So, I just finished the latest book in the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast. Yes, you read right. In case you have no idea what this series even is, it's about a whole school of vampires- or vampyres, as they're called in the text. This is a world that prays to a goddess, holds classes at night, and of course, drinks blood- and it is still so new to Zoey Redbird, even as she realizes her own abilities as a leader of the pack, or High Priestess. Though the books are light fare- superficial in some areas, a bit tell-y instead of show-y (sorry, writer speak)- I have to admire the way mother-and-daughter team P.C. and Kristin work together to create a credible vampyre world. They integrate Indian folklore as well as other stories and culture to make a great setting for their tales. And of course, the high school-type drama doesn't hurt its appeal to teens, either.
Anyway, when you consider some of my favorite books (I'll definitely make a list sometime in the near future), it is kind of strange that I like such a... fluffy... series. However, I guess we all need something to take the edge off of our serious reading lives. So? What are some of your "guilty pleasures" in reading?
Monday, July 5, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
This is one of those books that many people read when they get into high school. For me, it was a book I'd always meant to check out, but never truly got the time to. Now, thanks to this massive undertaking I call my Little Book Project, I've found the M.O.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the story of the early life of Marguerite Johnson, better known as Maya to her brother Bailey, or "Sister" to her grandmother, called Momma. Left behind for most of their childhood in Stamps, Arkansas to live with their grandmother, they only see glimpses of their well-to-do father (who turns out to be a drunkard) and their high-class mother (rumored to be a whore by some). One day, during a visit to her mother in St. Louis, Maya is raped at the age of eight by her mother's boyfriend, Mr. Freeman, and chooses to be largely silent from then on. As time goes on, she develops and then breaks free from an inferiority complex, and finds her identity as a woman and a minority.
An interesting anecdote regarding the book: Angelou was challenged to write it by fellow author James Baldwin and editor Robert Loomis as an autobiography that is also a work of literature. The result became a complex and amazing story, ending with the unexpected feat of becoming a mother at the age of 17 after an awkward coupling with a boy she barely knows. The themes in this book are incredible- racism, the wonder of books, finding one's identity, motherhood in all of its forms, etc. Angelou's prose sings just like the poetry she so wonderfully writes, creating unforgettable images of life as she saw it back then in Stamps. Of course, the vividness is a part of the reason why it's caused plenty of controversy. Caged Bird has been censored in no fewer than five different school districts in more than five different states, and that's just according to the Marshall University Library system. Apparently, it depicts rape, homosexuality, and other themes in a tasteless manner. From some of the complaints I've read concerning this classic, I picked it up nearly expecting it to be full of filth on each page. Far from it. Angelou makes sure the event of her rape is painful enough for the reader to know it was wrong; however, more often she creates images of beauty and hope that fulfill the reader. Though the event of an unplanned pregnancy at a young age is also a concern, Angelou doesn't even make it seem like it's a bad thing, and that is what a great writer does.
If you haven't ever read this book, I insist you do when you get the first possible chance. Borrow it from a library or pick it up in a bookstore; just read it, because even with all of its rough edges it is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. To know that this woman came from practically nothing to become one of the most influential authors in the literary world is astounding, and shows her true strength. At the risk of sounding cliché... this is a definite must-read.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the story of the early life of Marguerite Johnson, better known as Maya to her brother Bailey, or "Sister" to her grandmother, called Momma. Left behind for most of their childhood in Stamps, Arkansas to live with their grandmother, they only see glimpses of their well-to-do father (who turns out to be a drunkard) and their high-class mother (rumored to be a whore by some). One day, during a visit to her mother in St. Louis, Maya is raped at the age of eight by her mother's boyfriend, Mr. Freeman, and chooses to be largely silent from then on. As time goes on, she develops and then breaks free from an inferiority complex, and finds her identity as a woman and a minority.
