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With every letter I complete, I see this journey nearing it's end. As I write this review, I've already started reading my "U" book and have checked the shelves for availability of the remaining letters. I may be forced to bend the rules when it comes to the letter "X" because there just aren't many fiction authors with a last name starting with "X." I will worry about that when I get there, but for now, let's talk about "T" is for Tropper, Jonathan.
I remember pulling this book from the stacks because of the multi-colored lettering on the spine. It is the little things that draw me to what I end up reading. I read the inside cover and was interested. Still, I continued looking around. I came back several times to Tropper's novel and decided to check it out. For my "T" book, I read This Is Where I Leave You.
The story revolves around the Foxman family, who have gathered for the funeral of their husband and father and to sit shiva for him. Shiva is a seven-day long time of mourning for a family of the Jewish faith. The family gathers in the home of the deceased and receives visitors. It is supposed to be a solemn time of remembrance and mourning where mirrors are covered and the family sits on low shiva chairs. When the Foxman children heard from their mother that their father's dying request was that they sit shiva for him, they were beyond surprised. Their father had not been a religious man and had only taken them to Temple once or twice a year. Still, they came together to remember their father.
Our narrator is Judd Foxman who is dealing not only with the death of his father, but also the end of his marriage. Just weeks before his father died, Judd had walked in on his wife Jen in bed with his boss, a Howard Stern-like radio host who was despised by most women. As Judd explained, "Not mine, unfortunately." Along with Judd we have his mother, a retired psychiatrist who wears clothing which makes Judd and his siblings uncomfortable and brings out the local widowers by the droves. Also sitting shiva are Judd's only sister Wendy and her obnoxious husband, older brother Paul who has taken over the family business, and younger brother Phillip who arrives with his much older "fiancee." The relationships among the siblings are strained and often awkward. Being in the same house for seven days of mourning would likely test the closest family, but it really strains a dysfunctional family like the Foxmans.
There is a great deal of humor in the book. Much of it is quite dark, as could be expected in the setting. The Foxman children are destined to make discoveries about themselves as they remember their father and look more closely at their own lives. While there is quite a bit of gratuitous sex and language, Tropper makes light of many of the situations.
One big twist in the book comes when Judd's estranged wife shows up to give Judd the news that he is going to be a father. This bombshell comes as Judd is considering renewing a fling with a high school sweetheart. In the light of the loss of his own father, Judd considers what type father he will be to a child who will likely be raised by his wife and former boss. Part of this equation is answered in the last chapters of the book, but Tropper leaves it to the reader to decide exactly what happens to Judd and Jen.
This Is Where I Leave You is being turned into a movie for a 2011 release. As you read the novel, you can see it on a big screen. It is entertaining and relevant enough to translate well to film. I am looking forward to seeing the movie.
This Is Where I Leave You is not always an easy read. The reader is forced to see themselves in the shoes of the Foxman children. Those with siblings will likely see at least some similarities in their own familial relationships. If you are looking for a good read that will make you think, I would recommend This Is Where I Leave You.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
S is for Sharpe
There are many, many writers with a last name starting with "S." I knew this would be a tough one to choose and I'm honestly not sure I made the right choice. This is not the first time I've chosen a book based on title or cover design, and it likely won't be the last. I will admit that I chose this book almost entirely because the cover photo has a Corgi. Yep, I'm a sucker for a dog. So, for better or worse, let me present to you my "S" book, As Good As It Got by Isabel Sharpe.
I actually really liked the premise of this book. Several women who had suffered a great loss gathered together at a therapeutic camp in Maine. The book focuses on three of the campers: Ann, whose husband took his own life, Cindy, who lost her marriage to a string of mistresses and Martha, whose one true love is lying in a coma on the verge of death. I am somewhat of a feminist and love reading about strong, powerful women taking control of their lives, but I think even I would have been turned off by Camp Kinsonu. There are only so many times a person needs to hear the song "I am woman" before they want to jump into an icy Maine lake.
