Gonna read more books, and keep up with the news (Reading for January and February)
Slow start (nb: These are not all the books I've read in these months, there were a lot more re-reads, a lot of re-reading a chapter or two. As of this writing, I am purposefully reading for at least an hour before bed every night, trying to turn off the world and let my brain interact purposefully with someone else's thoughts.).
January
1. The Days of Anna Madrigal by Armistead Maupin
I love Armistead Maupin, and this is the best Tales of the City book yet, a perfect ending to a series I've really enjoyed, with some recently-introduced characters, some old friends and San Francisco, Winnemucca and Black Rock Desert all intersecting. (Maupin fans who somehow haven't gotten to it only need to hear one thing--it goes back into Andy Ramsey's past, and Mrs. Madrigal was absolutely right about him!).
2. Katerina's Wish by Jeannie Mobley k
A not-bad kids' book about the power of wishing/making things happen.
3. For What It's Worth by Janet Tashjian YA
Janet Tashjian writes realistic teenagers with authentic voices. I may have enjoyed this one, with all its references to 1960's music, more than most people will, but it's a decent read about the power of art, news, love, protest, all those good things.
4. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Every time I pick up a Neil Gaiman book, I ask myself why I don't read him more often, why I haven't been through his entire bibliography yet.
I find his books amazingly good, fascinating, thought provoking, but I also find them easy to put down. Maybe they're too meaty for my mind, which works better at nibbling? It takes me a while to get through them.
February
5. Cy in Chains by David L. Dudley YA
A boy goes from slavery to a chain gang. This was a beautifully-written hard read, putting the reader right in the middle of difficult-to-heartwrenching situations.
6. Coming Clean by Kimberly Rae Miller
A memoir of growing up with a father who hoarded. The author originally planned a more scholarly work with a few personal anecdotes, but ended up writing an autobiography. It did grab me the way some autobios do, maybe because her style isn't personal enough, maybe because capturing her childhood of live among hoarded items, clean for inspection, family gets kicked out anyway, puts us in the middle of frustration and annoyance, with no feeling of being able to fix it.
This book isn't the only thing that inspired my Lenten vow to get rid of some things, but it didn't hurt.
7. Feed by M.T. Andersen YA
I tried to read this years ago and couldn't get into it. In fact, I conflated it with Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, (Similar last names, single syllable long-e title, close-up of a person's head on the cover, though Speak has a face and Feed the back of a head) and therefore didn't get around to reading that until last year.
Well, Speak was better. Feed was probably more interesting 12 years ago when it was first published, but maybe not as plausible--it's set in a not-too-distant future in which people receive a constant informational/advertising feed straight into their brains. None of the above is getting across that I did think it was good; Andersen builds the world well, the slang works, the teenagers are realistic in a cautionary way. Made me glad that I don't flat-line just because I don't have the latest meg-brag products being bannered.
(There's a conversation about Coca-Cola that is absolutely brilliant!)
The book is no-where near as soulless as my synopsis is making it sound. There are some heart-wrenching moments. It's worth the read.
Thank you, John Green. for recommending it.
<
January
1. The Days of Anna Madrigal by Armistead Maupin
I love Armistead Maupin, and this is the best Tales of the City book yet, a perfect ending to a series I've really enjoyed, with some recently-introduced characters, some old friends and San Francisco, Winnemucca and Black Rock Desert all intersecting. (Maupin fans who somehow haven't gotten to it only need to hear one thing--it goes back into Andy Ramsey's past, and Mrs. Madrigal was absolutely right about him!).
2. Katerina's Wish by Jeannie Mobley k
A not-bad kids' book about the power of wishing/making things happen.
3. For What It's Worth by Janet Tashjian YA
Janet Tashjian writes realistic teenagers with authentic voices. I may have enjoyed this one, with all its references to 1960's music, more than most people will, but it's a decent read about the power of art, news, love, protest, all those good things.
4. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Every time I pick up a Neil Gaiman book, I ask myself why I don't read him more often, why I haven't been through his entire bibliography yet.
I find his books amazingly good, fascinating, thought provoking, but I also find them easy to put down. Maybe they're too meaty for my mind, which works better at nibbling? It takes me a while to get through them.
February
5. Cy in Chains by David L. Dudley YA
A boy goes from slavery to a chain gang. This was a beautifully-written hard read, putting the reader right in the middle of difficult-to-heartwrenching situations.
6. Coming Clean by Kimberly Rae Miller
A memoir of growing up with a father who hoarded. The author originally planned a more scholarly work with a few personal anecdotes, but ended up writing an autobiography. It did grab me the way some autobios do, maybe because her style isn't personal enough, maybe because capturing her childhood of live among hoarded items, clean for inspection, family gets kicked out anyway, puts us in the middle of frustration and annoyance, with no feeling of being able to fix it.
This book isn't the only thing that inspired my Lenten vow to get rid of some things, but it didn't hurt.
7. Feed by M.T. Andersen YA
I tried to read this years ago and couldn't get into it. In fact, I conflated it with Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, (Similar last names, single syllable long-e title, close-up of a person's head on the cover, though Speak has a face and Feed the back of a head) and therefore didn't get around to reading that until last year.
Well, Speak was better. Feed was probably more interesting 12 years ago when it was first published, but maybe not as plausible--it's set in a not-too-distant future in which people receive a constant informational/advertising feed straight into their brains. None of the above is getting across that I did think it was good; Andersen builds the world well, the slang works, the teenagers are realistic in a cautionary way. Made me glad that I don't flat-line just because I don't have the latest meg-brag products being bannered.
(There's a conversation about Coca-Cola that is absolutely brilliant!)
The book is no-where near as soulless as my synopsis is making it sound. There are some heart-wrenching moments. It's worth the read.
Thank you, John Green. for recommending it.
<