Brooklyn by Colm Toibin

Hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking, Colm Toibin's sixth novel, Brooklyn, is set in Brooklyn and Ireland in the early 1950s, when one young woman crosses the ocean to make a new life for herself. Eilis Lacey has come of age in small-town Ireland in the years following World War Two. Though skilled at bookkeeping, she cannot find a job in the miserable Irish economy. When an Irish priest from Brooklyn to sponsor Eilis in America--to live and work in a Brooklyn neighborhood "just like Ireland"--she decides she must go, leaving her fragile mother and her charismatic sister behind. 

Eilis finds work in a department store on Fulton Street, and when she least expects it, finds love. Tony, a blond Italian from a big family, slowly wins her over with patient charm. He takes Eilis to Coney Island and Ebbet's Field, and home to dinner in the two-room apartment he shares with his brothers and parents. He talks of having children who are Dodgers fans. But just as Eilis begins to fall in love with Tony, devastating news from Ireland threatens the promise of her future. By far Toibin's most instantly engaging and emotionally resonant novel, Brooklyn will make readers fall in love with his gorgeous writing and spellbinding characters.

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As someone who is mostly of Irish descent, I am always interested in stories about Irish immigrants. I heard good things about this book and for the most part I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed the story and felt sympathetic towards Eilis, who found herself torn between two lives - her old, familiar life in Ireland and her new life in America. The narrative was entertaining, heartbreaking, and well written. I wasn’t crazy about the ending. It felt a little unfinished to me, like there was more to be said. Overall, I would say that this novel is worth the time.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

The last novel Ernest Hemingway saw published, The Old Man and the Sea has proved itself to be one of the enduring works of American fiction. It is the story of an old Cuban fisherman and his supreme ordeal: a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Using the simple, powerful language of a fable, Hemingway takes the timeless themes of courage in the face of defeat and personal triumph won from loss and transforms them into a magnificent twentieth-century classic.

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Confession...I have not read many books by Ernest Hemingway. I have always meant to, but for some reason I have never gotten around to it. This makes me feel slightly guilty. I mean, how can I be a true bookworm without having read anything by one of my country’s greatest writers? So, as I embarked on my reading challenges for the year, I vowed that I would add more Hemingway to my to-read list. The Old Man and the Sea is my first Hemingway novel. The story is simple. It’s about an old man chasing down a fish. The old man is a tragic character. He’s down on his luck, poor, and in desperate need of a break. His luck appears to change when he hooks a large fish. The fish does not give up easy and the majority of the book is about the man’s struggle to catch the fish.

The old man is certainly a symbol of pride and perseverance, although they seem to work against him in this story. Yes, the man shows perseverance throughout the story, but it is quite obvious from the beginning that his efforts to catch the fish will not lead to success. He doesn’t have the strength nor the help to successfully capture such a large fish. However, the promise of such a large payoff is too good to resist. It is his pride that keeps him from releasing the fish and moving on. Even after he catches the fish and the sharks are attacking, his pride refuses to let him cut his loses, and as they say, “Pride comes before the fall.” In the end, he winds up with nothing. Even though it was obvious from the beginning that things would not work out the way he wanted, I still felt sympathy for him.

Ultimately, I thought the novel was okay. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either.

2015 Reading Challenge: A Pulitzer-Prize winning book

The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere

Sometimes, the things that can change your life will cross your path in one instant-and then, in a fleeting moment, they're gone. But if you open your eyes, and watch carefully, you will believe....

Robert is a successful attorney who has everything in life-and nothing at all. Focused on professional achievement and material rewards, Robert is on the brink of losing his marriage. He has lost sight of his wife, Kate, their two daughters, and ultimately himself.

Eight year old Nathan has a beloved mother, Maggie, whom he is losing to cancer. But Nathan and his family are building a simple yet full life, and struggling to hold onto every moment they have together. 

A chance meeting on Christmas even brings Robert and Nathan together-he is shopping for a family he hardly knows and Nathan is shopping for a mother he is soon to lose. In this one encounter, their lives are forever altered as Robert learns an important lesson: sometimes the smallest things can make all the difference. The Christmas Shoes is a universal story of the deeper meaning of serendipity, a tale of our shared humanity, and of how a power greater than ourselves can shape, and even save, our lives.

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I swear I am like Pavlov’s dog when it comes to the song, “Christmas Shoes.” Every time I hear it on the radio, I instantly tear up. I can’t help it. It happens every single time, despite the fact that I have heard the song innumerable times. So, I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything different from this little book based on the popular holiday song. It is a typical “Christmas story,” no different than say the holiday Hallmark movies that I can also claim an addiction to (Don’t judge...I love all things Christmas!). This story is perhaps a little more bitter sweet than others, but it’s still filled with the Christmas spirit. And in case you are wondering...yes, it did make me cry.

