13 posts tagged “books”
This is my second Thursday Thirteen... the first I did over a year ago. Hmm... Who knew this was an annual, not a weekly, thing?
I'm a little late for new year's resolutions, but I thought that I'd list thirteen books that I already own that I want to read before the end of 2008.
Last year I joined a TBR Reading Challenge, but I fell off the wagon when H was born in March. It's not that I didn't keep reading, but I just didn't have time to post reviews here, update my list, chat with the TBR Challenge group, and so on.
This year I still don't feel up to joining in again (hopefully next year), but I thought I'd still do an unofficial challenge to myself here, with this list. A lot of the books on this list were on my challenge list for last year. I hope to not have to write them again on my challenge list for 2009.
- The Pianoman's Daughter by Timothy Findley
- With Your Crooked Heart by Helen Dunmore
- Itsuka by Joy Kogawa
- The Silver Metal Lover by Tannith Lee
- After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
- Swan Song by Robert McCammon
- Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
- Microserfs by Douglas Coupland (happy, shy?)
- Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Jewel by Bret Lott
Good luck to me!
You have $100 to spend online in the next hour. How are you going to spend it?
Well my first inclination when asked questions like this is always books, books, books. Today, I would treat myself to a stack of parenting books:
- First and foremost, my very own copy of Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn, which I read (and wrote about here) before, but it was a library copy and I'd love one to look through again.
- Adventures in Gentle Discipline by Hilary Flower
- Child of Mine by Ellyn Satter, which addresses feeding your children, and from what I read and hear of it, it advocates taking a deep breath and just relaxing about the whole thing. A reminder I need - I'm lucky that my toddler is a good eater, so why do I still feel the compulsion to try every dirty trick in the book to make her eat just one more piece of broccoli? Hopefully this book could finally convince me to let it go.
- Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen, because it's so easy for me to forget not to take everything so seriously!
- The No-Cry Discipline Solution by Elizabeth Pantley, because (a) I read and enjoyed her No-Cry Sleep Solution book, and (b) I hear that this one has a chapter on anger-management for parents, which is something I think is valuable (rather than working so hard to control the child's thoughts and actions, how about working on learning to control our own once in awhile?)
- Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel and Mary Hartzell, because I find that the way I would ideally like to parent my children isn't necessarily the way I end up parenting them on a day-to-day basis. The parenting philosophies that I believe in don't come naturally to me because they weren't the way I was raised (I hear myself saying "because I said so" much too frequently lately), and anything that can help me overcome that would make me very happy.
But considering that I have so many books to read already, and this is just a hypothetical question anyway, so I can cheat and not really harm anyone, I'd like to say that I'd instead go for an Ergo Baby Carrier. Because considering I can't seem to put the baby down without him crying (although that's a total lie, since he's lying by himself now, sleeping as I type this very entry), I'll never be able to read again without a good back carrier anyway.
Spotted this meme on Glamour Mama's blog, and followed it around the vox network, reading all the great entries. Also found one more question to go in the meme along the way. Does it make me kind of pathetic to do this, even though I wasn't tagged? Oh well... one more bloggish thing I don't know about yet.
Total number of books owned:
Well I dutifully went off to count them, but I admit I stopped counting at 500... based on that number, I estimate the number to be in and around, erm, 1000 books. Shh... don't tell G.
Last book bought:
I've been pretty strict about not buying new books for myself anymore... partly because, well... did I mention that I already have 1000 books, the majority of which have not yet been read by me? And partly because money's tight these days, and even if I were loaded, it's hard to justify spending upwards of $20 on a book that I'll read in a few days and then be unable to re-sell anywhere else for more than 50 cents.
But pardon my complaining. The last two books I bought were Cradle the Thought by Tracy D. Nelson and Eragon by Christopher Paolini. The latter is on my tbr shelf, I'm saving it for a rainy day. Cradle the Thought is a journal for a mom to record thoughts on her baby's first year. It's got weekly/monthly questions to answer. While I think a blank journal, an ability to articulate all the thoughts spinning in a sleep-deprived head, and the time to keep up with it is ideal, I found that this is something I actually make the time to do more often than not. I had one for my first baby, and I loved it so much I got another one to use with my second.
