Musing Monday (11/10)

If you keep your books, where do you keep them? And, if you give them away, who do you give them to? Do you participate in Bookcrossing, BookMooch, PaperbackSwap, or the like? Do you give your old books to family & friends, or donate them? Are any of your books in storage due to not having enough space for them all? Or, are you one of the lucky ones who has their own “library”? Feel free to share pictures, if you have them!

Unfortunately, they're all over our house: dining room, bedroom, hallway, utility room/office, and there's still some in Morgann's room (that aren't hers). I couldn't bring myself to put them in the attic, nor in garage storage. The heat would have destroyed them.

I still belong to Bookcrossing, and I've resumed going to MeetUps, but my days of trading are over for now.

I've passed several on to friends, my my family doesn't really have the same tastes as I do.

I think I have all of my books out of storage, but it's possible there's a box buried under other things.

A big part of my future office space will be for the library, but that building is several years out.

The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog, by Elizabeth Peters

Quotes:
"The aim of literature is to improve the understanding, not provide idle entertainment." (Amelia)

[to be continued, autosave seems to be on the blink]

Texas Book Festival 2008, Capitol grounds, Austin

I'll be bringing Morgann to her first book festival later on in the morning, but have a lot of planning (and dishes) to do now, so this is a relatively short first post of NaBloPoMo. Our chosen sessions start at 11, I have a few errands to do beforehand (including a 'scrip pickup), and I've no idea what sort of parking will remain by the time we arrive. I'll be packing as much food as possible for myself, so I won't be tempted to spend money on eating (I'll save it for fry bread at the Pow Wow later in the afternoon). Anyway, these are the sessions we hope to attend:

11-11:45 Reading the Classics This is not your father's list of classics. In the delightful essays in Classics for Pleasure, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Dirda introduces nearly 90 of the world’s most entertaining books. Writing with affection as well as authority, Dirda covers masterpieces of fantasy and science fiction, horror and adventure, as well as epics, history, essay, and children's literature. Organized thematically, these are works that have shaped our imaginations. Love's Mysteries moves from Sappho and Arthurian romance to Soren Kierkegaard and Georgette Heyer. In other categories Dirda discusses not only Dracula and Sherlock Holmes but also the Tao Te Ching and Icelandic sagas, Frederick Douglass, and Fowler’s Modern English Usage. Whether writing about Petronius or Perelman, Dirda makes literature come alive. Classics for Pleasure is a perfect companion for any reading group or lover of books.

OR

Jim Hightower National radio commentator, writer, and public speaker, Jim Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be – consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks. His book Swim Against the Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow tells the stories of mavericks who have broken free of the corporate tentacles, free of business-as-usual politics, free of top-down elites, revealing paths that regular folks can use to escape those rigid, hierarchical structures and discover a bit more satisfaction in life. As political columnist Molly Ivins said, "If Will Rogers and Mother Jones had a baby, Jim Hightower would be that rambunctious child – mad as hell, with a sense of humor."

[I'll have to see what sort of mood I'm in when we get there]

12-12:45 Mother on Fire: A True Story About Parenting Sandra Tsing Loh is the fiercest, funniest, and most incredibly honest and self-deprecating voice to emerge from the “mommy war” debates. In Mother on Fire: A True Motherf%#$@ Story About Parenting!, she fires away with her trademark hilarious satire of societal and personal irks large and small. Prompted by her own midlife crisis, Loh throws her frantic energy into the harrowing heart of contemporary, dysfunctional L.A. life. When she realizes she can’t afford private school for her daughter, her only alternative is her neighborhood’s public school where most of the kids qualify for free lunches and the academic quality is less than stellar. In a theater-of-the-absurd-style odyssey, Loh documents her “year of living dangerously” among pompous school admissions officials, lactose-intolerant, Prius-driving parents, mafia dons of public radio, vindictive bosses, and old friends with new money as she first kisses ass — then kicks it.

1-1:45 Slob-Proof: Real-Life Home Decorating Solutions Debbie Wiener presents her practical home-design book, Slob Proof! Real-Life Home Decorating Solutions, that offers realistic, attractive, and comfortable design solutions to families overrun by messy kids, muddy dogs, and sloppy spouses who make beige carpeting an endangered species. What these families (and even sloppy singles) need are reasonable, no-nonsense design choices that can withstand the wear and tear of real everyday life and still look great.

