book talk: style parisian

So, what with our trip coming up soon, I've been mildly totally obsessed with planning (and of course, packing)! My mom lent me this book to help me with inspiration:

It has been so much fun to flip through, and I feel as if I've gleaned so much wisdom from Ines (yes, we're on a first-name basis now). Since it's been in my possession I've been trying to gather/buy/find The Magnificent Seven pieces Ines lists in the book for my travel wardrobe:


1. A Man’s Blazer
2. The Trench
3. The Navy (cashmere) Sweater
4. The Tank
5. The Little Black Dress
6. The Perfect Jeans
7. The Leather Jacket

 So far, I've got the Trench, the Tank, and the Blazer (of sorts).

Still on the lookout for the Navy Sweater, and I'm perpetually on the quest for the Perfect Jeans.

Also, I'm on the hunt for basically this entire outfit! I love the dress/sweater combo...but that BAG. I'm determined to find a cross-body-strap-with-handle camel-colored satchel (for, of course, a budget-friendly price!). Think it can't be done? Challenge accepted.

Told you I was obsessed.

book talk: adaptations of a favorite

When I think of film adaptations of books, there are a lot of miserable examples. Few--very few--succeed in capturing the essence of a book well--even if they are fabulous films in their own right. One of my favorite book adaptations ever has to be Emma Thompson's version of the Jane Austen novel, Sense and Sensibility. I just love it--love the humor and warmth that Thompson brought to the screenplay, love the gorgeous direction of Ang Lee.

Which is why, as you can imagine, I almost didn't even give the Masterpiece Classic version by Andrew Davies a fighting chance.

I may have been mistaken. I can't believe I waited so long!

This newest version is fantastic--with much of what made the Thompson/Lee version so dear to me, but with it's own twists. For instance, there is a deeper development of the Edward-and-Elinor romance, which was lovely.

talk about the weather

I also just loved the fact that there was a darker, sort of "raw" quality to the setting. Since Great Britain's weather is roughly on-par with what we get here in the Mitten, I sometimes roll my eyes at period pieces that are all sunshine and teacups. But the un-varnished, and sometimes pretty bleak-looking weather in this film only gave it more depth.

Not that I could ever forget the classic (at least in my mind) version! In fact, when I stumbled across this excerpt from Emma Thompson's diaries from when she was filming, it made me remember all over again how smart and witty she--and her version of the film--is. Don't you just want to be friends with her? I do!

Ok, so I'll probably just need to be content with reading her reflections instead. Still fun, probably:)

book talk: mongolian feminism

So, I am almost finished with this book, which I picked up at the library partially for it's cool cover image, and partially for its intriguing title. I am always interested in powerful women, and this book seemed to promise an encouraging tale of women in power, doing great things, rescuing an empire.

Of course, history is never as neat and tidy as we'd like to imagine, and this book offered less "women-as-heroes" moments than I'd expected. Also, it really highlights the deeply engrained patriarchal tendencies of men, even in a society established to be so egalitarian as Genghis Khan's empire seemed to be. (Genghis Khan: Mongolia's first feminist? Pretty cool.)

The overarching story is less about one generation of women (as the title might imply) and more about important women rising to power, holding power, staging revolutions and just being general bad-asses over the course of several generations. That kind of consistency has a lasting effect, and this book is ultimately encouraging in a wholly un-glamorous, un-hollywood, but totally real way.

book talk: a cup of exoticism

 

I am just about finished reading A Cup of Friendship by Deborah Rodriguez. It has been a fascinating read. Ok, so not necessarily for the plot, per se, but for the saturated experience of a wholly "other" world. Set in Kabul, Afghanistan, the story centers around a coffee house run by an American woman (not unlike the author herself...). There are several female characters, western and Afghan alike, who are strong, likeable, yet still very human. The plot has some genuinely tense moments, but not enough to call this a "gripping"  story. But, Rodriguez does manage to translate the sights, sounds and smells of Kabul and the surrounding mountains with a harsh, vivid distinction that feels as clear and firm as winter wind.  Notwithstanding some of the more predictable (or maybe just chic-lit-ish?) moments, the insights into a land and culture so different, so easily misunderstood by so many, were weighty and valuable. I have to say I've enjoyed this read immensely, and have certainly learned from it.

book talk: can I have my birthday in Paris? Pretty please?

Continuing my stint of French-themed reads, I'm now almost done with My Life in France, by Julia Child.

