TV Tuesday: The Catch

My husband and I decided to try the new ABC drama/thriller The Catch, and after three episodes so far, we are enjoying this fun, fast-paced game of cat and mouse very much.

Alice, played by Marielle Enos, runs a thriving private detective agency with her partner and best friend, Valerie, played by Rose Rollins. They are very good at what they do, as seen in the first episode when they foil a talented art thief. Alice is happily engaged to Christopher, played by Peter Kraus of Parenthood fame. They are planning their wedding, and their passion and love for each other is obvious.

Until...we see that Christopher is a con man, and Alice is his latest con. Christopher's real girlfriend, Margot, played by Sonya Walger who played Penny on Lost, tells him it's time to end the con and disappear. Alice has just given Christopher $1.4 million as her half of the down payment on their house, and the next morning she discovers that he is gone without a trace - his apartment empty, his supposed place of work empty, and he - and her money - gone.

Alice is, of course, heart-broken, and also determined to find him. The viewers, though, know something that Alice doesn't: "Christopher" has broken the #1 con-man rule and actually fallen in love with Alice for real. Leaving her and moving onto the next con isn't as easy for him as it should be.

So far, three episodes in, there seems to be a pattern to the show. In each episode, Alice and Valerie take on a new client and solve a new case. Meanwhile, "Christopher" takes on a new identity and he and his two partners (Margot and Reggie, played by Alimi Ballard from Numb3rs) move forward on their new con. Alice's friends want her to forget Christopher and move on...but she is secretly trying to find him. Add in FBI agent (ex-Interpol) Jules Dao, played by Jacky Ido, who has been tracking "Christopher" for years.

I have seen some criticisms that elements of the show are unrealistic. I think those people are entirely missing the point of this show - it's fun, pure and simple! Besides, the fact that a PI who catches con men got conned herself is the whole ironic point. The lead actors are all excellent in their roles (and easy on the eyes!). Peter Kraus as "Christopher" just oozes charm and sexiness...though it is weird to see him in the role of a bad guy after watching him for so many years as dedicated father and husband Adam Braverman!

This is a typical Shonda Rimes show (her other successes include Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How To Get Away with Murder). The combination of mystery, romance, and cat-and-mouse chase is lots and lots of fun. We are enjoying the ride for now and interested to see where it goes.

The Catch is shown on ABC Thursdays at 10pm (though we never watch anything when it actually airs!), and the first three episodes are all available for free On Demand or at the ABC website. They are also available for $1.99 each at Amazon.

It's Monday 4/11! What Are You Reading?

Running late today - I spent most of the weekend plowing through stacks of paperwork for health insurance ( a never-ending job!) and all of this morning on the phone with Customer Service for our prescription insurance and our Healthcare Spending Account. Good times. My head is ready to explode.

So, right....books....ahhh!

Here's what we've all been reading this week:

• I just finished reading the graphic memoir Something New: Tales From a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley, one of my favorite graphic memoirists. This one was about preparations for her recent wedding, with her usual mix of warmth and humor. She feels like an old friend by now!
• I am still reading The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, the next selection for my neighborhood book group this week. It's an unusual mix of mystery/thriller and introspective novel about how our pasts affect our lives. Very engrossing.
• I finished listening to a middle-grade audiobook, The Lightning Queen by Laura Resau, set in the remote Mexican mountains in the 1950's, focusing on both native Mexican Indians and traveling Romani gypsies. It was completely captivating and wonderful on audio.
• Today, I am starting a new middle-grade audio, Upside-Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins.
• My husband, Ken, is still reading one of my recent favorites, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, a thoughtful post-apocalyptic story about a traveling Shakespearean acting troupe. You can read my gushing review at the link!
• Jamie, 21, is re-reading the first two books in the A Pattern of Shadow and Light trilogy by Melissa McPhail: Cephrael's Hand and The Dagger of Adendigaeth, in preparation for reading book 3. He does this a lot, in case you hadn't noticed!

Last week's blog posts:

 TV Tuesday: NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans, two of our old favorite comfort shows!

Teen/YA Review: Code of Honor by Alan Gratz, an action-packed but thoughtful YA thriller

Nonfiction Review: How to Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness, the latest release (and my favorite) from author Toni Bernhard

Saturday Snapshot: Spring Camping in Maryland

What are you and your family reading this week?    

