The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin
This is the sequel to Mistress of the Art of Death, and I couldn't quite get into it as much. Parts of it definitely were engaging, such as all the political intrigue surrounding the murder of Henry II's mistress, and maybe it was just me, but it seemed rather obvious that someone was manipulating all the different characters to get what he wanted. Also, Franklin gives a rather large clue regarding the identity of the man behind the scenes in the first five pages of the book, so the mystery wasn't really that mysterious: the first five pages are told from an assassin's perspective as he is hired to kill a certain person. While he doesn't see his employer, as an assassin, he recognizes the importance of figuring out who hires him since that way he can be assured to get the second half of his payment. Along with the assassin, the reader is searching for clues, and the first is the man's profession when he addresses a servant with the term "my son."
This is definitely a personal issue, but when characters have children, I tend to have a harder time relating to them, especially if they appear to obsess about them too much, as I felt Adelia was doing at points (I'm sure it was normal behavior, but I could have done without the child - I don't feel like she really added to the narrative). I was also disappointed with Adelia playing the abandoned woman role. Apparently, once Rowley became bishop, they (or she) decided to separate and not see each other again (he had offered her marriage and she rejected because she didn't want to give up being a doctor) yet the whole first half of the book she is moping because he never wrote, and acts angrily towards him for involving her in the case with the king's mistress, Rosamund.
Also, it felt like there were too many characters in this one that weren't really all too distinguishable from each other. It wasn't a bad book but there were parts that seemed to be going nowhere, and there was just more angst in this one. However, once I get started on a series, I generally have a need to complete them, especially when they are relatively easy reads, so I already picked up the third one in the series.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Book 74: Salt
Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
While I realize the idea of reading about the history of salt sounds a bit odd, I loved the idea behind the book: take a familiar substance and research its importance within world history, and how its uses have evolved over time. I also really like the way he approached it and quite enjoyed the book (I was a little curious to see what problems people had with the book when I was on Amazon and read a few of the negative reviews: I was slightly amused by all the people who were angry that he doesn't discuss the chemical properties in more detail - since I saw this as a history book, I was more concerned with what salt has meant in the world than what it's composed of).
I would say, however, that the title is a bit of a misnomer. Given the arrangement, it tends to have a bit more of a Western perspective. He begins with a chapter about China, then discusses the Ancient World, and from there, discusses several different salt making processes and incidents throughout Europe, focusing on several different areas, such as Italy and Venice, and France. Eventually he addresses America but not until the conquistadors appear on the scene, though he devotes a few pages to explaining the process and the regions in Central and South America at the beginning of this chapter. He finally addresses India in a later chapter, and while he again begins with the earlier history, the chapter is very much within the context of India as a British colony, and explains rather well why Ghandi chose to focus on salt during one of his protests (I also really enjoyed this chapter given the comparison to How the Scots Invented the Modern World - while Herman argued that the British Empire improved life for the average Indian, Kurlansky shows how from the perspective of the poor salt makers, their poverty only increased since Britain didn't want Indian salt competing in the market with British salt and therefore drastically reduced production in India while implementing very severe laws regarding salt).
Except for that minor quibble about the title, I definitely liked the book a lot. I admit there were a few things I only scanned through (mostly the ancient recipes because I don't cook and I don't know how people preserve things now so when they said things like leave sit for forty days it mostly just sounded disgusting, and I wasn't sure how it compared to today). I like salt, and I realize it's a necessity for the body along with other electrolytes but since I'm so used to hearing about how people consume too much salt, I never really thought of it as incredibly vital and saw it as more of a luxury item. Kurlansky demonstrates just how important it once was, especially before refrigeration when it was used to preserve foods. As a result, it makes sense why saltworks would be so important targets during times of war: it is needed for livestock, to make rations for the soldiers, for survival. He discusses this in relation to the United States with both the Revolution and the Civil War.
He also talks quite a bit about fish in this book, since they were one of the foods that were frequently salted. I actually thought it was interesting when looking at other books that Kurlansky has written, but I definitely got the idea that he tends to stumble upon topics he wants to further explore while researching his other books. For example, he has a book about cod, and one about nonviolence and civil disobedience, both things that came up in this book.
While I realize the idea of reading about the history of salt sounds a bit odd, I loved the idea behind the book: take a familiar substance and research its importance within world history, and how its uses have evolved over time. I also really like the way he approached it and quite enjoyed the book (I was a little curious to see what problems people had with the book when I was on Amazon and read a few of the negative reviews: I was slightly amused by all the people who were angry that he doesn't discuss the chemical properties in more detail - since I saw this as a history book, I was more concerned with what salt has meant in the world than what it's composed of).
