The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne

Title: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Author: John Boyne
Published: 2006 Pages: 216
Genre: YA Fiction
Rating: 3/5

My poor brother has been asking me to read this book for months now (he's thirteen). I'm always reluctant to borrow books from people because I know my turnaround will never be as quick as if I loan out a book. There's so many I've obligated myself to read for challenges or for authors/publishers, not to mention the giant shelf of TBR books. I promised him I'd read BSP for the readathon and I'm so glad I did. When I texted him that I had finished the book he texted me back "it's about time." Yup, it sure is.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas begins with nine year old Bruno and his family who live in a nice big five story home in Berlin. Bruno's father is a very important person, though, and has been asked by the Fury (Hitler) to take post at a strange camp in a far away place called Out-With (Auschwitz). Bruno is upset because the house is much smaller and his sister Gretel (a Hopeless Case) refuses to play with him. As Bruno begins to explore the new home, he discovers that there is a giant camp across the yard with lots of men and boys all wearing the same striped pyjamas. In his exploration, he meets a boy sitting by the fence of the camp whom Bruno befriends.

What I loved about The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is the simplicity and innocence. Bruno doesn't understand why his parents have moved, he doesn't understand the camp beyond his home's yard, and he doesn't understand why his friend can't come across the fence to play or why Bruno can't go to the other side of the fence. There is something so sweet about Bruno's innocence and refusal to judge those who are a little different from him. I also have a tough time believing, though, that the son of a Commandant who is overseeing one of the largest concentration camps in the world doesn't know what a Jew is and whether he is a Jew or not. That aside, Bruno's innocence came across as genuine.

"What exactly was the difference? [Bruno] wondered to himself. And who decided which people wore the striped pajamas and which people wore uniforms" (100).

This is a short book that can be read within a couple of hours, and while I do recommend it, it isn't as powerful as some of the other books I've read about the Holocaust or World War II. Could this partly be because it was written for young adults? I don't know--I've read some pretty powerful young adult books (The Book Thief is one I highly recommend). I guess the unbelievablity of the story continued to tug away at me. I was shocked by the ending of the book, and even though it's not hard to guess this book would not have a happy ending, it left my heart hollow.

Have you read this book or seen the movie? How did you feel about it?




Join Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

The Lace Reader - Brunonia Barry

Title: The Lace Reader
Author: Brunonia Barry
Published: 2006 Pages: 385
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5

What? A book review? I know, this is a book blog afterall. This blog has been in a sad state the past month or so, but what a great book to get back into the reviewing habit with. I've had The Lace Reader on my wishlist for a while after seeing such glowing reviews, so I jumped at the chance of joining the TLC blog tour. Luckily, this one didn't disappoint.

The Lace Reader immediately caught my attention with its opening paragraph: "My name is Towner Whitney. No, that's no exactly true. My real first name is Sophya. Never believe me. I lie all the time." Unreliable narrators can be tricky for an author to carry out--sometimes the plot can become contrived as the reader is always forced to decide whether or not the narrator can be trusted or sometimes the narrator is noted to be unreliable and then the matter is dropped completely. Barry, however, has crafted an entrancing tale that kept me on my toes throughout the entire novel. Little pieces of the mystery begin to fit together one by one, but Towner is the perfect unreliable narrator--she tells a story that even she doesn't understand until the end.

Wait, I got so excited about the narration that I forgot about the plot summary! Towner, recovering from a hysterectomy, receives a get well gift from her grandmother (actually great aunt) Eva--a pillow designed for making lace, but when she reaches into the secret pocket of the pillow for a letter, the pocket is empty. When Towner returns home, she receives a frightening call from her brother, Beezer, announcing that Eva has disappeared. Towner immediately travels back to Salem, the town she left years ago, to help find Eva. Upon her return, Towner unravels the mysterious disappearance of Eva, but during her search other dark secrets of her past begin to surface--especially the secrets surrounding the death of Towner's twin sister Lyndley. These secrets could possibly be too much for Towner and her family to bear.