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

Saturday Snapshot 4/9: Spring Camping in Maryland

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. 

My husband and I spent last weekend camping at Susquehanna State Park in Maryland. Though it felt like we passed through all 4 seasons in one weekend, we enjoyed the park's varied terrain and beautiful hikes. Here's a brief peek at the highlights:

Us on Friday afternoon - 75 and sunny!

Susquehanna River

Twin Sycamore trees along the bank of the river

After the rain Saturday - Deer Creek

TWO bald eagles together near the creek!

Closest I have EVER been to bald eagles - amazing!

Storm coming in!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend! It is currently SNOWING big, fluffy flakes here, so it's a bit surreal. What happened to spring?

Nonfiction: How To Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness

I have read and reviewed two previous books by the talented author (and my friend) Toni Bernhard: How To Be Sick and How To Wake Up. The first was about applying the principles of Buddhism to a life of chronic illness, and the second was a more general book – for anyone, not just those chronically ill – about applying Buddhism principles for a happier, more peaceful life. In her third book, How To Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness: A Mindful Guide, Toni once again focuses on those living with chronic illness and pain, with a more general guide, based on her own life and experiences and the wonderful columns, “Turning Straw Into Gold,” that she has written for Psychology Today.

I hardly know where to start because Toni covers so much ground in this incredible book, and there is so much useful information packed into it. Her short, easy-to-read chapters cover every aspect of life with chronic illness or pain, from the benefits of patience to the problems with complaining, from mindfulness techniques to dealing with doctors, and from appreciating what you have to guidelines for your friends and family. Toni’s warm, kind tone runs through it all, interweaving her own experiences with advice for others.

I don’t normally do this in a review, but I really want to give you an idea of the broad scope of this book, so here are the major section titles (each section contains short, useful chapters):

 

      I.         Skills to Help with Each Day

    II.         Mindfulness: Potent Medicine for Easing the Symptoms of Chronic Illness

  III.         Responding Wisely to Troubling Thoughts and Emotions

   IV.        Special Challenges

     V.        Isolation and Loneliness

   VI.       Enjoy the Life You Have

 VII.       For Family, Friends, Caregivers, and Anyone Concerned About Chronic Illness

VIII.      Last But Not Least

As with her previous two books, my copy was filled with dogged-eared corners by the time I finished reading it! I loved the quotes from others that she includes at the start of each chapter, like this one:

Wisdom is learning what to overlook.

-       William James

I could relate to many of her own experiences (which, in itself, always helps – to know you are not alone), and as always, I found her advice to be compassionate, straightforward, and very helpful. Sometimes, I encountered certain topics just when I needed them most, like When You and Those You Love Are in Conflict, and wanted to highlight every line in the section! Here is one example passage:

Understanding a conflict from the other person’s point of view helps you see that a seemingly callous or indifferent reaction to the difficulties in your relationship does not automatically mean that your loved one doesn’t care about you. Instead, it may reflect his or her worries and fears about your medical condition – a reaction that stems from love and concern for you. Understanding this makes it easier not to take your loved one’s behavior personally.

As you can see just from that brief quote, Toni’s approach is always calm and compassionate. As she herself states, “I’ve worked hard to find a measure of peace in the midst of feeling misunderstood,” and she takes that hard-won experience (in this and every other topic) and helps boil it down to basic, simple steps that we can all take to improve our lives and cope better with chronic illness.The wording and look of the cover tell you what you need to know: the emphasis here is on Living Well.

With this mix of personal experience and common-sense advice that you can easily put into practice, Toni’s latest book is my favorite of the three (though the other two are well worth reading, too!). I know I will turn to this book again and again when I go through a rough spot, as I have already, and I’m sure it will be even more helpful for those who are newer to chronic illness. Toni’s advice is always so spot-on, so calm and reassuring and sensible, that my husband recently started joking with me about it. When I get upset over something related to my illness, he looks at me with a smile and says, “What would Toni do?”

331 pages, Wisdom Publications

NOTE: If you, like my son and I, live with chronic illness, check out my chronic illness blog. It covers some topics specific to our illnesses (an immune disorder called ME/CFS and Lyme and other tick infections) but also many topics about emotional coping, joy, and daily life that are relevant for any chronic illness. Like Toni, I take a positive approach to living with chronic illness, with an emphasis on LIVE.

