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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sandra's Notable Nonfiction Books of 2008
Here's my list of the best nonfiction reads of 2008:
I haven't had so much fun with a book in years. A Short History of Nearly Everything should be required reading for all students. Bryson managed to do something that no science teacher I ever had did- he illuminated the stories and personalities behind the great scientific discoveries showing how these discoveries were often the results of accidents of opportunity. I listened to this on audio and then had to buy the book. It's one I'll be returning to often.
How had I managed to live this long without reading David McCullough until this year? What a wonderful history of the pivotal year in American history. I read it with the same excitement as a thriller, unable to put the book down even knowing the outcome. The addition of letters from ordinary soldiers as well as those of the great generals makes this truly an American experience.
Okay, I'll admit it, I'm a history geek. Years ago, I had this great idea of reading a biography of every American president. I made it to James Madison (that's #4 for the presidentially challenged). I read Douglas Southall Freeman's biography of George Washington which was extensive to say the least but lacked a clear sense of the man. Joseph Ellis's, His Excellency George Washington, filled in a lot of the shadows of who George Washington was. It's a very readable biography of a man who believed in duty and honor even when he doubted his abilities. I actually found myself tearing up when he died. He was truly the only man to become our first President.
I was a debater throughout my high school years. I believe strongly in the use of analysis and reason and I have been appalled by their decline in our culture. This book shows how our mass culture has dumbed down the dialog on almost every issue that matters.
Even though I didn't finish the book (I still have about 50 pages to go) I've decided to add this one to my list. Hot, Flat and Crowded is an excellent book for illustrating the dangers that await us if we continue consuming the earth's resources as we do now. Often there was so much focus on the catastrophe awaiting us that I was left feeling bleak. This bleakness is one of the big failings of the book along with a lack of clear ideas of what we could realistically do now . Hopefully the world is finally headed in the right direction towards curbing our collective appetites.
I read this book more as a memoir by a writer about her love affair with books instead of a how to book. Francine Prose is a passionate reader who is able to get at the heart of what captures a writer about the written word. I have drifted slowly through a book entranced by a sentence, pausing and returning to that sentence again and again. At a time when we rush or multi-task through activities; it's a pleasure to read a book that asks you to linger and savor the experience.
Reading How Fiction Works is equivalent to a great literature and writing workshop rolled into one. I've copied so many quotes that I've practically re-written the book. It's a valuable addition to any writer's library.
I haven't had so much fun with a book in years. A Short History of Nearly Everything should be required reading for all students. Bryson managed to do something that no science teacher I ever had did- he illuminated the stories and personalities behind the great scientific discoveries showing how these discoveries were often the results of accidents of opportunity. I listened to this on audio and then had to buy the book. It's one I'll be returning to often.
How had I managed to live this long without reading David McCullough until this year? What a wonderful history of the pivotal year in American history. I read it with the same excitement as a thriller, unable to put the book down even knowing the outcome. The addition of letters from ordinary soldiers as well as those of the great generals makes this truly an American experience.
Okay, I'll admit it, I'm a history geek. Years ago, I had this great idea of reading a biography of every American president. I made it to James Madison (that's #4 for the presidentially challenged). I read Douglas Southall Freeman's biography of George Washington which was extensive to say the least but lacked a clear sense of the man. Joseph Ellis's, His Excellency George Washington, filled in a lot of the shadows of who George Washington was. It's a very readable biography of a man who believed in duty and honor even when he doubted his abilities. I actually found myself tearing up when he died. He was truly the only man to become our first President.
I was a debater throughout my high school years. I believe strongly in the use of analysis and reason and I have been appalled by their decline in our culture. This book shows how our mass culture has dumbed down the dialog on almost every issue that matters.
Even though I didn't finish the book (I still have about 50 pages to go) I've decided to add this one to my list. Hot, Flat and Crowded is an excellent book for illustrating the dangers that await us if we continue consuming the earth's resources as we do now. Often there was so much focus on the catastrophe awaiting us that I was left feeling bleak. This bleakness is one of the big failings of the book along with a lack of clear ideas of what we could realistically do now . Hopefully the world is finally headed in the right direction towards curbing our collective appetites.
I read this book more as a memoir by a writer about her love affair with books instead of a how to book. Francine Prose is a passionate reader who is able to get at the heart of what captures a writer about the written word. I have drifted slowly through a book entranced by a sentence, pausing and returning to that sentence again and again. At a time when we rush or multi-task through activities; it's a pleasure to read a book that asks you to linger and savor the experience.
Reading How Fiction Works is equivalent to a great literature and writing workshop rolled into one. I've copied so many quotes that I've practically re-written the book. It's a valuable addition to any writer's library.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sandra's List of Notable and Not-So-Notable Fiction of 2008
It's the last day of the year and I find myself thinking back over the books I read in 2008. Why should The New York Times or The Washington Post have all the fun? I thought I'd jump in to include my list of the best and most disappointing reads of the year.
