STACKED

books

The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University, Kevin Roose

|

One of my favorite reads in the last couple of years was A.J. Jacobs’ A Year of Living Biblically, published in late 2007. Jacobs, who admits to not being the most religious person, spent a year living as close to the Bible as possible. While it sounded like it could get out of hand real fast — at least in my opinion — I found the book did a great job of treating a touchy subject like religion well. I learned a lot and gained a sense of respect for very devout people. I’d say his book changed my mind about many things.

Suffice to say, I was excited to pick up Kevin Roose’s The Unlikely Disciple, which came out this year. Roose’s book is an exploration into a semester at Liberty University, also known as Jerry Falwell’s dream evangelical liberal arts university. Roose took a semester off school from the ultra liberal Brown University to become a student at Liberty and understand who attends the school and exactly what the educational and social life is like at such a conservative institution.

Because this is a work of non-fiction, there’s not a lot to discuss plot-wise in a review. I found a lot of what Roose learned in his adventure to be entirely new to me, too. My perceptions and ideas of such a place were skewed much as Roose’s were and it was enjoyable to read about a lot of those perceptions being just flat out wrong. Perhaps it’s my background in psychology, but there is something fascinating for me in learning my ideas are actually far off the mark about things like this. Moreover, I loved seeing Roose change as a person, too. He made good friends with many people at Liberty, and I found the conclusion of his time at Liberty to be just….sweet. I won’t go into details about that aspect nor about the huge event that happened at the end of his semester which I had not even remembered to think about until he reported it.

This is a book that people who liked Jacobs’ work will like, as well as people interested in how a facility like Liberty runs [less on the administrative side and more on the social/student side]. The Unlikely Disciple is written in a journalistic style that makes it easy to skip around when parts get dull or are just not of interest to you as a reader. I appreciated that as some parts did a little dragging. Roose is respectful, attentive to detail, and does a good job of telling a story.

Throughout the book, I did have an ethical question that did not arise out of what Roose was doing. Roose admitted in the first chapter of his book that he interned for Jacobs while at Brown. Considering the time frame in which Jacobs did his experiment and published a book and the internship and subsequent experiment by Roose, it seems almost certain to me this entire story is ingenuine in its goals. I dislike speaking ill of a good story, but I do have a problem with the notion that Roose either a. did this because his mentor did it, b. did it at the suggestion of his mentor, c. got himself the book deal before embarking on the experiment, or d. some combination therein. There is a lot of discussion in the reading world about Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love because she got her book deal before embarking on her life changing journey. Well, it seems to me that Roose got his book deal before deciding to do this experiment.

How geniune are the lessons then? Does it impact how you read the book? I’m curious because I really did enjoy the concept and the way the story comes together, but there is a lingering feeling of disingenuity in this book that makes me question both Roose and Jacobs and makes me a bit hesitant to want to read more from either of them. It seems more about the money than about the story, in a manner that most journalists seems to rail against.

Should we not read or promote the books? Nah, I think people will enjoy them and I enjoyed them. But there’s a point where you need to take it with a grain of salt and constantly question your author. Perhaps the real value is in enjoying the story while also being able to think critically about the source and the spin — something invaluable in navigating a world fraught with information and disinformation.

The Oxford Project, Stephen G. Bloom and Peter Feldstein

|


I won’t lie: The Oxford Project appealed to me initially for two reasons. First, I heard about it because it received an Alex award from the American Library Association this year, and second, upon researching the title following that nugget of information, I found out it was set in a town about 30 minutes southwest from where I went to college.

Bloom and Feldstein’s book is a non-fiction photographic exploration of one Iowa town over a generation. Feldstein began the project by taking photos of nearly all 600 residents in 1984. His goal was to capture each of them in their natural state — no fancy clothes, no fancy make up. These photos were put on display in town and turned out to be quite a neat feature for the downtown area and its citizens. Once the exhibits were finished, Feldstein put the project to bed.

A two decades later, Feldstein thought it would be interesting to take their photos again, but this time also ask them about their lives: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the sweet. He and Bloom teamed up for this aspect, and both were incredibly surprised with how honest and forthcoming the citizens of Oxford would be with them.

The Oxford Project is a series of photographs, the original beside the new, as well as a series of vignettes that are a glipse into the lives of the individuals that make up one small town. The stories are raw and are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. There are similar threads running through many of the stories, including the value of working hard, the value of being a good person, and the regret for many who did not attend college (not surprising, as the University of Iowa is a mere 10 miles from Oxford).