 

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 here 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 How To Live Well with Chronic Pain and Illness: A Mindful Guide from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Teen/YA Review: Code of Honor

I was riveted by the teen/YA audiobook Code of Honor by Alan Gratz, a suspenseful, original novel that I finished in record time! The excellent audio production, read by Dan Bittner, kept me on the edge of my seat.

Seventeen-year old Kamran Smith is riding high and has his life all planned out. He’s the star quarterback at his high school, dates the most popular girl in school, is a shoe-in for Homecoming King, and is being pursued by college recruiters. But the only college Kamran is interested in is West Point Military Academy. He has known he wanted to go there and join the Army ever since his big brother, Darius, went there seven years earlier. Darius is now an elite Army Ranger, and Kamran wants to follow in his footsteps.

Kamran’s life – and his future – suddenly collapses, though, when Darius appears on television, dressed like a terrorist, claiming responsibility for the bombing of the US Embassy in Turkey, where 53 people died. Kamran and his parents don’t believe it’s true – their first instinct is that someone must be forcing Darius to say that – but the US government believes it. They say that Darius is a deserter who has turned into a terrorist. Overnight, Kamran goes from one of the most popular kids at school to a pariah that no one will talk to or even look in the eye. It reminds Kamran of other moments of prejudice he’s experienced throughout his life because of his Arab-like looks.

That’s just the beginning. The US government shows up at their house and takes Kamran into custody in the middle of the night. Kamran has no idea where he’s been taken but endures days and days of relentless questioning. These people – whoever they are – are convinced that Darius has become a terrorist. Kamran tries to explain to them that although his mother was born in Iran, they aren’t practicing Muslims. He also points out that his mother’s family isn’t even the same kind of Muslim as the terrorists, but no one seems to be listening to him. Meanwhile, more terrorist acts have occurred with Darius appearing on TV after each one and tension building as the terrorists warn of a bigger upcoming attack.

One day, while studying the videos of Darius over and over and over with one of the agents, Kamran thinks he notices his brother trying to send him a secret message based on the games they used to play as children. He tries to tell the agents about his suspicions, but no one will listen to him. How can he get out of this mysterious facility (wherever it is) and prove Darius’ innocence? And what if he’s wrong and Darius really is responsible for all of this death and destruction?

This is a gripping, action-packed story from beginning to end, yet it also has incredible emotional depth. I was moved by the brothers’ relationship and Kamran’s memories of their childhood together – it reminded me of our own two sons and the silly games they would make up together. In addition to the suspense and heart, though, this novel also raises serious questions about the world we are living in today, where national security trumps family and where people often makes snap judgments (as Kamran’s classmates did) based on outward appearances.

Suspense and urgent questions propel this narrative forward at a fast pace, as Kamran struggles to figure out what to believe and how he can help end this madness. He doesn’t know whom to trust (if anyone) and feels alone in his belief in his brother’s innocence against all the evidence piling up. Neither he nor the reader knows if his loyalty is misplaced. Gratz takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride in a thriller that is timely and relevant.

Scholastic

Listen to an audio sample.

TV Tuesday: NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans

My family was late discovering the NCIS shows. We saw a couple of the originals when visiting my dad and his wife and liked them. Soon, NCIS became the go-to comfort show for my son and I on sick days for its combination of intriguing mysteries, great cast and characters, and most of all, its wonderful sense of humor. Last year, when they introduced a new version of NCIS set in New Orleans, we were sold - same basic formula only set in our favorite city (my husband and I used to live there - it's where we met - and we've taken our sons to visit several times).

There are now 13 seasons of the original NCIS show (wow!), with a 14th planned (and IMDB shows a 15th, too!). My son and I have watched the first three seasons (he prefers to watch shows in order, from the beginning) and are in the middle of the fourth now, first on DVD's from the library and more recently on Netflix. Even though he is managing his chronic illness pretty well and in college now, when he comes home sick, that's what he wants to watch with me!

