Recently Read: Oh Myyy! by George Takei

Oh Myyy! by George Takei
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In a nutshell, this is a quick, entertaining read, somewhat informative and highly amusing and funny.

Let me start with full disclosure. I have a strange fascination with George Takei, or “Uncle George” as many of his fans now call him. I was raised on reruns of “Star Trek: TOS” and am enough of a Trekkie and sci fi junkie to use the abbreviation “TOS.” Asian faces are rare on television even today, with the exception of shows like “M*A*S*H” in which they were required. In a way, minorities already have a special spotlight, as you can’t help but notice them sprinkled amidst a sea of Caucasian cast members. Nichelle Nichols stood out in her miniskirt and go-go boots, whereas the Captain’s eye candy de jour nearly blended in with the set by comparison. So, when I, as a young girl, saw a strapping Japanese man run shirtless through the halls of a spaceship wielding a katana, it was even more striking than the numerous times Kirk went shirtless. (Side note, we should have seen Sulu shirtless much more often. He must have worked out back then.) Then, decades later, George Takei reemerges on Howard Stern with his trademark bass voice and impeccable diction. By this time, I am a mom of a biracial child and notice that there are only a few Japanese American role models for my son. Then he discovers Twitter, and the world discovers that he is a comic genius and skilled opportunist. By the time he joined Facebook, I was hooked. And then I was following.

Oh Myyy! There Goes the Internet is exactly what it claims to be. It’s not an autobiography. Pick up one of the two actual autobiographies Takei wrote if you are interested in his life and career. This book is pretty much all about how George Takei won the internet. All in all, it’s a pretty quick read, easily digested is sporadic bursts. Basically, Uncle George tells the story of his two year rise to online infamy: how and why he started tweeting, how he came to have a catch phrase (and thus the title of this book), why he does it, highlights of his activist career, milestones along the journey so far, etc. He wraps up the book with a candid explanation of how he attracted and maintains a fan base of over three (now six) million followers and what it takes to maintain his virtual empire.

This was an amusing read, and I enjoyed reliving some of the glorious moments of Takei’s initial two years of internet stardom. The book includes numerous screenshots of various posts and memes to highlight stories and crack jokes throughout the book. However, I've seen them all numerous times before. While the book was entertaining, for the most part it was all old information for me. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't just witnessed it all first hand by being one of his legions of fans. It sort of felt like reading a scrapbook of an event I recently participated in. I mostly enjoyed this book for nostalgic reasons. It commemorates a cultural phenomenon I was lucky enough to be in the right place and the right time to be a part of. For that reason, I will probably always treasure this book.

I did get a bit more out of the last few chapters in the book. In those, Takei goes into more detail of how Facebook (and social media in general, really) works and how to maximize your reach and influence. He talks about what kind of posts most appeal to followers, which posts they are more likely to share, how often to post and what times of day are best, how EdgeRank works and how to work the system, the pitfalls of “promoted” posts, how he picks content and determines (or rather doesn’t determine) sourcing, etc. Clearly, it is an entrepreneurial science. I found a few key points worth taking note of, should I ever find myself trying to make a presence on the internet. Hey, you never know.

In one chapter, Uncle George discusses grammar nazis. That chapter is titled “Grammar Nazis.” This is something I am often accused of being. He mocks us lovingly, as he is one of us.
“I confess, I love English. I make every reasonable attempt to craft my public comments within the accepted confines and strictures of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. The irony of this endeavor is palpable, for English itself is a hopeless hodgepodge of other tongues, with more exceptions than rules, more chaos than order, and enough new words created each day to keep the Oxford English Dictionary folks very, very busy.”
Indeed, I have never read any book regarding the internet or social media so well-written. Modern technology is a catalyst for change, and our language is not immune. It is alive, ever changing and evolving, influenced by the methods people choose to communicate. The internet has made it easier for us to communicate, so we tend to do it much more often. Even more so than email, the age of social media and texting has made dialogue convenient and instantaneous. Letter writing is quickly becoming a lost art, though some of us keep trying to revive it. Before, presentation, neatness, accuracy, and clearness of meaning were the crucial elements in written communication. Now those are trumped by speed and volume. Typos and texting “shorthand” are deemed acceptable as long as you can still be understood. Later on in the book, Takei mentions how typos became so common place they became acceptable spelling alternatives, such as “pwned” and “zOMG.” Takei ends the “Grammar Nazis” chapter with these words of advice:
“So Grammar Nazis be warned: For each rule and principle you cling to with your fierce, unyielding, and yes, admirable determination, new and dynamic forces are at work that inevitably will undermine your efforts. Antecedents will dangle, prepositions will complete sentences, and infinitives will be split.
After all, it is our continuing mission ‘to boldly go where no one has gone before.’”
I guess the logical thing would be for us to let go and evolve with the rest of society. Just go with the flow. That would be the logical thing. Yes, indeed. It would be logical, perhaps not feasible, but definitely logical. Someone pat my head and soothingly whisper “There, their, they’re.”

Okay. I’m better now.

Overall, you may learn one or two things from this book, or maybe not. If you decide to pick up this book, most likely you are already a fan of George Takei and expect to be entertained. This book does that, and one thing is for sure. You will most likely laugh in amusement. And, even if you don’t get the audio version of the book, you will still hear it in his deep, trademark voice as you read.

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Recently Read: Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story by Ingrid Ricks

Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story by Ingrid Ricks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(This is a review of a book I read in October, 2013.)

In a nutshell, this is an amazing story and a completely engrossing read, an autobiography that reads like a novel, an intense novel.

Full disclosure, I am an incredibly distant relative of the author. I am also incredibly distantly related to nearly everyone with the surname “Ricks.” It’s a Mormon thing. I’m not Mormon but am descended from a prominent, and, shall we say, fruitful, family that was instrumental in the settling of Utah. I have never met Ingrid Ricks. If I ever get the chance, I would welcome the opportunity to tell her what an incredible book this is. I discovered this particular title during a conversation with my father regarding writers we were related to. I looked her up on Amazon, and started reading reviews. Some claimed she bashed Mormonism. That intrigued me. I put it on my wishlist, and later received it as a gift. I am not a very fast reader, but I finished this book in less than 5 days.

As I said at the start, this is an autobiography that reads an intense novel. Ingrid Ricks’ childhood was intense. Once you start this book, you have to force yourself to put it down. Stifled by a constricting religion and an abusive stepfather, Ingrid seeks to escape with her wanderlust father. Where her mother, a devout Mormon, was structured and responsible, he was carefree and irresponsible. Her mother, guided by the church elders, made decisions that she claimed were best for her children. Really she was trying to fulfill her own dream of being the dutiful wife and mother. Her father made decisions solely on what was best for him. In that way, he was much more honest, I guess. In the end, Ingrid learns to make her decisions and takes control of her own life.

I don’t want to retell her story in this review. I would rather you just read her book.

What I will say is that this is the story of a troubled teenager, searching to find her way out of the mess that is her life. It’s not, as some of the Amazon reviewers seem to think, about bashing her mother’s religion. The fact that this family is Mormon is not a crucial detail. True, it was partly due to the guidance of a bishop that her mother not only marries Earl but stays with him. The church enables Earl to torment her and her children. Still, this kind of narrative could happen, and does happen, at the hands of any religion with strict rules and regulations. This story is more universal than that, as there are many religions that dictate societal guidelines to create a unique subculture. Also, in the end, it is another bishop that helps Ingrid’s mother expel Earl from her and her children’s lives for good. The church helped create the horrible circumstances, but it also helped rectify the situation. Again, this could have been any religion.