This is a very unique book that gives great insight into humanity, into the way our lives change both by choice and by accident, and into how a city can become such a part of who we are as people. For a non-fiction book, this one is engaging because it is steeped heavily into the visual images of ordinary people. I think the American Library Association is spot on with this as an Alex winning title — I would not hesistate to hand this book to a student needing to do a report on a non-fiction book. There will be a story that resonates with each reader, who can see a bit of themselves in each of the people featured in the book. It’s hard to build a book that combines both an artistic vision and a powerful story, but I think that Bloom and Feldstein do a fantastic job of this with The Oxford Project.

If you’re interested in reading it and are on a very, very long waiting list for the book like I have been, be sure to check out the website promoting the book and project here. I’m impressed with not only the project, but the notes the author and photographer include about the lessons they learned in undertaking such a task, including lessons on history and preservation. I almost think their author notes — which are sparse and come only at the beginning and end of the book — are just as worthy of thinking about as the rest of the book.

Geo-reading

|

Something I think a lot about when I’m reading a novel is place — I love reading the setting details and getting a real sense of where I am. I do not care if it’s real or imagined, as a good setting will resonate long after I close the book. Throughout the blog, something I hope to continually offer our readers is what I like to call geo-reading: a visual map of places and the books set in or near them.

My parameters are quite simple. If a book takes place in or depicts the setting well enough, I’ll map it with a short synopsis. I’ve got a load of plans for future iterations of this type of geo-reading, but for now, here are 6 America-based stories, their reviews, and their mapping.

Click the link below the map to see a full-screen version of the map and review. Or, if you want, you can just click the link to “continue reading” and see the reviews alone.


View Geo-reading #1 in a larger map

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

Tessa was born with a port-wine stain on her cheek, a flaw which she both rejects and embraces. Told through a series of cartographic references, North of Beautiful is a sweet story about friendship, family, romance, and about accepting oneself. The acceptance issues range from relationship acceptance, place acceptance, cultural acceptance, and acceptance of ones self. The bulk of the story is set in and focuses on life in Corville, Washington, though much of the second half of this book takes place in China.

North of Beautiful is an ideal read for those wanting something light, enjoyable, but with a good message and strong writing. Some of the characters and situations are clunky or improbable in the greater context, but the story certainly will appeal to those interested in realistic, sweet fiction.

Though marketed for teens, this book will appeal to those 14 and older, including adults.

Need by Carrie Jones

Although compared over and over to the likes of Twilight and Wicked Lovely, Need stands out among the throngs of new fiction about zombies, fairies, vampires, were creatures, and pixies. Need follows Zara as she is sent from her native Charleston, SC to the middle of no where in Maine to live with her grandmother, following the death of her father (technically, her stepfather and technically, her stepgrandmother).

As she’s on the tarmac in flight, a mysterious man appears to be following her. A series of encounters with the strange man in Maine, as well as a trail of gold dust, convince her that she is being summoned by the pixie.

Where there is ample opportunity for Need to stumble down the path of trite or overworked, Jones does a great job of developing strong and smart characters, as well as beautiful writing and scene setting. The story is clean, with little violence and little coarse language.

Of course, what story would be complete without a budding romance, a little family drama, and a bunch of high school eclectics? Need will appeal to the Twilight crowd, but it will also appeal to those who have not otherwise been sold on the concept of make-believe built into real world situations. The writing will draw you in, and the characters will leave you needing more.

Honolulu by Alan Brennert

Brennert’s real magic in writing is his ability to carefully follow the life of an individual living through history — the ups, the downs, the exciting, and the mundane. In Honolulu, Brennert depicts the life of Jin, who leaves her life and traditional family structure in Korea to become a picture bride in Hawaii, which she and her fellow picture brides believe is a place covered in golden streets and magic.

Honolulu is a lot like a large flower. You peel away each petal and watch as Jin grows and learns through her choices and her environmental changes (both decided for and decided by her). Beside the historical moments she experiences, we watch as she navigates the terrain of remaining loyal to her heritage and discovering what it means to be American. This is a book of layers.

Brennert did incredible research for the book, and it shows. He captures detail amazingly well and is able to delineate definitive historical moments without making them trite or overwritten. His timing in this novel is a bit off, though, because of this. He wants to move on to new ideas and new issues but sometimes leaves older ones too quickly. Within a couple of lines, years may go by without any in between action. In Moloka’i, his first novel, this was better and the time transitions were smoother and more fluid.

Parts of the book dragged and others I could not read fast enough, and that’s the entire point. It’s a story of a person, through and through.

