Favorite Books of 2008

Several years ago, I began keeping a book journal so that I could keep track of what I read. At this time of year, I like to look back at what I enjoyed in the past year. By my count, I read or listened to 59 books in 2008. Here are some of my favorites (in addition to those I reviewed in this blog previously):

One Mississippi by Mark Childress – This book made it onto my list of favorite books of all-time. I laughed, I cried…no, I really did! It’s a hilarious, spot-on portrayal of high school life and of the early 70’s. When his father suddenly moves the family from Indiana to rural Mississippi, sixteen-year old Daniel feels like an outsider, until he meets Tim, another outsider who finds humor in everything. The boys’ friendship is tested by a terrible accident on prom night. The author successfully weaves together laugh-out-loud moments, serious themes, and a heart-breaking climax.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult – It wouldn’t be a “best of” list without at least one book by Jodi Picoult, who writes riveting novels that explore the gray areas of life. This one centered on a school shooting, something that’s been in the media a little too often lately. But, as usual, Picoult takes a unique look at the subject: the novel is written from many different perspectives, so you see not only the viewpoint of the victims’ families but also the shooter himself, as a sweet but bullied child; his parents; and his childhood friend. As with all of Picoult’s books, it was compelling and thought-provoking. I finished the hefty volume in 3 days, then lent it to a friend who also finished it in 3 days!

Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Glidner – I love memoirs, and this one was my favorite of the year, plus a huge hit with my neighborhood book group. Cathy had an unusual childhood, growing up in the 50’s as the precocious daughter of the town’s pharmacist in Niagara Falls, NY. At the tender age of three, her pediatrician suggested she work for her father to harness some of her unlimited energy and imagination. She has a talent for remembering the tiniest details and relating them from the perspective of her young self.

Jumper by Steven Gould - This is an older book, targeted at teens, but I’d never read it before, and I loved it! I’m not a huge science fiction fan, but I love books about time travel. This one was actually about teleportation, but it had the same appeal for me. Seventeen-year old David is being beaten by his abusive father when he suddenly finds himself miles away in one of his favorite places, the public library. He discovers he can “jump” from one place to another under certain circumstances but has no idea how or why. David tries to learn to live with his new talent in this fast-paced coming-of-age novel with in-depth characters and plenty of exciting plot twists and thought-provoking ethical questions. I didn’t like the sequel, Reflex, nearly as much, nor the movie-version book, which was an entirely different story, but the original novel was excellent.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson – I’ve been dying to read this book for a couple of years, and I finally borrowed it from my neighbor last month. It was just as compelling as I’d expected. Greg Mortenson tells the amazing story of how he came to devote his life to building schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. After almost dying on the way down from an unsuccessful ascent of K2, Greg was nursed back to health by the compassionate villagers of Korphe. When he saw the village’s children studying by squatting on the cold ground and drawing with sticks in the dirt, Greg promised to return to build the village a school. He was incredibly naïve and had no idea of the kinds of barriers he’d encounter, but he kept his promise, and building schools became his life’s work. It’s an inspiring story that kept me riveted.

Rules by Cynthia Lord – This is a book for middle-grade readers that will also appeal to teens (and adults, too!). Twelve-year old Catherine tries to navigate her pre-teen life while also living with her 8-year old autistic brother. She sets rules for him to follow, to help him seem more normal to the outside world. When Catherine befriends a 14-year old paraplegic boy who can’t speak, she is forced to reassess her ideas about what is normal. Catherine is a funny, warm narrator, and this book is a must-read for anyone who knows someone with autism. I listened to the audio version, with a wonderful reader who perfectly captured Catherine (my review of Rules will appear in a spring issue of Family Fun magazine).

I hope to post reviews here more regularly this year, so check back soon! I’m also planning to create a separate blog for my reviews of kids’ books, since I read and review far more books than I’m able to publish in Family Fun magazine. Let me know what you think.

Fiction Review: The State of Me

I loved this first novel by Nasim Marie Jafry, but I suppose I should begin with a bit of disclosure. Jafry, like me, has a chronic illness, an immune system disorder known in the U.S. by the embarrassing name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and in Jafry’s Scotland and other countries as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). She and I both write blogs about living with CFS/ME, and I have followed her blog for several years. So, it is as if an old friend (a virtual friend) has published her first novel.

The main character, Helen, is in college as the novel opens. She is smart and vibrant, living a typical college life, filled with classes, friends, parties, and boyfriends. Helen and her roommate, Jana, head off to France for a semester abroad, leaving Helen’s boyfriend Ivan behind. While in France, Helen suddenly becomes ill – so severely ill that she has to return home to her parents’ house in Scotland. As you might have guessed from my introduction, Helen is eventually diagnosed with ME. The novel follows the next fifteen years of Helen’s life, as she struggles with learning to live with her illness and find romance.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from The State of Me. After all, I live with the challenges of this illness myself every day. Why would I want to read about it in my fiction as well? I wondered whether the book would be depressing – 500 pages of living with ME.

