tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48273259263156971482024-03-19T00:40:24.404-07:00Joanne's BooklandThis is a space for books. Not too much about me. Or you. Or anything else. Just books.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-33512239679915898542009-05-17T18:44:00.000-07:002009-05-22T15:19:13.176-07:00Summer's here... almostSo, it's Memorial Day weekend and it's hot -- well, I am in Texas right now so of course it's hot. Anyway, what am I reading? Over the last few weeks I've read another in the Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva, Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I've started A Mercy by Toni Morrison and Life is Short but Wide by J. California Cooper.<br /><br />I'll start with Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. This is a big book but very worth the read. It's set in Addis Ababa for the most part and then toward the end the setting is New York City, with a little bit of Boston thrown in. This is in short a story about twins born (joined at the head) to a nun and a surgeon, conceived while both parents were serving at a hospital in Ethiopia in the late 1940s to 1950s. The mother dies during childbirth; the father (eccentric, alcoholic brilliant surgeon) walks away from the twins and they are raised by two other doctors at the same hospital. The usual family drama, sibling rivalry and betrayal ensues. What kept me reading is Verghese's ability to follow the "write what you know" doctrine. He's a surgeon when he's not writing so there is a lot of, well, surgery and medicine in the book. I loved that. It won't be everybody's cup of tea because it gets graphic, bloody and gory in a lot of places. But Verghese's passion for his true love, surgery, is palpable almost. Those were the strongest parts of the book when the protagnist/narrator was focusing on his work. Work and love seems to be the overarching theme here. You have these two boys, Marion and Shiva, growing up in a house with two doctors who are madly in love, bound by their commitment to this creaky hospital in a country on the brink of political upheaval. Marion and Shiva cocooned by their hospital family seem destined for a life of medicine. Marion goes a more traditional, ambitious route and Shiva stumbles into excellence by just doing his own thing. The Shiva character is unforgettable. Marion is the narrator and we get inside his head a lot. We can't see much of Shiva because of his disability but I found myself drawn to the character because it seems that there was so much in him that he could never express in the typical human way -- instead he dedicates his life to fistual surgery, one of the most undesirable lines of work a surgeon could ever choose. In the background there's Ethiopia and the rise and sort of fall of Haile Selassie, Mengistu, the Eritrean uprising, Marion's escape to America where he finally meets his wayward father in Boston. Again, this is a huge, grand novel and I highly recommend it. I learned so much about Ethiopia and its culture -- and about surgery. And you never know when that stuff might come in handy. My main criticism -- pacing. Too much happens in the last hundred pages or so; the ending felt rushed to me and because of all the tragedy it was just a bit too much to take all at once. Again, this might be because I fell too deeply in love with the Shiva character. Read this book!<br /><br /><br />Next is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Oh, my. For the first couple chapters I kept going back to look at the author's photo just to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. I have to give it to Stockett -- she is one bad chick! I think a lot of Caucasian writers would have been afraid to go as far as she does in this novel and I applaud her for her courage and a job well done. This book is also pretty hefty but worth every page -- also it goes by fast because it's very engaging and well-plotted. I'd put big money on a wager that a Natalie Portman/Charlize Theron type gets to play the Skeeter role in the inevitable big screen version. This story is set in the 1960s in Mississippi and is told from the viewpoint of three main characters: Two black maids, Abileen and Minnie and Skeeter Phelan, the wealthy debutante who can't stand her empty-headed, prejudiced Junior League crowd, wants "change" and a different way of life other than marrying well etc. She sets out to write the stories of the black maids who work in the homes of the Jackson well-to-do and things fall apart in many ways but come together at the end. Stockett takes her time building the characters so they seem real even though one could see how easily they could have become "types." The Minnie character -- feisty, independent -- has a secret that gives depth to all that outward bravado. The Abileen character is probably not as well-drawn -- I think Stockett was hinting at a rage (along with the sadness) deep down inside Abileen (who's had to care for white women's children her whole life while facing her personal losses) that Stockett never fully explored. The other maids' stories were compelling and Stockett treated these characters with an honesty and respect rarely seen from most writers who tackle that period in U.S. history. The language was amazing. I'm not from the South so I'm no expert on Southern dialects but from my viewpoint she got it spot on. She was also very honest with using the words, conversations and situations that may make many uncomfortable. Overall, I loved this book and Minnie will stick with me for a long time. I will go see the movie and grudgingly and respectfully help make Stockett a gazillionaire. A definite must-read.<br /><br />I zipped through another Daniel Silva novel one cold weekend back in March when I should have been cleaning the house. This one was The Messenger. Nothing much to say here, it's a perfect escape for a long flight or a rainy day or a sunny day at the beach. Silva went really deep into the politics with this one (although I haven't read the entire series but this is the first time I've seen any of his novels so firmly take a position on the Arab-Israeli conflict). An interesting portrait of terrorism -- and who's supposedly financing their operations. Overall, it was great -- fast-paced plot, tons of action, obscenely rich bad guy, far-flung glamorous locales, etc. It made me want to travel somewhere. Read this book if you need some excitement. I have The Defector and I shall read it soon.<br /><br />What I'm reading right now? Life is Short but Wide by J. California Cooper. This is one of my favorite writers and I'm loving this sweet little book. It's set during the Great Depression in Oklahoma. It's the story of one family and its various branches living through hard times in a growing town populated mostly by black folks and Native Americans. Again, J. California Cooper can do no wrong in my eyes. So, yes, I know she lays on the religion really thick and yes, I know, the story can be predictable. But she tells it so simply and well! I care about every single one of these characters because they were so real and true. I could feel the poverty seeping through the pages, the pain and longing of the Rose character who lost so much and never got what she deserved. The reason Tante felt that she had to flee or just wither in that town. Cooper's style seems simple but it's such a trick; I'm near the end and I'm realizing that she told an epic American story using plain old language with zero pretense, expertly drawn characters and a tight plot. I especially enjoyed the relevance to today's economic crisis. I wish more people read this woman's books because she is such a treasure. Please, buy this book and read it slow.