Fans of Moloka’i would like this one, as would anyone with an interest in American historical fiction in the early 20th century, identity, culture, and those who love good writing. The prose is undeniably solid and beautiful.

Though marketed for adults, this book will appeal to older teens who are interested in historical fiction, Korean or Hawaiian culture, particularly during the World War era.

Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg

Out of the Pocket is targeted at high schoolers but is much farther reaching. Think Geography Club but with a bit of a more accepting attitude of one’s sexuality. A complete review of the book can be read at my personal blog here. This has been one of my favorite reads this year which is surprising, as it covers all of the topics that some how make me nervous when an author touches: football, getting into college, and coming out.

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher

In the 1940s in the back of the yards neighborhood, there aren’t a lot of work options for women, particularly the teens who are forced to work to keep their families afloat.

Ten Cents a Dance follows 15-year-old Ruby Jacinski as she quits her job in the stockyards for a job as a taxi dancer. Of course, Ruby doesn’t tell her mother how she’s making all of her extra money nor does her mother have a clue the situations that Ruby puts herself into.

This historical fiction is paced well, with incredible detailing, and a fascinating main character. I think that Fletcher did a great job showing rather than telling what the impending background in history is throughout the book, and rather than drag the story down in the fact this was WWII, she does a brilliant job telling the reader about life in the back of the yards.

Ten Cents a Dance is marketed for the teen audience, but this is a book that has proven appeal to adults, as well. Particularly for those with an interest in history, world war II, Chicago, or the underground world of taxi dancers, this novel will be a hit. It is a quick read but it is also a read that leaves you wanting more, more, more.

My Mother the Cheerleader by Robert Sharenow

The book follows Louise and her mother, who is a cheerleader against desegregation in 9th ward New Orleans during the time of Ruby Bridges. The story moved quick and I think the characters were done relatively well. The historical and place settings were done realistically and with enchantment and with a bit of a dark cloud of impending trouble.

I think, though, Sharenow — who is a writer and producer for A&E — misses an opportunity here. He picked an interesting time, place, and perspective, but he seems to not delve deeply enough. I don’t think we get enough of the story. We get the icing and no cake, when there is prime opportunity to deliver both without getting in any way preachy. I think this’ll just be a missed opportunity, though it is certainly not a lost cause entirely.

I think this could be an interesting companion book to the classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Taught well or read by the right person, it’ll strike a chord and perhaps spur a real interest in Ruby Bridges, the historical south, and issues of segregation — both from the side of the segregee and segregator.

My Faves, or, Three Books That Changed My Life

|

Hello readers! As Kelly mentioned, the idea behind our inaugural posts is to give visitors a taste of each of our reading personalities. Without further ado:

Kimberly

My Favorites

When I read a book, it takes several years and multiple re-readings to become a favorite of mine. I think the hallmark of a great book is that it keeps you thinking about it long after you turn the last page, and the three books I’ve listed below all share that quality. Additionally, they are all books that have impacted my life in a big way. I wouldn’t be who I am now if I hadn’t read them. Unlike Kelly, mine are listed in order.

His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman

On the surface, Pullman’s trilogy is about a girl named Lyra who discovers a way to reach parallel universes. Underneath, the books explore notions of heaven and hell, love, maturity, and the nature of the human soul. I wrote my college admission essay on these books. (I hope I was admitted because of the essay, not in spite of it.) It’s impossible to describe just why the trilogy matters so much to me without getting too personal, but it’s enough to say that it changed my life.

I keep coming back to these books because they truly have the literature trifecta: elegant and powerfully written prose, a fascinating plot, and an important ideology that merits serious thought.

Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling

If this list is to be honest at all, I have to confess that Harry Potter belongs on it. I grew up on Harry Potter, and it is impossible to separate my childhood from him. Every year or so, I had a new book to look forward to. I waited in lines at midnight for them. I taught myself basic HTML in high school by creating a fan page for the series (now mercifully located in Internet no man’s land). I learned how to make cockroach clusters and turned a green t-shirt into a Slytherin quidditch jersey. When the seventh book came out, I helped organize a release party and stayed up until the wee hours to read it. After I finished it, I joined a facebook group called “Finishing Harry Potter 7 is like destroying the 7th horcrux of my childhood.” If I ever feel blue, I pop in one of the books on CD and Jim Dale’s voice immediately makes me smile. Harry Potter is more than a guaranteed pick me up; it’s part of what defines me.