3-4 Memo to the President-Elect Whichever candidate wins the presidential election the Tuesday after the Festival weekend, he is going to inherit a raft of problems to solve – among them, the need to attempt to unify the country. The writers on this panel, some of the nation's most astute political observers, will offer their insights about the first steps our next president should be taking. David Patterson, senior editor at publisher Henry Holt & Co., moderates.

Authors: John Stauffer
Reihan Salam
Bob Moser
Ross Douthat

I still don't know if BookCrossing is going to have a presence like they did last year. I'll still bring books to release, and I'll grab a program to see if they're listed.

The Christmas Letters, by Lee Smith

A short little book that chronicles a family's history (covering 5 generations) through yearly holiday-time (news)letters. A long with the good times and bad, the author also shows the progression of technology, religious adherence, and societal expectations.

Far from being a perfect family, those portrayed here have very authentic problems, trials, and failings. Of course, we do not get to know the characters very deeply, as only so much reality can go into a Christmas letter. Many of the letters include a recipe; funny [because I am a real recipe hound], none of them were noteworthy enough for me to copy before I send this on. I'm guessing they are Very Southern in nature, and I've yet to really find that particular cuisine enjoyable. YMMV.

The Cider House Rules, by John Irving

Having read the book (long) after I'd seen the movie, I can see why Irving might have had good reason to not give his full authorization/blessing to the screenplay of Simon Birch (based partly on A Prayer for Owen Meany). The two versions of CHR are pretty disparate. I definitely preferred the book for its bigger scope, its better-developed characters, and the historical context of women's rights regarding pregnancy. My only caveat regards the extremely graphic nature of the abortion procedures. The squeamish reader may need to skim over these passages; they do, however, make a dramatic impact within the story, and, in my opinion, are very integral to it.

Many of the situations (regarding orphans and abortions) discussed in this book help make a very strong case for choice. With the precarious position this choice has in our country, even after so many years of safety, perhaps it is time for another wave of readers to get inspired by CHR, or perhaps one of the movie channels could air the movie (which doesn't do such a bad job of addressing the issue); I doubt any of the honchos of the broadcast networks would have the guts to show it.

Noteworthy quotes:

p. 10: "There was the human body, which was so clearly designed to want babies--and then there was the human mind, which was so confused about the matter. Sometimes the mind was so perverse that it made other people have babies they knew they didn't want. And when other minds thought they wanted babies but then couldn't (or wouldn't take care of them... well, what were these minds thinking?"

p. 93: "Adolescence, is it the first time in life we discover that we have something terrible to hide from those who love us?"

p. 96: "But if you love no one, and feel that no one loves you, there's no one with the power to sting you by pointing out to you that you're lying."

p. 339: "When you lie, it makes you feel in charge of your life... you feel as if you have cheated fate--you own, and everybody else's."

p. 397: " 'Every time you throw a snail off the dock, you're making someone start his whole life over.'
'Maybe I'm doing him a favor.' "
[I thought this quote was quite telling of Homer, as at this point, he still refused to perform abortions]

p. 569: "The thing about being in love, is that you can't force anyone. It's natural to want someone you love to do what you want, or what you think would be good for them, but you have to let everything happen to them. You can't interfere with people you love any more than you're supposed to interfere with people you don't even know. And that's hard... you want to be the one who makes the plans."

Books cited: Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Jane Eyre, Little Dorrit

Texas Book Festival, Capitol grounds, Austin

Events officially begin today, but this year I'm focusing more on the talks and treating this like a professional development weekend. This is my schedule for Saturday (all descriptions are from the festival web site):

10:00 - 11:00 Vintage/Anchor Books Presents: Writers on Reading [totebags and free books!]

Writers on Reading is a special event presented by Vintage/Anchor Books featuring Jane Hamilton and Valerie Martin. The event is not like a regular reading; it's an intimate seminar for readers interested in reading groups. Hamilton and Martin will talk about reading and writing, or more specifically what they personally read, how they decide what to read and how they write. Vintage/Anchor Books will be handing out special tote bags with complimentary new Vintage/Anchor paperbacks at the event. The session's moderator, Russell Perreault, is the director of publicity for Vintage and Anchor Books.