And other such complicated things. I've often seen The Lace Reader called a thriller, which in an unconventional way I guess it is, but more than that it is a book about the search for family history, identity, belonging, trust, and new beginnings. It has been a long time since I've read a book that I had troubles putting down, but Barry's writing kept me turning the pages eager to discover the past that Towner had buried deep within her. In addition to the strong themes throughout the book, there is also wonderful atmosphere created with the setting in Salem and the prevalence of witchcraft and religious zealots. The isolation of the towns and surrounding islands further add to the atmospheric tension, and this book had me dying to return to New England for a visit.

My only small complaint about the book is that it is mainly written in first person narrative, but there are a few sections that are written in third person--mostly centered around Rafferty, the police officer helping Towner find Eva and other plots things. At first the switches in point of view were unobtrusive, but near the end of the novel things began getting a little choppy. To me it felt like the book was falling apart a little bit, but I can also see how Barry was possibly using this writing style to convey a lot of uncertainty in the plot, but still. The ending, though, had me forgiving Barry of any previous choppiness as everything came perfectly together.

I'd widely recommend this book. Perhaps some might find it a little on the quiet side, but I think there are enough twists and turns that even the most impatient reader (ie me) will find The Lace Reader a compelling read. Recently I've started judging books by how likely I am to pass it on to one of my parents, and I can say with certainty that I'll be passing this one along. EDIT: I've picked this book for our book club meeting next month so we can discuss and then meet the author--so exciting!

What do you think about unreliable narrators? Do you think that they can be effective or gimmicky? Any memorable ones?



Also, Barry is going on tour:
9/14 – Los Angeles – Vroman’s Bookstore – Reading and Signing
9/15—Edwards, CO – VIP Customer Book Club Event
9/20—Andover, MA – Meet the Author Benefit for PATHS
10/12 Mequon, WI Next Chapter Bookshop
10/13 Dallas, TX Legacy Books
10/20 – Lexington, MA Library
10/22- Swampscott, MA Library
10/27- Destination Salem Lunch, Hampton Falls Library
11/18th 10 AM, Exeter Library, Exeter, NH

For more, visit Barry's Lace Reader website. I'm so excited to see that she'll be coming to Dallas--I'll definitely have to see about popping in for a visit! Thanks for TLC Tours for allowing me to be apart of The Lace Reader booktour.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt

Title: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Author: John Berendt
Published: 1994 Pages: 388
Genre: Non-Fiction/True Crime
Rating: 4/5

The first time I read this book, I’m not entirely sure I realized it was non-fiction until after I finished. Half of me wants to believe that the characters in this book can’t possibly be real, but part of me hopes that they are as colorful as Berendt explains them to be. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is an exposé of Savannah, Georgia during the early 1980s. Reporter/writer John Berendt happened upon Savannah during a weekend trip and decided to split his time between New York City and Savannah. Over a period of eight years, Berendt got to know many of the Savannahian citizens as well as their habits, quirks, and deep dark secrets.

The book is divided into two parts—the first half focuses mostly on different people Berendt befriends during his stay in Savannah and the second half of the book turns into a true crime murder mystery as one of the lead characters, Jim Williams, is accused of murder and has a series of trials. Because this was a re-read for me and I've seen the movie several times (it is super boring by the way), I wasn't as interested in William's case this time around. Sure it is fascinating and I think you'll be pulled into the details, but what I got out of my second reading was just how dynamic the citizens of Savannah truly are.

Some of my favorites are Luther Driggers whose hobbies include carrying flies around on string and threatening to poison all of Savannah if he has a bad day; Joe Odem who everyone loves despite the fact that he probably owes everyone a little money here and there; Jim Williams who throws the most luxurious parties in his restored house filled with expensive antiques. And of course, Williams is the central character of the book who causes a stir in Savannah when it becomes known during his murder trial that he is a homosexual--something the refined upper class wasn't quite sure how to handle in the early 80s. My favorite character, is hands down The Lady Chablis. Chablis is a transsexual drag queen who meets Berendt after receiving her monthly shot of horomones. You never know what's going to come out of Chablis's mouth and she loves ruffling feathers everywhere she goes.