<br /><br />I'm also reading A Mercy by Toni Morrisson. I hate to end on a negative note but Toni's a legend so she can take it. I mean, who am I anyway? Can I throw a bunch of beautifully written, loosely plotted words against a page and then win a Pulitzer? I don't think so. And that's my review of A Mercy. There's something going on in those pages but I don't really know what that is. I'm trying though. My pedestrian take is: there's some dude *lovely phrase here* who buys slaves and another dude *breathtaking phrase here* who's in debt who has a tacky wife *little-known history fact pattern here* and some lady who was sold with her baby *evocative, stirring mini-story here* or something and *lovely phrase* = win Nobel/Pulitzer/NBA!!! Anyway, I like the words -- the book itself is another story. I guess that's what happens when ordinary folk encounter true talent and brilliance. It just goes way over my head. But I'm okay with that. Sheesh, Toni! Can we just go back to the days of Sula and Song of Solomon?<br /><br />Happy reading!Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-87865794822640710072009-02-23T18:57:00.000-08:002009-02-23T20:33:08.389-08:00Ah, winterSo.... the reason I haven't written anything in a while is... I've been snowed in for months! Not really. Anyway, someone reminded me that I hadn't updated this blog in a while so I thought that maybe I should.<br /><br />I have been reading quite a bit. The great thing about commuting by subway is that you can actually just sit there and read. Sadly, I hardly ever get a seat on the train -- the Orange Line pretty much fills up at Wellington Station -- but I've learned how to turn the page and hold on to the pole at the same time with just one hand! It's a great skill -- I can give lessons if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">anyone's</span> interested.<br /><br />What I'm reading now: Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster. I got it from the Dudley Branch Library in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Roxbury</span> in the large print section. I just sort of ended up there. Great book, of course. I thought I'd read it before but maybe I just read "about" it so it seems overly familiar. It's tiny but I took a long time to read it because I was trying to study the sentences closely. I'm weak on building powerful, long sentences, and E.M. Forster writes a paragraph-long sentence and it's tight, sharp and not wordy at all. How? How, I ask! Anyway, I'll have to rent the movie at some point also to see how they pulled off the scenery. It's a great story -- one that's been told often but with the backdrop of rural Italy: English lady goes off to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Monteriano</span>, marries some younger guy, her family's horrified, he's a jerk, she dies in childbirth, etc. etc. What I want to know is how E.M. Forster writes a Young and Restless episode yet it comes off as high art. Ha!<br /><br />Speaking of the Dudley Branch Library, I was so excited to find a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Pippi</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Longstocking</span> book for my niece. I yelped when I saw it on the shelf. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Pippi</span> stared at me from the cover with her red hair, freckled face and big nose and it felt like I was ten years old again fantasizing that I, too, could be strong enough to lift a horse and live in a big, old house all by my self, and have a pirate for a father. Thankfully, my niece is enjoying the book! I so loved <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Pippi</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Longstocking</span> when I was a kid. Astrid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Lindgren</span> and Enid <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Blyton</span> make me grateful that I grew up in "the colonies." It's too bad their books are not more popular here in America. Hopefully, I can get my niece to read all of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Pippi</span> books.<br /><br />I read the White Tiger by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Arvind</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Adiga</span> and was wowed. Very powerful book, fearless writing. For the people who still haven't seen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Slumdog</span> Millionaire, read this book instead. It's kind of a morality play that simultaneously indicts and praises breakneck economic growth in developing nations. Big, big issues but clear writing and funny as all hell. The protagonist is one of the best ever created. This book will make you think. <br /><br />I also read Snow Country by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Yasunari</span> Kawabata. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Oy</span>. Nobel prize winner. What can I say? Depressing, majestic, deep -- like standing in front of your house the day after a blizzard. So beautiful but so difficult to shovel. This was a great book because it humbled me immensely. I want to write deep, weird books that say everything about life in about 100 pages.<br />I did learn that I shouldn't waste anything when it comes to writing. Every morning on the way to work I see the most beautiful landscape along the Mystic River, especially right after it snows. Even the industrial sites along the train tracks evoke this lovely desolation that creates the perfect backdrop for a scene in some novel I have yet to write.<br /><br />Yes, I am on this international writers kick about now. I will probably not read another American writer for a while because I'm discovering all these new places, cultures, and talents. It's like traveling around the world for almost free. And in this recession, that's about the only kind of traveling I can afford. But I'm loving it.<br /><br />Happy reading.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-86151643482496912008-11-07T19:10:00.000-08:002008-11-07T19:57:00.595-08:00Shady green pastures...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSp7Z8VpjAOq0na-CcSK6xh5jfTd7PEQnXPbfo1kJTk4FzoMVLQh-o60tSwBmBmGjqtdbQ3G_WIeAtco9cKYoFvd_jnnnyC0AT5mD-cxNZhQR4cmP6TrQuJ9Gx-OlMrMhHrOg426p8DM/s1600-h/SN850087.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266130429482508338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSp7Z8VpjAOq0na-CcSK6xh5jfTd7PEQnXPbfo1kJTk4FzoMVLQh-o60tSwBmBmGjqtdbQ3G_WIeAtco9cKYoFvd_jnnnyC0AT5mD-cxNZhQR4cmP6TrQuJ9Gx-OlMrMhHrOg426p8DM/s200/SN850087.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>It's been a good week. I'm just sayin...</div><br /><div>I won't write some emotional screed on how much I wept, leapt, and hugged my fellow men when Barack Obama was elected president. I think I already had my "moment" when I went to Dominica in September and saw this huge Obama billboard in one of the remotest parts of the island -- an island, which by the way still few people on the planet know about. Oh, and all these Dominicans who've never even been to America kept asking American tourists about the election, virtually begging them to vote for Obama. When I saw that billboard I knew "that one" was going to be elected. Weeks before that I remember telling some dismayed, white-haired lady at a rally in New Hampshire that Obama was going to win. She didn't belive me because she thought Sarah Palin would clinch it for McCain. Ha ha! (To quote Nelson from The Simpsons) I hope she's smiling this week. