Remembrance Day

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz

***Potential Spoilers***

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, what can I say but that it was great.  Just a damn good read.  The novel does what the title implies, describes the brief life of Oscar de Leon, nicknamed Wao.  As the story of Oscar and his Dominican heritage unfolds, we learn that the de Leon family history is influenced not only by the history of the Dominican Rublic during Trujillo's reign, as told through the sprinkling of historical footnotes, but also by fuku, a curse that has caused misery to the family for generations.  The novel moves smoothly back and forth between Oscar's life and those of his mother and grandfather's fuku immersed tragic tales, culminating in the end of Oscar's days and the lifting of the curse.

Man, Mr. Diaz knows how to effectively curse (pun intended!).  His use of language brings the narrator to life, makes you feel like he's talking just to you.  I also loved how the narrator wasn't introduced until about halfway through the novel.  I was a little frustrated by this at first but it all made sense when I was finally introduced to Yunior.  I thought this was incredibly clever and can really see why this book won the Pulitzer.  Although he narrates the whole tale, it is not until Yunior is introduced as a character, when he meets Oscar, that it becomes apparent that he is also our storyteller.  Finally meeting Yunior, a typically passionate Dominican dude, I understand what all the swearing is about (and geez, do I ever love some good cussing).

Just like our protagonist Oscar, I am an avid fantasy and science fiction reader and I loved, I mean LOVED, how Diaz used this genre of literature for all his comparisons.  Like comparing Trujillo to Sauron!  I mean, when times are tough in fantasy novels, they are BAD.  It is pretty scary to realize that Tolkein and his fantasy and SF colleagues are never really far off the mark when creating their bad guys and evil empires.  They do indeed, rather unfortunately, mimic the atrocities of the real world.  And, in fact, Diaz makes a pretty good case when comparing the DR under the "Failed Cattle Theif" to Sauron's Mordor.  It really pushed home the verity of the horrors committed by Trujillo and his henchmen.

And Oscar, poor nerdy, socialy and physically awkward, Sci Fi reading, Dungeons and Dragons playing, never been kissed, Oscar.  You really feel for the guy.  Who would have thought that such an awkward bookish guy would eventually have the courage and strength to free his family from its fuku legacy.  I was rooting for Oscar the whole way.  Willing the girls he fell in love with (rather whole heartedly and extremely all encompassingly) to love him back.  Knowing Oscar comes to an unfortunatly end,  I just wanted the guy to get laid before he met his maker.  What a guy, that's all I can say.

Though a little dark, an amazing story about surviving and making it in this world, and about the ability to change your fate.  Well worth a read.

Zoo City - Lauren Beukes

Well, for a novel that has been awarded the 2011 Arthur C Clark Award and was shortlisted for the 2011 World Fantasy Award, I was sadly disappointed.

The premise for this novel is very unique and I was excited to get my hands on a copy. The novel follows protagonist, Zinzi December, ex-journalist, recovering drug addict, murderer and animalled criminal.  Permanently accompanied by Sloth, Zinzi uses the 'talent' bestowed on her as one of the animalled to find lost things in order to pay off a drug debt owed from what she calls her "Former Life."  After being accused of the murder of one of her clients, Zinzi accepts a job and begins a week long investigation into finding a lost pop starlet, only to get in way over her head.

This novel had real potential.  I can understand some of the praise being heaped on Zoo City, but for me it was only a good idea and a well executed novel, but not a great story.  I kept feeling that I was just skimming the surface but that I was never able to penetrate into the heart of the novel.  It didn't stike a cord.  It didn't leave me thinking.  I was left at the end wanting more.  Maybe I will venture a try at her first novel, Moxyland.   Here's hoping it's more enjoyable.

New Irving in May!

Wheeeeeeee!  John Irving's 13th novel, In One Person, is expected May 2012.  Does that seem really far away to anyone else?  This news made my day. Library Journal's prepub review describes this new novel as a throwback to Irving's Garp days, with many odd and wonderful characters to meet along the way.  Very much looking forward to this book!

Back in the stacks

I'm finally back after a whirlwind year.  Having a baby and maternity leave left me with little time to devote to writing. I've missed posting to my blog and hope to get right back into the swing of things, starting right now!

One of the best things about the second half of a lovely year off with my son was afternoon naps. His naps, not mine. Afternoon naps meant and hour or two totally devoted to reading. I devoured many books in the last six months and thought that, this being my first post back in some time, I would highlight the best of the bunch.

