What I'm reading this week (5/15/17)

Sorry about not posting a "What I'm reading this week" post last week. We arrived home late Sunday night, and to tell you the truth, I didn't read a single word while we were on vacation. I took all my books with me should the mood strike or the opportunity present itself, but neither happened. I hope to have a Chicago vacation post up soon, but it will be bookless.

Last week I finished:

I'm glad to finally be done with The Chilbury Ladies' Choir. I was just sure I'd love this book--the reviews have been very good--but I have to tell you, I was disappointed. I had no problems with the plot or characters. Briefly: this book takes place on the English home front during World War II. Most of the men of Chilbury have gone off to war, leaving the women to carry on. They change their church choir into an all-lady choir. But it really isn't about choirs or the power of music to heal or uplift. That is touched on superficially, but not in depth. This is really the soap opera of the home front. There are seductions and scoundrels and folks falling in love and love triangles and ambitions and abuse and death and all the rest. But here is my problem with the book: I didn't like the way it was told. Instead of a straightforward narration in either first or third person, it was told through journal entries and letters. This in and of itself doesn't bother me, but when you choose this narration method, you are obligated to give each character her own voice. This is where the writing falls miserably short. All of the journals and letters sound exactly the same, whether written by 13-year-old Kitty or middle-aged Mrs. Tilling. They use the same language and observe things in the same way. Additionally, the characters describe their actions as an omniscient narrator would, not as a person would describe their own actions. People reporting their actions are prejudiced in favor of their actions; they are not objective about them. It was pitifully distracting to me. I often wondered if it had been written as a conventional novel and then a hasty revision changed the book to a series of journal entries and letters without paying much attention to the details. Plus, although things ended well or rightly for all, there was one plot point that was not resolved that irritates me. Did the author forget? Long story short, I think I would have loved this book (or at least rated it higher) had it been better written. For a good soap opera-y book about the English home front during war, try Julian Fellowes' Belgravia. And for a really good book about post-WWII England written in letters, try The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It does a superb job of giving diverse characters their own voice. My rating: 2.5 stars.

Last week I abandoned:

 

I stalked Worst. President. Ever. to obtain a copy. I wanted to read it so badly. But about 40 pages in, I'd fallen asleep too many times, and the information gleaned just wasn't worth the slow-going. I might return to it some day, because I do want to know by James Buchanan is consistently judged to be the worst president ever.  

This week I'll be reading:

After abandoning Worst. President. Ever., I picked up Sheryl Sandberg (Lean In) and Adam Grant's Option B. So far, I'm liking it.

This week I continue with:

 

 

I diligently traded off between these four titles every night last week, and a bunch this weekend, to make headway in each. I am loving each, which makes for nights where I just don't want to go to bed.

My audiobook:

I'm enjoying my return to Mitford with Out to Canaan, but it's taking me so long to get through it that I won't be getting to the other audiobook I'd planned to finish in May. I'll have to juggle my reading list around a bit. 

15 Years - 15 Things I'm thankful for

Today is my 15th wedding anniversary. Fifteen years. It seems like a long time, but it feels like no time at all. There are so many things I could say about marriage in general and about my marriage specifically. Advice I'd give or advice I wish I'd been given. There are so many funny stories I could tell. I could fill whole pages on resentment, forgiveness, what's important, what's not but seems it. I could tally up the hours spent working together, sleeping together, laughing together, and even fighting together. So many hours and minutes, and yet, I still feel newly married. I'm still learning what it means to be a wife, to be right and truly married. I'm learning what I can do better and what I need to let go of. And not a day goes by, honestly, that I don't feel grateful for this husband, this marriage, this life that I chose.


Last year I wrote a list of 14 things we do right in our marriage. This year, I've written my husband a list of 15 things I'm thankful for:




1. That you clean the bathroom and do most of the dishes. If it weren't for you, we'd have to hire someone. :)


2. That you're good at saying "thank you" and "I'm sorry."


3. That you're way better at sharing than I am. Thanks for always letting me have the last French fries in the sack.

4. That you do something almost every day to make that day special. Whether it's going out to eat, sharing a snack, watching a favorite black and white sci fi movie, you can make any old Tuesday into a small vacation.

