Persepolis II: The Story of a Return

PERSEPOLIS II: The Story of a Return: Marjane Satrapi: Graphic Novel, 2004, Pantheon Books: 187 pages

In this follow up to "Persepolis I: A Childhood" we follow Marjane through her adolescence and into adulthood. After experimenting with drugs, hippies, sexuality, intellectualism and ultimately homelessness in Austria, Marjane returns to her native, now post-war, Iran.

I was a little disappointed that this book was largely about generic young adult debauchery, but there was still an underlying theme of Marjane’s mutating Iranian Identity - if a bit faint through the middle.

Persepolis

PERSEPOLIS: Marjane Satrapi: Pantheon: 2004: Young Adult Comics:160

For sassy young Marjane Satrapi, growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979 is pretty confusing. After growing up in a relatively modern society, Marjane is now forced to wear a head scarf in public, wear her jeans only in secret, and stop listening to tapes where people might hear, as these things are now against the law. More seriously, she watches as family and friends are taken away, tortured, and sometimes even murdered.

Told through the eyes of a child, this graphic novel is stunning in its ability to capture the complexities of Iran in the early 80’s while remaining accessible and informative. A really great read for anyone interested in the region.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

THE GLASS CASTLE: A MEMOIR: Jeanette Walls: Scribner: Biography: 2006: 288 pages

Growing up Jeanette Walls’ parents weren’t exactly Ma and Pa Cleaver. In fact, they were negligent at best. This book is largely about Walls’ nomadic parents who follow their free spirited whims to many parts of the country—with four children in tow.

While based on a mostly sad childhood, this book doesn’t have an ounce of self pity or really, bitterness. I felt angrier about Walls selfish parents at the end of the novel than she did. To some extent she champions her parents for making life seem like an adventure and teaching her about ‘truth’ as the dedication states. In addition to a memoir of an outrageous childhood, this novel explores the vices that make us human, but also the breaking of unhealthy cycles. A quirky, entertaining read…even if almost ruined by a “Family Christmas Letter” last chapter.

Fire in the Blood

FIRE IN THE BLOOD: Irene Nemirovksy: Knopf: 2007: General Fiction: 160

Although a likable narrator, cousin Silvio is entirely emotionally removed from the lives of those around him; specifically his cousin, Helene, and her family. A scandal involving his niece forces Silvio to revisit his own past and question whether it’s not the “fire in the blood” we have as impetuous youth that makes us most truly ourselves after all.

In her own words, Nemirovsky’s novel is about “The Young and the Old. Austerity, purity of parents who were guilty when they were young. The impossibility of understanding that 'fire in the blood' (as you grow older)." Set in rural France before WWI this simple, almost allegorical, piece of fiction was published posthumously. It reads conceptually more than rich in detail and character development; nonetheless an interesting exercise in one’s shifting identity over time.

THE MAYTREES: Annie Dillard: Harper Collins: 2007: Adult: 224

THE MAYTREES: Annie Dillard: Harper Collins: 2007: Adult: 224

The narrative of this book follows sturdy and simple Lou who lives at the edge of the sea with her carpenter husband Maytree. Maytree is easily distracted and after 14 years of marriage moves away to Maine with longtime friend, Deary. The two return 20 years later when Deary is dying and needs hospice that only Lou can offer.

Simple, and seemingly callous in its plot, Dillard's "Maytrees" is anything but. Maybe it’s about the courage it requires to live a life of commitment, or the nuances of forgiveness...I'm not even sure. Either way, the language Dillard uses to describe the sea and this small cast of tragic characters is fresh and truly haunting. This is the first book I've read that was really too much for me: too beautiful, too sad, too poignant, and too otherworldly. It was unreal - in a good way.

BES

Cute, Quaint, Hungry and Romantic: The Aesthetics of Consumerism

Cute, Quaint, Hungry and Romantic: The Aesthetics of Consumerism:Daniel Lopez: Basic Books: 2000: Nonfiction: 270

In his book, Daniel Lopez doggedly "show(s) how the aesthetics of consumerism are the lies we tell ourselves to preserve our individuality even as we enjoy the luxuries of the mass market." Throughout reading this I couldn't help but feel paralyzed by any and everything I have ever been inclined to buy. Lopez sardonically examines almost every aesthetic that is used to sell us suckers things we don't really need: Cuteness, Zaniness, Deliciousness, and Quaintness to name a few.

