Reconstructing Inspiration

Reconstructing Natalie by Laura Jensen Walker
Although we all have different things that inspire us, I would say a story about a person overcoming a disease and becoming stronger because of it is pretty universally inspiring. Reconstructing Natalie is a book more for the female crowd, as it also falls under the chick-lit genre. But where most chick-lit stops at expensively delightful shoes, Reconstructing Natalie adds realistic drama in the form of breast cancer. Sure there are the typical chick-lit elements: the loyal humorous friends, the original boyfriend who is so not worth it, and the best guy friend who turns out to be the prince with a heart of gold. But it also transcends this when Natalie has to battle cancer. The plot seems realistic and is at times very hard to handle (emotionally), but the ending is nothing if not inspiring and heart-warming. Natalie grows in a very real way that anyone can relate to, and it’s a worthwhile read, if you’re the kind of person who likes a good cry with her inspiration.

And yes, the interesting cover may have been part of the reason I read it.

after time travel, a tale of twins

I just read Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (of The Time Traveler’s Wife fame). Well she certainly picked an ideal time to come out with a new book, what with the TTTW movie out and all. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from HFS, but what I got was a classic American Gothic, which is of course set in England. I’m not the best for defining things, but generally, a gothic tale involves rolling estates that may or may not be haunted, characters who may or may not be what they seem, familial anxt, usually involving sisters, and twins (the more sets the better). And Niffenegger’s book has all of that, so the tone (I’d say impending doom) of the book is set right away, and gets carried rather effectively throughout. We have ghosts and an old apartment building overlooking an historic cemetery (rolling estate). The story is about twin sisters who inherit their aunt’s (mother’s twin) apartment in England. Little do they know in the beginning that the aunt is still haunting the apartment, unable to leave. The girls meet their aunt’s boyfriend and the plot thickens. Throw in a perfectly adorable white kitten, a neighbor with obsessive compulsive disorder, and my above mentioned tone of impending doom, and you get a haunting tale. As with all gothics, or at least the ones I’ve read, there are some slow parts, that I would have to say are intentional. They’re meant to get your guard down, relax in the moment before something truly creepy happens. Now I’m not talking 21st century sliced up bodies and blood everywhere creepy, I’m talking the psychological kind. The kind that Edgar Allen Poe is famous for, and the kind that innumerable authors have tried to emulate ever since. It’s a tale that propels you forward, albeit slowly at times, and keeps you thinking, no, she wouldn’t do that, she can’t, this is all going to work out. So yes, it’s different than The Time Traveler’s Wife, but of the same caliber. Granted, I liked TTTW more, but I’m a softy for time travel, as mentioned in my previous post.

Looking for more gothic tales of creepy estates and creepier twins? Check out:
The Thirteenth Tale by Dian Setterfield
The Sister by Poppy Adams

Let's get inspired!

Well we’ve had quite a year, haven’t we? With the Horror and the Romance and the Thrills and Adventure. It’s been quite a ride. That’s why we want to give you some reflective time during the holiday season. And with that I bring you our latest and perhaps greatest (perhaps not) flavor: Inspirational. Take it or leave it, there’s something to be said about being inspired. Why, just the other night I went to see a movie and being previewed was an inspiring story starring Jeff Bridges. And how did I know it was inspiring? Well the music, of course. The music gave me visions of being great and doing something awesome. Here, check it out

See what I mean? Inspiring. Ok, there may have been bitter sweet nuances as well, I never said inspiring was comedy. Sometimes you have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and all that. So let’s get inspired this month, shall we? Let’s take some chances on some old country singer and find out just how much love we have to give (you didn’t watch the preview, did you? And you have no idea what I’m talking about, huh?). Because in the end, it’s all about having a crazy heart…or something like that. INSPIRATIONAL! Let’s get started! Here’s a list of non-fiction inspirational books, because there’s nothing more inspiring than a story about a old country singer down on his luck, except a true story about an old country singer down on his luck. Cheers!

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
"The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger," a villager tells Greg Mortenson. "The second time, you are an honored guest. The third time you become family." An inspirational story of one man's efforts to address poverty, educate girls, and overcome cultural divides, Three Cups, which won the 2007 Kiriyama Prize for nonfiction, reveals the enormous obstacles inherent in becoming such "family."

Life is Short Wear Your Party Pants
By Loretta La Roache
Loretta LaRoche is an internationally known stress-management consultant who advocates humor as a coping mechanism. She uses her wit and wisdom to help people learn how to take stress and turn it into strength, and how to see themselves as the survivors of their own lives—that is, to find the "bless in the mess."

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
Phaedrus, our narrator, takes a present-tense cross-country motorcycle trip with his son during which the maintenance of the motorcycle becomes an illustration of how we can unify the cold, rational realm of technology with the warm, imaginative realm of artistry. As in Zen, the trick is to become one with the activity, to engage in it fully, to see and appreciate all details--be it hiking in the woods, penning an essay, or tightening the chain on a motorcycle.

It’s a time waaaaarrrrp!

