Paper Towns by John Green: Big thanks to the librarian friend who sent me the ARC of this book, which comes out October 16th in stores. I had high hopes for it since I've loved John Green's other books, and I wasn't disappointed. What an excellent writer he is. He captures the teenage voice so well without getting obnoxious or turning them into saints. The story revolves around, but never quite touches, Margo: a girl whose exploits are the stuff of legends at her high school. The story is told by her next-door neighbor, a boy who's loved her from afar since they were kids. This book portrays the sense so many people have at the end of high school that the things they are doing and thinking have a larger significance. The plot is filled with the kind of smaller stories that the characters would still be reminiscing about years and years later. Loved it.
Split: Memoir of a Divorce by Suzanne Finnamore: Finnamore's previous novels about marriage and childbirth were so clearly based on autobiography that I really felt like I knew her, so I was genuinely sad when I saw the title of her most recent book. This time she doesn't fictionalize, but writes the story as a memoir. It goes straight through from the shocking moment when her husband announces he is leaving her and their baby son, through the messiness of the divorce, the emotional and legal hassles, and finally to a sense of acceptance. Every bit of it is clearly and powerfully written. I think it must have taken a lot of courage to write, and Finnamore manages to keep a largely objective tone about her ex-husband. While she has her moments of hating him and believing he must be evil to have done this to her, she keeps coming back to an understanding that he is merely human. She shows her own weaknesses and mistakes as well. It's a very interesting portrait of a marriage and what happens when it ends. She has a very smart sense of humor that reminds me of Anne Lamott. This is my favorite of her books so far, and I hope she writes more.
Getting behind in picture posting. This was taken outside the Starbucks in downtown Northville, a building which used to be a music shop. I had my piano lessons in what is now part of the coffee shop.
Here are the rest of week 40 pictures. They're actually sort of weeks 38-40 pictures, I've gotten a bit disorganized in my picture a day project. I'll try to get back on track for next week.
And here are my pictures from my weekend in Atlanta. I got to see Chris's home away from home, the Marriott Marquis, as well as a bit of downtown Atlanta. However, since Chris was coming down with a cold (which I of course brought home with me) we spent most of the time in the hotel room eating room service and playing World of Warcraft on our laptops. As you can see, we did make it to the aquarium also. It was a fun weekend.
My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins and Fenway Park by Steve Kluger: I love Steve Kluger. When I found out he'd written a YA novel I was thrilled, and this definitely didn't disappoint. It's told in the first person by three different teenagers recounting their "most excellent year" for a school project. This was the year T.C. fell for Allie, Allie figured out how to get out from under the restrictive influence of her diplomat parents, and Augie (Finally! He was the last to know!) figured out he was both gay, and in love. It was also the year they brought Hucky, an abandoned deaf kid who firmly believed Mary Poppins would some day come to save him, into their loving, if slightly unusual, family. Kluger's style that you see in his adult novels is here: the story told in notes and letters, the humor and romance, and the characters you wish knew in real life. Loved it.
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin: This was the kind of book that made me want to wake up and pay more attention to life. The story follows a teenage girl into the afterlife, a place called Elsewhere. In Elsewhere people start out at the age they were when they died and become younger and younger until they become a baby again. At that point they are sent back to Earth and reincarnated as a new person. While the story appears to be about death, it's really more about life and appreciating each moment as it comes, not fixating on the past or the future. It was a quick read, and very refreshing.
So Yesterday by Scott Westerberg: This was a great month for YA reads, I really liked this one also. It's sort of a consumerist thriller, it reminded me of Max Barry's Jennifer Government. The story is based around the "coolness pyramid". At the top of this pyramid are innovators, people who do genuinely original things and create trends. Trend-spotters, just below them, spot these trends and pass them along to the companies who are in a position to market and profit from the trend. Early adopters are among the first of general public to buy into the new trends, and finally the average consumers who pick up the trend when it hits the shelves at Target (and thereby isn't really cool anymore.) Hunter, a trend-spotter, and Jen, an innovator, find themselves involved in a high-profile conspiracy involving the coolest pair of shoes in the world, kidnapping, elaborate pranks, and epilipsey inducing Japanese cartoons. Two enthusiastic thumbs up.
