How Do I
Connie's Picks
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Markovits, Anouk I Am Forbidden Fiction |
| In her English-language debut, Anouk Markovits paints
a compelling multigenerational portrait of a Satmar family. Spanning
two continents and six decades, we follow two sisters, Mila and Atara,
as their paths diverge. Mila, adopted by the Sterns after her family
is murdered by Hitler’s mercenaries, chooses the strict religious
life of the insular Hasidic sect. Atara cannot cope with the crippling
rigidity of the culture and cuts ties to avoid an arranged marriage
and to pursue her education. As per tradition, she is considered dead
to the family, and her name is never again uttered. After Mila emigrates
to the Jewish section of Williamsburg, New York City, with her husband,
Joseph, she finds herself unable to conceive. Faced with the perceived
failure of her duty as a Satmar woman, Mila resorts to a series of
heartbreaking decisions that have horrific consequences for her family.
Reconnecting with her long-lost sister Atara seems her only hope for
redemption. The writing is smooth; the prose is poetic. This is a
story in which every character, regardless of flaws, is humanized and evokes empathy from
the reader. Recommended July 2012 |
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Burden, Wendy Dead End Gene Pool Nonfiction |
| I will be the first one to admit I have a thing for memoirs
of dysfunction. The quirkier, the zanier, the better. Ms. Burden’s
recent autobiography is easily in my top five favorites. Starting
with a concise enumeration of her Vanderbilt ancestry, she peels back
the layers of mental illness, inbreeding, eccentricity, and overindulgence
surrounding her wealthy family. After her father’s suicide, six-year-old
Wendy and her two brothers are juggled between their ego-maniacal,
tanning- and diet-obsessed mother and their paternal grandparents
in their posh New York City mansion. There are holidays in Maine and
Florida, a stint in London, and trips to Paris. Any material thing
they could imagine was theirs. However, none of this fills the void
of a lack of attentive and supportive parenting. Even her doting (and
chronically flatulent) grandmother cannot make up for the inherent
WASP misogyny of her class and generation. Surrounded by drugs and
booze, it was inevitable that the Burden siblings should succumb to
substance abuse. It is a sad story, but somehow also hilarious. Much
like Augusten Burroughs is capable of narrating heartbreaking events
with humor as a survival mechanism, Burden has plenty of you-can-
either-laugh-or-cry moments. Recommended June 2012 |
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Skloot, Rebecca The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Nonfiction |
| In 1951, an impoverished, African-American mother of five
is diagnosed with an aggressive form of cervical cancer never seen
before. By the time she is treated, her body has been consumed. By
the end of the year, she has died, leaving her children in the care
of relatives. She is 30 years old. It is a sad story, but Henrietta’s
demise isn’t the end. Doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital sampled tissue
from the patient, without the consent or knowledge of her family.
The cells this tissue produced in culture became the first “immortal”
line of human cells that did not eventually die out. They became known
as “Hela.” Something was very special about Henrietta’s cells, and
they have been used by scientists all over the world to study and
treat cancer, polio, AIDS, liver disease, infertility, and many other
maladies. Her tissue has been used by space programs and weapons testing.
Development of cloning technology and the mapping of the human genome
owe a lot to Mrs. Lacks. But, as the author explores, what have been
the ethical implications of the removal of these cells from Henrietta?
She’s only anonymous Hela to researchers, but she was also a mother,
wife, sister, friend, and cousin. Rebecca Skloot is a skilled writer,
able to blend science, sociology, biography, and history to present
the story of Henrietta Lacks, the human being, and Hela, her legacy. Recommended March 2012 |
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Simonson, Helen Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand Fiction |
| In the charming countryside of Southeast England, lives
widower, pensioner Major Ernest Pettigrew. He is a debonair gentleman,
looking only to mind his gardens, attend his golf club, and generally
do nothing out of the ordinary in a simple, quiet life. Upon the death
of his brother, however, the Major’s humble and quiet life is forever
altered when he finds an unexpected friend in Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani
shopkeeper from the village. But it isn’t so easy to befriend someone
regarded as an outsider. The characters in this novel are an interesting
assortment of the unpalatable (the Major’s son Roger is a narcissistic,
materialistic urbanite) and the utterly heart-warming (Major Pettigrew’s
uptight Britishness melts away as he dotes upon Ms. Ali’s great-nephew).