At first I was going to write about The 13th Hour by Richard Doetsch, then I thought maybe I should do The Long Wait for Tomorrow by Joaquin Dorfman instead. Then I realized I chose them both for the same reason—time travel. So let’s just explore them both, shall we?

Since I first witnessed the DeLorean ride back in time, I have enjoyed time travel fiction. I love the paradoxes and circular thought involved—I love how we’ll never know, so anyone can make up anything they want, and just have to be convincing enough on paper to make it work in my imagination. I love the what-ifs, and the moral dilemmas faced by any time traveler. Each time travel book is a little different, and yet certain aspects are the same, and I’ve never met a time travel book I didn’t like.

I read the young adult novel The Long Wait for Tomorrow a few months ago. Three high school friends have to figure out what’s going on when one of them, the popular jock Kelly, wakes up and says he’s actually a forty-year-old version of himself that just woke up in his 18-year-old body. Kelly tells his friend Patrick that before he woke up in the wrong-aged body, he was in an insane asylum—but he can’t remember why…and that’s where I say, “and the plot thickens.” Kelly doesn’t know why he’s back or what he’s supposed to do, but eventually he realizes he isn’t going to leave his younger body. It’s a fun story wrapped in a few mysteries. Dorfman explores some time traveling philosophies, and uses the technique that the past cannot be changed—or can it? He leaves the ending deliberately ambiguous, but satisfying all the same.

Now let’s jump a few years into the future, and talk about an adult book about a guy jumping back in time one hour at a time. It’s called The 13th Hour, and it’s a book of the future for you fine folks, as I read an advanced copy. In this book we follow the protagonist back through time as he tries to save his wife from a very brutal murder. In each hour he has to try to figure out what’s going on and how to stop it before the end of the hour, where (when?) he will be transported back in time 2 hours to relive the hour he just relived. Confusing? A little, at first, but it’s quickly explained and interesting after that. The book starts out on chapter 12, then goes backwards as we go backwards with him, but the plot is quite linear besides the fact that he’s reliving his day. Most chapters end with a surprising discovery, whether the protagonist discovers something, or the reader just gets a secret peek into someone else’s life. It was a fun read and definitely a quick one. It would be a good beach read as it’s pretty mindless and fun.
So there you have it. To make up for the fact that I have been neglecting my posts, I have written about two very fun books. They’re worth checking out. As are these other two time traveling books that just came to mind:
The Time Traveler’s Wife (I guess you’ve all heard about this one—but so good. Don’t read the ending first!!)
Time and Again by Jack Finney. I mention this one often because my husband read it and really enjoyed it, and recommended it, but I never got around to it, so maybe if I mention it enough I’ll feel obligated to read it.

Flavor of the Month! (Long overdue...)

By now you all have been to the library and probably discovered, checked out, and completely fell in love with November’s Flavor of the Month. And I don’t blame you; with a flavor like this, no one should be disappointed. I mean, if the flavor were an ice cream flavor rather than a book genre, it would be swirly and chunked with wholesome exciting goodness (unless you’re the type that doesn’t like chunks, or swirls, or would rather just have all the fat because, well, you’re indulging, might as well indulge). You’ve been to the Reader’s Wall, explored our wide variety of themed bookmarks. You’ve browsed our front display and were completely consumed with happiness and satisfaction—I know. It’s a wonderful flavor. The only thing that’s missing is a blog about it, you determine. Yes. I am late. I’m sorry. But really, with a flavor like this, who needs explanation? I mean, just browse and enjoy, right? So, ok, I don’t feel too bad now about not telling you what the flavor is. And I apologize for not realizing you are such bright, assertive people. So just keep doing what you’re doing and enjoy the flavor. I know I will.




Oh right. For those of you who haven’t been to the library and are just dying to know the flavor, well here it is: Translated Fiction! That’s right, a world of brilliant minds right at your fingertips. Imagine the possibilities. Adventure! Horror! Mystery! All waiting for you at your local public library. Here is a list of books from Spain. Enjoy!





The Cavalier in the Yellow Doublet by Arturo Perez-Reverte
Capt. Diego Alariste is back in Madrid, where even the slightest personal affront can lead to a clash of blades. Accompanied, as usual, by his loyal young servant, Iñigo Balboa Aguirre, and his friend, the poet and playwright Francisco de Quevedo, Diego learns that both he and King Philip IV are rivals for the attentions of the married actress Maria de Costa, who has many other suitors lined up at her dressing room door. Not even a death threat can scare off the ardent captain, who becomes a pawn in an old enemy's dastardly plot to assassinate the king.

For a Sack of Bones by Lluis-Anton Baulenas
After his father, Juan, enlisted to fight Franco, Genís was raised in a religious charity ward. Years later, former POW Juan, near death, extracts a grim, quixotic promise from Genís. He is to recover Juan's friend's remains from the POW camp and give them a decent burial in Barcelona. After eight years in Franco's celebrated Spanish Foreign Legion, Genís travels to the POW camp turned military base to fulfill his promise. Despite his professed loyalty, Genís actually seethes with a hatred for Franco that's fueled by his obsession to avenge his father.