Again, sorry. It's just that he photographs so well!
So, I'm ridiculously behind in picture posting, and I lost a bunch of them fiddling around with my new picture editor. Here's what I have....
Pictures from the last couple of weeks...
Twitter is in danger of eating my livejournal! Book reviews to come shortly, I promise.
I'm guessing this is the closest I will ever get to a polar bear. This is a few feet above my head in the Arctic tunnel at the Detroit zoo.
Here are some other week 33 pictures.
I love Anthropologie. I can't actually afford to shop there, but I still love wandering around it. This weekend the store in Birmingham had these great displays made out of discarded library books. Very cool. Maybe I could recreate something similar for my house.
And here are more week 31 pictures.
The Grand Complication by Allen Kurzweil: I read through this almost in a sitting, I was so curious about how it would end. It's the story of a librarian who is hired by an eccentric rich man to try to find a pocket watch, designed for Marie Antoinette, that's been missing for thirty years. However, neither the watch, the quest, nor the employer turn out to be what they seem.
Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks: A moving family saga about three generations of women and their experiences in a summer cottage at Mistik Lake, a tiny forest community in Northern Canada with a large Icelandic population. Three bittersweet love stories. The writing was very sensual, I could really see everybody in the story. A cut above most YA novels.
Callie's Tally: An Accounting of Baby's First Year (Or, What My Daughter Owes Me) by Betsy Howie: Betsy Howie decided to keep a running tally of what she was spending on her daughter from the moment she discovered she was pregnant. This was partly so she could present Callie with a bill, and thereby teach her important lessons about independance and fiscal responsibility, but mostly because she needed some aspect of motherhood that she could keep clearly organized. The rule is simple. For each purchase she asks herself, would I buy this if I didn't have Callie? If the answer is no, it goes on Callie's tab. This memoir is both funny and stressful. Howie's hard adjustment to motherhood comes across as harried and miserable more often than it does joyful. For those who are curious about the final numbers, in her first year of life Callie racks up about $10,000 of debt, but brings in about $4,000 in tax credits and gifts.
Maisie Dobbs by Jacquelyn Winspear: This is the first in a series about Maisie Dobbs, a young woman living in 1930's England who starts her own detective agency. The actual mystery is secondary to the story of Maisie herself, and much of the book is told in flashback. Maisie began as a maid but was recognized for her amazing intellect by her employer who helped her to get an education and eventually go to Cambridge. Maisie uses psychology and a strong belief in the mind-body connection to help people see the truth, her real motivation for going in to her line of work. Very well written.
The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge: I picked this one up because it was a Nancy Pearl recommendation. It's a very peaceful book. The main character, a middle aged business woman, moves from London to a tiny country town when she retires. The book tells the stories of all the residents and how they are effected by the introduction of a new neighbor. Not a lot of plot except for the day-to-day struggles of the characters. There's an ongoing theme about learning to take life slowly and retain your childlike sense of wonder. It was slow-paced, but very refreshing.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: I put off reading this for a long time. There's been so much hype about it I thought I'd probably be disappointed by it, and I don't usually care for vampire stories. I finally gave in and picked up a copy though, and once I started it I couldn't put it down. This is an amazing adventure love story. I also don't agree with the people who are trying to depict Bella as being a spineless heroine. On the contrary, I think she's very strong. Being self-sacrificing doesn't mean she's a weak character.
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer: The saga of Edward and Bella continues. I stayed up way too late reading this. Loved it, even though I spent much of the book being furious with Edward.
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer: I think this one is my favorite of the series so far. I'm definitely rooting for Edward over Jacob. Jacob is sweet, but too immature for Bella. Can't wait for the final installment!
The Host by Stephenie Meyer: I wasn't sure I was going to like this one at first because the beginning is kind of confusing. In the story aliens who live inside host-bodies have taken over humanity. The narrator is one of these aliens, newly moved in to a human woman host. I got sucked in to the story very quickly though, and in the end I was racing to finish it so I could find out what happens. More than just a sci-fi story, the major theme is questioning what it means to be human. Very good.