One thing I noticed in my reading this time was how much race and sexuality were at the forefront of the story. Everything is very black and white for the Savannahians and I'll admit that reading some of the passages made me a little squeamish because of the backwardness of their beliefs. From what Berendt notes, desegregation was actually a very smooth process for Savannahians during the 1960s. There were no major protests and the whites and blacks had gotten along fine for decades before desegregation. Berendt implies that even though there was no big protest or rebellion or outcry, it is understood that both will have their own societies and there is no need for real mixture between the two races. Now, this book was written 15 years ago and set almost 25 years ago, so I can only hope that things are a little more progressive now.

Do I recommend the book? Without very many reservations. I haven't met anyone who read this book and didn't like it. Simply put the characters are incredibly vibrant and memorable, and that alone makes this a worthwhile read. It's the perfect armchair traveler book and has me itching to make road trip plans out to Savannah. I loved the atmosphere--the southern gentility and charm, a little old world mixed with the new world, and the dark brooding tone of the second half of the novel. Berendt and Williams dabble in a little hoodoo with a woman named Minerva when Williams' murder trials don't seem to be going as planned. All of these things combined with Berendt's rich storytelling capabilities create an exciting and entertaining read. I didn't record my original thoughts on the book, but I think my initial rating probably would have been 4.5 out of 5.

Have you ever read a non-fiction book that felt like reading fiction? Was there a book you read that made you want to visit that locale immediately?



**For a balance of opinions:
CJ from My Year of Reading Seriously
Robin from A Fondness of Reading
Stacy’s Bookblog
Tim from Blogging the Bookshelf

And in case you're curious, yes, I've read The City of Fallen Angels as well.

City of Thieves - David Benioff

Title: City of Thieves
Author: David Benioff
Published: 2008 Pages: 258
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.5/5

City of Thieves was our July book club pick and I was really excited about reading this one because I've heard good things about it. Actually haven't heard much about the book except that it's good--oh, and that it is set in Russia.

City of Thieves is about a young man, Lev, who is trying to make his way on his own in Leningrad during the Nazis' siege during World War II. Most of his family has fled the city or has already been claimed victim to the war, but he remains in the desolate city with a group of other misfits. One night he happens upon a dead German parachuter and while looting the soldier's pockets, he is arrested. In prison, he meets and befriends Koyla who has been imprisoned for deserting the army. Lev and Koyla are given another chance at freedom by an army colonel if they complete a dangerous mission for him--finding a dozen eggs for his daughter's wedding.

Lev and Koyla, upon their release, journey around Leningrad and across Russia in search of a dozen eggs. I could give you a laundry list of events that occur in the book during the boys' mission, but Benioff explains it so well in the following passage:

"I don't know." Yes, it was a stupid cowardly response but I could not handle the morning's peaks and valleys. One moment I thought I had a few minutes left to live; the next a sniper from Archangel was flirting with me. Was she flirting with me? The days had become a confusion of catastrophes; what seemed impossible in the afternoon was blunt fact by evening. German corpses fell from the sky; cannibals sold sausage links made from ground human in the Haymarket; apartment blocs collapsed to the ground; dogs became bombs; frozen soldiers became signposts; a partisan with half a face stood swaying in the snow, staring sad-eyed at his killers. I had no food in my belly, no fat on my bones, and no energy to reflect on this parade of atrocities" (212).

There is never a dull moment in the book; the story is intense and will keep you turning the pages to find out whether or not Lev and Koyla complete their mission to find the dozen eggs. But even though this is a mostly plot-driven novel, there is also a lot of tenderness and heart as Benioff fully describes the effect of the Nazi siege. Unfortunately I don't know a ton about Russian history during WWII and Stalin's reign, but this book was able to fill in some of those gaps. I wish that Benioff would have given a little more background to the politics and ideology in Russia at the time, but the other members of the bookclub really appreciated that this one wasn't bogged down in heavy details. The main focus of the story is Lev and Koyla's journey--not the convoluted mess behind the war and Russia's political stance.

I would certainly recommend this book--it is an entertaining read and will have you gripping the book as you furiously turn to the next page. The boys are in their late teens/early twenties, so there is a lot of talk about sex and a little bit of language. This didn't bother me like it might in some other books--seemed to fit seamlessly with their characters and the fact that in spite of everything they encounter and have to endure, they are just boys.

