Category: Books

July equals good month for non-fiction, not-so-good month for fiction.

Read.
How to talk to a widower.
Jonathan Tropper
Eh. I didn’t really like any of the characters. One of those books I just kept reading until I was finished. I will probably have trouble remembering anything about it three months hence.

Away
Amy Bloom
The best part about this novel is that you the reader get to find out what happens to the people the main character, a Russian immigrant named Lillian, encounters as she makes her way across the 1920s United States of America. My main problem with this book had to do with the map in the front cover. There are dots on the map–which to me imply that something happens–that have no bearing on the story. Fargo is clearly labeled, as is Spokane, and absolutely nothing happened there. It distracted from the story.

Superfreakanomics
Steven Levitt & Steven Dunton
Recently I looked over my transcripts and noticed I got a “B” in both Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. Those were tough classes, but I enjoyed them, just as I enjoyed the first book by these authors. This book was fine, but didn’t reach the fabulous level that the first one did. I felt that the topics the authors explored were broader and that made this book not the delight that the first one was. I enjoyed learning why prostitutes are like holiday Santas, and all the things connected with that fact, but the data wasn’t quite as crisp as in the first book.

One Magic Square
Lolo Houbein
Thank goodness I checked this out from the library. This hasn’t been the greatest year for gardening, and this book reminded me that I don’t have to give everything up–I can plant now and still get good food for autumn.

This book combines a sort of backyard permaculture theory with the Square Foot Gardening concept, although she uses many things planted in a square yard, rather than one thing planted in a square feet. The author lives in Australia, so some of the plants are called by names we wouldn’t use, but this “ease-into-things” guide would be a great start for someone just beginning gardening.

There are a couple of great ideas I will use from the book. For instance, plant your starts in toilet paper rolls. The roots can grow a long way down the tube before you put them in the ground. When you do, the roll disintegrates over time as the plant grows. Also, cut a three-inch diameter PVC pipe into sections to place over your newly planted seedlings. She then puts screen over the top to protect the seedling from birds, which I’ve never had a problem with, but this will be perfect to keep the cats away from the newly planted seedlings. They labor under the mistaken notion that all of my vegetable beds are their best litter box and I lose seedlings to their scraping every year.

Essential Pleasures
Robert Pinsky
Finished! I’ve been reading this collection of poems FOR-EV-ER! I had one library copy for at least six months and then someone requested it, so I had to send it back. But I was so close to the end, I reserved it again and was able to finish it. To figure out which poem I want to memorize each month, I need to read a lot of poems. This was a good anthology, ranging over many centuries with a suitable mix of men and women. It also includes a CD of Pinsky reading some of the poems, which I’ve not listened to. It does not include a blurb about each poet, which I would have liked, but otherwise, a good book that has yielded seven poems I have memorized and a nice list of potential ones.

Sad side note: I had a list of potential good poems to memorize which accidentally got returned to the library with the book.

The Blind Side
Michael Lewis
I loved this book! Love, love, loved it. Interest in football? Zero. Interest in the surge of importance of a single football position I maybe could point out on the field, but probably not? Nope. Interest in the motives and actions of a white Christian Republican uber-rich Memphis family? Not even. Interest in this book which contains all of the above? Incredible. I couldn’t put it down. That is the mark of a very good non-fiction writer. Do you like football? Read this book. Do you not like football? Read this book.

River Kings’ Road
Liane Merciel
I really disliked this book. First off, what does every medieval fantasy novel worth its salt have in the front cover? Yes! A map. This is handy for several reasons, but mostly because when I read that Brys and Odosse traveled between Willowfield and some border town in Oakharn I need a visual to understand how far that is and also where everything is in relation to each other. Without that, all those town names are only made-up words on a page. The map makes the narrative real. Other problems? There are too many characters that flit in for two paragraphs and then don’t return for 50 pages. When they do return, they appear without reintroduction, which would be fine if they were memorable characters in the first place. Unfortunately, they weren’t and I didn’t care enough to flip back and find out who they were–and here e-readers with their search function would be very handy in this instance, though I suspect I wouldn’t actually use the function– so I spent substantial portions of the narrative thinking, “who is this?” Also, the author employs the abhorrent Steven King technique of killing off a very nice innocent minor character whose kindness should have been rewarded. Overall, this was an entirely unsatisfying 388 pages and I don’t recommend this book in any way, shape or form.