Julia Child's tone is warm--if somewhat scientific or brusque at times--and she has a deft sense of humor that glows subtly throughout the book. She talks about food in a way that makes me certain she and I would've gotten along famously. In fact, the way she comes across in the book reminds me an awful lot of my own Grandma Guinot, who's liberal politics, love of gourmet cooking, and no-nonsense way about her made their impressions on me growing up, and made me love her fiercely. 

Julia's descriptions of dishes, and her experiences eating them, are clear and crisp; not an overwraught phrase in sight. The effect is minimalistic genius, and has stoked my desire to return to the City of Light into a bright blaze. I am burning for Paris, man. But not just my Paris, I want to see (and eat in!) Julia Child's Paris.

I want to go here,

 and here,

and here, three of the Childs' favorites that Julia mentions in the book...

...aaaand, since I am turning the big 3-0 this year, I wonder if I might not ring it in in Paris? I've already got some good advice from chic things to do in Paris on a budget, to where to find Jean Paul Sartre's favorite cafe. I think I may have finally  figured out how to celebrate this milestone! (*cough* Ok. Um, now I just need to find the airfare...)

book talk: books about writing

I can't get enough books about writing. I have to try to regulate my addiction to them; writing books are a lot like good wine, or chocolate, or cheese. Purchasing and consuming these books can be delightful, enjoyable, healthy, even--in moderation. In excess, it can lead to depression, sickness and a pernicious sense of vacancy.

That said, I'll be straight with you and let you know that I'm in the market for a new book about writing...a good one. I recently picked up this book again (I'd set it aside because of school starting, or something):

The first chapter, "Writing as an Act of Courage," is so great. I've been scheming for awhile about how I can incorporate it into my writing classes. The opening anecdote about E.B. White is one of those stories-about-famous-writers that gives students, and myself, a giant sigh of relief. If E.B. White, a famous, published author, got scared about writing...then maybe it's not so bad that I get a little scared, too.

I'm thinking about this a lot today, because I just had a full day of one-on-one conferences with students about their upcoming self-analysis essay, where they are asked to analyze themselves as readers and writers. We also just got through reading/discussing Anne Lamott's stellar chapter, "Shitty First Drafts," from Bird by Bird. Let me tell you, that this chapter (this book!) never stops speaking to me--and my writing students! I am amazed at how Lamott's hysterical honest look at just. getting. something. down. on. paper. keeps encouraging students. I assign it every semester. And every semester, students respond with relief and a little bit of joy to know they're not the only ones.

There is always this Strunk and White classic. I'd love to get my hands on this smartly illustrated version!

What about you? Do you have any suggestions for good books about writing? (or does the mere thought of that utterly bore you?) Do tell.

book talk: appropriateness???

So, in further full-nerd disclosure, I have to update you on this series that Jake and I are reading together. We are half-way through the third book, and thoroughly sucked in, loving every minute of it.The series combines really well-developed characters with the kind of adventure/fantasy that makes me love The Lord of the Rings series.

However, as we were reading the other night, I started to wonder...how appropriate are these books for kids? Jake and I sometimes talk about our hypothetical children (a term my friend, Crys, thinks is hilarious!), things we want to share with "them" from our childhood, and among the stuff I want to share is more than a few books. Maybe even these books.

But when? 

When is it ok, for example, for a kid to read a sex scene? Or a really violent battle scene? Or swear words?

I ask these questions, because it is something my parents thought about with me--precocious twelve-year-old that I was, I picked up the Odyssey along with this book about Greek mythology--and had to have some interesting conversations with mom and dad as a result.

What about you? Were you ever not allowed to read certain books because of their content? Would you allow/not allow your kids (real or hypothetical) to read certain books?

book talk: adaptations

I am a lover of book adaptations on film. I don't know about you, but I tend to feel like they're a different species than the book, so I'm interested, rather than horrified (um, usually) at the differences between my interpretation and the production company's.

So, when I got  the mini-series adaptation of Charles Dickens' Little Dorritt for Christmas, I was excited to see what it would be like. 

Screenwrite Andrew Davies did not disappoint. (I mean, since he is the genius behind this classic, this one and this one, it is hard to imagine he'd "miss"...) As dishy as it was Dickensian, this mini-series kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters which Dickens wrote with such cheek become real in their quirky, complicated ways, and you truly root for them. Even, and maybe especially, the ones who have more obvious flaws. 

Another thing I really like about this story is the fact that money plays a much more complicated role than usual. It is a story about debt vs. financial freedom, but not in the same way as you'd see/read in say, Jane Austen. Money is not the "solver of all problems," and I really appreciated that. 

