In Cold Blood

When I first started this book, I was thinking I would probably describe it as the quintessential true-crime novel.  Now that I've finished it, I know that would be a grave injustice.  In Cold Blood laid the foundation upon which all true-crime novels are built.  The fact that it was written by Truman Capote only makes it even more amazing. 

In cold blood chronicles the murder of a family in western Kansas in the late 50's, and the subsequent hunt for their killer/killers.  What makes the book especially interesting, is that the murderers hadn't been caught when Capote commenced research on the novel.  Yet, he still walks the reader through the story with the organization necessary to keep track of the evidence, but the emotion required to bring about the question that any good true-crime novel provokes: Why? 

Capote places himself in an unusual situation as an author.  There is no suspense revolving around who did it or will they get caught.  Everybody new the answer to these questions by the time the book was published.  From the beginning, the book sets out to profile the type of men who could commit such a horrible crime.  We learn about their backgrounds, families, and their relationship with each other.  Endlessly twisting and turning in the mind why they did what they did. Did Dick talk Perry into it?  Did Perry have a plan ulterior to Dicks?  Were both men just insane?

In addition to the why, Capote leaves us wanting to know how; regardless of how gruesome it is.  Early on you learn the outline of how the family ideas, which only leaves you wanting to know more about the scene of the crime.  There are clues dropped here and there in the sections describing the murderers' trek after the crime, but the suspense of it builds and builds until it reaches an apex in the confession room. 

In Cold Blood is suspenseful and well-written.

Top Ten Tuesdays 2/7/12

I'm a day late, but the stomach flu is not conducive to heavy blogging (or anything for that matter.)  Since I'm late making my list, I got the chance to read a few that other people posted.  This week, Top Ten Tuesday's calls for a list of books for book haters.  What would you throw at someone who claims to not like reading? 

1. Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson This is a YA novel, which makes it perfect for a proclaimed non-reader.  The writing in this novel is simple, but completely powerful and effective.  I managed to read the entire thing in one sitting, which I would imagine to be appealing for a non-reader. 
2. Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris David Sedaris always has, and always will end up on my lists.  His books are hilarious.  Anyone who claims to dislike reading will reconsider their claim when this book has them laughing so hard they're about to pee their pants.
3. The Lovely Bones - Alice Seabold This choice is very similar to Speak in that the narrative is from the perspective of a young girl.  The writing here is a bit more polished, and the story is gripping enough to keep anyone reading.
4. Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell This book can be terrifying due to its size, but anyone who starts reading won't be able to put it down.  Margaret Mitchell manages to throw everything into a single novel: history, society, love, hate..... Everyone should be able to find something they enjoy about this book.
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee No doubt, this will end up on many people's lists this week.  A classic must read that brings to light the humanity we are capable of.  If someone reads this and still claims to be a non-reader, they will at least walk away wishing they were capable of enjoying books.
6. James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl Of course I couldn't compose an entire list without at least one children's book.  These books are easy to read, they remind us of the imagination and joy of being little.  All of Roald Dahl's books are fun, but this one is especially light hearted.
7. The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule Generally, I don't read a lot of true crime, but I do think that Ann Rule does a good job of turning true events into a "story".  If you ever start drifting while reading this, you just have to remind yourself that it actually happened, and you won't be able to put it down.
8. The Giver - Lois Lowry It's likely that the majority of people of my generation had to read this at some point during their middle school years.  If you not, read it.  If you did, read it again.  This dystopian story keeps you in the dark and then hits you over the head with reality about 1/2 way through. 

I'm cutting it short this week.  I'm going to use the sick excuse.

Peace

Read To Me Picture Book Challenge - January

Ok, so maybe I'm going a little challenge crazy, but I couldn't resist this one: The Read to Me Picture Book Challenge..  It's basically a no brainer given that around 7:00pm every night I'll have little man chasing me around while carrying two or three books he has to read with mom before bedtime. We're aiming high and hope to reach the "growing" level (120 picture books with child during the year).   I'm really excited to get some new ideas for books we can be reading together.  Here are my first few reviews from the new books we read in January.

1.   The Little Engine That Could - Watty Piper  - I ordered this off my favorite used book website and was so surprised to receive a pristine version with huge colorful pictures.  Little man loved pointing out all the different toys and food that the train was carrying to the little kids over the mountain.  I loved all the different bad attitude engines and have now designated certain attorneys I go against regularly with corresponding names.  Great story. Great pictures.  I would definitely recommend it.

2.     Humphrey's Corner - Sally Hunter - Humprhey is an adorable elephant trying to find the perfect atmosphere for the perfect day of play.  He searches the house the house for everything he needs to achieve his goal, including his beloved stuffed animal.  Humprehy is sweet, and I love any book where mama makes a cameo to bring it all together.  Little man like the repetition, but the picture's weren't quite bold enough to keep his attention the entire time.  This one may need to be reserved for the older crowd (meaning those beyond 19 months).