5. That you get sad when we don't spend time together. Even though it makes me feel a teensy bit guilty, I like that you like to be with me that much.

6. That you miss me while we're at work. (Because I miss you, too.)

7. That you still think I'm pretty--and you say it.

8. That you respect my reading obsession and my need for time alone.

9. That you encourage me, pray for me, and take care of me.

10. That you'll drop everything to help me if I need it. I'm not as good at this, I know.

11. That you don't expect me to wait on you. You can do laundry, cook, clean, sew on buttons, and run errands without my help, though I like it when you let me do things for you.

12. That you push us to do special things even though they require a lot of time, energy, planning, and sometimes money. (Like going to Chicago.) I'm not always good at accepting your ideas right away, but I'm working on that. 

Photos taken outside Art Institute (museum) in Chicago. One of my favorite places.

13. That you genuinely want to know what I'm thinking. And that you know me so well.

14. That you let me poke fun at you and laugh along. Like your amp obsession or those lounge pants you hemmed too short.

15. That your smile still lights up not only your face but mine too.

Happy anniversary, sweetheart! Even though we've had some difficult times, I can still say I never expected marriage to bring me this much joy, be this much fun, or feel this easy. I love you, Bing.

What I've added to my TBR lately

It's that time again. Time to compile a list of what I'm excited about adding to my reading list. This one is fiction-heavy as I've been reading more fiction this year than any year previous. In fact, my fiction to nonfiction ratio has been almost even. So, if you have any fiction recommendations for me, please leave a comment!

FICTION

I ran across America's First Daughter the other day. It's apparently well-read, but I'd never heard of it. It seems like something I'd really enjoy. It's the story of Thomas Jefferson's eldest daughter, and a big chunkster of a novel. I might try this on audio.

I've been trying to read some books this year that are hugely popular but don't really appeal to me. It seems important to do this, though I'm not convinced it's the best way to read. At any rate, I've decided to read Yaa Gyazi's Homegoing since it was such a huge book last year.

And I've caved and added Lilac Girls to my TBR. Because I need another huge WWII novel on my shelves.

After hearing so many good things about Louise Penny's Chief Gamache novels, I've decided to give the first in the series, Still Life, a try. I'm told the fictional town in which the novels take place is idyllic, and I won't want to leave.

I'm interested in The Devil and Webster because I've spent the last 20-some years of my life in a university setting and am interested in the trends on American university campuses. In this novel, the students protest when a favorite professor doesn't get tenure.

I've been interested in Stephen King's 11/22/63 for awhile now, but I just don't think novels have any business being 850 pages long. Maybe I'll get to it someday. Perhaps I'll set aside a couple months of my life to listen to it on audio.

After listening to Julian Fellowes' Belgravia recently, I'm on the search for another novel by him for light reading. I've chose Snobs.

Until I can read an excerpt of Miss Burma, I'm not positive I'll buy a copy, but I'm interested in learning about Burma, and I like sweeping novels of identity and survival.

I couldn't bring myself to be interested in Fiona Davis's The Dollhouse, but The Address sounds more interesting. It's the story of a young English woman who comes to America to manage a fancy new apartment building New York. It's not out until August.

I was interested in Jane Hamilton's The Excellent Lombards when it came out, but I kept putting off making a decision about it until it came out in paper recently. It's about a girl who is in love with her family's apple orchards, but in growing up must decide to stay or go. I think. I've been looking for a novel with a strong sense of place, and this one might fit the bill.

The Madwoman Upstairs is a novel about a young woman related to the Bronte sisters who gets involved in a literary mystery involving family legacy. Sounds fun.

And I recently bought a copy of The Women in the Castle about the wives and children of the actors of the famed plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler before his rise to power. Fearing for their lives, they hole up in a castle.