Last book read:
The last book I finished was The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. This is the third book in his His Dark Materials trilogy. Honestly don't have a lot to say about it... I don't feel a lot of inspiration for writing book reviews, as evidenced by the lack of them here, despite my intentions to keep up with them.
All I can say is that I recommend this trilogy, it's a good read. (Hm, I wonder why publishers aren't knocking down my door to send me free review copies?)
I'm currently reading Evidence of Things Unseen by Marianne Wiggins, Mirage by Soheir Khashoggi, and Nighttime is my Time (or something equally odd) by Mary Higgins Clark. The first two are good so far, the latter was passed on to me by my mother (actually I gave it to her... got it free from a cereal box deal) and I'm having trouble getting through it.
Five books that mean a lot to me:
The Stone Angel, A Jest of God, and The Fire-Dwellers by Margaret Laurence
Well, I'm cheating and lumping these together as one book, even though each one is amazing on its own. The Stone Angel was required reading in high school. I liked it then (amazing, those academics choosing what books for us to read in school really did get it right a lot of the time, despite what we thought back then), but I've re-read it countless times since, and each time it gets better and better. Hagar Shipley is, perhaps, one of the most intriguing, unforgettable, tragic characters I've ever encountered. The climax of this novel sees very little occur in the way of 'action,' but it gives me goosebumps every time.
A Jest of God was the least meaningful of the three of these novels, but it introduced me to another fascinating character, and had me feeling almost physical pain for the emotional struggle she went through. And finally, The Fire-Dwellers first made me aware that my mother is a person in her own right, not just Mom.
A Good House by Bonnie Burnard
Well first of all, the writing is magnificent. Magnificent writing - always a good thing. It's on this list because I closed the last page on the book with a profound sense of the importance of family. One of those things I "knew" before, but this book brought it home to me on a much more conscious and purposeful level. After reading this book I would never allow myself to forget that the most influential, important, and meaningful relationships in my life are with my family - no matter how crazy they make me.
Sorry to repeat myself, but again... the writing in this novel just blew me away. Like Burnard's writing in A Good House, Lawson has a deceivingly simple writing style, but if you look beneath the surface, it's just overflowing with depth and meaning. And again, it stuck with me because it spoke to me of family ties, the sacrifices we make for one another, and the love that endures the most terrible hardships.
It also got to me in another way that I'm not sure how to describe without spoiling the book. I learned that it's foolish to assume that something is all about you, be it good or bad, and that it's wrong to make assumptions about the motivations of other people, even people you know and love. Okay, vague and clumsy explanation, but that's the best I can do.
Obasan by Joy Kogawa
I can't believe how long it took me to get around to reading this book, about the experience of a Japanese-Canadian girl and her family during/after the war. The girl's age and the time frame is pretty much the same as my dad, and her experience told me a lot about what my dad, uncle, and grandparents lived through. It renewed my interest in my dad's childhood, and encouraged me to open a dialogue with him about it all. The whole thing actually resulted in his writing out his "life story" for me to read... something that I'll treasure for as long as I live.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Atwood is hit and miss with me. Some of her books are among my favourites, and others I could hardly get through. As for why this one is meaningful to me, well, go and google one of the 4 trillion reviews of this powerful book and you'll see.
Reviewing my list, I see there's a decidedly Canadian leaning towards my choices. As in.... 100% Canadian. Why, I don't know - I do try to read Canadian authors when possible, but certainly the majority of the authors I read are from the United States. Does a Canadian writer speak to me in a way that a writer from another country simply does not?
Five authors that mean a lot to me:
Margaret Laurence. Author of the first book that made me truly realise the value of great characterisation, and how one book can be nothing more than a good read while another can be timeless, life-altering literature.
