In My Mailbox #1

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren in 2008.

This is my first In My Mailbox post of, I am sure, many to come.  If you get me in Goodwill it's impossible for me to NOT walk out with at least one book.  This time the winning number was four.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: I haven't read it yet and I'm always on the look out for classics I don't yet own. It's going on the shelf to be read at later date.
The Hallowed Hunt by Lois McMaster Bujold:  Bujold is one of my favorite fantasy authors. Her Sharing Knife Series is one I hold near and dear to my heart so I had to grab it!
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood: I have yet to read Margaret Atwood, and I recently put her name in my head for when I'm looking in thrift stores - this was my first find.
Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon: I am going to read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay this year, and thought I'd add another of his books to my collection. Plus there is a map in it!

On the Map by Simon Garfield

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In his latest bit of non-fiction New York Times Bestseller Just My Type author Simon Garfield turns to the world of cartography with On the Map.  I love maps. I love the places that they describe, the history they hold, all of it.  I haven't read a book with a map on the beginning pages that I didn't like so a book featuring maps ever few pages should easily exceed my theory's expectations, right?

The early chapters of this novel were absolutely fascinating.  Garfield explores the  history of maps with humor and ease. His chapters on the Mappa Mundi, the discovery of America, and Antarctica were by far my favorites and found I felt most engaged while reading the beginning of the book, which mostly covered the history of maps and, admittedly, was the aspect that drew me into reading it in the first place.  That being said, I was less impressed with the second half, detailing modern advancements in maps and at times featured quite a bit of info dumping.  There was a chapter on maps in movies, that was entertaining but not valuable or "mind-expanding", and an extremely boring section about the making of globes and the biggest map dealer in the world both of which I felt drug on forever.

On a whole, I enjoyed this book but I have one more bone to pick with Mr. Garfield concerning his decision to combine the stories of the Corps of Discovery with the grid mapping of Manhattan in one chapter. I was excited to read about the maps of Lewis and Clark's expedition and having their journey cut short as a precursor to the Manhattan mapping was kind of an "eh" moment for me, personally.

Other than that I think casual fans of maps who are interested in a broad history of cartography's origins will enjoy this book and find many of the anecdotal chapters to be insightful as well as the brief history of the digital map age to be an inspiring look into our mapping future! 3/5 stars

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

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After scanning through several reviews* I observed a running theme with statements from readers of Me Before You: "this is not a romance, this isn't chick lit, the valentine's-esque cover of the book is a false alarm," etc. All of which were high praises in this context and peaked my interest.  So after being on the fence, I was sufficiently left with the desire to actually read it. I still didn't know a. what the story was actually about. b. how impacting said story would be.

When the owner of local coffee shop, The Buttered Bun, decides to close up shop Louisa Clark's previously play-it-safe lifestyle is left in the balance.  So begins her hunt for a new job and an incredible journey for Lou, her new employer and the reader.

That's all I can say about the plot. Sharing any more would ruin this suspenseful,  thought-provoking, tearjerker of a heartfelt novel. Well, it would have for me if I'd known any more of this storyline's path anyway. Moyes covers a lot of ground in this novel.  Her characters, physical and emotional, flaws are melancholy yet inspiring.  She elegantly delves into a topic riddled with controversy, allowing the reader to truly examine both seemingly hopeless options at hand.  Dramatic, but without Hollywood glamour, this novel is a challenging story that will make you question your moral understanding of life. As other reviewers have previously nailed on the head, this is not a romance. But it is a story about love and the human spirit.  5/5 stars

*My potential reading choices are chosen by a quick, decisive process that I've honed to a science over the years. I skim and glaze over book jackets, reviews, and advanced praise to gather just enough info to decide if I'm interested in a book or not... If I know too much about the plot I'm immediately deterred to read it, so less is more when it comes to my enjoyment of a book.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

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This is the first Vonnegut novel I’ve read. Originally published in 1969, Slaughterhouse-Five depicts a jumbled account of Billy Pilgrim’s life and the devastating firebombing of Dresden during WWII. You follow Billy through time and space as he encounters the best, and worst of life in a truly great modern classic.