The author somehow cleverly tangles up comedy, romance, and serious
social commentary into one cohesive story. John Cleese would make
an ideal leading man for the film version of the novel. Recommended February 2012 |
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Jones, Tayari Silver Sparrow Fiction |
| The narrator’s very first line reveals the tipping point
for every member of Jones’s well-developed cast. Dana Lynn Yarboro
is the daughter of a bigamist. Her mother is the secret wife of middle-class
entrepreneur, James Witherspoon. Dana is his secret daughter, who
grew up watching her parallel sibling, Chaurisse, receive the finer
opportunities and greater affections. Dana’s mother works hard to
make up for the financial and emotional debt created by a frequently
absent father, but intelligent and resourceful Dana rebels, and crosses
the line into her half-sister’s life. What begins as Dana’s thirst
for information becomes a genuine friendship, although naïve Chaurisse
has no idea the true significance of Dana’s presence in her life.
Inevitably, the world eventually crashes down on all of the major
players. The characters are nuanced and rich, the story well-paced
and smooth. I have high standards for domestic fiction, and this novel
far exceeded my expectations. Recommended January 2012 |
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Burroughs, Augusten You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas Nonfiction |
| The holidays bring out in people the very best and the
very worst. Factor in a mentally ill mother, an alcoholic father,
and a precocious child with an overactive imagination, and the holidays
take on new levels of intensity. Established memoirist Burroughs presents
seven Christmastime vignettes, ranging from the outright hysterical
(as a young boy, the author had Jesus and Santa entirely reversed),
to the wrenchingly tragic (as an adult, he must come to terms with
losing his partner to AIDS). While the tone varies from piece to piece,
the message remains constant: there’s just something remarkable and
transformative about the sheer light of the season. Burroughs
explores childish greed and grown-up vices with the caustic humor
his audience anticipates and loves. Recommended December 2011 |
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Notaro, Laurie It Looked Different on the Model: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy Nonfiction |
| My favorite humanistic cynic returns to writing pithy
essays on things that make nearly everyone nuts. My relatives send
me “fwd: fwd: fwd:” emails about doomsday, too. I have had an ongoing
power struggle with an internet service provider and fanaticized about
the ultimate one-up. I also wished for a device to interpret the language
of my incomprehensible pet! This book is so much fun! It really validates
the nerdy person I am, who has also gotten stuck in a too-small garment
in a fitting room. The story about the chocolate on the pillow had
me in tears. Watch out for "Ambien Laurie," who will surely sleep-eat
all of the junk food in the house. Recommended November 2011 |
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O’Farrell, Maggie The Hand That First Held Mine Fiction |
| In post-war England, Lexie Sinclair runs away from her
bucolic family inn for a new life in Soho. In present-day London,
Ted and Elina confront the harsh reality of life with a newborn. Lexie
moves in with a man who promises her an exciting life among artists
and writers and bohemians. Elina experiences wide gaps in her memory
as a result of post-partum panic disorder. Ted continually has flashbacks
to a childhood he is sure he doesn’t recognize. Lexie finds herself
pregnant and alone, yet resilient. Ted and Elina feel like they are
falling apart. And then somewhere in between these stories, connections
are made. Love exists and persists. O’Farrell deftly weaves these
narratives together. The landscape is moody but not desperate. All
three protagonists ultimately find satisfaction in the face of despair.
