'The most important part of a story is the piece you don't know'

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Kingsolver is a fantastic author and her latest book, The Lacuna, is no exception. Written as a piecemeal recovered diary and a series of letters, the book centers around a shy author and his journeys between Mexico and the US in the 30s-50s. Kingsolver must have spent years researching this book and it was time well spent. The main character, Harrison Shepherd, engages us with his experience as a plaster boy turned cook in the homes of famous communists Diego Rivera, Frida, and Trotsky in the 30s and 40s. Shepherd is a bit in awe of his employers, but as their cook he runs their day-to-day lives and becomes fast friends with them as people, not simply icons. The famous Frida is allowed to shine and keep her scars. Shepherd is certainly a man without a country and while his own books begin to open the minds of readers, he is quickly accused by J. Edgar Hoover of communism. The tone of the story and the 'Red Scare' politics become a mirror into our own lives. The Lacuna wasn't a fast read, but it was very interesting reading about communism from such an interesting perspective as Mexico. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!

Announcing our new hero, Barbie...

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Stephen King has gone back to a small town in Maine in his latest tome, Under the Dome. The lives of this small country town vastly change when a (glass?) dome shoots up from the ground. The physical technicalities of the dome are intriguing - air can be exchanged, but pretty much nothing else. The town is run by your basic corrupt politician, Big Jim Rennie, that sees it as his duty (we all support the team) to lead the town out of the crisis. Enter our hero, a young ex-military cook (not chef) from out-of-town, Barbie (Dale Barbara). Under the Dome has everything a good King follower will enjoy - a situational thriller, the cunning children, the offbeat hero, the strong leading females, and a slew of bad guys you just want to see crushed if you didn't feel so bad for them (okay, I still wanted to crush them). King's novels often have a literary edge and the message he has about society is clear - we're stuck on this bubble planet earth and maybe we just be a bit nicer to one another if we want to survive. There was even a bit of an environmental kicker involved, but I don't want to spoil the ending. This novel isn't filled with supernatural elements (I know some readers have problems with suspension of disbelief) so even if you're not a die-hard King fan like me, I'd still recommend Under the Dome. It's an exploration of what happens to society under pressure and that should be interesting to all of us in the modern world.

Keep on truckin'...

Volkswagon Blues by Jacques Poulin

Volkswagon Blues is a francophone version of an updated On the Road and I found the story itself a bit lacking in character. The tale follows a man and woman (La Grande Sauterelle) across the Canadian and US landscape to San Francisco in search of the man's possibly criminal brother Théo. The book describes some of the French and Native American history along the way. The historical aspect of the book was quite interesting, but the personal story - the awkward almost dysfunctional relationship between the man and woman and their search for long lost family - was more than a little far fetched. The writing style, while attempting to be mysterious, made the characters one dimensional, distant, and cold. I won't give away the ending, but it was a bit of a disappointment. The story of North American history was interesting, but the dialogue and focus of the novel simply wasn't enough to hold my interest. If you like to read good travel stories I would recommend On the Road (J. Kerouac), The Stand (for a horror slant, S. King), the poetry of Allen Ginsberg (especially Sunflower Sutra), and music by Bob Dylan or Woody Gutherie.

Neither rain nor snow...

Post Office by Charles Bukowski

Until now, I was a Bukowski virgin. Well, no longer. I've been introduced to the world of Henry Chinaski. Post Office was written in 1971, but it's still relevant today. Chinaski is a functional alcoholic living in LA and working in the dead end world of post office employee. Henry starts as a carrier, but winds up a mail sorter. He spends all of his time drinking, hooking up with women, and betting at the racetrack. While at times Chinaski is a bit depressing, the style of the prose is simply elegant and the story carried me along. When the journey is over you're not sure where you've been or where you're heading, but it was one good ride getting there, a bit Vonnegut. Bukowski is also reminiscent of Richard Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America or Watermelon Sugar. I'm already eager to read more Bukowski.

Chew, chewy, chew

The Gum Thief

by Douglas Coupland

With The Gum Thief, Coupland has written a great story about middle age and our insignificance. At times it had me close to tears and other times I was getting funny looks on the plane for laughing aloud. The setting is a Staples store and the story focuses on a middle-aged man, Roger, stuck stacking reams of paper and a young girl Bethany fresh out of high school with just enough leftover Goth in her system. The two become unlikely friends by corresponding through a diary that Roger accidently leaves in the break room. Coupland spends some of the story focused on a novel that Roger is writing and he pulls off the 'novel-about-a-novel' quite well. The writing style with each section from a different perspective takes some getting used to, but it's well worth the endurance. While The Gum Thief is on the surface a 'day in the life' book, it's more a philosophical glimpse of middle age. For someone in the middle of their thirties, it was a nice examination of the possible futures of all of us.