Why the 3.5 rating? While City of Thieves was a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it, there isn't going to be a whole lot that sticks with me other than some of the more gruesome events--like I said, very plot-driven. This isn't to say that the characters are developed, because I think Benioff does a great job of developing the boys' characters (would have liked to see some of the other minor characters a little more defined). Maybe it's because of the length--only 258 pages? Can't really put my finger on it, but it just didn't have the bang and punch I was expecting. Don't let that deter you, though--check it out for yourself. Benioff has a wonderful writing style and this book will give you a great (albeit small) perspective on Russia during the war.

Despite weeks on the Bestseller List, this is the only other review I found:
Charley from Bending Bookshelf

Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales - Eleanor Bluestein (and interview)

Title: Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales
Author: Eleanor Bluestein
Published: 2008 Pages: 234
Genre: Short Story, Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5

When Trish emailed me about reading Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales for TLC Book Tours, I immediately jumped at the chance to read this book. I love world literature and discovering new places, and I was so intrigued at the thought of Eleanor's fictional country of Ayama Na. I'm always apprehensive about receiving books, especially short story collections, but I couldn't have been more pleased with this book. Well, there is one way I could have been more pleased, but it is a catch-22 type thing. I'll explain in a bit.

Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales is a collection of 10 interconnected short stories about the people of Ayama Na, a fiction country in Southeast Asia. Although the book got off to a slow start for me with "Pineapple Wars" and "Hamburger School," the former a story about a man struggling to cope with his dying father and the latter a story about the continual abuse of a young girl at her father's hand, soon I was entrenched in the Ayama Nan culture and couldn't get enough. Bluestein has created such a rich and realized country and culture, and she tackles heavy themes of a struggling country amongst capitalist giants, old traditions juxtaposed with modern desires, the tourist's perception of an antiquated and often destitute culture, and tribal living in a world that is rapidly changing.

As I mentioned above, the book started slow for me, but the more I read the more I began to think about Ayama Na and its people. The events that happen in this book are oftentimes heartbreaking, there were things that made me angry, I sometimes laughed at the biting humor and the ironic turns of events. This is the type of book that made me think and the stories will continue to stick with me for a long time to come. While the culture might be unfamiliar, with any world literature novel, the shreds of humanity are familiar. There are bits and pieces of each of these characters that we can relate to or sympathize with.

One of my favorite stories is "Skin Deep" about a beauty queen contestant whose talent act is ventriloquism. Her dummy gains a voice of her own and chastises Song Li, the contestant, for partaking in such a meaningless event when she could be doing much more good in other ventures. As Song's mother says, "Did you work for your beauty?...Did you study for it? Did you earn it? It cost you nothing--this beauty. And nothing is what it's worth!" (77).

In another story, "North of the Faro," a young palm reader, Rianna, finds that the advice she gave a young man led to his unfortunate death. Wracked with guilt at the harm she has done, she finds the boy's family. The mother attacks Rianna, and in an attempt at atonement she allows her face to remain scared: "...they passed a small round mirror forward to Rianna who held it up to look at herself. Sleek, smooth, raised, and red, the fresh scar that crossed her cheek from the outer edge of her eye to the joint of her lips had yet to attain its full topographical dimension or develop the iron-rich earth tone it would acquire as it matured, but this face she'd intentionally altered matched the roughness she felt inside and seemed to her as if it were the face she'd been destined to for all her life" (200).

This review is get a little lengthy, but there is so much in this relatively short book. The stories in their own ways are quiet and it is certainly a character-driven book as Bluestein writes the most intimate thoughts of the characters. If you like books about other cultures, this one is for you. If you like short stories, this one is for you (there is never a feeling of incompleteness that I often find with these collections). Character-drive stories? Yup, for you too. Of course there were stories that didn't speak to me as much as some of the others, for example "Cut the Crap Machine" and "AIBO or Love at First Sight," but as a whole this collection really swept me away. So how could I have possibly been more pleased? I wanted more of these characters. I wanted their full stories. I wanted a novel about each character. But on the other hand, the short stories gives such vast and varied glimpses of the entire Ayama Nan culture. I'll definitely be looking for more by Bluestein in the future.