I would say, however, that the title is a bit of a misnomer. Given the arrangement, it tends to have a bit more of a Western perspective. He begins with a chapter about China, then discusses the Ancient World, and from there, discusses several different salt making processes and incidents throughout Europe, focusing on several different areas, such as Italy and Venice, and France. Eventually he addresses America but not until the conquistadors appear on the scene, though he devotes a few pages to explaining the process and the regions in Central and South America at the beginning of this chapter. He finally addresses India in a later chapter, and while he again begins with the earlier history, the chapter is very much within the context of India as a British colony, and explains rather well why Ghandi chose to focus on salt during one of his protests (I also really enjoyed this chapter given the comparison to How the Scots Invented the Modern World - while Herman argued that the British Empire improved life for the average Indian, Kurlansky shows how from the perspective of the poor salt makers, their poverty only increased since Britain didn't want Indian salt competing in the market with British salt and therefore drastically reduced production in India while implementing very severe laws regarding salt).
Except for that minor quibble about the title, I definitely liked the book a lot. I admit there were a few things I only scanned through (mostly the ancient recipes because I don't cook and I don't know how people preserve things now so when they said things like leave sit for forty days it mostly just sounded disgusting, and I wasn't sure how it compared to today). I like salt, and I realize it's a necessity for the body along with other electrolytes but since I'm so used to hearing about how people consume too much salt, I never really thought of it as incredibly vital and saw it as more of a luxury item. Kurlansky demonstrates just how important it once was, especially before refrigeration when it was used to preserve foods. As a result, it makes sense why saltworks would be so important targets during times of war: it is needed for livestock, to make rations for the soldiers, for survival. He discusses this in relation to the United States with both the Revolution and the Civil War.
He also talks quite a bit about fish in this book, since they were one of the foods that were frequently salted. I actually thought it was interesting when looking at other books that Kurlansky has written, but I definitely got the idea that he tends to stumble upon topics he wants to further explore while researching his other books. For example, he has a book about cod, and one about nonviolence and civil disobedience, both things that came up in this book.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Book 73: How the Scots Invented the Modern World
How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Invented Our World and Everything in It by Arthur Herman
I have long had a bit of a fondness for Scotland. I blame it all on Braveheart (thank you, by the way, Mel Gibson, for ruining that movie for me, really appreciate it). I also spent 4th of July in Edinburgh last year, and absolutely loved it. It really was interesting to be walking around in Scotland, reading quotes like "for we fight not for glory, nor riches, nor honours, but for Freedom alone which no good man gives up except with his life" in the Scottish History Museum (I'm not actually sure of the exact name of the museum anymore but the quote is right because I liked it enough to take a picture) on the day that America celebrates its independence - it felt like something I could have seen in an American history book. I also was surprised to stumble upon a statue of Abraham Lincoln in one of the Scottish cemeteries, a tribute to the Scottish-Americans that fought in the American Civil War. Still, I quickly realized that I didn't really know all too much about Scottish history beyond William Wallace and a few books on Mary Queen of Scots. When I went to the Writers' Museum, I discovered I'd never read anything by the great Scottish authors, including Stevenson and Scott - although, Rowlings started writing Harry Potter in Edinburgh so can I count that?
Anyway, I noticed this book on a friend's bookshelf a while back, and recently found it at Barnes and Noble while perusing the history section (I figure I really need to start reading something other than fiction; when I was in Iraq and still somewhat fresh out of college, I tried to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and excluding some light memoirs, I honestly can't remember the last time I picked up a nonfiction book). For the most part, I liked the book, though I felt like it dragged some in the middle. Also, while the book definitely pointed to some important contributions that Scots have made in history I'm not exactly sold on the title or the thesis behind it.
The book is partially in chronological order and partially by theme. In some cases, this irritated me a little bit because many of the men he discussed were contemporaries though I kept thinking they came after each other. This might be a sign that I've been in the Army too long but I wanted a nice Powerpoint slide with a timeline so I could keep straight who lived when and published what when so I could more clearly keep straight what was influencing what. Herman focused a lot on ideas, and the great Scottish philosophers that came to influence human thought, such as David Hume, Adam Smith and others (of course, I see Hume and think Desmond!). Some of it was definitely interesting, such as the evolution of the idea of history and the four step model of societies. However, I've never been big on philosophy so on occasion, he'd mention a name, and I wouldn't actually know what that person's belief was and he wouldn't explain it until a few chapters later. I think it definitely helps to already have a general knowledge of some of the men discussed here. Also, I was reading this alongside novels, alternating every few chapters (hey, I need to ease back into nonfiction), so sometimes I forgot which person believed what.
Still, I was definitely interested the first few chapters. He kind of started losing me when he started talking about the Scots in America during the Revolutionary War. I don't know why, obviously if he is arguing that Scots influenced the entire modern world, it is important to show their influence in other countries, but I just wasn't as interested. I also felt like he sugarcoated some things in the chapter on the British Empire. He discussed how the Scots were an important part of the Empire and how they were helpful with India and China. On the one hand, it's good not to ignore the darker parts of history, but especially in his treatment of India, I felt like he was almost arguing that it was a good thing that the British Empire even took over the country, which made me uncomfortable.