So, just in case we were not the last ones on the planet to discover this wonderful show, here's a quick recap. Mark Harmon plays Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, an ex-Marine, of NCIS, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, located in DC. He is in charge of the Major Case Response Team, a group of agents who investigate serious crimes that involve personnel from the Navy or Marines (or their families). I suspect that no one even knew this branch of law enforcement existed before the show made NCIS famous! Gibbs is tough but kind underneath his gruff exterior and totally devoted to his job (and his team, too...though he does have a tendency to slap them in the head!).

Gibbs is assisted in his investigations by a team of agents and support personnel. Michael Weatherly plays Senior Field Agent Tony DiNozzo (though Weatherly has just announced he will be leaving at the end of season 13). DiNozzo is a former Baltimore Homicide Detective (non-military) who is constantly joking, flirting, and quoting movies. Some of the other Agents have come and gone on the show, though Tim McGee, played by Sean Murray, and Ziva David, played by Cote de Pablo, have both been been regulars on the show for many seasons now. McGee is a geeky computer expert who Tony loves to tease, while Ziva is an attractive former Mossad officer from Israel who speaks many languages and is highly trained in combat.

Backing up the field team is Abby Sciuto, the adorable, brilliant Goth Forensics Scientist who works miracles in the lab while slurping down Big Gulps, played (and adored by fans) by Pauley Perrette. Dr. Donald Mallard, nicknamed Ducky, is the resident Medical Examiner and an old friend of Gibbs and is played by David McCallum. Other characters have moved in and out of the group, but those are the main players.

In typical crime show fashion, the team solves a new crime each episode (with occasional two-parters or returning storylines). As with the most successful crime shows, much of its success is due to the actors and the characters they play, and the continuing stories of the main characters' outside lives are an integral part of the show and are just as important as the crimes they solve. One of the things my son and I like best about NCIS is the humor that is woven into every episode, even when (especially when) they are investigating a serious or gruesome crime. Like I said, it's comfort TV.

We have also watched some of NCIS: LA which follows the same formula but with its own unique and talented cast and set in Los Angeles and with more of a cyber focus. We enjoyed some episodes of the LA version but have never gotten as totally hooked on it as with the original.

 

Last year, CBS unveiled a new version, NCIS: New Orleans. We were sold immediately since we love the Crescent City so much, and we have now followed along with seasons one and two. This show follows the same basic formula as the original, solving crimes involving the Navy or Marines, with interesting characters, and that trademark sense of humor. On this show, Scott Bakula plays the man in charge, Senior Special Agent Dwayne Pride. I've always liked Bakula, and he's very good in this role. Backing him up are agents Christopher LaSalle, played with a thick (and authentic) Alabama accent by Lucas Black, and Meredith Brody, played by Zoe McLellan. CCH Pounder plays ME Loretta Wade, and much of this show's humor comes (as with the original) from the Forensics Scientist, in this case Sebastion Lund, a super geek prone to going off on tangents, played by Rob Kerkovich. And we love when there is a cross-over show and our favorite characters from the original NCIS appear on one of the spin-offs.

As for the setting in New Orleans, it is mostly pretty accurate, though with a few glaring exceptions. You could never fit a facility as large as the NCIS headquarters into a building in the French Quarter, as it is depicted here. The show does make frequent use of the French Quarter's popularity (and notoriety), though it also depicts other areas of the city. I have heard some people complain about the accents, but I don't think they're that bad (I learned when I lived there that natives have no idea how thick their own accents can be!) and not all characters are originally from New Orleans, so there are a range of accents depicted on the show. We do love to catch glimpses of our favorites places in NOLA or hear mention of one of our favorite restaurants.

Here's a trailer for NCIS: New Orleans
(2022 Update: We just finished the last season but after watching this trailer, I want to start over from the beginning!)

 

All seasons of the original NCIS show and all of the NCIS spin-offs are streaming on Paramopunt PLus, which used to be called CBS All Access. We subscribed through Amazon or you can purchase single episodes or full seasons on Amazon.

Have you watched any of the NCIS shows? Which are your favorite(s)?

It's Monday 4/4! What Are You Reading?