An interesting anecdote regarding the book: Angelou was challenged to write it by fellow author James Baldwin and editor Robert Loomis as an autobiography that is also a work of literature. The result became a complex and amazing story, ending with the unexpected feat of becoming a mother at the age of 17 after an awkward coupling with a boy she barely knows. The themes in this book are incredible- racism, the wonder of books, finding one's identity, motherhood in all of its forms, etc. Angelou's prose sings just like the poetry she so wonderfully writes, creating unforgettable images of life as she saw it back then in Stamps. Of course, the vividness is a part of the reason why it's caused plenty of controversy. Caged Bird has been censored in no fewer than five different school districts in more than five different states, and that's just according to the Marshall University Library system. Apparently, it depicts rape, homosexuality, and other themes in a tasteless manner. From some of the complaints I've read concerning this classic, I picked it up nearly expecting it to be full of filth on each page. Far from it. Angelou makes sure the event of her rape is painful enough for the reader to know it was wrong; however, more often she creates images of beauty and hope that fulfill the reader. Though the event of an unplanned pregnancy at a young age is also a concern, Angelou doesn't even make it seem like it's a bad thing, and that is what a great writer does.
If you haven't ever read this book, I insist you do when you get the first possible chance. Borrow it from a library or pick it up in a bookstore; just read it, because even with all of its rough edges it is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. To know that this woman came from practically nothing to become one of the most influential authors in the literary world is astounding, and shows her true strength. At the risk of sounding cliché... this is a definite must-read.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Jodi Picoult: Banned Author
Once more, I write to focus on the collective work of a certain author; in this case, one of a very different mold (or maybe not) than Pat Conroy, and certainly one of a different mold than George Orwell. Jodi Picoult seemingly writes for a specific audience- women, mostly- yet her books tackle tough subjects, and ones that anyone- male, female, young, old, etc.- can relate to or be touched by.
The term "tough subjects" is no overstatement; Picoult's books deal with topics such as suicide, teen pregnancy, depression, violence in schools and a child's right to her own body. Because of this, they have been censored in various school districts. Parents have even confronted Picoult publicly on their opinion of her writing being "smut" and "trash." Also, Picoult's hometown of Hanover, N.H. has pulled her books, The Pact and Nineteen Minutes; the latter censoring came on the grounds that the layout of the school in her novel (about a mass murder by a student at his high school) too closely resembles that of Hanover's high school. Nineteen was also restricted in a high school in Beardstown, IL, with the students having to obtain parental consent, due to "foul language" and "sexual content." (Not to the subject matter, however.) Another book of hers, My Sister's Keeper, was one of 2009's most challenged books due to sexism (?), homosexuality (??), offensive language, sexual content, religious viewpoints (figure that one out too), drugs, violence and suicide.
Despite all of this, her books are a success with readers, largely because they explore the mindset of teens; how they feel, think, act. Many young adults feel the emotions she displays ring true, as do I. While some of her writing is a bit trite, I do think she effectively portrays many of the struggles of being a teenager in American society, and the pressures, struggles, and confusions that ensue. That, and not the bans, is the important thing. As stated in so many of my posts, all of the things she writes about are present in America. No amount of censoring changes it; the best parents can do is educate their children on what's out there and how to deal with it.
You can read an article Picoult wrote about censorship and her role in it here.
The term "tough subjects" is no overstatement; Picoult's books deal with topics such as suicide, teen pregnancy, depression, violence in schools and a child's right to her own body. Because of this, they have been censored in various school districts. Parents have even confronted Picoult publicly on their opinion of her writing being "smut" and "trash." Also, Picoult's hometown of Hanover, N.H. has pulled her books, The Pact and Nineteen Minutes; the latter censoring came on the grounds that the layout of the school in her novel (about a mass murder by a student at his high school) too closely resembles that of Hanover's high school. Nineteen was also restricted in a high school in Beardstown, IL, with the students having to obtain parental consent, due to "foul language" and "sexual content." (Not to the subject matter, however.) Another book of hers, My Sister's Keeper, was one of 2009's most challenged books due to sexism (?), homosexuality (??), offensive language, sexual content, religious viewpoints (figure that one out too), drugs, violence and suicide.
