My Year in Books

At this time of year, I’m completing the list of books I read during the year and reminiscing. Did I spend my time wisely? Wait. That’s the wrong question, because all my time spent reading is worthwhile. Before I reveal my favorite book of the year, allow me to digress.

I read 40 books in 2015. I find that I like series because, if I like the writing and characters, the books are a reliable go-to when I’m looking for something to read. I read four books from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Two books were from series I continue to read by authors Sue Grafton (alphabet mysteries), and Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum), two were the last of a series by Zoe Ferrarris (Saudi Arabia), and one from a series I am considering by author Ann Cleeves (Shetland Island mysteries).

Four books had titles that referred to the marriage relationship:  The Husband’s Secret, The Wives of Los Alamos, The Wife: A Novel, The Upstairs Wife.

As much as I enjoyed the novels that I read and for as much as they did (or did not) entertain me, I can't count as of them as my favorites for this year.

I read six non-fiction books, and all of my favorites came from this category. Two of the books I have already written about here:  The Feminine Mystique and Missoula: Rape and the justice System in a College Town. My favorite of 2015, however, was Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande.

What was YOUR favorite book of 2015?

December Coffee & Book Swap

Ahhhh . . . to take a few moments for coffee and friends in the middle of the busy holiday activities of December.  Books wrapped in all manner of paper, a variety of genres– the book swap. I didn’t participate this year, but the titles (e.g., Crow Lake, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons) and authors (e.g., Faye Kellerman, Anita Shreve) made me wish that I had.

Bibliotherapy and more

       When I saw Jeri's post on FaceBook, I immediately thought of The One Thing by Anna Quindlin.  I think it was that book, anyway. The main character becomes a therapist and assigns books to her clients. For a women troubled by an obsessive lover, she recommends Wuthering Heights. I love that it's a real thing.

I finished reading Dave Eggers "You Shall Know Our Velocity!" How can one writer write books I really like (Zietoun, What is the What, The Circle) and books I really dislike? The style was more like his first book "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius". Lots of internal dialog. A young man, foibles painfully on display, trying to make sense of life. And then 3/4 of the way through he throws a wrench into the narrative that invalidates everything that came before; letting the reader know that the author is in control and can manipulate his audience anyway he likes. John Irving has done the same thing. It's like stage actors acknowledging the 4th wall; like a magician sharing the secret to a trick. I guess I want to believe in the story, the play, or the trick. I feel so used!

Books in the News

Well, sort of. This is going to make it sound like I’m all up-on-the-news. In reality, I ‘liked’ NPR on Facebook and one of my friends posted the other. So, Facebook has it’s up side. I think if you love books and love to read, you will find the following interesting:

I talked about the short list for the National Book Awards earlier. The winners were announced on November 18. It is interesting to me that the award for fiction went to Adam Johnson for a collection of short stories. I like short stories a lot – when they’re done right (thinking Olive Kitteridge).

NPR: Adam Johnson, Ta-Nehisi Coates Win National Book Awards

If you’re a friend of mine of Facebook, you already saw this story from the New Yorker. I think that the profession of “bibliotherapist” sounds intriguing. Imagine being able to prescribe your favorite books to people. Oh, that’s right, it’s not about me; it’s about them and their mental health. Anyway, some of the books mentioned in this article are now on my Amazon wish list (in case you’re thinking holiday shopping).

The New Yorker: Can Reading Make You Happier?

Enjoy!

Synchronicity and The Feminine Mystique

Am I the only one who didn’t read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan between the time it was written and when it was re-issued on its 50th anniversary? I remember saying I wanted to read it in 2013, but I was afraid that it was going to be one of those uber academic feminist books that are nearly impossible to read/understand.

I am here to say that it is not so and that I am thoroughly enjoying it. I’m early in the book and Friedan is reviewing the history of women’s activism. It’s interesting and accessible. It’s encouraging to think that many of these battles are in the past, but a little unnerving to realize that we’re beginning to fight some of the same old ones.

If you also have been hesitant to pick it up, I encourage you to do so.