I was pleasantly surprised, though. For starters, the novel is very well written, with realistic dialogue, characters that you come to care about, and an engaging and fast-paced plot. A fast-paced book about being bed-ridden? Yes! Jafry is a wonderful writer, and she brings her characters alive so that you can’t wait to turn the page and see what happens next. In fact, I read this hefty novel in only a few days because once I started, I had trouble putting it down. And it wasn’t at all depressing. Funny, sexy, uplifting, sometimes a bit sad, but never depressing.

Although Jafry does address issues related to ME/CFS in the novel, she does it in a way that doesn’t detract from the fact that this book is, first and foremost, a novel. It’s about so much more than living with chronic illness. It’s a book about friendship, family, love, and life. I came to care about Helen and wanted things to turn out well for her. I laughed out loud, cheered her on, and yelled at her. After all, isn’t that what fiction is supposed to do – make us feel something? By the time I finished The State of Me, I felt as if its characters were a part of my own life, and I was sorry to say good-bye.

(P.S. Besides enjoying the characters and plot, I had fun with the language of this novel, since it was written by a Scot. I enjoyed trying to figure out what the Scottish words and phrases meant from context and was mostly successful. I had no trouble translating brolly to umbrella by the way it was used, for instance, although I am still wondering what kind of holiday Hogmanay is?)

You can visit the author's blog here.
 

512 pages, The Friday Project Limited

I couldn't find The State of ME on Bookshop or Book Depository, but you can buy the e-book on Kindle or the paperback through Amazon.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Young Adult Fiction: The Book Thief

Although The Book Thief by Markus Zusak was published as a Young Adult book, one of my grown-up book groups recently read it for our September selection. The response was unanimous - everyone loved it! As soon as I finished it, I lent it to my neighbor, who was similarly impressed and then recommended it to her friends. That's the way it goes with a unique and well-written book.

And The Book Thief is certainly unique. The story is narrated by Death. Yes, you read that correctly, and Death is a surprisingly sympathetic and endearing character who tells this story from a unique perspective. While this choice of narrator seems strange at first, it works quite well.

The book thief of the title is a young girl named Liesel who lives in Nazi Germany at the time of World War II. Death first encounters Liesel when she is just 9 years old and her brother dies. He sees Liesel take her first book, The Grave Digger's Handbook, even though she can not yet read. Liesel goes to live with foster parents in a very poor section of a small town and encounters all sorts of characters, some friendly and some more sinister. While going to school, taking part in Junior Nazi activities, and helping her family harbor a hidden Jew, she continues to encounter both Death and stolen books, and both have a significant impact on her life.

Anyone who loves to read will appreciate the positive role of books in Liesel's life and in the lives of those she cares about. In fact, it is a book - her own hand-written life story - that ultimately saves her life. This is one of those books that takes you through every emotion imaginable. And after all, isn't that the point of a really good book: to make you feel something? The Book Thief does that and more.

Due to its subject matter and setting during the Holocaust, The Book Thief is most appropriate for older teens or adults.

Author Interviews Online

My new favorite website is Titlepage which features author interviews on an hour-long show, posted once a week. The show is very well done. Each week, the host interviews a group of four authors whose recent books are somehow linked. For instance, one week the four guests had all recently published nonfiction books; another week, the show featured four first-time published novelists.

It's a great show if you love books, and the best part is that you can watch it whenever it is convenient for you. I look forward each week to spending a lunch hour with my laptop next to me.

Take a look, and tell me what you think!

Funny Column About Book Tours

Just had to share this hilarious column from the Philadelphia Inquirer, written by Lisa Scottoline about her experiences on book tours.

Having experienced empty chairs at a book signing myself (well, except for my immediate family and a couple of close friends), I found this especially funny. I loved her column, so I guess I'll have to try one of her books. From what I read on her website, it seems that she writes "sexy legal thrillers" and her books have won awards and been very popular.

Memoir: Three Little Words

Ashley Rhodes-Courter lived in fourteen different foster homes in nine years. Her memoir chronicles her childhood spent as a victim of a badly broken foster care system, yet she sees herself as more of a survivor and advocate rather than a victim.

Ashley’s story begins with her earliest memories (based in part on stories told to her by her family). Her mother was only seventeen when Ashley was born. They lived for awhile with her mother’s sister, then with a boyfriend and a new baby brother. When Ashley was just three years old, and her brother Luke still a baby, police removed them from their house, and the progression of foster parents began.

Ashley and Luke were bounced from one foster home to another, sometimes together, sometimes apart. She stayed in some homes for years and in others for just a day or two. For years, no one explained to her why this had happened, where her mother was, or what she could expect in the future. Some of her foster parents were caring, kind people; others were indifferent, crowding too many children into small homes. One foster mother was as evil as any fairytale stepmother, mentally and physically abusing Ashley and the other fourteen children in her care.

Fortunately, Ashley was an intelligent and resilient child and eventually escaped the foster care system that was responsible for so much pain in her life. She is now a college-educated twenty-two year old who is a vocal advocate for adoption and foster care reform. Simon & Schuster published Three Little Words within their teen division, but the memoir is fascinating and compelling for readers of any age. From the adorable picture of Ashley dressed as an angel on the cover to the acknowledgements, notes, and photos at the end of the book, I could scarcely put it down.