Vonnegut’s writing style is simple, to the point, and oh-so rich. Billy’s story, aside from thoroughly entertaining me, left my mind swirling. Many speak of this novel as being on of the best pieces of anti-war literature - if not the best representation of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome - but beyond the well delivered anti-war statement I was more impressed by Vonnegut’s insightful observations of life’s moments. Billy learns from the Tralfamadorians that this moment has already, and always, will be happening. That’s what I think will stick with me the longest. Great themes, characters, and ending. So it goes. 4/5 stars

Tag: The Book Collection

I wasn't actually tagged to do this but thegirlandherbooks recommended anyone doing it so I thought, "Why not!" The tag was created by booksforeverafter.

1. How many books do you own?
After counting the books visible on my shelves I got 262... but that does not include the numerous storage boxes and other crafty places I have squirreled books away in... to be on the safe side I'd double that number for 524.

2. How long has it taken to accumulate your collection?
Since I first started buying Baby-Sitter Club books for 50 cents in the bargain basement of my library. So about nine years.

3. How often do you buy books?
Whenever I see fit. I'm trying to be good right now and skip buying brand new, but get me near a thrift store and I'm bound to come out with a title or two.

4. What is the first book you remember buying?
Bookfairs in elementary school are great memories for me, I specifically remember getting Peter and the Star Catchers, I was so excited about it. And then I never read it. I was more in it for boasting the page count to friends at the time.

5. How do you arrange your books?
On my main bookcase I have series together, two shelves of classics, young adult pretty much on one shelf, hard cover fiction on another, big non-fiction/coffee table type books on the bottom with text books.. and then I have a bookshelf for just paperback fiction. ( Under my bed has become a mess of books as well and are not organized what so ever.)

6. What was the last book you purchased?
I just got The Fossil Hunter by Shelley Emling in the mail from Abebooks.com (Which by the way is my favorite online bookseller outside Amazon- ALWAYS check with them, same price or better than Amazon in a lot of cases)

5. What is the longest book you own?
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo with 1,462 pages

7. What is the shortest book you own?
Great American Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe with 79 pages.

The Turtle-Girl from East Pukapuka by Cole Alpaugh

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Judge a book by its cover and The Girl From East Pukapuka is what I randomly decide is worth checking out from the New Fiction section at the library. Dr. Dolittle meets Lost? Heck yes!

When a tsumani hits the small island of East Pukapuka’s shore it simultaneously tips the first domino in a hilarious, off-beat chain of events. The sole-survivor of the natural disaster is 10-year-old, Butter, who finds safety on the back of a sea turtle until a salvage boat appears. Halfway around the world Dante Wheeler is involved in a near death ski accident which results in a sudden fascination with island life.

This is one of the strangest novels I’ve ever read. Unfortunately, the prose was a little lack-luster at times, I found the repetitive descriptions to be a drag, and occasionally after re-reading numerous sentences came to the conclusion that they just didn’t read right. Editorial issues aside, the cast of quirky characters and zany villains in Alpaugh’s second novel take you on quite the bizarre adventure at sea. The story ended up being much more warped than I ever anticipated but the crazy circumstances worked well enough. I got the biggest kick out of the Dumb and Dumber like pirate duo who’s idiotic plans kept me reading through to the end.

A flawed, but entertaining read, I was ultimately okay with just being along for a funny twist-of-fate journey. 3/5 stars.

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

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I’ve been meaning to read this since last year, so with little knowledge of the plot outside the obvious title info, I decided to make The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared my first listen through my Audible subscription.