While I wasn't big on the chapter about Revolutionary America, I did enjoy the one where he discussed Carnegie and explored other important scientific contributions. Herman argues that a shift can be seen in what Scotland contributed over time: in the 18th century, Scotland contributed a lot on philosophy and thought, and inspired the way American universities would be set up such as Princeton; later, it seemed more practical-minded, with big business and all. Of course, Herman continuously argues and points out the greatness of the Scottish mind and how they would often take others' inventions and make them better, more practical and thus usable.
I also enjoyed the more historical aspects of the novel, especially the ones focusing on Scotland itself, such as his discussion of the Highland Clearances and the rebellion in favor of Prince Charles. He also shows how the Scots began to romanticize the Highlanders with Walter Scot's novels, and how they came to dominate people's views and ideas of Scotland, including the king's. I guess the reason I find this interesting is because I'm used to the romanticized figures in American history: the noble savage, the cowboys, the Southern gentleman, but had never really considered the equivalent for other countries.
Overall, I liked it though I feel like maybe I should have stared with a slighlty more general history of Scotland. Or brushed up on my philosophy before reading it. My friend had even said when I'd asked her about it about that it was interesting but with its flaws/not great.
I have long had a bit of a fondness for Scotland. I blame it all on Braveheart (thank you, by the way, Mel Gibson, for ruining that movie for me, really appreciate it). I also spent 4th of July in Edinburgh last year, and absolutely loved it. It really was interesting to be walking around in Scotland, reading quotes like "for we fight not for glory, nor riches, nor honours, but for Freedom alone which no good man gives up except with his life" in the Scottish History Museum (I'm not actually sure of the exact name of the museum anymore but the quote is right because I liked it enough to take a picture) on the day that America celebrates its independence - it felt like something I could have seen in an American history book. I also was surprised to stumble upon a statue of Abraham Lincoln in one of the Scottish cemeteries, a tribute to the Scottish-Americans that fought in the American Civil War. Still, I quickly realized that I didn't really know all too much about Scottish history beyond William Wallace and a few books on Mary Queen of Scots. When I went to the Writers' Museum, I discovered I'd never read anything by the great Scottish authors, including Stevenson and Scott - although, Rowlings started writing Harry Potter in Edinburgh so can I count that?
Anyway, I noticed this book on a friend's bookshelf a while back, and recently found it at Barnes and Noble while perusing the history section (I figure I really need to start reading something other than fiction; when I was in Iraq and still somewhat fresh out of college, I tried to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and excluding some light memoirs, I honestly can't remember the last time I picked up a nonfiction book). For the most part, I liked the book, though I felt like it dragged some in the middle. Also, while the book definitely pointed to some important contributions that Scots have made in history I'm not exactly sold on the title or the thesis behind it.
The book is partially in chronological order and partially by theme. In some cases, this irritated me a little bit because many of the men he discussed were contemporaries though I kept thinking they came after each other. This might be a sign that I've been in the Army too long but I wanted a nice Powerpoint slide with a timeline so I could keep straight who lived when and published what when so I could more clearly keep straight what was influencing what. Herman focused a lot on ideas, and the great Scottish philosophers that came to influence human thought, such as David Hume, Adam Smith and others (of course, I see Hume and think Desmond!). Some of it was definitely interesting, such as the evolution of the idea of history and the four step model of societies. However, I've never been big on philosophy so on occasion, he'd mention a name, and I wouldn't actually know what that person's belief was and he wouldn't explain it until a few chapters later. I think it definitely helps to already have a general knowledge of some of the men discussed here. Also, I was reading this alongside novels, alternating every few chapters (hey, I need to ease back into nonfiction), so sometimes I forgot which person believed what.
Still, I was definitely interested the first few chapters. He kind of started losing me when he started talking about the Scots in America during the Revolutionary War. I don't know why, obviously if he is arguing that Scots influenced the entire modern world, it is important to show their influence in other countries, but I just wasn't as interested. I also felt like he sugarcoated some things in the chapter on the British Empire. He discussed how the Scots were an important part of the Empire and how they were helpful with India and China. On the one hand, it's good not to ignore the darker parts of history, but especially in his treatment of India, I felt like he was almost arguing that it was a good thing that the British Empire even took over the country, which made me uncomfortable.
While I wasn't big on the chapter about Revolutionary America, I did enjoy the one where he discussed Carnegie and explored other important scientific contributions. Herman argues that a shift can be seen in what Scotland contributed over time: in the 18th century, Scotland contributed a lot on philosophy and thought, and inspired the way American universities would be set up such as Princeton; later, it seemed more practical-minded, with big business and all. Of course, Herman continuously argues and points out the greatness of the Scottish mind and how they would often take others' inventions and make them better, more practical and thus usable.