The first novel I actually finished after my son arrived (general sleeplessness made for lots of failed reading attempts), was The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein.  I have to admit, I was totally skeptical about a book narrated by a dog.  I mean, how good could it be?  Well, I LOVED it!  I pretty much bawled my eyes out through the whole novel.  Stein made this style of narration work and was able to tell the story of this family in a truly moving way.  Definitely worth a read.

Once I realized I had time to read again, I went on a huge fantasy/sci fi kick.  Here are some titles of note:

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss.  The second book in the trilogy continues Kvothe's adventures and was a book I couldn't put down.

Speaking of books I couldn't put down.  I recommend hurrying up and reading the Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins, before the movies come out.  Excellent, quick read, with a very dystopian slant.

A Dance With Dragons, of course, I had on  hold at the library before the book even came out.  There's something about being the first to use the new library copy.  Although, not my favourite of the series, I still spent every free second reading.  I was glad to reconnect with my favourite characters absent from the previous novel.  Can't wait for the next volume and hopefully we don't have to wait so long this time. As an aside, I also love the show.  They are doing an excellent job and I'm totally looking forward to the next season.


So this is turning into a long post.  I'll cut it off here.  It's very nice to write about books again and I'll be back soon with a review of Haruki Murakami's 1Q84.  About a third of the way through, and it is, for sure, one of the best books I've read in a long time.

The Retreat - David Bergen

I wasn't the biggest fan of The Time in Between, but the novel was very well written and I'm always willing to give a great writer another try. I enjoyed The Retreat a little bit more. I felt the story was stronger and the characters were well developed.

I think my uneasyness to say I loved this book stems from the fact that his novels, the two I've read, don't end on the happiest note. Bergen is adept at creating and describing the relationships between his characters. In this novel, Berger really shows that you can never really know someone, no matter how close you think you are, you can never truly see to the deepest depths of someone's soul.

I honestly don't have much else to say. Bergen's novels, although very well written with great character development and relationships, leave me feeling utterly depressed.

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

At first glance, it appears the novel is about a young girl attending boarding school, experiencing the trials and tribulations of growing up. But, as Kathy continues to tell her story, the reader soon realizes not all is as it seems.

Over the course of the novel, various clues reveal that these children will not have a regular adult life, but instead are created, cloned in fact, to exist only as organ donors; the boarding school, Hailsham, is basically a body farm. Yet, what makes this novel so unsettling is the nonchalant way Kathy tells the story, as if she has always accepted her fate and, in fact, believes that this is the natural order of things. This is made even stranger by the seemingly normal social relationships seen throughout the novel. These kids are experience life and love, just like any normal teenager; how can they be so blasé about their looming end?

That is only one of the many questions unresolved at the end of the novel, not to mention such themes as the moral and ethical use of clones for harvesting organs. Are clones less human than the people receiving the donations? Ahhh, this definitely left me deep in thought.

This book is an interesting, yet disturbing, look at what our own future may hold.

Flight of the Hummingbird - Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

This wonderful little book is an inspiration; one that, because of it's simple message and elegant illustrations, provides the understanding that all is not lost, that the damage caused to the environment can still be repaired. If the little hummingbird has the courage and endurance to fight the forest fire alone, drop by drop, even one person's willingness to do their part will change the face of our world for the better. And, if one person can make a change, others will follow.

The introduction by Wangari Maathai, as well as the wise words from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, make each individual's role in the fight to reclaim our environment seem so easy. It is my hope that this story will be widely read and that the image of the hummingbird will act as a reminder that every little bit counts. Our wish for a sustainable environment is indeed within our reach.

2008 Man Booker Longlist

The Man Booker Prize longlist was released today. Very exciting. Included in the list is one of my favourite authors, a book that I've been keeping my eye on, as well as several lesser known novelists.

Okay. So, here we go. Drum roll please...

The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga

Girl in a Blue Dress - Gaynor Arnold

The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry

From A to X - John Berger

The Lost Dog - Michelle de Kretser

Sea of Poppies - Amitav Ghosh

The Clothes on Their Backs - Linda Grant

A Case of Exploding Mangoes - Mohammed Hanif

The Northern Clemency - Philip Hensher

Netherland - Joseph O'Neill

The Enchantress of Florence - Salman Rushdie

Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith

A Fracture of the Whole - Steve Toltz

Ta Da! Time to get reading people.

The Virgin Suicides - Jeffrey Eugenides

Jeffrey Eugenides' first novel, The Virgin Suicides, is unlike any book I've read. It's uniqueness stems from the narration; the reader is outside the action and, just like the boys in the story, must piece together events from the few clues revealed to them along the way. I shared in the narrators' frustration, never truly knowing the enigmas that were the Lisbon girls or the motives behind the suicides. Readers are only allowed brief glimpses of the inner sanctum of their lives and the reader is left yearning for more, to know the girls' version of the story. Although this technique is, at some times, frustrating, it also worked to draw me more thouroughly into his tale. I think that this narrative style is entirely appropriate for this novel and that Eugenides really begs the question: can we every really know the reasons why someone would take their own life?