Ingrid’s story is one of a teenager that is suffering, but no one will listen. No one can help her, not even the father she idolizes. She figures out how to help herself, to stand up for herself. By writing this book, she also found her voice. By telling her story, in her own words, Ingrid can help other teenage girls facing abuse to find the strength to help themselves. It is perhaps harder to be a teenager now than it has ever been. Every day in the news, we read about teens being abused, and not always for religious reasons. Be it abusive parents or bullies at school, each generation seems worse off than the last.

The author has used her story as an example for other teenagers to find their voices, to tell their stories. She co-founded http://weareabsolutelynotokay.org/ and works with teenagers, helping them empower themselves through personal storytelling. She and a teacher even developed a detailed lesson plan that is available for purchase. The more teenagers who find their voices, and the more who are heard through publication, perhaps the more teenagers will learn they are not alone. Perhaps the more teenagers will find strength in numbers and speak out for themselves. Maybe even a few adults as well.

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Recently Read: William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope by Ian Doescher

William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope by Ian Doescher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In a nutshell, I rather enjoyed this book. It was a quick, fun read with some unexpected insight into the characters. Retelling Star Wars in Shakespearean form is a fantasy come true for sci-fi junkie English majors everywhere.

When I first heard of the existence of this book, I was overly excited about it. That’s putting it mildly, actually. I told a lot of people about it and how much I wanted to read it. Many seemed incredulous that it could be a good read, as they saw nothing in common between Star Wars and Shakespeare. The two fixtures in our cultural collective seemed to be on polar opposites, and they were dumbfounded that anyone would try to combine them. One person likened it to a ballet about “The Sopranos.” But to me, it seemed like a perfect combination, the greatest idea anyone has had since … well George Lucas. This is probably because I studied Joseph Campbell in college.

Joseph Campbell was a mythologist who wrote a definitive book called The Hero with a Thousand Faces. This led to a six part PBS documentary titled “The Power of Myth,” in which he was interviewed by Bill Moyers, in 1988. A companion book of the same name was released in conjunction with the documentary. It mainly dealt with the universality of myths and the role they play in societies throughout history, and the recurrence of certain themes and elements in nearly all of them. Campbell outlines a template, if you will, of the typical journey each hero of mythology takes. Here’s a diagram:

http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero...

Insert “Hamlet” or “Luke Skywalker” in place of “Hero” and you can see how this pretty much retails both stories.

Having finished William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: Verily a New Hope, I can say that I was not disappointed. I was expecting a parody, with nods to various Shakespearean plays. There were plenty of references to tongue in cheek lines that were straight out of the plays. “Alas, poor stormtrooper, I knew ye not, … (Luke Skywalker)” “But O, what now? What light through yonder flashing sensor breaks? (Han Solo)” There were also references that perhaps only diehard Star Wars fans could truly appreciate. “I pray thee, sir, forgive me for the mess/And whether I shot first, I'll not confess. (Han Solo)” “O help Me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, help. Thou art Mine only hope. (Leia) I wonder who she is. Whoever she may be, whatever is Her cause, I shall unto her pleas respond. Not e’en were she my sister could I know A duty of more weight than I feel now. It seemeth she some dreadful trouble hath— Mayhap I should replay the message whole. (Luke Skywalker)”

The author wrote an educator’s guide, available on the publisher’s website, that details the Shakespearean references he included. The guide also provides an overview of the elements of Shakespearean plays Doescher used in his play.

The book was well written and the writer paid incredible attention to detail. Doescher labored intensely over the iambic pentameter (more so than the Bard himself did) and the nuances of Elizabethan English. He also explains the lingual elements in the educator’s guide. His hard work shows, as it is flawless as far as I could tell. Someone who has only read Shakespeare’s most popular plays, such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, might not be able to appreciate elements Doescher used common in other plays, such as the constantly interrupting chorus in certain tragedies and the space battle described through dialogue and exposition that is reminiscent of battle scenes in the history plays such as Henry V. Doescher takes the chorus a step further by writing these lines in the style of Shakespeare’s Sonnets. Someone who hasn’t read the complete works of Shakespeare might find these elements tedious. Doescher skillfully captured the elements of speech and story telling common to the Bard’s works, particularly the habitual speaking aloud of every little thought to make sure the audience knows exactly what each character is thinking. The play is written in the standard five acts. Witty banter, the omnipotent chorus, comic relief characters, self condemnation, generous use of pause and filler words, anaphora, sparse stage direction, rhyming couplets denoting narration change, unrelated fables, extended metaphors, premonitory dreams, a melancholy song, sword fights … they are all there. He effortlessly blended comedy and tragedy, with R2D2 and C3PO as mechanical Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Darth Vader as the brooding, conflicted and complicated villain. Think Othello as if played by James Earl Jones. Luke Skywalker is flawed, troubled, orphaned, and noble. (Yes, Hamlet again. I can’t help it. It is the character of which Luke reminds me the most.) There is the overall theme of the struggle between polar opposites, good versus evil. Or, in this case, the struggle is between the good side of the force and the dark side. This conflict is embodied in Darth Vader’s internal turmoil. Doescher also made good use of asides and soliloquies, which brings me to the unexpected.

Movies tend not to have monologues and soliloquies. Seldom does a character bare his/her soul and tell the viewer exactly what is happening in his/her mind, heart and soul. The viewer must pay attention to visual and verbal clues to get an idea of what the character is going through. Not so in Shakespearean plays. Little to nothing is left to the audience’s imagination. We know exactly what each major character is thinking and feeling, because they tell us by either talking to themselves at great length or actually addressing the audience. The villains describe their plans in great detail and the heroes elaborately detail their quests. This is where Doescher goes from being a clever editor rewriting a script to an actual author. He delves into each of the major characters, Darth Vader, Luke, Leia, Han, R2D2, C3PO, Uncle Owen and Obi Wan, and brings out the depth and complexity of each character with emotive, elegant language. More amazingly, this insight seems like common knowledge. Of course R2D2 is a suffering genius underestimated by his companion, for example. Doescher describes the hearts, minds and souls of the characters that we all know, but lacked the words to describe. Through his writing and intuitive interpretation of the characters he, and many of us, grew up with, we realize more about them then we ever could watching the movie. I wasn’t expecting this level of creative insight from this book. I thought it was just a parody. Turns out, it is much more.

The Educator’s Guide (I highly recommend reading this, even if you are an expert in all things Shakespearean.): http://quirkbooks.com/sites/default/f...

For further investigation:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quote...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Powe...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSWcI...
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/pla...
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/pla...
http://www.spinebreakers.co.uk/2012/0...

“Aye, say thou fool? Then fool, good Sir, am I. But when thou sayest fool remember well That fools do walk in foolish company. So if I am a fool, perhaps ’tis true That other fools around me may be found. For who is he who hath more foolish been— The fool or other fool who follows him? (Obi Wan)”

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Recently Read with the Boy Wonder: "Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1)"

Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my 6 year old son's first step into the world of chapter books. It has been a long time for me, as I no longer really read children's or young adult literature for my own amusement. We read it together, as he still occasionally needs help with the bigger words, proper nouns and rule breakers. I had forgotten how chapter books are prone to fragments masquerading as complete sentences. Other than that, though, we both enjoyed the experience.

For my son, this was an amazing new adventure. At first he was put off by the fact that there wasn't a picture on every page, and that the pictures were not in color. However, he was still fascinated by the content and detail of the drawings and how well they illustrated what he just read. The story kept him engaged, and was just the right length not to lose his interest. It didn't hurt that the story involved the characters interacting with dinosaurs. We would sit down to read one chapter, and at the end of each chapter my son would declare "Just one more." When we were done with the entire book, he declared that he not only wanted to buy his own copy, but also the entire "Magic Tree House" series. That is the best kind of recommendation for a chapter book possible, I think.