2015 Reading Challenge: A book set during Christmas

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

At the heart of this 1930 novel is the Bundren family's bizarre journey to Jefferson to bury Addie, their wife and mother. Faulkner lets each family member, including Addie, and others along the way tell their private responses to Addie's life.

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I know as a self-professed “book nerd” I am supposed to love this book. I mean, it’s written by William Faulkner, one of the greatest American writers. Of course I should love it, right? Right? Unfortunately, I cannot say that I do. I didn’t hate the novel, but I didn’t love it either. I found the basic plot horrifying. This family spends the entire book trying to bury the recently deceased Addie, which takes days upon days to accomplish. The corpse is almost lost in a river, almost burned in a barn fire, and is delayed so much that the sink is undeniable by anyone who passes near it. While I get that Addie’s family was trying to fulfill her dying wish, at some point enough is enough.

I did like how Faulkner continually changed perspective throughout the novel. Each of his characters is unique and had their own parallel story, each I assume represents a way of living or dying. The language takes some getting used to, as he employes a heavy Southern dialect. This book is very “Southern,” not just because of it’s setting, but also because of its religious connotations and ideas of “proper” behavior. This naturally leads to rampant hypocrisy, all done covertly, of course. Nevertheless, the story is at times confusing. Some events lack context, at times the thoughts of characters are jumbled or refer to things that happened but not explained, and I was often left with the feeling that I missed something. I don’t mind having to think about a narrative while I read it. I guess I just prefer to think about it because it is thought provoking, not because I’m trying to put a puzzle together that is clearly missing a few pieces.

While I feel that Faulkner’s writing has merit, it’s just not my cup of tea. Like I said, in the end I am indifferent to this book. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t like it either. I think this novel falls quite nicely into the “to each their own” category. Some people will love it, others will not. You will need to decide for yourself which side you fall on.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Moral allegory and spiritual autobiography, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language. With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behavior through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures.

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I honestly don't know what to make of this one. It is a very interesting story, which can be read very differently depending entirely on how old you are when you read it. Seen through the eyes of a child, the story is full of wonder and adventure. It is warning to young adults to hold on to that "child-like wonder" and creativity. There is also an element of sadness as the adults in the book seem to have lost any sense of curiosity, focused only on their mundane "adult" tasks.

When the story is considered in light of Saint-Exupéry's life, it certainly appears autobiographical. A young boy flies off to have an adventure, only to lose his innocence along the way. He knows that he can never return to the life he has...perhaps he even dies? Not far from the author who dreamed of being a pilot and adventure, only to experience an end to innocence at the hands of war.

I feel like this is a book that I will have to read several more times before I can formulate a more concrete opinion.

2015 Reading Challenge: A book that was originally written in a different language

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

The first of Jane Austen's published novels, Sense and Sensibility portrays the life and loves of two starkly different sisters: Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.

The elder Elinor is the epitome of prudence, discretion, and self-control: Marianne embodies emotion, openness, and enthusiasm. This contrast results in their attraction to men of vastly different character - and sparks family and societal dramas that are played out around the sisters' romantic attachments.

Secrets, betrayals, and confessions soon complicate the lives of the Dashwoods, whose goal is nothing less than the achievement of perfect happiness. Beyond the polar differences between the two sisters' characters lies the universal dilemma of balancing what we owe to other human beings against our own needs.

In the pages of this novel, Austen - the most insightful and, at the same time, the most entertaining of novelists - demonstrates her gift for irony. As with many of the greatest works of literature, the resolution of this one is ambiguous: It is for the reader to decide whether sense and sensibility have truly merged - if life and love can really coexist.

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Sense and Sensibility is my second favorite Austen novel. I have always felt a kinship with sensible Elinor. Of all the Austen heroines, she is the one I feel is most similar to myself. I have always admired her steadfastness, practicality, and stoic manner. I never could quite understand why Marianne was the beloved one of the two sisters. To me, she has always appeared indulgent, flighty, and overly dramatic. 

The sisters represent the polar opposites, which is what makes this the perfect choice for my reading challenge. 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines sense and sensibility as follows:

Sense (noun):

a. capacity for effective application of the powers of the mind as a basis for action or response : intelligence
b : sound mental capacity and understanding typically marked by shrewdness and practicality;also : agreement with or satisfaction of such power 

Sensibility (noun):

a. peculiar susceptibility to a pleasurable or painful impression (as from praise or a slight) —often used in plural
b. awareness of and responsiveness toward something (as emotion in another)

Sensible people are governed by logic. They rely on their heads, their reason. They are willing to sacrifice their own desires in favor of practicality. Where as people who rely on their sensibilities are motivated by their emotions, and are not afraid to respond with unrestrained emotion, positive or negative, in any given situation. Both have their pros and cons, and the message I always got from this novel is the importance of finding the balance between the two. Elinor is often mistaken as being unemotional or detached; Marianne is so easily overcome by any emotion, good or bad, that she appears almost bi-polar.