P.S. The three little words aren't the ones you're thinking of!

Young Adult Fiction: Click

I just read the recently released young adult novel, Click, by David Almond, Eoin Colfer, Roddy Doyle, Deborah Ellis, Nick Hornby, Margo Lanagan, Gregory Maguire, Ruth Ozeki, Linda Sue Park, and Tim Wynne-Jones. Yes, you read that correctly; this novel has 10 authors!

The concept behind Click was to start with ten bestselling, award-winning writers. Each one wrote a single chapter in the novel. As you can imagine, each chapter has its own unique style, but it works. The end result is a novel that tells a story, but with many surprising twists and turns. It’s part character-study, part mystery, part teen angst, part comedy, with a bit of science fiction thrown in.

The novel opens with two siblings, Maggie, middle school-age, and Jason, a high school senior, struggling in their own ways with the recent death of their Grandpa “Gee”. Gee was a famous photographer who traveled all over the world, and he left each of his grandchildren with a puzzling gift: an old camera and a box of photos for Jason and a handmade box of seashells for Maggie.

The story unfolds as Maggie and Jason each come to terms with Gee’s death and their own changing lives, while they try to make sense of what Gee has left them. Within the format of the book’s changing authors, some chapters deal with one child or the other, some address Gee’s past, and some are actually about the subjects of certain photos that Gee left to Jason. The threads are all gradually woven together, as Maggie and Jason each find their own path to the adults they will become.

More character driven than action-oriented, this book will probably appeal to teens and young adults (and grown-ups, too!). Though the changing authors and various story threads might be distracting to some readers, I thought the editing process was effective, producing a book that tells a full story from different perspectives.

Click was a quick and pleasant read for me, and I enjoyed sampling the writings of ten different authors (I had only read one of them before). In fact, the book has inspired me to check out other offerings from some of these writers. As an added bonus, all proceeds from Click are being donated to Amnesty International.

Fiction: China Run

I just finished reading my book group’s latest selection, China Run by David Ball, and my initial reaction is, “What an amazing book.” With its unique plot, likeable characters, and intense suspense, this book gripped me in a way that I haven’t experienced in a long time. I struggled to put the book down each night at bedtime and often ended up dreaming of it during the night!

Six American families are in China for the final stage of their adoption of Chinese baby girls. As they await their babies’ visas, each family has bonded with its baby for several days when they receive word from the orphanage director that a mistake has been made. They are told they received the wrong babies and must return them immediately. Distressed and confused, three of the families comply with the request, but the other three parents feel they can’t give up their new family members and instead take off on their own for the nearest American embassy, hoping to resolve the mix-up.

That hasty decision turns into a nightmare as the three families flee from Chinese authorities and end up in a dangerous and complicated journey across the cities and countryside of China. The main character, Allison, is one of the parents who chose to run, along with her new Chinese baby and her nine-year old stepson. A massive manhunt ensues, with the whole world watching, as Allison tries desperately to keep her children safe and ensure that her baby won’t be taken away.

Along the way, they meet many Chinese citizens – some helpful and some sinister – as they try to thwart the enormous web of authorities that are after them. Meanwhile, one of the police investigators begins to uncover a terrible secret behind the orphanage and the error that initiated this situation.

Ball describes the sights, sounds, and smells of China so that you feel you are right there with Allison, on the run in an unfamiliar land and surrounded by a language and culture you don’t understand. We see the beauty of China’s landscapes and the qualities of its people and feel the terror of being alone in a foreign place.

At turns thought-provoking, terrifying, and touching, this intriguing and suspenseful novel will keep you reading late into the night.

Fiction: Orbit

I bought a signed copy of Orbit by John J. Nance from Chinaberry for my husband for Christmas. Of course, the best thing about buying a loved one a good book is that you get to read it, too!

Orbit is a gripping suspense novel, the kind that is easily devoured in a couple of days. The plot is unique and intriguing, pulling you in immediately. Kip Dawson is a typical American husband and father who wins a contest with a prize that will fulfill his lifetime dream: to travel in a spacecraft. It's 2009, and private space travel has become a reality. Kip's prize includes two weeks of ground school, followed by a flight in a small spacecraft that will orbit Earth several times. Of course, some problems crop up, and Kip eventually finds himself alone in the tiny ship, miles above the Earth. It's a classic Gilligan's Island "3-hour tour" set-up.

After that, though, Orbit takes off on its own path. While Kip is trying to figure out how to get back on the ground safely, he discovers an onboard laptop computer and begins typing a personal journal. He knows there's a good chance he won't survive, and typing his thoughts and the story of his life provides an outlet for him and perhaps, he thinks, a record of what happened for some future generation. Since the ship no longer has radio contact with the ground, Kip is unaware that everything he types is being instantly downloaded through an internet connection and read by millions of people all over the world.

Kip's physical situation provides plenty of suspense to the story, while his journal and its effects on his family and the rest of the world give the book an emotional depth that's often missing from suspense novels. It's fascinating to listen in on the thoughts of a man who believes he'll be dead in a few days.

This is the first book of John Nance's that I've read (he's published seventeen prior novels). Both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced, thoughtful Orbit.

What To Read Next?