Timothy Findley. Not only did he write Not Wanted on the Voyage (which rightfully belongs on the list above), but he wrote The Wars and a multitude of other ridiculously good books. He's also the author I would most like to meet, although sadly he passed away recently.
Stephen King. I devoured his books when I was a kid. He was the author that saw me through the transition from kids' books to adults' books. The Stand is still on my list of all-time favourite books. I love that a horror novelist can transcend the stereotypes that some may have about horror writing - King is a master storyteller, and when he's in the mood, he can create good characters with the best of them.
Margaret Atwood. The Edible Woman and The Handmaid's Tale are two of my favourites. Her writing style seems to change from novel to novel, which is something I admire. I see her as deeply intelligent, with a lot to say, and fortunately, a lot of people to listen.
Judy Blume. Okay, I could only really come up with four, but writing about how Stephen King took me from adolescent to adult reading reminded me of one of the authors of those adolescent books, Judy Blume. Was there one girl my age who hadn't read at least one book by Blume? One who didn't giggle and finish the sentence when hearing "I must, I must, I must...."
Book: Show us a book that made you laugh out loud.
Submitted by Red Pen.
Overall, I preferred his Pulitzer-winning "Empire Falls," but I'll never forget the handful of scenes in this book that had me actually laughing out loud, something I don't often do while reading.
I've tried describing them to anyone who will listen, and judging from the blank looks I get, Mr. Russo should probably pay me to stop 'promoting' his book. So instead of trying to explain the hilarious passages here, I'll just say... read this book.
Book: Show us one of your favorite works of fiction.
This novel tells the story of one family, 3 generations, over a span of 50 years. Burnard allows us to share in their happiness, anger and grief, as well as all those other parts day-to-day existence.
The simple writing can seem one-dimensional at first glance, but take a slightly closer look and all the layers of the characters, their lives, and the story open up before you in this beautiful tapestry that we call "life."
I can honestly say that this book had a strong impact on me, to the point where I think it might actually be a life-changer for me. "A Good House" is the newest addition to my list of all-time favourite books.
Book: Show us the latest book you bought, borrowed or received.
Well, I wasn't paying attention to my library holds list, and 5 of them came in at once. I now have 3 weeks to read and return these books (not to mention clean the entire house, enroll M in preschool, and oh, that little 'todo' of having a baby...):
The other three, non-fiction books, I'm not so sure. A shame, because I was really looking forward to every single one of them, and now I'm not sure where to start.
Unconditional Parenting - by Alfie Kohn
- Started Jan 24/07, finished Feb 2/07
- Genre: Non-fiction; Parenting
- Rating: 9/10
- 11th book finished in 2007
- 2006 NAPPA Gold Award Winner
First of all, thanks to Molly
for recommending this book. I stumbled across it on her vox page last year - it
was the first time I'd ever heard of it, and her comments intrigued
me. When resolution time came around, and one of mine was to be a
better mother (and subsequently, to read more parenting books), this book came to mind.
I feel woefully underqualified to write a review for this book. I'm actually reluctant to do so, because I loved it so much I'd like every parent to read it, but I'm worried that I'll somehow turn people off of it before they even try it.
But anyhow, just to get it out of the way off the top, Kohn does present a few what may be considered unconventional ideas in this book. He steps away from the common realm of parenting books to challenge some very standard parenting techniques (eg. time-outs and rewards) and present a new way of looking at our children, and our job as their parents.
As stated in the publisher's synopsis (quoted below), most parenting books are designed to tell us how to control our children's behaviour - so that, in short, they'll do exactly what we want them to do. In contrast, Kohn suggests that we think about what we want for them, and what we must do to help them achieve those things. I loved this message, this reminder for me, an admittedly-anal-retentive sahm who too-often gets lost in the ultimately meaningless details of the day-to-day.