Recommended September 2011 |
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Jansdotter, Lotta Simple Sewing For Baby: 24 Easy Projects For Newborns to Toddlers Nonfiction |
| First of all, let me be clear: I cannot sew. However,
I have always really wanted to sew. The intricacies of machines and
devices and implements just boggled me, and I never got off the ground
with even the simplest project. Enter my son, who by shear adorableness
has inspired me to do a number of silly things. Thanks to this book,
I can now sew pants and bibs, and I am currently working on a complete
plush alphabet for him to gnaw on as he learns his letters. Patterns
and stencils are included. The instructions are clear. The projects
are deliciously cute. Recommended August 2011 |
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Birbiglia, Mike Sleepwalk with Me: And Other Painfully True Stories Nonfiction |
| It is a rare and satisfying thing when a comedian is as
funny on paper as he is on stage. Birbiglia has been around for awhile
telling stories and doing stand-up. This collection of personal stories,
told chronologically, rounds out an interesting memoir. He struggles
with the usual childhood things, bullies, parents, teachers, but he
puts a humorous spin on it all. As an adult, Birbiglia narrowly escaped
death after jumping from the second-story window of a motel during
a severe sleep-walking episode. Even in light of such a serious chronic
health problem, he finds a way to laugh, which is a terrific coping
mechanism. Fans of Justin Halpern’s Sh*t my Dad Says will
appreciate Birbiglia’s self-deprecating humor. Recommended July 2011 |
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Glembocki, Vicki The Second Nine Months: One Woman Tells the Real Truth about Becoming a Mom, Finally Nonfiction |
| No one tells you how gross it is. They don’t talk about
the shock and awe of experiencing your post-pregnancy body—not to
mention your post-pregnancy mind. And just what does real sleep deprivation
feel like? No one is honest with first-time mothers. Maybe that’s
for the best. Unnecessary panic might be unhealthy, after all. However,
I am so grateful for this book. I know I am not crazy. Or, at least,
now I know I am not unusually crazy. In month-by-month chapters, Glembocki
divulges the truth of her postpartum weeks. She talks about the ambivalence,
the stress, the endless crushing hours without sleep, and trying to
reestablish herself as a human being after becoming a mother. Her
encounters with other new parents are priceless. She is hilarious
and honest. Recommended June 2011 |
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Armstrong, Heather It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita Nonfiction |
| This is probably the funniest book about postpartum depression
you’ll ever read (Hillbilly
Gothic: A Memoir of Madness and Motherhood by Adrienne Martini
is a really close second). Armstrong is a professional blogger whose
wickedly funny commentary has propelled her to certain levels of notoriety
and once caused her to lose a 9-to-5 job. When she got pregnant and
gave birth to her first child several years ago, she knew she might
face an emotional struggle with depression, a condition that has plagued
her for years. The baby would only turn the situation worse as Armstrong
changed medications and went to war with her hormones. The contrast
between the humor and mental illness is striking. It was ugly and
awful. She needed to be medicated and treated in a hospital. However,
with the benefit of retrospection, Armstrong tells her story with
amazing humor and dignity in a unique and believable way. Recommended November 2010 |
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Moses, Kate Cakewalk: A Memoir Nonfiction |
| There’s nothing like a good book to make you want to read
more good books. I don’t usually evaluate the literary quality in
memoirs, and if I do, I often don’t find a lot to praise. However,
Ms. Moses is clearly a good reader herself, and it is apparent from
her first vignette that years of inspired reading and listening inform
her style. Her stories narrate the eventual break down of a family
supported by utterly mismatched parents. Her mother wants glamour
and excitement and a best friend for a daughter. Her rigid father
expects high performance, and withers away under the pressures of
his own expectations of himself. This conflict is common in memoirs,
and many feature miserable families. However, Cakewalk stands
out for its fine writing. I must also mention that despite pain and
anguish, there is sweetness in the author’s life, as evidenced by
the wonderful dessert recipes that conclude nearly every chapter.
Recommended October 2010 |
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Jessop, Carolyn Triumph: Life After the Cult Nonfiction |
| Another survivor’s tale to emerge from the Fundamentalist
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A follow-up to her first
narrative, the aptly titled
Escape, this new work continues Carolyn’s story as she
works to assist authorities conducting the 2009 investigation on the
FLDS compound in Texas. With a uniquely valuable perspective as a
former sect member, she provides information on the warped psychology
of the community. The first section describes in heart-breaking detail
the authorities' struggle in identifing the abuse taking palce at
the Yearning for Zion Ranch. Ultimately, only a small percentage of
those responsible for certain crimes were charged. However, Carolyn
and many other victim advocates still hope something can be done for
those left on the inside, including her own daughter. In the second
half of the book, we are shown piece by piece how a victim of extreme
degradation and brain-washing can overcome the horrors of a cult.