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Anyway, I'm back on the corporate grind after my three-year sojourn through law school. It was a huge relief to finally get my bar results. Now, I'm just getting used to working really long days and having to squeeze in writing time in the one or two free hours I have before bed. As Whitney says: It's not right but it's okay. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>What I'm reading now: Fooled by Randomness and The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. I really can't stand this guy but I like what I'm reading so far.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Since I haven't blogged in a while I really don't remember much about the books I read in the last few months. I vaguely remember being inspired by Edward P. Jones's All Aunt Hagar's Children. I'd started it when it first came out but only recently finished it. He truly is genius -- great shorts, neat but deep, no fancy undecipherable B.S. sentences, just beautiful writing, achy characters and complete, well-told stories. I read stuff like that and I just want to stop trying. </div><br /><div>Stephen Carter's The Palace Council was okay. I finished it. I liked it well enough -- the story takes place over a long period so there's a lot of history going on beneath the plot. The problem with this book and New England White is that they're so carefully written I can feel the painstaking effort he puts into every word creeping off the page and nearly strangling me with its cold, clammy OCD grip. It's highly likely that I'm just not smart enough to appreciate what he does. But I did like the characters. It was nice to see Mona Veazie and the rest of the bunch at another point in their lives. Loved the descriptions of old Harlem. All in all, the novel could have been tighter but I get the feeling the editors already trimmed four hundred pages off the original manuscript. </div><br /><div>On my long plane ride I read Moscow Rules by Dan Silva. Oh. My. Glob. Reading this book was like eating a dozen mini-Snickers followed by a bag of Cheetos washed down with a coffee Coolata. Just plain old fast-paced, predictable, action-packed suspense and fun from page one to the end. Pretty simple plot: Russian oligarch sells weapons to terrorists, Israeli spy/master painter and art restorer will save the day -- and of course the evil oligarch's beautiful wife. I can't wait for the movie. Considering I had three stops on my flight, one with a four-hour layover, I couldn't have asked for a better way to pass the time.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The Boston Book Bazaar in October was my last event and I thank all those who stopped by -- just in case you're out there and reading. I'll probably be doing a couple more events as the weather gets colder and people warm to the idea of staying home with a good book.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Happy reading.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-20622888218504427332008-09-08T05:30:00.000-07:002008-09-08T06:25:39.280-07:00Sorry, political rantYes, I know this site is supposed to be about books but I'm breaking my own rule today. Over the weekend I had the opportunity to hear some people (BLACK folks) make some of the most ridiculous statements I've ever heard in my life. Here are a couple:<br />1. "I don't see what George Bush did over the last eight years that was so bad."<br />2. "I want to vote for Obama but he's for abortion and I don't want to have the blood of innocent babies on my hands."<br />3. "Since 2001, we haven't had another major terrorist attack in America. You have to give Bush credit for that."<br />There were more but after a while my head began to spin so I forgot the rest of them. Let me just say this: I'm a Christian. I love the Lord. I believe Jesus Christ wants us all to go to heaven. I also believe he wants us to have a good life here on earth -- all of us, not just Americans.<br />And here is why I do no support the Republican party: Their ideologies and policies do not profess the love of Christ, which is the essential element of Christianity. Read 1 Cor. 13.<br />After watching the Republican convention last week all I saw was hate, sarcasm, belittling, baiting, blaming. Not an ounce of charity. And as a Christian I'm supposed to get on board with those people? No thanks. Would Jesus belittle the work of community organizers?<br />In answer to the ridiculous statements above (made by church people as you may have guessed), I would advise these people to look at the struggling economy; the fact that we've been in Iraq for seven years losing thousands of American soldiers (my brother went THREE times) and tens of thousands of Iraqi lives -- and remember this is a war that was supposed to take 50 days; the fact that babies unborn and born (see infant mortality rate among black children) continue to die under every single president since the Roe v. Wade ruling and that even though there haven't been any major terrorist attacks on U.S. soil we STILL haven't captured Osama Bin Laden -- 7 years later.<br />Also it's poor people who are losing their homes and their jobs and their futures in this economy -- not the rich Republicans or Democrats. I know for a fact that there are people in my church who are in foreclosure right now! And as the poor get poorer, the Republicans want you to believe that their tax cuts for the rich will somehow benefit you at the bottom. Well, that trickle down scam has NEVER worked -- unless you're in the upper tax brackets.<br />Here's a little economic reality: During the Clinton Administration America saw its longest ecnomic expansion, 22 million new jobs were created, the country saw the highest rate of home ownership and lowest unemployment in 30 years. Not only that people were OPTIMISTIC about this country. People had HOPE for their and their kids' futures. Poor and lower middle class people saw their lives CHANGE before their own eyes. They were INSPIRED to do better (see welfare to work programs).<br />Was Clinton perfect? No. Are we trying to re-elect Bill Clinton? No. But between John McInsane and Barack Obama I'm willing to bet that Obama's more likely to fix our economy and to help the people who need it the most. Listen, I don't mind paying more taxes. I really don't. I'd rather pay more taxes to support programs that will help poor people get off their feet so they don't rob me on the street at gunpoint. (Okay, that was harsh).<br />I'm also willing to bet that Obama won't further antagonize all the America-hating extremists (whose numbers have increased exponentially since the Iraq invasion) who want nothing but to see these country implode on itself. Like Jesus commanded, I believe we should be peacemakers first -- try diplomacy before destruction. And this is what I hear Obama saying. Not bomb first and ask questions later, as John McLame preaches.<br />Don't even get me started about Sarah Palin. She reminds me of so many women I see in church every Sunday. Righteous on the outside but when you look deep inside everything's a big mess. She's the kind of broad who always has something to say but never quite knows what the heck she's talking about. As long as the menfolk keep giving her talking points she'll sound halfway intelligent even though you sort of suspect that there's not a whole lot going on under that beehive. I'm done.<br />All I can say is no matter who wins this November, some things are going to remain the same in this country. I hate abortion but it's not going anywhere -- even though Roe v. Wade is overturned. I hate terrorism but we're not ending it by locking up people in Guantanamo Bay and depriving them of their human rights. Neither party is perfectly lined up to Christianity's principles. The Christian hoping to vote based on faith is going to make a wrong choice either way. You might as well not vote at all.