3.     Dear Zoo - Rod Campbell - This is one I may have to buy an extra copy of to bring out when the first one just can't handle anymore little hands.  Dear Zoo was perfect for my little animal lover.  The hiding pets gave us a great opportunity to practice the names of animals and the sounds they made.  The windows kept my busy bee's attention for the entire story. 

4.    Miffy - Dick Bruna - Miffy is a book about family that is taken down to the toddler level.  The way that it explains mommy and daddy's family growing is age-appropriate and adorable.  The bright colors and geometric pictures were great for little man.  There have been several mornings where I run to check on him and find him sitting in his chair reading Miffy.  I'm excited to explore more of the Miffy series and suspect there will be plenty of other Miffy reviews by the time this challenge is over.

5.    The Runaway Bunny - Margaret Wise Brown - Another momma story that I could read over and over.  Unfortunately, little man was not very interested.  The pictures in this book are beautiful, but more in an artsy kind of way than a keep my 2 year old interested way.  The pictures actually were confusing for someone so little.  (i.e. a bunny swimming in the lake like a fish).  I did find that "acting" out some of the mommy parts kept him intrigued and entertained.  This sentimental story is one that all mamas should read.

6.  Goodnight Alfie Atkins - Gunilla Bergstrom - Alfie Atkins is amazing for several reasons.  First; a bright orange book.  Without even knowing why, little man can't stop himself from grabbing this one off the shelf.  Second; it's laugh out loud funny.  Alfie is a silly little boy (a trait that is almost exaggerated by the silliness of the illustrations) who won't let his daddy go to bed.  Little man literally screamed with merriment when Alfie dropped his drink on the sheets.  He giggled when Alfie had daddy get him out of bed to "pee".  I laughed when Alfie discovered daddy knocked out cold from exhaustion.  Read it!

7.    Good Dog Carl - Alexandra Day A pure picture book.  Good Dog Carl is hilarious and sweet and the entire book only has two sentences.  Carl, a big rottweiler, is left in charge of baby for the day (a little weird, I know).  They play, make messes, have a great time, and clean up just as mom walks back in the door.  Good Dog Carl is a testament to the power that good illustrations can have on a book.  Little man and I have "read" this several times and made up our own little stories about Carl and baby's adventures. 

The Bear Went Over the Mountain vs. The Bear Went Over the Mountain

I've been on this quest to expand my son's book collection.  I've found a few really awesome sights to buy used children's books for great prices (and the proceeds generally go to good causes).  My latest purchase was what I thought was the John Prater Children's Classic.

Much to my surprise, I ended up with the story of a bear who found a briefcase under a tree and decided to throw himself into the financial world of the early 90s. 



Needless to say, I don't think my 19 month old will enjoy it that much.  I'll probably keep it around in case I need to change things up.  Who knows, Kotwinkle may be my next favorite author. 

Peace.  

Top Ten Tuesdays 1/31/12

This week for Top Ten Tuesday's, book club picks populate the list.  This will be hard for me.  I've never participated in a book club before the Huffington Post started theirs, and I'm not sure that I have the hang of it yet.  Since I'm basically clueless, here is my list of books that I have found myself reading and REALLY wishing I had someone to talk to about them.

1. Lolita - Vladimir Nabakov I'm just going to admit it.  This is one of my all-time favorite novels.  I struggle with telling people this because those who haven't read it, or haven't paid attention while reading, assume I'm some sicko who sympathizes with a pedophile like Humbert.  The truth is, there I times during the novel  that I do sympathize with him, which is a true testament to the genius of Nabokov's writing.  It would be nice to find a group of people to have an intelligent conversation about it. 
2. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski The chapters spoken from a dog's perspective are some of the most interesting and beautifully written that I've ever experienced.
3. Black Girl/White Girl - Joyce Carol Oates This is only the second list I've done, but this is already the second time this book has appeared.  This is one that has stayed with me since I read it nearly 2 years ago.  You spend the entire novel knowing something awful is going to happen and feeling like you know exactly what that awful thing is, and then you are knocked off your feet when you actually get there.  Great writing, and a good opportunity to explore how our individual feelings and ideas shape our expectations of a story line.
4. Siddartha - Hermann Hesse I don't practice any particular religion, and I consider myself non-secular but spiritual. I love Siddartha and with my little knowledge of different religions and ideas throughout the world, found it comforting to think that almost anyone could find a tie into the book.  It would have been great to hear some of these from other people.  
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -Tom Sawyer One of my favorite classroom experiences in college was a three week long discussion of this book. 
6. Naked - David Sedaris I have read everything I can find of David Sedaris' and I have laughed nonstop through every piece.  Laughter is better when shared.  I can imagine a book club sitting around trading David Sedaris stories like old college friends would.  As hilarious as they are, I've also always wondered if anyone else felt the pain hiding behind the comedy. 
7.  Mans Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl Novels born out of time in concentration camps are obviously heavy.  This one unusually so.  I was assigned this book in a college psychology class and was so hyped to explore it through that lens.  Unfortunately, it was a summer class and everybody couldn't have cared less, so I was sorely disappointed with the discussion.  It would be an amazing one to re explore with a group.
8. 8.     The Lace Reader - Brunonia Barry Sometimes a novel calls for so much speculation that it's maddening to try to get through it without someone else's ideas or predictions.  This was one of them .  I found completely missed with mark with this one, which is fine, but it would have been fun to see who could get the closest.
9. My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult So this one is way off base of what I would usually read, but the underlying legal story drew me in.  I am a guardian ad litem; meaning I regularly represent children in Court proceedings involving other family members.  It would have been amazing to read this with a group of GALs to contrast the ethics of the representation.  To decide where you draw the line between doing what your child-client wants and what is best.  Ok, enough legal talk for the day. 
10. Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury I remember reading this in the 8th grades, on my own volition I might add, and making a million notes in the margin and realizing at the end that I was way above the ridiculousness I was set to endure through highschool (don't we all go through that faze?).  All weirdness aside, I think reading this book was one of the first times I longed for a book club.  The imagery of books burning branded in me the need to keep reading and the need to talk about it.  