Carolyn revisits specific incidents in her past that will make you
cringe, but that she managed to survive. The fact that this individual
can walk through her life without uncontrollable rage at all times
blows my mind. Recommended September 2010 |
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Poole, Eric Where’s My Wand?: One Boy's Magical Triumph over Alienation and Shag Carpeting Nonfiction |
| Young Eric Poole sincerely believed in magic. He could
secretly conjure ideal outcomes to all of life’s troubles in his basement
(think Endora from Bewitched in a chenille bedspread caftan).
He could make the new girl in school, who was born with no arms but
strong legs, become his best friend and bodyguard. He could end the
battle between his obsessive compulsive mother and his visiting grandmother.
Even if that meant Grandma would first set fire to her mattress smoking
in bed, nearly killing them all, leading to the declaration that she
would no longer be welcome in the Pool house. Eric could vanquish
enemies and bring justice to the little guys of the world – he simply
needed an empty house and the magic blanket. As Eric grows up, though,
it seems magic works less and less. Things go wrong. He can’t quite
control everything. With sincerity, humor, and charm, this memoir
will be immensely satifying to fans of David Sedaris, Laurie Notaro,
and Sloane Crosley. Recommended August 2010 |
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Hansen, Sig and Mark Sundeen North by Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters Nonfiction |
| For a few years, I just didn’t get the Discovery Channel’s
hit documentary series, "Deadliest Catch." The program follows the
captains and crews of several crab-fishing ships on the Bering Sea.
I am not into adventure, risk-taking, boats, or anything like that.
I hate cold, and I get seasick. Why would a program like this appeal
to me? However, one weekend I caught the beginning of marathon of
reruns, and something changed. I became enraptured. I have no attraction
to “reality” television, but this show has me. I now care about Alaskan
crab boats and the rough and scraggly guys that run them. When I learned
that one of my favorite captains from the show, Sig Hansen, had written
a familial memoir, I just had to read it. Again, I didn’t think I
would get into it. Nothing about the subject matter on the surface
is appealing to me. However, in two days, I read the book cover to
cover. I could hardly put it down. Told in the honest and believable
voice of Captain Sig, it is the story of three generations of Hansens,
their bonds with the sea and each other. The affection and admiration
the author shows for his brothers, parents and crew is sincere. Tales
of life at sea are not tiresome and technical, but exciting and sometimes
hilarious. There is enough historical perspective to provide interesting
context for the stories, none of it bogged down in heavy rhetoric.
Just like the television series, I had no idea what I was missing
until I sat down and found out for myself. Recommended July 2010 |
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Small, David Stitches: A Memoir Graphic Non-fiction |
| Award-winning children’s author and artist Small had a
fascinating, horrifying, and chilling childhood. He grew up in 1950s
middle America with stony cold parents. Their lack of affection and
communication goes beyond discomfort, straight to abusive neglect
and malevolence. When adolescent David develops a lump on his neck,
his parents deny the seriousness of his condition and avoided treatment
until an advanced tumor claims half of his vocal chords and his voice.
No one tells him it's cancer. And no one mentions that his own father,
a physician, is probably responsible for the cancer, a result of radiation
treatments he gave David as a child. His mother is a humorless woman
loaded with anger, from a family who for generations suppressed frustrations
and experienced mental illness. She has no sympathy for her son, only
distaste for his sickness and disgust over the expense of treating
him. The young man’s life is bleak and cold. His story is told in
gray panels with a minimum of text, reflecting the author’s loss of
speech and disconnect from the outside world and other people. The
images are striking, anguished, and really impressive. I've never
seen an artist capture such desperation and desolation in someone’s
eyes. Recommended June 2010 |
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Peterson, Brenda I Want to Be Left Behind: Finding Rapture Here on Earth Nonfiction |
| I usually gravitate toward the shocking or hilarious when
I pick up a new memoir. Rarely am I excited by someone I relate to.
However, I make a generous exception for Ms. Peterson because her
spiritual autobiography is so refreshing and timely. She harkens back
to her conservative Southern Baptist childhood, remembering songs
and celebrations about shedding the world around us and leaving this
ruined planet for a heavenly reward. But young Brenda has a secret.