Nevertheless, I was still prepared to feel defensive and annoyed while reading parts of this book, based on what I'd heard. No time-outs, not a problem, since I don't use them anyway; in fact most of what he had to say about punishments fit with my philosophies. But if punishment sits on one side of the coin, rewards sit comfortably on the other, and while I don't dole out candy when my kid sits on the potty, I'm certainly all about the praise. "Don't praise my kid?!" I thought, "How ridiculous is that?" I'm a natural gusher, at least with kids, and my daughter's life is filled with my gushing over her - I couldn't imagine ever stopping.
However, I found that I read the whole book without ever feeling defensive or annoyed, let alone offended or upset by what he had to say. And believe me, debilitating mommy-guilt lives a healthy and prosperous life in my house, meaning that when my parenting techniques are questioned, I'm quick to feel hurt or ashamed or worse, defensive and stubborn.
This book has a lot going for it. An interesting, engaging writing style that flowed well from one thought to another - if I found myself questioning something he was saying, the next paragraph or page would invariably answer my question. He backs up almost everything he has to say with why he thinks it, based on research. The endnotes are interesting in and of themselves.
And mostly, in some way I can't quite describe, he manages to present his views in a way that will not likely make those who disagree with him shut down and stop listening. Me, for example. I honestly can't say whether or not I'll stop praising my daughter based on reading this book. In fact, he admits that quitting cold turkey is not the way to go. But I think about his suggestion, the research backing up his suggestion, and that can't do anything but help me, as a parent.
Which speaks to what this book did for me, on the whole: It made me think. It's a truly thought-provoking book, and its ideas will be circling in my mind for a long time, to my daughter's benefit.
I thought I'd choose a favourite quote from the book to put here. There are so many I loved, but here's just one:
"...with each of the thousand-and-one problems that present themselves in family life, our choice is between controlling and teaching, between creating an atmosphere of distrust and one of trust, between setting an example of power and helping children to learn responsibility, between quick-fix parenting and the kind that's focused on long-term goals."
From the publisher:
"Most parenting guides begin with the question 'How can we get kids to do what they're told?' -- and then proceed to offer various techniques for controlling them. In this truly groundbreaking book, nationally respected educator Alfie Kohn begins instead by asking 'What do kids need - and how can we meet those needs?' What follows from that question are ideas for working with children rather than doing things to them.
One basic need all children have, Kohn argues, is to be loved unconditionally, to know that they will be accepted even if they screw up or fall short. Yet conventional approaches to parenting such as punishments (including "time-outs"), rewards (including positive reinforcement), and other forms of control teach children that they are loved only when they please us or impress us. Kohn cites a body of powerful, and largely unknown, research detailing the damage caused by leading children to believe they must earn our approval. That's precisely the message children derive from common discipline techniques, even though it's not the message most parents intend to send.
More than just another book about discipline, though, Unconditional Parenting addresses the ways parents think about, feel about, and act with their children. It invites them to question their most basic assumptions about raising kids while offering a wealth of practical strategies for shifting from "doing to" to "working with" parenting - including how to replace praise with the unconditional support that children need to grow into healthy, caring, responsible people. This is an eye-opening, paradigm-shattering book that will reconnect readers to their own best instincts and inspire them to become better parents."
Speaking in Tongues - by Jeffery Deaver
- Started Jan 15/07, finished Jan 16/07
- Genre: suspense thriller
- Rating: 6/10
- 5th book finished in 2007
- Book #2 for 2007 TBR Challenge
"Aaron Matthews is a man with a gift: he can talk anyone into doing almost anything. As a psychologist he used that talent to help people. Now he's using it against one man in a deadly scheme of revenge. With former trial lawyer Tate Collier as his target, the brilliant, ruthless Matthews knows the easiest way to destroy his adversary is to strike at the point of least resistance, which for Collier is his teenage daughter, Megan.
"In this spine-tingling novel of psychological manipulation, Deaver creates a thrilling battle of words and wits that will leave you speechless."