**********************************************************************
INTERVIEW WITH ELEANOR BLUESTEIN

I had the pleasure of asking Eleanor a few questions about her writing process for Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales. She was gracious to answer my questions, and I hope you'll find her answers as fascinating as I did.

Trish: On your website you mention your educational background as being science based (an undergraduate degree in Biology). Have you always been a writer or is this a new exploration for you? How/why did you make that first leap?

Eleanor: After college I taught science to 7th and 8th graders and then took some years off to be a full-time mom. At that time, a younger sister in college passed along books from her literature courses, and I saw what I’d missed as a bio major. I took a writing class at a university extension program and started writing fiction. When I returned to work as a science textbook editor, I kept writing fiction. I have a few unpublished novels under my belt, so writing was not a new venture for me when I began these stories.

Trish: Ayama Na is a fictional country in South East Asia. Can you explain your process of creating such an intricate and in many ways fully realized country and culture? As readers we can see many many truths, however fictionalized, in the small country trying to come to terms with the past and present, Westernized ideals and Ayama Na traditions. What was your inspiration in creating Ayama Na?

Eleanor: I’d traveled to Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam, but it was Cambodia, with its tragic recent history, young population, and rapid modernization, that captured me. In the stories, I tried to imagine the psychological and emotional feel of life under these very challenging circumstances, but I found myself combining sights and sounds of the various countries I’d visited without being faithful to any one of them. A fictional country solved that problem for me. Then I threaded fictitious street names, bits of invented language, a currency, a political system, and a common history through the stories. Ayama Na keeps the feel of Cambodia, though, in the characters’ back stories, the graft and corruption, the war-torn landscape, and the dizzying westernization. I read and did research for specific details as I needed them.

Trish: As a former student of post-colonial literature, I recognized many post-colonial themes in Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales, including the use of the native language interspersed within the English writing. Is the Ayama Nan language based on any others? Why did you chose to include these phrases, sometimes with definitions, sometimes without?

The sounds of other languages must have influenced me, but it wasn’t conscious. In the case of idioms, I mostly translated. In the case of expletives or exclamations of woe, I mostly figured the reader would get it. But this analysis is after the fact—when I wrote the stories, I just proceeded intuitively. I realize that using bits and pieces of the Ayama Nan language makes no sense, actually, but it sounded right to me, probably because the English I hear is peppered with words from other languages—ay caramba, mamma mia, oy vey, for example—and these additions seemed to make character’s voices earthier and more vivid. My son read this book and was confounded by the Ayama Nan words. It wasn’t logical to him, period. And he’s right—it isn’t logical. It’s an illusion that I don’t think it pays to examine too carefully.

Trish: I love how we see different aspects of the varied culture through the (short story) format, but I'm curious if you had thought about any of these stories in a longer context? Do you have any plans to revisit Ayama Na in future writings?

Eleanor: I never had a longer form in mind, although I have imagined the lives of some characters beyond the stories. I foresee regrets for Song Li, the beauty pageant contestant in “Skin Deep,” and maybe for Pania, the teenager in the title story, “Tea.” I tried various endings for both of those tales. Ultimately, the endings I settled on satisfied me because I think it takes a few generations to break away from family or cultural tradition—the first generations are just too conflicted. Again, I’m analyzing after the fact; as I wrote I just aimed for something that felt true. I’m at work on a novel right now and have no plans to revisit Ayama Na, but you never know.

Trish: Ok--one more. :) If you could chose one thing, what would you hope your readers would take away from a reading of Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales?

Eleanor: I hope readers will close the book with a feeling of the sadness and tenderness of this world. Something like that—a sense that life is hard and we have to be kind to one another. OK—that’s more than one thing. ;)

Thank you, Trish, for the opportunity to answer these questions for your readers.

Find Eleanor on her website and read a summary on TLC Book Tours.

*********************************************************************

I have an extra copy of Tea and Other Ayama Na Tales that I would love to giveaway. If you are interested, please leave me your email address and why you are interested in reading this book in the comments. Yes, silly goose, you must do both to be eligible. I'll draw a winner on Saturday April 25.

