Made in the U.S.A.

Billie Letts is one of those can't-put-down-the-book authors. There aren't many out there. Her latest novel, Made-in-the-USA, solidified her place on my "favorite author" list. One of the greatest things about Letts's books is that you don't have to be an avid reader to like her books. Some authors write as though they are elite and writing to elite readers. But not Letts. Her books speak to everyone who picks them up.

Made in the U.S.A. is about a young teen girl, Luttie, and her brother, Fate. I feel it's a coming-of-age story for both characters. Luttie & Fate's mother died when Fate was young so they moved in with their father - well - really they moved in with his girlfriend of the moment. And while they were living with Floy, their father abandons them and says he's moving to Las Vegas (from their South Dakota home). When Floy has a heart attack and dies in Walmart, who is going to take care of Luttie and Fate now?

Luttie loads up Floy's old car with Fate and their few belongings and sets off on a quest to find their father in Vegas. Living out of the car amidst shady characters and eating meals at a soup kitchen are not exactly the dreams they had in mind. Soon Luttie gets involved with drugs, porn, and broken bones before she is saved by an unlikely hero, Juan.

Juan takes Luttie and Fate to his family's home in Oklahoma. There we learn about his past as a circus performer in his family's circus. A whole other world opens up for the three of them as Luttie heals from her ordeals.

I don't want to give too much away. This is such a great, heart-warming, sad, hopeful book. You truly fall in love with the characters and want to help them out of their situations. It is a quick read because you just HAVE to know what happens! Billie Letts has a way of writing that makes difficult and traumatic situations - rape, abuse, homelessness - a part of the journey toward healing. Even though her characters suffer horrendous acts of violence - they are still strong and continue to fight throughout the book.

Billie Letts's first novel, Where the Heart Is, had some similar themes. It too was a book you could not put down. In fact, that is a book I have always recommended to people who are not "big" readers but want to get into reading. My sister, who had never read a book in her life, asked me for a book suggestion. It was around the time Where the Heart Is came out in paperback. I bought it for her. She not only read it - she loved it! Now I will pass along Made in the U.S.A. to her and expect the same reaction. Put this on your Christmas list!

The Confessions of Max Tivoli

I read The Confessions of Max Tivoli, by Andrew Sean Greer nearly a year ago. I liked it; it was different. And now I'm seeing commercials for a movie that has the same theme but I found out it is based on an entirely different book. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a short story called, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in 1922. Although no mention of Fitzgerald's work is in either Greer's acknowledgements or in any of the publicity blurbs, there are too many similarities for it to be a coincidence that these books are so alike.

Max Tivoli is born as an old man in appearance. However his mind is that of a newborn. So although he is physically aging backwards throughout his life, his mind is progressing the same as everyone else.

In Fitzgerald's story, Benjamin Button is born as an old man in body and in mind. As he ages backwards, so does his mind. So that when he dies - he looks & thinks as an infant. I guess that makes for a better movie than Max Tivoli. But that is what makes Greer's book so enticing - the dichotomy between Max's appearance & his thoughts. While he looked 70 years old, his mind was equal to that of a 10-12 year old.

The Confessions of Max Tivoli is written as though it is his diary & letters to his love. It is a deeply romantic novel set in San Francisco in the early 1900s. I would have loved to see this as a movie. But I'll still go see The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons. (With Cate Blanchett in it - it can't be bad!)

The Knitting Circle

Knitting and novels about knitting are the hot trend right now. There are more new fiction books about knitting than I ever thought possible. I know - I have several of them. The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood is the first knitting novel I've read so far and I was not disappointed. If you are a knitter - you will enjoy this book & if you have never picked up a ball of yarn in your life - you will love this book!

After the suddenly, unexpected death of her 5 year old daughter, Mary Baxter's world is torn apart. Though at first she refuses to start knitting as her distant mother has suggested, Mary does find her way into the Sit & Knit - a yarn shop with a knitting circle. Mary feels at ease among these strangers as she learns the basics of the stitches and starts making a scarf. They don't know her past and her problems and she doesn't know theirs. And that works for Mary.

However, as she becomes a "regular" and is knitting sweaters and socks and hats, the lives of these other women (and men) are shown. The different reasons they all started knitting, their stories of grief, strength, sadness, and celebration unfurl into a blanket of support and love. As one of the characters says, "You knit to save your life."