My comments:
Finished this in a 24-hour period. For me, this is rare, meaning this is a quick, easy read.
Not the best by Deaver I've read, but the storyline kept me turning pages, and it satisfied my need for some suspense thriller brain candy.
- Started Jan 9/07, finished Jan 15/07
- Genre: literary thriller (? see my comments)
- Rating: 8.5/10
- 3rd book finished in 2007
- Book #1 for 2007 TBR Challenge
(Modified a bit from the back of the book, to remove a bit that I find to be too revealing.)
"Paul and Johnnie were born twelve years apart, in a one-bedroom flat in Barking. Paul deals in the development of contaminated land; self-destructive, seductive Johnnie deals in crime. Their ascent to money and power looks easy from a distance, but it burns those who get too close.
"When Paul marries Louise, Johnnie is part of the contract, while their daughter, Anna, is tangled in it from birth. This has been Louise's story, too, an almost Dickensian one, and she's going to tell it in all its crookedness, force, and tenderness."
My comments:
This was my second read by this author. First was A Spell of Winter, which I loved.
Dunmore's writing is a pleasure to read. Lyrical and heady, I just can't help but feel that every single word on the page imbues more meaning than I can possibly even grasp. Granted, there are other books/authors I've said this about, but the thing about Dunmore is that she also weaves an interesting plot to carry you along.
Speaking of which, I categorised this book as a "literary thriller" - I went searching online for someone else's categorisation, since "literary fiction" is the tag I generally stick to anything with above-average writing that's outside of a stereotypical genre, and I'd like to get more specific. I'm not sure I'd personally consider this a "thriller" as compared to Dean Koontz or Jeffery Deaver, or even "thrilling" in any way other than that the writing brings pleasurable surprise.
Curious narration, switching from first to second to third person point of view. I'm sure if I had more functioning brain cells, I could write a bit about this, but since I don't even have the energy to try, I'll stop there. It makes for interesting reading, though, and if I had read this with a group, I'd surely want to discuss it
Great passage:
"Anna looks up at the sky for a long time. Its chill reaches for her through the glass, and she'd like to lean her cheek against it, but the sill is too high. She makes a circle of her forefinger and thumb, and looks through it. There is the sky, looking quite different now, framed, mysterious, with the black fingers of the branches walking across it like writing which Anna can't read. A message. Something is about to happen. Anna takes hold of the window-sill with both hands, tips her head back, and waits."
- Started Jan 1/07, finished Jan 8/07
- Genre: suspense thriller
- Rating: 5.5/10
- 2nd book finished in 2007
- Book #1 for 2007 O Canada Challenge
"In the remote reaches of Glacier National Park, a ten-year-old girl disappears on a family camping trip. At a rescue commmand centre, a multi-agency task force launches a massive search, while the dramatic story grips an entire nation.
Now, as a little girl fights to survive in the wilderness, a desperate mother enters her own life-and-death race to rescue her child. Because time is running out. And because someone else wants to find her daughter - someone who knows a dark secret from the past, and where the deepest terror lies..."
My comments:
This was my first read by this author. I thought all were standalones, but while reading this book I got a distinct sense I was supposed to know some of the characters already, and there were frequent references to past cases that seemed significant, and it turns out that this is actually the second in a series. Being as anal as I am, I've absolutely got to read the first one in the series, and soon, for all to be right in the world again.
I liked the characterisation of most of the characters - Mofina gave them backgrounds and personality and depth. Unfortunately I didn't think that it was as successful with three of the most important characters in the book, but the law enforcement officers and reporters were multi-dimensional.
The lower rating comes from the storyline, which I thought was odd in a way I can't quite articulate (or try very hard, for fear of spoiling the plot). There was a slightly contrived aspect to it which disappointed me.
Nevertheless, as I said, I'll be reading more by this author, largely because some of the characters were likeable and believable. Namely, the first in this Sydowski/Reed series, as well as giving his new series, which starts with The Dying Hour, a try.
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