Of course, there is also Edward Ferrars to consider. As much as I wanted to hate him for it, I have always admired his loyalty and unwillingness to give into the pressures of others. He was a fool to make a promise to Lucy at such a young age, but I have always admired how he refused to break his promise to her, despite the pressure of his family and even to the detriment of his own heart. On the other hand, I always feel an urge to rage at him to forget honor and marry the woman he really loves. Edward is no Mr. Darcy, but he is definitely up there on the list of my favorite leading men.

Even though I have read this book numerous times, I loved it just as much as I did all the other times I read it. Like a pair of comfortable slippers, it was easy to slip into this world created by Austen and lose myself in the language and characters of this novel. This one will never get old for me, and I foresee many more rereadings.

2015 Reading Challenge: A book with antonyms in the title

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. It contains illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E.B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books.

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This was one of my favorite books growing up. In fact, I still have my childhood copy. The dust jacket is long since missing, the pages are yellowed and stained, the binding is broken, and it has that old book smell. I can still remember sitting with my mother and reading it for the first time. It has been years (decades even) since I had picked it up, so it was a no-brainer for me which book I would chose to fulfill the book from your childhood category for my reading challenge.

Unlike so many other things, this book has not lost it's shine. It is just as good now, as I remember it being when I was a child. I have been so disappointed by films and other books that I have rewatched/reread as an adult, only to find that they lack the luster my memory painted them with. This was not the case with Charlotte's Web. I loved Wilbur and all the other animals. I even loved Charlotte, despite my rather intense loathing of spiders. All the feelings I associated with this novel in my memory - love, joy, sadness, laughter - where all still there as I reread its pages.

This book remains a classic for me and I hope that I will someday be able to share it with my children some day. It is a book that has and will continue to stand the test of time. It is a simple story with tremendous heart. It is a story about love, friendship, and the cycle of life. I love it just as much today as I did as a child. It's nice to know some things never change. 

2015 Reading Challenge: A book from your childhood

Slaugherhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse-Five is the story of Billy Pilgrim, an ill-trained American soldier and his experience in World War II

War is inevitable, and it is absurd. The main theme of the book focuses on this. Billy Pilgrim is a prisoner-of-war at the hands of the Germans. He is captured and put in a disused slaughterhouse, which eventually proves to be a safe ‘shelter’ when his life is spared during the bombing of Dresden.

Billy is a fatalist. Barely out of childhood, his lack of enthusiasm for war and the eventual consequences of the war on his life is what makes up the story of Billy’s life. Vonnegut uses Billy to show that war is unnecessarily glorified, due to which people overlook the real tragedies and trauma that war actually brings with it.

Billy’s journey through time and space, his accounts of the bombing at Dresden, and his life as a prisoner of war, all highlight the central theme in the novel, war is nothing but another form of hell. Dark humour and irony is what makes Slaughterhouse-Five unique and a perfect example of creative accomplishment. It conveys the bitterness of war, while providing comic relief along with crucial understanding of the working of the human mind.

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This was an interesting read for me. It is definitely in the same vain as Catch-22 in it's use of irony, humor, and an almost senseless story line, although I enjoyed this book much more than Catch-22. The story is borderline absurd, and yet Billy Pilgrim is an interesting character. He is hardly the typical leading man, yet one can't refrain from feeling sorry for him and his plight to do the best he can with the hand he has been dealt. 

There are of course many parallel's between the absurdity of Billy Pilgrim's life and the war itself. It's lack of structure mirrors the chaos of war. There is no real central story line and the story jumps back and forth between past, present, future, Earth, and Tralfamdor. In a word, it's...pointless. Just like war. The phrase "so it goes" is repeated after every mention of death in the novel, seemingly to point out that death is inevitable for us all and that the universe couldn't care less about the death of any individual. Another parallel. It's an anti-war novel, but even the story itself can't seem to pin down it's exact identity. Is it a Science-Fiction novel? A war novel? Something else entirely? 

But perhaps that's the point. Trying to wrap your head around something so incomprehensible as war, is like finding yourself trapped in an endless, inescapable time loop, leading nowhere (except perhaps death). So it goes.

2015 Reading Challenge: A banned book

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch--"Scout"--returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchmanperfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in a painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past--a journey that can be guided only by one's conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humor and effortless precision--a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill a Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to an American classic.