I also enjoyed the more historical aspects of the novel, especially the ones focusing on Scotland itself, such as his discussion of the Highland Clearances and the rebellion in favor of Prince Charles. He also shows how the Scots began to romanticize the Highlanders with Walter Scot's novels, and how they came to dominate people's views and ideas of Scotland, including the king's. I guess the reason I find this interesting is because I'm used to the romanticized figures in American history: the noble savage, the cowboys, the Southern gentleman, but had never really considered the equivalent for other countries.
Overall, I liked it though I feel like maybe I should have stared with a slighlty more general history of Scotland. Or brushed up on my philosophy before reading it. My friend had even said when I'd asked her about it about that it was interesting but with its flaws/not great.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Book 72: Mistress of the Art of Death
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
I've read one other novel by Ariana Franklin which I remembered as a pleasant historical suspence/thriller. I'd also been interested in this one when I picked up the other one, but I hadn't wanted to buy two novels by an unknown author at once, and then I kind of forgot about her with all the other novels I wanted to read. When I happened upon this in a bookstore recently, I figured it should at the least be entertaining.
This novel takes place in 12th century England, which is under the reign of Henry II, notoriously remembered in history for killing the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, and also overshadowed by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, when it comes to romantic figures in history. Four children have gone missing in the Cambridge area, and as so often happened in the Middle Ages, the blame and anger of the area's citizens falls on the Jews. They are taken under the king's protection and shut into one of his castles in the area, but the lack of revenues makes Henry rather unhappy. After all, taxing the Jews is rather profitable, and if they can't work, he can't exactly tax them.
At the request of the King of Sicily, the famed medical school in Salerno, which teaches men and women, sends a doctor to the dead (basically, a doctor that does autopsies) to help in the investigation that will be led by Simon, one of the King's top investigators - the man in charge of the school chooses to send Adelia, not taking into consideration the sexism and superstition that exist within medieval England. In order to gain access to many of the places she needs and to prevent suspicion, she must pretend to be the assistant of her Muslim eunuch manservant, Mansur. As a doctor, the extreme superstition in her new surroundings excaberates her, such as the idea that a handkerchief wiped in a decaying, soon-to-be saint's dead body and applying that to the eyes could prevent blindness. All it does of course is cause an infection. This also means that her work, or Mansur's work as the community believes, is looked at oddly and in some cases frowned upon or seen as witchcraft since common sense doesn't always win out.
Adelia and her friends use her examination results as a starting point, and also find helpful allies in the local prior, a knowledgeable and kind man who Adelia treated on their way to town, Glytha, a maid referred by him, and her grandson Ulf, all of whom give the newcomers access to places they otherwise wouldn't have been able to visit as well as acting as interpreters of the town. Due to the clues, they begin narrowing their field of suspects, and one person in particular seems suspicious to Adelia as he also seems to be investigating the crimes for no explainable reason. Simon, however, trusts Rowley so he becomes an important figure in the story.
There are a few clues that the author drops that a reader may or may not connect as the story goes on. While it is a more or less average mystery novel, the setting was entertaining, though Franklin admits that it is impossible not to be anachronistic when writing historical fiction set in the 12th century. While I didn't have a problem with the romantic relationship that ended up occurring, it seemed a bit rushed at points, going from "oh, I don't think I like him" to "I love him" in about two or three pages. I think if it had progressed a little less quickly, I would have preferred it. That actually reminds me of one other thing - I had a hard time telling how much time was really passing as the novel occurred. On the one hand, it felt like the investigation only went on for a few days or two or three weeks at most, at other times, Adelia notes to the prior that he has lost weight since she prescribed him with a new diet plan while she helped him with his medical issue. It just seems like if he has noticeably lost weight, more than a few days have passed between meetings (I mean I know you can lose enough weight in a month for it to be noticeable, but as I said, I felt like they weren't there that long).
One thing I actually really liked about the novel had less to do with the plot and more to do with the characterization of Henry II. As I said, it seems like he is more famous for the death of Thomas Becket and his struggles with the church than anything else, and usually Becket is shown as the good guy, the hero (I remember him making an appearance in The Pillars of the Earth, and Philip thinking that it was a good sign for England and progress that the king later apologized and bowed down to the church). In this novel, however, we are shown how superstitious and corrupt the Church is. Additionally, Becket, while already dead, is shown as someone unwilling to support reform for the good of the country and who instead wanted to hold on to the power the Church had for the worse of the people. It actually really makes me want to read a real biography of Henry II and see what the real deal is. I think I have a biography of his wife by Alison Weir in my car . . . maybe it refers to her husband's religious battles. I think that's always a good thing, though, when historical fiction inspires the reader to do more research on a topic, so in that way, I definitely have to give my respect to Franklin.