Writing up a gist for this novel is hard to do when the title spells it out so plainly, but I’ll give it a go! Allan Karlsson, sick and tired of director Alice and her strict policies on meal times -which include the absence of Karlsson’s favorite alcoholic beverage - finds himself compelled to escape the nursing home minutes before his 100th birthday party is about to commence. What happens after is an outrageously timed story of humorous coincidence and crazy luck. But even more interesting are the jaw-dropping events that lead up to Karlsson’s latest adventure.

This story totally deserves the international bestseller title. With infectious characters and delightful dark humor Jonasson has brought a very unique telling of some of modern history’s darkest moments to the table. Karlsson’s a protagonist you can really stand behind, his ever-constant jovial perspective on life seeps into your head as you read - reading just a chapter easily turned a few of my own sour moods around! Through lies, deceit, and unbelievable outcomes of some of the stickiest situations imagined it’s odd that friendship, however short-lived on occasion, abounds in this story. Its appearance brought this hilarious tale, down-to-earth and let the best of human nature shine.

I don’t think I’d have enjoyed this book as much as I did if it weren’t for my digesting it in an audio form. The narrator did a marvelous job and the story unfolded so perfectly, it just felt like a story that needed to be read aloud. Highly entertaining and laugh-out loud funny. 4 out of 5 stars!

Awake by Dorianne Laux

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A few weeks ago my dad was listening to Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac and he heard a poem by Dorianne Laux . After looking her up, I checked out her first collection of poetry, Awake, at the library.

I don’t often read modern poets, or classic poetry, to be honest. But reading more like Laux’s wouldn’t be be bad. It’s dark at times, I’ve heard her more recent poetry is on the lighter side, but her first poems are deeply personal and very much alive.

On the Back Porch was my favorite from the collection, funnily enough, it was also the one my dad heard on NPR… it perfectly showcased my love for simplicity in life, in this part especially:

I want to smell this rich soup, the air
around me going dark, as stars press
their simple shapes into the sky.
I want to stay on the back porch
while the world tilts
toward sleep, until what I love
misses me, and calls me in.

While I’d rather not read about the heavier topics in this collection, what was shared was chilling and well written. I’ll definitely be checking out more of her work in the future. 4/5 stars

The Reeducation of Cherry Truong by Amiee Phan

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On one of my many interweb travels for book recommendations this book caught my eye, I hadn’t read anything highlighting Vietnamese heritage and I thought I’d give it a go.

Spanning three generations, The Reeducation of Cherry Truong depicts one Vietnamese family’s escape from their homeland to seek a better life. Through letters and altering points of view - mainly focused on the women of the family, Phan slowly uncovers to the reader the many hardships of each family member in this family drama of lies and deceit.

Slow to start, I found this book to be very difficult to get immersed in. I was interested to see where the paths of this family went, from Vietnam to Malaysia and later France and America. The circumstances resulted in many characters’ unhappiness but I can’t help but feel like the abrupt, and choppy writing style added to my icky mood while reading. The overall tone of the novel was very stoic. Normally, I am a huge fan of multi-point of view stories, but here I felt the bouncing around didn’t bounce fast enough. Cherry, who in the title appears to be the main character, was overshadowed by her mean-spirited, elder relatives. I even debated putting it down but I’d already invested a week in the book so I managed to stick through to the end. The last quarter peaked my interest, but just as I was getting invested in the present day story-line  and finally learning more about Cherry as a character, the novel was coming to an end. Overall, disappointed. :( 2/5 stars.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

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Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? isn’t the kind of book I like to review, but love to read. If I were to be super-critical, I’d give this read a two out of five stars for the overall quick-fluffy-celebrity-weekend read feel you get. But I’m not going for super-critical in this review. Entertainment levels were high while I read; from page sixteen where a reference to Heathers, one of my all time favorite dark comedies, was made onward I was lost to fangirling for two days straight about everything this comedic woman stands for.