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage
Elizabeth Gilbert.
I loved this book. I love Glibert’s glib, funny, thoughtful and research-informed writing style. I am a skeptic about the issue of marriage too, and suppose I would get married if it was the only way to keep my partner in the country. But because I don’t have to? This book just added a lot of fuel to the “not getting married” fire, which I see as a good thing. The section about her mother was particularly heartbreaking to read.

Started but did not finish.
10-10-10: 10 Minutes, 10 Months, 10 Years. A Life-Transforming Idea.
Suzy Welch
I didn’t make it even halfway through this short book because there is not much there. At this point, I get that when I have a problem, I should think about it from a perspective of 10 hours, 10 months, 10 years. The many ways she is presenting the information has become repetitive. She does her best to show it from brain research perspective, but I’m yawning. Plus, I just got some medieval fantasy fiction from the library.

Hmmmm. Maybe I should start checking weekly to see if Dennis Lehane’s new Kenzie/Gennario novel that is published on 30 November is available to put on hold.

What’s this? It’s already in the system? And seven other people have placed holds? Sign me up!

Now the long wait until November 30 (and probably longer as I think they have to take time to process the books) begins. But at least I’m first in line. There are 37 copies on order.

• Emphasize Effort

• Creating Hope
• Respecting Power
• Building Relationships
• Expressing Enthusiasm

Brooklyn

Not a very long book. The whole time I was reading it, I kept wondering why. The plot seemed to have no compelling reason for me to keep reading. I did get attached to the main character and her choices, but there wasn’t really an ending. I feel like this was a fleshed out outline for a much longer book.

My reading style tends to be many books at once. I’ll start something, and if it isn’t a totally compelling narrative, I’ll read a little of that, and then maybe start something else and on and on. Then there tends to be the books I “must” read for one reason or other. This system, informal as it is, hasn’t been working for me lately. In the middle of the month, I decided I would read one book at a time. The thinking was that it would force me to decide earlier that I wasn’t going to finish the book and move onto something I did want to read.

In some ways, it has been a good thing, though I chafe against the restriction when I am working through a “must read” book I’m not enjoying much. I tend to skim then, which for those books, is probably what I should have been doing all along.

Read
Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Jamie Ford
The title is how the whole book went. On first glance, it’s a great one. But on second glance it becomes a bit schlocky. So was the plot. However, the relocation of the Japanese was heartbreaking and the book is probably worth reading just for that part.

Living Oprah
Robyn Okrant
A woman does what Oprah tells her to for an entire year. Sometimes this is repetitive, but other times very funny. It’s a quick read, you might enjoy.

Envoy: Your Personal guide to classroom management
Michael Grinder
This here is the discipline plan at George Middle School. Now that I read it, I understand why the teacher doesn’t move for 30 seconds after giving directions.

Every Last One
Anna Quindlan
Nice descriptions of life with teenagers. This is a hard book to read, subject matter-wise.

Empress of the World
Sara Ryan
Good YA first love fiction, but with two girls. These kind of YA books didn’t exist when I was a YA reader, so I was happy to see this.

Radical Homemakers
Shannon Hayes
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Examines women and men who are taking a different path to modern life. Very well written and interesting. Recommended.

Sing them Home
Stephanie Kallos
Nice, thick novel centered on a Nebraska family whose mother was borne away by a tornado. Great characters. Also, a fun take on “the dead.” This is my favorite type of novel.

Started but did not finish
A Celibate Season
Carol Sheilds & Blanch Howard
It turned out I had read this already.

Perennial Vegetables: From Artichoke to Zuki Taro, a gardeners guide to over 100 delicious, easy-to-grow edibles
Eric Tonesmeir
Good guide to vegetables you don’t have to keep planting every year.

Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution
Richard Bernstein
I can tell you, after reading this, that I don’t want to get diabetes so I don’t have to go on his diet. Interesting story of how the author became a doctor.

The Secrets of Making Wine from Fruits and Berries
Leslie G. Slater
Old fashioned book. Tiny, but packed with information.

The complete Diabetes Prevention Plan
Sandra Woodruff and Christopher Saudek
More commercial discussion of the diabetes topic.

Argh! I’ve written none of these summaries. Usually I’ve done about half of them. What WAS I doing in April? I’m giving myself 12 minutes to write these, that’s one minute per post. Here goes.

Read:
Half the Sky
Kristof and WuDenn
Very hard to read in places, but with a hopeful message and also a handy four step action plan for you to do something constructive at the end.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society
Mary Ann Schaffer & Annie Barrows
I never wondered how the residents of the island of Guernsey fared during World War II but I was very interested in reading about their plight. This was a great “letters back and forth” book and I’m sad that the woman who wrote it became too sick to finish this book, much less write another one, as this was delightful.