As the mom, I was thrilled to see my son so engaged in the book. The premise and subject matter is much like the type of books that attracted me as a child, and I look forward to exploring the series with him. As an avid reader and amateur writer, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of writing. I have been disappointed in books that reinforce poor grammar, such as the Junie B Jones series. In sharp contrast, the "Magic Tree House" restores my faith in children's literature by illustrating beautifully that you do not need to write in poor grammar for young readers to understand and enjoy a good story. The writing in "Dinosaurs Before Dark" was age appropriate, yet witty and clever. The story, though short, was filled with surprises and a couple clever plot twists. As a well seasoned reader, I of course knew that Jack would have to go back for his backpack, but the way he escapes back to the tree house was not at all predictable, unless one looks at the illustrations.

All in all, this is an excellent book to be shared by parent and child. There is nothing quite like escorting a young reader into the beginning of a life of reading, and this is an excellent series to facilitate it. They are engaging and clever stories with an educational element. They are fun for the young reader, and pleasant for the parent. Some books for young readers are banal, predictable and boring for the parent. This is not one of those books. I look forward to sitting down with my son and diving into #2.


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Recently Read: "Letters" by Kurt Vonnegut

Letters by Kurt Vonnegut
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On April 11, 2007, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. passed away. I was just beginning my second trimester, and did not yet know we were going to have a son. My husband and I had a girl’s name all picked out, but were still throwing boy names around. After the news came of Vonnegut’s death, my husband and I were discussing it over dinner. I’ve read more of his works, and was telling him why he was one of my favorite writers. My husband realized that Vonnegut spelled his first name the same as Kurt Cobain, one of his favorite musicians. That night, we knew we had found our boy’s name. Our son Kurt just celebrated his sixth birthday, which happens to fall on the anniversary of John Lennon’s birth. The kid does not lack inspiration for greatness, and I look forward to seeing what he accomplishes in life.

So, I become incredibly excited whenever a new Vonnegut book comes out, probably much more excited than my husband was at the prospect of a Nirvana reunion.

I was especially intrigued when I learned “Letters” was being published. I added it to my Amazon wish list prior to its release date, something I rarely do. Vonnegut’s books tend to have an autobiographical tinge to them, and I was anxious to have insight into his personal life via this collection of correspondence. I also read how this collection included letters to schools that banned “Slaughterhouse 5,” and correctly assume he would have put those people squarely in their place. I was not disappointed. The letter written to one  Charles McCarthy, chairman of the Drake School Board of Drake, North Dakota, on November  16, 1973 alone is worth the purchase price of the book, the hardback issue.

Especially fascinating were Vonnegut’s letters to his children, particularly the ones to his daughter Nanny after he and his wife Jane separated. These letters were particularly raw and openly honest about his state of mind, depression and the shortcomings as a father he saw in himself. He addressed all his children, including “the orphans,” the nephews he raised after the tragic deaths of his sister and brother-in-law, as adults. I noticed he tended to speak candidly to them as if they were more trusted friends than his children, often offering sage advice regarding life and career. In one letter to his daughter Nanny, he spoke quite frankly about the divorce, his relationship with Jill, and reassured her repeatedly that it was not of any doing of hers or her siblings, that he did not leave her mother for another woman, and that he still deeply cared for and valued his friendship with her mother, Jane.

In a letter dated November 2, 1972, he writes to Nanny:
“You have caught onto something I only learned in the past month or so – that terrific depressions are going to crunch me down at regular intervals, and that they have nothing to do with what is going on around me.”

In a letter dated March 17, 1974, he acknowledged the difficulties of the divorce and changing family dynamic:
“As for Jill herself: … It would help a lot, though, if you would understand that she has been very good to me during the most shattering years of my life, and that she was not the one who did the shattering. Jane didn’t do the shattering, either, and neither did money or success. The entirety of life did the shattering.”

His relationship with Nanny was particularly troubled and difficult. Vonnegut often took the blame for their lack of closeness and understanding of each other.

“It is only natural that you should feel reserved and insecure when you’re with me, since I’ve caused two huge disruptions in the continuity of the family, and since you saw so much of me when I worked at home, when I had to raise such hell in order to gain privacy in which to write.  Also, I was worried sick about money all the time, and I had no friends on Cape Cod who had any idea what my sort of work entailed.  Just to clarify the two disruptions I’m talking about, I mean the adoption of the Adams and my leaving the Cape for New York. So there we are.” (January 10, 1973)

Yet, he was capable of being hurt and at least once let her know.

“I would find such indifference to my feelings painful, even if it came from a little kid. You are chronologically a grown-up now. But you are clearly unable to imagine me as a living, interesting, sensitive, vulnerable human being. God only knows what you think I am.” (August 19, 1975)

It was these scattered letters to Nanny that I found most touching, his repeated attempts to connect with his daughter and his struggles to forge relationships with all his children, as well as his continued devotion to his first wife and love. I found it strange that even though there were many letters to his children, including the Adams boys and his first wife Jane, there are no letters at all to his second wife, Jill and the daughter they adopted together. All we know of these relationships is from references in letters to others.

The book opens with an introduction written by the editor, which reads as a fascinating, witty mini biography. The letters are organized chronologically, each decade its own chapter with an introduction also written by the editor. There were actually only a few letters regarding censorship or politics, but the few were truly treasured gems. In the chapters of letters from the 1960s and 1970s, there were quite a few letters that spoke of his time in the army and as a POW in Dresden. These were fascinating as well. The bulk of the letters were of a professional nature among industry colleagues, or updating friends and family of his latest professional endeavors. While some of this is interesting and I learned a great deal about Vonnegut’s varied body of work, after a while it became tedious. At the most, these served as the background from which the really interesting passages stood out.

The editor, Dan Wakefield, was a close friend of Vonnegut’s for most of his life. In a way this really added to the content, as he shared much detail in the introductions to each chapter and in the notes for individual letters. Through these details and Vonnegut’s own words, a picture was painted of Vonnegut as a troubled, complicated, flawed man and artist, and a loving, devoted and loyal person. As a close friend, Wakefield is able to show us Vonnegut as few others could, but he is also able to protect his friend and mentor. In the Editor’s Note, Wakefield states that he omitted passages of letters to avoid repetition and edit out private details and irrelevant or obscure references. This makes me wonder what the ellipses replace, and what secret skeletons are left in the Vonnegut closet. Perhaps it is just as well.

It is often debated whenever the private correspondence of deceased famous people is published to an international audience, whether this is an invasion of privacy. Surely, people like Vonnegut and Ed Abbey intended for their day to day correspondence to be digested by the masses. Usually these books are researched, collected and edited all with the expressed approval of family, but does the family even have that right? I have been to many museum exhibits showcasing the letters of the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain. The only difference here is the passage of time.