Despite all of this, her books are a success with readers, largely because they explore the mindset of teens; how they feel, think, act. Many young adults feel the emotions she displays ring true, as do I. While some of her writing is a bit trite, I do think she effectively portrays many of the struggles of being a teenager in American society, and the pressures, struggles, and confusions that ensue. That, and not the bans, is the important thing. As stated in so many of my posts, all of the things she writes about are present in America. No amount of censoring changes it; the best parents can do is educate their children on what's out there and how to deal with it.
You can read an article Picoult wrote about censorship and her role in it here.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Pat Conroy, Banned Author
Pat Conroy is a name perhaps perpetually linked with the word "censorship." At least three of his books have been removed from shelves due to their weighty, serious themes- those of suicide, mental illness, rape and death.
For example, the book The Prince of Tides deals with at least three of the above themes outright- it centers upon the Wingo family, with surviving son Tom as narrator. His older brother Luke was killed, and his twin sister Savannah has attempted suicide repeatedly and struggles with depression and schizophrenia. Savannah blames their childhood on the reason why they are so screwed up- their father, Henry, abused them regularly, and their social-climber of a mother, Lila, would never let them speak of it for fear that it would hurt their image. The same spoke true for an unspeakable event in their past- a brutal episode in which a man nicknamed "Callanwolde" escapes from prison with two other men and attacks the family, raping Tom, Savannah and Lila. The only reason they survived was because Luke came home, discovered the attack and set the family tiger, Caesar- a product of one of Henry's many failed business dealings- on two of the men. Tom kills his own attacker. In the years afterward, Savannah tries hard (and fails) to take on the life of a new person by moving to New York, and Tom tries to move on and live a normal life with his wife, Sallie, to no avail. Tom ends up traveling to New York to help his sister, and finds a connection with Savannah's psychiatrist and her son.
Another book of his, Beach Music, centers on Jack, a food critic and author with his own demons in the South who moves to Italy with his daughter Leah after his wife, Shyla, commits suicide. There he escapes from his family- alcoholic father Johnson Hagood, ailing mother Lucy, brothers Dupree, Dallas, Tee and John Hardin (the last of whom is schizonphrenic), in-laws (who tried to get custody of Leah), and friend Capers Middleton, who sold out another friend of theirs, Jordan Elliott. Jordan is also in Italy, transformed from anti-Vietnam protester (and accidental murderer) to Catholic priest and in hiding from prosecution for the deaths of two people. When Lucy ends up nearly on her deathbed from her leukemia, Jack comes back to South Carolina and subsequently brings his past with him, realizing why he stayed away- and also, why it's imperative for him to come back.
Though at times both of these novels are terribly melodramatic (especially in terms of dialogue), they are almost irresistible- compulsively readable, funny in spite of their weight. The characters are well-developed, and Conroy makes no bones about tackling tough subjects such as the ones illustrated in these stories. Likewise, parents have sought to ban his works with the same sort of efficiency. In Charleston, W.Va., parents at Nitro High School attempted to ban these two works for depictions of violence, sexual content, language, sexual assault, and suicide. A student of Nitro High School, Mackenzie Hatfield, got in touch with Conroy and informed him through email that his books were being censored, thus bringing him into the ring. He replied to her, calling the censors "idiots" and maintains that his books reflect real life, in which good and bad happens, quite obviously. I'm in full agreement with him on this. As I quote from his email:
When you read of a history such as that one, how can you possibly ask him to write about only happy things? Of course one might wonder exactly why he focuses on the horrible side of things, but he is enough of a talented writer to make these subjects accessible, if a bit hard to stomach at first. The job of a writer is to make one's story realistic- to shock readers, to make them laugh, cry, react. No writer wants to hear that his or her book lulled someone to sleep. No one wants to hear that his or her book isn't something someone out there can relate to. Conroy achieves his purpose, and he does it well. That is the most important thing. In the end, the books were returned to the classroom on the condition that students be offered alternative reading material.