The story of friendship and support is overwhelming. As I read this book I caught myself tearing up at times while laughing at others. I, too, learned to knit to save my life. I had always wanted to knit in order to make blankets for Project Linus. But I'd make excuses. Lame excuses too: that's an old lady thing to do, I'll look stupid carrying yarn and needles, how could that possibly be fun. A friend sat me down and showed me how to knit and purl when I was in the midst of a depression. And just focusing on those stitches and the desire to make them come out perfectly really did lift my spirits. It's a calming, repetitive, and soothing process. And once you know the basics you can create anything!

Knitting with a group is another level. All over the country, for centuries, women have come together to knit and sew. It's a different kind of bond created than going to coffee with a friend. You come in with nothing but yourself and your issues; you leave with a calm spirit and something that you created - a finished product! And I completely understand it now! This novel, The Knitting Circle, captures it exactly.

The Twilight Saga Series

How could I have a book blog without mentioning the newest cult phenomenon? I couldn't. The Twilight Saga Series of books by Stephanie Meyer has fans of all ages going crazy over vampires. What started out as a young adult novel of teen angst and vampires quickly became a sensation with no age barriers. The four books in the series, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn are the hottest craze at the moment. It doesn't hurt that the movie hits theaters tomorrow (11/21/08) and it stars heart-throb young actors in the lead roles.

The story is a somewhat familiar tale. Girl likes boy; boy likes girl; boy comes out as being a vampire; girl loves boy even more; romance scene; battle scene; happily ever after. That's the Cliff's Notes version of the over 2000 page series.

What is it with vampires? Since the mid-eighteenth century, when a vampire made his first appearance in a poem, people have been fascinated with tales of these blood-sucking night flyers. The tales began in what was considered a vampire "craze" in the mid 1700s. Bodies were exhumed because they were suspected vampires. But even in that first German poem, the vampire was portrayed as seductive to the young maidens.

Throughout the ages people have been accused of drinking blood and rising from the dead. This has kept the legends alive. What used to be found in the horror sections of bookstores, is now spread throughout the stores in fiction, graphic novels, young adult and even the children's sections. Television and movies also have huge lists of vampire titles.

When I was in high school, we were all reading the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. Lured by Lestat and Louis - our vampiric erotica. Now this next generation has the Twilight Saga in which you fall in love with the "vegetarian" vampire Edward and the werewolf Jake.

These books are well thought out and well written. Stephanie Meyer has certainly created a fan base that is only going to want more and more. By the forth book, Breaking Dawn, I was ready to let go of Edward, Bella, and Jake. I'm sure many may disagree with me. But there are lots of other vampires out there with their own stories that may want to be told.

All in all this is a good series. If you have teens who are into science fiction or fantasy, these books are perfect. There are tons of "extras" now that the movie is opening so the series really isn't only these four novels. There are the movie tie-in books and the behind the scenes books and posters and everything. Perfect timing with the Holiday season upon us. Thank you Stephanie Meyer for creating the new and improved vegetarian vampires.

Towelhead

Towelhead, by Alicia Erian, sounds harsh and it is. This is a novel about a 13 year old girl from a Lebanese-American dysfunctional family. Jasira, the main character, is coming to terms with a changing body and life. She is forced to live with her Lebanese father in Texas due to too much attention from her mother's boyfriend. Moving does not help Jasira. Her father treats her poorly, her neighbor sexually abuses her, and kids at school tease her.

I read this book in one night. It is not difficult reading because it is written through Jasira's eyes. But it is extremely difficult to read due to the content. This poor, touch-starved girl is molested and raped and then made to think that it is okay. And due to Jasira's lack of functional, loving parents, she falls into love with each person she comes in contact with. From my experience working with troubled teens, this is a very realistic thing that happens to many young girls. Their hormones and bodies are changing at insane rates and they don't know what to do with all of it.

I've read several reviews of this book in which the readers love it and want to read it again. However, I did not like it. I think lines were crossed. Yes this sort of stuff happens all too often in our world, but there is only so much you can read about a girl pleasuring herself over & over again. It became redundant and sad. Also, there is no point to the book. It's just rape, masturbation, and sex. Sorry, it's not my type of fun reading.

