Booklight in August

I was pleased to be able to realize two reading goals this month: Finish the Maya Angelou memoirs and finally read The Well of Loneliness.

1. Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas - Maya Angelou. (memoir)  In the third volume of her memoirs, Maya, now in her early 20s, gets a job in a music store and meets a Greek-American who she is married to briefly.  After her divorce, she makes her living as a performer.  Her big break comes when she joins the cast of Porgy and Bess, which embarks on a European tour.

2. The Heart of a Woman - Maya Angelou. (memoir)  Maya meets a dazzling array of 20th century icons: Billie Holiday, James Baldwin, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King.  She also begins to develop her skills as a writer as she moves to New York City and joins the Harlem Writer's Guild. After working for Dr. King for a while, she falls in love with a South African freedom fighter, Vusumzi Make. She and her son move with him to Cairo.  When Maya and Make separate, she goes on to Ghana.

3. All God's Children Need Travelling Shoes - Maya Angelou. (memoir) The story of Maya Angelou's years in Ghana. Among other things, she ponders on the differences between Africans and African-Americans. During this time, she tours in a revival of the Jean Genet play The Blacks, and goes to Germany and Italy. While in Berlin, there is a horrible, yet almost hilarious scene in which she and a Jewish friend have breakfast with a wealthy German family that is unashamedly racist.

4. A Song Flung Up to Heaven - Maya Angelou. (memoir) This volume takes place in the years between the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.  In an eerie coincidence, both men asked Maya Angelou to come work for them.  In both cases, she accepted, but postponed for personal reasons.  In the times during the postponements, both men were killed.  I read this book on Kindle, but it is probably best experienced on audiobook.  Narrated by the author, it won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album.

5. Mom & Me & Mom - Maya Angelou. (memoir) - Maya Angelou's tribute to her mother, Vivian Baxter, "Lady B".

6. Financial Peace Revisited - Dave Ramsey. This book seems like a warm-up for The Total Money Makeover.  

7. Food Rules: An Eater's Manual - Michael Pollan.  Pollan boils down his previous writing into a list of rules for sane and healthy eating.  This small volume would be ideal for your Readathon stack.

8. The Well of Loneliness - Radclyffe Hall.  (novel) This classic and groundbreaking novel about lesbianism from 1928 is a bit melodramatic, but gets so many things right.  Although there is nothing graphic like one sees in Lady Chatterley's Lover, The Well was banned probably because of Hall's insistence that "inverts" are born, not made.  Also, Hall maintains that people like her should be able to live openly and proudly.  She asserts that their time will come, and the novel ends with a demand for sooner, rather than later.  I'm so glad this book was written and wasn't completely quashed.  I imagine it's been a comfort to many generations of readers.

9. Landline - Rainbow Rowell.  (novel) Over the course of three novels, Rowell wrote characters that are funny, lively, engaging, attractive and alive.  Then there's Landline.  Oh, Rainbow.

10. Bad Feminist - Roxane Gay.  I read this book of essays to take out the bad taste after reading Landline.  Roxane Gay is a marvelous writer.  Her mastery of the essay makes me want to fall at her feet.  In addition to feminism, she also covers race, gender, entertainment and Sweet Valley High.  I was hooked from the first page, but she truly won me over when she wrote about her participation in Scrabble tournaments.

On to September!  For starters, I'm back with George Gissing, reading his 1891 novel, New Grub Street.

One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich

One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich ended up being my read for Banned Books Week.  Following this short novel's publication in the early 1960s, it was prohibited reading in the Soviet Union because Alexander Solzhenitsyn got a little too real about conditions in the work camps and the reasons why prisoners ended up there to suit those in control.

I expected more episodes of overt cruelty, but One Day In The Life... instead relates how the camp and its guards and officers systematically grind the prisoners down with horrible work conditions, not enough food, threats of solitary confinement, constant strip searches and constant vigilance to make sure that prisoners have just barely enough and no more.

The book also shows how Ivan Denisovich, who has served 8 years of his 10-year sentence, as well as the other men are always on the lookout for even the most miniscule of advantages that make their days happy and their lives bearable.  For example, if the camp thermometer goes to 42 below zero, they don't have to work outside.  Also, although Ivan Denisovich has forbidden his wife to send him any care packages, he makes a note of the prisoners who receive such packages and lets them know, because they will generally repay him with a small sample of their windfall.

