Book Nine

5/10/2008 – The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch **

Why: Was suggested by several people. Jess Olsen brought it up at the last book club. Can’t remember the context. Janell (Mom’s cousin) mentioned it on the Caring Bridges blog. I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it, at first, but given the situation with Mom thought I should give it a try.
First Impressions: The first thing that struck me was the respect with which Randy spoke about his parents. I could instantly identify with how he had “won the parent lottery.” I took a highlighter out and started marking down sentences, paragraphs and ideas that spoke to me. I liked the titles of the chapters, “An Injured Lion Wants to Roar” and I like how Randy didn’t sugar coat his personality, his disease and his relationships. He was unapologetically himself.
Emotions Felt: Understanding and yes, at some point, I cried. Profusely. I was touched by the times Randy spoke of brick walls. “the brick walls are there for a reason..” I am feeling a lot of brick walls in my life right now and wish I knew what was on the other side. It’s really hard to see what may come.
Any Remaining Questions: I wish his wife would write a book so I could grasp her strength and how she got through it. I can’t imagine . . .
Favorite Quotes: pg. 26“Kids need to know their parents love them. They don’t need to be alive for that to happen” pg. 62 “no matter what news we get about the scans, I’m not going to die when we hear it. I won’t die the next day or the day after that or the day after that. So today, right now, well this is a wonderful day. And I want you to know how much I’m enjoying it.”
Who Would Like This Book: Any one who liked Tuesdays with Morrie. Tuesdays with Morrie might be a better book though . . . .What was amazing was seeing him speak in person on the Oprah show. I really admire his attitude toward life. His computer stories are boring. Matt might really like this book though .

Book Eight

4/12/2008 – Fire in the Blood by Irene Nemirovsky ***

Why: Because Matt bought it for me for Christmas 2007 instead of Suite Francaise. Because it’s short and I am terribly sick in bed and bored.
First Impressions: The first two chapters are hard to get into. The author always shocks me with the number of characters and not knowing how they all fit in. After about 50 pages, I was completely consumed. Easily readable. I love how the chapters are all of different lengths. First and last impression is that Irene Nemirovsky is a masterful writer.
Emotions Felt: Surprise at the developments in the last 25 pages. I could not believe that the narrator who I came to see as an old has been was the passionate lover of Helene. I never would have imagined that Colette and Brigitte were actually sisters. This is the difference between Patchett and Nemirovsky. Patchett is writing a plot. Irene is writing a novel full of meaning. I absolutely got what the title Fire in the Blood was all about and how we look at life so differently in our twenties than we might later on. And how we all have secrets that shape our families and our destinies.
Any Remaining Questions: What happens? Irene always leaves novels cut short. In the end, “I had already started to love her less.” Was Silvio’s conquest of Helene just about passion and nothing more? What happens after Silvio opens the pandora’s box of his emotions? Does he confront Helene? Did Helene actually love Francois or does she still love Silvio? Do Helene and Brigitte ever reconcile and does Brigitte know that Silvio is her father? Do Helene and Francois break up? Does Marc go to prison? Does Colette ever find the predictable happiness that she feels she wants? And does Colette realize that perfection cannot be attained and that her parents have not attained it? It was like reading a soap opera but knowing that these characters are real people with real problems. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Can’t believe so much happened in so few pages.
Favorite Quotes: Every sentence is poetry but particularly pg. 18 about youth versus wisdom. Pg. 57 The way a man drinks in company tells you nothing about him, the way a man drinks alone, without him realizing it, reveals the depths of his soul. How profound is that? Pg. 188 The description of how love finds you
Who Would Like This Book: Kate Nelson and any other readers that I admire