Last night I attended Mary Chapin Carpenter’s concert in Eau Claire. Somewhere during the night she sang “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her.” This is a ‘retort’ if you will to the old Geritol commercial where the husband lists all the wonderful attributes of his wife, which of course include taking Geritol, and then says “My wife, I think I’ll keep her.” Both the commercial and the song embody what The Feminine Mystique is about. (I'll attempt to post the video of the song here. If that doesn't work, click this link.)




I love it when things come together like that.

Sue Grafton’s Alphabet

My husband got me started on this series quite some time ago. What I like about the books is what I suppose anyone likes about any series: the characters and setting are usually familiar. It’s like catching up with old friends. I like Kinsey Milhone – she’s self sufficient, straightforward, and a nice person. I like the setting of Santa Theresa and the weather and ocean. I like the straight police procedural format that Grafton uses. And, finally, you don’t have to wonder which book came where in the series.

I find there’s something else I like about following an author over time: seeing them change, evolve, take chances. I love that she’s 75 and still writing books that I enjoy. In some of her last books, Grafton has become philosophical. Or, maybe it has just become more apparent. At any rate, she’s entitled. Here’s a quote I found thought provoking in the opening passages of an earlier book:

The basic question is this: given human nature, are any of us really capable of change? The mistakes other people make are usually patently obvious. Our own are tougher to recognize. In most cases, our path through life reflects a fundamental truth about who we are now and who we’ve been since birth. We’re optimists or pessimists, joyful or depressed, gullible or cynical, inclined to see adventure or to avoid all risks. Therapy might strengthen our assets or offset our liabilities, but in the main we do what we do because we’ve always done it that way, even when the outcome is bad . . . perhaps especially when the outcome is bad.

That small paragraph made me think about change and human nature and made me watch the main character of the book closely.

Anyway, I just finished W is for Wasted. It’s as enjoyable as the rest of her Kinsey Milhone series. I liked it, I liked the characters. Homeless people figured into the mystery. And, in the end, via a eulogy for one of them, she gives us her thought on homeless people. I’ll have to read that part again. A few times. I don’t know if I agree or not, but I like that she is putting it out there.

And, “X” is now available. Enjoy!

A Little Life and More

The Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2015 shortlist has been “revealed.” Only 2 women of the 6 nominees. Please go to the site and see the authors/books nominated. It's been a long time since we've read Anne Tyler - I'd love to read her nominated book.

I read Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life (a Man Booker nominee). I didn’t post here about it because it is a bit overwhelming. It’s a very difficult story of child abuse and the repercussions through adult life. On the other hand, it is a heartening story of friendship, which can only do so much. The writing is beautiful, the story is tragically sad.

More recently I read The Tie That Binds by Kent Haruf. I came upon that title in a NPR story about the author who died in November last year. He won numerous awards for his fiction and was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction. The Tie That Binds follows the Goodnough family and is a tale told by their neighbor Sanders Roscoe. This is a story of a hard rural life and missed potential. I loved his writing, natural-flowing and spare. I will be reading his book Plainsong next.

Finally, I just finished The Upstairs Wife: An Intimate History of Pakistan. Part history, part biography, this is the story of a woman whose husband takes a second wife. This is permitted in Muslim Pakistan. I am frequently disappointed in my ignorance of world events/politics/history. Because of my lack of knowledge about Pakistan, her back-and-forth presentation of the history was difficult for me to follow. But, it was interesting to read about both the history and how her aunt dealt with being “the upstairs wife.”

So many books, so little time. . .

The Shetland Islands

I love the roundabout way I sometimes find books to read. This book was mentioned by one of the knitters that I follow on Twitter. Anyway . . .

The book is Raven Black: Book One of the Shetland Island Quartet (Shetland Island Mysteries) by Ann Cleeves. It is a quick, satisfying mystery. Set in January about one week before Up Helly Aa, the book ties an old crime, the disappearance of a young girl, to the murder of a young woman about a week before the festival. The characters are well-drawn and interesting and modern. My only complaint is that, in the end, I didn’t entirely buy who the murderer was revealed to be.

