challenge Sign-Up

Edit: Please link to your challenge post, even if it is just preliminary, so other participants can easily find it on your blog.

Neustadt Challenge starting soon!

2008-04-30T06:03:00.001-05:00

**Sticky Post***

Don't forget...the Neustadt Challenge is starting soon!

I will be giving away a copy of Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (the 1972 winner of the Neustadt Prize) for all participants who post a challenge list on their blog by May 1. Just leave a comment on this post to let me know you would like to be entered! I will be holding the drawing the first week of May.

You can still join in the challenge! To find out more about the Neustadt challenge and to sign up, just head over to my original post.

Sorry that I don't have a neat little button for the challenge, I haven't quite mastered that skill yet.

My Friend Jamal - Anna McQuinn

2008-04-29T15:15:00.003-05:00

Title: My Friend Jamal

Author: Anna McQuinn (artwork by Ben Frey)

Year: 2008

Rating: 5 out of 5

This book is about a friendship that transcends cultural differences. The narrator, Joseph, introduces us to the friendship he has with Jamal, who was born in the same hospital as Joseph, but whose family is from Somalia. Both boys enjoy the same activities: basketball, playing superheroes, and talking too each other too much at school. With simple prose from the perspective of a young and innocent mind, we learn about the bond between two boys despite the difference in their lives.

At Jamal's we get to eat sitting on the floor. It's like a picnic every day!

My favorite thing to eat at Jamal's house is Sabayad, which is a kind of pancake.

When we have pasta, Jamal's mom puts a banana in it-which sounds weird but tastes awesome.

I asked my mom if we could have banana in our pasta at home. She says she'll think about it.

I love this picture book! It is an ideal story for discussing cross-cultural friendships with pre-readers and young readers. Joseph tells about the two families in a straight forward way free of bias and ethnocentricity. Anna McQuinn covers a lot of topics in this little book: tolerance of different religions, refugees and civil war, English as a Second language, and differences within a culture and religion -

I met one of Jamal's aunts at the party. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt.

I thought if you were Somali you had to wear Somali clothes, but she said you can still be a Somali in jeans!

His aunt didn't wear a headscarf like Jamal's mom. I asked her why not and she said she only wears it when she prays.

I asked her lots of questions.

Although at first glance the illustrations and photographs didn't appeal to me, as soon as I read the story I saw how well they tie together. The illustrations, a combination of photography and art, are bright and bold, and complement the narrative.

Despite the serious undertones in the story, it consistently remains light-hearted and age-appropriate. It is refreshing to see a children's book addressing the topic of cultural diversity in such a non-judgmental way. Many adults would benefit from reading this book too!

That Baby CD/DVD

2008-04-29T12:15:00.005-05:00

Description: "That Baby DVD and That Baby CD are unique baby gifts unlike anything you’ve ever seen or heard. We’ve taken great songs—songs that you may have sung at camp or put on a mix tape when you were a kid—and reworked them with fantastic new acoustic and vocal arrangements. Enjoy kid-friendly covers of songs written by artists like Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant, The Beatles, The Pretenders, and more. We’re a parent-run company that knows the value of great children’s products and your need to buy with confidence. Our products are manufactured in the US using recycled materials. We offer a “no questions asked” money-back guarantee and free replacement of scratched or damaged discs. (We have kids too. We know how it is.)"

I have never been a fan of the music and videos marketed for children. Baby Einstein and Barney both make me cringe. We have not purchased any of the CD's designed specifically for babies, preferring to pop in our large collection of classical CD's and world music. Rather than 'Rock-a-bye-baby", Maya enjoys listening to Edith Piaf, Bruce Springsteen, Ella Fitzgerald, and classical Persian tunes. Which is exactly what attracted me to the 'That Baby' CD and DVD when a review offer came up through MotherTalk - a Baby/Kid's CD with the subtitle, 'Acoustic Rock classics for kids and the grownups who love them' sounds like my cup of tea. With cover songs of artists such as Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, and 10,000 Maniacs, it's hard to go wrong.

When the CD and DVD arrived, my original plans were to enjoy the CD together with Maya, but watch the video separately. Maya has not watched any TV in her short little life, and I was hesitant to plop her down in front of the TV to watch the DVD. Studies showing the detrimental effect TV-watching has on development screamed in my ear. Then one day we had a particularly hectic week. I was trying to start planning for our re-location to New Jersey (including buying our first home!), I hadn't had a shower in more than two days, and I was starving. Sensing my stress, Maya was particularly fussy. When my gaze landed on the That Baby DVD, I caved. With Maya snuggled into her swing, I turned it on, and went to prepare lunch for myself. Fifteen minutes later, she was enthralled...and so was I.