Whew, another super-busy week, though a relaxing weekend. It was Spring Break for both our sons last week. We set up our pop-up camper at a state park about an hour away. Our high school son spent the first few days down there with his friends, hiking, fishing, and enjoying campfires (and loads of junk food!). Our college son went down to join them for a day and a night. Then, they both came back home (yes, all four of us together for dinner!), and we enjoyed some time with each of them. Friday, my husband and I took our turn and drove down to the park for the weekend. It was a very quiet, relaxing weekend. We took some walks (great hiking at this park), enjoyed our own campfires, and read a LOT. It got super windy and cold Saturday night, but we were warm & cozy in our camper.

We got home Sunday, and I thought, "Ah, finally, a full week with nothing scheduled." Then, I realized that my mom is coming on the train today for a school function tomorrow, the furnace & a/c guy was coming at 8 am today, and we will have seven people for dinner tonight! Maybe next week will be quieter...(not likely!).

With our camping weekend, we enjoyed lots of great books this past week:

• I finished my latest review book for Publishers Weekly, The Book That Matters Most by Ann Hood, about a woman who is still reeling from her husband leaving her for another woman a year ago. She joins her friend's book group and begins to heal, bit by bit, book by book. There is also a gripping side story about her college-aged daughter who is missing in Europe. It was an intricate story with plenty of emotional depth.
• Next, I read a book I've been dying to read: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. My 16-year old cousin and I were both huge fans of Between Shades of Gray, so I pre-ordered copies of this latest Sepetys novel for both of us. It was just as good! Like her first novel, this one also focused on a little-known historical event from WWII time - the sinking of a ship full of evacuees (mostly women and children), where over 9000 people died. Why does everyone know about the Titanic (where 1500 perished) but no one has ever even heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff? As you can see, besides wonderful writing, great characters, and an engrossing story, this is another novel set against a fascinating historical backdrop.
• I am still enjoying the graphic memoir Something New: Tales From a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley, one of my favorite graphic memoirists.
• And I have just started The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, the next selection for my neighborhood book group.
• I have been listening to a middle-grade audiobook, The Lightning Queen by Laura Resau, set in the remote Mexican mountains in the 1950's. It's been completely captivating and wonderful on audio.
• My husband, Ken, finished a Christmas gift from me, The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz. This was the continuation of Stieg Larsson's Millennium series starring the character Lisbeth Salander. We both loved the first three books, and Ken says this fourth one is just as good!
• Ken is now reading one of my recent favorites, Station Eleven by Emily St, John Mandel. You can read my gushing review at the link!
• I believe Jamie, 21, is still reading The Good Knight, A Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mystery Book 1 by Sarah Woodbury. He says it combines two of his favorite genres, mystery and fantasy.

I managed a few reviews amidst the chaos last week, before we disconnected ourselves for the weekend:

TV Tuesday: American Crime, a unique and thought-provoking show

Nonfiction Review: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, an important book for all Americans

Fiction Review: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, a highly acclaimed novel I loved!

What are you and your family reading this week?    

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

Fiction Review: Station Eleven

I first heard about Station Eleven, a novel by Emily St. John Mandel, a couple of years ago on Books onthe Nightstand (my favorite of all book podcasts!) and immediately added it to my TBR list. Then, I began hearing about it everywhere: rave reviews, recommendations, just about every Top 10 list for 2014, and as a finalist for The National Book Award. I finally had a chance to read it last month. Believe it or not, it lived up to all that hype (a rare thing) – I absolutely loved this unique and moving novel about art, memory, and survival.

The novel opens at a theater in Toronto where a production of King Lear is in progress, presumably in our time. A famous actor named Arthur Leander is playing the lead, and this version of the play also includes three little girls, playing childhood versions of Lear’s daughters that he sees in a hallucination. In the middle of a show, Arthur clutches his chest and falls to the ground, and a man named Jeevan in the audience (who had some EMS training) jumps out of his seat and onto the stage before most people even realize the actor has had a heart attack. Despite Jeevan’s best efforts, Arthur dies, and one of the little girls, Kirsten, watches the whole thing in shock, an event she will remember vividly for the rest of her life.

That same night, during a snowstorm, the Georgian Flu, a highly virulent infection that started in Eastern Europe, finds its way to Toronto and quickly kills thousands of people. Jeevan gets an early warning from a friend at the hospital and holes up in his brother’s apartment with him, while the rest of the world tries in vain to outrun this horrible disease. Within a short time, approximately 99% of the population has died, and infrastructure throughout the world has crumbled.