I've read one other novel by Ariana Franklin which I remembered as a pleasant historical suspence/thriller. I'd also been interested in this one when I picked up the other one, but I hadn't wanted to buy two novels by an unknown author at once, and then I kind of forgot about her with all the other novels I wanted to read. When I happened upon this in a bookstore recently, I figured it should at the least be entertaining.
This novel takes place in 12th century England, which is under the reign of Henry II, notoriously remembered in history for killing the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, and also overshadowed by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, when it comes to romantic figures in history. Four children have gone missing in the Cambridge area, and as so often happened in the Middle Ages, the blame and anger of the area's citizens falls on the Jews. They are taken under the king's protection and shut into one of his castles in the area, but the lack of revenues makes Henry rather unhappy. After all, taxing the Jews is rather profitable, and if they can't work, he can't exactly tax them.
At the request of the King of Sicily, the famed medical school in Salerno, which teaches men and women, sends a doctor to the dead (basically, a doctor that does autopsies) to help in the investigation that will be led by Simon, one of the King's top investigators - the man in charge of the school chooses to send Adelia, not taking into consideration the sexism and superstition that exist within medieval England. In order to gain access to many of the places she needs and to prevent suspicion, she must pretend to be the assistant of her Muslim eunuch manservant, Mansur. As a doctor, the extreme superstition in her new surroundings excaberates her, such as the idea that a handkerchief wiped in a decaying, soon-to-be saint's dead body and applying that to the eyes could prevent blindness. All it does of course is cause an infection. This also means that her work, or Mansur's work as the community believes, is looked at oddly and in some cases frowned upon or seen as witchcraft since common sense doesn't always win out.
Adelia and her friends use her examination results as a starting point, and also find helpful allies in the local prior, a knowledgeable and kind man who Adelia treated on their way to town, Glytha, a maid referred by him, and her grandson Ulf, all of whom give the newcomers access to places they otherwise wouldn't have been able to visit as well as acting as interpreters of the town. Due to the clues, they begin narrowing their field of suspects, and one person in particular seems suspicious to Adelia as he also seems to be investigating the crimes for no explainable reason. Simon, however, trusts Rowley so he becomes an important figure in the story.
There are a few clues that the author drops that a reader may or may not connect as the story goes on. While it is a more or less average mystery novel, the setting was entertaining, though Franklin admits that it is impossible not to be anachronistic when writing historical fiction set in the 12th century. While I didn't have a problem with the romantic relationship that ended up occurring, it seemed a bit rushed at points, going from "oh, I don't think I like him" to "I love him" in about two or three pages. I think if it had progressed a little less quickly, I would have preferred it. That actually reminds me of one other thing - I had a hard time telling how much time was really passing as the novel occurred. On the one hand, it felt like the investigation only went on for a few days or two or three weeks at most, at other times, Adelia notes to the prior that he has lost weight since she prescribed him with a new diet plan while she helped him with his medical issue. It just seems like if he has noticeably lost weight, more than a few days have passed between meetings (I mean I know you can lose enough weight in a month for it to be noticeable, but as I said, I felt like they weren't there that long).
One thing I actually really liked about the novel had less to do with the plot and more to do with the characterization of Henry II. As I said, it seems like he is more famous for the death of Thomas Becket and his struggles with the church than anything else, and usually Becket is shown as the good guy, the hero (I remember him making an appearance in The Pillars of the Earth, and Philip thinking that it was a good sign for England and progress that the king later apologized and bowed down to the church). In this novel, however, we are shown how superstitious and corrupt the Church is. Additionally, Becket, while already dead, is shown as someone unwilling to support reform for the good of the country and who instead wanted to hold on to the power the Church had for the worse of the people. It actually really makes me want to read a real biography of Henry II and see what the real deal is. I think I have a biography of his wife by Alison Weir in my car . . . maybe it refers to her husband's religious battles. I think that's always a good thing, though, when historical fiction inspires the reader to do more research on a topic, so in that way, I definitely have to give my respect to Franklin.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Book 71: I'm Not Scared
I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti
I'm still playing catch up with all the books I've read in the last few months and haven't blogged about yet. I'm blogging completely out of order at this point - Her Fearful Symmetry as is probably obvious by my review's length and detail was a rather recent read, while this next one is from May? June? I don't even remember. I picked it up based on a review at Bibliolatry.
The novel takes place in the summer of 1978 in a poor small Italian community in Tuscany (there are five houses), and is narrated by the adult self of Michele Amitrano. While he and his friends are out one day, Michele makes a discovery during a dare but decides not to share it with any of his friends. Both intrigued and excited to have a secret of his own, he soon realizes that it much more far reaching than he realized and that almost everyone is involved.
While no one in the village was financially well-off, Michele's family definitely seemed to be among the poorest. His father actually works outside the city, and seems to be rather down on his luck though his children adore him when he comes to visit. Ammaniti did a good job of getting into the mind of a young child while using the fact that the child's adult self was narrating to provide further insight. Also given the brevity of the novel, the characters and the area itself were described and developed in great detail.