Mystery, romance, colorful characters, and a fantastic cast, this mini-series is worth a watch. Just be prepared to get sucked in, and maybe plan for a few marathons, because you'll want to know what happens next! (at least I did)

book talk: wisdom

I am a little more than halfway through this book, which in the audio version I'm borrowing is read by the author. I am listening to it in the car, during my commute, and trying to soak it all in. The back of the book makes clear that Ms. Angelou is writing to her "daughter" in the universal sense of all younger women she intends to "mother" through her writing. She only has one physical child, who happens to be a son. But I am honestly kind of in awe that she is writing to me, her "daughter."

I cannot tell you how much I am getting from this small volume! (especially hearing it read to me by Maya Angelou, complete with her pauses and inflections and humor and warmth). If you haven't already read it, I urge you to pick it up as soon as possible. You can read one of my favorite essays (so far, anyway) excerpted here.

book talk: flowery intrigue

So, I'm about halfway through this book:

And I have to say that so far, I'm undecided in my opinion. The moment Jake saw the cover in the stack I'd brought home from the library, he sort of snorted and said, "oh, a book for girls."

That is pretty much what it is, in a nutshell. 

I'd be pre-disposed to turn my nose up at it, if I hadn't been sucked in by the premise that the Pink Carnation is actually a famous English spy in the 18th century, along the lines of one of my favorite English spies of all time...The Scarlet Pimpernel.

It is, to this day, one of my very favorite books. Maybe because it is written from Marguerite's perspective, or maybe I just have a thing for swashbucklers...either way, it's the association that grabbed me. And now, the plot (though sprinkled with some groan-worthy "romantic" scenes that are trying just a bit too hard to sound Pride-and-Prejudice-esque) has sucked me in and I'll have to see what happens. Likely, it'll be a bit of a let down, but so far, I've decided I'm gonna roll with it. 

What about you? Have you ever picked up, or stuck with a book simply because it referenced or reminded you of another book you really liked? Or is it just me??

book talk: the exact book I wanted to read

I had heard of it, in passing. Never really gave it much thought. But, it turns out, that when I tapped this book on the shoulder at the library one autumn afternoon, I found the exact book I wanted to read at that very moment.

Now, I'm not usually one for a story told through correspondence (my main issue with Possession). I tend to be too impatient to let the plot develop in such limited snapshots. But this book, with its multiple narrators and just plain likeable characters, had me at the first salutation. It also contains some fascinating historical perspectives of WWII. If you haven't read it yet (and I know I'm behind the times on this one...) try it out. It would fit in wonderfully with a blustery afternoon and a hot cup of tea. 

book talk: books with numbers in their titles...

These days, I've been caught up in some really great books. Just finished a fun-start-to-the-series YA novel by N.D. Wilson:

It's about a boy who goes to stay with his aunt and uncle and cousins in Kansas, only to discover that there are mysterious cupboards beneath the plaster walls of his room there. Adventure, and a little bit of magic, ensue. The end was a tad unsatisfying, but I suspect that is because it is the first book of a series and meant to leave the reader feeling unsated, wanting more. I'm game. 

On the grown-up end of things, I'm one "glass" into this fun and absorbing book by Tom Standage. Somewhere in the "praise for" section, it says something like, "manages to give you a comprehensive history of the western world and entertain you at the same time..." and I think it's true. I'm now the proud knower of quite a lot of Fertile Crescent history, along with ideas about not only the invention of beer, but also the invention of writing. I can't wait to finish this book, I just know I'll feel so much smarter!

What about you? Any books (perhaps with numbers in their titles?) that make you feel smarter or more magic just by reading them? Do tell. 

book talk: good ol' mystery novels

So, I'm about halfway through this book:

I picked it up from the library, as it is the first book in the Stephanie Plum series, and I'd been reading reviews for Finger Lickin' Fifteen all summer. The cover for that one is pretty cool, too. Cooler than book one, for sure.

But, before I can leap into a series, I usually want to read the beginning first. So far, I'm intrigued by the spunky protagonist, Plum, and am willing to read a few more volumes to see how she develops. She is at the start of her journey in this first book, and so she has a lot to learn about the business she's gotten herself into (bounty hunting). I'm hoping she gains some confidence, some smarts, some ass-kicking ability. I guess, all things considered, it's good that I'm rooting for her. (it is reallyreallyreally hard for me to stick with a book where I despise, or even halfway-despise the protag.)