Of the three primary characters, I liked Ann and Martha. Cindy is whiny, needy and so convinced that her cheating husband will come home once again when he realizes he just can't live without her. It's not that easy to like Ann, but in the end, I couldn't help it. She's tough and very honest. She says what she's thinking and that doesn't set well with all the campers, especially during group therapy sessions. Ann has a great deal to overcome when she arrives at Camp Kinsonu. It was only after her husband killed himself that she discovers he had lost all their money, their house and their financial future. Not surprisingly, Ann is bitter. Her journey at camp will see her realize that the high life she and Paul were living was not living at all. She will come a very long way in a very short time. My other favorite was Martha, who came to the camp when her long-time secret love suffers a stroke and ends up in a coma. Martha has spent her adult life waiting for her politician lover to give up his pretty wife and children and realize that it's her he truly loves. Martha feels she doesn't fit in with the other campers. She is the token fat girl. She is eccentric and feels very alone.
See, the premise sounds good. The delivery was not so great. Camp Kinsonu is supposed to be a professionally run, therapeutic camp, but it comes across as more like high school. The inclusion of the allegedly gay male worker is a poor reflection on professional therapy. Hopefully, a real camp like this would actually check out the stories of their workers. The fourth member of Ann's cabin just doesn't fit in at all. A peripheral character should stay on the periphery, not be thrown into so many scenes. Perhaps I was taking the book too seriously. Based on the outline, I was expecting something more thought-provoking, not a beach read. There were some great moments in this novel. There were times when the women really looked deep inside and discovered what they were made of, but those moments were few compared with the fluff.
If you are looking for a fun, quick read with some laugh out loud moments and a few moments of empathy and reflection, I think you'll enjoy "As Good As It Got." If you are looking for a deep look at the problems of women and how they fight to overcome them, keep looking. Isabel Sharpe paints a beautiful picture of summer time in Maine. Camp Kinsonu is a great idea that falls short of it's potential. Maybe that's what Sharpe was aiming for.
I recommend "As Good As It Got" for those looking for a fun read. I recommend it for those who want to laugh a bit and maybe tear up a bit. I do wish the dog on the cover was more than just a memory for one of my least favorite campers. Next time I need a beach read, I might pick up another of Sharpe's books. If I'm looking for something a bit more thought-provoking, I'll pass her by.
I actually really liked the premise of this book. Several women who had suffered a great loss gathered together at a therapeutic camp in Maine. The book focuses on three of the campers: Ann, whose husband took his own life, Cindy, who lost her marriage to a string of mistresses and Martha, whose one true love is lying in a coma on the verge of death. I am somewhat of a feminist and love reading about strong, powerful women taking control of their lives, but I think even I would have been turned off by Camp Kinsonu. There are only so many times a person needs to hear the song "I am woman" before they want to jump into an icy Maine lake.
Of the three primary characters, I liked Ann and Martha. Cindy is whiny, needy and so convinced that her cheating husband will come home once again when he realizes he just can't live without her. It's not that easy to like Ann, but in the end, I couldn't help it. She's tough and very honest. She says what she's thinking and that doesn't set well with all the campers, especially during group therapy sessions. Ann has a great deal to overcome when she arrives at Camp Kinsonu. It was only after her husband killed himself that she discovers he had lost all their money, their house and their financial future. Not surprisingly, Ann is bitter. Her journey at camp will see her realize that the high life she and Paul were living was not living at all. She will come a very long way in a very short time. My other favorite was Martha, who came to the camp when her long-time secret love suffers a stroke and ends up in a coma. Martha has spent her adult life waiting for her politician lover to give up his pretty wife and children and realize that it's her he truly loves. Martha feels she doesn't fit in with the other campers. She is the token fat girl. She is eccentric and feels very alone.