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To Kill A Mockingbird is easily in my top five favorite books. I first read it in eighth grade, and it is a book that will forever be in my heart. I identified with the spunky Scout and Atticus is my literary hero. I love Harper Lee's descriptions and observations of small-town Southern life and its inhabitants, as well as the stories of Scout's childhood antics. For me, Atticus will forever be a prime example of all that is good and righteous. So when I heard that Harper Lee was releasing another book, and that it would involve some of my most beloved literary characters, to say I was excited is a gross understatement.

When I first began reading the book, I was horrified! I felt like Harper Lee had taken everything I had loved about TKAMB and stomped all over it, threw it in a shredder, and then burnt it to ash. I didn't think I would be able to make it all the way through the book, until I remembered what this book is NOT. Go Set A Watchman is NOT a sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird. In fact, it is an earlier draft of what would eventually become the story we know and love. The differences in the story help to separate the two novels. For example, what eventually becomes Tom's trial in TKAMB is only given a few short lines in this novel, and Atticus wins that trial. When I remembered this, it made it easier to separate this book from what I know and appreciate it for what it is.

Go Set A Watchman lacks a lot of the polish and life that TKAMB has. Its plot is underdeveloped and overly simplistic. In essence, the whole plot boils down to: Scout comes home, Scout sees Atticus doing something she doesn't like, Scout gets mad. The plot falls flat when compared to some of the other things going on around it. There are glimpses of what would become the heart and soul of TKAMB in this novel, especially when Lee describes the people of Maycomb, and Scout's retelling of childhood memories. These passages are full of life, humor, and are much more engaging than the main story line. 

Many of the characters are also different and/or missing from this version of the story. Jem and Dill only appear in passing or in Scout's reminiscences. Boo Radley is missing completely. Atticus is so distinctly Southern and almost the polar opposite of what we know him to be. Scout is still strong willed and still makes for the perfect lens to view the story through. I think the differences in the characters, particularly Atticus, was the most jarring part of this book. It was hard to reconcile these versions with what I knew of the characters. If you are to read this book as a true sequel to TKAMB, then the changes are most alarming. But the truth is, you can't compare them to the characters that they would become. They are simply early versions of what would evolve into the characters we know and love. They are certainly not without merit and there are glimpses of the personalities of the characters they would eventually become. You can see it in Jem's seemingly nonchalant way of watching over his sister, Scout's fire when dealing with her aunt, Atticus' love for his children, and Scout's relationship with Cal. 

Go Set A Watchman is certainly not without it's own merit. The story does have some provocative ideas about identity and being your own "watchman," which is explored through the conflict between Atticus and Scout. I think Scout's disenchantment with Atticus over a difference in opinion is a fairly common part of growing up. Our thoughts and identities are all influenced by where we grow up, our families, religion, experience, and a multitude of other factors, and there inevitably comes a time when what we think about something will differ from what our parents think. That's part of being an independent person, and it can certainly cause conflict. Scout's way of thinking is certainly radical as compared to the thinking of her father and the society around her, but the lesson that I think Atticus tries to teach Scout is that it's okay to think for yourself. That ultimately we are all responsible for being our own conscious, or "watchman," and deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong, independent of the "collective conscious."

After reading this book, I can see why Lee's editor made the suggestions he/she did. It produced a better, life filled story. However, this version is not without its merits, and Lee's talent does shine through. If you go into this book reading it like a sequel, you will be disappointed. However, if you can separate it from TKAMB and appreciate it for what it is and what it is not, I think that you will get something out of it. I don't love this book the way I love TKAMB, but I'm not sorry that I read it either. It certainly doesn't change how I feel about TKAMB or its characters. Ultimately, I think Go Set A Watchman simply gave me a greater appreciation of Harper Lee's talent.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Harper Lee's classic novel of a lawyer in the Deep South defending a black man charged with the rape of a white girl.

One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many distinctions since its original publication in 1960. It won the Pulitzer Prize, has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. Most recently, librarians across the country gave the book the highest of honors by voting it the best novel of the twentieth century.

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Every once and awhile, a book comes along and marks you forever. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those books for me. I first read it in eighth grade, and I have never forgotten it. In fact, I still have the copy that I bought in eighth grade on my bookshelf. The pages have yellowed, my highlights (no doubt quotes for my essay) have faded, and it now has that amazing "old book" smell - dust, paper, and memory. There have been books that I have loved as a child that I have reread as an adult which have lost some of their luster, but To Kill a Mockingbird just gets better and better each time I read it.

Atticus Finch is my hero, and I love the sassy Scout, Jem, and Boo Radley. It amazes me that this Harper Lee's only (soon to change with the release of Go Set a Watchman in July!) novel. Lee perfect captures small town life and the systematic prejudice that unfortunately still permeates our social and justice systems. As well as what it's like as a child who is growing up and beginning to understand the imperfections of the world around them. 