11:15 - 12:15 A Tribute to Molly Ivins

We pay tribute here to Molly Ivins, who died earlier this year and was one of the nation's most iconic political commentators and humorists. At this session, we'll hear from Lou Dubose, Ivins' frequent co-author (their new book is titled Bill of Wrongs: The Executive Branch's Assault on America's Fundamental Rights); humorist Roy Blount, Jr.; and noted documentary filmmaker Paul Stekler will screen never-before-seen footage of Ivins that appears in Remembering Molly Ivins, a short film he recently made.

Ivins' friend Ellen Sweets will also speak about Ivins - Sweets recently retired as a food writer with the Denver Post, but met Ivins shortly after moving to Dallas to become a reporter for the Dallas Morning News. Their friendship was built around an interest in progressive politics; French, Mexican, Italian, Greek, African, and Southern food; dinner parties, movies, lots of laughter and, of course, some sadness.

1:30 - 2:15 Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan's latest entry in his myth-tinged bestselling series Percy Jackson and the Olympians has been called "a winner of Olympic proportions"; the adventures of Percy and his array of often clashing pals have to find Annabeth (the daughter of Athena) as well as Artemis, not to mention deal with the all-consuming prophecy of the Oracle. Riordan will be giving the world premiere reading from the yet-to-be-released fourth entry in the Percy Jackson series at this event!

3:00 - 4:00 Lit Crit: The State of Book Criticism

The amount of editorial space (and broadcast time) devoted to coverage of books and writers - and cultural reporting and criticism in general - always seems to be under threat. It's understood that breaking news trumps arts coverage, but with the layoff earlier this year of the respected book editor from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the publishing industry reacted with more fear than usual about the declining coverage of books in mainstream media. What kinds of books are getting reviewed now? How is the book industry adapting to that coverage? Are informed and well-written reviews only showing up on blogs and boutique literary journals? These panelists, all insiders in the literary scene, will talk about what's at stake in current literary criticism and whether the scene is all gloom-and-doom.

I'll be posting Sunday's schedule and a very short wrap-up tomorrow. More detailed notes about the talks will follow in future posts starting on Monday.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention that BookCrossing will have a presence there for the first time! Here's the announcement from CEO Scott Sorochak:

"BookCrossing and Ghirardelli Chocolate are teaming up at the Austin, Texas Book Festival, November 3rd and 4th at the State Capital Building to promote reading and literacy awareness. With over 50,000 attendees and 1,400 authors expected to attend this exciting 2 day event, this is a bibliophile’s dream!

Please join BookCrossing and Ghirardelli’s “Savor Every Page” campaign and realize the simple pleasure of curling up with a good book and great chocolate. Ghirardelli reminds us, “Whether you’re losing yourself in the latest Amy Tan, indulging in the newest Mitch Albom, or reaching for that dog-eared Jane Austen that’s never far from your nightstand, this is the joy of reading--a pleasure as deep as indigo ink, and as rich as the finest chocolates ever made. At Ghirardelli, we’ve been crafting fine chocolates for the past 150 years--Chocolates that cater to all literary tastes. So if you’re ready to escape for a few hours in that novel you’ve been dying to read, indulge with Ghirardelli chocolate. It’s the perfect complement to your favorite page-turner. “

Of course, we are encouraging all BookCrossers in Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston and San Antonio to stop by the Ghirardelli tent this weekend at the Texas Book Festival for a complimentary chocolate sample and $1 off coupon for chocolate. Co-Founders Heather and Bruce Pedersen will be there to welcome you with free BookCrossing labels, bookmarks and other items. Drop by, say hello and help turn the Texas Book Festival into a BookCrossing zone!"

Well, I think that the pairing with Ghirardelli is fate tapping me on the shoulder... that is where my great-grandfather got his first job in America (nothing spectacular, I think he was a janitor or somesuch). Anyway, my family has a fondness for the place. If I'd prepared better, I would have gathered a stack of Texas-authored or -set books, or maybe some reading- or writing-themed books. I'll have to settle for what's in my regular Panera pile, and hope that my printer will behave itself/make the labels I need.