In October 1995, Vonnegut’s brother Bernard asked why information about the artist was necessary to judge paintings. His response:
“Contemplating a purported work of art is a social activity. Either you have a good time or you don’t. You don’t have to say why afterwards. You don’t have to say anything. … People capable of loving some paintings or etchings or whatever can rarely do this without knowing something about the artist. Again, the situation is social rather than scientific. Any work of art is one half of a conversation between two human beings, and it helps a lot to know who is talking at you. … So I dare to suggest that no picture can attract serious attention without a human being attached to it in the viewer’s mind.” (October 11, 1995)

This can easily be applied to the pictures painted by an author, not to mention one who also happened to draw and design silk screen prints. I believe that it is possible to get quite a lot out of a piece of art as it stands alone. Some of the most moving poems in the classical canon are by “Anonymous.” I have often been incredibly moved by a painting or photograph before knowing anything about the artist. However, you can only get so far before your mind starts to subconsciously fill in the gaps of missing information. After a while, you start imagining a fantasy of the artist, your own personal version, necessary to continue the conversation initiated by the piece of art. This is inevitable unless you learn more about the author or artist, which is why people publish biographies and autobiographies. Publishing correspondence is simply an extension of that, as it gives us added insight of authors who have passed away. After all, if we continued to keep things private after the person passed away, we wouldn’t have been able to read any poems by Emily Dickinson.

Overall, this collection of letters was not what I was expecting. I expected more pearls of wisdom and less snippets of a normal, humdrum life. It was still an interesting read, giving both insights into the life of the author and also life in general throughout the decades. Vonnegut’s letters were mostly void of the creative tone that encompass his novels, though his quintessential cynicism and wit is prevalent all the way to the letters written shortly before his death. Despite not having an overly happy and satisfying life, Vonnegut continued to be productive till the end, accomplishing much in both his personal and professional life. I hope, when he closed his eyes for the last time in early April 2007, he was able to find the peace that comes with great accomplishment.


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Recently Read: "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards" by Lilian Jackson Braun

This is a novel I read last November. It was a fun read.

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a fun read. I was looking for something light to read, and this series was recommended to me. I used to be into mysteries when I was a young girl, but I had gotten out of the habit of reading them. This was a refreshing change of pace for me.

I have not been good about keeping up with the latest releases of new authors. I often lament that I don't read enough of current writers, that I tend to gravitate towards classics and novels written by those long since passed away. So, at first, I was hesitant to try this series. After all, it was written, and takes place in the 1960s. I can forgive dated work by my favorite writer, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., but a novel that for all I know was a dime store mystery? Luckily, I finally put aside my literary snobbery and picked up the book.

I found it to be highly enjoyable and well written. The writing was infused with quick wit and wry commentary on society that I hardly noticed how dated certain aspects. The plot moved along at a nice pace, the clues were clever enough that the ending wasn't obvious and even included a couple twists I didn't see coming. And, even though I don't care much for cats in general, I rather enjoyed the title character. Making the feline not only a central participant in solving the crime but also a three dimensional character is a clever literary device. Even though I happen to be a dog person, I don't really see this technique working with any other type of pet. A Siamese cat is perfect, and one of the most human-like breeds of the species. In short, there was no other choice for Braun to make.

There are over 25 books in this detective series. I will probably eventually read them all. While not the most complex or profound book I've ever read, it was more enjoyable that many novels written today in the genre. I liked it so much I passed on my copy to my mother. I can't do that with most novels written in the last 10-20 years. They always seem to involve multiple sex scenes. I once read a murder mystery that centered around a librarian and a man solving her father's murder. Practically every other chapter was soley the two principles having sex. It seems many mass produced novels these days are hybrids of various genres and romance novels. There is something to be said for the old fashioned novel that assumes you know what happens when the characters close the bedroom door.

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Recently Read: "The Scavengers' Manifesto" by Anneli Rufus

I actually read this book last September, but just got around to writing a review for it. I had to let it digest for a while, I suppose.

The Scavengers' Manifesto by Anneli Rufus
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked this book up at the Dollar Tree for a buck. I thought I could learn some techniques and secrets about scavenging. I never wanted to be a "freegan," but I do enjoy yard sales, thrift stores and never paying full price for new stuff. So, when I saw this during my weekly trip to the cheapest retail chain in town, I tossed it into my basket.

I found the book amusing, but not what I expected. I didn't take the term "manifesto" in the title seriously, but I should have. That's exactly what this book is. It's not so much a "how-to" as much as it is an explanation of a life philosophy. It is written by two people, who assume are a couple. While I'm not sure which individual wrote which chapters, I could tell they were written by two distinct personalities, one more analytic and one more poetic. The chapters written by the analytic mind were more informative. The others were amusing, though repetitive.

This book gives an interesting perspective of the history of scavengers' roll in society, from hunter-gatherer cavemen to the rag-pickers of Dickens' England, to the American hippie and punk movements. The portions of the book dealing with the historical significance of scavenging were fascinating, as were the sections on the scavengers of the animal kingdom.

The majority of the book totes the scavenging philosophy, over and over. It's stated in a variety of different ways, but in such a whimsical Mary Poppins like way that it wasn't nearly as annoying as it could have been. Clearly this is a matter of great conviction for these writers, and evidently it makes them incredibly happy and their life worth living, though they claim they are misunderstood by most people. They even explore the notion that it could be a considered religion. For the most part, I agreed with the tenets of their philosophy. There are different degrees of followers, according to the book. The all or nothing freegan who never purchases anything, the retail scavenger who never buys new and loves a good thrift store find, the bargain hunter who never pays full price, and every possible version in between. It's a very open, understanding life style that does not judge variations. So they say.

There is one specific notion though that was mentioned multiple times that rubbed me the wrong way. The writers claim that one does not find the items, but the items find the scavenger. Just wait, and what you need will present itself eventually. I can understand that, though sometimes the need can't wait. But the book claims that we should keep every single thing we find regardless of need or desire. They tell of finding an incredibly ugly painting, taking it home and hanging it up. That baffles me. Why keep something you don't want or need? Put it back out there in circulation. Someone else might like it or need it. If you already have a perfectly good toaster, leave the one in the free box for someone else. The unneeded items you hold onto just become junk cluttering your home. In a way, this book seems to be advocating hoarding, a serious psychological disorder. I was left shuddering at the thought of what the authors' house must look like.

Overall, it was a fun read and definitely work the dollar I paid for it. It's nice to know that you don't have to dumpster dive to be included in the group. Despite the repetitive nature of much of the text, I did learn quite a bit about a lifestyle that has characteristics bordering on religious. I may not dive in with both feet, but the concept of doing a little bit of legwork to re-purpose or reuse an item rather than buying new doesn't seem unreasonable. If nothing else, the lifestyle saves money, not to mention is way better for the planet. Too many perfectly good items are thrown away just to be replaced by identical items right out of the factory. Like the book says, scavenging is beneficial for the economy, society and environment. But take heart, without mainstream retail shoppers, there would be nothing to scavenge. That's the paradox that those who scavenge must accept.

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Recently Read: "Don't You Forget About Me: contemporary Writers on the Films of John Hughes" by Jaime Clark

Don't You Forget About Me: Contemporary Writers on the Films of John Hughes by Jaime Clarke
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I bought this at the Dollar Tree a few years back and finally got around to reading it. If you are looking for a collection of essays that critique, analyze or otherwise delineate John Hughes' movies, keep moving. This is clearly a collection of point of view essays, most of which are somewhat self-indulgent reflections of the writers' youth. It's actually rather good, and some of the essays remind me of trying to connect profound academic thought with pop culture in college papers for the "cooler" professors that were more indulgent of such things. Sometimes I really miss being a student. Many of the essays are witty yet poignant, funny and irreverent yet nostalgic and sensitive. I found it comforting to know that I'm not the only one who thought Molly Ringwald's dress at the end of "Pretty in Pink" was atrocious after she finished altering it (it looked much better as a vintage dress before she hacked it barbarically with those scissors), nor am I the only one disappointed that Annie Potts' character sold out her uniqueness to date a square.

Follows are my notes on the individual essays.