The perfect snore........

Perfecting by Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer

This imperfect third book by Kuitenbrouwer borders between simply boring and nauseating. The novel focuses on Martha, an escapee from 'The Family', a cult in Ontario. She leaves because she found a weapon in the room of her leader Curtis and travels to New Mexico to figure out his long lost past. Instead of a racy detective novel, the story focuses on the religion of all the characters and winds up being a huge bore. Perfecting sounded very interesting, but instead of opening my mind, only assisted me in getting some much needed sleep. It's not the worst short novel I've ever read, but it's certainly close to the top of the list. My recommendation - SKIP THIS BOOK! If you're interested in exploring the inner struggle of humanity I would try reading The Stranger (A. Camus), Jonathan Livingston Seagull (R. Bach), or even Gerald's Game (S. King) instead.

Dance Kathryn!

Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver

I'm the first to admit it - I'm a Deaver junkie. I think I've read most, if not all, of his books. While Roadside Crosses was a good book in general, it was by far not his best work. Kathryn Dance is Deaver's latest leading lady. She studies body language and reminds me a bit of Thomas Jane (The Mentalist). Interestingly, she also works for California Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Hmmmmm. Regardless, Roadside Crosses was a big page turner. It takes place right after the last Dance book, The Sleeping Doll, and I had trouble remembering all of the details from the previous case. In the current case Kathryn is chasing a computer wiz that she suspects is a young boy obsessed with MMPORPGs. Dance gets some help from Prof Jonathan Boling. I think Deaver wrote the book in part to bring attention to all of the online world politics and gain some respect from a new group of readers. He centers the interrogation around the blogger, James Chilton. Some of the twists and plot devices fall a bit flat and often the political messages are anything, but subtle. Even Kathryn seems a bit too liberal for a CBI agent at times. I don't disagree in the least with Dance's opinions about Chilton's right to blog, but I don't think Dance as a CBI agent would be quite so liberal. Overall, it was still a fun ride, but the plot was more contrived and I saw the classic 'Deaver twist' too far ahead. I'm still enjoying Dance though and I hope he sticks with her.

A Bowl with Little Punch

Devil's Punchbowl By Greg Isles

Isles has pulled out another book staring his beloved character, Penn Cage. The is set (again) in the small town of Natchez, Mississippi (*sigh*). At the end of the previous book (Third Degree) Penn had decided to become mayor, beating out the local prosecutor Shad Johnson, and he's split with his exotic (if only because she is pale with black hair) girlfriend Caitlin. In the latest of the saga, an old high school friend that's seen some rough times, Tim Jessup, leaks some intel about prostitution and dog fighting that is arranged by the owners of the local casino boat. Jessup quickly winds up dead and the race for proof or at least some old-fashioned southern justice begins. The normal foes are involved including: some Irish thugs that are unbeatable, ruthless, and outwit everyone; an Chinese businessman Edward Po that can't be caught due to his offshore location; and an unsavory, self-serving FBI agent. While Isles keeps me turning the pages, I can't help but recognize his plot devises and become a bit disappointed when the story (and the conclusion and clinch to the next book) is so formulaic. Isles is certainly more of a guilty pleasure in wasting time (especially when I'm serious about procrastination) than a thought-provoking page turner. While I always think I'm going to stay away from the next book, I'm sure to wind up in Natchez again!

Literally, The Bible....and it's a book!

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible By A. J. Jacobs

Jacobs has written an interesting and hilarious book from any viewpoint: left, right, up, or down. The narrative follows Jacobs on his unique spiritual quest - to spend one year living as 'biblically' as possible. By it's description alone, you may avoid this book (if you're like me - not a bible reader) simply because you expect it to be 'preachy' and fundamentalist, but you would be seriously missing out. I'm a biologist by nature and a shoe-in for being one of Jacobs' self-proclaimed 'fellow Agnostics'. This book explores all of the Bible, not just the convenient parts or the parts that 'apply to life in the modern world' but all of the Bible. Jacobs herds sheep, offers to wash peoples' feet, and carries his own chair around NYC to avoid touching anything impure. He explores the fundamentalism and all of its caveats. In America, he visits a creationist museum - a place that makes even the least open-minded feeling a bit nauseous. Jacobs also goes to Falwell's church, picnics with a snake handler, dances with Hasidic Jews, and witnesses a live chicken sacrifice. Through all of these adventures he tries to ditch his natural skepticism and go with what feels natural to him. The most intriguing chapters of the book are the ones he spends analyzing his own feelings and discovering where he is most comfortable in the vast gradient of Christianity. He finds the creation story a bit far-fetched, but he does begin to really enjoy praying and celebrating the Sabbath by turning off the computer and the TV.