There is another book of Conroy's I haven't yet read, called The Lords of Discipline; I'll most likely update this post with my review of that book, or perhaps even create a new one about it. As for you... read one of Conroy's books on your own, and decide for yourself whether or not Nitro was right in censoring them.
For example, the book The Prince of Tides deals with at least three of the above themes outright- it centers upon the Wingo family, with surviving son Tom as narrator. His older brother Luke was killed, and his twin sister Savannah has attempted suicide repeatedly and struggles with depression and schizophrenia. Savannah blames their childhood on the reason why they are so screwed up- their father, Henry, abused them regularly, and their social-climber of a mother, Lila, would never let them speak of it for fear that it would hurt their image. The same spoke true for an unspeakable event in their past- a brutal episode in which a man nicknamed "Callanwolde" escapes from prison with two other men and attacks the family, raping Tom, Savannah and Lila. The only reason they survived was because Luke came home, discovered the attack and set the family tiger, Caesar- a product of one of Henry's many failed business dealings- on two of the men. Tom kills his own attacker. In the years afterward, Savannah tries hard (and fails) to take on the life of a new person by moving to New York, and Tom tries to move on and live a normal life with his wife, Sallie, to no avail. Tom ends up traveling to New York to help his sister, and finds a connection with Savannah's psychiatrist and her son.
Another book of his, Beach Music, centers on Jack, a food critic and author with his own demons in the South who moves to Italy with his daughter Leah after his wife, Shyla, commits suicide. There he escapes from his family- alcoholic father Johnson Hagood, ailing mother Lucy, brothers Dupree, Dallas, Tee and John Hardin (the last of whom is schizonphrenic), in-laws (who tried to get custody of Leah), and friend Capers Middleton, who sold out another friend of theirs, Jordan Elliott. Jordan is also in Italy, transformed from anti-Vietnam protester (and accidental murderer) to Catholic priest and in hiding from prosecution for the deaths of two people. When Lucy ends up nearly on her deathbed from her leukemia, Jack comes back to South Carolina and subsequently brings his past with him, realizing why he stayed away- and also, why it's imperative for him to come back.
Though at times both of these novels are terribly melodramatic (especially in terms of dialogue), they are almost irresistible- compulsively readable, funny in spite of their weight. The characters are well-developed, and Conroy makes no bones about tackling tough subjects such as the ones illustrated in these stories. Likewise, parents have sought to ban his works with the same sort of efficiency. In Charleston, W.Va., parents at Nitro High School attempted to ban these two works for depictions of violence, sexual content, language, sexual assault, and suicide. A student of Nitro High School, Mackenzie Hatfield, got in touch with Conroy and informed him through email that his books were being censored, thus bringing him into the ring. He replied to her, calling the censors "idiots" and maintains that his books reflect real life, in which good and bad happens, quite obviously. I'm in full agreement with him on this. As I quote from his email:
About the novels your county just censored: “The Prince of Tides” and “Beach Music” are two of my darlings, which I would place before the altar of God and say, “Lord, this is how I found the world you made.” They contain scenes of violence, but I was the son of a Marine Corps fighter pilot who killed hundreds of men in Korea, beat my mother and his seven kids whenever he felt like it, and fought in three wars. My youngest brother, Tom, committed suicide by jumping off a fourteen-story building; my French teacher ended her life with a pistol; my aunt was brutally raped in Atlanta; eight of my classmates at The Citadel were
killed in Vietnam; and my best friend was killed in a car wreck in Mississippi last summer. Violence has always been a part of my world. I write about it in my books and make no apology to anyone. In “Beach Music,” I wrote about the Holocaust and lack the literary powers to make that historical event anything other than grotesque.