The DVD pulls you right in with the beautiful 'Happiness Runs/Circle Games' - a tune which is now permanently stuck in my head. The graphics are beautiful, with a colorful butterfly gliding into a forest of trees. But our favorite DVD track is the lip-synching kids that sing along to the song 'Brass in Pocket'. Maya loves watching the antics of other kids, and I find them a delight to watch as well. For the first few years, it will only be pulled out on the rare occasion, but as she grows into her pre-school years, I'm hoping this will hopefully still be a family favorite.

The creators of That Baby also have a few Jewish-themed DVD's out, that I have seen at the shop in my local Jewish Community Center, called OyBaby.

For more information or to purchase the CD and/or DVD, you can check out the That Baby website. If you enter the coupon code "MotherTalk" when purchasing you can save 20% on your entire order!

From now until May 18th, all orders using the coupon code "MotherTalk" will be entered in a drawing to win a new iPod nano!

This review is part of the MotherTalk blog tour.

Sunday Salon - April 27

2008-04-27T08:38:00.004-05:00

I recently picked up The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans. I have had a copy of this book for a long time, so this year I added it to the Chunkster Challenge, TBR Challenge, and What's in a Name challenge lists in an effort to read it. I made it to page 13, and then put it back down. I probably won't be picking it back up. Sometimes, I can tell right away when a book does not fit my reading tastes, and this one seems to fall into that category.

As much as I probably would not like it if I continued reading, a little paragraph on the copyright page caught my eye. It is a note I have seen a multitude of times, but never really gave it thought until now (probably because I was more interested in reading the story than the copyright page!).

'If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this "stripped book".

After doing a bit of internet research, I found this method of dealing with unsold books even has a name: book pulping. Unsold books, often mass market paperbacks, are often returned to the publisher, and are frequently destroyed and recycled into products like cardboard boxes.

What a shame! As a book lover, I am always saddened to hear of books being destroyed, whether through censorship or just because they didn't get sold. I understand publishing houses are a business, as are bookstores. But, if you're going to destroy a book anyway, why not donate it? Libraries, homeless and women's shelters, adult literacy and ESL programs, prisons - I'm sure any of these would be more than happy to accept these kinds of donations, even with a front cover torn off to prevent re-sale. Now, with the growing popularity of software such as Amazons' Kindle and other ways to read e-books, I wonder if publishers will start releasing e-books first to see how well they do before printing out large quantities.

Book coveting around the blogisphere:

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger, reviewed at Caribousmom for the Soup's On Challenge
One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding by Rebecca Mead, reviewed at Life by Candlelight
Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim, reviewed at Musings
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, reviewed at A Written Word

Not another challenge idea!

2008-04-25T19:40:00.002-05:00

I've created a survey to get some feedback on a challenge I'm considering hosting. What do you think?

Click Here to take survey

Friday Fill-In - April 24

2008-04-25T15:05:00.002-05:00

1. When I fell in love it was not at first sight!
2. My favorite time of year is when the flowers bloom and it heats up outside!
3. Oh no! The internet connection is down, and I have a book review I would really like to post.
4. The Baby Borrowers reality show is the craziest (ie worst) tv show ever. The concept for those who haven't heard of it: teenage couples 'borrow' babies to raise to see what it is like to be parents. It premieres on NBC in June.
5. Soft Cheese and a crusty baguette make a great meal!
6. I wish I could keep a garden alive.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to finishing Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See after Maya goes to bed, tomorrow my plans include going to a children's clothing consignment sale and Sunday, I want to have a nice meal!

Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-22T17:42:00.006-05:00

Happy Earth Day!

I took this photo recently at a local arboretum, after the rains finally cleared. It was Maya's true introduction to spring.

The Motorcycle Diaries - Ernesto "Che" Guevara

2008-04-22T11:42:00.005-05:00

Title: The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on A Latin American Journey

Author: Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Translated by Alexandra Keeble)

Country: Argentina

Year: 2003

Pages: 175

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

First sentence: This is not a story of heroic feats, or merely the narrative of a cynic; at least I do not mean it to be.