I'm in a big fight with Hasbro. They disabled scrabulous on Facebook. That was part of my routine. It was part of my life. I had about eight games going, and in one of them I was actually beating my Mom for the first time ever! Also, I'm going through Stephenie Meyer withdrawal. Breaking Dawn doesn't come out until Saturday. Sigh.
I am doing so many home improvement projects, Chris isn't even going to recognize our home when he gets back. James and Tiff have got me hooked. I have two complaints though. One is that I can never seem to get a project done with only one trip to Lowes. I always think of something I forgot that I have to go back for. The second is that everything I fix or change makes me notice lots of other things I need to fix or change, and don't have the money for. Ah well.
Week 29 pictures.
I noticed a lot of people taking pictures of the art at MOMA. I kind of prefer to take pictures of the people looking at the art. Just a picture of a picture isn't as interesting when you get home.
More New York pictures behind the cut
Week 28 pictures.
Had a great time at Lisa and Tom's.
The Straight and Narrow Path by Honor Tracy: This took some tracking down since it was published in the 50s and is long out of print, but was well worth it. It's a very funny story about the squabbles between Protestants and Catholics in a small Irish village. Tracy is particularly good at summing up characters in just a few lines so that you can see them perfectly clearly. It had the same kind of humor and satisfying writing as Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm, which I also love.
Adored by Tilly Bagshawe: If you're in the mood for a big sexy beach read, this would be the one. It's the story of a legendary Hollywood actor and his family. Lots of delicious drama!
Accidentally on Purpose by Mary Pols: Mary Pols hadn't intended to have children until she was married, but when she found herself pregnant by a man she barely knew at age 39 she knew she might never have another chance to be a mother. The book is a memoir of her pregnancy, the birth of her son, getting to know (and learning to accept) her baby's father, and at the same time dealing with the deaths of her parents. It's a touching story about figuring out how to handle what life throws at you.
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly: This is a YA book, and a Michael L. Printz award winner. It was inspired by a true story. Mattie Gokey, a sixteen year old farmer's daughter living in New York state's north woods in 1906, has a decision to make. She dreams of being a writer and going to college, but her poverty-stricken family needs her at home. When a mysterious death takes place in the camp where she is working, Mattie suddenly gets a new view or the world and what it means to settle for less than you'd hoped for in life.
Week 27 pictures.
Chris is a guest star on my photo blog this week. I gave him my camera to take to Georgia with him last week so I could see some of the things he sees. He got some great pictures!
This week I'm going to New York, so those pictures will be up next week. I promise this time they won't involve mustaches.
Week 25 pictures.
With Chris gone during the week, no classes to go to and no studying to do...I'm a little lost about what to do with all this extra time I suddenly have. I have a stack of library books of course. Even so, I'm going to need a new project.
I'm starting with the house and the yard. There's a spot in the flower bed near the steps where everything I've tried to plant has died. It gets no sun and no water and the soil is almost all clay. I finally decided to give up and put a big rock there, so I stopped and bought one today. The guy at the landscaping place was nice to enough to load it into my trunk for me, but when I got home I realized I can't lift it myself. I guess it's going to have to stay there for awhile.
So if anyone was wondering if I can buy a rock I can't lift, the answer is yes.
I just turned in my very last homework assignment ever. Ever! Unless a whim comes upon me and I decide to run off and get another degree, I may never have schoolwork again. Hard to imagine. Tomorrow is my last final. Anyone who wants to celebrate with me is invited to see The Frontmen at Live at PJs in Ann Arbor friday night at 10:00 pm. I promise to enlighten anyone who's interested on the finer points of participatory technologies and authority control. Also there will be martinis.
I can't believe the month of June is half over and I still haven't gotten around to posting May books. Naturally now that I'm supposed to be finishing up my research proposal it seems like a good time to do this instead. My accelerated research methods class has been sucking up most of my time. It's almost over though, and then I'll be free. Free! I am going to read so many books this summer.
In the mean time, here are reviews of what I read in May:
Through the Narrow Gate by Karen Armstrong: This is the first thing I've read by Karen Armstrong. I'm always fascinated by stories about the religious life. In this memoir, Armstrong tells the story of how she entered a convent at age 17, the details of her life there, and how she eventually left.