The forward by Ally Sheedy was touching and gave a small glimpse of what production was like on the set of an iconic movie. The introduction left me thinking that the editor is a bit full of himself, yet still a somewhat witty writer.

Steve Almond - an insightful essay that drew attention to details I've missed in countless viewings of "Ferris." This was one of my two favorite essays (the other one being Ryan Boudinot's), and left me wanting to rewatch "Ferris" and note the instances in the movie he referenced.

Julianna Baggott - I didn't agree entirely, but she made a few good points regarding sexism in high school society. Not much has changed.

Lisa Borders - Her premise is that the fantasy ending of "Sixteen Candles" is plausible as long as you leave off "happily ever after." My premise is that there isn't much of a point unless you assume they wind up together and eventually have a good life together, not perfect ... just good.

Ryan Boudinot - I rather enjoyed this essay despite the fact that I couldn't really relate to the subject matter. He made some excellent points and I thoroughly appreciated how he connected Mitchell-Smith's post acting collegiate work with the themes in one of the campiest movies ever. This one was perhaps the only essay in the collection that felt academic in style.

T Cooper - The writer, as a LGBTQ youth identifies with the sexually ambiguous characters in movies. A fun read, but hardly enlightening.

Quinn Dalton - While just as self indulgent and introspective as T Cooper's essay (less about the subject movie and more about the writer), her interpretation of "Sixteen Candles" and application of it to her experiences is interesting.

Emily Franklin - The perils of trying to turn friendships into romances. I would say it only happens in the movies and on TV, but it happened to me. The lesson here is that you can't force it.

Lisa Gabriele - A touching, bitter portrait that compares poor and rich classes as illustrated in the movie "Pretty in Pink."

Tod Goldberg - Grown man blames random actor for lack of high school dating success, and later embarrasses himself in front of said actor. Not one of the better essays in the book.

Nina de Gramont - Woman finds self-realization in an online quiz. Deeper than you would think.

Tara Ison - Less of an essay than a reflection on being on the edge of adulthood, of stalling that last step into the real world of grownups, and of using movies to escape from it.

Allison Lynn - Ferris Bueller teaches us that life is better with harmless adventures, even when they don't go as planned, and that everyone is equally cool.

John McNally - Taking out his bitter resentment of the socioeconomic class division between the North Side and South Side of Chicago on the otherwise endearing characters in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."

Dan Pope - Rather superficial view of life and relationships, and how even when peaking early means you don't realize your dreams, you can still be content with your lot in life. Not a great essay.

Lewis Robinson - Ally Sheedy' s character in "The Breakfast Club" inspires a young man to pursue batshit crazy.

Ben Schrank - I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Schrank has a Mary Stuart Masterson shrine hidden behind the clothes in his closet, not to mention a rather large therapy bill.

Elizabeth Searle - Hughes' movies, particularly those featuring Molly Ringwald, are incredibly accurate portrayals of teen angst and insecurities. Especially if you seriously over think them.

Mary Sullivan - Evidently the majority of John Hughes movies can be simplified into the Cinderella archetypal story pattern, which the writer tries to apply to her own experience while referencing a completely unrelated yet classic song.

Rebecca Wolff - Psycho babble about Ferris Bueller by a former high school mean girl who thinks her self-centered life might have been somewhat better if she had made friends with the unpopular kid who dressed weird and didn't give a hoot that Wolff and her ilk ignored her. This essay, and writer, are just annoying to me.

Moon Unit Zappa - Not so much an essay on John Hughes movies as it is an autobiographical sketch of her teen years and how she decided to become a writer. The most interesting item is that evidently Molly Ringwald once dated her brother Dweezil. The only thing Zappa really notes about the movies is how they reflected a life and culture completely foreign to her own upbringing. It is interesting as a glimpse into the life of the child of a rock legend, and amusing how much she name drops.

Overall, it was an amusing read, but not a book I will revisit, hold onto or necessarily recommend to friends or family unless I know they would be interested in something exactly along these lines. I cannot think of anyone this description would apply to at the moment.


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Recently Read: "Look at the Birdie: Short Fiction" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Look at the Birdie: Short Fiction by Kurt Vonnegut
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first book by Kurt Vonnegut that I read was “Cat’s Cradle.” It hooked me, and even as a high school sophomore I identified with the cynical world view. For many, the first introduction to Vonnegut’s writing is “Slaughterhouse 5.” I think this is unfortunate. That particular work requires a lot more than most high school students are willing to give a book they didn’t choose to read on their own. “Cat’s Cradle” is a much gentler introduction, I think. However, that’s just my opinion. One could debate it either way until the cows come home.

What would definitely, without a doubt, be a horrible introduction for someone who has yet to read Vonnegut is “Look at the Birdie,” a collection of previously unpublished short stories. This is a posthumous publication, and that fact is rather obvious to anyone who has ever attempted to write themselves. Anyone who has ever given it a go is more than likely to have accumulated a file folder (whether digital or actual paper – I personally have both.) full of stories that aren’t quite right. We save them, perhaps with the intention of working on them further to fix the problems with dialogue, plot or continuity. We set them aside and await the elusive “A-ha” moment when we magically know just what to do with a lackluster story. Or perhaps each story, while painfully inadequate, contains a few clever nuggets that could be salvaged and used in a better story. Or perhaps we are simply anal pack rats who never throw anything away. Regardless, our overall intention is that the stories in that file will never see the light of day in their current state.  I have the strong suspicion that the short stories in this collection were discovered in such a folder in Mr. Vonnegut’s filing cabinet.

There are some who find the posthumous publishing of such stories offensive. Mr. Vonnegut, no doubt, didn’t publish them for a reason. It violates the deceased last wishes, some would say, and invades his privacy. I’m not of that opinion. Anything left behind is fair game. I felt that way when they ransacked Douglas Adams’ old Macintoshes, and I feel that way now. For this exact reason, I plan to include a clause in my will that will specify that upon my death certain papers, journals and files are to be destroyed without ever being opened. Of course, I will never know if my wishes are carried out. Not that it matters, as I doubt I will ever be remotely famous enough for anyone to care. But, I digress.

We all have our literary heroes, and certainly they earned such adoration. Still, we usually only read (and reread) their polished masterpieces. These works, in their magnificence, are a wonderful introduction to an author. And, if the author happens to be prolific, these works can give us years of amazement, joy, and endless provocations of deep thoughts and profound realizations. Yet, after you have explored much of what the author wanted you to see, there is some benefit to reading what the author wasn’t ready to share with the public at large. That’s the opportunity “Look at the Birdie” gives us … a chance to see a different side of Vonnegut’s writing – the unfinished side.

Not all of these stories are very good, which helps the diehard fan of Vonnegut see him as a flawed human who worked through a process to give us such great works. As a fledging writer, this can be inspiring. “Slaughterhouse 5,” “Player Piano,” “Cat’s Cradle,” etc. didn’t just flow from his typewriter like honey. They didn’t fall onto the page like manna from heaven. Mr. Vonnegut worked at it, and he worked hard. Sidney Offit writes in the Foreword, “Unpublished is not a word we identify with a Kurt Vonnegut short story. It may well be that these stories didn’t appear in print because for one reason or another they didn’t satisfy Kurt. He rewrote and rewrote, as his son, Mark, as well as agents and editors testify. Although Kurt’s style may seem casual and spontaneous, he was a master craftsman, demanding of himself perfection of the story, the sentence, the word.”