See, the premise sounds good. The delivery was not so great. Camp Kinsonu is supposed to be a professionally run, therapeutic camp, but it comes across as more like high school. The inclusion of the allegedly gay male worker is a poor reflection on professional therapy. Hopefully, a real camp like this would actually check out the stories of their workers. The fourth member of Ann's cabin just doesn't fit in at all. A peripheral character should stay on the periphery, not be thrown into so many scenes. Perhaps I was taking the book too seriously. Based on the outline, I was expecting something more thought-provoking, not a beach read. There were some great moments in this novel. There were times when the women really looked deep inside and discovered what they were made of, but those moments were few compared with the fluff.
If you are looking for a fun, quick read with some laugh out loud moments and a few moments of empathy and reflection, I think you'll enjoy "As Good As It Got." If you are looking for a deep look at the problems of women and how they fight to overcome them, keep looking. Isabel Sharpe paints a beautiful picture of summer time in Maine. Camp Kinsonu is a great idea that falls short of it's potential. Maybe that's what Sharpe was aiming for.
I recommend "As Good As It Got" for those looking for a fun read. I recommend it for those who want to laugh a bit and maybe tear up a bit. I do wish the dog on the cover was more than just a memory for one of my least favorite campers. Next time I need a beach read, I might pick up another of Sharpe's books. If I'm looking for something a bit more thought-provoking, I'll pass her by.
Friday, August 13, 2010
R is for Rubio
I've tried during this journey to stay away from Oprah. I have been trying to find my own books and not allow the Queen of all media to pick for me. This time, I just couldn't escape her. The title of the book intrigued me, so I grabbed it to check it out a bit closer. I immediately saw the Oprah Book Club logo on it and considered putting it back, but I still read the summary. I was even more intrigued. I continued to look through the "R" section, but kept coming back to this book. In the end, I carried my "R" choice to the front counter and checked out Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio.
This is a wonderful story of a young orphaned girl growing up in the 50's in the hills of Kentucky. Icy got her name because she was as cold as Icy Creek when she was born. Just weeks after Icy is born, her mother dies, seemingly to the family from eating sour fruit. Icy believes it is the sourness she was nourished on in the womb that has caused all her troubles. Icy grows up in the home of her loving grandparents from whom she tries to hide her growing problems. Around the age of 10, Icy starts suffering from tics and croaks. She is labeled a frog-child by her peers and is shunned by the entire community. As an outcast, Icy finds friendship in an unlikely source; the older, obese owner of the town's feed store. Miss Emily becomes friend, teacher and mentor to the young and confused Icy.
One of the few rough places I found in the book was in Icy's stay at a mental hospital. While I understood why during the 50's a child with tics and croaks who sometimes curses with abandon would be sent to a hospital, there never was much resolution there. No diagnosis was found and she really didn't change at all after her stay. The chapters where Icy was in the hospital were a horrifying glimpse into what a state-run hospital for mentally ill children might have been like in the 50's. From the aide who tormented the children to the mix of physically ill with mentally ill children, it was a sad look back. Icy left the hospital just as she entered it, with her anger, her tics and her separation from the community around her.
Under the tutelage of Miss Emily, Icy studies and prepares for a life outside of the rural community from which and in which she has been isolated. She tries her hand at young love, only to watch it slip away when the tics overcome her while she is in the embrace of her new boyfriend. Icy does find her gift in song. Singing relaxes Icy so the tics stay at bay and through music she is able to bridge some of the gap between herself and the town people.
In the book's epilogue, Icy tells us that she finally found the cause of the tics, twitches and croaking when she is diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. While the diagnosis does little to erase the pain she endured as a child, it gives Icy a new view of her future.
There were some rough patches in Icy Sparks, but for the most part, it was a wonderfully written book. Rubio's writing is reminiscent of some of the finest Southern writers ever. Icy is a wonderful narrator who makes us laugh and cry, rejoice and cringe. Icy Sparks is a different kind of coming of age story. If you ever felt that you didn't belong, you'll identify with Icy and Miss Emily. I recommend Icy Sparks for anyone who loves Southern writers. I recommend Icy Sparks for anyone who has felt totally left out at some time in their life. I recommend Icy Sparks if you want to laugh and cry and be thoroughly entertained.
