Books 12-15: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Outlaw Culture, Does Your Mama Know?, Shadow Princess
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
When I started this challenge, I made decision about rereads: they were allowed, but should be kept to a minimum. Murakami was the reason I made that decision. I love him, so I had to give myself the chance to reread. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is one of my favorites by him. It's a novel of amazing depth and breadth, with delicately and masterfully drawn plot and characters.
While searching for his missing cat, Okada Toru encounters a psychic prostitute, a mysterious mother and son, and a war veteran who can't forget the baffling and horrific things he saw in Manchuria during WWII. It all may or may not add up to a plot by his evil brother in law. The plot continually thickens and the answers never quite fully come together, but this is Murakami so that's all right.
The backbone of the novel comes from interwoven stories taking place during WWII in Manchuria. Murakami has a deep passion and respect for history and he did a lot of research for this book. I'm never comfortable reading those parts (I don't think one should be), but I can't look away.
Still a favorite.
Outlaw Culture: Resisting Representations by bell hooks
This book is a fascinating mixed bag. It contains essays of a wild variety, with topics ranging from painting, to movies, to sexuality, to interviews with rappers. It's an excellent illustration of hooks' intelligence and range. She's passionate, blunt, and honest, but never shocking just for the sake of shock.
The tone varies as well as the content. Some are completely accessible to the layperson, while others required intense concentration from this Women and Gender Studies graduate. They're all worth it however, even the ones that might involve a little more effort.
If I had to chose, my favorite essays would be, "Seduction and Betrayal: The Crying Game meets The Bodyguard", "Camille Paglia: 'Black' Pagan or White Colonizer", and "Columbus: Gone but Not Forgotten."
Does Your Mama Know?: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories edited by Lisa C. Moore
This book has everything! Poetry, fiction, autobiography, interviews, and more are all used to tell the stories of Black lesbians.
This is an incredible book. Every story is so good and so powerful. Of course, the problem is that I find myself unable to say much about it other than "It's incredible!" There are over four dozen stories here and each one is different. (I got my hands on the second addition, which added 17 stories.) Read this book.
Shadow Princess by Indu Sundaresan
The third book in Sundaresan's Taj Mahal trilogy, following The Twentieth Wife and The Feast of Roses. Shadow Princess follows Princess Jahanara following the death of her mother, Mumtaz Mahal. As usual Sundaresan provides us with exciting and compelling court intrigue, however I liked this book somewhat less than the previous two in the series. Jahanara isn't quite as strong a character as Mehrunnisa and it weakens the book. Also, juts as in The Twentieth Wife the romance feels a bit weak, except that unlike The Twentieth Wife the romance doesn't feel all that necessary either.
Nevertheless, there's plenty good about the book. The tension and drama within Jahanara's family is well drawn and those are the bonds that really create the characters. And Sundaresan shows her usual passion for history. Perhaps a bit disappointing as a conclusion to the trilogy, but still a good read.