The Motorcycle Diaries introduces us to a young Che, Ernesto Geuvara, as he travels across Latin America with his good friend and fellow Argentinian Alberto Granado. Ernesto is a medical student; Alberto a biochemist; and they pose as doctors who have worked with lepers to garner free food and lodging on their trip. They come from a life of privilege, yet they lie, beg and plead, and pay for nothing on their trip.

I wanted to like this, but I didn't. It is immediately apparent that this was largely written after Che's journey, and his reflections have a tint of retrospective bias. I wanted to hear more about the places they visited and people they met, but everything seemed glossed over too quickly. I was surprised by some of his negative remarks about indigenous Indians and those of African descent. This was one of the most defining moments of Che's early life, yet his words do not showcase the transformation that was spurred by his witness of social injustices on the journey. I was ultimately disappointed by the lack of depth of this memoir. For those looking to learn more about Che, I would recommend reading the Che Guevara Reader instead of this one. This is one of the very rare instances I would also recommend watching the movie rather than reading the book.

Interesting 'fact': The ever reliable Wikipedia states that Che never intended his diary to be published.

Jewish Literature Challenge Wrap-Up

2008-04-19T15:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Passover!

I prepared this post in advance, since I will be spending all day Saturday in the kitchen cooking up our Seder meal!

Well, at least I can say I've finished one challenge this year, since I'm not doing so well on the others. The Jewish Lit challenge ran from the start of Chanukah on December 4, 2007, until the end Passover on April 26, 2008.

Books Read:

1. Living a Jewish Life: Jewish traditions, customs, and values for today's family - Anita Diamant (non-fiction) (finished 22 January 2008)
2. Moishe's Miracle: A Hanukkah Story - Laura Krauss Melmud (children's)
3. Hanukkah at Valley Forge - Stephen Krensky (children's)
4. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (fiction) (finished 25 February 2008)
5. The Castle on Hester Street - Linda Heller (children's) (finished 7 February 2008)

The best book: They were all good in their own way. If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Moishe's Miracle, although I also really loved The Book Thief.

What book could I have done without: None, I liked them all.

Any new authors: All except Anita Diamant.

Thanks, Callista for hosting this challenge!

Soup's On!

2008-04-18T16:08:00.000-05:00

Soup's On - A Culinary Reading Challenge

Hosted by Ex Libris

This challenge will run from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. All you have to do is select six cookbooks to read* and make at least one of the recipes. These can be any cookbooks of your choice - brand new ones, old stand-bys that you can't live (or cook) without, or even heirlooms. You do not have to decide on the cookbooks ahead of time (unless you want to, of course). Then post your reviews either here or on your own blog. If you want, you can even post pictures of your creations along with your reviews!

I love to read, and I love to cook, so this is a great challenge for me! Here are a few possibilities. Stay tuned for my post on 1,000 Jewish recipes, I am using this cookbook to prepare the main dish for our Passover seder.

Friday Fill-In April 17

2008-04-18T06:36:00.003-05:00

1. The last time I lost my temper I was getting angry about something trivial!
2. Parenting advice from strangers is what I'm fed up with!
3. The next book I'd like to read is Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.
4. Having someone babysit Maya so I can get a massage and a haircut is what I'm looking forward to. I'm just not sure when that's going to happen.
5. If you can't get rid of the skeleton[s] in your closet, dance with them!
6. The best thing I got in the mail recently was a package of books from Barnes and Noble, seven books for under $30!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to starting my cooking for Passover, tomorrow my plans include hosting a seder for six people and Sunday, I want to sleep and read, but will more likely be running errands and taking care of Maya!

BTT - April 17

2008-04-17T14:41:00.002-05:00

Booking Through Thursday

I’ve always wondered what other people do when they come across a word/phrase that they’ve never heard before. I mean, do they jot it down on paper so they can look it up later, or do they stop reading to look it up on the dictionary/google it or do they just continue reading and forget about the word?

It is only rarely that I stop in the middle of reading to look up a word. First, I try to figure out what it means by looking at the context. If that doesn't work, sometimes I will write it down to look it up later (I also do this when I come across a historical event I am not familiar with). It has to really peak my curiosity for me to follow through after writing it down. Most of the time, I'll just keep reading.

Out of the books that I have read recently, The Road by Cormac McCarthy generated a lot of visits to dictionary.com.