When you read of a history such as that one, how can you possibly ask him to write about only happy things? Of course one might wonder exactly why he focuses on the horrible side of things, but he is enough of a talented writer to make these subjects accessible, if a bit hard to stomach at first. The job of a writer is to make one's story realistic- to shock readers, to make them laugh, cry, react. No writer wants to hear that his or her book lulled someone to sleep. No one wants to hear that his or her book isn't something someone out there can relate to. Conroy achieves his purpose, and he does it well. That is the most important thing. In the end, the books were returned to the classroom on the condition that students be offered alternative reading material.
There is another book of Conroy's I haven't yet read, called The Lords of Discipline; I'll most likely update this post with my review of that book, or perhaps even create a new one about it. As for you... read one of Conroy's books on your own, and decide for yourself whether or not Nitro was right in censoring them.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
An Apology.
I am very, very sorry I haven't written in what feels like a month. Having just started a new job, plus going to Springville almost every other weekend, I haven't quite had much time. I promise I'm still reading, though, and I will definitely give you more banned books to check out soon. In fact, when I'm not working, I'm making trips to the library to check out everything they've got. I've checked off quite a few books. Reviews to come shortly.
Right now, on my currently-reading list is The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I'm kind of surprised I've never read this before, whether for a class or just on my own. Ah, well. I'll be finishing it soon though. Maybe I'll write a review for it. So far, it's pretty riveting, although true to what I imagined it would be as well.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
This book showed up to me first on the shelves of my high school library. I looked at it for a while before putting it back, convinced that I wasn't really interested, yet ever since then it beckoned me to it. I didn't answer its call until recently, when I saw it first on a banned books list online, then on the shelf at my local library. Finally, I picked it up, and was astounded.
Snow Falling on Cedars is ultimately a beautifully-written book, simple (though full of details- you may want to skip a few dull parts) yet it calls forth emotions you can only feel, not describe. It is the tale of a Japanese-American man, Kabuo Miyamoto, on trial for the murder of one of his neighbors, an old friend-turned-rival named Carl Heine. It is also the story of Kabuo's wife, Hatsue, who had a romance when she was younger with an American boy, Ishmael Chambers. Ishmael, now a war veteran and a reporter, finds out the truth about the night of Carl's death- and it can set Kabuo free. But it's a battle between his sense of justice and his bitterness about the way his affair with Hatsue ended, mixed with a general hatred of the Japanese after losing his arm in WWII.
The book is a bit descriptive of sexual encounters between teenaged Hatsue and Ishmael, including a near-episode of sexual intercourse. However, this isn't the only reason why it has been censored. The book has faced backlash since (as far as I can tell) 1999, when it was banned from classrooms and a library in a Boerne, TX high school because of depictions of violence, sex, and racial bigotry. (Granted, the war scenes in the book are also quite graphic.) It was restricted in Kitsap, WA in 2001, challenged in Modesto, CA for use in Advanced English classes in 2004, pulled from Grade 11 classes in a Catholic school in Toronto, Ontario in 2007 and challenged in the Coeur d'Alene (ID) School District in 2008.
The Catholic school, perhaps I can imagine; everyone else should really be ashamed. If you consider the time period in the book, and the subject matter, then of course you're going to read about racial bigotry; it was nearly a common trait back in those days after the war. If you mention WWII, you're going to have violence. That's war. Contrary to popular belief, it is not sunshine and daisies. And of course, if you write about a romance between two characters, it's very likely there's going to be sex involved. Sorry to burst your "we need to protect our children" bubble, but they've probably seen this all on MTV anyway if they're in high school.
This is a gripping, heavy and important read that everyone should enjoy. If you like your plot fast-paced, then perhaps it's not for you; the plot opens up slowly, leaving plenty of room for detail and imagery. Also, though the characters at times seem unsympathetic, the way they are written allows for the reader to understand their humanity. Overall, a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr
For many a teenager, sexuality is a source of confusion. You begin to feel things during puberty that you're unsure you should be feeling. You start wondering what girls or boys you find attractive. You begin experimenting. Contrary to what the old-fashioned of us may believe, it's completely normal- even if you think you may like someone who's the same sex as you.