I found this novel to be a very interesting read. Wonderful descriptions and, as I would expect from Eugenides, excellently written in a simple and poweful style.

Three Cheers for Salman Rushdie

Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!

In honour of the Man Booker Prize's 40th anniversary, the foundation pitted 41 winners against each other in a battle royale: Best of the Booker.

As you may have already guessed, Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children was victorious. Rushdie's novel won the Booker Prize in 1981 and, in 1993, won a similar prize in honour of the Booker 25th anniversary, the Booker of Bookers.

There really is something about Rushdie's writing; it's truely magical. Each word is a gem on the page, filling his novels with rubies, diamonds and emeralds. Each sentence is like a spell and the more you read the deeper you're ensorcelled. I LOVE reading every word. It always takes me twice as long to read his work because I want to make sure I don't miss any of his beautiful writing.

It is also nice to see that this novel has such and enduring quality. Three wins, against more than worthy opponents, reveals that Midnight's Children is fast becoming one of literatures classics.

Congratulations Mr. Rushdie!

Lost and Found - Shakespeare Folio

Good news for Shakespeare enthusiasts and book lovers alike!

The BBC recently reported that the 1623 first Shakespeare folio, stolen in 1998 along with several other important works, has been recovered. Everyone can breath a sigh of relief! Shakespeare is probably giving the thumbs up from his grave.

The folio turned up at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, after a man, claiming to have purchased the work in Cuba, asked library staff to confirm that the folio was indeed penned by Will himself.

The Librarians, geniuses that they are, soon realized what they had in their hot little hands and reported that the missing folio was finally found!

I think the moral of the story is, whilst on vacation, make sure to keep your eyes open for priceless literary works. Apparently they can turn up anywhere!

To read the rest of the story from BBC News click here.

A Clash of Kings - George R R Martin

Well, I am definitely still hooked. The plot detail alone is outstanding and the characters grow with every chapter; I don't know how Martin keeps everything together, but he sure does.

I don't want to give away any of the story, but I will say this. Although I've only read the first two books in the series, this is one of the best fantasy epics I've ever read. I can't put it down.

If you haven't already read A Song of Ice and Fire, go out and buy it, borrow it from a library or a friend, but seriously, put it at the top of your TBR list!

A Game of Thrones - George R R Martin

There's just something about fantasy on an epic scale and Martin definitely delivers. A Game of Thrones is just the beginning. The first book isn't packed full of action but it's an excellent introduction to the characters and the lands and cultures they inhabit.

Excellently written, each chapter is narrated by a different character, giving the reader a thorough view of events. Some characters are lovable and others you just love to hate.

Set in a world which resembles our own medieval Europe, Kings, knights and chivalry abound. The men and women of this story inhabit a world where summer lasts for years; but, the longer the summer, the harder and longer the winter. The Seven Kingdoms are on the brink of winter and with winter comes the hint of a return to days gone by. Days where the Children of the Forest could communicate with the old gods and giants walked in the North.

At the close of the first novel, the King is dead, civil war is on the horizon as three lords contend for the Iron Throne and the last female child of the old line of dragon kings, exiled in a strange land, ushers in a new era with the birth of three dragons, long thought to be extinct.

I can hardly spare time to eat. All I want to do is read. I can't wait to see how epic this epic will get!

It's been sooo long!

So, I just bought my first house and I've been extremely occupied with moving, paint, wallpaper removal and gardening! I planted my first rose bush! If it seems that I haven't posted in awhile, this is why. No time!!

I'm about halfway through the first book in the Song of Ice and Fire series. I'm enjoying it immensely and my boyfriend has to pry me away to work around the house. I'm so conflicted. I want to read continuously, but I want to make my house look pretty. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this book is great and I'm having a hard time putting it down!

So far, so good.

Song of Ice and Fire - George R R Martin

So, I'm just settling in to read Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. I'm really looking forward to it. It's been on my TBR list for some time now and I'm already hooked after the first twenty pages.

It really surprizes me that I haven't read any Martin yet, as I visit his website occasionally to check out his "what I'm reading section." I've found some great new authors there. Visiting his site and taking his reccomendations without having read any of his work made me feel a little guilty. Sort of like using a restaurant bathroom without bying anything. So now my guilt can be assuaged and I can get new book ideas with impunity!

Thanks George!