And the winner is...BETHANY! Thanks guys for coming by. :)

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker

Title: The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
Author: Tiffany Baker
Date Finished: Dec 1, 2008 #68
Published: 2009 Pages: 341
Rating: 4.5/5

It always feels so great when I have high expectations of a book and those expectations are met. I try not to get too excited about certain books because I'm sometimes disappointed (I think I've come to accept the fact that I'm picky and tough on my books--I expect a lot!). The Little Giant was every bit as good as I had secretly hoped it would be!

The Little Giant of Aberdeen is the story of Truly Plaice, a woman of giant stature--both in size and in heart. Even from birth, it was clear that Truly was different from other children. Where her sister, Serena Jane, was beautiful, blonde, and fragile, Truly was plain, dark, and substantial. She never fit in at school, her teacher was unkind and unfair to her, when she had no place to go after her parents passed away she was separated and outcast from her sister because she was different. Misunderstood and unloved by many, Truly eventually found her place as her nephew's caretaker at the rotten Dr. Robert Morgan's home.

Although the time spent at Robert Morgan's home was awful, she uncovered centuries-old secrets that would change the lives of several forever. While Robert Morgan had a power over Truly, especially as he claimed to possess the medical secrets of her size, Truly claimed a power of her own and finally reclaimed her own fate instead of allowing others to control her destiny.

I really enjoyed this book and can see it becoming a big hit next year, perhaps even seeing the same success as Water for Elephants. Baker is a natural storyteller and developed the complicated plot of Little Giant with ease. Truly, despite her differences, is a wonderful character--one that I grew to love. Even though I was sometimes frustrated at her tendency to roll over and take the next hit from whoever was dishing, she often showed extreme strength in the difficult situations she found herself in.

This book was one that I had a difficult time putting down and couldn't wait to pick it back up again. The story is suspenseful from the beginning, there are elements of the fantastical while still remaining realistic, but most of all the book was engaging and a pleasure to read. My one complaint was that the story was a little predictable near the end and wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly. But really, it is a minor complaint. I heartily recommend this book! It has a little bit of everything for everyone--mystery, romance, folklore, and best of all tough sticky debatable questions.

This book will be available January 2009 from Hachette Books. Thanks Miriam, for allowing me to devour this one with so much pleasure!

Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury

Title: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Author: Ray Bradbury
Date Finished: June 9, 2008 #30
Pages: 215
Rating: 4.5/5

Laura from Reading Reflections recommended this one as a "future" classic for my classics challenge, and since it is relatively short, I thought I'd squeeze it in and see what it is all about. My only other Bradbury book so far is Fahrenheit 451, and while this one is very different, I enjoyed it just as much.

Will and Jim have always lived in close proximity--both in age and as next-door-neighbors and companions. When a carnival unexpectedly blows into town in the middle of the night, right before their birthdays, it becomes clear that the two boys are very different from one another in what they desire and wish for. As the mysteries of Cooger and Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show begin to unravel, Jim becomes intrigued by what he can become while Will becomes frightened and urges Jim to use his common sense. Will it be too late for Will to help Jim see the truth, or will he make a mistake that will change his life forever?

Right away I was sucked into this little novel. Bradbury uses suspenseful language that drives the plot and kept me turning the pages. He doesn't give anything away too quickly, so the book retained its air of mystery until the last page. There were even a few times when hubby walked in on me reading the book and gave me quite a startle! In addition to Bradury's use of mystery, he also provides a vivid description of the events and the surroundings to paint a colorful picture of the novel. From a scene at the beginning of the book as a storm is rolling in:

"But by the time the last stroke of nine shook everyone's fillings in his teeth, the barbers had yanked off the sheets, powdered the customers, trotted them forth; the druggist's fount had stopped fizzing like a nest of snakes, the insect neons everywhere had ceased buzzing, and the vast glittering acreage of the dime store with its ten billion metal, glass and paper oddments waiting to be fished over, suddenly blacked out. Shades slithered, doors boomed, keys rattled their bones in locks, people fled with hordes of torn newspaper mice nibbling their heels" (16).