The Best:
Richard Price is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. I've known of him for years and I've had this mental note to read him. It wasn't until I heard him in an interview talk about this book and of writing in general that I decided to pick the book up from the library. He is one of best writers of dialog out there. What I love most about this novel is Price's ability to paint life in all it's complexity and simplicity. There are no easy sides in this rich mural of urban life.
Another novel by Richard Price. The characters are so strong and real. I felt this nagging sense that I just "knew" these people. I loved the theme of nostalgia and how often the past we remember doesn't belong to us at all but is collective movement. Plus Richard Price is able to write with honesty and clarity about characters of different races, sexes, and ages in a way that I've seldom seen in other writers.
This one was a wonderful surprise for me. I read a small review in The New York Times that intrigued me and picked it up the next day at the library. Hannah Tinti writes with the sensibility of Charles Dickens, except that in The Good Thief her main character, Ren is able to maintain a child's sense of wonder and trust throughout the journey into the shadow of his new life outside of the orphanage.
Growing up, I was an avid reader but I must admit that John Steinbeck left me cold. I read The Grapes of Wrath in high school and found myself slogging through it. Of Mice and Men left me warmer but I wasn't eager to read any more Steinbeck. I think I started East of Eden around the same time but never managed to finish it. This time around I read it for a book group and could not put it down. It turns out that East of Eden was Steinbeck's favorite book and I can understand why. It reads like love letter to the Salinas Valley. It is a wonderful example of how words from the pen of a master can be transformed into art.
The Disappointing:
I really wanted to like this book. I read a review in The New York Times and I was intrigued but the book left me frustrated. I struggled with the passivity of the main character. First person is tough but when filled with pages and pages of a character who doesn't quite know why they've made the choices they've made it can be unbearable. The last section of the book which mirrors the presidency of George Bush did not work for me at all; it felt forced and repetitive.
I started out with The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen Carter. I loved the premise of the story and the writing was vivid. He gives his readers a marvelous view of the upper black middle class but the mystery as it unraveled left me cold. Undaunted I bought New England White. A minor character from the first novel becomes one of the main characters in this novel. Once again vivid writing, upper black middle class life and another frigid mystery (unfortunately this one went on far too long and could have done with some major editing towards the end).
Then while listening to an interview on NPR with the author, I thought maybe this time it will be different. I felt like the woman going back out with the same boyfriend for the third time. I raced to the library and picked up The Palace Council and there was vivid writing- check; upper black middle class society- check; and another mystery that fell flat- check.
This was one of those insider reads. For a writer who spends way too much time with kids, I often fantasize about a world where writers pal around with one another sitting in cafes or bars for hours talking about writing. It was fun to drift inside the world of publishing, agents and the media. What writer hasn't daydreamed of conquering the top of the bestseller list and becoming a media darling? Grub offered much in the way of inside elbow in the rib and wink-wink insider gags but unfortunately the characters never made it beyond the initial character sketch stage for me.
Beginner's Greek was not a book I would have picked up on my own. I tend to avoid the pastel romance-like books. But every magazine, newspaper or NPR segment insisted that this was one of the most amazing books of the year. I was sold. I picked it up and read it in a couple of days. I raced through it because I kept hoping it would have to get better. I even checked online to make certain there wasn't another book by the same title out there that everyone was raving about. Sadly this was not the case. Thin plotting, bland lifeless characters and a convenient death by lightning kept me wondering how this baby wound up the critics' darling.
So these are my hits and misses of 2008. What were the books that kept you reading or made you want to throw the book out the nearest window?
The Best:
Richard Price is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. I've known of him for years and I've had this mental note to read him. It wasn't until I heard him in an interview talk about this book and of writing in general that I decided to pick the book up from the library. He is one of best writers of dialog out there. What I love most about this novel is Price's ability to paint life in all it's complexity and simplicity. There are no easy sides in this rich mural of urban life.
Another novel by Richard Price. The characters are so strong and real. I felt this nagging sense that I just "knew" these people. I loved the theme of nostalgia and how often the past we remember doesn't belong to us at all but is collective movement. Plus Richard Price is able to write with honesty and clarity about characters of different races, sexes, and ages in a way that I've seldom seen in other writers.
This one was a wonderful surprise for me. I read a small review in The New York Times that intrigued me and picked it up the next day at the library. Hannah Tinti writes with the sensibility of Charles Dickens, except that in The Good Thief her main character, Ren is able to maintain a child's sense of wonder and trust throughout the journey into the shadow of his new life outside of the orphanage.
Growing up, I was an avid reader but I must admit that John Steinbeck left me cold. I read The Grapes of Wrath in high school and found myself slogging through it. Of Mice and Men left me warmer but I wasn't eager to read any more Steinbeck. I think I started East of Eden around the same time but never managed to finish it. This time around I read it for a book group and could not put it down. It turns out that East of Eden was Steinbeck's favorite book and I can understand why. It reads like love letter to the Salinas Valley. It is a wonderful example of how words from the pen of a master can be transformed into art.