I’ve read much of what Mr. Vonnegut considered “perfect” enough to publish, but it was enlightening to read stories that didn’t meet his demands. Much like reading first drafts of heavily reworked manuscripts, you get the sense of raw imagination and creativity. You can almost see the flow of thought as an idea develops. Sometimes the story doesn’t really go anywhere, and some plots are not developed to the satisfaction of the reader, but always evident is the author’s inspiration and the idea he was trying to convey. It’s a glimpse of the master at work, a chance to peek behind the scenes. I once saw an exhibit of Van Gogh. It wouldn’t have been a complete experience if it didn’t include pencil sketches that later led to some of his famous paintings. It’s the same idea that made the Beatles Anthology series (released in 1995-1996) so intriguing. Here the average music lover was given the chance to hear the bad takes and mistakes made by the legendary band as they pieced together the versions of famous songs we know and love. You don’t have to know much about music to be able to enjoy listening to them attempt a song as a waltz and later decide it sounds better in 4/4 time, work out complex guitar fingering or play around with lyrics. You end up appreciating their music even more. Much the same, I put down “Look at the Birdie” appreciating Mr. Vonnegut’s talent and hard work more, even the less than “perfect” pieces.

I only wish the editors had provided a time line for these stories, so I could know when each of these stories was written and whether or not parts were “salvaged” for use in later works that were actually published. I found myself being reminded of other works by elements of certain stories, which made me wonder if it was written prior and Mr. Vonnegut simply recycled particular elements into a more “perfect” story line. Also, some stories seem downright optimistic, which I don’t normally associate with Vonnegut’s writing and makes me wonder if they were written when he was much younger and still working through what had happened to him during the war. I also found myself wondering if one or two were written before he was captured by the Germans and held in Dresden. I haven’t come across any biographical indication that he wrote prior to his post-war life, but it seems writing ran in his family. I’d like to think it’s possible he started writing as a young man, since it seemed such a logical choice for him to pursue the career after he was discharged and really had something to say.

This collection contains fourteen stories, of various length and theme. I will try my best not to give too much away in the form of spoilers. All were intriguing and interesting in one way or another. I didn’t like a couple of them, and absolutely loved a few others. Many left me scratching my head, not sure what to think. I am refraining from sharing which ones I liked and which ones I didn’t, mostly because that is a particularly subjective assessment. Besides, it was worthwhile to read every single one.

“Confido” is the story of how a device that talks in your ear affects the inventor’s family.
“FUBAR” seems to be perhaps a precursor to “Player Piano.” The first paragraph ends with this sentiment: “Fubar is worthy of a better fate, meaning as it does fouled up beyond all recognitionly useful and interesting word in that it describes a misfortune brought about not by malice but by administrative accidents in some large and complex organization.”
"Shout About it from the Housetops" is funny and light-hearted. The protagonist is a straight man who absentmindedly wanders into a comical scene.
"Ed Luby's Key Club" is an interesting portrayal of the best and worst of humanity, two polar opposites with nothing in between to temper the two extremes.
"A Song for Selma" is uncharacteristically upbeat, positive and ends on a hopeful note.
“Hall of Mirrors” could have been featured on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” It’s rather predictable and corny until the very last two short paragraphs, which slap the reader in the face with a twist out of nowhere. This is the first of two stories in the collection that mention a specific round ballroom lined with mirrors and it’s connection with therapy.
"The Nice Little People" is an intriguing concept that I wish had been more developed. It would have made a great episode of “The Twilight Zone.” It ends on a decidedly hopeless note.
"Hello, Red” is very depressing portrait of humanity at its most base and ugliest.
“Little Drops of Water” was entirely unpredictable and clever, but again doesn’t paint a pretty picture of society. I imagine it would be similar to “Fatal Attraction,” if that movie starred Doris Day and Rock Hudson and Tony Randall was the narrator.
"The Petrified Ants," clearly influenced by the Cold War era in which it was written, is a heavy handed commentary on communist Russia that compares humanity to pre-Mesozoic ants. The comparison bears a striking resemblance to the current situation in the good ol' USA.
"The Honor of a Newsboy" is told from the point of view of an adult who is jealous of the world seen through the eyes of a 10 year old idealist. Preserving the boy’s innocence is his highest priority. And, I mean highest.
In "Look at the Birdie" a man is hustled in a rather alarming, sadistic way. In today’s world of surveillance and camera phones, I can totally see this type of crime happening. This is the second story that mentions a mirror lined ballroom with a connection to some form of therapy.
"King and Queen of the Universe" is a loss of innocence tale that takes place during the Great Depression, but could be retold during modern times. I couldn’t help but think of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, particularly the kids graduating with staggering debt only to find there are no jobs available. In this story, two offspring of the 1% open their eyes to the suffering of a member of the 99%. (I might have given too much away on this story. Sorry.)
I couldn’t tell where "The Good Explainer" was going, and wasn’t sure where I was once Mr. Vonnegut took me there. It left me thinking the tragedies of our past will always leave a mark on our present and future, and sometimes the reasons are impossible to explain.

I hope I left you intrigued.

Needless to say the second volume of unpublished stories by Mr. Vonnegut, entitled “While Mortals Sleep” has been on my Amazon wish list since its release this past January. Now that I’ve read “Birdie,” I’m really looking forward to reading it.


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Recently Read: "Never Let Me Go"

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was very interested in reading this book, but was disappointed once I started. It took me a rather long time to get into the story. Still, I persevered, as the book was recommended and I'm a sucker for anything that boasts both science fiction and an alternate timeline from our own.

However, it is light on the science fiction aspect. In fact, it seems the science fiction aspect is merely a backdrop to study of the human condition. The meat of the novel is how the main character interacts with her peers, her elders and the outside world. It's about holding on to hope till the bitter end, and then resigning yourself to a fate beyond your control. It's about how society, whether it be the larger society or a small, isolated one, deals with things that are controversial. It's about how society reacts to given sets of morals. It's about a lot of things, way deep down.

On the surface, however, it's about the tedious life of a girl who grows up and does exactly what she's supposed to do. The few efforts Kathy makes to change don't work out, and the narrative, told in the first person as if she's having a conversation with the reader, reflects her resignation to her fate. In this way, it's depressing as well as tedious. The first third of the book is about Kathy's early childhood and adolescence. If it weren't for the hints of the "secret" science fiction aspect, it could have been the story of any girl attending a British prep school. The second section is an interim period before Kathy started her work as a "carer." Again, it could have been about a group of college friends on break, if it weren't for the ever present reason of their existence. In this section, the reader learns a bit more about the science fiction aspect of the story. Still, it's more like scenery than plot. The third and final section shows Kathy and her friends fulfilling their roles in society. This was when it finally started to get interesting for me.

The final section was when the reader finally gets the full picture, as do Kathy and Tommy. I don't think ethical questions were so much raised as their existence was acknowledged. Ishiguro doesn't offer opinion. He simply paints a picture of a society with questionable practices. Society creates these clones, but much like Dr. Frankenstein, is disgusted by their presence. They loathe them, but are not willing to lose the medical benefits their existence provides. Why does society despise the clones? Is it a matter of a violated conscience, that some moral or ethical law is being broken? Is it shame? There are some who feel the ethical violation is not so much playing god and cheating nature, but rather the treatment of the clones which are, after all, still human. Of course, they must prove the clones' humanity to make their point. Even these individuals, so concerned with the quality of the clones' lives, despise the very ones they wish to help. Still, they swallowed their bile, smiled, and taught the clones about art and poetry. It is easy to understand how one would deny the humanity of the clones in order to justify the lack of morality, but how does one continue to despise the clones while accepting that they are fully human? How is the pure hatred of a group of people justified morally? The clones themselves, do not seem to have any ethical or moral concerns, aside from their sense of duty. They never once think of shirking their duty, only at most hoping to postpone it for a couple years. They are confused and hurt when the loathing is perceived, but they do not seem to return the loathing.