This book was relentless in its cynical approach to consumerism. In most cases it was a lose-lose situation - you were trendy and shallow if you fell for the advertising tricks or pretentious and self righteous if you didn't. However, except for a few chapters of one rant too many, it was a fascinating read. In a chapter about food Lopez suggests that the can (as in canned food ) had the "same effect on the kitchen as television had on culture, leveling regional cuisine, internationalizing food, and producing a kind of dietary Esperanto in regions once dependent on meats and vegetables of local farmers." Well worth the wade through Lopez' wordy sentences and Ph. D language.

BES

The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner: Khaled Hosseini: Riverhead: General Fiction: 352

This aching exercise in redemption and self-knowledge centers around two young Afghan boys. Amir is the wealthy son of a prestigious man in Kabul and Hassan is his racially inferior servant. Though Amir has all the bounty that life has to offer, it is Hassan that has all of the courage and character of nobility. When Amir's cowardice stops him from intervening in a brutal attack on the ever innocent Hassan, the shame of the haunting memory permeates his whole life - even after he moves to America. Amir finally finds redemption when he travels back to war torn Afghanistan to face his demons and the characters from his past.

This book was as sad and epic as I wanted it to be, and then some. It did all of the standard "literary" things beautifully: Christ figure, characters changing places over time, self discovery, the return home, issues of redemption and forgiveness etc... I thought the story was thought provoking and heartbreaking, not to mention an insightful view into modern Afghanistan. I guess what I liked the most about it was the idea that people have both parts to them; good and bad, and even the bad can "make it right again" as the book suggests - but it won't be easy.

BES

Story of a Girl

STORY OF A GIRL: Sara Zarr: 2007: Little Brown: YA: 192

Deanna Lambert was only 13 when her Dad caught her having sex with her 17 year old "boyfriend", Tommy, in the back seat of his car. Instead of coming to her rescue like she wishes he would have, Deanna's emotionally impotent father pushes her away and all but joins the small town shunning that takes place over the next three years. This book picks up those three years later when Deanna finally confronts Tommy, her distant father, and realized that she is worth more than the town gossip suggests.

I met Sara Zarr at a conference recently and after sitting through five minutes of self righteous snorting by the school librarian next to me during Sara's brief presentation on the book, I knew I had to see for myself what it was all about. Sure this is riddled with typical teen issues of sex, identity and relationships, but there was level of coming into the self (for lack of a better word) that really struck me. Bits of this book were over dramatic with teenage regret, but I had a little eye dab moment as Deanna finally stood up to Tommy and realized that she wasn't who she had let her reputation become. Not my most favorite teen angsty thing, but worth the quick read.

BES

They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: They True Story of Three Lost Boys From Sudan

THEY POURED FIRE ON US FROM THE SKY: THEY TRUE STORY OF THREE LOST BOYS FROM SUDAN: Deng, Deng, Ajak, Berstein: Public Affairs : June 2006: 311: NonFiction

Caught in the middle of an intense genocide in Sudan, thousands of children became homeless and parentless in the mid 1980's. In this novel three boys; Alepho, Benson, and Benjamin, tell their story of being exiled from their home in Sudan and forced to walk thousands of miles for refuge in Kenya, where even there they are starved, beaten, and separated from their family. It does have a bit of a happy ending when all three of the boys leave for America, but there was still a bit of melancholy in it for me as they were leaving what remained of their family and everything they'd ever known.

This was a truly heartbreaking read. We hear about/read so many tragic things that we sometimes become callus to suffering - this book absolutely put the horrific events taking place in Sudan back into very human terms. It is a remarkable story of survival and to me, a story about community.

BES

'Salem's Lot

'SALEM'S LOT: Stephen King: Simon and Schuster Audio: 2004: Audio Book 15 Disks: Fiction

This was my first Stephen King novel, and for the first two thirds of the book I was convinced that Stephen King had been given a bad rap by censoring Mothers and snobby "literary" types. I was really charmed by the interactions of the small town, the developing relationship between the main character Ben and small town sweetheart Susan Norton, and the growing spookiness that seemed to settle increasingly on the town. Towards the end it got a bit too vampire crusady for me, and I could see how mom's might want to censor and snob literary types might want to reduce it to mere pulp horror fluff (if there is such a thing). HOWEVER, all and all I liked it. I was quit entertained, and found the storyline gripping during most of the narration.