She's in love with the natural world. She sees the face of god in
plants and animals and waterfalls. Her idea of divinity isn't separate
from science, nor can she be a biologist who removes spirituality
from the earth. Eventually she forges a path that her family can’t
relate to, but the strength of their bonds endure. For once, I discovered
a memoir written by someone without a tragic or complicated or torturous
childhood who finds herself, cultivates happiness and success, and
still loves her parents. Recommended April 2010 |
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Klein, Stephanie Moose: A Memoir of Fat Camp Nonfiction |
| In the late 1980’s, teenager Klein equates everything
good in life with thinness. Her parents would love her more. She would
be worthy of friendship. She would be smarter, taller, prettier, and
funnier. So she agrees to attend a sleep-away summer camp that will
focus on nutrition and exercise – a fat camp. Here she encounters
other teenagers struggling with their weight, and she experiences
a whole new pecking order. There’s inter-cabin drama and forbidden
romance with the boys’ side. Somehow, this author has managed to write
a memoir about her obesity and health issues without complaining,
blaming, or playing any kind of victim card. She’s laugh out loud
funny through most of the book. Klein is candid and accessible, qualities
most memoirs lack. Recommended March 2010 |
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Stein, Elissa and Susan Kim Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation Nonfiction |
| The authors approach a subject buried so deep in myth
and taboo that I nearly hesitated to leave the book at the top of
my “to-read” pile. Of course, that was before I actually read it,
before I understood that my perspective was impeded by years of misinformation
and maladjustment sponsored by the feminine care product industry.
In friendly, well-researched narration, Stein and Kim describe the
social history of women’s cycles and the impact that fashion, religion,
politics, and economics has had on half the world’s population. I
don’t consider myself naïve, but I admit I was startled to put all
of the marketing and advertising revolving around menstruation into
perspective. Read this book. You will learn something. And did I mention
that these writers are hilarious? This is a realistic, easy-to-digest,
wickedly funny and sometimes alarming work of non-fiction that is
worth the time. Recommended February 2010 |
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Dully, Howard My Lobotomy: A Memoir Nonfiction |
| Howard Dully is a family man. He works a full-time job
as a shuttle-bus driver for special needs children. He is a contributing
citizen and a nice guy. He is a recovering alcoholic and drug abuser.
A good deal of Howard’s young adult years were spent bouncing between
mental wards, juvenile detention centers, and institutions for troubled
youth. Howard Dully is a survivor of a barbaric transorbital lobotomy
performed on him when he was only 12 years old. The procedure was
done by the infamous Dr. Walter Freeman at the request of his cruel
and abusive step-mother. It was wholly unnecessary. There was nothing
wrong with Howard. This book is the story of how Howard overcame the
assumptions of trauma and a culture of victimhood. It is sincere and
horrifying, and you won’t be able to put it down. Recommended November 2009 |
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Tamm, Jayanti Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult Nonfiction Memoir |
| There is a huge difference between people who decide to
follow a questionable spiritual leader, and those who are born into
a cult and brainwashed from birth. Jayanti Tamm’s parents were among
the first disciples of Sri Chinmoy, a self-proclaimed “God-realized”
guru. Despite a strict celibacy policy for members, the Guru proclaimed
the arrival of Jayanti a blessed event. She was his own chosen soul
come from heaven to be the model follower of his principles. Her early
childhood is dominated by constant submission and total dedication
to Guru. School is not a priority, friendships in the ouside world
are forbidden, and worldly activities that do not benefit Guru are
reason for expulsion. However, as the cult grows globally, Jayanti
becomes a young adult with sparks of independence and intelligence.
Her internal struggle nearly destroys her. This memoir of her early
life is sincere and well-written, and portrays both hilarious and
heartbreaking moments. Recommended October 2009 |
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Nyhuis, Allen W. America’s Best Zoos: A Travel Guide for Fans and Families Nonfiction |
| As a serious fan of a well-run zoo, or any cause that
supports the conservation of endangered species, I recommend this
fun travel guide for folks who also enjoy gardens filled with ferocious
and delicate creatures. Organized by regions of the country, with
ample cross-referencing capability, America’s Best Zoos includes
helpful maps and black and white photos of some of the most exciting
animals. Every time I travel, I make a point to visit the public library
and the local zoo. Sometimes I travel specifically for the local zoo.
