Jeannette Hynes' Book Club, etc.

I think I’ve had enough time to play with my electronic book reader to make a fair judgment on ebooks vs. real books.  If I had to pick a winner, I’d vote for the real books. The race, however, was a close one, and I’m not going to give up either format over the other.   I plan to embrace both for I see advantages of both.

I talked about this reading experiment a few posts ago, and time has not helped me, frankly.

I love reading books in the dark with my children. My sister-in-law does the same thing with her kids using a head lamp and real books. Frankly, the effect is hilarious and it puts her children into snuggle mode instantly. My glow-in-the-dark e-reader is fun for my children, too, but they have to take turns turning the virtual pages… which can be hard for me to remember whose turn it is.

I love the fact that I could store a lifetime of books in the space of one book on the electronic device. I don’t have to go anywhere to get new books, either. Pretty awesome for the spatially-impaired, and I can see it being a big advantage for those hefty college books. I would have much preferred to have sat in my dorm room and downloaded all of my textbooks rather than lug them all back from the bookstore. However, I don’t think I’d be able to sell back my ebooks at Christmas time for extra money to buy my family gifts.

I also love sharing books with my friends and family. We like to trade what we’ve read and talk about our favorites. I haven’t found anyway to do that with the electronic book reader I have, unless I were to part with it for a few weeks (or in some cases, months).

The e-reader is easier to hold, and it always holds my place. If I need a larger font, I can make it as large as I need to. However, reading in the tub is not an option (not that I have time to read in the tub anymore). Also, I get nervous when I try to read with my e-reader while drinking any kind of liquid (did I buy the extended warranty for spills?).

I still like the smell of new books and old ones for that matter. I like being able to flip pages, and flip back to a previous chapter to look at something. That’s very hard to do on these electronic books, because I’m not as aware of how far I was into a book when this or that happened (unless I happen to notice the page count on the bottom of the screen – a slightly annoying feature I try to remember to turn off when I can).

I haven’t noticed differing eye strain for the electronic reader versus a normal book. I think I’m getting older anyway, and my eyes get tired no matter what I’m reading – screen or no screen.

I will continue to download books. I will continue to check out books at the library. I will continue to buy paperbacks, hardbacks, and an occasional leather-bound book.

Simply put, I enjoy my reading experiences, no matter the format.  I’m just after a good story.

Hurrah for this Colorado author! “Prayers for Sale” by Sandra Dallas is sweet, rugged, and cozy.

Dallas takes us to a mining town in the Colorado Rockies.  She wraps us around two lives, one old and one new, just like the quilts they make during the story.  We learn about what life was like right after the Civil War for people who were looking for their fortune in mining.

Just like you would expect, life was rough for these men and women.  Through a series of short-story flashbacks, Hennie (our mining town patron) gives us some insight as to why people are the way they are and every once in awhile, she reveals the town secrets and dirty laundry, including some of her own.

Female bonding is a must in this mountain town, and Dallas doesn’t disappoint with plenty of characters that come together to quilt, eat, and share stories.  Regardless of a woman’s background, it seems all the ill will would disappear with their stitching.

Maybe I read this book too quickly to see the ending coming, but you’d think it would have been obvious.  It wasn’t.  That’s all I’ll say.  I want you to be surprised, too.

This book was a fun, quick read.  This next sentence will make it sound like I don’t like to challenge myself as a reader (but I do):  I enjoyed the book because I could pick it up and set it down as many times as there are minutes in the day, a very important quality when I get interrupted 10 times a day by children, phone, etc.

As far as book club goes, it would be a good book to choose when the group needs a break from the epic they read the month before.

I look forward to reading more of her stories.

It is over.  I’m finished.  Thank goodness.  I don’t think I have ever rushed a book back to the library as fast as I did with “A Fraction of the Whole” by Steve Toltz.

Oddly, though, I was absorbed in the book.  The problem was that it took me half the book to get absorbed, but then I HAD to see how the ride ended.  And it ends about as strangely as it begins.

We follow a family in Australia throughout their lives, going back and forth in time to set you up for a wild ride.  To say they’re “misfits” grossly underestimates just how strange these characters are.  It took time for the story to unfold, even though it began with a brother who becomes a mass murderer.  Flashback to see why he ends up that way and how it affects his family and friends around him.

Just when I wanted to put down the book and surrender, I surrendered to the story and ended up being entertained, baffled, and extremely surprised at one twist I never saw coming.  That tells me this author worked very hard to weave his story so it was tangled, but tight.