I finished a book last night, so today I was faced with a wonderful decision: what to read next? My "to-read" pile is bigger than it's ever been, with stacks of books teetering on the shelves of my bedroom bookcase. They all look so enticing...

There are several books that my neighbor/book group buddy has lent me, including The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I've heard from many people that this is an excellent book, and I love memoirs, so it's certainly tempting. I'm wondering if my other book group might be interested in reading it, though, so I set it aside for now.

I have a couple of classics that I've been meaning to read. My list of "Great Authors I Can't Believe I've Never Read" is fairly long. My stack currently includes two from that list: Emma by Jane Austen and Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut.

Then there are some favorite authors waiting in my stacks. I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb is on my shelf, but I loved She's Come Undone so much that I don't want to devour this one too quickly. I borrowed Summer Sisters from my mother-in-law at Thanksgiving. I don't expect it to be great literature, but I loved Judy Blume as an adolescent. I almost started that one today.

I have several books I've borrowed from my mother, including Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh. I read about this one in the Bas Bleu catalog awhile back and have wanted to read it ever since. Ken bought me The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon for Christmas, but it's one my book group is considering, so I decide to wait.

On Ken's side of the bookcase, there is a similarly enticing stack, many of which I chose for him with the intent of reading them myself! He's got Grisham's first foray into non-fiction, The Innocent Man, which my mom brought over this weekend and said was great. I gave him Richard Ford's Independence Day for Christmas, but he says he'll have to reread The Sportswriter first. That would be a two-book commitment for me, too, so I hold off for now. I also gave Ken Orbit by John J. Nance from the Chinaberry catalog and can't wait to read it myself. Our son, Jamie, gave Ken House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, a young adult sci-fi thriller whose cover is cluttered with awards, but it sort of seems unfair to read his gift before he does.

Finally, I have piles of middle-grade/young adult review books. I picked up Isabel Allende's Forest of the Pygmies today but saw it was the third in a trilogy, so I guess I better read the first book first.

So what did I choose after all that deliberation? The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult, another gift from Ken, called to me. She is one of my all-time favorite authors. I've only finished the Prologue, but she's already sucked me in. Ah, so many books, so little time...

Favorite Books Read in 2006

This was the first year I’ve kept track of what I’ve read, so I thought it would be fun to take a look back at my year of reading. I read about 45 books this year on my own and read aloud another 10 – 12 to our boys at bedtime (and I may have missed a few!) I’m definitely reading more – and a much wider variety – than I used to, and I’m enjoying my fuller reading life immensely. Here are some of my favorites from this year, including a few that make my Favorite Books Ever list as well.

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. I was stunned by Lamb’s writing. I read this book non-stop over the course of a few days, driving my husband crazy because I hardly set it down. I lived and breathed the world of Delores for days, thought about her, and even dreamed about her. Lamb (a man, no less!) has an incredible ability to make Delores real, and the story of her life is the story of real life, full of pitfalls and joys and overcoming adversity. I recently grabbed a second-hand copy of Lamb’s other masterpiece, I Know This Much Is True, and I can’t wait to dive in and lose myself again.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. How did I live for 41 years without reading this compelling classic? I’m embarrassed to admit I once thought it was a book about hunting! The characters, the plot, the setting, and the background of 1940’s southern segregation all kept me captivated. Definitely on my best-of-all time list.

The Ride of Our Lives by Mike Leonard. I saw Mike Leonard’s video clips on the Today show about his trip across the U.S. with his parents and couldn’t wait for his book to come out. It was wonderful – a combination travelogue and tribute to his parents and grandparents. The book was funny, touching, and inspirational and made me wish I could hang out with the Leonards. My husband enjoyed it as much as I did.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I’m probably the last reader alive to finally discover this best-seller. My book group read it last winter, and I missed the meeting but eventually got to the book last month. Wow. It was just as incredible as everyone had told me. Engaging and entertaining but also very educational, the book drew me in. I came to care for the characters. The story itself was compelling and had emotional depth, and I learned so much about Afghanistan and its people. Books like this are so important in our global community; they help us to recognize the basic humanity that we all share, no matter what our religion or culture.

March by Geraldine Brooks (won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2006). I thought I didn’t like historical fiction before I read this book for one of my book groups. I loved it and never wanted it to end. Set during the Civil War, it tells the story of Mr. March, father of the famed Little Women, and what happens to him while he’s away from his family serving as a minister in the war. His story and his character were compelling, but I was also transfixed by the details of the war, slavery, and plantation life.

The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty. The plot sounds a little strange, but this book has plenty of heart. It’s the story of a man considered by himself and everyone else to be a complete loser – overweight, chain-smoking, drinks too much, and stuck in a dead-end job. Then, his beloved parents die in a car crash. In his grief (and drunken stupor), he takes off on his childhood bike and ends up on a trip from his home state of Rhode Island all the way across the U.S. to California. It’s the tale of his life-changing journey, both physical and emotional.