BES

Water for Elephants

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS: Algonquin Books: April 2007: Fiction: 355

I was completely charmed by this delightful, though sometimes gritty, story about a second rate circus in the 30’s. Jacob Jankowski narrates the story as his 93 year old self and shares how a young Ivy League educated veterinarian ends up running away with the circus. Jacob should have been on the fast track to joining his father’s veterinarian practice, but instead he gets tangled up with the Benzini Brothers Circus including a polish speaking elephant, and her rider, Marlena, who he soon grows to desperately love. Of course Marlena is already married to the erratic and abusive animal trainer, August, but when he crosses the line she is determined to run away with Jacob.

This book exposed a really interesting aspect of the depression, as the Benzini Brothers Circus followed collapsing circuses across the United States in order to “collect” the remains. It was a great historical piece that truly captured the glamor and the feel of the 1930’s circus. This book takes a bit of a twist in the end and even though I don’t usually like a neatly tied up ending, I was absolutely sold on everyone’s happy endings this time. A great, simple story.

BES

Never too Much

NEVER TOO MUCH: Lori Foster: Kennsington: 2003: Romance 384

Ben Badwin is continually chased by women, and while he doesn't mind these welcomed distractions he wants something different: he wants a challenge. Challenge comes to the steamy Ben Badwin in the form of Sierra Murphy. Sierra isn't just cagey, she's down right scared to get into any relationship after leaving her abusive husband and fighting fiercely for her independence. But Ben is determined to have her. Initially his interest is purely sexual, but they both soon realize that there is much more to their growing relationship.

O.K. I was really trying hard to come into this Romance read with an open mind...but it quickly confirmed most of the stereotypes I was (secretly) anticipating. The first line was something like "Ben needed a woman in his bed. And he needed her tonight." Please. It actually seemed like every time Foster got going with an acceptable, even interesting, chunk of plot she would ruin it with gratuitous love scenes, or silly comments. At times I was very engaged with Sierra's struggle to let Ben into her life, but I was ultimately put off by poor writing and cheesy dialog. If you want a good book about overcoming an abusive relationship with a little bit of love in it, Anna Quindlen's "Black and Blue" would be a better choice.

BES

A Girl Named Zippy

A GIRL NAMED ZIPPY: Haven Kimmel: Broadway: 2002: Biography: 282

A Girl Named Zippy is a delightful collection of vignettes that detail Haven Kimmell's quirky, but always delightful, childhood in small town Indiana. Her childlike prose transports us back to a time when we were kids, and everything just reeked of honesty. This book touches on issues of religion, marriage and familial relationships, life in small towns, and the coming of age of one unusual small town girl.

This book was truly enjoyable to read. It was simple and lighthearted without being glib or overly sentimental. I especially enjoyed the chapter about the arts and crafts craze hitting Kimmel's small town . Just like my Grandma's house (who lived in a similar town in a similar time) everything quickly became crocheted, macramed, or otherwise contact papered from top to bottom. Awesome.

BES

Sold

SOLD: Patricia McCormick: Hyperion: 2006: Young Adult: 272 pages

Not for the faint of heart, Patricia McCormic's "Sold" takes us into the heart of India's Sex Trade through the eyes of 13 year old Lakshmi. The book is told in first person, journal entry type, free verse poems. Lakshmi's story begins in her small country village of Nepal and ends up in a dirty Indian brothel when her father sells her to pay for his extravagant gambling habits. The story is fairly graphic in a couple parts and there is no denying the heaviness of the topic and tone. However, there are points of light as we see Lakshmi seek out friendships that make her world bearable. It is on the one hand a testament to the resiliency of children and on the other a dire warning of the ubiquitous sex trade in India and its surrounding countries. No question this book was mostly a downer and could easily be too intense for many teens. I found it thought provoking and powerful, but to be recommended with caution.

BES

Among the Hidden

AMONG THE HIDDEN: Margaret Peterson Haddix: 1996: YA: 160

The first installment in Haddix's 7 part series introduces us to Luke, a hidden third child and The Shadow Children series' main protagonist. After a terrible famine and totalitarian political shift the Country Luke lives in enacts a law that no family can have more than two children. Luke is a hidden third child forced to stay indoors at all times and hide his existence. He is not even allowed to eat dinner at the table with his family out of fear that someone might see him. When Luke discovers another "hidden child" in the house next door his perception of hidden children changes drastically. Unlike Luke, Jen feels very strongly about the injustices hidden children endure and wants to change their invisible status at any cost.

While this book is primarily for young readers (very short and easy to read) the ideas are pretty complex and make for a very interesting read. I think this would be a great pick for reluctant readers, and boy especially. Among the Hidden is just the beginning of Luke's story and the cliffhanger at the end will make you want to read them all.