I have to admit I was a little disappointed that Jacobs didn't spend more time looking at the New Testament, but he does admit to being Jewish by birth and that makes it more understandable. While Jacobs didn't seem to explore religion in his youth and his family is secular, it seems that some of his Jewish history did rub off on him.

Overall, it was an interesting book - a good look at what Christian is about and a virtual primer for the Bible in ALL of its interesting pieces. In the end Jacobs realizes that all religion is to some degree 'Cafeteria-style' and no group of people follow all of the rules and that is perfectly okay. For a non-Christian like me, this book was a bit enlightening, even though it didn't change my mind - I still think I'm a bit more Buddhist than anything else.

Ivan the Sad

The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy

This book was an incredible story of a man grappling with his own death - up close and personally. Ivan is your average middle income husband with two children working for the Ministry of Justice. He slips one day while hanging drapes in his new home and comes down with a mysterious illness that slowly and painfully kills him. I know what you're thinking - depressing! Well, it was depressing, but it was also an interesting look at death. The book itself is really short (106 pages) and I can't help, but think that it's a lure to try to get the common people to delve into Tolstoy's longer books, Anna Karenina or War and Peace (each over 800 pages). The Death of Ivan Ilyich deals mostly with the often messy and secular aspects of death. Ivan spends many hours contemplating "What is it all for?", "Why is this happening to me?" and pondering what he has done to deserve such an end, as if death can be avoided if we only live more 'correctly.' Reading this short story made me feel very lucky to be alive and not in Ivan's serious pain. It also made scrutinize the family and friends with which I have surrounded myself. I don't believe that anyone I love would treat me as poorly as Ivan's family treated him. He had a run-of-the-mill marriage and while I believe his wife and children did love him they keep the lie alive and refuse to discuss his death. Ivan winds up mostly alone, with only his servant, Grissom to take care of him and his young son to pity him and feel his loss. With all of his anguish, at the end of the story Ivan does see a light and one has to wonder - what is this light he sees and what does this say of Tolstoy's own vision of death?

Dashing, no Dashiell

The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett

The Thin Man is a famous series of movies staring William Powell and Myrna Loy from 1934 that my husband and I really enjoy so we decided to try reading the book. Wow! Was I ever shocked. This story was fantastic. There were lots of twists and turns in the plot (not all presented in the movie) and a complicated cast of people. In the book, Nick and Nora have a love that continues to defy conventional boundaries. Nora is an amazing strong woman that enjoys watching her husband work and can match him drink for drink. Nick is a classic hardboiled detective that has retired only to be drug back in while 'back east' with his new wife Nora. The focus of the story remains on the case, but the relationship between Nick and Nora shines through. Instead of being mushy and corny, they each maintain strong independence and opinions. I can imagine this story was a bit risque in 1934 and it is rare that a relationship represented so convincingly even in modern literature. All said, this book has something for everyone, mystery, suspense, romance, and a little murder.

Me Tarzan, You Silly

Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan is an amazing fast-paced adventure story. I had little expectation for this short book by Burroughs. This was my first read of this author and I had no idea what kind of story I was in for. Tarzan's parents die in the jungles of Africa when they are abandoned by the ship captain following a mutiny. After Tarzan's parents die he is adopted by Kala, and ape that becomes his mother. The novel is filled with examples of social darwinism (Tarzan knows not to eat human flesh because of his 'English Lord' bloodline) and blatant racism of it's time (first published in 1912). While some of the classic phrases like, 'Me Tarzan, You Jane' are not in the book (Tarzan speaks only French and writes only English), the book is far superior to the 'Crocodile Dundee'-like plot of the campy movies. Tarzan is an interesting bridge to the past with a galloping plot and a twist ending - and if you're like me you can finish it in a single rainy afternoon!

Love in the time of Canada

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Garcia Marquez has told another amazing story with Love in the Time of Cholera. The story follows Fermina Daza and Florentino Ariza from a short-lived fling in their youth through a deeper love found when they are reunited in their 70s. Garcia Marquez tells a story similar to how his own parents met and his strong admiration for their relationship shines throughout the novel. He challenges us to understand, with a brave simplicity, a love that is strong enough to still burn strong after 51 years, nine months, four days, and 622 affairs. The marriage of Fermina Daza to Dr. Juvenal Urbino is so believable that I can recognize some of those potential arguments in my own married future. Fermina's devastating loss of Juvenal and later disgust with Florentino are written with a style that breaks down barriers between author and reader so that by the tie you finish the book you wish you could discuss the plot with the characters. While Garcia Marquez is often touted as 'the fabulous Columbian author', I would argue that his books are amazing not because of where he's from, but the solitude, love and heartache that he conveys with such emotion. His unique talent allows all of us to further understand what it means to be human.