I'm still playing catch up with all the books I've read in the last few months and haven't blogged about yet. I'm blogging completely out of order at this point - Her Fearful Symmetry as is probably obvious by my review's length and detail was a rather recent read, while this next one is from May? June? I don't even remember. I picked it up based on a review at Bibliolatry.
The novel takes place in the summer of 1978 in a poor small Italian community in Tuscany (there are five houses), and is narrated by the adult self of Michele Amitrano. While he and his friends are out one day, Michele makes a discovery during a dare but decides not to share it with any of his friends. Both intrigued and excited to have a secret of his own, he soon realizes that it much more far reaching than he realized and that almost everyone is involved.
While no one in the village was financially well-off, Michele's family definitely seemed to be among the poorest. His father actually works outside the city, and seems to be rather down on his luck though his children adore him when he comes to visit. Ammaniti did a good job of getting into the mind of a young child while using the fact that the child's adult self was narrating to provide further insight. Also given the brevity of the novel, the characters and the area itself were described and developed in great detail.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Book 70: Between a Heart and a Rock Place
Between a Heart and a Rock Place by Pat Benatar
I got my first CD player/Discman when I was in 3rd grade. After that, my parents tended to give me CDs of musicians they had liked for things such as Easter. Actually, my dad was the one who picked all those CDs out, and whenever I'd saved up my allowance and we were in a store that sold CDs I would often consult him and ask him for advice since I hadn't developed musical tastes of my own at that point. Beyond Whitney Houston. And later Madonna. I can't remember if my dad advised me to buy the two disc set that was Pat Benatar's Greatest Hits or if it was a gift, but I definitely had it. And I also remember making mixed tapes and having songs like "Love is a Battlefield," "Shadows of the Night," and "All Fired Up" on them. I also completely loved the song "We Belong" and still admit to liking it, though it is rather melodramatic.
While I haven't listened to that CD or any of the songs on it in ages, I was definitely drawn to Pat Benatar's memoir. We moved back to the States when I was 13, and that's also the year I got my very own television. I started watching way too much VH1, and am quite familiar with the Behind the Music stories. While Benatar certainly repeats some of the themes seen throughout the episodes, it was refreshing to read about a rock star that didn't spiral out of control or end up in rehab. In fact, at some points her comments about how it was about the music and her family, and that she was focused got a little repetitive though not to the point where I got irritated. While she didn't deal with that, like many other musicians, she had issues with her management, trusting the wrong people and contract problems with the record company.
I also never realized that she saw herself more as a member of a band than an solo artist, and her husband and guitarist, Spyder, was a huge influence on her music and the success of her career. It was great to read about a female artist that clearly labels herself as a feminist and to read about her struggles with sexism in the industry, from radio to her own label. She quickly became annoyed with her label's insistence on marketing her as "sexy woman" rather than "rock artist that happens to be female."
There were a few points where she seemed to contradict herself and others where she was a bit repetitive but for the most part I enjoyed reading about how the public reacted to her and her songs. Since I'd only ever owned the greatest hits album, I didn't know the proper chronology or how popular they had been during their time. It was a very quick read and I probably should have waited for the paperback since it was good but somewhat forgettable.
I got my first CD player/Discman when I was in 3rd grade. After that, my parents tended to give me CDs of musicians they had liked for things such as Easter. Actually, my dad was the one who picked all those CDs out, and whenever I'd saved up my allowance and we were in a store that sold CDs I would often consult him and ask him for advice since I hadn't developed musical tastes of my own at that point. Beyond Whitney Houston. And later Madonna. I can't remember if my dad advised me to buy the two disc set that was Pat Benatar's Greatest Hits or if it was a gift, but I definitely had it. And I also remember making mixed tapes and having songs like "Love is a Battlefield," "Shadows of the Night," and "All Fired Up" on them. I also completely loved the song "We Belong" and still admit to liking it, though it is rather melodramatic.
While I haven't listened to that CD or any of the songs on it in ages, I was definitely drawn to Pat Benatar's memoir. We moved back to the States when I was 13, and that's also the year I got my very own television. I started watching way too much VH1, and am quite familiar with the Behind the Music stories. While Benatar certainly repeats some of the themes seen throughout the episodes, it was refreshing to read about a rock star that didn't spiral out of control or end up in rehab. In fact, at some points her comments about how it was about the music and her family, and that she was focused got a little repetitive though not to the point where I got irritated. While she didn't deal with that, like many other musicians, she had issues with her management, trusting the wrong people and contract problems with the record company.