The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness by Karen Armstrong: A follow up to Through the Narrow Gate, this book was about how Armstrong came to terms with religion after leaving the church. I actually found it even more interesting than the first one because she goes through so many different stages of belief before settling into the role she eventually took on. She ends by becoming a scholar of all the world's major religions, and finds certain truths and beauty in all of them. Where she landed is very similar to my own thoughts, only she's much better at articulating them than I am.
The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton: This was an advanced readers copy I received from libarything.com. It's a wonderful novel about women's friendships that manages not to fall into any of the clichés that are so often repeated in "chick-lit". The five members of the "Wednesday Sisters" (they're not sisters and they don't meet on Wednesdays) come to life so quickly that I never struggled with any of that first-chapter confusion, wondering "Who was that again?" flipping back through the pages to remind myself which was the Southern one, which one had blond hair. They were all instantly recognizable and extremely likable characters. The time period, late sixties/early seventies is painted just as clearly, and I felt like I understood a lot of the events of that turbulent time better after seeing them from the point of view of these five women. It was a fun, inspiring read, and one that I will definitely pass along to friends.
Lost It by Kristen Tracy: This is a new YA book that came across my desk at work. I read it almost in a sitting, and got a few good laughs out of it. It's the story of Tess, a teenage girl, who in the course of the book finds her first "real" boyfriend, loses her virginity, and eventually loses the boyfriend also. Often I'm annoyed when the main character is YA novels makes one dumb decision after another, but for some reason I found Tess so delightfully clueless that I didn't mind.
Good Grief by Lolly Winston: A novel about recovering from loss. The main character, Sophie, loses her husband to cancer and has to rebuild her life. I thought the description of what it's really like to lose someone so important to you was very well written. I was rooting for Sophie. It wasn't all sad, there was plenty of humor mixed in with the painful parts, like in real life. A satisfying read.
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray: A friend of mine and her daughter both recommended this series to me so highly that I decided to check it out. I read it very quickly, I was really anxious to find out what happened. The heroines are a group of girls in a Victorian finishing school who have discovered a supernatural portal to another world. In the real world they have no power at all and live their lives constricted by the very tight bonds society has set for them, but in that other world they can do anything they want. The effect is completely intoxicating and ultimately very dangerous. I put the second book in the trilogy on hold weeks ago and just got it, so clearly the series in high demand.
Chris had a free day between business trips, so we both decided to take the day off yesterday. We went to the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek. I wanted to go there because I'd heard that they let you feed the giraffes. Giraffes are always my favorite animal to see at the zoo. I think they're beautiful. They don't even look real, they seem like they should be space aliens or fairy tale creatures. They take the little crackers out of your hands with their long purply-black toungues.
The giraffes were definitely the best part, but the whole zoo is pretty cool. Neither of us had ever been there before. It seems more natural than most zoos. Nearly the entire time you're walking on wooden plank paths through the woods instead of on open sidewalk, and the animals are in enclosed natural areas rather than cages.
More giraffes, and a few other animals.
And here are week 23 pictures. I accidentally deleted most of them for this week in a laptop incident, which is why there are only three.
I was contemplating throwing them out. We don't even own a tape player anymore. But...the artwork, the play lists. I don't know if I can part with them.
And then I discovered Mixwit.com, and now I can recreate them! This is the coolest thing I've seen in ages. You can make your own mixes for free online and design the tape and everything. I've been playing with it ever since I got home from work. I love it.
Week twenty-two pictures.
I've gotten a little behind in the picture posting. Here are the last two weeks. I've been so busy working on my research proposal for school: "Evaluating the effect of participatory technologies on teen programming enrollment in public libraries". Sounds fascinating, doesn't it? I can't tell you how tired I am of typing the words "participatory technologies". I just turned in my first draft, so tonight I don't have to worry about it. I'm going to kick back and watch some Mystery Science Theater 3000 on DVD.
Week twenty pictures.
This picture is from last night. Mom and I met up with my friend Jody at the Detroit Opera House to see Eddie Izzard. He was, as usual, hilarious. We were laughing until our stomachs hurt. I was bummed that Chris had to miss it, he's out of town for work this week. If they record the show I'll have to buy him the DVD.
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