The Disappointing:
I really wanted to like this book. I read a review in The New York Times and I was intrigued but the book left me frustrated. I struggled with the passivity of the main character. First person is tough but when filled with pages and pages of a character who doesn't quite know why they've made the choices they've made it can be unbearable. The last section of the book which mirrors the presidency of George Bush did not work for me at all; it felt forced and repetitive.
I started out with The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen Carter. I loved the premise of the story and the writing was vivid. He gives his readers a marvelous view of the upper black middle class but the mystery as it unraveled left me cold. Undaunted I bought New England White. A minor character from the first novel becomes one of the main characters in this novel. Once again vivid writing, upper black middle class life and another frigid mystery (unfortunately this one went on far too long and could have done with some major editing towards the end).
Then while listening to an interview on NPR with the author, I thought maybe this time it will be different. I felt like the woman going back out with the same boyfriend for the third time. I raced to the library and picked up The Palace Council and there was vivid writing- check; upper black middle class society- check; and another mystery that fell flat- check.
This was one of those insider reads. For a writer who spends way too much time with kids, I often fantasize about a world where writers pal around with one another sitting in cafes or bars for hours talking about writing. It was fun to drift inside the world of publishing, agents and the media. What writer hasn't daydreamed of conquering the top of the bestseller list and becoming a media darling? Grub offered much in the way of inside elbow in the rib and wink-wink insider gags but unfortunately the characters never made it beyond the initial character sketch stage for me.
Beginner's Greek was not a book I would have picked up on my own. I tend to avoid the pastel romance-like books. But every magazine, newspaper or NPR segment insisted that this was one of the most amazing books of the year. I was sold. I picked it up and read it in a couple of days. I raced through it because I kept hoping it would have to get better. I even checked online to make certain there wasn't another book by the same title out there that everyone was raving about. Sadly this was not the case. Thin plotting, bland lifeless characters and a convenient death by lightning kept me wondering how this baby wound up the critics' darling.
So these are my hits and misses of 2008. What were the books that kept you reading or made you want to throw the book out the nearest window?
Friday, December 19, 2008
Snow Day!!
So the Snow Dance was performed. The night clothes were worn backwards and inside out. The spoons were placed under the pillows. Book bags were packed waiting near the door (it's very important not to tempt the bringers of the snow day). Then we went to bed and waited.
The first to wake up, I turned on the outside lights- no snow. I called the school and we had an official snow day. Could it technically be considered a snow day without snow? No way. So we waited.
Then...
it started.
Two hours later it looked like this:
It was an officially sanctioned SNOW DAY!! And then they could do this:
We were blanketed under a foot of snow. The kids spent their snow day sledding with reddened cheeks and filled with the belief that night clothes, a dance, and spoons under pillows could create this kind of magic
.
The first to wake up, I turned on the outside lights- no snow. I called the school and we had an official snow day. Could it technically be considered a snow day without snow? No way. So we waited.
Then...
it started.
Two hours later it looked like this:
It was an officially sanctioned SNOW DAY!! And then they could do this:
We were blanketed under a foot of snow. The kids spent their snow day sledding with reddened cheeks and filled with the belief that night clothes, a dance, and spoons under pillows could create this kind of magic
.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Today's Trivia Question
Q.) What do you call a group of turkeys?
A.) A "rafter".
Now that Thanksgiving has passed, these ladies seem quite relaxed as they root around our yard.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Help Me Pick a Tree
The man who built our house originally had this idea of starting a Christmas Tree Farm. He put the trees in but never got around to selling them. The women who owned the house before us took out about 40 trees but we're still pine tree heavy. Since moving here in 2003, we've been thinning out the herd during Christmas.
Last year Yuri chose a tree so big it hardly fit through the door. He said, "It didn't look that big outside." So this year, I'd rather not compete with Radio City, I've set my sights on three trees. Here they are:
Contestant #1: It's the tree in the middle I have my eye on. It's not tall but it's full and bushy.
Contestant #2: I'm partial to this one since it's in an area which needs to be thinned out near our garden. Plus it's a Blue Spruce which is my favorite.
Contestant #3: This tree is towards the back of the house where it's absence wouldn't ruin the landscape and it's your traditional Christmassy tree.
Let me know which one you like and I'll keep you posted and show a photo of it once it's in the house and decorated.
Last year Yuri chose a tree so big it hardly fit through the door. He said, "It didn't look that big outside." So this year, I'd rather not compete with Radio City, I've set my sights on three trees. Here they are:
Contestant #1: It's the tree in the middle I have my eye on. It's not tall but it's full and bushy.
Contestant #2: I'm partial to this one since it's in an area which needs to be thinned out near our garden. Plus it's a Blue Spruce which is my favorite.
Contestant #3: This tree is towards the back of the house where it's absence wouldn't ruin the landscape and it's your traditional Christmassy tree.Let me know which one you like and I'll keep you posted and show a photo of it once it's in the house and decorated.
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