Water Woman
Lenore Hart
Well written, but depressing. Very. But you can tell from the first chapter, so you know what you are signing up for.

Her Fearful Symmetry
Audrey Niffenegger
So good! It has twins! And ghosts! And a cemetery! And is set in London! I wasn’t enthralled with the ending, but enjoyed the rest so much I recommend it.

Love’s Labor’s Lost
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare. Still boring to read, but much fun to see in the Shoebox theater.

Naturally Thin
Bethenny Frankel
A really cool bike columnist recommended this book as a very good “normal healthy eating” guide. It has a really awful title, but did I mention that the bike columnist is cool? Because of how cool she is, I ignored the lame title and got it from the library. When it arrived, I was disturbed to find out that a reality TV star wrote it. I hadn’t heard of her then, but now I see her everywhere. Aside from that, some good tips and her focus on real food was refreshing.

Strong Waters: a simple guide to making beer, wine, cider and other spirited beverages at home.
Scott Mansfield
Good, beginners guide though relies a lot on already bottled juices.

Started but did not finish:
Inside Secrets of Finding a Teaching Job
Jack Warner
Dated, but good, advice.

Knife Skills in the Kitchen
Charlie Trotter
Lots of pretty pictures.

The Sea is so Wide and My Boat is so Small
Marian Wright Edelman
I read the “for teachers” chapter and called it good.

Create an Oasis with Greywater
Art Ludwig
Someday this book will come in handy. Ludwig doesn’t mince words about bad ideas in greywater. He also tells you how to put the good ideas in place.

Growing Up: A Classic American Childhood
Marilyn vos Savant
Kind of dumb. A bunch of lists that every American child should do.

Hah! Five minutes left.

Man, there’s a lot of nonfiction going on this month? What’s up with that?

Read
Positive Addiction
William Glasser
This book is a bit dated it its psychological theories, but makes some good points. The author examines two groups of people: those addicted to running and those addicted to meditation. He supports such addictions, and sees great benefit to getting yourself addicted to some sort of positive activity. It also includes tips to establish your own positive addition.

Uprooting Racism
Paul Kivel
The guide (maybe even The Guide) for white people wishing to examine their own racism. Also the guide for white people who are sure they are not racist, but are concerned about other people’s racism. (Note: both of these groups most likely has some white privilege things to acknowledge.) Each chapter ends with discussion questions making this a very good book to use for a study group. Well written and recommended.

Mediterranean Women Stay Slim Too.
Melissa Kelly
I’ve successfully cut back on the reading of diet books, something of a hidden addiction for me. But I seem to have not actually divested myself from books that are about being slim and still eating good food. It isn’t such a bad thing. This book has a lot of good recipes and points. However, its tone can be slightly grating. It is clear from the text that the author grew up in a family that valued food and the communal ritual of eating food together. Today, the author runs a restaurant where she can continue this tradition. I am happy for her, and wish that we were all raised the way she was and strive to eat the way she does. That said, I think she may have laid out a bit of a tall order for most Americans.

Juliet, Naked
Nick Hornby
(first “Lucky Day” book)
I was excited, but cautious, about this book as I really love Nick Hornby’s writing, yet really did not like A Long Way Down. Happily, this book captures all the gleeful Hornby–esque dialogue and descriptions. As Hornby is aging, so are his characters. Because I am aging too, I don’t mind a bit.

The setup of the story was delightful, as were the life and musings of an aging former big deal rock star.

Math: Facing an American Phobia
Marilyn Burns
I was reading part of this book for an assignment at school and Burns was so funny, I just kept reading for pleasure. Burns analyzes why the vast majority of the country “hates” and “can’t do” math, and also points out that any efforts to teach math in a different, possibly more accessible way, are often loudly protested. It seems that people want their children to learn math in exactly the same way they did, even if the result was that they themselves hate math and describe themselves as not very good at it.

That makes me a little crazy. But Marilyn Burns, though troubled and confused about this, cheerily looks at a variety of math strands, how we use them in daily life, and how she would teach them in a classroom. This was so witty, interesting and thought provoking, I recommend it to everyone, not just “math” people.

Search for Dinosaurs
Bischoff
Another in the “Choose Your Own Adventure“-esque series from my youth. I had a very difficult time with this as my eyes tend to glaze over at words like “Mesozoic” and “Jurassic” and so I had trouble picking up the clues from each chapter.