Lastly, I would like to share a feeling I got towards the end of the book. The entire narrative, as I mentioned, was conversational. It was as if the reader was sitting with Kathy who was prattling on endlessly about her life. It was clearly assumed that the one on the listening end of this dialogue was acquainted with the circumstances of the society in which Kathy lives. This makes for a slow reveal of the aspects which differ from actual society. Ishiguro did an excellent job of revealing these tidbits in a way that was not forced. They flowed naturally from the narrative in a "matter of fact" way. Of course, you already know that we're clones and will be harvested for spare parts, so it's no surprise when I mention it in passing. Ishiguro seems to do this effortlessly and beautifully. It is actually a very difficult technique, and I was much impressed. The narrative style was convincing, and as the story was winding down I felt as if I was also a carer, or perhaps one of Kathy's last donors. Maybe she was keeping me company as I recovered from a donation, and told me her story to distract me or keep my mind off the fact that I was about to "complete." I felt drawn into the story, as if I was a character in this alternate universe. This is a haunting way to make the reading of this novel personal, to experience the story on some level and passively live a small piece of it.

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For another view on this novel, please check out my friend Jenni's review. (She's the one who recommended this novel to me.)
Bkwurm's Banquet of Books: Horror and Familiarity Go Hand-In-Hand: Review of Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go"

Recently Read: "State of Wonder" & "Believing in Jesus: A Popular Overview of the Catholic Faith"

I finished reading "State of Wonder on March 16, 2012. I finished reading "Believing in Jesus" on April 10, 2012. Due to personal distractions and obligations, I have not had a chance to publish the reviews on my blog until now. My review on "State of Wonder" is rather short, as I didn't have much to say about it. Sorry.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a well written, interesting novel. It had me till the last two chapters, then it lost me. The ending left me unsatisfied and disappointed. The surprise twist did not resonate with me. I would have rather seen Marina run off with Milton than the way Patchett chose to close the story. I would have given it four stars if it weren't for the ending.



Believing in Jesus: A Popular Overview of the Catholic Faith by Leonard Foley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"The Tenth Commandment probes our mind and heart, where all sin begins, and forbids injustice in willful desire and intention. It forbids coveting what belongs to another, and rules out greed and avarice arising from an excessive desire for wealth and power (see Catechism, #2536)." Page 269

"We are to regard our lawful possessions not merely as our own, but also as common property in the sense that they can be of benefit also to others. All the children of God are obliged to come to the relief of the poor (see Catechism, #2443) Page 266

"What I may not do - in fact, cannot do - is judge the internal morality of anyone's actions but my own." Page 253

These are just a few examples of how aligned my personal values and beliefs are with the teachings of the Catholic Church. I do not see how a person can truly internalize these teachings of Jesus and still vote for individuals who wish to continue us down this horrible path and want things to go back the way they were before. After reading this book and being finally confirmed in the Catholic faith, I am more convinced than ever that Jesus was, indeed, a liberal.

I also would like to address the successful way that this book dealt with touchy subjects regarding Catholicism, especially how the faith is viewed and depicted by Protestants and other people outside the faith. Other faiths were not demonized at all, but the errors in perception were gently corrected. Especially beautiful is the chapter on Mary and how the Catholic community holds her in reverence (Chapter 26).

I am very glad my RCIA class assigned this book, as I probably would not have read it otherwise.


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Recently Read: "The Mommy Diaries"

The Mommy Diaries: Finding Yourself in the Daily Adventure by Tally Flint
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was passed on to me by my sister-in-law. I don't usually read this kind of self-help/improvement book. I'm wary of books that mention God on every page for seemingly no reason. I decided to read it anyway, as I've been working through some difficult situations and thought the book might trigger some introspection on my part. I'm not a member of MOPS nor plan to be, and expected the book to be geared towards the Fundamentalist mentality. I was not wrong.

The first chapter was a bit preachy and sappy, but I found one essay interesting. Also, each chapter ends with reflection questions that could be thought provoking to answer. I took a little something from each story in chapter 2, except the last one. It was one of those typical "I was mad at God. Now I'm not, and I literally spend all my free time away from the kids in prayerful devotion." stories. I got nothing out of it, but I liked the other stories in the chapter, particularly "A Defining Moment." Chapter 3 dealt with cultivating relationships and their importance in our lives. All the stories were interesting. Chapter 4 was on the importance of asking for and accepting help, and could've been combined with the previous chapter on relationships. I really liked the story "Peanut Butter Love." "Dusty Trusty Guidebook" was trite and tired, and promoted the idea of plucking Bible verses out of their context and applying them to modern life. I don't agree with this practice and consider it possibly dangerous, though the Bible can be a source of guidance if used correctly. Chapter 5 on gaining perspective was disappointing. All the stories were preachy, and none of them were terribly interesting. A few were actually condescending as they informed the reader of the great insight they were given in their "a ha" moments. Chapter 6 was on hope and, as expected, focused primarily on finding it in God and/or MOPS. A few of the stories were interesting and somewhat engaging, but two stories, "Lost and Found" and "My Best Years," in particular, left a bad taste in my mouth. These two stories seemed to promote the notion of giving up everything to be a full time mother, because nothing is more important. A list of priorities in "My Best Years" didn't even list the pursuit of personal interests. This is completely counter to the idea expressed in the book's subtitle, "Finding Yourself," and stressed in the first two chapters on "Identity" and "Growth."

Since I didn't expect much from this book, I was not overly disappointed. Some of the stories were engaging and interesting, but none revealed anything earth shattering that would change my life for the better. It's nice to read that other mothers have similar problems to mine own, and the questions at the end of each chapter were somewhat fun to answer and did in fact prompt some self-reflection. However, I would have gotten the same insight into myself by skipping the text and just answering the questions. This is not a book I would recommend to others, and I probably would have passed it up if I saw it at the Dollar Tree. Because I enjoyed answering the questions though, I gave this book an extra star.

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Recently Read: "Postcards from Ed" by Edward Abbey

Postcards from Ed: Dispatches and Salvos from an American Iconoclast by Edward Abbey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been fascinated by Cactus Ed since reading "Desert Solitaire" for an Environmental Ethics class in college. The only other book by Abbey that I've read is "The Monkey Wrench Gang," so I didn't know a whole lot about the man before reading this book. The only thing I was clear on was his overall views on the environment and mankind's encroachment on untouched and supposedly protected lands in the U.S. After reading this collection of letters, I now know a whole lot more about the man. The man had more layers than an onion. While many of his opinions I agree with, there were a few ideas that surprised me. I’m actually pleased at this. I like the idea that someone I admire held some ideas and opinions that I disagree with. It brings new interest to his writings.

The book opens with a letter Abbey wrote to his parents while in college. He humorously asked for money and was rather candid about his extra curricular activities. Yet his philosophical references gave away that he was actually studying. A hilarious letter to open the book with! The collection spans from his college days to the last month of his life, March 1989. It includes personal correspondence to family and friends, correspondence (both personal and professional) to colleagues, fellow writers, editors, publishers, etc., and quite a few complaint letters to book reviewers as well as a large number of letters to the editors of various newspapers and magazines. These last type of letters usually espoused Abbey's opinion on various hot button topics of the day. Many of these topics are still major points of contention in our society decades after Abbey argued about them. And oh boy was Abbey argumentative. He was also witty as hell. If Abbey were alive today, I'm sure he'd be making headlines with controversial and irreverent Twitter posts. I have yet to join Twitter myself, but if Cactus Ed were tweeting, I'd be following him for sure. I found myself reading this book with a pencil, underlining one liners and passages that I wanted to remember, quote and/or come back to later. I also found the personal insights into the publishing and writing business particularly interesting. Some may find the letters regarding business details of getting a book out to print mundane or boring. As a would-be-writer, I found these glimpses into the business fascinating.