Book Seven

4/10/2008 – The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett *

Why: April pick for Stillwater Book Club. Suggested by Christine Hurley. Voted in by all because of Ann Patchett’s history of good writing (Bel Canto, Truth & Beauty, etc.)
First Impressions: I knew that this would be an easy book to read. I thought the writing was a bit chick-lity. I didn’t understand the characters or feel attached to them. Parsifal & Phan – a gay magician and his mate, along with Parsifal’s wife Sabine. I just could not relate It all seemed a bit fantasy like to me.
Emotions felt: Not many. I wasn’t surprised by the plot development like others have said they were. I knew that Sabine and Kitty were going to end up having a relationship. It didn’t seem that implausible to me that Parsifal would have killed his father. I was frustrated by the character of Sabine and why she had given up so much for this family and not developed her own character. The first half of the book in LA is good but the last half is entirely predictable. Easily read, but not much gained in the reading
Any Remaining Questions: Wondering if Sabine & Kitty’s relationship was emotional or physical and whether they remained in LA? Page 154 when Dot talks about how she admires Sabine for not having children? “The way they break your heart.” Really?
Quote: pg. 167 “Sabine in Los Angeles, where everything in the world was available to her, peaches in January, a symphony orchestra, the Pacific Ocean” I love the way she writes peaches in January. It’s the reason I want to move to San Francisco. Pg. 281 when Sabine is asking her mother about her past. “I want to know everything.” I can relate to Sabine’s loss and feeling like she needs to know every last detail because life is precious and you want to drink every last drop.
Who Would Like This Book: people who like Jodi Picoult. Not bad, just not good.

Book Six

3/29/2008 – Beautiful Boy by David Sheff ***
Why: Saw the book in Starbucks and was intrigued. Read the first chapter in Barnes and Noble and still held interest. Was recommended by Nancy Berven who used to live in Bay Area as a compelling read and interesting book for fans of SF
First Impressions: I knew from the start that this book would dominate my weekend and ensure that I got nothing else done. This proved true. I stayed up way past bedtime on Saturday night and yoga the next day was painful. Finished book in 3 days. Stunning.
Emotions felt: So much empathy for what the family was going through. Fear that this could happen to any family Sadness for the talent and potential that was lost. Shock when the dad David had his hemorrhage and nearly died. The book confirmed much of what I learned about Hazelden (secrets make you sick, you didn’t cause it, you can’t change it and you can’t cure it). The book also made me more informed about meth addiction. I think I will be more persuasive with parents about getting their kids into rehab and less ambivalent in my counseling.
Any Remaining Questions: I want to know how David afforded his lifestyle and how much money it took to fund his son’s rehab (family money?) I wonder how Karen (the stepmom) managed to get through all of this. Not much was said about their relationship. I wonder if the younger children will take up drugs (Daisy & Jasper). I wonder if Nic has had another relapse. I wonder if Nic Sheff’s book is nearly as compelling as his fathers.
Who Would Like This Book: This book was a painful, shocking and oddly compelling book to read through. I would suggest that all people should read this book but particularly parents of children entering middle school age. So important.

Book Five

3/23/2008 – The Awakening by Kate Chopin **
Why: Was chosen by the Stillwater Book Club for the March meeting. We met for dinner at Boutwell’s landing and had a fabulous book discussion in the library there.
First Impressions: The writing was fabulous. Lyrical, poetic & beautiful. However, it was a bit stuffy in an 18th century kind of way. A formal book to read. By page 40, I was captivated and finished the rest of the book in a single evening. Compelled to know what happened.
Emotion felt: Intrigue. Though my book club felt Edna made bad choices, I really feel she was truly depressed. I guess I have a different view of depression as outside of choice making. Edna was isolated and on her own. The only person who even tried to step in was Dr. Mandelet, present at the birth of Adele’s baby. I felt sad for Edna not angry. I wonder if she suffered from postpartum depression. The ending was completing shocking. Despite the fact I knew what to expect, I was still taken away.
Any Remaining Questions: All questions answered at book club with the exception of when Edna did the deed. It was unclear and an interesting debate ensued. Favorite Quote: It would be too hard to pick a single quote. When we were trying to determining the above question, members of our book club read some of the last chapters out loud. I wish I could have written a book this spectacular, lovely and enduring.
Who Would Like This Book: Feminists & English majors

Book Four

3/19/2008 – Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner *
Why: picked by Kelly for the Vanaheim book club. Her first pick so we felt we should honor her suggestion. I can’t imagine why she wanted to read it.
First Impressions: Easy, chick lit. Embarrassed to be reading the book in public
Emotion felt: Scared about being pregnant. Finding it hard to imagine myself in any of the characters or imagine Matt in any of the characters either. Instead of feeling that motherhood is blissful, it made me feel like motherhood is a nightmare.
Favorite Character: I didn’t like the Lia character or Alinde. Becky & Kelly seemed real to me but the others did not. Although I couldn’t entirely relate, I liked the character of Mimi. She was an absolute terror.
Any Remaining Questions: I want to ask my friends a number of questions but I’m not sure hearing their experience will help me. I get the impression that you can’t possibly know until you do. I’m also not sure they would all be honest. Will be an interesting book club, I’m thinking.
Favorite Quote: When Ayinde’s son Julian has heart issues and they find a hole in his heart, the doctor responds with something like: people survive a lot worse. I liked the overall message that everyone leads a messy, complicated life.
Who Would Like This Book: people who don’t read very often and are interested in kids. I’m still a little embarrassed that I read it myself.