<br />We live in a secular nation, church folk. We can't FORCE everyone to follow Christ. Not even God himself forces people to serve him and to obey Him. He gave us all a free will. So why do Christian Republicans think they have the authority to take away from people what the Almighty gave to them??<br /><br />Rant over.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-58364353622233726912008-08-20T09:23:00.000-07:002008-08-20T09:45:51.756-07:00Lazy, crazy daysIt took a while but I'm over that stupid bar exam. Yes, it's over and I'm over it. Two weeks before results come out in November I'll start yoga, breathing exercises and meditation. All in all, I didn't think it was horrible -- except for the first half of the multiple choice. We'll see how it all turns out.<br /><br />Since I don't start work till October I'm basically being a bum for now. May I say that I don't now how chronically unemployed people do it? I'm going out of my mind here. I need to work! Now!<br /><br />I had to have surgery so I put off doing a bar trip. Thank goodness I went to Peru and Brazil this year so I have those memories -- and pictures -- to sustain me every time I think of my friends who are off having fun in far away places. I do plan to go home to Dominica next month -- if I can find a plane ticket that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and which doesn't involve more than three stops. I mean, really.<br /><br />In the mean time, I'm resting and reading. I've caught up on all the John Grisham I missed while I was in law school. The Innocent Man -- my new favorite. Makes me want to rethink this whole corporate law track. I also read the The Appeal, which had the most unsatisfying ending of any book I've ever read. I mean, seriously. I know I'm reading fiction, I DO NOT want a realistic ending. I want the bad guy to lose and the good guy to win even though that's not the way it happens in real life. Is that too much to ask?????<br /><br />I'm also reading the Palace Council by Stephen Carter. I'm enjoying it so far -- great plot and characters -- but I'm taking my time with it. Thankfully, it's not 700+ pages like New England White. Palace Council seems a bit more Ludlum-ish and that's good. I get tired of reading about upper class black folks simply because they're upper class black folks. Something's going on with this one and it keeps me wanting more but I'm reading several other books simultaneously so it may be a while before I finish it.<br /><br />Stephen Carter's as deep as it gets for me. I'm still too shell-shocked from the bar to read anything serious or mentally demanding. So for now it's mass market stuff that goes down nice and easy with a glass of lemonade. This week I'm looking at Being Plumville written by my girl Savannah Frierson. I'm also reading Secret Societies by John Lawrence Reynolds and a book about Christopher Columbus's journeys -- more for research than pleasure. If anyone out there has some good reads to recommend please pass them along. I have a lot of time on my hands and surfing the Internet makes me feel guilty because -- I could be writing or reading.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-33109977239626787552008-06-19T05:48:00.001-07:002008-06-20T04:19:37.681-07:00The Harlem Book Fair -- Roxbury, Mass.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-s8RR8FHVTx3lNGddVGzKNCuVUXxGjPdPm9lqIxbqtNLunmyLBdEqmsTtuPNZpbEvGXRtNBwunJMIyQKGF5Uqs4O0hA3QvMmxEZeuki_O3r95mRIaan1_s9loItoH5T9kFbEer3RJGc/s1600-h/SN850029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213921649825150722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-s8RR8FHVTx3lNGddVGzKNCuVUXxGjPdPm9lqIxbqtNLunmyLBdEqmsTtuPNZpbEvGXRtNBwunJMIyQKGF5Uqs4O0hA3QvMmxEZeuki_O3r95mRIaan1_s9loItoH5T9kFbEer3RJGc/s200/SN850029.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>First, let me say that studying for the bar exam is a little slice of of hell on earth. Every day around 4 p.m. when I ponder all the other fun ways I could be spending my summer I get the urge to roll around on the floor sobbing hysterically. Instead, I pick up my Barbri books and do some more practice questions and curse the bar examiners.<br /><br />BUT, life is not all horrible and depressing. Two things. I got a chance to go see my colleague Dorothy Clark perform at the Taylor House in Jamaica Plain last Friday and I was so wowed. This girl is so talented -- and a hilarious person I might add. The pianist who accompanied her was a genius. Just beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. If I could sing like that I'd never speak. I'd sing my orders at the Dunkin Donuts drive-through.<br /><br />And then on Saturday I got to sit outside for a few hours in Dudley Square at the Harlem Book Fair in Roxbury. Thanks to the folks who stopped by for books and to to chat. I met some really fascinating people. That lady from Uganda -- if you're out there and you find this blog, just know that you made my day. Also know that I'm rooting for you to become president some day.<br /><br />Thankfully, the weather was nice -- no rain and not too hot. Marjorie Hicks and her staff did a great job; the program was excellent. It's too bad that more people don't come out for this event. Hopefully, next year we'll be back at the old location at Roxbury Community College.<br /><br />I was going to be snarky and write a whole paragraph about bad poetry. But I won't do that. Because this is not a snarky blog. But if anyone ever wants to drive me up the wall and see my inner witch come out in full force, recite some victimization-laden, incoherent, unintelligible, protest-gibberish and call it poetry. I will attempt to smash you in the head with Maya Angelou's books and hope her talent somehow sinks in. End snarkiness.<br /><br />Now that I've gotten that out...</div>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-10779713881237211602008-05-19T20:04:00.001-07:002008-05-26T00:13:52.282-07:00I'm back...<div>I've thought about this blog often over the last couple months -- usually when I was sitting in class wishing I had enough time to write. Happily, I'm through with law school; graduated today. Yay! It was quite a journey -- one I wouldn't necessarily recommend to most people but it's a gr<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KIRSzRgwB9P-l-rgBhCOOYKyKpzxeMWXjY84qEo-qH-xfnAnVWTXjbQZ6OViyky10LgJH-xZxg0K3QxnPJd7Y8b3j3Ss9-cnnsbSszbhUmWekcw1BJ3vjwkW7H5lG1a7pgpHMqcuNTc/s1600-h/torts.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204580028025059554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 155px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 178px" height="181" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KIRSzRgwB9P-l-rgBhCOOYKyKpzxeMWXjY84qEo-qH-xfnAnVWTXjbQZ6OViyky10LgJH-xZxg0K3QxnPJd7Y8b3j3Ss9-cnnsbSszbhUmWekcw1BJ3vjwkW7H5lG1a7pgpHMqcuNTc/s200/torts.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a>eat feeling to be finished and to have that lovely diploma. Now comes the hard part: studying for the bar exam.<br />I read very little outside of school work but I did finish The Pillars of the Earth. Can I say that this book is just a masterpiece? Wow, just wow. It's a thousand pages long but they go by pretty fast. Murder, mayhem, the Middle Ages and all you'll ever want to know about building cathedrals. It was just an amazing journey back in time. The characters I'll always remember; the plot, subplots -- everything was epic in scale and Ken Follett of course is just the master builder of this kind of stuff. What else can I say? This story was just a solid, massive piece of literature that was actually fun to read!