 

 

MEMOIRS

The corner of the book world I inhabit has been abuzz about Tsh Oxenreider's At Home in the World. Within days of its release, the Kindle version went on sale, so I bought it. I love travel memoirs, so I'm excited to try it. I haven't read her previous work, but I believe faith plays a part in her books.

Speaking of travel memoirs, I've finally bought a copy of Anthony Doerr's Four Seasons in Rome which I've been intending to read since long before his All the Light We Cannot See made such a big splash.

And I'm excited that Mike Perry has another book coming out this year: Montaigne in Barn Boots: An Amateur Ambles through Philosophy. I'd read Perry opine on any topic, frankly. 

  

NONFICTION

I've been hungry for a good narrative nonfiction book I could sink my teeth into lately, but nothing has appealed until Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. It's the story of over two dozen murders of wealthy Osage Indians in Oklahoma in the 1920s--and the birth of the FBI.

In May I'll be reading Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden to knock off a mini reading challenge to read a book about gardening. I can't wait for the pictures!

And the book I've been waiting for since A. J. Jacobs released his last book: It's All Relative. Jacobs is one of my all-time favorites. He's quirky and hilarious and is the master of "stunt journalism." In this book, he looks at what it means to be a "family of mankind." It's not out until November, so you have plenty of time to read his other books (esp. The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblical) and become familiar with the genius that is A. J. Jacobs.

 

It's funny, I've recently become quite interested in the presidential retreat Camp David--it comes up all the time in the president books I read--and then a book shows up about just that. Inside Camp David will be out this fall.

I have a lot of respect for Condoleezza Rice and have wondered what she's been doing since leaving politics nearly 10 years ago. One thing is writing a big book about America called Democracy. While I fear it might be a bit dry for my tastes, I still intend to read it...someday.

Speaking of reading it someday, I have yet to read Eric Metaxas's Bonhoeffer, the huge biography of the Lutheran pastor who resisted Hitler and was martyred. I've no doubt it's fabulous, but there are so many barriers to reading it. Metaxas is coming out with a biography of Martin Luther soon, which will stand in line just behind Bonhoeffer on my TBR. I have the patience for only so many mammoth biographies, I guess.

 

And if you know Anne Bogel's wonderful podcast What Should I Read Next, you'll know she has a book coming out this year called Reading People about personality types. I don't naturally go in for things that type people, so I'm not positive I'll read this as soon as it comes out, but I'll likely read it someday.

 

 

ART

I've discovered two more books in the series of art books I've been working my way through: 50 Modern Artists You Should Know and 50 Art Movements You Should Know. This series is a relatively painless way to learn about art if that's a knowledge gap for you like it is for me.

  

 

 

And lastly, POETRY

I've run across many poems lately that I've enjoyed by Laura Kasischke, so when I discovered that she has a New and Selected Poems (Where Now) coming out in July, I quickly added it to my poetry TBR list.

I've also added a book of poems by Russian poet Vera Pavlova which looks wonderful: If There Is Something To Desire.

And I've purchased a copy of How Did This Happen?, an anthology of poems by women.

April 2017 wrap-up

I finished ten books in April. It was quite an eclectic mix of things: 3 fiction, 2 biography, 1 nonfiction, 1 children's, 1 art, 2 poetry. Two were audio and one was a re-read. Full reviews are available in my weekly Monday posts. I'll include one-word reviews and star ratings below. 

 

 

cute

***

uplifting

(unrated)

flawed

**

 

uneven

****

imperfect

***

pleasant

****

thought-provoking

****1/2

informative

***

superb

*****

 

wonderful

****

 

 

 

What I'm reading this week (5/1/17)

 

Last week I finished:

Last week I finished Eat This Poem, and I'm still trying to formulate a review. Most of the 25 poems in the collection were new to me, which was surprising, as I have a deep fondness for food poems. The recipes, however, were very West Coast. There were a couple I'd try, but for the most part, they're too faddish for my liking. Plus, I'm just not going to ever make my own almond milk, I'm just not. The introductory paragraphs for each section were just generally uninspired and without much depth or feeling. At times the book felt more like a travelogue of all the fabulous, exotic, and far-flung places the author has seen. I enjoyed the personal stories that weren't so showy, though. So, overall, I was a bit underwhelmed as a whole, but I give at least one star just for the fabulous, new concept of the book. Combining food and poetry makes me very happy. My rating: 3 stars.