For example, who knew that the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
has one of the best cat collections in the US, with 15 different species
of small cats alone? Right in our backyard, the Pittsburgh Zoo and
PPG Aquarium features one of the best exhibits of aquatic fish and
mammal life. A lot of people know how cool the San Diego Zoo is, but
perhaps they haven’t heard of the equally awesome San Diego Wild Animal
Park, which features safari-style bus tours through large natural
habitats. Even if I can’t make it to all of these places in person,
this guide is a “gotta have” in my collection. Recommended September 2009 |
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Trondheim, Lewis A.L.I.E.E.E.N.: Archives of Lost Issues and Earthly Editions of Extraterrestrial Novelties Graphic Novel |
| This is not the sweet and happy story the blissful characters
on the cover would have you assume it is. Purportedly “found” by the
artist while vacationing with his family, this tale tracks the activities
of several alien creatures haphazardly making their way through life.
Dark and terrible things happen to all of the aliens. Eyes are poked
out, beatings are given, friends are eaten. And it is all wickedly
funny. Maybe it's the charming colorful cartoon images. Or perhaps
it's all the alien language “dialogue.” Personally, I just can’t get
over the expressions on their faces. Recommended May 2009 |
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Smith, Philip Walking Through Walls Non-fiction, Memoir |
| An affectionate memoir of the author’s father, Lew Smith,
renowned interior designer turned spiritual guru. In 1950s Miami,
Florida, Philip Smith watched his father transform from a typical
white-collar family man into an aura reader, medium, psychic, exorcist
and metaphysical healer. For no charge, the senior Smith would cure
all manner of ailments, physical and spiritual. Frustrated by his
father's ability to know more about him than he revealed, Philip was
often at odds with his father’s work. He rebelled with drugs, an anti-macrobiotic
diet, and Scientology. Whether or not you believe in the stories of
healing and spirits, the magical relationship between father and son
is touching. Sometimes even hilarious. Recommended May 2009 |
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| Williams, Tad Tailchaser’s Song Fiction |
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| In the same vein as Watership Down by Richard
Adams, Tailchaser’s Song is an adventure story featuring
talking animals. Please don’t write it off as just another childish
talking animal fantasy. If Tolkien had written about animals instead
of people, this would be it. This is the story of Fritti Tailchaser,
a young feline approaching his adulthood. Part of a culture that values
meditative silence as well as rich storytelling, our hero is yet unsure
of where he fits into the world. He knows well the creation story
of his clan, as well as the grand mythology that makes up his history.
When a sudden, mysterious and ancient evil begins to slaughter and
steal, Tailchaser becomes a part of his own heroic epic. Full of poetry
and action, this novel easily captivates the imagination. The author
went on to write several series of fantasy novels involving human
characters, but this early effort begs for a sequel. Recommended by Connie, August 2008 |
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Cassidy, Tina Birth: the Surprising History of How We are Born Nonfiction |
| To be clear, this is not your mother’s What to Expect
When You’re Expecting. Tina Cassidy’s gripping and sometimes
stomach-turning exploration of the history of birth is honest, unbiased,
and very well-documented. She carefully takes into account many of
the physical, anthropological, political, and religious issues that
have influenced human birth rituals and customs through recorded history.