The Ha-Ha by Dave King. My aunt lent me this book, and I was surprised to find myself captivated by its unusual main character. Howard is a Vietnam vet whose head injury left him unable to speak or write. His life of silent isolation is interrupted when an old girlfriend leaves her nine-year old son in his care while she checks into rehab. While the cautious relationship between the two might seem predictable at first, there are plenty of surprises and emotional depth, and the story never becomes overly sentimental. I found myself thinking about Howard long after I’d finished the book, always a sign of a good read.

I can't wait to see what wonderful books 2007 will bring!

Memoir/Travel: 12,000 Miles in the Nick of Time

Browsing through our local used bookstore one day, I spied a tattered copy of a book that's been on my want-to-read list for several years. Despite its poor condition, I bought that copy of 12,000 Miles in the Nick of Time: A Semi-Dysfunctional Family Circumnavigates the Globe, by Mark Jacobson, and am so glad I did.

Jacobson's account of a trip around the world with his wife and three kids, ages nine, twelve, and sixteen, is part family memoir and part travelogue. I love to travel with my family (see our latest trip blog) and I love to read (and write about) family, so how could this book miss?

It's not just the genres that appeal, though. Jacobson, a writer who has contributed to such icons as Rolling Stone and Esquire, has an appealing voice that pulls you in and makes you feel a part of his family. His honesty provides that essential intimate tone of a good memoir, and his talent as a writer keeps you reading.

Their trip was no highbrow tour with stays at five-star hotels but an attempt to recreate the hippies-with-backpacks trip around the world that he and his wife had taken twenty years earlier. I'm sure you can imagine how his three New York City born and bred kids responded to his attempts to show them the Real World. To give you a glimpse of their trip, consider that the phrase "mucky dung-strewn back alleyways" is used in the very first sentence of the book.

Jacobson brings you along as his family travels through India, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Jordan, Israel, and France. Readers listen in like a fly on the wall to experiences that are sometimes hilarious and sometimes sobering.

Alongside the engaging tales of their trip, Jacobson shares his introspective musings on being a parent, watching his kids grow up, and the effects of travel on their relationships. I found myself frequently nodding and marking passages like this one describing what happens when, as a family, you leave your home and all of your stuff behind to travel together:

"What remained was us. Little us, nuclear us. For the moment, the entropy that inevitably flings things and people apart was suspended. The force field of our own making ruled the day, a most favorable kind of gravity. We were together.

...That's really what this trip was, a grand, somewhat nutty gesture, a tribute to the ephemera of our lives together."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have since passed it on to my husband, who's now laughing out loud and saying, "Hey, listen to this..." just as I did to him while I read it. I was sorry when the book ended, just as I am whenever one of our family trips ends. As Jacobson puts it, "The return to normalcy was fast approaching. Trip Time, that little rip in the continuum of Regular Time, was zipping shut."

Fiction: The Art of Mending

One of my book groups recently read The Art of Mending. This was the second Elizabeth Berg novel I've read, and I was once again pleasantly surprised by this talented writer who kept me reading long past my usual bedtime.

The Art of Mending is a story about family relationships. The narrator, Laura, is a 50-ish woman who is happily married with two teen-aged children. She, her brother, and her sister all head back to their childhood home, as they do every year, to stay with their parents and attend the state fair. This year is different, though, as her younger sister confronts her with stories of a childhood completely different than what Laura remembers, and the entire family tries to deal with an unexpected tragedy. The novel follows Laura's family as they struggle to understand, forgive, and begin to heal.

It's a testament to Berg's skill as a writer that I related so well to Laura, despite the fact that the events in the novel have little relation to my own life. She has a way of giving her characters such depth that you can't help but identify with at least some of their thoughts and feelings. I kept marking passages as I read, sentences and paragraphs that seemed to perfectly reflect my own view of the world, like:
"...No matter what anyone said, it seemed to me that not only can you go home again, you are helpless not to."
"There are random moments...when I feel a wavelike rush of joy. This is my true religion: arbitrary moments of nearly painful happiness for a life I feel privileged to lead."

All of the women in my book group enjoyed this book and had no trouble finishing it in time for our meeting (a rare occurrence with our busy lives!). I, and several others, especially liked the unique way that Berg wove together the past and the present. Throughout the novel are brief descriptions of old family photos, providing insight into literal snapshots of Laura's childhood without the distortion of her memories or current perspectives. In this way, the reader slowly develops an understanding of the siblings' childhood and how it affects each of them today.

The title of the novel refers to Laura's passion for sewing, and especially quilting, and the analogy of mending family relationships:
"As for mending, I think it's good to take the time to fix something rather than throw it away. It's an antidote to wastefulness and the need for immediate gratification.....You'll always notice the fabric scar, of course, but there's an art to mending: If you're careful, the repair can actually add to the beauty of the thing, because it is testimony to its worth."

One woman in my book group remarked that the passages about sewing, fabrics, and quilting were especially compelling for her, since she, her mother,and her grandmother had sustained a long family tradition of quilting. I found this statement interesting, since no one in my family can sew at all (we're more into cooking!), yet I thoroughly enjoyed the book also. This is Elizabeth Berg's talent: to tell an interesting story in a way that makes every reader feel she is speaking to you personally.

Memoir: Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life

One of my book groups selected Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor this spring. Unfortunately, I missed the group discussion, but I did read the 440-page book and learned a great deal.