Twenty years later, a caravan called The Traveling Symphony, consisting of musicians and actors, travels along Lakes Michigan and Huron, up into Ontario and back south through Michigan. Along the way, they stop at “towns,” wherever people have settled together, to perform mostly classical music and Shakespearean plays. One of the members of the Symphony is Kirsten, now a young woman who has few memories of the time “before.” One of Kirsten’s most treasured possessions is a pair of hand-drawn comic books about an isolated space station called Station Eleven, given to her by Arthur in the months before he died, when he and she had become friends.

The story continues from there, moving back and forth in time, from the main characters in the years leading up to the pandemic, each living their own lives, to the post-apocalyptic world, where the Symphony travels and acts and plays their music. Suspense builds when the Symphony encounters a cult leader in a town they had last visited years ago, who comes after them even after they hastily leave. There have been stories of a small airport, a bit further south than they usually venture, that they hope might offer them sanctuary…though they have no idea what they might find there.

The theme of this beautifully written novel can be summed up simply with the line written on the caravan of the Symphony:

Because survival is insufficient

It’s a suspenseful post-apocalyptic novel about a group of people trying to make a life for themselves in the destroyed world, but it is also about the beauty and necessity of art, even in a world of people struggling just to survive.

What I liked best about this novel, though, is its focus on connections. Moving back and forth in time, peeking in at the lives of a wide variety of characters both before and after the pandemic, there are myriad connections between people, places, and even objects. I loved discovering those connections and seeing them develop, how something that happened decades before the pandemic could still have lasting repercussions 20 years into the post-apocalyptic world. Causes and effects, relationships, and interconnections crisscross this unique novel.

Often, I find that hype of a popular novel can negatively affect my enjoyment of it. If I have heard people rave about “best book I’ve ever read!” and other superlative comments, I often find that my expectations are so high that I am bound to be disappointed when I read the book myself. Not so in this case. I like post-apocalyptic stories, and this one’s combination of art and science fiction sounded appealing, but I was stunned by the beauty of the writing, and all of those unexpected connections that kept surprising – and delighting – me as I read. I never wanted this novel to end. It was one of those rare books that I finished reluctantly, gave a big sigh, and held to my chest in a hug. If we ever do live in a post-apocalyptic world, I hope there will be a Traveling Symphony to feed our minds and hearts.

333 pages, Alfred A. Knopf

 

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.

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun!

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here, from that first scene when Arthur collapses onstage, 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 Station Eleven from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Nonfiction Review: The New Jim Crow

One of my book groups discussed Michelle Alexander’s popular and newsworthy book The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness almost a month ago, but I have been procrastinating on writing my review because it is such a complex book with so many important topics covered.

Alexander’s theory is that mass incarceration of black men has become like a new form of de facto Jim Crow law, essentially limiting their entire lives through a domino effect of biased laws, overly punitive sentences for minor crimes, and little-known consequences that affect the life of a convicted criminal forever. She begins by looking back in history to slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, and the War on Drugs. She then takes a close look into our criminal justice system, which can be anything but just. She explains how stricter and stricter drug laws and implicit racial profiling, backed up by Supreme Court decisions, have created a system that is extremely racially biased. She also delves into some startling statistics.

The facts that Alexander presents are often shocking. She knocks down common stereotypes – of the black “welfare queen,” the supposed primacy of African-Americans as drug users and dealers, and the fair justice system we see on TV, where everyone gets a trial – by providing real-life statistics. Studies show that roughly equal percentages of white and black teens use drugs and slightly more whites sell drugs, yet 80-90% of all drug offenders in prison are African-American!

As for our justice system, approximately 80% of criminal defendants of all types are indigent and can’t afford a lawyer; they either go to court without a lawyer (in WI, if you earn more than $3000 a year, the state says you can afford your own) or are rushed through the court system with a woefully overworked, underpaid public defender who often encourages them to plead guilty, even if they aren’t. Finally, once someone has been convicted of a crime (even if he didn’t commit it), he is barred from receiving food stamps or welfare, his job prospects are extremely limited, and in many states, he cannot even vote. A minor offense as a teen – perhaps possession of an ounce or two of marijuana – could easily result in prison time and dire effects that last a man’s entire life.