<br />So, I'm in edits for my next novel My Best White Friend, which will be published next spring by Grand Central. I'm trying not to rewrite the whole thing because every time I look at the manuscript I see a million ways I could make it better. I think. Thankfully, I have a deadline to meet so I can't go too crazy.<br />Can I just rant and say that I absolutely HATE the busywork publishers ask of their writers. I mean, who wants to spend valuable time filling out an author questionnaire and running around town trying to find a photographer to take a picture? The picture thing really bugs me, too. Sorry, that kind of stuff is not fun. I'm trying to move. I have to study. I have to write. I have to watch reruns of King of the Hill!<br />One more thing before I sign off. People need to leave Michelle Obama alone. That is all.</div>Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-65966727603867489642008-02-06T07:58:00.002-08:002008-02-06T07:59:48.149-08:00I'm trying and trying not to get too obsessed with this election season ... but it's HARD. What ends up happening is that I get way too emotionally involved and before you know it I'm yelling at the TV, talking back to the New York Times via laptop screen, and avoiding people I know who don't support my candidate. So, I'm gonna keep it together this time around. All, I'll say is Senator Obama is what this country needs right now. If Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination .... well, John McCain's wife will make a beautiful first lady. I just wanted to post a quick review of How to Read the Bible by James Kugel. This book is over 700 pages long -- 691 of text and the rest is reference material. But it is so worth it. The most striking thing about it is its honesty and even-handedness. I believe the author is an Orthodox Jew as well as a renowned scholar who taught at Harvard for a long time. What does that mean? The book is thoroughly researched and contains all different points of view. Sometimes it reads like a legal treatise -- he lays out all the different arguments and takes each one apart piece by piece. It can be very academic at times but Kugel's sense of humor lightens it up. Overall, the book is balanced, well-written and accessible to all readers. Kugel makes me wish I could go to divinity school and study under brilliant guys like him. But this is not the kind of book you're gonna read and shout Hallelujah every two pages. It makes you think and it challenges your beliefs. For example, Kugel points out that there is absolutely no archeological evidence that points to the Exodus ever taking place and that the people of Israel may have lived in Canaan before all this wandering in the wilderness. He also examines the cultural norms of the entire region during biblical times and writes that some of the best-known stories of the Old Testament may exist to serve a utilitarian purpose. Story telling was a way for those communities to explain their present while holding some significance to the past. He also points out that there is much disagreement among scholars about whether Moses wrote the first five books; whether Isaiah was written by one person; that David may not have written the Psalms at all. However, there is enough evidence to quiet the naysayers. For example, the discovery of the Mari tablets near the Euphrates and other archeological finds that coincide with the story of Abraham. Also, discovery of pottery and other artifacts that establish the presence of various peoples of the Bible during certain periods. So what does it all mean? Kugel makes it clear in the beginning that his faith is not swayed by any of this. And I feel the same way. I'm glad that I'm more aware now of what Biblical scholars argue about -- and I pity them. This, to me, is like making sausage. In fact, Kugel writes at one point that some students tend to study this stuff and lose their belief. But I wonder why. My opinon is that the Bible is the word of God but it's also a historical document and if I can't write an accurate account of what happened to me last week then how can a person accurately present a story that was passed down orally from a previous generation, translate it into another language and not make a single error? I know it's not that simple, of course. Apparently there are the Four Assumptions, Documentary Hypothesis and all these other fancy theological concepts discussed in this book that make the arguments more cogent -- and more complicated to me. I will say that this book takes the reader on an intellectual journey that won't soon be forgotten. If you're a firm believer you'll be challenged by what Kugel writes but ultimately you'll be grateful that you have more understanding. Now, I really am prepared to get into an argument with some of these folks out there who say the Bible is just a fairy tale. Ha ha.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-77929546973525142332007-12-30T11:14:00.000-08:002007-12-30T11:29:27.586-08:00Happy New YearSo I've been really, really, really bad about updating this blog and I kinda knew it would happen. Once the middle of November rolled around then all hell sorta broke loose. Papers, projects, then Thanksgiving, final exams, Christmas... Aaaaaargh! At least, it's sort of over. Now it's almost 2008. I am so thankful for having made it through another year in good health, with good friends and family intact. This was a great year in so many ways -- in my personal life and in my professional life. I think 2008 will be even greater. I'm really excited about the two novels that I'm working on and my next novel, which is currently in edits and will be published in Spring 2009.<br />I've only started reading fiction again last week! I have about four books I'm hoping to read over the break: The End of Memory by Miroslav Wolf (saw this guy give a talk at Penn and was very impressed); How to Read the Bible by James Kugel; The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (Oprah-approved, of course) and The Camel Club by David Baldacci (hey, it was in the bargain books section.) I'm almost finished with the Camel Club and it's interesting and predictable -- terrorist plotters, group of wizened conspiracy theorists who will save the day; CIA-type hero; spunky girl; hot blonde; pseudo-invincible bad guy, etc. etc. But it's enjoyable because my brain is still reeling from finals so I can't take anything too serious right now.<br />I'm off to Peru next week so I'm hoping to read at least two of the other three somewhere between Philadelphia and Machu Picchu. Did I spell that right? Anyway, here's to 2008!!! I'm hoping to read more great books and maybe write a great one myself.<br />I'd planned to do one of those "Best of" lists but I just don't have the energy. I will say that The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz was hands down the best book of 2007. Nothing else I read or heard of came even close.<br />Happy New Year readers!!Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-59157766526282524602007-11-09T06:49:00.000-08:002007-11-09T07:22:56.377-08:00The inspirational editionI haven't had a chance to read anything new and worthwile recently. I started Walter Moseley's Blonde Faith, but I haven't had enough time to really get into it. But so far, it's a good detective story. But everyone knows Walter Moseley is the king so I don't need to say more.<br /><br />Since I haven't read anything new I've decided to just do a compilation of my favorite inspirational books. These books are a great source of encouragement. Use them anytime you face a challenge, feel down, or anytime you need to make an important decision and need some guidance.