One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich was made into a movie in 1970, which is available in 10 parts on Youtube.  British actor Tom Courtenay plays the title character.  I had pictured Ivan D. as being a little more on the rugged side, but the setting (filmed in northern Norway) and the cinematography (by Sven Nykvist) feel so accurate -- desperately forbidding and bleak.

Banned Books Week: Thanks, Knuckle-Draggers!

"The problem of [people who ban books], as I see it, is that they are extremely unskilled readers.  They may know, superficially, the meaning of each word on a page, but they are incapable of perceiving what is really happening, what is being expressed, and what all the words add up to." 

                  -Margaret Laurence-

On one hand, I hate that we have such a thing as banned or challenged books.  When I think of those who would restrict reading usually for the most brain-dead of reasons, I can barely speak.  Only jaggedly broken cursing comes out.  Sometimes froth as well.  Of course these wretched creatures serve a purpose; they insure that a book will be read widely since they've plastered it with their clumsily misspelled 'forbidden fruit' label.

On the other hand, I can't help but get a thrill at these lists that give me new ideas for my TBR.  I like to refer these lists because there's such a strong representation of YA, an area in which I could really use a boost.  Although I'm hoping that book banning ends, I'm not a fool.  There will always be knuckle-draggers amongst us.  So I'll console myself by wondering what gems will be on the list for 2010 and 2011.

Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009


1. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling.  I've read 1-5.


2. Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.  Looks promising.


3. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier.  I read this.  


4. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell.  I wonder about this book.


5. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck.  I read this.  It cheers me to think that somewhere, Steinbeck is smiling about being banned.


6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou.  I read this one.  Such powerful imagery.  


7. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz.


8. His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman.


9. ttyl; ttfn; l8r g8r (series), by Myracle, Lauren.  This makes me think of another chat/text acronym:  wtf?


10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky.  This one's been on my radar for a while.  I didn't know it was banned.  Now I must have it.


11. Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers


12. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris.  Whatever it is, the knuckle-draggers don't want their kids knowing anything about it.


13. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey.  Oh, please. [eye rolling]


14. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain.  I read this.   I'm a little surprised that it's not nestling up there in the #1 spot.


15. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison.  I read this one.


16. Forever, by Judy Blume.  I read this when I was a teenager.  Gotta say, there was a lot of useful information there.


17. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker.  I read this.


18. Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous. I read this one.   I think the knuckle-draggers are missing the point.  This book was created to scare young teens away from drug use.


19. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger.  I read this.  There will always be goddam crumby phonies who want to banish Holden.


20. King and King, by Linda de Haan.  Hmm, don't know this one.


21. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.  I read this one in 9th grade.  Twice.  It's on my Pulitzer shelf.


22. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar.  I can only imagine.


23. The Giver, by Lois Lowry.  I read this.  Must be the "stirrings" that rile up some readers, although calling a knuckle-dragger a reader is too much of a compliment.


24. In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak.  I read this.


25. Killing Mr. Griffen, by Lois Duncan.  Interesting title.  


26. Beloved, by Toni Morrison.  I read this.


27. My Brother Sam Is Dead, by James Lincoln Collier.  I want to read this one.


28. Bridge To Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson.  I read this.  Sometimes, when I see a book on the list, I just want to give out an anguished cry of "Why?"  But then, I probably don't want to hear the stupid reason.


29. The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney.


30. We All Fall Down, by Robert Cormier.


31. What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones.  Just the title is enough to make waves in the knuckle-dragger's tiny little brain.


32. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya.  Oh, guilt.  I keep meaning to read this book.  Since it's banned...


33. Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson.  I read this.  It sticks out in my mind because the autopsy scene was so graphic I had to put the book down, run to the bathroom and vomit.  That's vivid writing.  Maybe that's what happened to some knuckle-draggers and inclusion on the list is their revenge.


34. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler.  I love the title.  I wish I had a YA connection that I could borrow books from.


35. Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison.  Again, the title is enough to make a K-D go all Tipper Gore on an author's ass.


36. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley.  I must get to this someday.


37. It’s So Amazing, by Robie Harris.  What?  What's amazing?


38. Arming America, by Michael Bellasiles.  What?


39. Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane.  I want to read this one.


40. Life is Funny, by E.R. Frank.  I noticed that this author has a couple of books on this list.  


41. Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher.