The characters discuss the human character, almost from an outsider’s point of view – meaning outside of humanity.  Since these characters are outsiders on many levels, they look at what people do and why they do it.  They conclude many times human beings (forgive me, Spock) aren’t logical or practical.  They give the reader a twisted, yet believable, perspective on what’s wrong with the human race and what’s wrong when people go against the “norm”, whatever that is.

I don’t know that I would recommend the book.  It’s long.  I felt a grand sense of relief finishing it.  I’m not sure that’s what you might be looking for in a book, but if you’re ready to hop on the crazy train, this book has a ticket waiting for you.

P.S.  I enjoyed the cultural references to Australia, particularly calling out “Vegemite” by name.  If I ever make it to this continent, I may have to pass on this food staple, unless I can just have the vegemite and skip the rest of the sandwich.

Ah, Italy!

I would love to experience the food and romance of this country some day.  Would I experience this country by backpack with no plans, little money, and when I’m 50-plus years old?  As I’m founding out with a recent book I’m reading, the answer to that question is – possibly!

“Two Nuts in Italy” by Sue Ellen Haning is the journal of a mother’s backpacking adventure through Italy with her 21-year-old daughter.  This former school teacher from Lubbock, Texas, didn’t ask for this adventure.  Her daughter, Jenny, asked her to go.  I say, if your daughter invites you on a trip, it would be hard to say no, even knowing the challenges involved (note to self:  if my daughter invites me on a similar trip, I will build up my physical endurance first).

I’ve finished about half of the book, and I am enjoying their adventures.  They literally take only what they can carry on their backs, and they go day to day with their plans.  Mother and daughter rely on the kindness of strangers (local Italians) to help them with shelter, food, and transportation.  I believe Italians to be a friendly group, but I also believe they are friendly to this American duo because Jenny is blessed with good looks.

I stumbled across this book because of my neighbor, Brooke.  She happened to be at a Starbucks in Lubbock, Texas, when she saw the book for sale.  She asked the barista if it was any good, and the barista said, “I wrote it.”  A friendship was quickly born, and when my neighbor found out Sue Ellen is trying to “get published”, Brooke took it upon herself to help her do so.  I am happy to provide my small part with this blog post.

So far, the book is very enjoyable (an “easy read”), and I think it would provide fun discussions for book clubs about going outside of your comfort zone.  I’m sure Sue Ellen will tell you, doing so is very scary but extremely rewarding.  Even if you don’t go backpacking in Italy, you can find another way to challenge yourself.  Sometimes, life gives you those opportunities.  Other times, you have to create them.

Sue Ellen is very descriptive and she inserts stories from her past to relate to what is happening to her in Italy.  At times, those little stories slow down the book’s pacing, but she is giving the reader a chance to relate to her Italy experiences based on an American one.  I am excited to finish the book.  Thank you, Brooke, for loaning me your copy.  You’ll have it back soon.

If you would like to meet Sue Ellen Haning, she’s coming to Colorado THIS WEEK.  She’ll be signing books at Barnes and Noble at the Citadel location in Colorado Springs on Friday, August 6 from 2-5 p.m. and at Borders at the Chapel Hill Mall on Saturday, August 7 from 1-5 p.m.

What’s not to like about young Ramona Quimby and her older sister Beezus? The antics of a young girl and the tolerance (and intolerance) of the older sibling collide every day, hilariously.  Getting along in the same household with someone like Ramona seems impossible, but she’s charming and always has a reason behind her creativity.  And Beezus is the better sister for it.

Beverly Cleary wrote so many wonderful series for children, Ramona included.  Cleary’s books about Ramona were born in the ’50s, but still have relevance today.  The children in her book may not be playing video games or texting their friends, but they are playing, and they are still learning how to grow up and face the woes of the world.

I clearly remember my 3rd grade teacher reading “Ramona Quimby: Age 8″ aloud to us in class.  Perfect story for the perfect age.  By the way, the boys were just as interested in the book and our teacher was good about reading a Henry Huggins book to balance the gender for story time.  Cleary is the one author I knew by name as a child.

“Ramona & Beezus” came out in theaters July 23 with tepid reviews.  What’s wrong with movie makers?  Why can’t they take a book written in the ’50s and still read by millions today and make a decent film about growing up? Ugh!  I’ll probably watch it at some point,because it is hard to find a “family” movie when you have children younger than 8.  I’ll wait until the film comes out on DVD and I’ll wait until I’ve read at least a few books to my children.  Just so you know, the movie is based on a number of books in the series, not just one.