This is a wonderful story of a young orphaned girl growing up in the 50's in the hills of Kentucky. Icy got her name because she was as cold as Icy Creek when she was born. Just weeks after Icy is born, her mother dies, seemingly to the family from eating sour fruit. Icy believes it is the sourness she was nourished on in the womb that has caused all her troubles. Icy grows up in the home of her loving grandparents from whom she tries to hide her growing problems. Around the age of 10, Icy starts suffering from tics and croaks. She is labeled a frog-child by her peers and is shunned by the entire community. As an outcast, Icy finds friendship in an unlikely source; the older, obese owner of the town's feed store. Miss Emily becomes friend, teacher and mentor to the young and confused Icy.
One of the few rough places I found in the book was in Icy's stay at a mental hospital. While I understood why during the 50's a child with tics and croaks who sometimes curses with abandon would be sent to a hospital, there never was much resolution there. No diagnosis was found and she really didn't change at all after her stay. The chapters where Icy was in the hospital were a horrifying glimpse into what a state-run hospital for mentally ill children might have been like in the 50's. From the aide who tormented the children to the mix of physically ill with mentally ill children, it was a sad look back. Icy left the hospital just as she entered it, with her anger, her tics and her separation from the community around her.
Under the tutelage of Miss Emily, Icy studies and prepares for a life outside of the rural community from which and in which she has been isolated. She tries her hand at young love, only to watch it slip away when the tics overcome her while she is in the embrace of her new boyfriend. Icy does find her gift in song. Singing relaxes Icy so the tics stay at bay and through music she is able to bridge some of the gap between herself and the town people.
In the book's epilogue, Icy tells us that she finally found the cause of the tics, twitches and croaking when she is diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. While the diagnosis does little to erase the pain she endured as a child, it gives Icy a new view of her future.
There were some rough patches in Icy Sparks, but for the most part, it was a wonderfully written book. Rubio's writing is reminiscent of some of the finest Southern writers ever. Icy is a wonderful narrator who makes us laugh and cry, rejoice and cringe. Icy Sparks is a different kind of coming of age story. If you ever felt that you didn't belong, you'll identify with Icy and Miss Emily. I recommend Icy Sparks for anyone who loves Southern writers. I recommend Icy Sparks for anyone who has felt totally left out at some time in their life. I recommend Icy Sparks if you want to laugh and cry and be thoroughly entertained.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Q is for Quinn
Here we are at the letter Q. I was not at all surprised to find one small shelf of books by authors whose last name started with Q. I don't think I know many people with Q names. I was thrilled to find a wonderful book by a Q author. For the letter Q, let me introduce to you "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn.
When I first read the inside cover I was a bit amused. This is the story of a gorilla who talks with people telepathically. Yep, sounds like a laugh a minute, right. Wrong. "Ishmael" is a book for someone who truly wants to think. If you're looking for a good beach read or something to wile away the time with, this is probably not for you. Now, I'll be honest, I wasn't exactly looking for a great think when I picked up this book. I'm back in school now and I do plenty of thinking reading textbooks and writing papers. I kind of hoped that "Ishmael" was going to be a funny talking gorilla. At the end of the book, I'm so glad that he wasn't.
The novel opens with our narrator finding a strange ad in the newspaper. The ad says "TEACHER seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person." That would make me think twice. Today, you'd almost expect to see an ad like that somewhere on Craigslist. Our narrator decides that he must reply, so he shows up at the address, which is just your generic, low-rent office building. Inside the office, he sees a big glass wall and behind that wall sits a half-ton gorilla. As he exchanges glances with the gorilla, he realizes that the gorilla is talking to him in his mind. Ishmael, the gorilla tells the narrator that he, in fact, is the teacher. At this point, Quinn, our narrator, considers leaving, much like most of us would, I'm sure. He stays though to hear what the gorilla has to say.