50 Artists You Should Know is the second book I've read in the "50 ___" art series. I thought it did a good job with selection of artists (though there was only one female artist represented, Frida Kahlo). They were arranged in chronological order, spanning many centuries. Many of the names were familiar, but there were quite a few I was unfamiliar with, and even among the artists I recognized, I don't know much about their work. I'm not sure this book worked as well as 50 Paintings You Should Know for one reason: brevity of information. For most artists only one painting was chosen, generally their most famous work (e.g. Mona Lisa), and I just didn't feel that was enough to learn much of anything about an artist. They artist information was all over the map, some focusing on personality, some on style, some on their major works. There wasn't a lot of uniformity throughout. I also had issues with the tiny font size and the numerous typos--just like 50 Paintings. Overall, I'd say I  enjoyed the book, although it's by no means comprehensive. My rating: 3 stars.

I absolutely loved my second pass through Garrison Keillor's Good Poems anthology. I think it's the finest anthologies of contemporary poetry out there. I believe it contains 285 poems, and there were literally only a handful that I didn't like. Almost every one spoke to me in some way, and many were old friends. If I ever get the chance to edit an anthology, I'd be hard-pressed to create one I like better than Keillor's. He does a good job of representing different poets; he doesn't seem to play favorites. All of the poems are accessible, many are humorous, most are on the short side. He organizes them into themes, some general, and some oddball, like the chapter of "Yellow" poems. I love that Keillor has fun with poetry and doesn't see it as homework or revel in the pedantic. This is the collection of poems I'd recommend to anyone looking to become familiar with contemporary poetry. One of my favorite books ever. My rating: 5 stars.

I had an absolute blast reading Nabokov's Favorite Word Is Mauve. The book is the love child of statistical mathematics and literature, full of charts and graphs that will delight any word nerd. Blatt sets out to break down literature into numbers. He looks at things like: which bestselling authors use the most clichés, if authors follow their own writing advice, author's favorite words, the difference between writing by males and females, how reading levels of novels has changed over the years, and much more. It was fascinating and never boring, never gimmicky. I learned a lot, and I've looked at the books I've been reading since much differently. Blatt nearly ruined one of my favorite series, for instance, because I now see clichés on every page, and while that used to be something I found endearing about the books, I'm not so aware of them it's tiresome. Blatt comes at his work with an obvious passion for words and for quantifying them. I love reading books like this where the author is so engaged, having so much fun. He's careful not to make value judgments when comparing canonical writing with bestselling fiction, and he's quick to point out any unevenness in the metrics he uses. I only wish he would have spoken a bit about nonfiction and how his methods would have worked or not in evaluating books by Laura Hillenbrand, Erik Larson, and the like. Also, I think it would have been fun if he'd evaluated his own writing using the tools he evaluated famous books with. He did this once or twice at the beginning of the book, but not after that. I understand that it wouldn't have worked in all cases, but more of that would have been a lot of fun. I was fascinated by the whole process, and I recommend this one to anyone who loves books and how they're written. My rating: 4 stars.

Last week I started:

I'm liking The Chilbury Ladies' Choir so far, though it isn't exactly what I was expecting. More on that later.

 I also began all four of my evening reads for May, because why not: Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, Beezus and Ramona, Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden, and Poems That Make Grown Women Cry. I'm enjoying them all. We'll see how much reading I'll get done this week while we're on vacation in Chicago, though.

 

My audiobook:

After I brought The Light between Oceans back to the library last week because I had a really hard time understanding the Australian narrator, I settled on the fourth book in Jan Karon's Mitford series, Out to Canaan as my audiobook. It's sort of like going home again.