Cloth/Board Book Reviews - Daytime

2008-04-15T11:10:00.001-05:00

"Can'talk. Busy reading."

Maya and I enjoy reading time every day. I usually try to read to her one book during the day, and two bedtime books as part of our night routine. Now that she is almost five months old, I thought I would give a rundown on the board and cloth books currently in our home library.

7. Pat the Bunny - Guess Who? - Golden Books

3/5

This book was inspired by the classic Pat the Bunny book by Dorothy Kunhardt. We don't have the original, but Maya's not a big fan of this one. The simple story line is cute: Who is hiding in the toy box? We go through a variety of possibilities: clown, ballet dancer, reindeer, before finding out it's bunny! Connected to the book is a little mirror for Baby to see her own reflection. But she doesn't. The mirror is way too small for Maya to easily see herself, and the images have never really captured her attention. More often than not, this one stays on the shelf.

6. Look, Look by Peter Linenthal

3.5/5

This was the first book I bought for Maya, after I read that newborns love to look at high contrast black and white images. This book is designed for the littlest of babies, those just learning to look at the world around them. I love the images: big hands reaching up to a butterfly, a sun shining over corn stalks, flowers blooming, a cat stretching. Maya's favorite is the two pages with the image of a smiling child. She likes to 'kiss' their face - the same thing she does when she sees her reflection in a mirror. The book is a great concept, but in practice it wasn't well received (except for the page with the children). Maya was not interested in books until she was about two months old, and by then she responded better to simple books with lots of bright colors.

5. The Busy World of Richard Scarry: Bananas Gorilla's Sounds - Richard Scarry

4/5

My husband loved Richard Scarry books when he was a kid, so I picked this one up when I saw it at Goodwill and it looked like new. There are a lot of things happening in the story: Bananas getting ready for the day, eating breakfast, fixing a flat tire, going to school. When Maya is a little bit older, there will be a lot to talk about when we read this book. For now, she enjoys all of the sound effects the story line encourages, like the Brring of an alarm clock, the Vroom Vroom as Bananas leaves in his car, and the Whoosh of the wind.

4. Jamberry - Bruce Degen

5/5

We received this one at Maya's baby naming ceremony. I love this book! In the world of board books, it is rather full on text, and we don't always make it to the end. The story reads like a song, so half the time I sing it to her as we read (my husband likes to read it with a British accent). We follow a boy and a bear as they take off on a journey through Berryland. The pictures hold lots of secret surprises if you look closely: toast on trees, crumpet lily pads with pats of butter inside lily flowers, and marshmallow marsh reeds are a few examples. It's a nonsense story with lilting rhymes that are a delight to read: "Quickberry! Quackberry! Pick me a blackberry! Trainberry Trackberry Clickety-clackberry"

3. I Know a Rhino - Charles Fuge

5/5

This story is a great example of the power of creative play and using your imagination. It's a cute story. A little girl spends the day with whimsical animal characters who turn out to be her stuffed animals. The illustrations are bright and simple, and catch Maya's attention. This one is already looking a bit worn around the edges.

2. Little Lamb - Chronicle Books

5/5

You can't go wrong with finger puppets, and a little lamb poking through every page is adorable! Maya can grab the little lamb, and loves watching him look around at the scenery on each page: sniffing the flowers, looking up at the sun. The illustrations are great, and my personal favorite is the page where the lamb resembles a cloud passing by.

1. Fuzzy Bee and Friends - Roger Priddy

5/5

As much as I love some of the other books, this is the current favorite in our household. Roger Priddy makes so many wonderful books, I wanted to buy them all when I was pregnant. I finally settled on this one. Fuzzy Bee features nine interactive illustrations all with something fun for Maya to explore. Her favorite page is the beetle bug with blue iridescent wings and butterfly with bright red wings. This is one of the few books we have that she can turn the pages, and she always manages to find the beetle bug! We now keep this as a car book, and it easily keeps her entertained while I am running errands. I love hearing the crinkle, crinkle of the front page coming from the car seat as I drive along!

Sunday Salon - April 13

2008-04-13T13:56:00.001-05:00

So, it has been a while since I was able to do a Sunday Salon post, or visit other Sunday Saloners. Today I am making a concerted effort to take a little road trip around the blogisphere to see what everyone else is up to!