Ishmael is a wonderful, knowledgeable teacher who talks to Quinn about the ramifications today's culture could have on the earth. Ishmael goes back to the beginning with his story. He basis his teachings on the clash between the two groups he calls the "Leavers" and the "Takers." Through his teachings he gets Quinn to see that the belief by man that they are the reason the earth was ever formed is doing great harm to the earth. Now, this is not just some tree-hugger book, it gets down to the nitty-gritty of ecology and sociology. Quinn makes the reader take a closer look at the culture of modern man and at their own life. I loved his theory of Cain and Abel. While I do believe in the literal telling of Biblical stories, I loved how he used the two brothers to show the attack of the Takers on the Leavers. It gave me a new perspective on ancient and Biblical history.
"Ishmael" was not an easy book to read. The first few times I picked it up, I read only a few pages at a time. I think I was still waiting on my funny gorilla to show up. Ishmael the gorilla and "Ishmael" the novel made me think. If you are ready to face your own beliefs head on and figure out why you believe what you do, "Ishmael" is a great tool to use. Reading this novel can help you firm up your beliefs while also tearing down others. Whoever thought that a book about a talking gorilla could have me taking a closer look at how my country is run and what I can do to make it run better?
Read "Ishmael" if you have an open mind. Read "Ishmael" is you have never taken the time to question why you do what you do and why you believe what you believe. Read "Ishmael" if you are ready to be challenged. Read "Ishmael" if you are ready to think.
When I first read the inside cover I was a bit amused. This is the story of a gorilla who talks with people telepathically. Yep, sounds like a laugh a minute, right. Wrong. "Ishmael" is a book for someone who truly wants to think. If you're looking for a good beach read or something to wile away the time with, this is probably not for you. Now, I'll be honest, I wasn't exactly looking for a great think when I picked up this book. I'm back in school now and I do plenty of thinking reading textbooks and writing papers. I kind of hoped that "Ishmael" was going to be a funny talking gorilla. At the end of the book, I'm so glad that he wasn't.
The novel opens with our narrator finding a strange ad in the newspaper. The ad says "TEACHER seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person." That would make me think twice. Today, you'd almost expect to see an ad like that somewhere on Craigslist. Our narrator decides that he must reply, so he shows up at the address, which is just your generic, low-rent office building. Inside the office, he sees a big glass wall and behind that wall sits a half-ton gorilla. As he exchanges glances with the gorilla, he realizes that the gorilla is talking to him in his mind. Ishmael, the gorilla tells the narrator that he, in fact, is the teacher. At this point, Quinn, our narrator, considers leaving, much like most of us would, I'm sure. He stays though to hear what the gorilla has to say.
Ishmael is a wonderful, knowledgeable teacher who talks to Quinn about the ramifications today's culture could have on the earth. Ishmael goes back to the beginning with his story. He basis his teachings on the clash between the two groups he calls the "Leavers" and the "Takers." Through his teachings he gets Quinn to see that the belief by man that they are the reason the earth was ever formed is doing great harm to the earth. Now, this is not just some tree-hugger book, it gets down to the nitty-gritty of ecology and sociology. Quinn makes the reader take a closer look at the culture of modern man and at their own life. I loved his theory of Cain and Abel. While I do believe in the literal telling of Biblical stories, I loved how he used the two brothers to show the attack of the Takers on the Leavers. It gave me a new perspective on ancient and Biblical history.
"Ishmael" was not an easy book to read. The first few times I picked it up, I read only a few pages at a time. I think I was still waiting on my funny gorilla to show up. Ishmael the gorilla and "Ishmael" the novel made me think. If you are ready to face your own beliefs head on and figure out why you believe what you do, "Ishmael" is a great tool to use. Reading this novel can help you firm up your beliefs while also tearing down others. Whoever thought that a book about a talking gorilla could have me taking a closer look at how my country is run and what I can do to make it run better?
Read "Ishmael" if you have an open mind. Read "Ishmael" is you have never taken the time to question why you do what you do and why you believe what you believe. Read "Ishmael" if you are ready to be challenged. Read "Ishmael" if you are ready to think.
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