I also never realized that she saw herself more as a member of a band than an solo artist, and her husband and guitarist, Spyder, was a huge influence on her music and the success of her career. It was great to read about a female artist that clearly labels herself as a feminist and to read about her struggles with sexism in the industry, from radio to her own label. She quickly became annoyed with her label's insistence on marketing her as "sexy woman" rather than "rock artist that happens to be female."
There were a few points where she seemed to contradict herself and others where she was a bit repetitive but for the most part I enjoyed reading about how the public reacted to her and her songs. Since I'd only ever owned the greatest hits album, I didn't know the proper chronology or how popular they had been during their time. It was a very quick read and I probably should have waited for the paperback since it was good but somewhat forgettable.
Book 69: The Book Thief
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.
I probably never would have picked this novel up if it hadn't been July's selection for the Pajiba Book Club, mainly because it is classified as young adult fiction (though it was released as regular adult fiction in its original country, Australia). However, I'm glad I read it.
The story is narrated by Death, an exhausted, overworked Death. As he introduces the story, he explains that for the most part he tries not to pay too much attention to the humans that he crosses paths with during his job, but every once in a while, one of them will attract his attention. Liesel, the book thief, was one such person - in a short period of time, during WWII, their paths cross three times, and for some reason, he notices her. After the last time, she leaves behind a book with her story, and he picks it up on a whim and reads it. Many years have passed but Death now decides to share this story.
As someone that tends to skip ahead to the ending of novels quite a lot, I enjoyed the fact that the ending wasn't much of a mystery - three death scenes, right at the beginning of the novel. He goes into further detail as the novel progresses but the reader knows how it's going to end before it ends. As Death says (and I agree), it's not about the end, but how they get there, the journey, if you will. However, the beginning also jumped around quite a lot and it took me a few chapters to get used to the narrative flow.
As Liesel's story begins, she and her younger brother are on their way to their new foster parents: her mother has been struggling to raise them, and due to Liesel's father's Communist ties, she also must be worried about the possibility that she, too, will be taken away. In fact, nine year old Liesel doesn't even remember her father. Her brother dies enroute, and it is at his funeral that Liesel steals her first book, a guide to gravedigging, clearly dropped by an apprentice. Though she cannot read, this becomes her dearest possession, a memorial to her brother.
Liesel's new foster parents live in Molching, a suburb of Munich and located closely to the concentration camp Dachau. Zusak introduces a variety of colorful characters, including her foster mother, Rosa, who always yells loudly and curses a lot, though this is her way of expressing affection as is soon revealed, the neighbor boy, Rudy, who once painted himself with coal and pretended to be Jessie Owens, and most importantly, her foster father, Hans. He stays awake with Liesel through the nights when her nightmares wake her, and though he only completed fourth grade himself, he teaches her to read during those dark nights. There are neighbors as well, the incredibly militant store owner who strongly supports the Fuhrer, and then others that go along with the party because it is beneficial to them. Hans is not a party member but he has applied to join the party so that fact saves him from being completely ostracized, that and his ability to play the accordion.
Zusak also explains how some people originally supported the idea of getting rid of the Jews, expecting there to be less business competition but forgetting that they would also lose them as customers. Even though the KZ is nearby, for the most part the town can ignore its existence, especially in the beginning. When Rudy and Liesel turn 10, they of course have to join their perspective parts of the Hitler Youth but neither child gets very involved in it. Liesel realizes just how messed up Nazis are after a book burning (where she also steals her second book) and also realizes the negative impact they had on her life and her parents. Rudy is tortured by one of the leaders of his group and as result, he doesn't go for all the propaganda as a young impressionable child might otherwise. Still, there is some tension in Liesel's household - when the Huberman's older children come to visit, Hans and his son have a falling out due to the father's unwillingness to unquestionably support the party while the son is a fanatic.
It becomes even more of an issue in their lives when they begin to shelter Max, a Jew in their basement. The Hubermans aren't trying to make an political statements and are simply trying to get by; however, they also feel strongly about being kind and doing what is right, which is why Hans tended to do the bare minimum. Now that he's hiding a Jew in his basement, he must make sure not to draw anymore special attention to himself. I especially liked how Zusak presented this: the Hubermans were simple people that acted out of compassion. They weren't trying to be heroes.
For the most part, the novel is about Liesel and her family and friends. Liesel and Max develop a very close and tight bond, as both are plagued by nightmares. It's about growing up but underneath, there is, of course, the darkness that is Nazi Germany. Also, Death kindly reminds the readers every once in a while of what is going on elsewhere in Europe and mentions the souls that he must gather as the Germans perfect their methods of killing. The Nazis are a constant looming threat to anyone that acts differently - after Rudy performs well at a race, for example, they want him to attend a special school for gifted Aryan children. While the novel has plenty of incidents of youthful adventures and stealing, Zusak also shows just how guarded and careful everyone must be about how they act and what they say.