Downtown Owl
Chuck Klosterman
I’m just going to say right now: prepare yourself for the ending. You will be breezing along enjoying the story and the writing and Klosterman’s incredibly unique way of seeing things and then BAM! The ending just hits you over the head and there is no real resolution and you will walk around in a kind of book daze for the next week feeling angry. But it is an anger tempered with some other emotions such as embarrassment–Why didn’t I see that coming?–and rationalization–Well, it is his book and he can end it anyway he wants, and indeed there were so many other memorable parts.

Ultimately, this is an awesome book, with several laugh-out-loud-read-them-to-any-one-who-is-willing parts. People who have spent any amount of time in a small town would enjoy the explanation of the change in the Town of Owl’s mascot, which I meant to read out loud to my mother, but the book went back before that could happen. His competing analysis of George Orwell’s 1984 from an adult/teenager perspective has clearly been fermenting inside of him for years, possibly since high school. The hidden rules of the single woman in a small town are hilarious, as are the twin internal monologues during a conversation between a man and a woman in a bar.

“Glee” is one word to describe how I feel when I read Chuck Klosterman. In this, his first work of fiction, I felt a sustained glee for 250 of its pages. Those last six pages? Be prepared. They are coming.

Olive Kitteridge
Elizabeth Strout
Yet another book that I didn’t have to wait for 187 people to bring back from the library. I love, love, love the “Lucky Day” cart at the Kenton branch library. I also loved this book of interconnected short stories. I didn’t love Olive Kitteridge, but I came to respect and feel sympathy for her, which I think was the point.

The Pleasures of Cooking for One
Judith Jones
I liked that the focus on the cookbook is using your leftovers in two or three delicious meals. I’ve found this method in cookbooks with “normal sized” portions, but this was the first time I’ve seen it in a “cooking for one” cookbook. I enjoyed Judith Jones chatty tone and her discussion of techniques and equipment used in cooking for one. This cookbook seems to me to be very French inspired, which is fine with me, but might not be good for some. Overall, it was good enough for me to buy in hardback, which says a lot.

Started but did not finish:
Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression
Mildred Armstrong Kalish
I would like to read the rest of this book as I always find depression-era tomes interesting, even if they make me feel guilty for not scraping the extra bit of egg white out of the eggshell with my finger, as the author pointed out the women in her family always did. Nothing was wasted.

My first look at the Kenton Library. I love it! It is small but beautiful.

A look at the ceiling. This is not a flattering shot–I was feeling shy with my camera–but the library’s website tells me that this is a barrel ceiling. When seen in person it looks a lot less “home remodel” than this picture implies.

My favorite part of visiting today was the fact that there were two of nearly every book in the fiction section. I’m sure that once people start checking out books it won’t look like this for long.

This cart is a new feature they are piloting at this branch and one other. It’s called “Lucky Day” and it features books with massive amounts of holds. If you come to the library, you might find a book that you have on hold. You, gleefully excited, can check it out for three weeks. There are no renewals, and you can only have two lucky day books at once. I am VERY excited about the Lucky Day cart. I did not take home the Sarah Palin book.

In fact, I was gleefully excited to find this book, which I had on hold. Based on the number in the queue I was, and the number of copies the library carries, it was going to be a long wait. Instead, I took it home with me today.

The teen (YA in library-speak) section is up front and they had many copies of all the Twilight books strategically placed in the window as bait.

The library also has laptops to check out , a huge “media” collection (DVDs, CDs, etc) a very large children’s section and a 32 capacity meeting room. I can tell already that I am going to like this library.

When I moved to Portland in late 2001, I got myself a library card before I got a driver’s license. Since that point, the Central Library has always been “my” library. At the time, I lived downtown, but even when Matt and I relocated to close-in Southwest, the Central Library was still the one for me. When we moved to North Portland, miles and miles from the Central Library, it was still the one I visited the most, due to the fact that I could stop by after church, as the library was located conveniently between church and my Max stop.

Until this month North Portland had two libraries: one located only a bit out of the way (North Portland Branch on Killingsworth) and one located fairly far away (St. John’s Branch.) But this week, North Portland gets a new library located right in my neighborhood. One could say that it was located around the corner from me, depending on how you draw your corners.

So today, during the week of the Kenton Library‘s opening, I changed “my” library from Central to Kenton. It was both a sad and happy moment.

It’s not many days until the brand new Kenton branch library near my house opens. I can’t tell you how excited I am. There are not words. The books are so tantalizingly close.