My only complaint is in regards to the formatting. The editor chose to use end notes, rather than footnotes. I found this distracting. I would have much preferred footnotes on the bottom of the page so that I did not have to constantly flip to the end of the book to see who the recipient of the letter was or the explanation to some random reference in a letter. This disrupted the flow of reading for me. However, even that is not enough of a complaint for me to take away a star from the Goodreads rating.

Clearly Abbey was taken well before he was done. In letters from 1988, he referred often to future dates, like when he promised Robert Redford an advance copy of his last novel when it was published in 1990. It's such a shame Abbey died before he could finish what he started, both personally and professionally. After finishing this book, I’m inclined to explore more of his work. I want to read more of his fiction, nonfiction, and especially the posthumously published journal entries. I’m currently interested in desert writing, which is an underrepresented genre. Edward Abbey is definitely the perfect example of someone with great talent, writing about a region of this country he loved more than the one he was born in. It is clear that the editor was a close friend of Abbey’s by the loving and careful way the letters are presented, by the concise introductions to each year of correspondence, and by the careful explanations in the endnotes.

(Originally posted on Goodreads.com)
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In Defense of Smelly Books

While there are many other options available, many houses still have traditional stucco siding.

While metal patio furniture can be more durable and last longer with less maintenance, many people eat picnics on wooden furniture in their back yards.

While acrylic paint became widely available in the 1950s, many artists still use other mediums such as watercolor and oil.

Sculptors are constantly finding new materials to transform into works of art. Not one of these newfound mediums has been able to render time-tested mediums such as stone and bronze obsolete.

Movies and television have revolutionized the way we are entertained, but the stage is far from dying.

Plastic was invented in the late 1800s. Since then, it has been used in the production of almost everything we purchase and use. However, many children also still play with wooden toys.

When MTV debuted on August 1, 1981, it was widely speculated that it would replace radio. Hence the song “Video killed the Radio Star.” Not only is public radio alive and well, there’s satellite radio for those who want to pay a premium. There is also free radio available on the internet.

Where am I going with this? Here’s a video hint. [EDIT: Since originally posting this blog post, Youtube took down the video that I linked to because of copyright infringement. It was a scene from the television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in which the librarian/watcher Rupert Giles has a conversation with Ms. Calendar regarding why he prefers books to computers. She asks him why computers bother him. He replies that it is the smell. She replies that computers don't smell. Giles says that is exactly the problem.

Giles ruminates on why books are better than computers: "Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower or a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences long forgotten. Books smell... musty and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer is... it has no texture, no context. It's there and then it's gone. If it's to last, then the getting of knowledge should be tangible. It should be, um... smelly."

Preceding paragraph taken from: http://www.buffyguide.com/episodes/irobot.shtml#ixzz1NzXXVeP4

END OF EDIT]

Recently I engaged in an online discussion in which someone was insisting that print media, specifically books, was dead. Obsolete. Useless. Vastly inferior to electronic media (e-books) and should be done away with altogether. I took umbrage at this position.

I maintain that there is a place and a market for print books. E-books (and their accompanying devices) do not replace print books as much as compliment them. I see no reason why I must choose “Team Kindle” or “Team Gutenberg.” Both serve purposes and functions, and both have their drawbacks. While it is cool that a device can hold an insane number of titles, I would hardly feel comfortable reading it in the bathtub or while floating on a raft in the pool while on vacation. Paperbacks seem much more convenient in those instances, particularly because they could much more easily be salvaged if I should drop them. I would not want to toss the device in my pack and go hiking for fear of falling backwards against a boulder. Nor would I casually toss the device on a camp chair and take an impromptu stroll around a campground as the opportunity might lead a fellow camper to petty theft. The fragility and value of devices necessitates much more care than your average mass production print book. While reading could help pass the time when one is hospitalized, certain wards and facilities often ban the use of electronic devices as they tend to interfere with sensitive equipment. Even though a device is most practical to take on vacation than a bag of books, I can read my paper or hardback book during take off and landing. While I can pass along a book to a library, friend or online swap once I’m done with it, these options are limited with e-books. And also, how can I have an e-book autographed? Think of all the free time authors would have if they didn’t have to deal with those book signing tours.

On the other hand, space is an issue, as is the environmental impact of the production of the equivalent number of print books that a device can deliver for a fraction of the trouble. There is also the definite thrill of instant gratification. I can download an e-book immediately, whereas I have to either wait for delivery or drive somewhere to get a print book. Also, over time it is cheaper to go electronic, even when you factor in the cost of the device. And let’s face it, gadgets are cool. Technology that seemed like a faraway dream when my dad and I watched “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in 1987 are now readily available to the masses. Indeed, today’s technology makes that in the original “Star Trek” series strangely comical. Imagine if Kirk, Spock and Bones only needed to carry a single device instead of a separate communicator and tri-corder. Wow, that would have been something!

Hey, Steve Jobs! Over here! Yeah, any ETA on a transportation device? You can call it the iBeam.

As much as I love gadgets and technology, my life is strangely void of the newest advances. Economics have gotten in the way of my fun, which is not very uncommon these days. So I’m not in possession of an e-reader. But I know people who are. They love them. But they also still read print books. I don’t know anyone who has completely gone paperless, actually. Most people I know still reach for a pen and paper every now and then, even though the smart phone or tablet is just as handy. Also, there are many people in this world who do not have access to the technology that we tend to take for granted. There are kids in small villages in Africa who would treat a print book like gold . . . if they were to come across one.

Obviously, print is far from dead, and there is little chance it is going anywhere. SD cards and the like, on the other hand, will probably be obsolete in a couple years when some other wondrous thing is invented. Aside from relics in museums, there are no longer any readily available devices that can read punch cards. When was the last time you saw a PC with a floppy drive? Technology is forever changing and evolving. Digital media, formats and devices are continuously being replaced by upgraded versions and new inventions. As long as there are engineers and inventors, this will always be the case. Chances are my grandkids won’t have a device that will read the memory card currently in my cell phone, but if they have sight they can access the information in any print book.

I’m itching to buy a smart phone. On this subject, by the way, I am squarely on “Team Android.” When I do, you can bet I’m going to download an e-reader app. I am also going to continue to peruse used bookstores and visit the local library. When I’m done with a book, I’m going to pass it along. That is, unless I really want to hold onto it. My home will still have that wall of books. In fact those bookcases were the first real furniture purchase my husband and I made together. Technology will not be replacing print books any time soon. Hopefully it will always be around in some capacity. Reading on devices is fine most of the time, but every once in a while you should engage more than the sense of sight when you read. Reading can be tactile, engaging touch and smell as well as sight. Sometimes it’s not just about the words or even the information, but about the experience itself. I remember one time my husband and I were camping in Malibu. We had a modest fire going, beers in hand and the stars to gaze at. At a campsite further down, they had a roaring bonfire blazing behind them as they watched a DVD playing in the back of an SUV. Sometimes you just have to turn your devices off and live. Experience something that doesn’t require a battery. Just for a while. Then plug yourself back in. Just please, do me a favor. Don’t download “Walden” onto your Kindle. I couldn’t stand the irony.