Hideous and miraculous practices that have governed the lives of women
are seldom talked about in such frank terms. From the days of women-only
birthing huts, to the ousting of midwives in favor of learned male
medical practitioners, to the recent trend to have births scheduled
around doctors’ business hours, Cassidy’s dry wit and accessible language
make this sometimes harsh topic absolutely fascinating. I would recommend
this book to anyone, even those of us who don’t foresee ourselves
experiencing childbirth firsthand. Recommended January 2008 |
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Vaughan, Brian K. Pride of Baghdad Graphic Novel |
| The Iraq War is observed from a unique and unexpected
angle. For four lions from the freshly bombed Baghdad Zoo, there is
no meaning to the destruction. They are simply freed from their confines,
lost and isolated in an environment not suited to large predators,
other than human beings. They must find food. They must find clean
water. And they also must avoid the hideous barbarism of other creatures
also freed during the shelling and fires. The artwork is stunning,
both beautiful and brutal, and it elegantly highlights the poignancy
of the text. The authors stay true to the nature of the animals; their
voices, while using human words, are appropriately spoken from the
mouths of lions. It is a heartbreaking story of war and its victims,
without useless talk of politics and the typical breast-beating of
the media and all those who either support or condemn the war. Art
by Niko Henrichon. Recommended May 2007 |
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Gregory, Julie Sickened: the Memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood Nonfiction |
| Julie Gregory's book is gut-wrenching memoir at its finest.
For anyone unfamiliar with Munchausen by Proxy, it is a type of abuse
in which a caregiver feigns or induces an illness in a person under
their care, in order to attract attention, sympathy, or to fill other
emotional needs. This author was a victim put through unspeakable
horror from her own mother. Her mother hauled her to every doctor's
office in driving distance to have her tested, and medicated, and
even operated on for a phantom heart defect. Under the spell of a
seemingly devoted and genuinely concerned parent that fooled the medical
professionals, Julie believed that she was meant to die. Julie grew
up dying. She lived dying. The epitomes of dysfunction, her parents
were brutal abusers, chronic liars, and some-time arsonists. The fact
that this woman lived to shed light on her past is remarkable. Read
it and weep - literally. Recommended February 2007 |
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Hofmann, Corinne The White Masai Nonfiction |
| In the late 1980s, Ms. Hofmann goes on holiday to Kenya
with her fiancé. In a matter of days, she falls impossibly in love
with a native Masai warrior who caught her eye on a public bus. What
happens from there is nothing short of ridiculous. She drops her life
as a successful, fully independent, educated woman, to become the
wife of a man with whom she does not share a word of common language
and to immerse herself in a culture in which tradition does not permit
females any semblance of equal rights. This memoir of her first few
years living in the bush is absolutely fascinating. However, it is
difficult to sympathize with Corinne. It is more likely that the reader
will be horrified and alarmed with the malarial episodes she experiences
or the very avoidable, very high risk situations she allows not only
herself, but her infant daughter, to become subject to. Despite all
of this, the narrative drives forward, scene by scene, in a way that
makes it a satisfying read, something like a train wreck. Recommended January 2007 |
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McCarthy, Cormac The Road Fiction |
| Reading The Road made me want to totally curl
up into the fetal position. Humankind has descended into an Apocalyptical
Hell of global proportions after an unidentified calamity. Our protagonist
is never named by the author, and therefore he is never awarded the
individual identity taken for granted in a pre-disaster world. Nostalgia
and optimism are irrelevant and dangerous in a present that has no
use for either past or future tenses. But how to remove the humanity
from the man? What can you do with both memories and dreams? All that
exists is the now and the road. The man, his son, and the constant
fear of death and hunger are the major players. The writing itself
is both sparse and elegantly poetic. This is an intense, unrelenting,
and beautifully sublime portrait of human emotion and the value of
humanity. Recommended January 2007 |
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| Mason, Bobbie Ann Feather Crowns Fiction |
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| In 1900, Christie Wheeler becomes the first recorded
American woman to give birth to quintuplets. In the backwoods of rural
Kentucky, a family already on the brink of utter poverty is pushed
further toward the edge. As the five tiny infants struggle to stay
alive, the word of their miraculous birth spreads rapidly. Christie
finds herself in the center of a national spectacle as train loads
of people literally stream through her home. The Wheeler family is
denied every semblance of normalcy and privacy. Tragedy inevitably
strikes, and Christie breaks down, calling into question her identity
as a mother and the validity of her relationship with her husband
and older children. Bobbie Ann Mason has a talent for integrating
the grotesque with the sublime. She has painted here a portrait of
an American woman from an era when women were not expected to do extraordinary
things. Yet, the character of Christie Wheeler transcends expectations,
and is neither defined by traditional roles, nor by her grief. Recommended June 2006 |
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