Leap of Faith chronicles the life of Queen Noor, an American woman (Lisa Halaby) who married King Hussein of Jordan and became Queen. The book begins with an overview of Lisa's privileged childhood and family history. Her paternal grandfather immigrated from Syria to the United States when he was twelve years old, and Lisa had long been intrigued by her Arab roots (her mother's family was European). After graduating from Princeton with a degree in architecture and urban planning, she worked in the Middle East and met King Hussein, a longtime friend of her father.

She and King Hussein fell in love and married, and Lisa became Queen Noor Al Hussein of Jordan. Queen Noor tells of the joys and challenges of suddenly becoming royalty, raising a family, and gradually taking on personal missions to improve health and education and promote peace.

I found Queen Noor's tone a bit detached and cool, although some of what she shares is quite personal. The book didn't have the sort of "talking to my best friend" confidential tone that makes many memoirs so compelling, probably in part due to Queen Noor's very public life.

Despite this minor flaw, I was fascinated by the book and had no trouble finishing it. While the details and struggles of Queen Noor's personal life were interesting, as is any glimpse into the celebrity world, the book's information and insights into the complicated politics of the Middle East were even more absorbing.

I'm embarrassed to admit how little I knew about the history and culture of this conflict-ridden region. Perhaps I didn't retain much from my school History classes because they focused on dull facts and dates. That wasn't a problem here; it was fascinating to read about the Middle East from the perspective of one of its leaders. Queen Noor's book not only tells of her life but also details her husband's views, priorities, and actions. I was pleasantly surprised to learn of King Hussein's passionate commitment to peace above all else in a region long known for violence and war.

I was also enlightened to read about America and our foreign policies from the point of view of an Arab leader. I remember learning about the Camp David talks and subsequent peace accord while I was in junior high. Here in the United States, President Carter was viewed as a hero for his work with Egypt and Israel. Queen Noor explains how King Hussein was frustrated and dismayed by the Camp David talks because they occurred just as he was on the verge of finally coordinating a peace conference among all nations of the Middle East. By pulling Egypt and Israel out on their own, President Carter actually created a great deal of tension in the Arab world. This was a viewpoint I had never considered.

All in all, I thought Leap of Faith was a very enlightening and thought-provoking book. I learned a lot about this critical region which continues to be in turmoil, gained some new perspectives, and enjoyed the insights into royal life in the public eye.

Middle Grade Fiction: The Roman Mysteries

My 11-year old son, Jamie, was assigned to read a mystery book and an historical fiction book for his 6th grade Reading class. Browsing the shelves of the library, we came across a single series that met both requirements, and we discovered a new household favorite.

Imagine if Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys traveled back in time to Ancient Rome, and you have a sense of Caroline Lawrence's Roman Mysteries series. The books succeed on two levels. They are fast-paced, suspenseful mysteries that keep you turning the pages way past bedtime, as well as fascinating and accurate accounts of life in ancient Rome.

The first book, The Thieves of Ostia, takes place in 79 AD in the Roman port city of Ostia. Twelve-year old Flavia, the daughter of a sea captain, meets her three new friends in this book: Jonathan, son of a Jewish doctor; Nubia, an African slave girl rescued by Flavia; and Lupus, a mute beggar boy. Yes, it seems like an unlikely group of friends, but it works. Lawrence makes the characters seem real and worthy of our attention.

Like most young sleuths of fiction, the four children encounter new mysteries to solve in each book, from determining who is killing neighborhood dogs in the first book to tracking down kidnappers and missing children in The Pirates of Pompeii to finding the source of a plague in The Enemies of Jupiter.

While the mysteries are exciting, it's just as compelling to read about the children's daily lives. Woven into the books are many details of food, clothing, architecture, and culture. In book #2, Secrets of Vesuvius, we experience the famous volcanic eruption with the children; in The Gladiators of Capua, we witness the games and shows of the new Colosseum. The books also offer a broadening world view as they deal with issues like slavery and religious tolerance.

Lawrence's books have been acclaimed for their accurate historical portrayal. In some cases, this means dealing with issues that are violent or otherwise distasteful to our modern sensibilities, like the realities of slavery or the gory fate of many of the participants at the Colosseum. To counter these sometimes gruesome details, the main characters tend to react in ways that we would today - sickened by mistreatment of slaves or the "games" at the Coliseum, for instance. Some critics have complained that the main characters' actions (and, indeed, their unique friendship) mars the historical accuracy, but I like the way Lawrence deals with the unsavory aspects of the time by providing admirable heroes and heroines that modern kids can relate to and respect.

When we go to the library, Jamie immediately heads to the L's to see if any of Lawrence's books are available (they're often all checked out). He and I have both enjoyed reading this unique series, and Jamie is very excited about studying Ancient Rome in Social Studies now.

Fiction: The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue

Barbara Samuel's enjoyable novel, The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue, weaves together the lives of four very different women, each grappling with issues of career, love, and life. The women, all neighbors on a quiet street in Pueblo, Colorado, grow to be each other's friends and supporters as their lives intersect.