BES

Detox Your Finances

DETOX YOUR FINANCES: EARN MORE, SPEND LESS, AND MAKE YOUR MONEY WORK AS HARD AS YOU DO:John Middleton: 2004: NonFiction: 245

Though Middleton could be a little obnoxious at times (the dis on Lord of the Rings was almost too much for me to continue reading) this book was practical and helpful. The book is organized into "52 brilliant ideas" about getting control of and managing your finances. Some were a little bit obvious (don't spend money you don't have...) but most of the ideas were real "I never would have thought of that , but that makes so much sense!" kinds of tips. Fast, practical read.

BES

Love is a Mix Tape

LOVE IS A MIX TAPE: LIFE AND LOSS, ONE SONG AT A TIME: Rob Sheffield: 2007: Biography: 219

This delightful book is as much a biography of 90's music culture as it is of one young widow's attempt to deal with loss. Rob Sheffield is a music critic for Rolling Stone Magazine and this biography of his marriage and the untimely death of his eccentric wife reads like the quirky vignettes you'd find in the pop culture magazine. Each chapter is prefaced with a mix tape play list that sets the tone for the particular sound byte to follow - and it truly feels like you can hear this book. (In fact, I downloaded a couple of songs from the play lists and that made it that much more enjoyable) There is an entire chapter dedicated to the death of Kurt Cobain and another to Sheffield's ultimate fantasy of being in a synth pop duo with the woman he loves. This book was at once heartbreaking and hilarious. It was endearingly sentimental without evoking any kind of pity. A very satisfying read. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves pop culture and music especially.

BES

Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture

BORN TO BUY: THE COMMERCIALIZED CHILD AND THE NEW CONSUMER CULTURE: Juliet B. Schor: Scribner: 2005: Non-Fiction: 304

Juliet Schor explores how today's increasingly consumer crazed culture affects young children and teens, and in short - it isn't pretty. Schor takes a good, if cynical, look at the increase in ads marketed to young children and what this reflects about our culture. Even worse, Schor claims, is how this "getting people to buy stuff" is turning young children into over sexualized, over stimulated, unhealthy consumers often with a distorted sense of self esteem.

This book was truly fascinating. For anyone concerned about the disturbing trend of turning children into excessive consumers, this book is a must. I was especially insenced at the chapter about the commercializion of public education. Though I learned a TON from this book, it wasn't meant to be purely informational; there is no doubt where Schor's feelings on this issue lie. She spends the last chapter suggesting ways that parents can and have negated this trend in their own homes with their families. Truly and eye opening read.

BES

The Club Dumas

THE CLUB DUMAS: Arturo Perez-Reverte: Harvest Books: 2006: Fiction: 368
For book lovers interested in both stories and the actual making of books, this novel is a treat. The stoic main character, Corso, is a book mercenary for many rich (and eccentric) book collectors. He has most recently been charged to discern the authenticity of a new/missing chapter from "The Three Musketeers". He has also been given a more difficult task regarding a book that is said to be used to summon the devil. Along the way Corso meets many interesting characters, but perhaps the most interesting character he meets is the mysterious young girl who follows him around without revealing any personal information.
This international best seller will have your head spinning; Is the Dumas Manuscript Authentic? Who is the man following Corso with the strange scar? Can "The book of the nine shadows" really summon the devil? How are his two tasks connected? And who (or what) is this girl who insists on following Corso around? A fun, and sometimes spooky read, The Club Dumas is a rewarding read for any book lover.

BES

The Keep

THE KEEP: Jennifer Egan: Knopf:2006:Fiction: 256
The main plot of this book is the reunion of two estranged cousins at an ancient castle, but there is a lot of sub-plot/post-plot going on. The main storyline follows the reunion of two cousins that long ago shared a horrific experience and have carried the guilt/fear from the experience into their adult lives. However, Howard is no longer the nerdy Dungeons and Dragons master of his youth, but a very wealthy (very tan) 30 something retiree. He has purchased an ancient European castle with the intention of turning it into a hotel - a special kind of hotel where all connection with the outside world is cut off and guests are expected to explore their own imagination. Since their childhood together Danny has become a gothic, neuroses ridden icon of New York's underground club scene . He is obsessed with being "connected", and the polarity of Danny's desire for constant contact and Howard's yearning for complete isolation and introspection is interesting to see played out.
This book surprised me again and again. There were three large plot shifts where the people you thought were the main characters became just part of someone else's story. It was spooky like any of its Gothic predecessors, but it was also a story about a return to imagination, hope even.

BES