Book Review: The Red Pony

July 3, 2007

Back in my early 20s I used to read through authors. I not only read through nearly everything John Steinbeck wrote, but I also scanned dusty shelves of many a thrift store to complete my personal Steinbeck collection. A particular thrill for me was that, during this Steinbeck extravaganza, I was fortunate enough to drive cross-country from Tennessee to California with my parents. We visited Monterey and its Cannery Row and even saw lots of downtrodden men with a bottles in brown bags, which truly gave an authentic Steinbeck feel to the whole day.

Naturally a Steinbeck novel is essential reading for my American Lit class next year, and I'd narrowed the choices down to Of Mice and Men, The Pearl, and The Red Pony. As of now, The Red Pony is in the lead. I haven't yet re-read Of Mice and Men, but The Red Pony is just such a perfect novel. First published in 1937, this short novel is composed of four separate vignettes in the life of the boy Jody. Through the story Jody faces the hard realities of death, heartbreak, and cruelty but also experiences wild joy, a longing for adventure, and a certainty of his own identity.

Steinbeck is a master of character description, using his trademark sparse language to drill home those universal human truths. There is a wonderful scene in the second chapter, "The Great Mountains," in which Jody, angry at the death of his horse, kills a bird out of sheer meanness. This line follows ends that scene: "He didn't care about the bird, or its life, but he knew what older people would say if they had seen him kill it; he was ashamed because of their potential opinion." There are all kinds of treasures in the same vein throughout the book that will make for great class discussion.

Book Review: Mrs. Mike

August 4, 2007

This book by Benedict and Nancy Freedman has been on my reading list for a few years, but our library doesn't have it. (I ultimately got it through paperbackswap.com.) And after reading it, I am absolutely amazed that our library doesn't carry this absolute gem of a book which, according to the many reviews I've read since, is an incredibly well-loved book! The story: Katherine Mary O'Fallon, a sickly sixteen-year-old, is shipped off to Canada at the recommendation of her doctor. She leaves Boston to live with her uncle in the Canadian wilderness. Within a short time she meets and marries Canadian Mountie Mike Flannigan, and the rest of the book is about their life together in rugged and remote Alberta in the early 1900s. Mike and Kathy cope with all kinds of tragedies and adventures, and their love story is vibrant and palpable. An absolutely wonderful book!

Saturday Book Review Challenge

For the first time ever I've encountered a reading challenge that I can master. Sherry at Semicolon posts a fabulous Saturday Review of Books each week. Her challenge is to read 6 books from this list between now and December 31. Several of these books are on my reading list anyway, but I've picked up a few extras. I've also picked more than six in case any aren't available at the library between now and then.

1. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. Reviewed by Framed and Booked. Reivewed by 3M. Reviewed by Stefanie at So Many Books. Reviewed by Stephen Lang. Reviewed by Lisa at Breaking the Fourth Wall. Reviewed by Booklogged. Reviewed by Sherry at Semicolon. Reviewed by Krakovianka.

2. First We have Coffee by Margaret Jensen. Reviewed by Leslie at Abiding.

3. Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman. Reviewed by Leslie at Abiding.

4. The Nazi Officer’s Wife by Edith Hahn Beer. Reviewed by Literary Feline. Reviewed by Bookfool.

5. Night by Elie Wiesel. Reviewed by Jane at Much Ado. Reviewed by Sherry at Semicolon.

6. The Other Side of the River: A Story of Two Towns, A Death, and America’s Dilemma by Alex Kotlowitz. Reviewed by Wendy at Caribous Mom.

7. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Reviewed by Carol at Magistramater.

8. Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin. Reviewed by Jewellspring.

Book Review: The Way to Rainy Mountain

June 28, 2007

"A single knoll rises out of the plain in Oklahoma, north and west of the Wichita Range. For my people, the Kiowas, it is an old landmark, and they gave it thename Rainy Mountain. The hardest weather in the world is there. ... To look upon that landscape in the early morning, with the sun at your back, is to lose the sense of proportion. Your imagination comes to life, and this, you think, is where Creation was begun."