<br /><br /><br /><br />Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado: This book uses the story of David and Goliath to demonstrate how we can navigate the everyday problems of life: Fear, disappointment, anger, grief, jealousy/envy, family conflict, God conflict, you name it. Lucado's a great teacher and in his humorous yet direct way he'll "tell you about yourself" as the old folks say. This book is only going to help you if you want to change and if you take it seriously, you WILL change! I like the study guide at the back of it for purposes of discussion with a Bible study group or book club.<br /><br /><br /><br />Traveling Light by Max Lucado: This one's another gem. If you ever feel that the world is on your shoulder and you can't shake it, then something's WRONG. The sub-title of this book is "Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear." Lucado fleshes out something that Jesus taught several times. Cast your cares on Him! This book really freed me from a lot of negative thinking. I realized that I don't have to be a perfect this or perfect that, all while wearing a smile and four-inch heels. Whew! I could relax in my favorite green suede Pumas and jeans; let the work slide for one day, ignore the phone when negative people call, and just be happy to be alive, healthy and loved for that one moment.<br /><br /><br /><br />A Love Worth Giving by Max Lucado: Yes, I love Max Lucado. This one's a little different from the two above. It's less self-help and more challenge. Do you know how to love? Do you know what real love looks, sounds, feels like? Whatever your answer, should read this book. You'll see how deficient human beings are in the ways we act on and think about love. Lucado's main source for this book is 1 Cor. 13. And if you've never spent time thinking about the kind of love described in that passage then chances are you don't really know what love is. I certainly didn't. Of course, this kind of love is impossible for human beings to achieve so you read this book and you think: "Hmm... Uh... Can't do that." But that's okay. The point is just how much God loves us and how much capacity we have to improve our relationships with the people we say we love.<br /><br /><br /><br />This was fun. I'm anxious to start working on my next novel, which I've been informally researching for the last five months. I think it's going to be difficult to write but I'm looking forward to the challenge.<br /><br />I'm working on a young adults novel, which is so fun and exciting! I've never written 12-year-old characters before so I'm really going all out. It's about half-way done and I hope to finish it by next spring. Actually, I have written 12-year-old characters before -- myself in my journal. And every time I read that thing, I think, I was quite the character at age 12. But that's a whole other story.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-35115365908782556342007-10-22T10:26:00.001-07:002007-10-22T13:47:57.726-07:00Is it fall yet?It has to be fall but it's 77 degrees! At least the leaves are beginning to turn.<br /><br />I finished Edwidge Danticat's Brother, I'm Dying. What I like most about this writer is that her style is so quiet. She is obviously very talented but she doesn't hit you over the head with it -- no pages and pages of navel gazing and fancy literary tricks. She is the anti-Jamaica Kincaid -- whom I absolutely love by the way. Anyway, this non-fiction work is wonderful -- and very timely, considering the current immigration debate. It's a story about family and country -- two of my favorite themes. Danticat does an excellent job of making the characters flesh and blood -- you remember their names, you can almost see their faces through the pages. They're real people, of course, so that makes it easier to sympathize with them. The story is set in New York and Haiti and traces the divergent paths of two brothers. One decides to stay and live amid the turmoil in Haiti and the other builds a quiet life in New York. It's not a surprise ending so I can say that both brothers die -- both in the United States. What happens in between makes the ending even more tragic. I believed so much in Uncle Joseph and his single-minded determination to serve as protector of his community. To me, he represented a hope that is so lacking in a lot of poor countries today. It's like we believe that the only way our lives are going to improve is if we leave and never look back.<br /><br />It's a reality most immigrants have to face -- stay and try to "make things better" at home or leave for a "better life." Danticat's Uncle Joseph is a pillar of his community, willing to stake his life and his health because he believes Haiti will become a whole nation. I get the sense that Danticat's father had long ago abandoned his idealism and embraced the pragmatic, seeking the opportunities the US offered him and his children. The story doesn't resolve the question and I don't think that was the intent. Who can say what the right choice is anyway? What the book does resolve for me is that no matter where you are -- Haiti or the United States -- the right mix of politics, bureaucracy and racism can kill you. It's a sad world we live in.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-39071878977499424572007-10-12T11:34:00.001-07:002007-10-12T11:51:33.907-07:00Time is slipping, slipping....It's starting to get serious. So much to do; so little time.<br /><br />What I'm reading: The Secret History of the War on Cancer by Devra Davis. This book will make your head spin. A lot of it reads like it should be in a medical journal but somehow I'm still very into it -- this from someone who breaks out into hives at the thought of anything science-related. Excellent research and accessible writing. It's scary that a lot of the environmental risks for various cancers were known by the medical establishment in the 1930s yet nothing was done about it; outrageous that major corporations were able to get away with so much pollution and what seems like outright murder of their workers. Even more shocking are the human experiments and the programs begun to rid Germany of lung cancer but which turned into absolute horror under Hitler. The "Secret War" is very graphic and honest and a lot of the material that focused on WWII and the Holocaust was very upsetting. The book leaves me feeling scared and helpless. The toxic garbage is all around us -- in the air, in our food, in our homes, in cosmetics, etc., and there seems to be very little that can be done at this stage -- at least for our generation.<br /><br />I haven't finished Brother, I'm Dying by Danticat but I'll save that for a longer review when I have time.<br /><br />The Middle East by Bernard Lewis was excellent. Very indepth look at the history, culture, and economy of the region. This was like reading an encyclopedia and after I was finished I was proud of myself! I know so much more now than I did before! I have a greater understanding of the origins of Islam, its various branches and the conflicts arising therefrom. Interesting how great societies so rich in history and culture can remain so poor in other ways when there seems to be such capacity for great progress. Now, I *really* need to visit Egypt within the next year.<br /><br />Until I take the awful MPRE exam on Nov. 3, I probably won't have much time for fiction but hope springs eternal...Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-55570012225888978422007-09-29T19:07:00.000-07:002007-09-29T21:37:13.322-07:00Finally, some worthwhile reads!Back from vacation and feeling very relaxed. Punta Cana was lovely. Definitely going back. Okay, on to the books.