This book is such a treasure. It could be a very dark and accusing story, but I always come away from it with a sense of hope. It is a simple story that has profound meaning that resonates even today. I am in awe of Harper Lee's talent when I read this book. How amazing to create something with such longevity and importance. In my opinion, everyone should be required to read this book. 

I cannot say enough good things about this book. It touched my heart when I was twelve years old and continues to touch it every time I open its pages. 

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart tells two overlapping, intertwining stories, both of which center around Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first of these stories traces Okonkwo's fall from grace with the tribal world in which he lives, and in its classical purity of line and economical beauty it provides us with a powerful fable about the immemorial conflict between the individual and society. 

The second story, which is as modern as the first is ancient, and which elevates the book to a tragic plane, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world through the arrival of aggressive, proselytizing European missionaries. These twin dramas are perfectly harmonized, and they are modulated by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul.

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This is a hard book for me to review, because I feel like I am missing some essential element needed to understand the greater message of the novel. I had a really hard time connecting to this story and its characters. The plot of the story is sparse. Not a lot happens. Because of this, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and their journeys.

I get why the book is called Things Fall Apart. Events outside of Okonkwo’s control cause his world to fall apart and send him into exile for seven years. His tribe and culture begin to “fall apart” under the outside influences of western culture after the missionaries move in and begin converting tribe members. I can certainly understand this to a point. I have studied colonialism and its effects on different cultures, but having never experienced it myself, I will admit that my understanding is limited. I think that is why narratives like Things Fall Apart are important. It prevents us from, what author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie calls the “danger of a single story” (Sidenote: Check out her TED Talk on this topic here. It’s incredibly powerful). Stories like this are important because they contribute to a broader understanding of the human experience, which is both universal and unique.

There were a lot of times throughout this novel that I had to stop myself from judging the characters through the lens of my own cultural understanding. There were many instances, especially with the main character Okonkwo and his wives, where I found myself getting worked up, forgetting that he exists in a different culture, with different values and social norms. While I personally I don’t think that this is a legitimate justification for his actions, it does help to understand why he acted this way. Even if it makes me cringe.

In the end, I can’t say that I enjoyed this novel. In truth, I read it because I had to. I recognize the necessity of having narratives like this written, published, and read. I just can’t say that this novel did anything for me, but to add a very small piece of the puzzle to understanding a culture quite different from my own. I don’t say this to diminish the novel in any way; I can only speak to my experience. I would encourage others to give the book a chance, despite my low rating. You will be no worse for wear if you decide to pick up this book, and at the very least, you will come away from this novel more culturally aware than before.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, a 16 year old junior, recounts the events following his expulsion from his school, Pencey, and his adventures in New York City as he avoids going home to face his parents' reaction to the news. Holden is the quintessential misunderstood teenager who wants desperately to fit in, but can't seem to connect with anyone.

I somehow escaped reading The Catcher in the Rye in high school, the age when most people read this novel for the first time. Over the years, I have had many people, males especially, tell me how they loved this book and connected to the main character, Holden Caulfield. I read it for the first time last summer and to be honest, I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Nothing significant really happens in the story and Holden spends the majority of the novel complaining about everyone and everything. Not exactly my cup of tea. I wouldn’t say I hated it, but I certainly did not experience the connection with Holden so many others did. I’m not sure if that had more to do with my age, or my personality. I have always had very little patience for people who refuse to help themselves, and Holden seemed to fall into that category, which left me little sympathy for him.

I decided to give the book another chance and reread it, as my 10th grade students prepared to study it for the first time. While it still is not a favorite of mine, I do have to say that I find myself having a lot more compassion for Holden after my subsequent reading. I think Holden is a lonely boy. A boy who suffered greatly after the death of his brother and feels abandoned by his parents after they send him away to boarding school after boarding school. I think that he desperately wants to connect with someone, but doesn’t know how and fears being judged. He looks for connection in anyone who will give him the time of day, while at the same time keeping people at a distance. Holden hides behind the pretense that he can’t stand “phonies” when he himself is one of the phoniest people in the novel. He looks for faults in others, but refuses to truly recognize them in himself.

The only real connection he has is with his sister, Phoebe, who is a child. Holden is still a child in many ways and talks about how he desperately wants to protect innocence of the children he sees, but I think it is his innocence that he wants to protect. He is on the cusp of adulthood, but instead of looking forward to the future, Holden wants to freeze time. He was clearly deeply affected by the death of his brother and his failure to protect his innocence.