Usually, I turn my nose up at mystery novels. Aren't they formulaic? Aren't they for grandmas? Despite the fact that I've read a couple of scenes now where I've (literally) yelled at Stephanie Plum to be more alert--there's a guy in your bathroom, fool!!!, I've also been sucked into to the story and now have to see how it ends. Is this what reading the mystery genre is like? Is this why it is such a popular and lucrative genre? It's the equivalent of literary crack?

Because of my addictive tendencies, I'm now more determined to read a book that's been recommended to me for over a year:

 Anybody read it? Thoughts? Is it worth reading the series? What about mysteries in general--for or against?

book talk: birds of a feather

Last weekend, the hubs and I went to see this movie, because we like the actors, and thought it would be funny.



Guess what? It was funny. Maybe not pee-your-pants hilarious, but funny. I especially appreciated all the cool stuff I learned about birds from watching these yahoos chase down various species in their respective habitats (what can I say, I am a bit of a biology geek). What I also discovered was that this film is based on a book.

 

I think I want to read it. I know, it is a book that is pretty much all about birdwatching. I know, I know, it will be a classic case of reverse-book-adaptation-as-a-film-dilemma. But, I think it will work out ok. 

What about you? Do you have any favorite book-to-film adaptations? Any on your worst-experience list?

book talk: inspiring women enacting change

whoosh! (that's the sound of time flying by...)
Hey all! Sorry I've been so lax with my posts these days. Time is whipping by me and I feel like I'm scrambling to keep on top of everything. Now, does that mean that I've not taken time to sit on the couch, pizza in hand, to watch a movie or two? Certainly not.

This weekend, Jake and I saw an incredible movie: Pray the Devil Back to Hell.

It is an incredibly powerful documentary about the peaceful protests Christian and Muslim women in Liberia led, which eventually brought an end to their country's civil war. Amazing. 

It felt so relevant to me, because I had just heard on NPR that Leymah Gbowee, one of women integral in starting and sustaining the movement, had jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize this year, along with two other women. Also, activist Leymah Gbowee just published her first book:

 

I so want to read it! I found the documentary and these women's story so moving, I've been meditating on it for a few days, now. I was profoundly touched by the wisdom, the level-headed persistence, and the great forgiveness these women demonstrated in the face of unspeakable atrocities. They inspire me.

What about you? Do you have any inspiring stories/books? What are they?

book talk: belated

Hey all! This has turned out to be the kind of week where "book talk tuesday" turns into "book talk wednesday." I feel like every half-hour of my week is full. Can you relate?

Today in my classes, we had a brief mini lesson on comma usage, and I used a piece (I've posted an excerpt below) by Adrienne Rich,  from What is Found There: Notebooks on Poetry and Politics:

"As if your life depended on it"

You must write, and read, as if your life depended on it.  That is not generally taught in school. At most, as if your livelihood depended on it: the next step, the next job, grant, scholarship, professional advancement, fame; no questions asked as to further meanings. And, let's face it, the lesson of the schools for a vast number of children--hence, of readers--is This is not for you.

To read as if your life depended on it would mean to let into your reading beliefs, the swirl of your dreamlife, the physical sensations of your ordinary carnal life; and, simultaneously, to allow what you're reading to pierce the routines, safe and impermeable, in which ordinary carnal life is tracked, charted, channeled. Then, what of the right answers, the so-called multiple-choice examination sheet with the number 2 pencil to mark one choice and one choice only?

To write as if your life depended on it: to write across the chalkboard, putting up there in public words you have dredged, sieved up from dreams, from behind screen memories, out of silence--words you have dreaded and needed in order to know you exist. No, it's too much; you could be laughed out of school, set upon in the schoolyard, they would wait for you after school, they could expel you. The politics of the schoolyard, the power of the gang.

Or they could ignore you.

This piece hits me every time. Not only does the fear of being ignored resonate deeply in my writer-heart, but there is so much here about literacy, and more particularly, literacy and school. It's also dripping with lots of glorious commas! It made for really good discussion in all of my sections today.

I used this essay to teach commas not because I want my students to write exactly like this in all of their essays. No, I wanted to talk about commas in the context of an actual piece of writing. I wanted to talk about being flexible writers, with the ability to manipulate written language to fit particular genres and purposes. And we did! Students asked good questions, pointed out the very things I was hoping they'd notice. Now, I think I need to read the rest of the book! Who knows what other contextual grammar discussions are waiting within?

book talk: what to read next?