This is the type of book that contains so many themes and motifs that everyone reading it could come away from something different. Because much of the book has to do with enjoying one's life, the message that I took away was live now--don't wish to go back, don't wish to go forward. Be happy and don't take life too seriously or you will find your soul withered away. Laugh and sing and don't fear death.

Dolce Bellezza reviewed it
Let me know if you've also reviewed it and I'll add it on. :)

A Long Way Gone - Ishmael Beah

Title: A Long Way Gone
Author: Ishmael Beah
Date Finished: April 5, 2008
Yearly Count: 18
Pages: 218

Sadly, everything I knew about Sierra Leone came from the movie Blood Diamond with Leonardo DiCaprio. When I first saw A Long Way Gone on display at Starbucks quite a while ago, I didn't realize what it was about and it wasn't until I saw the movie that I started to piece them together. While this book isn't about conflict diamonds, it is about the atrocities of war--especially a war where children are on the front lines.

Ishmael was twelve when his village was attacked and he was separated from his family. After trying to survive on his own for some time, he is picked up by the army and "recruited" as a soldier. I put "recruit" in quotes because Ishmael makes it clear that he didn't have much of a choice. The army broke his spirit, and after much exposure to violence, propaganda/brainwashing, and drugs, he himself becomes a killer. After a few years, UNICEF buys his freedom and he is put into a rehabilitation facility.

A Long Way Gone is a truly heartbreaking story which at times is difficult to read because of the horrendous acts of the soldiers, including Ishmael. In my cozy little corner of suburbia it is difficult for me to imagine such things occurring in the world, but Ishmael delivers a story of hope--but I can't help wonder how much of it was sheer luck for him. Even after he broke from the war and rehabilited, many of those who were also "rehabilitated" rejoined the fighting once they were exposed to it again.

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this book--how much of what Ishmael says happened truly did. But is that really the point? Somewhere these things are happening to someone; are we simply in denial? Anyway, I recommend the book. My only regret is that the book ended too soon for me--I want to know what happens next for Ishmael.

The City of Fallen Angels - John Berendt: A Review

Title: The City of Falling Angels
Author: John Berendt
Pages: 398
Date Finished: July 30, 2007
Rating: 3.75/5

Greetings from Taos, New Mexico (where I'm freezing my Texas butt off!!) But at least I've been getting some good reading done. It’s been so long since I've read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil that I can't really compare the two, but from my memory, I didn't like this one quite as much. Berendt travels to Vencie a few days after the opera house, The Fenice, mysteriously burns down.

After talking with a number of Venetians and getting a taste for the local flavor, Berendt decides to extend his stay (apparently for several years? It is not made clear how long). The main focus of the book is the burning of the Fenice - whether causes are negligence or arson, whether the Fenice will be renovated to the state it was before the fire, whether the politics will drive a spike between the moneymakers, the moneylenders, and those who just want the Fenice to be restored to its original splendor.

But while the story of the Fenice cannot seem to fill out a full-length book, Berendt uses up the rest of the text to tell the stories of the Venetians themselves; many of these stories are colorful and often-times related back to the Fenice, but sometimes the connections are rather weak. It seems as though Berendt searches out these colorful characters, and I wonder how indicative they really are of normal Venetians (such as the characters from MGGE are of Savannah). Regardless, many of the stories are interesting. I read the first quarter to Hubby on the way up here, but he became disinterested because of the story moving here and there and everywhere. The thread about the Fenice was especially confusing perhaps because the story only came up occasionally; I much preferred the sections where Berendt discussed the Venetians themselves rather than the political events surrounding the Fenice.

Among the cast of characters - Ezra Pound and his long-time lover Olga Rudge, who has unknowingly been duped into "giving away" all of her letters to Pound to a sketchy foundation; the Curtises, one of the first American expatriate families to live in Venice who sadly have to sell off a portion of their Palace on the Grand Canal; the Rat Man of Treviso who has found a successful recipe for rat poison and many many more. I enjoyed reading all of these people's stories, and Berendt is at times an enchanting storyteller, but there just wasn’t as much cohesiveness as I would have liked. I would recommend this book to people who like history – especially social history as this book is more about character study than anything else.