So in the end, I have a new appreciation for The Catcher in the Rye, but you still won’t find it at the top of my favorite books list. Perhaps this might have been different had I read it as an adolescent, but I still think I would have been impatient with Holden. Maybe future re-readings of the novel will continue to change my perspective.

Chronicles of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

When Bayardo San Roman returns his new bride, Angela Vicario, hours after their wedding, her disgraced family demands that she name her first lover. Her twin brothers set out to kill Santiago Nasar for the shame he has brought to their family. There is no evidence to support Angela's claim, in fact, nobody can remember ever seeing Santiago and Angela together. The twins make no secret of their plans to murder Santiago, and yet no one in the town intervenes to stop the murder from happening. In the end, Santiago ends up dead, leaving more questions than answers.

This was an interesting novel for me. It has a very journalistic style, and the story is told in a very straight forward manner. The facts are laid out with little to no emotional commentary. It reads more like a newspaper article or crime report than a novel. Although it is clear from the beginning what was going to happen, this book leaves more questions than it answers. I found it interesting that no one intervened to save Santiago, especially when there were questions surrounding the validity of Angela's claim. In fact, other than her saying it was Santiago, there seems to be little evidence that her claims are true.

There are several instances where others could have intervened and prevented the crime from happening, and yet they don't. What was puzzling to me about these instances was that the reasons for their lack on interference are silly when two men are running around with knives, clearly content to carry out a murder. Santiago is not painted as a bad man, someone who people would be glad to see get his comeuppance, yet no one intercedes on his behalf.

This was an okay read for me. I found the style and story intriguing, but I was left indifferent in the end.

A Christmas Star by Thomas Kinkade

"Connection. Reunion. Reconciliation. Unconditional love. Those are a few of the deep threads that run through this story's rich tapestry. Those are lessons we can all take to heart."

Sam and Jessica Morgan's life is turned upside down when a fire claims their home. Left with nothing, the family finds itself making the rounds of their relative's houses as they figure out how to get back on their feet. The stress causes Sam and Jessica to pull away from each other instead of pull together. As the tension mounts, both Sam and Jessica struggle to remember what's really important.

Jack Baxter is not in the Christmas spirit. Mourning the loss of his wife and estranged from his only son, Jack has shut himself off from the world. When car troubles lead Julie and Kate to show up on his doorstep, Jack finds his heart thawing day by day. But after living alone for so long, he is unsure if he can be what Julie and Kate deserve.

This is a heartwarming little Christmas tale, which serves as a great reminder as to what is really important in life - love, family, and friends. Life is not easy and there will always be bumps along the way. It is important to remain grateful for the people in our lives, for they are what make life worth living. This book is part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone. It's nothing spectacular, but if you are looking for a quick little Christmas read, this is a good one.

The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy by Maya Slater

Mr. Darcy is my ultimate book boyfriend. No one holds a candle to him in my heart, but his inner thoughts have always proven illusive, as Jane Austen never made us privy to them in Pride and Prejudice. When I came across this novel, I jumped at the chance to step inside my literary crush's head. My expectations might have been too high, however. I was left rather disappointed by this one.

The Darcy in my head far out paced the Darcy of this book. I found Slater's Darcy rather dull, with the many of his entries consisting of detailed descriptions of what he ate that day. There was an attempt to add some spice with mentions of Darcy's trysts with chambermaids and his attempt to help Bingley get over Jane by setting him up with a kept woman. While not unfathomable, I didn't like the idea of some of my most beloved characters acting in such a manner. It is hardly consistent with the idealized version (complete with pedestal) that I have in my head.

After Darcy's first failed proposal, the novel did pick up a little steam for me, but not enough to make this a worthwhile read. While not the worst I've ever read, I cannot say that you will be missing anything if you don't pick this one up. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Narrated by Death, The Book Thief tells the story of a small German town of Molching during World War II. Next to her brother's grave site, Liesel Meminger will encounter something that will change her life forever - a book. This is her first act of book thievery.

With the help of her foster father, Liesel learns to read and finds a new passion - words. This passion will lead Liesel to many more acts of book thievery. She shares these words with her neighbors during bomb raids and with the Jewish man her family is hiding in the basement. In this dangerous time, surrounded by tragedy and death, words will become Liesel's lifeline.

This book is AMAZING. It is one of those books that latches onto your soul. A book that will change you. I couldn't put it down. Even though the book is over 500 pages long, I flew through it. Seen through the eyes of Death, this POV provides a truly unique reading experience, fitting for the time period of the story. This book made me laugh and it made me cry. I grew to love each of the characters. It is beautifully written and well crafted. It is storytelling at it's best.

Now a major motion picture...