On a positive note, the movie has breathed new life into the “Ramona” series.  Checking the Pikes Peak Library’s website Sunday night, I found only 5 copies of “Ramona” books among all the branches (two more books are out there if you count “Henry & Beezus”).  Many of the books have a very long wait list.  It’s good to see young readers get excited about a book, even if it is because of a movie.

Don’t wait on the library.  Cleary books are worth owning.  You can read it to your child and he or she can pass them onto their children.  What a gift!

The Rockrimmon Branch of the Pikes Peak Library District is doing a “Read It Before You See It” book discussion with activities, popcorn, and a drawing for a free movie ticket.  It’s July 28 from 4-5 p.m.  You must sign up in advance by calling 719-593-8000 or online.

Forget the movie.  Read the series.   Out loud.  To a child.

One month to go!  “Eat, Pray, Love” opens in theaters August 13.  Just want to make sure all of your book clubs mark it on their calendars and maybe try a movie field trip.  I’m just basing my movie opinion on the trailer, but it looks like this one will stay true to the book.  Didn’t you just see Julia Roberts playing this role while reading the book anyway?

“Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert is the author’s personal journey to discover herself after a terrible divorce.  She goes to Italy (eat), India (pray), and Indonesia (love) on her personal quest where she doesn’t exactly know what she wants to find in the end, only that she wants the opportunity to discover.

Our book club read this a while ago, but I know a book is good when I loan it out right away, and I still haven’t seen it return to my house years later, because the book keeps getting passed along to family and friends and friends of family and friends.  I enjoyed the book club discussion about which country each person connected with while reading.  India was my favorite.

This woman puts her life in print for all of us to scrutinize, agonize, and praise.  I admire that she lets us into her head and into her heart and holds nothing back from the reader.

What Gilbert taught me through this book is that if we try hard enough, we can find a new way to approach our little daily challenges and our big life changes.  It is easy (myself included) to get stuck in the ruts of life’s bumpy road, and to follow the path of what we think we should do or what is expected of us.  We may struggle to get out of those ruts, but it can be done, and I think we have to remind ourselves to do just that.  We owe it to ourselves to scrub away boredom, fear, and anxiety and replace it with freedom, confidence, and peace.

I think when we travel, we are more apt to try something new or out of the norm (”When in Rome”).  We should adopt that idea at home every once in a while.  You never know what you might discover about yourself or your friends and family – yes, invite others on your crazy adventure, no matter how small.

I likely have to wait until this movie comes out on DVD before I see it – don’t think the hubby is ready for Gilbert’s personal quest on the big screen.  Even though I’ll have to wait, I think watching this movie in my pajamas with my favorite ice cream and some of my closest friends is just the way it should be.  Don’t you think?

I love books. I love the smell of new ones. I love reading an old favorite, or loaning out a new book to my friends.
With that said, I’m venturing out into the world of paperless reading.
I’ve downloaded my first book onto one of those electronic book devices (I won’t tell you which one yet). My children are enjoying turning the pages just by sliding their fingers on the screen. So far, I’ve enjoyed the fact I can read to them in the dark, and I am still able to see every word. Side note: Printers could remember to try to not print dark letters on a dark picture – very hard to read in a dark bedroom.
Anyway, it’s one thing to read a chapter or two to my children. The real test will be whether or not I enjoy the e-reading experience on a book with no pictures.
I can see all the good: instant access to books, no shelf space required, an automatic book light, not having to hold a book in my hand. But I’m anticipating the not-so-good: hard to share a book with friends without loaning my entire device, not being able to hold a book in my hand and turn pages. Plus, what will I do with all of my favorite bookmarks? No need for them now.
I’d like to hear what others think of these e-book readers (Kindle, eBook, iPad, etc.).
I’m just getting started on this adventure. Give me some guidance.

I’ve been a fan of the library long before I was old enough to read. My hometown library was very small.  I’m sure I read all of the children’s picture books three times over. On the other four shelves, I found myself absorbing “The Black Stallion” series and any book written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I also regularly participated in the summer reading program.
Now that I’m all grown up, I still go treasure hunting at my local library. The great thing is, I have more than one library to choose from, and countless shelves full of books.