And, to continue the conversation on culture, I believe that this book does a great job in conveying the sense of place – certainly the climate. But, the book also speaks of the special society of an island – something of a closed community. The language has not been Americanized. I liked that.

Don’t let the title fool you – there are more than four books in this series. It is now up to six. I do believe I’ll read at least a couple more.

• Raven Black (2006); Gold Dagger Award
• White Nights (2008)
• Red Bones (2009)
• Blue Lightning (2010)
• Dead Water (2013)
• Thin Air (2014)

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town

Especially with the new semester about to begin at the university, it seems fitting to have just finished Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer.

The title pretty much spells it out. He follows 3 incidents from beginning to end. In his usual style, he looks at all aspects of the topic: The victims’ stories, the accused stories, university disciplinary protocols, criminal justice protocols, entitlement of college athletes, etc. He also addressed some of the stereotypes and misconceptions that we, as a society, have about rape and rape victims. I found the book engrossing, enlightening, and a little discouraging as a woman.

I then went on to read some of the reviews and stories about the book. He was criticized pretty roundly both by folks in Missoula and in the press. The victims were 1-dimensional, he had access to documents that he shouldn’t have had access to (I think this refers to FERPA regulations). I haven’t read a lot of books on rape, so I don’t know. But, if it was ‘lite’ coverage, it was more information than I had had previously.

I had heard some of the statistics before: most rapes are by acquaintances (date rape). More victims than not don’t report it. For those reasons, most of us probably know someone who was raped. For those reasons, I recommend this book to you.

We're all mortal

While on vacation, I finished Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande. Gawande is a doctor and writes about the conversation that should happen “in the end” with either terminally ill or elderly patients. He believes that in spite of (or in light of) all that we can do technically and medically, there is still a human being on the receiving end. He proposes a conversation (a long one, not a 10-minute-gotta-see-my-next-patient one) based on these questions:

"What is your understanding of the situation and its potential outcojmes? What are your fears and what are your hopes? What are the trade offs you are willing to make and not willing to make? And what is the course of action that best serves this understanding?"

He presents at least five cases through this lens, and most poignantly, that of his father.
I thought this was a wonderful book. I want my doctor to read it. I want my mother’s doctor to read it. Heck, I wish all doctors would read it.

It’s available in paperback and Kindle. It is also available at the library (print & audio).

Interesting psychological drama

Last month I read The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue. We read Room by her back in 2012. There is absolutely no resemblance between the 2 books other than than the fact that they are very well-written and thought-provoking.

The protagonist in the story, set in the 1850s in London, is a feminist way before her time, being single and a business owner.  The plot centers around Emily "Fido" Faithfull and her reunion with a former friend, a pathologically narcissistic and now unhappily married woman. Alternating between the viewpoints of Fido, her friend Helen and Helen's husband, Harry, the book raises interesting questions about the motivations of those 3 characters and the nature of love and friendship. We learn about the archaic system that prevents married women from owning property, the strict mores of the time and the completely male-dominated culture and laws.

I liked this book and I liked it even more when I read afterward that it is based on a true story. Warning: DON'T read the afterword before you read the book!

Great series by Tana French

I recently read In the Woods and The Likeness by Tana French about the Dublin murder squad--a fictional department of Dublin's police force. Three children disappear In the Woods, French's first novel, and 20 years later, the only child found alive, Detective Rob Ryan, is on the murder squad when a twelve-year-old girl is found dead in the same woods. The plot has many twists and turns as the two mysteries collide. I found myself up until midnight one night because I could not put the book down. The writing is superb and a joy to read, the characters are well developed, the psychological elements are explored in-depth, and the suspense is skillfully plotted to the very end. 

The Likeness picks up a different murder squad character, Cassie, from In the Woods for another compelling story that I also found hard to put down. A murdered woman who looks like Cassie and carries ID for one of Cassie's aliases is discovered in an abandoned cabin. Again, French offers a well-written mystery and psychological thriller that I could not put down. 