The Stranger by Albert Camus

The Stranger by Albert Camus is a French existential classic about a man named Meursault. Meursault is a man who lives on the fringes of society, who values the truth and refuses to lie. This novel is the perfect example of Camus's philosophical idea of absurdity, meaning that individual lives and human existence have no rational meaning or order, despite our attempts to seek and create meaning and order. The idea that humans can create order when none exists is where the term "absurdity" comes from.

"Absurd" is the perfect word to describe this novel. There is no rhyme or reason to this book or Meursault's behavior or thoughts. When I finished reading this book, I was left with a feeling of indifference, which could have been the whole point. It would be very easy to become frustrated trying to figure this book out, but to me it wasn't worth the effort of even trying to understand it. I can appreciate the literary value of this novel, but I can't say that I really enjoyed this book. I felt no connection to the characters and therefore had a hard time engaging in the story and the lives of the characters. Because of this, I was not invested in the story and at the end all I could do was shrug my shoulders and move on. There was no lingering sentiment. Closing this book was as easy as changing the TV channel. 

1984 by George Orwell

War is Peace

Freedom is Slavery

Ignorance is Strength

Written in the year 1949, 1984 maps out the horrific future envisioned by George Orwell. The world is divided into three superpowers - Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia - who are constantly at war. Every move, every thought, is watched by Big Brother and the Party. Every aspect of life - supplies, language, relationships, economy, government - is controlled by the Party. The high ideals of the past - freedom, independence, love, individuality - have been eradicated. The Party controls the past, the present, and the future. It is a world where neighbor turns on neighbor, child turns on parent, where the past can be rewritten again and again. Any sign of dissension, no matter how slight, conscious or unconscious, is quickly and completely removed.

Winston Smith is a member of the Outer Party. He remembers a time before the Party came to power and because of this has developed a consciousness, which causes him to question the actions of the Party. He begins to engage in activities - keeping a journal, having a love affair, seeking to join the Brotherhood - with the intention of bringing down Big Brother, only to find that in the end, he cannot escape the reach of the Party.

Yes, it's true...I somehow managed to make it through not only my high school career, but my college career as well, without reading 1984 (a year near and dear to my heart, as it is my birth year). Instead of 1984, I read Animal Farm by Orwell. 1984 has been on my to-read list for sometime, as you will often find it on literary must read lists. Overall, I liked the book. It certainly paints a rather hopeless view of the future, something that I think flies in the face of humanity. I think most people (at least Westerners) are brought up with the idea that man is inherently good and will rise above adversity and oppression. Hope is something that is actively sought after and held onto. Hope is completely absent from 1984. In fact, every time the slightest ray of hope is born, it is quickly and completely drowned. It leaves one with a very bleak feeling. I kept hoping that in the end it would get better, but just like the characters in the novel, all my hopes were disappointed.  

The most interesting aspect of this story for me was the idea of language. I love words. To me, words are the most powerful tool we possess. Words have the power to build up and the power to destroy. Language is powerful because of the innate desire of human beings to communicate and express themselves. I was intrigued by the idea that by limiting language one could inevitably control not only communication, but thoughts as well. After all, how can a person think about something if they lack the words necessary to describe and conceptualize it? This is especially horrifying to someone like me, an American raised on the principle of free speech. The Party in 1984 go far beyond simply trying to censor the thoughts and expressions of the people. Their goal is to limit language so much that people will lose the ability to think negatively about the government. Imagine that...not being able to speak out against the government or even THINK negative thoughts about the government. Certainly would not fly in the U.S., seeing as all people do these days is think and say negative thoughts about our government.

Regardless, freedom of expression is something that many take for granted. It's become the expectation and people forget not only what a gift it truly is, but that free expression has consequences. It is inevitable that language and expression will be used to tear others down, to assert dominance over a person or group. After all, people are always going to have different opinions and different ways of expressing their thoughts. Nevertheless, I would rather live in a world where language has the potential for harm, than in a world like the one in 1984 where there was no freedom of expression whatsoever.   

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby was one of my favorite books that I read in high school. Yes, I was one of the nerdy kids who actually read the books assigned in English class. I love the 1920s period of history and this book captures it perfectly. The glamour, the glitz, the loose morals, the dizzying heights, and the foreshadowed crash.

Everybody who's anybody has been to one of Gatsby's parties. His Long Island mansion is forever alight with the buzz of a never ending party, music, and booze. But no one really seems to know Gatsby and the speculative stories surrounding him only serve to drive the mystery that is Jay Gatsby. When Nick Carraway comes to Long Island and befriends Gatsby, he discovers that there is an obsessive secret lurking behind the facade. It is an obsession that will ultimately led to his destruction.

I decided to pick this one up again when I heard that a new film adaptation was going to be released starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire since it had been such a long time. I am a big fan of the 1974 film version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. Robert Redford played a fantastic Gatsby and is a total dreamboat!