Trudy, the main narrator of the novel, is struggling to put her life back together and rediscover her identity after learning that her husband of twenty-plus years is having an affair. Her next-door neighbor, Roberta, has just lost her beloved husband after sixty-two years of marriage. Roberta's beautiful granddaughter, Jade, turns to boxing as a release from conflicting emotions after divorcing her con-man husband. Shannelle,a young mother and aspiring writer, lives across the street and is trapped between her dreams and financial reality.

Samuel uses unique approaches to invite the reader into each woman's life. She alternates between the four women's perspectives in separate chapters. Roberta's story is told mainly through letters she writes to her sister, and we view Shannelle's struggles through the e-mails she sends to her writing mentor. Trudy's and Jade's voices are heard through more traditional first-person narration. Each chapter is headed by quotes that reflect that character's values: inspirational quotes from Shannelle's writing wall, Roberta's favorite bible passages, facts about women's boxing from Jade, and Trudy's excerpts of Spanish poetry and references to mythical goddesses. While I enjoyed the constant change of perspective, readers who prefer a more traditional narrative may find it a bit distracting.

The interwoven stories and happy endings have an idealistic tendency, but Samuel's warm, well-drawn characterizations made the women seem real. By the end of the book, I felt like the characters were familiar friends and was pleased to see them learn, grow, and unravel the knots of their troubles in their own unique ways. I happen to like happy endings.

(NOTE: My only annoyance with the book was that the cover photo of five same-age thin, white women sharing dessert had absolutely no relevance to the varied ages and races of the characters in the novel.)

Health/Inspirational: The Anatomy of Hope

Looking for comfort and inspiration during a relapse of my illness this week, I turned to The Anatomy of Hope: How People Prevail in the Face of Illness by Dr. Jerome Groopman. I found just what I needed in this fascinating exploration of hope.

Much of the book reads like a novel, as Dr. Groopman shares stories of his patients and his own 20-year struggle with severe back pain. He tells of a devout Orthodox Jewish woman who was convinced her breast cancer was a punishment from God, of a veteran who refused treatment for a very treatable cancer, and of the miraculous recovery of a pathologist stricken with one of the deadliest cancers known. Each story sheds light on his growing understanding that hope can be a powerful force in recovery -- something not taught in medical school.

Woven throughout these compelling stories, Dr. Groopman humbly admits to his own shortcomings as a doctor and shows how each patient contributed to his eventual enlightenment as to the power of hope.

This is not one of those new-age books that claims anyone can heal himself if he just thinks positively. Dr. Groopman echoes my own feelings when he points out that this kind of approach often makes patients feel worse because it implies that your illness is your own fault and you could get well if you just tried hard enough. He carefully defines real hope - different from indiscriminate optimism - based on what he learned from his patients:

"Hope is the elevating feeling we experience when we see - in the mind's eye - a path to a better future. Hope acknowledges the significant obstacles and deep pitfalls along that path. True hope has no room for delusion."

Toward the end of the book, Dr. Groopman also takes a look at the scientific side of hope, reviewing what little research exists and recounting his discussions with various experts. Having a scientific background, I appreciated this link to science to further prove that what Dr. Groopman observed in his patients can be backed up by data and isn't just another "think yourself well" platitude. Despite his obvious excitement about the power of hope,he puts it in perspective as just one element that can contribute to wellness and recovery.

The Anatomy of Hope successfully combines compassion and science in a book that is both inspirational and practical. Dr. Groopman's considerable talents as a writer and storyteller wrap these important lessons in an engaging view of the medical world that patients rarely see. Just reading his book makes me feel more in control of my illness and more hopeful for my future.

272 pages, Random House Trade Paperbacks

Random House Audio

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Memoir: All the Fishes Come Home to Roost

My husband bought me All the Fishes Come Home to Roost: An American Misfit in India by Rachel Manija Brown for Christmas this year. It was one of dozens of books that I'd circled in the Bas Bleu catalog that I left lying around the house in strategic places. He made a good choice in selecting this funny, moving memoir from my overflowing wish list.

Rachel Manija Brown tells the story of her bizarre childhood spent at an ashram in India. Until age seven, her life was relatively normal, growing up in Los Angeles and nurturing her two loves, animals and reading. Then her parents, followers of the Indian guru Meher Baba, decided to move to Ahmednagar, India, to live at a commune with other Baba lovers. Rachel suddenly found herself torn from everything familiar, living an isolated existence among religious fanatics.

There were no other resident children at the ashram, and Rachel's enrollment in the local private school (the only option for an education in English) doesn't help much. "And so, despite being Jewish by birth and a Baba-lover by parental decree, I was sent to Holy Wounds of Jesus Christ the Savior Convent School." Rachel is an outcast at the school as the only foreigner and the only student who doesn't speak Hindi or Marathi, the local language. She also discovers that the nuns and teachers at her new school have a sadistic penchant for corporal punishment.

While many aspects of Rachel's childhood in Ahmednagar are appalling, she tells her story with an endearing wit that highlights her resilient spirit. She has plenty of fodder for her humor, as she describes her bizarre life in a remote area of India. In the first chapter alone, we encounter a gnome-like taxi owner who welds the car engine while her family is sitting in the backseat and the taxi's driver, a man so short that he can't reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel at the same time and doesn't seem to know how to work the clutch, as they take her family on a harrowing trip up a mountain. And these aren't the strangest characters she meets in India, by far.