Tough Guys screw around

Tough Guys Don't Dance by Norman Mailer

Well, I was a Norman Mailer virgin until now. The lead character, Tim Madden, fins himself in a sticky situation when he wakes up "on the 24th day after his wife Patty left him" to a car full of blood, a small pot farm with a head in a footlocker, and a call from the chief of police (now married to Tim's ex-girlfriend). Mailer creates robust characters in Tim and Chief Regency, the despicable drunk and the psycho cop. The tale is supposed to be an exploration of machoism and homosexuality, but I found it quite tame by today's standards. The plot, while claiming to be fast-paced mystery, is more about Tim's awkward worship of his tough guy father than the murder mystery. The climax comes too late and is so muddled (described by Wardley Meeks III and Captain Regency) that I wound up reading it twice just to be sure I had really understood the resolution. While Mailer's writing is well worth plodding through the book and he broaches some interesting topics, I won't be diving into the huge tomb, Executioner's Song, anytime soon.

I dedicate this post to one of my favorite tough guy movie characters, Patrick Swayze as Dalton in the movie Roadhouse. Swayze was great in this classic 80s flick. Just try to flip past it when it's on TV - I bet you'll wind up sucked in once again. I hope you're doing well Swayze.

These Violet Eyes are smiling...

Through Violet Eyes by Stephen Woodworth

Woodworth paints an interesting picture in this race-to-the-finish novel.  The main character, Dan, is a typical divorced detective that lost his family because of his inner struggle with shooting the wrong guy on the job. In this book he's trying to find out who's killing 'the Violets', a group of unrelated people used by the government to witness murders because of their ability to channel the dead.  The reality built by Woodworth is hokey and 'the Violets' seem a bit too much like a gimmick at more than a few points in the story, but the plot keeps you turning the pages all the way to the unexpected ending.  While in retrospect the premise of the novel was a bit silly and the world Woodworth creates is hardly Star Wars quality, it was a fun book and it kept my mind occupied while pedaling away on our new stationary bike!  If you like action and need a break from a longwinded classic, this story will certainly provide some much needed procrastination and entertainment.

Here, There, Neverwhere

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman introduces a whole new context for the term 'London Underground' with his book Neverwhere.  The story is set in the tunnels and sewers below the London.  The book opens with Richard, a lawyer just beginning to make his mark, finding a scared and battered girl, Door, on the street.  Instead of ignoring the girl (much to the disdain of his girlfriend Jessica) he takes her home and eases her back to health with the help of characters from the underground.  Unfortunately after the incident he is no longer visible to the people of 'London Above'.  He joins a quest with Door, her friend des Cabras, and their bodyguard Hunter to find her parents' murder in hopes of going home to his reality.  The entire story was well written and fast paced.  We see growth in all of the characters, but a larger change is seen in Richard.  A common man with little passion for his life and scared of everything becomes a warrior.  One of the best scenes in the story involves Richard confronting himself to discover who he is and what reality he is living in.  Richard winds up talking to himself and one of the details like - he hears his friend Gary (that is really him) talking to him with the voice that is his own, and not the voice from answering machines, video cameras, or other electronic devices - the voice of what he sounds like inside his head, not outside.  This is a fantastic detail that everyone can relate to.  How many times have we heard ourselves recorded only to wonder - do I really sound like that?

One can't help wonder with this attention to London's homeless and poverty stricken, is Gaiman trying to push a more important agenda with this novel?  The story is fantastic on it's own, but it seems to have an obvious message to us of the 'London Above' world.  Maybe we should stop ignoring these people's voices in the streets and subways.  Maybe they have something interesting to tell us. What are you're ideas?

Below Hell?