It's only my second list, but it's the first one I got through completely!  I'd love to hear thoughts and opinions.

Peace 

The Tiger's Wife: Part Three

I realize it has been absolutely no time since I posted regarding the second part of this book, but I hit my stride and could not put the book down. (Needless to say, I'm extremely tired today.) 

The Tiger's Wife is completed and I feel confused, and left wanting more, but still completely happy with the book.  Again, the sections that kept me up all night were the stories.  The deathless man and the deaf-mute girl make the entire novel worth reading.  I was so releived to find that the end of the book found Natalia giving into the stories and exploring thier truths instead of finding out that the entire book was standing on the crazy tales of an old man.  While the stories are what I loved about the Tiger's Wife, they are also what has left me so confused.  What was actually going on with the deaf-mute girl and the tiger?  Was he really so tame from his time at the Citadel that he developed a relationship with a human? Was Natalia's grandfather able to track down the deathless man to repay his debt?  What is going on with that dog that everyone is painting?

The thread that I was finally able to find that pulled Natalia's grandfather's story together is one that will stay with me.  Guilt.  A man that has to carry the guilt of what he's done as a boy.  To live life trying to make up for the fact that you killed another human being.  Even worse, to live life knowing that it was all for naught.  I still don't understand why they apothecary had to kill the tiger's wife, but I do know it was horrible for him to make the boy do it for him.  It was heartbreacking to think that she died thinking her one true human friend had killed her. 

There is one thread to the story that I cannot understand that is gnawing at my brain.  The deathless man-Luka connection.  I can't see the significance of it other than one of those small-world type coincidences.

I thought it was very bold of the author to leave so many quetions unanswered. I wonder if I read the book again at some point, knowing what I know now, if I would find answers, or at least be able to decide what I think about everything. 

I would recommend it.  I'm not sure that I'm a fan of the Huffington Post's book club format, but they did make a good first choice.

Peace

The Tiger's Wife: Part Two

I'm enjoying this book more and more as I get deeper into the stories.  I still feel like I'm missing something.  Like there is a thread holding all of these people and events together, but I can't find it to grab onto.  It either lies in the history of war that the characters always talk about, but rarely expand upon, or some event that is yet to reveal itself.  When it comes to history, I am admittedly ignorant and know very little about the Balkan war; so I don't know what this war means for the people. 

Again, the most enjoyable part of this second part have been the stories/tales/fables that have been shared.  The deathless man returns, but I don't find him nearly as gentle as I previously did.  In this section he is harsh and matter-of-fact.  His philosophy on the impact of knowing when you will die seem to fly in the face of what is commonly believed.  The deathless man believes that instead of causing panic, knowledge of impending death brings peace.  In a strange way, I like the idea of the sick and weak giving up on a hopeless battles and finding calm in their last moments. 

The stories of Darvisa the Bear and Luka created the perfect opportunity for comparison.  Luka has no interest in women as a boy and this disinterest turns to hate when he forced to take a bride as a man.  Darvisa's love for women begins with his sister.  His respect and love for women later extends to his work in the various villages and his desire to protect women leads to him taking on the undesired task of hunting and killing the tiger.  The tiger's wife finds both men in her life, and finds that both only intend to bring her pain and suffering. 

If anything, I am very grateful that this novel has opened my eyes to the world of "magical realism".  As embarrassing as it is to admit, I have never read Kipling or Marquez.  Now I can stop fearing their work and actually start reading it.

Peace