My interest was piqued when I heard that Baz Luhrmann, director of Romeo and Juliet (also starring Leo) and Moulin Rouge, was directing. I loved R&J and Moulin Rouge and how he incorporated a modern soundtrack and feel into period/classic pieces, and was hoping that he would be able to do the same for The Great Gatsby. I have to say that I wasn't disappointed. My only qualm about seeing the movie was the idea of Leo DiCaprio playing Gatsby. I have nothing personal against Leo as an actor, I am just very biased towards Redford's portrayal, but I have to say that I pleasantly surprised. Leo's Gatsby was spot on and he embodied that character perfectly.

Gatsby definitely makes my list of beautifully tragic characters and he is the perfect example of how even too much of a good thing can be bad. Gatsby's fault is his hopefulness, a trait that most would say is a good thing, but Gatsby's hope was too excessive. He let his hope and the vision of the future built on that hope to blind him to reality. He was so blinded by hope that he couldn't see Daisy for what she really was and was forced to live in denial and in the end it destroyed him. I have heard Gatsby called the ultimate optimist, but does optimism mean that you throw reality out the window? To me optimism is the ability to see the good in even the worst situations. It is not denying that the bad exists, but rather believing that good can still be found. I wouldn't call Gatsby an optimist, I would call him a dreamer...

The Faith and Fate of David Ghent by Maren Dille

Welcome to Book Lover's Paradise! Today's feature author is Maren Dille, author of The Faith and Fate of David Ghent.

Maren grew up in Rochester, NY, which is one of the reasons a lot of her work is set in the East. It's a beautiful city, and she is lucky enough to make it back east at least once a year. She moved to Provo, UT to attend Brigham Young University in 2004. Meanwhile, she received a license in cosmetology in 2006, and graduated with a B.S. in Home and Family Living-Clothing and Textiles in 2009. After graduation, Maren worked as a cosmetologist/barber, while her husband finished his own degree in Special Education. After he graduated, they settled in Spanish Fork, UT, where they plan on staying for a long time.

Now Maren is a stay-at-home mom, part-time piano teacher, cosmetologist, and writer. Amidst the business of being a housewife, she loves reading, writing and playing music, vacationing, going on lots of dates with her hubby and friends, throwing dinner parties, and sewing. She really loves collecting books, and hopes someday to have a library big enough to fit all of them. Currently, her two pretty-enough-to-be-displayed-bookshelves are overflowing, and she's got books stashed all around her house. Open a random drawer, you'll probably find one.

The Faith and Fate of David Ghent is Maren's first full length novel. Her other works include a comedic short story, "A Tale of Two Cemeteries," and a middle grade reader, The Elephant in the Treehouse. Find out more about her at The Official Site of Maren Dille.

Author Links: 
http://www.marendille.com/
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"The road to one's fate is never an easy task. What worth would eternity be if you didn't work hard to obtain it?"

Hidden from the rest of the Earth is the city of Lucen, home to the descendants of Righteous and Fallen angels. David Ghent is a Cursed, the child of a mother who is in Heaven and a father banished to Hell. All of his life, David has trained for one purpose - to fulfill a prophecy and banish Lucifer. This is David's chance to prove his loyalty to Heaven and save his soul, as well as the rest of humanity. 

As the battle commences, Layla, the daughter of Lucen's leader, suddenly appears at the Hellgate desperate to stop David. David, who has detested Layla since childhood, is forced to make a split decision - fulfill the prophecy or save Layla's life. David saves Layla and in the process fails to fulfill his purpose. After David learns that there is more to the prophecy than he was originally told, but the consequences of his actions cannot be avoided. David is damned and his punishment forces him to question everything he believes about himself and his faith. He and Layla set out to discover the truth behind the rest of the prophecy, hoping to find another way to fulfill it and banish Lucifer for good. Their faith and loyalty to Heaven will be tested along the way. 

I received this book from Maren in exchange for a fair and honest review. I loved this book and was hooked from the very beginning. The story is fairly complex and there are a lot of people and moving parts involved. I did have some trouble following it in the beginning as things were slowly introduced and explained, but I never lost interest and in the end everything made sense. I loved David as a character and the picture on the cover of the book is exactly how I pictured him in my head. He is an emotionally complex character (and perfect literary hero!) and his transformation throughout the book is quite remarkable. The book raises some interesting ideas about faith and although it has a religious theme, I didn't feel preached to. I found myself sad when the book ended because I wasn't ready to leave the world Maren created. I wanted to know more - about David's parents, about the founding of Lucen and its history, about David and Layla's life after - and was almost hoping for a sequel. I also think this book has the potential to be made into an excellent movie, as the characters and action would translate well to film. This is a solid 4 star read and one that I highly recommend.

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