Lullabies for Little Criminals - Heather O'Neill

Well, for a depressing story about child prostitution and heroin use, Lullabies for Little Criminals left me feeling pretty good. I read this one in two sittings.

O'Neill does an excellent job of capturing the voice of her child narrator, Baby. It's all about consistency. I often find that when I'm reading a novel narrated by a child and written by an adult, that the child's perspective is sometimes lost, especially during more descriptive sections. While reading this novel however, I felt I was listening to a twelve year old throughout. From dialogue, to inner feelings, to descriptive paragraphs, Baby's personality dominated the story.

I really enjoyed O'Neill's writing overall. There are tons of great lines and, of course, my favourite ones are about libraries and reading.

In this scene, Baby is sending self defense vibes to her unfortunate friend, Linus, who is about to get beat up.

"I knew that the trick to save yourself from this type of situation was to act totally crazy; to act fearless, like you would try to poke one of their eyes our with a library card if they came any closer." (O'Neill 36)

I'll have to remember this tip myself; I have three different library cards in my wallet, who knew I could use them as protection!

Here Baby describes the one thing she knows about her mother:

"All I knew was that sometimes she went to the library when she wanted to cry." (O'Neill 44)

Sometimes the library is so quiet that I feel like I'm all alone surrounded my many people.

Finally, I loved this passage about how reading makes Baby feel.

"I had always like reading, but lately I had started reading in a different kind of way. When I opened a book now, I was seized with desperation. I felt as if I was madly in love. It was as if I were in a confession booth and the characters in the book were on the other side telling me their most intimate secrets. When I read, I was a philosopher and it was up to me to figure out the meaning of things. Reading made me feel as if I were the center of the universe." (O'Neill 195)

Amen!

I would definitely pick this one up!

The Hollowing - Robert Holdstock

As much as I enjoy the comforts and luxuries that living in a city offers, I would much prefer to leave all of life's trappings behind and escape into the forest. I spent my summers barefoot in the woods around our cottage, truly believing that there were fairies and gnomes everywhere. I spoke to them and they spoke to me; I felt I was their official protectress. To me a forest is a very magical place that is not only alive with plant and animal life, but that also contains a secret hidden world that you just have to believe in to experience.

Ryhope Wood, in Holdstock's The Hollowing, takes my belief to a whole different level. This forest is inhabited by mythagos; all of human kind's mythical creations from Jason and the Argonauts to Gawain and the Green Knight, from celtic heroes to every variation of Jack the Giant Killer. Although the wood seems like a magical place, it is also one of great danger to the characters exploring there. Time runs differently and mythical monsters stalk through the trees.

The story follows Richard Bradley on a search through Ryhope Wood for his lost son, Alex. A series of strange events occur, beginning when Richard discovers a mysterious letter that leaves him in confusion. When James Keeton, missing for a year after entering the Wood in search of his daughter Tallis, appears in the headlights of Richard's car, life becomes stranger still. James, clutching a wooden mask and unresponsive, only seems to find comfort in his daughter's friend, twelve year old Alex.

Alex spends most of his time with James, trying to help his lost friend's father. When, in a moment of rare lucidity James claims he can see his daughter through the wooden mask, Alex places his face to the mask to see for himself. As soon as Alex looks in the mask he is propelled across the room with great strength. James falls dead and upon awakening, Alex has reverted to an unresponsive state, much like James.

After about a year, Alex disappears and his body is later discovered. Alex's death is too much for his parent's marriage and Richard moves to London to wallow in his grief. But, on a trip home, Richard meets Helen Silverlock and discovers that his son is indeed alive, but is hidding somewhere in Ryhope Wood. It is here that Richard's adventures begin, while he searches through a truly magical and terrible forest to reunite with his lost son.

An entertaining story. I will definitely read the other books belonging to the Mythago Cycle. I loved meeting my favourite characters from mythology and only wish that I could walk into the forest and be transported to a different world.

Jail time for overdue fines...Who would have thought?

I came across a VERY interesting, yet shocking, piece of library news.

A woman in Beloit, Wisconsin was arrested for failing to return her library books. Good lord, very Draconian if I do say so myself.

If this law was in place at my library, half the students on campus would be facing extended jail sentences!

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Publish or Perish?

My friend Meagan just published her first article and I'm writing a post to celebrate!

Meagan, along with my other colleagues Kristin, Vivian and Fred, conducted research to assess the research skills needed by graduate students at the University of Western Ontario. They used their findings to improve the Graduate Student Workshops offered at the Taylor Library.

Check out their article here in the new issue of Science and Technology Librarianship (Open Access!):

Library Research Skills: A Needs Assessment for Graduate Student Workshops

Congrats!