So begins N. Scott Momaday's tribute to the Kiowa people, retelling the Kiowa legends he heard from his grandmother, speculating on actual history, and--best of all--describing his own memories of the Kiowa life he knew as a child. This is a very short book--less than 100 pages--and excellent for a look into Native American life and the plight of the Kiowa tribe. The book consists of three parts on each 2-page spread: a myth, a piece of history, and Momaday's own reflections. His writing is simple and poetic:

"East of my grandmother's house the sun rises out of the plain. Once in his life a man ought to concentrate his mind upon the remembered earth, I believe. He ought to give himself up to a particular landscape;...He ought to recollect the glare of noon and all the colors of the dawn and dusk."

I read this book as part of a Minority Literature class in graduate school, and I revisited it because I was considering it for my American Literature class in the fall. Now I remember that I always intended to read Momaday's Pulitizer Prize winning novel House Made of Dawn, so I will add that to my reading list. And while the format isn't quite what I was after for my class as a novel, I will definitely include some of his reflections as part of our coursework.

Book Reviews: I Can Cut and Stick and More Than Moccasins

I love Usborne's series that includes I Can Cut and Stick. This was one of the first Usborne Books I ever bought, and when I became a consultant, I acquired the rest of the series. I gave up selling years ago, but Donna would be happy to help anyone who is looking for Usborne! I Can Cut and Stick was always my favorite of the series because the projects are so simple but yield fabulous results. Duncan was thrilled with this 20 minute project.

But as usual, I digress. It's back to a couple more hours of camp preparation and then a relaxing evening with my family, who think I have gone AWOL. Oh, and the most awesome Native American book we have found is called More Than Moccasins: A Kid's Activity Guide to Traditional North American Indian Life. I highly recommend it for any Native American or American History study. It's packed full of crafts, food, games, toys, and other easy projects.

Closet Classics: A Rose for Emily

June 8, 2007

Say, "William Faulkner" and you'll hear groans. I am the one voice in that sea of groans that says, "I love Faulkner!" I really do. I understand that readers either love him or hate him. Unfortunately Faulkner is often misintroduced in that students are asked to read complicated tomes such The Sound and the FuryAbsalom, Absalom. Faulkner has novellas and short stories that are easier to read. The most widely anthologized Faulkner story is "A Rose for Emily." This is a Gothic horror tale, somewhat reminiscent of Poe, first published in 1930. The story is narrated by the townspeople, who have long whispered about the eccentric recluse, Miss Emily. They are tremendously gratified, upon her death, to discover the depth of her eccentricity.

Like many Faulkner tales, this takes place in his fictionalized Yoknapatawpha County, MIssissippi. "A Rose for Emily" is very accessible to the reader because at one level, it is a satisfyingly chilling tale. Faulkner wrote dozens of short stories and novels. You can see a list of his works here.

"A Rose for Emily" is not a typical Faulkner work. In general, his writing style is difficult for the casual reader or . His sentences are long and hypnotic. You have to really concentrate to read a Faulkner novel., but the rewards are great. To be immersed in a novel that positively drips with Southern lyricism--and cynicism--is a tremendous experience.

About Faulkner:
William Faulkner is without dispute a literary giant. The Nobel Prize-winning novelist and short story writer is acclaimed throughout the world as one of the twentieth century’s greatest writers, one who transformed his native Mississippi into a setting in which he explored and challenged the human heart in all its complexities and mysteries. Faulkner never graduated from high school or received a college degree and lived in a small town in poorest state in the U.S., yet his works are recognized as among the greatest by an American.

Book Review: The Kite Runner

June 6, 2007

How have I missed this spectacular book by Khaled Hosseini until now? This is the heartbreaking, beautiful story of Amir and Hassan, two boys raised in the same Afghan household, but worlds apart. Amir is the privileged heir; Hassan is his servant. The story that follows is terribly painful to read, but worth every single paragraph. The book is full of the beauty and violence of a country, a father/son relationship, a friendship, a marriage, a community, a childhood--there is just so much to this book. The writing itself is superb, and the ending is truthful but gratifying. I'd put this on my Top 20 list, if I had such a thing.