The implicit racial bias in our system is also shocking. In a 1995 study, people were asked to picture in their minds a drug user and then describe that person.  Ninety-five percent of the study participants pictured a black person, though at the time, African-Americans made up only 15% of drug users. Similarly, sentencing guidelines for drug offenses are inherently biased. A conviction for the sale of just 5 grams of crack cocaine (a cheaper form more likely to be used by poor blacks) carries a mandatory sentence of 5 years in prison, while someone would have to sell 500 grams of powder cocaine (more likely to be used by wealthy whites) before reaching that sentence. The statistics and stories that Alexander shares are just mind-boggling.

Our book group was absolutely shocked by the picture she paints in this book, and our discussion was long and passionate. Some of the facts presented here were stunning to us: the Supreme Court decisions that basically made racial bias into law, that Democratic Presidents - even Barack Obama - have done just as much to worsen this situation as Republicans, and all of the startling facts (and much more) that I described in the previous paragraph. We all agreed that it was an eye-opening book, though somewhat depressing, as the problems that Alexander presents are deeply rooted in every aspect of our legal system and seem almost insurmountable.

On the downside, most of us struggled a bit with reading the book. While the information is fascinating, it is presented in a somewhat dry, academic way, with some repetition. I think it could have been even more convincing – and far more readable – with more personal stories woven into the narrative; the ones she does include are captivating. In fact, I didn’t actually read the entire book (though between my own reading and the discussion, I felt like I got enough of it to write a thorough review). I got about halfway through and was running out of time before our discussion, so I skipped to the last (6^th) chapter and read that.

You may have heard mention of “mass incarceration of blacks” in the news or from politicians campaigning; I think all of that was sparked by this book, so it is highly relevant. The roots of these serious problems are far-reaching, from legislation to policing to the court system to sentencing. Despite the difficulties in reading this book, its topics are extremely important, and it should be required reading for every American citizen.

261 pages (plus extensive footnotes), The New Press

TV Tuesday: American Crime

Having heard rave reviews of the ABC drama American Crime, my husband and I started watching it this second season (which has just recently wrapped up). My husband found it a bit too disturbing (it's not at all graphic but does deal with some sensitive topics like male rape), but I was riveted for the full ten episodes.

American Crime (not to be confused with American Crime Story which is airing a re-enactment of the OJ case) is a wholly unique show, unlike anything else I have ever seen on TV before. Each season, it tackles a different crime, with an entirely different set of characters and location, and it delves into myriad issues that are relevant to our society today. Timothy Hutton and Felicity Huffman are the lead actors in the show, but they play completely different characters each season. So, essentially, each season stands on its own as a sort of mini-series. I haven't watched season 1 yet, but the synopses I read say it deals with the court trial of a home invasion that resulted in the death of a war hero who may have had some secrets in his life.

Season 2 takes place in Indiana and aims to capture a typical American Midwest town. In the first episode, a high school boy named Taylor goes to a party and later admits that he was drugged and sexually assaulted. Taylor lives with his single mom, who works as a waitress, and is a scholarship student at the prestigious Leyland School, a private school where most of the students come from wealthy, upper-class families. The party that Taylor went to was an annual tradition: the Captain's Party, hosted by the two captains of the school's championship basketball team. It's the kind of thing that most parents and school administrators know about but look the other way. Photos of Taylor from the party - in which he looks drunk and half-naked - circulate on social media, triggering the crisis.

In that first episode, the main characters are introduced, including the boys on the basketball team, especially the two captains, Eric and Kevin. The basketball coach is played by Timothy Hutton, and his wife, the art teacher at Leyland, is played by Hope Davis. Leyland's principal - a completely unsympathetic character - is played by Felicity Huffman. Taylor's hardworking mom is played by Lili Taylor. Eric's and Kevin's parents are also introduced, as well as other important characters. The acting - from the big name actors as well as the lesser known teens - is absolutely superb.

As each episode unfolds, the show digs deeper into the story, as secrets and lies are uncovered. The details of the assault are revealed gradually, although even by the end, it remains a matter of who do you believe? That event triggers an avalanche of effects that reverberate throughout the entire community, eventually leading to some tragic consequences. Leyland, the private, mostly white school, is contrasted with the local public school, where incidents of racial violence break out and the multi-racial administrators struggle to maintain control. The media and the police are also involved throughout the story.