42. The Fighting Ground, by Avi.


43. Blubber, by Judy Blume.  I read this.


44. Athletic Shorts, by Chris Crutcher.  Wow, Chris Crutcher -- you've got 'em stirred up.  I must investigate.


45. Crazy Lady, by Jane Leslie Conly.  Sounds interesting.


46. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut.  It's on my TBR.


47. The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, by George Beard.  If this is like Captain Underpants, I am so there.


48. Rainbow Boys, by Alex Sanchez.


49. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey.  I must read this.


50. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.  I read this.


51. Daughters of Eve, by Lois Duncan.  


52. The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson.  I want to read this one.


53. You Hear Me?, by Betsy Franco


54. The Facts Speak for Themselves, by Brock Cole


55. Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Greene.  I read this in 9th grade.  Over and over.  You could barely pry it from my hands.


56. When Dad Killed Mom, by Julius Lester.  Wow!  Way to get it right out there with the title.  K-Ds aren't known for their appreciation of subtlety.


57. Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause.  I'm so glad that there's internet where I can read plot synopses all week long.


58. Fat Kid Rules the World, by K.L. Going.


59. Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes


60. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson.  I read this.


61. Draw Me A Star, by Eric Carle.  Eric Carle?


62. The Stupids (series), by Harry Allard.


63. The Terrorist, by Caroline B. Cooney.


64. Mick Harte Was Here, by Barbara Park.


65. The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien.  I have to read this.  I'm ashamed that I haven't already.


66. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor.  It's on my wishlist. 


67. A Time to Kill, by John Grisham.  I read this.


68. Always Running, by Luis Rodriguez.


69. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury.  On the TBR. Heh. Irony.


70. Harris and Me, by Gary Paulsen.  I haven't read this, but if it's Gary Paulsen, it's OK by me.


71. Junie B. Jones (series), by Barbara Park.  I haven't read this, but I heard that Junie is considered to be too mouthy and stubborn -- in other words a normal child.


72. Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison.  Wow, Toni Morrison.  You might as well bring your furniture and books and move in.


73. What’s Happening to My Body Book, by Lynda Madaras. Heh.


74. The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold.  I read this.


75. Anastasia (series), by Lois Lowry.  I don't know this series.  Must go see why K-Ds object to Anastasia.  Probably because they can't spell or pronounce her name.


76. A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving.  It's on my TBR.


77. Crazy: A Novel, by Benjamin Lebert.


78. The Joy of Gay Sex, by Dr. Charles Silverstein.  The K-Ds probably brought lighted torches for this one.


79. The Upstairs Room, by Johanna Reiss.  On my wishlist.


80. A Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck.  I read this.  Can't figure out which part upset the poor little K-Ds, so I'll start a whole new category:  If I like it, it must be a 'bad' book!


81. Black Boy, by Richard Wright.  I've read excepts from this.  Richard Wright is terrifyingly intelligent and tells it exactly as it was for him.  I can see why that would scare the shit out of a K-D.


82. Deal With It!, by Esther Drill.  Deal with what?


83. Detour for Emmy, by Marilyn Reynolds.  I'm sure the detour is what caused it to end up on this list.


84. So Far From the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Watkins.  Hmmm...gotta know more about this one.


85. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher.  Wishlist.


86. Cut, by Patricia McCormick.  I have a copy of Sold on my TBR.  I can almost guess what this one is about.  


87. Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume.  I read this, but I'm not sure...I think they just see Judy Blume's name and toss her onto the pile.


88. The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood.  Oh, come on, knuckle-draggers!  You'd love it like crazy if the United States was just like this!


89. Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissenger.  I have wanted to read this one for a while.  I'm puzzled by its inclusion on the list.  I'm guessing that football players don't always talk like they're in Sunday school.


90. A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle.  Oh, I feel so guilty that I haven't read this book yet.


91. Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George.  On my wishlist.


92. The Boy Who Lost His Face, by Louis Sachar.  I loved Holes, so I know I want to read this one.


93. Bumps in the Night, by Harry Allard


94. Goosebumps (series), by R.L. Stine.  Oh, come on, now.


95. Shade’s Children, by Garth Nix


96. Grendel, by John Gardner.  I read this.


97. The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende.  On my wishlist.


98. I Saw Esau, by Iona Opte.  Sounds interesting.


99. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume.  I read this.  Not one of my favorites, but I love that she broke new ground. Unfortunately, she's had those damn K-Ds riled up ever since.