<br /><br /><strong>The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz: </strong>Needless to say this book will be taught for generations and generations of writing and lit students because it's a work of art -- plain and simple. What this guy does with language is just pure and maddening genius. I'd say the language upstages the main character Oscar for most of the novel. I don't have permissions so I can't actually quote here but I've highlighted several passages that I know I'll read over and over and over for years to come. This novel is Greek tragedy scored with strains of Bachata, Salve and Merengue and even some hip-hop beat-boxing thrown in for good measure. And though I didn't get most of the Sci-fi references, it worked for me!<br /><br />Oscar is the quintessential tragic figure who will live and die for love, and, yes, the story could have begun and ended there but nooooo. We get the wonderfully told history of the Dominican Republic's brutal political past under the dictatorship of Trujillo (T to the illo!!!) and how that legacy screwed up lives, families, and a nation. Diaz delivers this rich history lesson with much black humor and well-placed profanity -- you'll find yourself laughing when you should be outraged and/or crying. And he does most of it in footnotes! Footnotes!!! The women around Oscar, his mother Hypatia, sister Lola, grandmother, and all the girls he's loved but never won made me draw all kinds of crazy parallels that the writer probably didn't intend so I won't go into them. (How does he write women so well??? Scary!)<br /><br />Like most Caribbean/diaspora writers, Diaz shows much facility capturing the characters' longing. As Third World folks are well familiar, this "longing" begins at birth and never quite ends. It's as ubiquitous as the oppressive heat, corrupt governments, the consuming poverty and class/color warfare -- there's no escaping it in this life. It's not "American" longing because here you could just go take on a second job (like Oscar's mom), go to the mall, buy a car or an expensive bag to make you feel temporarily better. Right? But "back home" the longing is unquenchable and it makes you do crazy things: It makes you hate yourself and other folks who have what you think you should have, it makes you treat your kids like crap, it makes you sick, it eventually kills you. It makes you believe in "Fuku." Matter of fact, it's the ultimate "Fuku."<br />Read this book. At least twice.<br /><br /><br /><strong>The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin: </strong>First, I'd like to ask the world to leave Clarence Thomas alone. Please. I've had just about enough Clarence Thomas bashing. Okay, I'm done.<br />I liked this book and I suspect that any one who has even a rudimentary interest in the Supreme Court will too. It's very accessible because Toobin's writing is very smooth, his reporting is top-notch so you get the feeling that you're really getting the inside scoop -- even though a lot of this stuff has already been told. This reads more like a Vanity Fair piece than "something-written-by-a-legal-scholar" so it's quick -- but there's still good, substantive material in there. I liked that Toobin quoted from some of the oral arguments in the major cases. I laughed out loud when Ted Olson got the smackdown from Justice Stevens in Rasul v. Bush. It's comforting (to me anyway) that even the veterans can get tripped up and tongue-tied in a courtroom even with all their years of experience. I'm disappointed that I didn't get deeper insight into the personalities of the justices but I don't think that's Toobin's fault. It seems The Nine do a very good job of keeping what they want out of sight hidden. Great read.<br /><br /><strong>Diary of a Country Prosecutor by Tawfik al-Hakim: </strong>I picked this up at an independent bookstore -- a total impulse buy. It's only about 140 pages but it's a deep little book. It's an Egyptian comedy of errors about, well, a country prosecutor who's trying to solve a murder case. Just madness. Think Alexander McCall Smith's charming Number One Detective series but add about 100 levels of perversity. The author uses satire to demonstrate the corruption and absurdities of this bureaucratic quasi-religious legal system. He layers in a a strange cast of characters -- from the midwife who wiped her hands on straw before trying to deliver a baby (which died) to the surgeon who has all his non-doctor buddies come by for a chat while he operates on patients. This little book takes you to a time and place that makes you appreciate where you are right here and right now. I mean, I don't want to be the guy who's wrongly accused of stealing his own crop and is summarily sentenced to jail! The novel is partly autobiographical so some of this stuff may indeed have happened. The writer was born in 1898 and died in 1987. Entertaining.<br /><br />More reviews to come.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-856374655451985822007-09-17T09:20:00.000-07:002007-09-17T09:37:47.173-07:00Countdown to the tropics!!!!So, I'm counting the days until my vacation to the DR. I'm really excited. I'm just hoping another hurricane won't screw up my plans yet again. What am I bringing besides textbooks? Well, Jeffrey Toobin's The Nine comes out tomorrow, so that will definitely be in the carry on. I know I said I wanted to bring something light and fast-paced but I'm finding that with school and everything on my plate I really don't want to waste my time reading bad books just for the hell of it.<br /><br />I started Confessions of a Wall Street Shoeshine Boy and I won't waste my time finishing it. Talk about a major disappointment. I listened to the author's interview on NPR this summer and he made this thing sound like the second coming of the Bonfire of the Vanities. Boo. The main character, the Brazilian shoeshine guy, is a great protagonist. He's earnest, funny, and the common-sense realist in this greed-glossed world that Wall Street types have created for themselves. But the Greg character (I like to think of him as Aguilar's patron saint) is just too New York liberal-yuppie-whining-self-satisfied-wannabe anti-establishment for me. I can't take it anymore. Next!<br />I picked up 90 Minutes in Heaven from the library because it's high on the best-seller list and I thought I'd get some spiritual insight. I got about 50 pages in and, well, that's as far as I'm gonna go. I don't want to get into whether or not this really happened to this guy. It could have. But this is just not my thing. What's heaven really like? I'll wait till I get there to find out. :)<br /><br />Obviously, I'm striking out with the light and fluffy stuff. So here's my list for my week of vacation: Secured Transactions (yup), Criminal Procedures hornbook (oh yeah!), The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin, Brother I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat, and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. And I'll try to finish The Middle East, actually by the end of this week before I go on vacation.<br /><br />I'll have short reviews of each hopefully within the next two weeks.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-43114001312997814562007-09-09T18:02:00.000-07:002007-09-09T18:27:27.364-07:00Back to school bluesSo, just in case anyone out there cares: I hate the Uniform Commercial Code. School is back in session and I'd vowed to myself that I would not care this year -- that I'd just do the minimum to get by. But judging from my classes last week, I don't think that will be possible. It just seems that for all five of my classes I'll be doing *all* of the reading because I will <strong>*need* </strong>to do <strong>*all* </strong>of the reading.<br /><br />But I WILL NOT stop reading fiction. No way, no how. I did that first year and I was miserable.