American Crime tackles all kinds of important issues in our society in a way that highlights the gray areas. This second season addresses issues of race, sexual orientation, and class and highlights our biases and prejudices (it seems the first season, though focusing on an entirely different crime, has a similarly broad and thoughtful approach). Nothing is clear-cut here, and the viewer is constantly caught off-quard, wondering who to believe and who are the good guys.

This is a TV show of the highest quality, with excellent acting, realistic writing, and situations that mirror the complexities of real life, with no easy answers. It's a crime show where you never even see the faces of the detectives and lawyers - regular citizens are the focus here, including crime victims, perpetrators, and everyone else affected by the crime(s). If there was a book group equivalent for TV shows, American Crime would be the perfect show for a group discussion - the issues introduced here are complex and thought-provoking. And if you only like stories that wrap up all the loose ends with a nice, happy ending, then this one probably isn't for you. I can't wait to see what they come up with for season 3 (and I still need to go back and watch season 1).

American Crime airs on ABC. The second season has ended, and the last half of it is still available On Demand and on Hulu, and the last few episodes are available at ABC's website. It doesn't seem to be available on Netflix. Both season 1 & season 2 are available at Amazon for $19.99 (or $1.99 per episode). If you missed the start of season 2 and don't want to pay for it, then you will have to wait for season 3 - you don't want to miss this one!



    

It's Monday 3/28! What Are You Reading?

Whew. Just got home at 11 pm last night from a weekend spent in Rochester, NY, with my family (and an old friend!) for Easter. It was great to see everyone but as usual, a busy visit. Then, we were up early this morning (well, I was) to get my son and his friends ready for their first solo camping trip for spring break. He and my husband just left to go set up our camper in a state park about an hour away - he and his friends will use it at the beginning of the week, and my husband and I will get a couple of quiet days there at the end of the week. Fun - and probably relaxing later - but lots of rushing around today. Our college son is still home this morning, and I'll take him back to campus after lunch. Like I said, whew!

So, not a lot of reading time last week (or blogging time), but here's what we are all currently reading:

• I am still reading my next review book for Publishers Weekly, The Book That Matters Most by Ann Hood. This is my first Ann Hood novel, and I'm enjoying it. It's about a woman who is still reeling from her husband leaving her for another woman a year ago. She joins her friend's book group and begins to heal, bit by bit, book by book. There is also a gripping side story about her college-aged daughter who is missing in Europe. It's been very good, and I hope to finish it today.
• Although I don't normally read more than one book at a time, I make an exception for graphic novels because I can dip into them a bit at a time (and they tend to be much quicker reads than regular books).  So, I just started the graphic memoir Something New: Tales From a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley, one of my favorite graphic memoirists.
• I finished the YA audiobook Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx by Sonia Manzano and absolutely loved it! It's a memoir written by the woman who has played Maria on Sesame Street for over 45 years. Sesame Street started when I was 6 years old, so I grew up on it and then watched it with my own sons. Maria's voice sounds sooo familiar on the audio, and her story was fascinating. I loved every minute and never wanted it to end.
• My husband, Ken, is reading a Christmas gift from me, The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz. This is the continuation of Stieg Larsson's Millennium series starring the character Lisbeth Salander. We both loved the first three books and hope that this new author is able to fill Larsson's shoes. So far, Ken says it's living up to the first three novels.
• Today, I am starting a new middle-grade audiobook, The Lightning Queen by Laura Resau, set in the remote Mexican mountains in the 1950's.
• Jamie, 21, is reading The Good Knight, A Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mystery Book 1 by Sarah Woodbury. He says it combines two of his favorite genres, mystery and fantasy.

 I managed a few blog posts last week before we left town:

TV Tuesday: The Americans, an exciting show that is both a spy thriller and a family drama

A Day in the Life, a summary of a typical day for me for the annual event hosted by Trish at Love, Laughter, Insanity

Middle-Grade Review: A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen, a riveting and fascinating historical novel about the Berlin Wall

Summary of Books Read in February - yes! Before the end of March - I'm making progress.

What are you and your family reading this week?    

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.