South of Hell by PJ Parrish

PJ Parrish, a sister writing team, has released a new Louis Kincaid novel.  While I am a big fan of authors like Jeffery Deaver and Stephan King, I wa a Louis Kincaid virgin.  The book is about a tortured PI (Kincaid) and his female detective lover (Joe) trying to solve a cold case.  The story starts in Florida and quickly moves to Hell, Michigan where a local detective (Jake Shockey) is trying to get some closure over a 'cold case' by any means necessary.  Wrapped up in the story is a little girl (Amy), her violent father (Owen Brandt), and a possible murder (Jean Brandt). Kincaid and Joe are a good duo with lots of internal tension and I can tell from the story I'll want to go back and read some of the previous books, but the other characters don't show the same 3 dimensionality.  Owen seems a bit overly violent and Amy is a bit too strong-willed to be realistic, but it was fast paced and an easy read (good weekend/beach fiction).  I enjoyed Louis Kincaid, but throughout the story I didn't expect the he was only 29 years old.  The book goes off the beaten track into the land of regressed memories, but doesn't completely venture into the paranormal, keeping us skeptics along for the ride.

Plot: 3 stars; Character development: 2 stars; Overall: 2.5 stars

Ripperologists Rejoice

From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell

From Hell is a mish-mash of fact and fiction graphic novel about Jack the Ripper.  I'm not an Alan Moore virgin and have recently enjoyed The Watchmen and V for Vendetta (graphic novels more than the movies).  The story is very interesting especially if you're a conspiracy theorist and like convoluted plots with a large range of multi-dimensional characters.  This is pretty typical of Alan Moore's writing.  There are often small side plots or twists in the story and learning the identity of Jack the Ripper isn't given up at the start or really the plot of the story.  The characters are never flat and the pace of the story keeps you turning the pages. For all of you avid comic book readers it probably won't take you more than a weekend to finish.  The vast appendices outline in detail the fact and fiction of the story and based mainly on Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution by Stephen Knight and Theo Ackland's biography of Sir William Gull.  In addition, Moore adds a bit about his own becoming as a Ripperologist in a short chapter entitled Chasing the Gulls (Appendix II).

As for Campbell's work; I am less familiar.  The comic is drawn in a dark style that reminds me of Bruce Timm's Batman the Animated Series and Batman Beyond.  The panels are carefully constructed and many of the quotes in the comic are factual conversations. The characters are difficult to differentiate in the first few chapters (especially the vast number of women illustrated), but as you continue to read you start to notice the subtle nuances between people and they become easily identifiable.

Overall, this graphic novel is highly recommended.  The storytelling of Alan Moore has yet to disappoint me and he always chooses the best artists for the story.  The movie was good in it's own right, but it's only reminiscent of this work.

Plot: 3.5 stars; Character development: 3 stars; Artwork: 3 stars; Overall: 3.24 stars

Run, Rabbit, Run

Rabbit, Run by John Updike

Rabbit Run is a novel from 1960 about a 'common man' living in suburban PA.  This is my first Updike book and I have a mixed review.  The author has a poetic style of prose and the story is wonderfully illustrated with words.  The story starts with our main character, Rabbit, a suburban father and husband, on the run from a life of responsibility.  The story follows Rabbit through his feelings of doubt and 'live for the day' divulgences while feeling trapped in the suburbs with his wife and family (including in-laws).  He's almost a guilty Dean Moriarty that can't decide whether to hitch a ride west in a boxcar or settle down with the wife and kids for a mundane life without meaning. I had a hard time sympathizing with Rabbit and it made the book difficult to read, to the point I'm not sure I want to read the sequels (next up - Rabbit Redux).  I would probably sympathize with his wife or mistress, but they have their own smattering of faults.  Rabbits wife, Janice, comes off as a nag and his mistress, Ruth, knows what she is getting into from the start.  Updike develops the characters more than the plot.  The entire cast has me teetering between sympathy and disgust throughout the book while the writing propels me to read the sequel.  As a self-proclaimed (or admitted?) feminist, the context of 1950s small town America through Updike's 1960s eyes is disturbingly chauvinist.  Rabbit is constantly forgiven for even the most reprehensible behavior while his wife is expected to harbor blame (even from her mother) for their failing marriage. 

Plot: 2.5 stars; Character development: 4 stars; Overall: 3 stars

Our Hero - Mr. Decimal

Welcome to my personal card catalog.  I can never seem to get my hands on enough books. I read, I read, and I read some more. Journal articles, graphic novels, fiction, short stories, comic books, poetry, non-fiction, the cereal box...I can't seem to get enough and I can't seem to remember everything I've read. To keep better track of my books (and m opinions) I've decided to start blogging about them.  I promise to write something about all of the books I read - the good, the horrible, and the boring.  I'll write about famous classics, comic books, good beach books, quick mysteries, quirky novels, etc.  Anything I come across I'll talk about (minus the journal articles and cereal boxes - only I find those interesting!).  So welcome to The Avid Reader's Card Catalog and feel free to comment!