I’ve had conversations with family and friends about the life expectancy of the series’ popularity. One person thinks the books will become classics like Alice in Wonderland. Another believes they would have already been forgotten if the movie machinery weren’t still carrying them long past their expiration date. I’m sure you can tell with which person I agree. The books are such a part of me that it is impossible to take the necessary step back and evaluate them objectively. I don’t see that as a bad thing at all. It’s what great books are meant to do – grab you and never let you go.

Biting the Sun, by Tanith Lee

Probably the least well-known book of the three on my list, Biting the Sun is a dystopia set in a future world where consequences do not exist. You can jump off a building if you want to see what it feels like, and your consciousness/soul/life force will be salvaged from your wrecked body and placed into a new body of your own design. With no limits on what humans can do, things get pretty bizarre. Genders are interchanged, people routinely walk around with antennae or leopard spots, and thinking up creative ways to kill yourself is considered a fun hobby. For awhile, it’s all well and good for the unnamed protagonist, a member of the Jang (similar to our own teenagers, except being Jang lasts several decades instead of a few years). Then she begins to realize that she feels empty, and she notices the same symptoms in her fellow Jang. So she does something radical, and suddenly, the word “consequences” has meaning again.

It’s one of the more unique dystopias I’ve read. Lee has created her own set of slang that is quite fun to pick up on. What has really made this book stick with me for so long, however, is the ending. It’s daring and new for its sub-genre, but also completely honest and satisfying.

On My Bookshelf

Considering my top three books are all fantasies, I hope these next three selections will give you a greater idea of my range. I do love to read all kinds.

The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog, by Elizabeth Peters

This is the seventh book in a mystery series featuring 19th century Egyptologist Amelia Peabody and her irascible husband Emerson. I’m listening to this one as an audio mp3 download. I’ve never actually read one of Peters’ in print, because the narrator, Barbara Rosenblat, is such a joy to listen to. What I like about these books is the strong female protagonist, the interesting historical and archaeological tidbits, and the humor. Told in first-person by Amelia herself, these books are funny. I laugh out loud while listening to them on the bus and startle the people around me. The entire series is of a consistently high quality.

To D-Day and Back, by Bob Bearden

I bought this book from Bearden at a bluebonnet festival about a year ago and am just getting around to reading it now. It’s a World War II memoir about Bearden’s experiences as a paratrooper and as a German prisoner of war after being captured on D-Day Plus 2. This is usually how I like to read my historical nonfiction, from the pen of a person who lived it. More than just being enjoyable, I also think books like these are important.

The Explosionist, by Jenny Davidson

Davidson’s debut novel explores what the world may have looked like in the 1930s if Napoleon had defeated Wellington at Waterloo. I’m always fascinated by the concept of alternate history books but have been generally disappointed by the ones I have picked up. I’m about fifty pages into this one and am still interested. Sophie, the teenage protagonist, lives in a world where seances are considered legitimate, young women join a mysterious group called IRLYNS after they graduate high school, and Scotland – part of the New Hanseatic League – is on the brink of war with Europe. Interesting stuff.

I simply remember my favorite things…

|

Welcome to the second in a series of introductory posts.

Jennifer

No singing required for reading, despite the lyrical content of the title of this entry. As a children’s librarian, I constantly find myself singing in the workroom in a desperate attempt to practice before embarrassing myself in front of the little ones.. While I personally find that song enhances all kinds of experiences, I understand that not everyone holds these views. (And strangely enough, my favorite things do not involve whiskers on kittens.)

When asked to list my top three books, I also had some issues. It’s easy to determine what are NOT my favorite books — damn you, Ulysses — but coming up with favorites always conjures images from Sophie’s Choice. Which one? Which ONE?!

Ugh, I have problems.

I’ve managed to narrow things down. A cautionary word – I do not believe that these are the best books in the world. But they’re the ones that I keep coming back to; these selections are the junk food of my bookshelves.

The Portable Dorothy Parker by Dorothy Parker and edited by Marion Meade

For almost every situation in life, there is an applicable Dorothy Parker quotation. This caustic darling of the Algonquin Round Table may not have been the happiest person, but she was possibly one of the funniest. A literary bon vivant, Dorothy Parker contributed poetry and essays to publications such as The New Yorker; later in her career, she became a screenwriter, most notable for the 1937 adaptation of A Star Is Born, which is definitely on my list of favorite films.

I don’t quite remember my first encounter with Dorothy Parker — I have vague memories of my mother watching Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle while ironing one Sunday. I think I stopped and watched a little bit of the movie then wandered off. I was first introduced to Dorothy Parker’s writing in my high school American Literature class. We had to read “One Perfect Rose” during class; most of us twittered at the witty verses. I remember thinking, “This is much better than the other stuff we’ve been reading,” and promptly became a fan.