Kaling comes off as a genuine and (relatively) down-to-earth person. Her humorous writing and observations had me obnoxiously laughing out loud a few times, which is rare when I’m reading. Learning more about her role as writer, producer, etc. on The Office was awesome as was discovering we share a fear of bikes and athletics. (This is why I watch Netflix and read books.) The essay/list format of this book might be interpreted as sneaky way to up the page count with little significant content, but whatever! I personally love it and think that if you’re reading this, your goal was not to glean the meaning of the universe but to have fun and geek out to Kaling’s humble upcoming to a mega talent in the comedic world.

Kaling is funny, like really funny, and for that she gets me as one of her devoted, adoring fans, and 4/5 stars.

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

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My reading goal/resolution most years is simple: to read – hopefully more than I did the year before, but not to badger myself if it doesn’t happen. This year, I’ve given myself more of a focus, that being to concentrate on classic literature. I just finished reading A Moveable Feast as a part of that resolution and it’s the first book by Hemingway I’ve read (I want to read The Sun Also Rises this year too.)

I actually read The Paris Wife far in advance to picking up this book – wrong or right it made my venture interesting none-the-less and it was fun to relive the imagined perspective of Hadley while reading the real thing. Feast highlights Hemingway’s formidable years as a struggling writer in Paris; the memories of what he ate and drank, life with his first wife and son, and the infamous writers he came to know. I’ve been fascinated with The City of Lights from a young age, and by fascinated I mean that phase where everything with the Eiffel stamped on it was gorgeous. That phase is (thankfully!) over and I can truly appreciate experiencing Hemingway’s Paris of the 1920s through his brilliantly stripped writing-style; which was surprisingly rich.

I hate to dissect the books I read. I either enjoy them for their story or I don’t, contemplating their double and deeper meanings like in a classroom is unbearable for me. This is especially true with classics. Being fully immersed in a time and place I’ll never be able to experience firsthand, was wonderful. Reading about the food and drinks Hemingway enjoyed made my mouth water. Obtaining small, but poignant, glimpses into the lives of the artists who those Gertrude Stein thought of as a lost generation was inspiring.

Adding to my personal pleasure is the knowledge that I live in the area that was once Hemingway’s summer playground, and have walked along the banks where such a prolific writer once fished… it’s magical. 5/5 stars

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

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I first took notice of Dodie Smith’s 1948 classic, I Capture the Castle, because of a post on Rookie which actually recommended the movie version of the novel. (I planned to watch it right after I finished reading the book but Netflix Instant decided that wasn’t going to happen - I’ll let you know how I like it when I eventually get my hands on it.)

Anyway, I’ve had the book title logged away in my totally useless filing system that is my brain since April of last year - and even then it took a second glance at the familiar cover in the book section at Goodwill to realize what I’d stumbled across!

Cassandra Mortmain and her family have seen better days financially. Her father, a notable author, hasn’t published anything in years leaving them to sell most all their belongings at the castle in which they have a 40 year lease. Cassandra takes solstice in keeping a journal, capturing much of the bleak state of their lives until she begins detailing the event that spurs an unforgettable coming of age adventure: American brothers Simon and Neil Cotton arrive to take up their family’s estate. What unfolds is an often times comical and romantic drama that truly won over my heart in mere minutes of picking it up.

Dodie Smith does a marvelous job transporting you to the ruins of a castle on the English country side in the 1930s. Overall, the novel is charming and insightful; I found numerous of the remarks made to remain current, although being written over 60 years ago. The story is perfectly lovely, because reading it made me want to say things like “perfectly lovely” and stare off into space and just *feel* the things happening around me. The misty-romantic-air about Cassandra’s witty humor and observations swiftly carried me away and as I finished the book this morning I felt as though I was waking from a dream that was terribly difficult to let end.

I’m so glad I made this my first book of 2013, it’ll stand out in my memory all year (and for more to come, I’m sure!) for its heartfelt story, quirky characters and whimsical enigma, but most of all for Cassandra’s Anne-Shirley-like quality that makes me want to shout out with glee for one can not under-appreciate another (equally as enchanting) kindred spirit! 5/5 stars!