The latest book-crunching at Hearth Bookwoman

I'm going to Panera tonight for the BookCrossing meeting, and have (so far) registered 8 books (and hope to get through 7 more), and have pulled 3 others to release from my available shelf. So, if I can manage to get all of these distributed, that will be another month that I've cleared out 10+ books from my shelves. I never made it official, but I'm shooting for a goal of wild-releasing a minimum of 100 books this year; today's batch brings me to a grand total of 96. Maybe I should shoot for 200?

It looks as though I'm going to have a very hard time meeting my reading goal (100 books in 2007), even if I start filling time with books in the Chicken Soup series. I won't resort to counting Anthony's board books, I swear. I did manage to finish my "Canon" selection 3 whole days early.

Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck)=#35 for the year. It will be interesting to see if I'm the only one who thought that this was a pretty depressing story. If I can, I'll write up a review before I attend the discussion on Thursday.

In today's mail, I received a book I'd ordered last week: You Can Do It! The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls. For a buck, it was a great deal, and it's in fantastic shape. Not sure when I'll let myself dig into it, but I'm hoping it can provide some sort of framework within which I can work.

Giving Birth to Thunder, Sleeping With His Daughter: Coyote Builds North America, by Barry H. Lopez

Barry H. Lopez collected 68 tales from 42 tribes and adapted them for non-native readers in a way that the original oral stories and culture are respected and honored. Barry Toelken’s foreward reminds the reader that Native storytelling events have "...local taboos concerning when a story may be told, by whom, to whom, and under what circumstances.” Reading these stories makes me wish that I could hear them in person, but I accept that this would be something short of a miracle, mostly for these reasons: "...the storytelling was never simply a way to pass the time. Coyote stories detailed tribal origins, they emphasized a world view thought to be a correct one, and they dramatized the value of proper behavior. To participate in these stories by listening to them was to renew one’s sense of tribal identity.” Asking to participate in an endangered culture not my own would be wrong in many ways; Natives need to hold what little they have left, and I have to respect their wishes.

Lopez manages to give a glimpse of Native mythology without betraying the sacredness of their culture. The Trickster character is in some ways unique to North America, but is also universal enough for us to recognize and appreciate. It’s been quite a while since I practiced Western monotheism, and it was few years into my alternative spiritual path that I learned the concept of “spirituality of place” (helped along by de Lint’s Forests of the Heart, and reminded of it again with my last Lackey read). Since then, I’ve been more respectful of the spiritual energy with which I work.

Lopez’s assertion that Coyote embodies both good and evil is supported over and over again in these stories. This is similar to the way many other dieties operate within their pantheons.

Some of my favorites:
Coyote and Sandhill Crane (the ending made me laugh out loud)
Coyote and Beaver Exchange Wives (yep, you read that right…the hippies did not invent wife swapping)
Coyote Loses Some Blood (nuts beget nuts)
Whirlwind Woman (Coyote gets snubbed)
Coyote Visits the Land of the Dead (Coyote blows it for the rest of us)
Coyote Finishes His Work (not Revelations…)

Read this for the Once Upon a Time Challenge at http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/

My copy of this book is also registered at BookCrossing, so I’m glad to be able to kill 2 goals with one book.

[originally posted to 43Things and crossposted to BookCrossing 4/18/07]

Dog Bless America: Tails from the Road

I don't remember when I signed up to receive this book, but I'm sure I thought I would receive a simple novelty/cutesy/feel-good read. I definitely didn't expect to find inspiration in Selis's introduction: "...thank you for helping me find my ball," (the ball representing happiness, of course). This wasn't simply a photoshoot of the country's canines, Selis touched on the many areas in which dogs have become part of our culture: the Iditarod, church blessings of animals, police and service dogs, fox hunting, dog beaches and parks, and monuments.

Having the roaming urge myself, Selis's inclusion of his route made me consider which way I would traverse the country should I ever get the opportuity: West, then North, East, and South (does keeping things clockwise make it go smoother?)? Or would I have more fun with a wave pattern, say TX ->NM ->CO ->UT ->AZ, etc.? I don't know the nation's highway routes well, but I'm sure the latter would eat up many more miles/much more time. I'd have to save that trip for retirement.