The Pikes Peak Library District has also been a main source of free entertainment for me and my children. They have great programs all year long, and I’ve made sure my children are enrolled in the summer reading program.  We’ve been doing the program even before they could read.
What better way to spend time with your children, than with a book they chose from the shelf themselves? I must say, the prizes offered for active readers are way better than anything I ever got in my hometown library (but I still treasure my “most books read” stuffed animal award I earned one summer).
I encourage every parent to stop by the library or go online to register your child. The program is FREE! If you have busy readers, they can drop their name in the jar for extra prizes, including Sky Sox tickets.
Happy Reading!

You may know author Sarah Vowell best as a regular contributor on NPR’s “This American Life” or you may know her best as the voice of Violet from the animated Disney movie “The Incredibles.”

If you’re daring enough, you’ll want to know her for the books she’s written.

The first book I read of hers was “Assassination Vacation.”  The title alone begs for you to at least read the jacket cover.

She takes us through U.S. history of three presidential assassinations (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley), but where she takes us and what we learn aren’t found in traditional textbooks.  She tours the out-of-the-way, obscure landmarks – all related to the time before, during, and after the presidents’ untimely deaths.  Gruesome?  A bit.  More importantly, Vowell manages to uphold the integrity of the office and the humanism of the people involved – victims or assassins.  And all the while, I’m laughing out loud.

So satisfied with “Assassination Vacation” I had to find more of  Vowell’s wit mixed with the salt and grit.  I picked up “The Partly Cloudy Patriot.”

The book is a collection of her personal essays about American history, life, opinion, fear, greed, etc.  She does not apologize for her political views, and if you’re not on her political team and don’t like being made fun of (past or present), then I suggest you find a different book to read.

She has a passion for American history like no other and she provides unique information and perspective that makes reading the book enjoyable – whether you agree with her perspective or not.   She writes with a lot of passion, fueled at times by the attacks of September 11th, which brings a certain tone to some of the essays that are tough to read, but necessary.

I just finished Vowell’s latest book “The Wordy Shipmates.”  She is the only person on the planet who could make Puritans interesting.  I do want to say, however, this book was a disappointment for me, but like most books I start, I finished it.

Maybe it was the subject matter.  Maybe it was trying to track too many New England settlers with the last name ending in “W” (Williams, Winthrop, etc.).  Maybe Puritans are just that boring.  Vowell would disagree with me on this point, but I applaud her for teaching me about these men and women with that same wit and attention to detail that I enjoyed in her other books.

What she manages to do is show me certain ideas, philosophies, and foundations that plagued the settlers of our country continue to trouble us today.  We may not banish people for the differences, but we find other ways to banish those ideas that we don’t share with others.

Even though I struggled to finish “The Wordy Shipmates”,  I plan to take on “Take the Cannoli” at some point.

“This story is like ‘The Glass Castle.’”

“This book reminds me of the girl in ‘The Glass Castle.’”

“The main character had a lot to overcome, but nothing like the family in ‘The Glass Castle.’”

These remarks are just a few examples of what I’ve heard ever since I joined my neighborhood book club a few years ago.  Every book club discussion, no matter what the topic, would always come back to “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls.

What makes this book unique?  Why do my neighbors, years later, bring up the events of this story?  What could be that poignant?

I finally found out.

“The Glass Castle” is unbelievable, remarkable, and true.  It’s a memoir based on Jeannette Walls’ life of growing up with parents who were smart and resourceful, but had trouble adapting to traditional societal norms.

Had this story not been true, I would have never believed it.  The tales of starvation, drifting, and resourcefulness were absolutely incredible.  The human spirit can dig deep.  As a reporter, I’ve witnessed some troubling lives, and covered events with impossible odds, but this story touched me deeply.  As I traveled with this family from the deserts of Arizona and California to the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, I wondered how they stayed alive to the next chapter.  I also thought, their story isn’t the only one of poverty in this country.

This family took poverty head on.  The father – brilliant, sharp – as long as he wasn’t drinking.  The mother – an artist, a laissez-faire parent – who couldn’t live without her husband, no matter how explosive he would become.   Her parents turned poverty into adventure – homelessness into an art form.  Just when they were at their lowest point, they dropped lower.  Just when you thought, “how could they?”, they do or say something to make you understand.

What I couldn’t wait to find out (since she did write and publish a book) was how Jeannette was going to leave her tumultuous life and “make it.”  The simplicity of her escape made it nearly perfect.

I would write more, but I don’t want to spoil the book for you.  It’s an experience worth taking.