I recommend both of these books as intensely engrossing reads that leave you wanting more. Fortunately, French has 5 books in the series now and I look forward to reading the rest of them. They are available in our library system.

A Magical Tale

I continue with a heavy dose of fantasy in my reading. Uprooted by Naomi Novik was recommended in my NPR Book Notes email in May.

The story is set in Poland in the time of most fairytales, and I believe it draws on some Polish traditional tales. Each year The Dragon (an immortal wizard) selects a village girl to live in his tower for 10 years. The book follows the first year of Agnieszka’s apprenticeship.

Reviews likened it to Beauty and the Beast and, of course, Harry Potter. Hmmm.

Here’s what I liked. Agnieszka is a 17-year old, intelligent, caring, ingenious, and powerful woman wizard. She’s resolute and unafraid and loyal. So, yeah, a strong female character. There are also strong female friendships. And, the main evil force in the book is female. Then, there’s the crotchety, likeable, at times vulnerable Dragon, Sarkan. Finally, there’s a bit of romance.

Here’s what disappointed: You know the saying ‘there’s an app for that’? Well, in this book, there’s a spell for that. That’s about the extent of the magic. Need a pair of oxen to pull a cart? Mash together some mud and straw while reciting a spell. Need a change of clothes? There’s a one-word spell for that. And, the evil, known as The Wood, is about vines and trees and corruption that invades people. That was probably the most imaginative (and symbolic) part of it.

Back to what I liked. In the end (I don’t think I’m ruining anything) Agnieszka, rather than vanquishing The Wood, makes peace and healing with it. And, Agnieszka doesn’t go following after Sarkan because she thinks that her healing stuff is important and she loves her village. I really liked that.

Focus on men

To add to Jeri's post (5/29) .... I just saw this on FaceBook from the Guardian: Analysis of the last 15 years of winners of six major literary awards by the critically acclaimed author Nicola Griffith has found that a novel is more likely to land a prize if the focus of the narrative is male.


Something to think about, too.

Knit Nite Sunday Afternoon

Rounding out the holiday weekend, we gathered at Susan’s to chat and ‘project’ (yeah, I just made that a verb). Kathy K. and Jeanne did not bring projects, but joined in on the conversation. And, I have to say - you can learn a lot at these gatherings. For example: Amazon Prime and Fire TV Stick.

Kathy T. brought one of her newly finished quilts. I love the cheery colors! She does beautiful quilting.

Vicki is working on a quilt top. This one is a cross stitch sampler of American birds. Lots of small stitches!

Jackie is working on her Thermis pattern. It’s a neck warmer in beautiful gray yarn.

I am on the last sock of three pairs of socks that I am making for me and my sisters for National Sisters Day on August 2. Hooray! I’m on schedule!

And, finally, Sheldon was his usual charming and social self.

Narrow Reading

An NPR article on diversity in publishing caught my eye first because of the title (The Worst Kind of Groundhog Day) and then because it mentions the New York Times summer reading list. What it’s really about, however, is that the list of hot reads for the summer includes none by non-white authors. The author of the article says that this lack of diversity was also true for the 2012, 2013, and 2014 lists.

But here’s what she said that really got my attention: “Narrow reading is a less passive activity than some will claim.” That made me wonder about the books we choose and are reading. So, I looked at our book selections from March 2014 through August 2015. Here’s what I found:

We read more female authors than male authors. I wonder why that is. When this book club started more than 25 years ago, we agreed that we would read only female authors (and the book had to be available in paperback). That rule was in force for about the first 3 years. So, I’m not sure what explains our current preference now.

We read more white authors than non-white authors. After reading the NPR article, I thought that might be true. I imagine that there are a variety of reasons, including critics that put together lists for us that exclude authors of color.

Now that I know this, it’s hard to un-know it. I’m going to dig a little deeper to see if I can include more diverse book recommendations in the future.