This book also brought up memories of traveling with Persephone when we moved out here from California. The benefits at the time were obvious; no one was going to mess with me and risk tangling with her, and I would have that same security right away in whatever new dwelling I could find. The drawback didn't manifest until we arrived at our destination, and it was completely my fault. Persephone hadn't been eating during our trip out, and at our last overnight before Austin, I made the executive decision to give her some canned food (which she still can't resist). After we landed in Austin, I went into Kmart to stock up on supplies I thought I'd need if we had to camp while I looked for a place to live, Persephone went--messily--all over the front seat she'd been on the entire way. Lesson learned--don't try to outthink your dog's bodily functions--you will lose.

I had to laugh a little when I read about Pahu (the Hawaiian drum dog)--Persephone has loved drum circles from the first time I was able to bring her to one. Drumming is something that I've had to let go of for now; I miss it, and I'll bet she does too.

Selis's end to the book (technically the back cover) was definitely a fitting one; filking "America the Beautiful" was just too darn cute, which is, of course, exactly what I was expecting. I hope this book has kept Otis in dog biscuits for a while.



Pictured here is our 2-year-old Great Pyrenees/Anatolean Shepherd mix Boudreaux. Yes, we're aware of what his name means in "Cajun," and we stand by our decision. Trust me.

[originally published on BookCrossing, March 22, 2007]

Pay it Forward, by Catherine Ryan Hyde

I’d seen the movie a few years ago, and then was gifted with this book via BookCrossing. I was expecting differences between the two, but it is really obvious that whatever studio accepted the screenplay really wanted a “dry white toast” version of the story. Needless to say, I liked the book better, and now wish I hadn’t spent time on the movie at all.

I think that the saddest aspect of the book is that “pay it forward” has not spread far into real life, and I’m too cynical (at least at the moment) to believe that it can.

As far as the story itself, I had some difficulty believing in the character of Trevor. I mean, seriously; how many children of alcoholic mothers and absent fathers turn out so well and navigate in such manner through junior high?

That said, it was a sweet story, and I’m glad I was able to spend some time being inspired by the characters that were left out of the movie.

[originally posted to BookCrossing, 2/26/07]

A Town Like Alice, by Nevil Shute

Basics of the story: Jean inherits a large sum of money from an uncle she barely remembers as a child. The bulk, however, is to be held in trust until her 35th birthday. In collecting the yearly capital, she gains the chance to prove her maturity to her trustee, Noel. She recounts to him her war story--how she was trapped in Malay when the Japanese invaded, how she survived being shuttled from base to village to port, never finding haven in a prison camp, and having to bury nearly half the women and children in their company. At one point in their journey, an Australian POW befriended them and paid harshly for it. Jean receives closure on this chapter in her life when she uses the money from her legacy to build a well in the village that finally took the female prisoners in. In speaking to the villagers, she finds her next mission [to tell any more would be a thorough spoiler].

What I thought: For a novel written in 1950, about an unfamiliar part of WWII, it kept my interest quite well. It isn't deep in character development, but the author does enough to move the plot along. Shute also does well in describing the countryside, be it jungle or outback.

I found it refreshing to read a romance that didn't read like a porn script or an unrealistic, generalized fantasy. This novel is a rarity--clearly set in the past, but with elements that engage the reader throughout the book.

[originally posted to BookCrossing 6/9/03]

One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich

I'd handled books in this series via my (former) library job since I'd begun working there in 1996. I knew they were very popular, but then so is Danielle Steel [disclaimer: no judgement is meant upon her as a person nor upon her fans, she simply isn't my cup o'tea]. I finally decided to start reading the series after I'd leafed through a discard of High Five and liked what I read.

Evanovich decided to start her character out as a neophyte in the crime-solving business and to pair her up romantically with a vice cop. I acknowledge that this is good for character and plot development in general for the mystery genre, but I hope that the mentor-student aspect doesn't continue for the rest of the series. I realize that I'm being picky, but if the mystery-solving in books to come involves as much direct danger as Stephanie got herself into with this book, I want her to become more independent and less of a chick-tied-to-the-tracks. Evanovich may be an entertaining author, but Stephanie is NO Kinsey.