Her poetry is scathing. She’s bitter, cynical, yet the chinks in her armor reveal a more human side. She spends a lot of time mocking things that she really wants. As a defense mechanism? Probably. But it’s one of my chosen methods of coping with disappointment as well. My battered copy of Dorothy Parker poetry has traveled with me through countless moves across the country, from Texas to California and back again. I recently bought myself this updated version of The Portable Dorothy Parker to augment my grimy original Dorothy Parker poetry collection. My favorite work has to be the review of “Ziegfield Follies of 1921,” one of the better (and least relevant) criticisms of a work ever.

Don’t Let Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems

I didn’t know I was going to be a children’s librarian when I entered graduate school. I spent much of my time thinking about digital libraries, usability, and information architecture. I envisioned a career at a large software company or a world-class research library. Then, at a career fair, I was offered a children’s librarian position, and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made. I’ve discovered a whole world of amazing picture books, graphic novels, and board books.

On the third day at work, the other children’s librarian at the branch gave me this book, along with three Elephant and Piggie books, and told me to read.

At first, I snickered. Then I giggled. Then, during my fourth reading of this book, I just couldn’t stop guffawing. Pigeon thinks he knows best, and he does everything in his power to convince the reader that he REALLY needs to stay up late. “First of all, I’m not even tired!” “How about five more minutes?” “Studies show that pigeons hardly need any sleep at all.” All of these excuses reminded me of my countless arguments with my parents over my “ridiculously early” bedtime during my childhood. “Okay, that was NOT a yawn” was a common sentence that came out of my mouth.

Kids still fight with their parents over bedtimes, as evidenced by the enthusiastic response to this book. Whenever I read this (or any Mo Willems book), the kids love to shout “Nooooo!” at all of the Pigeon’s excuses. And sure enough, the last page finds Pigeon asleep with his bunny, dreaming of hot dog eating contests — not even the kids are surprised by this outcome. Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! is a sure-fire hit at any story time, making it a god-send for parents and librarians alike. Thank you, Mo.

Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun by Ina Garten

Jennifer’s preferences in cookbooks:
1. Beautiful pictures.
2. Interesting commentary.
3. Easy, elegant recipes.

This book meets all of my criteria in spades.

Ina Garten rubs many the wrong way. She has fabulous friends, a fabulous house in the Hamptons, a fabulous husband… but she also makes fabulous food. I can forgive pretentions if you can back it up with some delicious pot pie.

I’ve made the Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe from this cookbook so many times that the cookbook automatically falls open to that page. Actually, I’m pretty sure I have friends who only love me for my baked goods. That’s okay. These cookies are divine.

I’ve never made anything from Ina that came out less than stellar. All of her books include great food. But I’ve repeated the recipes in this book more than any of her other offerings. And I’d venture to say that it’s the most frequently referenced book in my household.

Next in my pile…
The Shadow Catcher: A Novel by Marianne Wiggins

Marianne Wiggins is currently an English professor at the University of Southern California. Mymom, one of the more influential readers in my life, picked this novel up for a book club. She liked it enough to send it to me in a care package. (Yes, I’m in my mid-twenties, and my parents still send care packages.) She thought I’d get a kick out of the connections to my undergraduate education.

I’ve read the description, and I’m excited to begin reading. I have a bit of an affinity for the American West; nothing makes me happier than a Saturday spent at the Autry National Center in Griffith Park. Hopefully this book will draw upon that spirit of romantic independence that imbues most Western literature.

Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby Jr.

In honor of Judith Krug, I’ve added a banned book to my pile to read. I don’t know much about Last Exit to Brooklyn besides the fact that it was a) banned in Italy, b) made into a movie with Jennifer Jason Leigh, and c) insanely depressing. None of these things surprise me, especially since Hubert Selby Jr. was also responsible for Requiem for a Dream.

I’ve found there are a lot of gaps in my English education. I spent far too long on Victoriana in my college career, and far too little time on modern American literature. I’m slowly attempting to remedy this.

The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease, And Add Years to Your Life by Dawn Jackson Blatner

Every year, I make a Lenten resolution of some sort. This past year, I vowed to give up meat and fish, a tough move for an avowed meat eater like myself. Well, 40 days seemed to fly by… and I actually enjoyed eating more vegetables. I noticed that this book has been a popular title on the hold shelf, so I decided to give this whole “flexitarian” craze a read.