Since most of my life is currently occupied by caring for Maya and planning for our move to New Jersey in June, my reading time is sadly fallen by the wayside. Occasionally, I have these wonderful ideas of what I would like to blog about for the Sunday Salon...20 minutes later that idea seems to have disappeared without a trace, never to return.

So, what have I been reading lately? Well, every day currently consists of Fuzzy Bee and Friends, Baby Love, and a going to bed book, such as Goodnight Moon, The Going to Bed Book, or Sweet Dreams (all of which I will be reviewing with others in an upcoming cloth/board book post). I also just got through the No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley but I am waiting to see if it helps Maya nap better before I review it. So far, the verdict is still out.

On Friday, I started reading The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara. Prior to travelling to Cuba back in 2000, I knew next to nothing about Che, only that he was linked to Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution. Here in the US, the only image painted of him was one of a brutal militant guerilla and a cold-blooded killer who deserved his execution-style murder after he was captured in the jungles of Bolivia. After coming across a quote by Nelson Mandela that described Che's life as "an inspiration for every human being who loves freedom. We will always honor his memory.", I set out to learn more.

Che is undoubtedly one of the most controversial figures of the 20th century, whose image has been mass marketed and exploited for decades. He is the enduring symbol of rebellion and revolution; the man who left the medical profession and a bourgeois life to join the revolution aimed at overthrowing the Cuban dictator, Batista. His legacy is both romanticized and condemned, and he has been made into an almost mythical character. The Motorcycle Diaries provides a glimpse, in his own words, of Che' s life-changing journey across South America in his early twenties and how this trip came to influence him for years to come. Despite his questionable techniques, Che Guevara was always propelled by his desire to fight injustice and inequality. Did he trample over various human rights in his rebellions? Most likely. He was certainly no pacifist. Should he be emulated? I'm not sure that's such a wise idea, either.

Saturday brought another visit to The Book Thing. Since we are leaving Baltimore, I've noticed my acquisitions from The Book Thing have become more numerous. Here is what I came away with:

Halloween Party and By The Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie
Hotel Du Lac by Anita Brookner
White Jazz by James Ellroy
Waiting by Ha Jin
Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

Book coveting around the blogisphere:

The Age of Shiva by Manil Suri, and Unaccustomed Earthy by Jhumpa Lahiri, reviewed at Lotus Reads
A Grave in Gaza by Matt Beynon Rees, reviewed at Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Healthy Child, Healthy World by Christopher Gavigan, part of the Blog Tour at MotherTalk

BTT and Friday Fill-In - On Saturday!

2008-04-12T11:09:00.005-05:00

I am behind on everything at the moment, so it makes sense that my response for Booking Through Thursday and Friday Fill-in aren't posted until Saturday!

Pick up the nearest book. (I’m sure you must have one nearby.)

Turn to page 123.
What is the first sentence on the page?
The last sentence on the page?
Now . . . connect them together….
(And no, you may not transcribe the entire page of the book–that’s cheating!)

She didn't notice or care. And then, out of nowhere, Jon appeared. "Morning!" he said. First and last sentence are from The Bright Side of Disaster, by Katherine Center.

1. I love springtime in Baltimore, where I currently live!
2. Bagels, whole grain hot cereals, blueberries, strawberries, fruit smoothies, waffles, eggs benedict, Trader Joe's French Vanilla yogurt with granola, french toast; all are foods I love to eat for breakfast.
3. It seems I'm always searching for my keys and shoes.
4.Reading in bed is a great way to end the day.
5. I think I have too much going on right now!
6. Ice cream is what I've been craving lately.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hopefully having some quiet time after Maya goes to bed to read The Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevera, tomorrow my plans include going to the farmer's market, The Book Thing, and spending some time outdoors, and Sunday, I want to go for a walk on the NCR trail!

The Birchbark House - Louise Erdrich

2008-04-08T15:35:00.004-05:00

Title: The Birchbark House

Author: Louise Erdrich

Year: 1999

Country: USA (Ojibwa)

Pages: 244

Rating: 4 out of 5

First sentence: The only person left alive on the island was a baby girl.