So, I'm at that crucial moment in a person's life: choosing a book to read next. Last night, I was having a conversation with my dad about this crucial choice. He recommended this book:

It is, apparently, the recounting of a whaling ship that gets rammed by a vengeful, and ahem, white whale. Turns out, there was a true story inspiring that most famous of whaling novels. Fascinating!

I've also had a copy of this book floating around the house for awhile. Might be time to sit down a give it a good read, especially since it's short and sweet--a little instant gratification never hurts!

What do you think? Any next book recommendations for me?

book talk: book clubs

Let's talk book clubs.

Last year, some friends and I started a book club around this book.

We met at my house. I bought cheese and wine, and everyone else brought whatever they felt like noshing on. We ate, chatted, and then settled down in the living room to discuss. I tell you what, though, sometimes it was intense, the conversations we had. But, it was also deeply personal, bonding, and uplifting. Always, it was lovely!

Now, I'm getting the itch to start again. But, since the last book was so, sort of personal and non-fiction, I was thinking about a novel this time. I'm halfway through this one and it's blowing my mind!

I'd love to be able to talk about it with some fabulous women.

What do you think about book clubs? Are you in one? Any great recommendations for mine?

book talk: detroit books

Today I'd like to talk about books that center around a city--and not just any city--a city that I've grown up around, and now work in: the D.

Detroit is not just the largest city in the Mitten, it is also the city that has captured my imagination and loomed in my consciousness all growing up. And this morning, I found out that one of my fellow profs has just published a book about it:

 

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

"Detroitland contains the stories behind familiar names like Frank Murphy, the infamous Purple Gang, the Lone Ranger, “Potato Patch” Pingree, and Charles Lindbergh. Yet Bak also reveals lesser-known episodes in Detroit’s history, like the ambitious International Exposition & Fair of 1889; the killer heat wave of 1936, with five straight days of hundred-degree temperatures; and the attempted around-the-world flight of Ed Schlee and Billy Brock in the Pride of Detroit in 1927." 

Sounds fun, huh? I can't wait to read it!

But, one of my favorite books about Detroit has to be Middlesex:

 

More than a novel, Jeffrey  Eugenides' epic coming-of-age tale is so complex, you want to savor it as you read like you savor a bit of delicious, savory food in your mouth. It covers a lot of fascinating history of Detroit in the midst of it's braided tale of three generations in a family of immigrants. Highly engaging, highly worth the read.

What about you? Do you have a favorite book (or two or three?) that is set in your hometown?

book talk: spiritual/philosophical memoirs

In the midst of all the other books I'm reading (or, ahem, am supposed to be reading...I'm looking at you, Guide to College Writing Assessment!), I have begun yet another. It is what I would call a spiritual/philosophical memoir. I guess. Jake and I are reading this new book together:

So far, it is a very engaging read. The author's style is thoughtful, in a rambling-sort-of-way, and he avoids getting too deep about ontological ideas by throwing only glancing blows at them. And then, a seemingly absurd mention of hamburgers. Or beetles. It turns out, it's a cheeky journey through philosophy and spirituality that lands strategically-placed declarations woven together with witty banter between the author and imagined college philosophy professors. So far, pretty good. 

I can't talk about spiritual memoirs, though, without giving a shout out to my favorites--books that have taken me on a journey, with their writers, through unknowing and finding, through encounters with mystery, through sacred personal experiences.

 Travelling Mercies by Anne Lamott is honest, irreverent and hilarious. Her un-religious experience with Jesus feels refreshing and, well, real. I can't ever recommend this book enough. 

Another funny, smart and interesting journey is Elizabeth Gilbert's in Eat, Pray, Love. I use excerpts from this whenever I teach a unit on memoir, because it's broken into highly digestible chunks, and because it's so darn good. 

I've never liked the title of Lauren Winner's Girl Meets God. In fact, I pretty much cringe every time I say it. Not like it's a necessarily bad title, but because I don't think it encapsulates--or even gives an idea as to--the depth of honesty and intellectual complexity of Winner's journey from agnostic to Orthodox Jew to Protestant Christian. Also, contrary to what the title might imply, it's not written for an only-female audience. Everyone can, and should, read this book. 

I could probably go on and on (Thomas Merton! Sara Miles!, Dorothy Sayers!), but I'll end with another brilliant writing-mind: Annie Dillard. Holy the Firm made me cry, smirk, ponder, and smile. It is poetry and memoir and spiritual journey all in one. I recommend this one to anyone who isn't sure if they like poetry, or to anyone who wants fodder for contemplation.

What about you? Do you have any favorite spiritual/philosophical memoirs? Lay 'em on me!