Field of Honour by Max Aub
Aub's powerful coming-of-age novel (originally published in 1943) is set during the years leading up to the Spanish Civil War and follows a young man's bewildering political enlightenment as he moves from the Spanish provinces to Barcelona and is caught up in mutinous antigovernment factions.

Lies: A Novel by Enrique De Heriz
After a boating accident in a Guatemalan backwater, Isabel, a Spanish anthropologist researching indigenous funeral rites, finds that one of the victims has been misidentified as her. She is strangely reluctant to return to her grieving children and husband in Barcelona, and her subterfuge turns out to be only the most recent instance of a family penchant for self-invention. De Hériz’s chapters cut between Isabel’s hallucinatory diary entries and her daughter’s account of how she and her two brothers go about the business of mourning.




The Book of God and Physics by Enrique Joven Father Hector, a science teacher in a Spanish Jesuit community, finds relief from indifferent students in an online group devoted to the real-life Voynich Manuscript. Written in an unknown language, the 500-year-old document has defied the best efforts of cryptographers and scholars to decipher it. Hector's research into an actual recent book, Joshua and Anne-Lee Gilder's Heavenly Intrigue, which accuses Johannes Kepler of poisoning his mentor and fellow astronomer, Tycho Brahe, eventually ties in with the mystery surrounding the Voynich Manuscript. Local politicians' efforts to evict the order from the monastery where Hector works complicate the plot.



Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David Martín, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he has taken refuge in the world of books and spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city’s underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at the mysterious death of the previous owner. Like a slow poison, the history of the place seeps into his bones as he struggles with an impossible love. Close to despair, David receives a letter from a reclusive French editor, Andreas Corelli, who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike anything that has ever existed--a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, and perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realizes that there is a connection between his haunting book and the shadows that surround his home.

A bibliophile without a book is a scary thing.

We can see this typical bibliophile pacing restlessly among the stacks. Notice her eyes darting hither and fro, not really allowing much time to even read the titles in front of her. This response is caused by too many previous unsatisfying reads. You would think not having a required book to pick up would be a relief to this fickle predator, but that is not the case. Setting her sights on a target is what the bibliophile craves, and without one we see this response time and time again. In her desperation, the bibliophile has just gone to the catalog station—to do what? Without a title in mind, the catalog becomes as useless to the bibliophile as her fruitless prowl through the stacks. Ah, but this is interesting. Observe her poised in mid-step; this notes a slight reprieve from her tireless meanderings. The bibliophile is actually thinking about books she’s been waiting to read. This is a breakthrough. Having a goal, even if it is just in the beginning stages, is a step toward victory for this bookish creature. Now she has picked up her pace and has made the catalog her clear target. Has the bibliophile chosen its prey? Watch her hands maneuver the mouse and keyboard with ease—this is a bibliophile well versed in the cataloging system indigenous to most libraries. The bibliophile is just a few clicks away from victory. But what is this? The bibliophile blows out angrily through her nostrils—a sign of frustration. Perhaps the book she has chosen is already checked out. We see a clear eye roll of defeat—but wait. She is putting the book on hold! Now all she has to do is be patient until the book is returned to the library and our bibliophile will have a definite choice to read. How inspiring! But what will she do in the meantime? We can almost see this question drawn on her face. No worries, her actions seem to reply, as we follow the bibliophile swinging around to the magazines. People and Cosmo will be there for some nourishment until the main course arrives.

Let me tell ya a little something about Twilight.

Twilight by William Gay
So I started (not Stephenie Meyer’s) Twilight. The book is set in the 1950’s, and it starts good enough. A brother and sister have a suspicion that the local undertaker is doing perverse things with the bodies of the townsfolk. They decide to dig some up and find their suspicions were correct. The imagery was strong and morbid and interesting, for the most part. But after the prelude came the scariest part of the book: Mr. Gay chose not to include quotation marks in his dialog! Any author who is presumptuous enough to ignore a major grammatical tool better have some talent to back up his hubris (oh joy, I love using the word “hubris”). But instead I found myself in that mild vortex of reading a page and only at the end realizing I had not really grasped anything I just read. So in short, I did not find Twilight scary, just a tad boring. That kind of boring where you just can’t think of anything you want to do so instead just nap for a while and then when you wake up you’re all groggy and wish you hadn’t have slept. To be fair (which I haven’t really been up to this point) I didn’t finish it, nay, couldn’t finish it. It’s like what famed librarian and reader’s advisor Nancy Pearl says, if you aren’t finding yourself engaged by page 50, it’s not worth finishing. So maybe it gets better. I don’t know, but I don’t care to find out. I wish I had liked it, because then anybody who accidently stumbled upon this blog after thinking it was about Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight would have another book to read. But fear not, accidental reader, for I have scores of other titles on this blog for you to enjoy. Why don’t you click on many of my generous genre topics. You’ll be sure to find something of great interest.