As I said, I really liked this novel and I don't feel like I'm coming anywhere near doing it justice. Maybe someone else will be better able to articulate how I felt during the book club discussion. I enjoyed the characters, and I could easily imagine my grandmother's voice when reading about Rosa Huberman's yelling. I've read a few memoirs about growing up in Nazy Germany, such as On Hitler's Mountain, but it's a topic I will always be willing to read more about.
I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.
I probably never would have picked this novel up if it hadn't been July's selection for the Pajiba Book Club, mainly because it is classified as young adult fiction (though it was released as regular adult fiction in its original country, Australia). However, I'm glad I read it.
The story is narrated by Death, an exhausted, overworked Death. As he introduces the story, he explains that for the most part he tries not to pay too much attention to the humans that he crosses paths with during his job, but every once in a while, one of them will attract his attention. Liesel, the book thief, was one such person - in a short period of time, during WWII, their paths cross three times, and for some reason, he notices her. After the last time, she leaves behind a book with her story, and he picks it up on a whim and reads it. Many years have passed but Death now decides to share this story.
As someone that tends to skip ahead to the ending of novels quite a lot, I enjoyed the fact that the ending wasn't much of a mystery - three death scenes, right at the beginning of the novel. He goes into further detail as the novel progresses but the reader knows how it's going to end before it ends. As Death says (and I agree), it's not about the end, but how they get there, the journey, if you will. However, the beginning also jumped around quite a lot and it took me a few chapters to get used to the narrative flow.
As Liesel's story begins, she and her younger brother are on their way to their new foster parents: her mother has been struggling to raise them, and due to Liesel's father's Communist ties, she also must be worried about the possibility that she, too, will be taken away. In fact, nine year old Liesel doesn't even remember her father. Her brother dies enroute, and it is at his funeral that Liesel steals her first book, a guide to gravedigging, clearly dropped by an apprentice. Though she cannot read, this becomes her dearest possession, a memorial to her brother.
Liesel's new foster parents live in Molching, a suburb of Munich and located closely to the concentration camp Dachau. Zusak introduces a variety of colorful characters, including her foster mother, Rosa, who always yells loudly and curses a lot, though this is her way of expressing affection as is soon revealed, the neighbor boy, Rudy, who once painted himself with coal and pretended to be Jessie Owens, and most importantly, her foster father, Hans. He stays awake with Liesel through the nights when her nightmares wake her, and though he only completed fourth grade himself, he teaches her to read during those dark nights. There are neighbors as well, the incredibly militant store owner who strongly supports the Fuhrer, and then others that go along with the party because it is beneficial to them. Hans is not a party member but he has applied to join the party so that fact saves him from being completely ostracized, that and his ability to play the accordion.
Zusak also explains how some people originally supported the idea of getting rid of the Jews, expecting there to be less business competition but forgetting that they would also lose them as customers. Even though the KZ is nearby, for the most part the town can ignore its existence, especially in the beginning. When Rudy and Liesel turn 10, they of course have to join their perspective parts of the Hitler Youth but neither child gets very involved in it. Liesel realizes just how messed up Nazis are after a book burning (where she also steals her second book) and also realizes the negative impact they had on her life and her parents. Rudy is tortured by one of the leaders of his group and as result, he doesn't go for all the propaganda as a young impressionable child might otherwise. Still, there is some tension in Liesel's household - when the Huberman's older children come to visit, Hans and his son have a falling out due to the father's unwillingness to unquestionably support the party while the son is a fanatic.
It becomes even more of an issue in their lives when they begin to shelter Max, a Jew in their basement. The Hubermans aren't trying to make an political statements and are simply trying to get by; however, they also feel strongly about being kind and doing what is right, which is why Hans tended to do the bare minimum. Now that he's hiding a Jew in his basement, he must make sure not to draw anymore special attention to himself. I especially liked how Zusak presented this: the Hubermans were simple people that acted out of compassion. They weren't trying to be heroes.
For the most part, the novel is about Liesel and her family and friends. Liesel and Max develop a very close and tight bond, as both are plagued by nightmares. It's about growing up but underneath, there is, of course, the darkness that is Nazi Germany. Also, Death kindly reminds the readers every once in a while of what is going on elsewhere in Europe and mentions the souls that he must gather as the Germans perfect their methods of killing. The Nazis are a constant looming threat to anyone that acts differently - after Rudy performs well at a race, for example, they want him to attend a special school for gifted Aryan children. While the novel has plenty of incidents of youthful adventures and stealing, Zusak also shows just how guarded and careful everyone must be about how they act and what they say.
As I said, I really liked this novel and I don't feel like I'm coming anywhere near doing it justice. Maybe someone else will be better able to articulate how I felt during the book club discussion. I enjoyed the characters, and I could easily imagine my grandmother's voice when reading about Rosa Huberman's yelling. I've read a few memoirs about growing up in Nazy Germany, such as On Hitler's Mountain, but it's a topic I will always be willing to read more about.
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