And now I find out that the movie of this book will be opening soon! Honestly, I can't see how they are keeping with the book since they would have to censor every single scene for being too graphic! But if you are one of those people who must read the book before seeing the movie - read on. Email me & I'll send you my copy because I am done with it.

(I figured I didn't want only books I liked here. What may be a good book to me might be horrible to someone else & vice versa. So I'll post what I think.)

The Hour I First Believed

I just finished reading Wally Lamb's long awaited new book, The Hour I First Believed. After waiting about 10 years for a new book, Lamb does not disappoint in his new novel. As his other 2 novels, this one is also packed with difficult issues and traumas. The book is based around the Columbine shootings through the eyes of a teacher. But this teacher wasn't there when the shootings occurred. His wife, the school nurse, was there in the library on that horrendous day. Even though this is a work of fiction, Lamb does use the real names of Columbine students and teachers who were killed that day. And he does use the actual timeline of events that occurred, including the video tapes which were later found in the killer's homes.

Obviously this part was hard to read. It really brought me back to that awful day in 1999 when 2 boys went on a shooting spree at their high school and killed 12 people (students and 1 teacher) and wounded over 23 others before killing themselves. But Wally Lamb's novel is more than that. He uses his narrator to show the emotionally wounded; those who were not have been injured physically but are scarred nonetheless.

But this book is not really about Columbine at all. It is about faith and it is about family. After the Columbine massacre, the main characters, Caelum and Maureen Quirk, return to Caelum's childhood home in Connecticut where he was raised mainly by his Aunt Lolly. Lolly had recently died and that was where Caelum was when his wife and the school were under attack across the country. Now he is left with this dilapidated farmhouse, a neglected farm, and a wife who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Columbine is not the only tragedy which befalls the Quirks. But through cleaning out the old house, old historic documents are discovered. These documents are letters and diaries from his great-great grandmother from the mid-late Nineteenth century before the Civil War. In rereading these old papers, Caelum gets to view things in a different light and includes some interesting characters along his journey.

A historical fiction book has to be amazing for me to enjoy it. And I absolutely loved this book! Wally Lamb has this insane power to draw you into this world he creates using pieces of history. I felt as though I could really see how life was in 1886. This book covers events from Greek mythology, to the Civil War, to women's right to vote, to the first female correctional institute in America, to Columbine, and right on through to today and the war in Iraq.

Through all of the tragedies and traumas in this book, the main point is very clear. Your family is not always blood. Your family is who you invite into it. And those bonds are stronger than anything. Stronger than the wars and devastation. But we tend to lose sight of that in our daily lives. This book, The Hour I First Believed, reminds you of that; that each day is precious. You never know what can happen in the blink of an eye or the flash of a gun.

Welcome!

Hi, my name is Leala and I'm a book whore. There, I admitted it; first step achieved! It does feel better putting it out there. However, unlike other "-oholic anonymouses" I am not giving up this addiction. I do believe that my addiction is a disease. I can't stop and I can't help myself.

I don't like using libraries because you have a limited amount of time to read those books. And what if I'm not in the mood to read those books in the allotted time span? Then I wasted my time. But if I buy the books, I have all the time in the world to read them. If I didn't buy books I could probably afford a summer home in the Hamptons!

I don't have to be in any particular mood for my car to veer into the parking lots of Barnes & Noble or Borders. I'll spend the most money when I'm down or sad. I just buy everything in sight. That's the most dangerous time for me to be near bookstores. But I'm sure the stores don't think so.

I tend to stray from my book book at those times. What's a book book you may ask? A little of my OCD slipped out into my book world. I have a spiral book where I list all the books I want to read. Not only do I highlight them once they are read, but I also will rate them with up or down arrows! Everyone has to have a hobby!

Now is where I admit the bad part of all this book buying. I have gorgeous antique bookshelves filled with books of all genres. However, the majority of those books sit unopened, unread. That fact does not infringe on my buying more & more books. I now have a huge pile of new books on the floor in front of the bookshelves.

But I am starting to read through them all and thought I would share my book thoughts with the world. Reading brings people together. Books can help heal wounds, inspire great ideas, or even transport you to another time and space.

So pull up a chair and a cup of tea and let's talk books. Please feel free to share any book recommendations with me as well. There are so many books and so little time to read them all!

Welcome!