<br /><br />I'm almost finished with A Thousand Splendid Suns; I love it. Khalid H. is very talented but if I may allow myself the daily dose of snarkiness.... I daresay that were he not writing about a particular place in the world at this very particular time in history I doubt he'd be such a phenom. There, I said it. Jealous much, Joanne? Ha ha.<br /><br />My fascination with the Middle East and the first five books of the old Testament, or Torah, is growing and growing. I just finished a couple of Bruce Feiler's books and I plan to get the others, especially Walking the Bible. He's a journalist, not an archaeologist or bible scholar etc., but his stuff is well vouched for it seems. Plus, I just picked up a scholar's work on the Middle East through the biblical perspective. Very addicting. For a child of the church like myself it's sometimes startling to have a realist perspective of biblical stories and characters. For example, I was shocked (shocked!) at the proposition that David may not have killed the giant Goliath. *Aaargh!!!!!* I mean, that was MY little backup everytime I faced a major life challenge. So, what am I supposed to encourage myself with when I'm looking at that Commercial Credit final? Just kidding. I know it's not the story itself that matters; it's knowing what the power of faith in God can do. Yes, people: You can ace a brutal final exam with only a slingshot and a pebble. Amen.<br /><br />I'm looking foward to my trip to the Dominican Republic in a couple of weeks. Of course, I'll be bringing textbooks with me and maybe a couple of fun, mindless books. Edwidge Danticat's new novel sounds interesting -- though that's far from fun and mindless. But I do need to read it so that's definitely on the list and maybe Junot Diaz's new one too. That means, I still need something fun and mindless for my trip. A fast-paced thriller would be great. If I hadn't already seen the Bourne Ultimatum I'd read it. To do so now would be a waste of eye energy. Patricia Cornwell?<br /><br />Anyway, back to Commercial Credit and the endless, scintillating scenarios of deadbeat Buyer A and gullible Seller B's interminable disputes about whether goods not paid for should/shouldn't be recoverable by gullible Seller B. *Sigh*Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-13666722867456921672007-08-29T09:12:00.001-07:002007-08-29T09:31:00.384-07:00You win some....I finished Stephen Carter's New England White and although I hate the whole starred rating thing, I'd only give it a three out of five. Too much meandering through the plot. Too much of that annoying pedantic, condescending tone that comes so naturally to law professors. Um... So now I know it's "spitten image" and not "spitting image." Woo hoo! When my eyes FINALLY limped to the finish line at page 565 I felt the way I did when I saw my Con Law grade during 1L -- confused and disappointed but thinking that at least I'm a tiny bit smarter for the awful experience. The whole anagram thing just didn't seem to work; it was forced and it, well, didn't work. I loved the characterizations -- Vanessa and the older son were written very well. Carter obviously is good at this so what went wrong? Who knows? Maybe this is not really his game. Maybe he should stick to the policy and legal scholarship. Sometimes the Ivory Tower is just where some folks belong. And there's nothing wrong with that...<br />Unburnable on the other hand. All I can say is I'm so mad at the mainstream media for ignoring this magnifient piece of work. This is the "Beloved" of our generation. This was one of the most haunting, magical pieces of fiction I've ever read. And for a debut that's saying a lot. I will not go on and on about this because the fact that I'm Dominican is probably coloring my evaluation. But Marie-Elena John did an outstanding job here. I don't think I'll ever forget Matilda swinging from a tree. Did I mention that I picked it up at 10 p.m. one night thinking that I'd read for an hour and then go to sleep and when I closed the book it was 3 a.m. but I was still wide awake and wishing that I hadn't finished it so quickly?<br />I also read Kim McLarin's Jump at the Sun and she's great. Wonderful, realistic story, a very deft writer. She's going to be one of my favorites, I can tell.<br />This week, I'll take on a Thousand Splendid Suns and I'm going to give Great Expectations another look-see.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-85251386539585802122007-08-23T07:02:00.000-07:002007-08-23T07:23:20.622-07:00Slow going...So, I SAVED the latest Stephen Carter novel, New England White, for WEEKS, thinking that once I got into it I would not want to put it down. Well, no. It hasn't turned out that way. I am LABORING through this mighty tome. Love the characters, love the writer, great plot, etc. But why is this thing so slow? Why does he bog us down in so many minute details of irrelevant happenings and characters. Do I really need to know the deepest, innermost thoughts of the security chief? And, as an aside: Would a woman like Julia Carlyle really wear Ugg boots? I mean, this is a middle-aged woman of a certain standing... Oh well. I WILL finish it within the week. That is my goal.<br />In other notes on what I'm reading or have read: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert was great. It was incredibly self-indulgent and a little too cute in some places but I think the narrator was so likeable she got away with it. She's a great writer -- able to connect and impress the reader without coming off as too above-it-all. Plus, this book made me want to get on a plane to Rome, pronto!<br /><br />I re-read Tender is the Night and This Side of Paradise because I was feeling down about my writing career. And they did the trick! They truly inspired me to try to write well -- every time. You have to recognize Francis Scott Key as the master of the beautiful sentence. I imagine him being one of those crazy people who spends hours and hours agonizing over three words. Someday I'll have such a luxury...<br /><br />I also read some Patricia Cornwell and Greg Iles this summer because, well, I was busy working and I needed something quick and easy... And I LOVED them. I understand why these books sell so well. They're like very attractive one-night stands or short-term relationships with good sex but no long-term potential. Fun while they last -- but two weeks later you can't remember the characters' names. But I'm okay with that. When it comes to books, I'm a slut so no worries here. :0<br /><br />Next up is Unburnable by Marie-Elena John, which I'm really looking forward to because it's about, gasp, Dominica! Lord, give me the strength to barrel through New England White so I can move on to Unburnable by Sunday!<br /><br />I ordered Confessions of a Wall Street Shoeshine Boy today -- which should get me through the first few weeks of the semester. It shouldn't be too mentally demanding, which is very important since I don't know what my reading load for school is going to look like yet.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4827325926315697148.post-18451836986748786202007-08-22T08:46:00.001-07:002007-08-22T08:49:52.627-07:00Welcome...I'm only doing this because some people asked for it. I'm not a blog person. I'm hoping I'll enjoy it -- and I won't become too obsessed with it and start neglecting other parts of my life... Anywho...<br /><br />I'm going to try to keep this focused on books -- my books and other people's books. It might grow into something else. Who knows. It's just a cloudy, August Wednesday in West Philadelphia and I need another cup of coffee. I can't tell what's going to happen this afternoon nevermind next week.Joannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12612897492454080794noreply@blogger.com0