This book deals with that secondhand, through the perspective of a fourteen-year-old named Ellen. She loves her older brother Link, and thinks she is in love with his best friend, James. It isn't until she goes to high school for the first time and begins to find "friends" of her own that she begins to wonder if Link and James aren't just friends, but a couple. When she brings it up, Link vehemently denies it, and that breaks up his relationship with James. Soon, Ellen finds herself in her own relationship with James, who finds that he is perhaps not gay but bisexual, and wonders if she's just a placeholder for her brother until he finds his way.
This book is better-written than The Drowning of Stephan Jones by far. It deals with the topic of sexuality and the debates that come with it in a more realistic and delicate tone. Ellen's voice is sincere and refreshingly innocent. There's no graphic descriptions of gay sex, no gratuitous swearing (though the "f" word for gay people is used), and overall I think Freymann-Weyr broaches this topic very well, in a way that teens can understand it without getting deep into the nitty-gritty details.
Still, it has been challenged. Fairfax County Elementary/Middle School Library Systems have faced complaints about this book (scroll down to second title for info on this book) due to the "sexual" content (Ellen loses her virginity to James), the topic of homosexuality, and the use of alcohol by the underaged characters. Fayetteville, Arkansas parents have accused this book and librarians who support it of "promoting a homosexual agenda" (remember that conversation?) and object to the profanity and depictions of gay sex. (Where, exactly, are those?) The Library Patrons of Texas also have tried to remove this book. To my knowledge, they haven't succeeded.
I've complained about those who have used the "homosexual agenda" to ban and challenge books before, so I won't do it again. I'll only say that the proponents of the ban are wrong. The mere mention of homosexuality in any book is not grounds to ban it, by any means. Gay people are a part of this society, and no amount of sticking your head in the ground or fighting exposure is going to change that. So, if you're looking for a good, quick read that deals with a tough topic, pick this one up.
This book deals with that secondhand, through the perspective of a fourteen-year-old named Ellen. She loves her older brother Link, and thinks she is in love with his best friend, James. It isn't until she goes to high school for the first time and begins to find "friends" of her own that she begins to wonder if Link and James aren't just friends, but a couple. When she brings it up, Link vehemently denies it, and that breaks up his relationship with James. Soon, Ellen finds herself in her own relationship with James, who finds that he is perhaps not gay but bisexual, and wonders if she's just a placeholder for her brother until he finds his way.
This book is better-written than The Drowning of Stephan Jones by far. It deals with the topic of sexuality and the debates that come with it in a more realistic and delicate tone. Ellen's voice is sincere and refreshingly innocent. There's no graphic descriptions of gay sex, no gratuitous swearing (though the "f" word for gay people is used), and overall I think Freymann-Weyr broaches this topic very well, in a way that teens can understand it without getting deep into the nitty-gritty details.
Still, it has been challenged. Fairfax County Elementary/Middle School Library Systems have faced complaints about this book (scroll down to second title for info on this book) due to the "sexual" content (Ellen loses her virginity to James), the topic of homosexuality, and the use of alcohol by the underaged characters. Fayetteville, Arkansas parents have accused this book and librarians who support it of "promoting a homosexual agenda" (remember that conversation?) and object to the profanity and depictions of gay sex. (Where, exactly, are those?) The Library Patrons of Texas also have tried to remove this book. To my knowledge, they haven't succeeded.
I've complained about those who have used the "homosexual agenda" to ban and challenge books before, so I won't do it again. I'll only say that the proponents of the ban are wrong. The mere mention of homosexuality in any book is not grounds to ban it, by any means. Gay people are a part of this society, and no amount of sticking your head in the ground or fighting exposure is going to change that. So, if you're looking for a good, quick read that deals with a tough topic, pick this one up.
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