Book Three

3/10/2008 – Greg Mortenson & Daid Olier Relin *
Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Why: March read for Stillwater book club
First Impression: Boring. This is not a writer’s book. Although the first chapter of his ascent to K2 was riveting, I slowly lost interest. Dr Greg wasn’t a likely character to me until I started to see and understand his character and travails more closely. I thought he was just a reckless youth in the beginning. It wasn’t until he was kidnapped and had the money for the school in Korphe and then found he needed a bridge and started getting death threats after 9/11 that I became interested in the novel and Dr. Greg’s mission.
Emotion Felt: Anger for war and also a desire to volunteer and have my own passion in life that drove me to the extent it shaped and inspired Dr. Greg
Favorite Character: I liked Dr. Greg and didn’t like him (at the same time). I guess in the end it was his flaws (disorganization, obsession with the cause) that made me believe in him and want to see him succeed
Any Remaining Questions: Is this a useful endeavor? Realistically, will we ever be able to keep up with the madrassas? Will Dr. Greg win the Noble Prize? And will Dr. Greg’s marriage ever last?
Favorite Quote: All the little quotes at the beginning of the chapters. And especially “when your heart speaks, take good notes” Judith Campbell
Who Would Like This Book: Democrats. Oprah viewers but not great readers.

Book Two

2/17/2008 – Julie & Julia by Julie Powell *
Why: I have wanted to read the book for ever. The idea is crazy enough that I would embrace it myself.
First Impression: Disappointing. She seemed like a whiny thirty year old. A far cry from Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love adventure in finding herself.
Emotions Felt: Nothing really. That was the problem. I felt happiness when her husband Eric and friends would come to her rescue. I could relate to the high school sweetheart aspect of her relationship and was jealous of how committed Eric seemed to her project and her success. Ultimately patient. Also disgust when she was killing the lobster and cooking the brains and cleaning up maggots. EEEEEWWWW.
Favorite Character: Eric. See above.
Any Remaining Questions: Do they end up having a child?
Favorite Quote: “the guy who makes sure none of it is unbearable. Not ever.” The perfect description of the perfect husband. I loved his compassion for Julie.
Who Would Like This Book: Not sure I would recommend it. Just lukewarm.
Other Books by this Author: First novel. We’ll have to see.

In Defense of Food

1/27/2008 – In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan ***
Why: I always wanted to read Omnivore’s Dilemma. When this came out, I wanted to read it instantly.
First Impression: I was completely drawn to this book and bought it instantly. I felt that it could make an immediate impact on my life and how I thought about food. I cruised through the first section of the book on nutritionism and found it so interesting why we eat what we eat. Couldn’t read fast enough.
Emotions Felt: Inspiring. Made me want to change my habits and change my life.
Favorite Character: Non-fiction. Favorite part of the novel was at the end when readers are given instruction on how to eat. By that point, I was completely confused.
Any Remaining Questions: How does one get everybody to read this book so cake and cookies and coffee and sugar are not a permanent part of our society and the rituals of eating these items what make us feel so good and whole.
Favorite Quote: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. One of those books I read with a pencil and knew I wouldn’t be able to remember or quote all of its genius.
Who Would Like This Book: Sarah, Erica & Kate. The whole Vanaheim book club ???
Other Books by This Author: Omnivore’s Dilemma, which I must, must read.

Retro Reads

The Bride Stripped Bare
by Nikki Gemmell

I'm afraid to even post this book.  Kate was asked to pick a risque book for our 30th Vanaheim reunion.  And so she picked a UK bestseller called the Bride Stripped Bare.  The author originally published it anonymously and I completely understand why.

This book is beyond risque.  It's insane.  It's really dirty.

And that's really all I need to say about that.