The Birchbark House takes place on an island in Lake Superior in the late 1800's. It follows one year in the life of a young Ojibwa girl, Omakayas. The novel is divided by season, starting with Omakayas' grandmother, Nokomis, building the summer birchbark house on the lakeshore. It then follows Omakayas and her family through the summer (fishing, harvesting the rice), fall (moving to the winter log cabin), winter (battling disease and hunger), and spring (harvesting maple sugar). The reader meets many delightful people along the way, Old Tallow, a strong-spirited, independent older woman who wears a coat woven from a variety of furs; LaPautre, who believes all of his dreams hold hidden meaning and visions; and Fishtail, a quiet, dignified young man.

When writing a story about complex experiences in children's literature, it is easy to oversimplify events, creating a novel that lacks authenticity. The Birchbark House does not succumb to this pitfall. Louise Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwa, breaks through the stereotypes present in some other books set during this time period (Little House on the Prairie comes to mind) and delivers an eloquent and powerful story about one Ojibwa Native American family. We learn about the cultural and historical experiences of the Ojibwa (such as the devastating effect of smallpox, the relationship the Ojibwa have with animals and nature, and the difficulty of making it through a winter season without starving), but Erdrich emphasizes themes that cross race, ethnicity, and time: dealing with pesky siblings, coping with the death of a loved one, and searching for your own identity and place within your community. It is a book that would delight almost any age (the devastating death halfway through the novel causes me to hesitate recommending it as a read-aloud book for pre-readers).

Le Petit Prince - Antoine de Saint Exupéry

2008-04-07T18:25:00.000-05:00

Title: The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince)

Author & Illustrator: Antoine de Saint Exupéry (trans. by Katherine Woods)

Year: 1943

Country: France

Pages: 111

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Little Prince is a beautiful children's story narrated by a pilot who crashed in the Sahara Desert. While trying to fix his plane, he meets a little prince from another planet who asks him to draw a sheep. "When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey. Absurd as it might seem to me, a thousand miles from any human habitation and in danger of death, I took out of my pocket a sheet of paper and my fountain-pen." (p.8) Thus begins the start of a dialogue in which the little Prince describes his planet, and how he came to Earth.

The Little Prince is a child's view of the world, but it is certainly not for children alone. The story is a remarkable reflection of the human character. I look forward to re-visiting this story with Baby Maya, and to take the time to reflect upon the many metaphors present in this novella.

"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." (p.87)

"What makes the desert beautiful," said the little prince, "is that somewhere it hides a well..." (p.93)

Interesting facts about the author:

In 1935, Antoine de Saint Exupéry crashed in the Sahara enroute from Paris to Saigon. He and his companion were rescued 4 days later when a Bedouin on a camel discovered them. This experience is referenced at the beginning of the story.

Tragically, in 1944, one year after The Little Prince was published, Saint Exupéry disappeared while on a reconnaissance mission over the Mediterranean. The remains of his plane weren't found until 1998.

The Bright Side of Disaster - Katherine Center

2008-04-06T14:55:00.004-05:00

Title: The Bright Side of Disaster

Author: Katherine Center

Year: 2007

Country: USA

Pages: 245

Rating: 4 out of 5

These days, I treasure the light, easy reads that I can soar through while Maya is sleeping. I am especially starting to like the sub-genre of chick-lit I refer to as "the mommy books". There is no shortage of these (most of which I haven't read yet): Shopaholic and Baby, Slummy Mummy, Mommy Tracked, and The Bright Side of Disaster. I stayed away from all of these for a while, until I received a copy of The Bright Side of Disaster to review through Sk*rt.

Jenny Harris is nine months pregnant and not quite married. Her and her fiancee Dean accidentally started their family a little earlier, but Jenny doesn't mind until Dean walks out one day and doensn't come back. Until she goes into labor the very next day.

What follows is Jenny's slightly unrealistic but highly amusing experience with single motherhood. Although the beginning was a bit slow, about 50 pages in I was completely drawn in to the story. It was particularly enjoyable to read about a mother who seemed to be following a pseudo-attachment parenting philosophy. Her description of engorgement when her milk came in was hilarious (except, in my life, it did not go away nearly as quickly). With my husband on call for 30 hours straight every 3 days, I could completely relate to Jenny's lack of showering, and general household chaos. The birth that doesn't go according to the birth plan, constant walking/pacing/rocking of a newborn, breastfeeding, babywearing, bone crusing fatigue, the joy of cooking a real meal after weeks of nuts, cereal, and other items you can pop in your mouth with one hand - it was refreshing to read about someone else's experiences as a new mother that was not painted as all roses, even if that someone was a fictional character.

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