100. America: A Novel, by E.R. Frank. Must investigate.

Life During Wartime

Set during World War II, The Naked and the Dead is about a platoon of soldiers whose commander, General Cummings, is trying to take an island in the South Pacific from the Japanese. The 700+ page novel shifts back and forth between the action with the platoon (led by the monstrous Sgt. Croft) as well as examinations of their respective psyches, the machinations of the odious Cummings and a detailed look at each character's life before the war. Gritty, raw, unrelenting, unsparing -- this is Naturalism at its best -- or worst, depending on your feelings about the genre.

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The Naked and the Dead is a staggering novel. Influenced heavily by Tolstoy (according to the author's introduction to the 50th-anniversary edition) Mailer wrote it when he was only 23. Unbelievable. As some of the enlisted men in the novel might say, it's fugging brilliant. I was shattered when I finally finished it. I don't even want to talk about it too much; I just want people to go read it.

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A movie version of the book was released in 1958. Although it couldn't possibly have the depth that the novel does, I'd like to see it because it has a strong cast. Supposedly a remake is in the works as well.

I Want A Banned Book!

Holy Huck! I didn't realize that it was time for Banned Books Week again and time to celebrate my freedom to read. This issue has such clarity for me that the defiance flowing through my veins gives me a feeling of euphoria. At times like these, I wish that everything on my shelf -- the bought as well as the borrowed -- was banned.

I'd like to thank my parents for never restricting my reading, even when my choices got pretty edgy. I passed this freedom on to my son. Hope he keeps the chain going.

The first time I heard of books being banned, I thought it was an 'olden-days' thing. Too soon I learned that it is, unfortunately, a most decidedly modern tactic used by what I now affectionately refer to as The Knuckle Draggers Amongst Us. I was incredulous, then I got really mad. That progression of feelings is still with me as I scan my shelves fiercely for something banned to read. I've got three on hand that I haven't read yet, so there you have my reading for this week:

1. The Giver

2. The Naked and the Dead

3. American Psycho

For years, I demanded to know why and how each book got banned. Now I don't care. No reason is good enough. There should be no lists of that kind. We shouldn't have to call attention to these lists by having this week.

To those who believe in reading freedom and fight the good fight against banning, I lift my glass to you.

To those who believe that banning is the way to go, I'd like to lift something else.

Banned Books Week

I've been thinking a lot about banned books since I found out recently that my birthplace was the site of such a controversy a while back. I felt a little cringe-y about it at first, but everything worked out all right. Still, as a bookworm, I'd like to think that I was born in a place where everyone would consider book banning anathema.

Marshall, Missouri. Population around 12,000. They've only had a public library since the 1980s or 90s. Anyway, almost exactly 2 years ago, some relative (?) of Sarah Palin's was sashaying through the stacks and came across a copy of Fun Home, the incredibly wonderful graphic novel by the incomparable Alison Bechdel.

You know the distasteful and distressing drill by now: The patron failed to recognized that it was a richly layered coming-of-age story and focused his/her blinders-vision on the nudity and lesbian relationship in one tiny section of the novel. This person was shocked! Shocked! He or she said it was pornography! This person also ragged on Blankets by Craig Thompson, another graphic novel. (I haven't Blankets yet, but now I really want to badly.)

Soon, there was an uproar in the media as other citizens made their way to the library (I'd almost be willing to bet some of them had to ask directions) and demanded that these books be *banned* immediately. Those curious tracks in the dust around the town square? Yup, all made by knuckles dragging the ground. I don't want to, but I can almost see the forefingers up the noses, trying to keep down the deafening sound of those lone brain cells, rattling around like the last bean in a maraca.

The library's director, Amy Crump, defended Fun Home and Blankets, pointing out that they'd both been reviewed in reputable book journals. Crump also correctly pointed out that if these books were banned, Marshall Public Library would be taking that first step on "the slippery slope of censorship" that it might be best not to travel. Good on her for having a brain, a heart and courage. The library board met, banned the books briefly while they worked out a new policy, then reinstated the books the following year. Sounds like they handled the situation with intelligence and skill. But a slap in the face with a 3-days-dead fish to the original idiot and all who supported the banning is so in order.

Alison Bechdel took the situation in stride, calling the banning "an honor".

On the off-chance that I should ever meet Alison Bechdel and in the even more unlikely occurrence that she should ask where I was born, I can't decide whether to be forthcoming or just mumble something like, "Oh, somewhere around Kansas City." Meanwhile, I think I'll reread Fun Home and try to hunt down a copy of Blankets.