Articles Mentioned:
Gay, Roxanne (2015, May 28). The Worst Kind of Groundhog Day: Let's Talk (Again) About Diversity In Publishing
Byrd, Aaron (2015, May 21) Cool Books for Hot Summer Days

Moriarty revisited

After the disappointment with The Hypnotist and the reassurance that the author is better than that example, I thought I'd give her another shot. I downloaded the audio of The Chaperone and listened to it over the long weekend while I gardened and cleaned. The story was interesting about a woman who was on the Orphan Train. But it couldn't decide which storyline to follow or when to end, so not a great listen. It wasn't until I started writing this that I realized that I read Laura Moriarty instead of Liane. So, no redemption for poor Liane.
I'm listening to Amy and Isabel by Elizabeth Stroudt. Her characters are so compelling. Had me weeding the lawn after my flower beds were done because I didn't want to stop listening.
Also still working on the book about reading digitally. Food for thought: with the invention of indexes came the invention of alphabetical order. I can't imagine the alphabet in any other order. Blows my mind to think about it. I'll research more and let you know what I find out.
Deb.

Mysteries in the Desert

Quite a while ago a friend mentioned that her book club was reading the book Finding Nouf. When I next saw this friend, I mentioned that I had read and enjoyed it. She said, “Yeah, I enjoyed Finding Nouf, but I liked her second book even more.” So, now I've read the second book. I agree with my friend's assessment and I recommend the books to you.

There are three books by this author. I hesitate to call them a series because I don’t know if there will be any more. The three are mysteries solved by an unlikely cast of characters: a desert guide, a lab tech, and a police officer. OK, maybe not so unlikely. And there's an added bonus: a budding romance. The action takes place in Saudi Arabia.

What I find interesting about the books are the elements of culture that the author, Zoe Ferraris, incorporates. Things like constraints on the relationships between men and women, the idea of modest dress, what it means to be devout, and more impact how an investigation into murder can progress.

Here are the three books (in order of publication):

1. Finding Nouf
2. City of Veils
3. Kingdom of Strangers

You can find out more about Zoe Ferraris on her website.

Another Knit Night Saturday Morning

First, thanks to our gracious hostess, Susan!! My goodness we cover a lot of ground at these gatherings. Knitting and quilting to be sure, but also movies, books, grandchildren, aging, etc. And, I even got some knitting done!

Here’s the book I mentioned: Remember Me Like This by Bret Anthony Johnston. I couldn’t put this down. It’s the story of the dynamics in a family after the son who went missing (abducted) 4 years earlier returns home.

Sheldon says: This is my sun room. You’re welcome.

2 views of the card I received from Debbie -- a 3-D snowman greeting me with "Happy reading!" and the covers of the books we read making up the other sides of the snowman. Thanks, Debbie!

Mary

My Holiday Card

My favorite part of our holiday gathering is the card exchange. First, I’m a sucker for a surprise / mystery gift. And, I love to see the creative ideas that everyone has for the cards they make. So, allow me to present the card I received this past Monday:

The cover was personalized to include sticker that referenced my love of knitting and coffee. It also included a cherry Christmas tree.

Inside was another sticker of a cat happily sitting infront of a stack of books. The middle panel presented a poem by Adelaide Love entitled, A Book. This poem really captures why I read – to go “places where I’ve never been before.” Finally, the right inside panel looks very much like a bookmark, which included our “reading together since 1989.”

Thank you Jackie!

City of Dark Magic

I just finished reading City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte. The book is actually written by two women who supposedly represent Flyte. The book is describe as a rom-com paranormal suspense novel. It is set in Prague with a very modern heroine who indulges in drugs and sex while getting her PhD in neuromusicology. Her summer job is at a Prague museum catologuing Beethoven's manuscripts. There is mayhem and mystery, a time-traveling prince, a 400-year-old dwarf, and an evil U.S. senator. I just started reading the sequel City of Lost Dreams that is set in Venice. I expect it to be as entertaining as the first book.

On a side note: Sorry I missed last nights holiday gathering. I was sidelined with a sinus headache that landed me on the couch with some Tylenol. It's always great to see the creative Christmas cards people make.