It's impossible not to compare this book with Augusten Burrough's Running With Scissors. In fact, Rachel herself explains in the last chapter how Burrough's hilarious and horrifying memoir inspired her to write her own. She learned from him that she could recount her more disturbing experiences with plenty of humor to keep from alienating her readers. It's a rare talent, to move readers smoothly from laughter to horror and back to laughter again. Rachel Manija Brown manages this approach handily, pulling it all together with her unique voice into a funny and compelling book.

Science Fiction: Replay

I just finished reading Replay by Ken Grimwood for the third time, and it was just as compelling this time as it was the first two times I read it. This is my favorite book of my 35 years of reading, and I have no doubt I'll be picking up my tattered paperback copy to read again in a few years. Although Replay is officially categorized as science fiction, it transcends its genre incorporating in-depth characterization, suspense, romance, and the timeless question of life's purpose.

The book opens in 1988 with 43-year old Jeff Winston dying suddenly of a heart attack while at the desk of his job as a news radio journalist. Moments later, Jeff wakes up in his freshman dorm room in 1963 in his 18-year old body but retaining his memories of the life he recently left with its disappointing career, financial troubles, and failed marriage. This is a book about second - and third and fourth - chances, as Jeff replays those 25 years of his life again and again. He finds this bizarre situation and his unique foreknowledge to be both a blessing and a curse as he relives his life many times over.

More than anything else, Replay is a book about choices. Jeff makes different choices each time he replays (after all, it would be impossible to relive your life exactly the same once you knew what was coming up) and experiences vastly different outcomes, all the time struggling with questions about what is happening to him, what it means, and what he should do.

The copious pop culture references throughout the book are entertaining, and the plot pulls you in immediately and doesn't let you go. Most of all, though, I love this book because it is so endlessly thought-provoking. Right from the start, you can't help comparing Jeff's experiences to your own life and wondering what you'd do in his situation. Could you just hang out with 18-year olds again, retake all your college courses, go through the motions? Given another shot at life, what would you do differently and how would it turn out?

As Jeff replays these years of his life, making different choices each time, he learns a lot about himself and about what's important to him. Although he stops aging at age 43, he continues to mature with each replay, experiencing many lives' worth of sorrow and joy. Although ostensibly a book about time travel, Replay is really a story of love and despair and hope. When you finally set this book down (after reading it all night), you're left with an appreciation of your own life and a desire to make the most of each of its finite moments.

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Buy Replay from Amazon or listen to a sample of the audio at the link.

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Middle-Grade Fiction: The Underland Chronicles

Life has been especially hectic lately, so I haven't had much time to myself for reading. One thing we always make time for, though, is our nightly ritual of reading to our two boys. At 8 and 11 years old, Craig and Jamie are both proficient readers on their own. In Jamie's case, voracious might be a better descriptor; he devours books in big, hungry bites, one after another. 

Even though both boys can now read independently, my husband and I still read to them at bedtime. Our selections over the years have evolved from Dr. Seuss and Richard Scarry to lengthy chapter books, often infused with adventure and magic. For several months now, all four of us have been thoroughly engrossed in The Underland Chronicles, a four-book series by Suzanne Collins. We have been so taken with this exciting, well-written series that I reviewed it for FamilyFun magazine (look for the review in the May 2006 issue).

In the first book, Gregor the Overlander, Collins introduces us to the series' unlikely hero. Gregor is a typical 11-year old boy until the day that he literally falls into the Underland, a whole world existing underneath New York City. The Underland is populated by pale-skinned, violet-eyed humans, as well as human-sized bats, rats, and cockroaches. I know what you're thinking...if anyone had told me I'd enjoy books filled with enormous creepy-crawlers, I'd have thought they were crazy. Besides having a fabulous imagination, Suzanne Collins is a talented writer, filling her books with suspenseful fast-moving plots, in-depth characters, and enough humor to offset the fright factor. In fact, I not only enjoy these books along with my boys, I've even come to care about many of the oversized critters. Gregor and his two-year old sister, Boots, find themselves pulled into the conflicts of the Underland. 

Along the way, Gregor discovers he is a legendary warrior and joins an unusual team of Underlanders to fulfill a prophecy and find a clue to the mysterious disappearance of his own father. In Book 2, Gregor and the Prophecy of the Bane, Gregor and Boots return to the Underland to help the humans head off a possible coup by the rats. Gregor has his own personal motivation for helping the Underlanders in Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods when a member of his own family is affected by a deadly plague in the Underland. In Gregor and the Marks of Secret (due for release in May 2006), Gregor again fulfills his role in the Underland prophecies by helping the humans defend themselves against attacks by the rats. Through all of the action-packed books, Collins keeps us caring with her realistic portrayal of the young hero and keeps us laughing at Boots' typical toddler antics. At our house, we can't wait for bedtime to find out what happens next.

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Listen to a sample of the audiobook of Gregor the Overlander (book one) and/or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local!

   

 

Or you can order Gregor the Overlander from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.