For a first novel, Evanovich has created a likeable heroine, a plot that moves along easily (even for a 1-3:30 AM read), good twists, and colorful secondary characters.

[originally posted on BookCrossing 4/15/03]

Edible Woman, by Margaret Atwood

Many theories about the mental state of a married woman are tossed up for inspection by the male characters in the book, none of them flattering. Most of the decisions the characters make depend on the opinions of others (whether to marry, to have a child out of wedlock, a salon visit) and then they wonder why those decisions don't play out well. And, of course, this reader had to wonder why Marian is so surprised that her body is rejecting nourishment when she has to get drunk in order to see her life for what it is.

I hope this book is dated (aside from the blue flashbulbs) in terms of societal attitudes. I know that I went through a sort of spiritual life/death struggle while I was married previously. I think that today's women old enough to face this choice have taken back enough strength and identity to get through it in a sane fashion.

[originally posted on BookCrossing 3/11/03]

Lost Souls, by Poppy Z. Brite

Poppy Z Brite's first full novel tells the story of evolved vampires and how they've adapted. Unlike Rice's vampires, they're fully functioning; these breed.

Not a book for the squeamish--reading about the feeding sessions, the rough sex, and the incest disturbed me at times. But I think that discomfort comes from knowing that this subculture (if not the creatures themselves--wink wink) does exist, and it worries me that this sort of pain is manifesting in our world. I'm not so afraid for myself, but for those who "don't belong," or who can't fake it. This subculture is a case in which "if you build it, they will come" is a poor application of an otherwise good idea. I can't quite make this "circle of life" equation match up as it applies to humans (and human-types). Does having predators who cull the weak make our species stronger in Brite's universe? Is that what the vampire genre is all about? Is it also an exercise in fantasy to counteract the imbalances our society had created and nurtured?

Our collective consciousness knows that to experience true life, one has to experience physical and emotional pain. Modern society has created ways to get rid of both kinds of pain without making the sufferer process and grow from its lesson. Society has also created acceptable space for those who thrive on the attention that pain and illness can generate. My theory is that many people have forgotten the way of transition towards healing, growth, and personal evolution. Or, perhaps they believe that their life is only about survival and "getting theirs," ergo no room for and no communication with the divine within.

[originally posted on BookCrossing 3/21/03]

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, by James McBride

For a long time, I've been interested in stories of the immigrant experience, religious conversion, and how people have survived abuse. McBride found all of these elements in his mother's story; I can definitely see how this book was a challenge for him.

Most of the chapters open with transcripts of his mother's recounting of her life. I found it interesting to hear the two voices, not exactly in conversation, but in how the story is maneuvered to best demonstrate the effect on the family members.

I've enjoyed the experience of this book, but McBide leaves at least as many unanswered questions as he unearths skeletons.

I do have to say that I wasn't impressed with the ethics of the extended family of McBride's mother. I don't think that much of their attitude towards the "poor kin" should be excused away even allowing for their times and brand of faith.

[originally posted on BookCrossing 5/8/03]

Lucky Man

It is rare to find autobiographies that consistently make readers not only laugh out loud but also marvel at the grace the author has achieved regarding the mishaps and tragedies s/he has suffered through. Technically, Fox's book is a memoir (I suppose that means "to be continued"), and with Michael Pollan's help, he manages to tell enough of his story without violating too much of his privacy. Fox truly gave the public a gift when he published this book.

Fox's advocacy for more research and funding for the disease he's fighting made me think about today's society and its attitude toward illness and debilitation in general. For some reason, people who are fighting disease or managing pain or other physical limitations due to injury or neurological condition, become relegated to a whole other class and are subject to prejudicial attitudes and to unspoken requests to hide any outward manifestations of their ailment. It's as if humans haven't yet evolved to a point where we aren't punished for our weaknesses; we still "remember" what it's like to live in fear of physical attack from predators. What's up with that?

I'm heartened to know that someone who has been so skilled at his craft (acting) has been successful in branching out into logical directions (producing and writing) and is also devoting his energy to finding a cure for Parkinson's.

"Try to remember that working's no crime, just don't let them take and waste your time." James Taylor

[originally posted to BookCrossing, 3/4/04]