The Book Thief, review

I haven't done many book reviews here, yet even as I don't necessarily feel adequate in writing this one, I must. It compels me.

Steph gave me this book for my birthday, I believe. I was in the middle of a grueling semester which transitioned into an insanely busy spring (not from schoolwork, however, but doctor visits and stretching). My first chance to read something for my own pleasure came over my two week hiatus from classes at the beginning of May. I was looking for something light following a semester of depressing, dark, self-destructive narratives in Post Colonial literature. This intriguing title and picture on the book cover nabbed me from my bookshelf.

I began the book on our 4-hour plane ride to Phoenix. The Prologue was so unique and enticing that I made Kyle read it. What does it mean, he asked. I didn't know, but knew I had to find out. Thus, I delved into this mysterious, incredible story, and I never looked up. I didn't reach for my iPod. I didn't talk to Kyle. I read while snacking on pretzels and sipping ginger ale. I hardly rested my eyes for any length of time. I didn't want to stop. It was hard for me to focus on talking to my sister when she picked us up from the airport...the vivid characters were milling about in my mind, wanting to continue their story.

I really don't want to give any of the novel away; it is absolutely so unique in style and frame. I hardly want to tell you what point of view it is written from, in case it would ruin the wonder and the mastery of it. I want others to read it in order to find out if I am the lone human being so touched by this story. On the flight home, I wept and I wasn't even at the very end. A few days later as I finished it on a break at my work desk, I had to pause at discreet, short intervals in order to collect myself. But the tears came anyway. This story is unbelievable.

The New York Times said, "It's the kind of book that can be LIFE CHANGING," and USA Today stated that it "deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank." The Washington Post claims it is "absorbing and searing."

I cannot disagree. Though fictional, it is no less compelling and true to the heart of humankind as Anne Frank's diary.This book did change my life, although I'm not entirely sure how. I know that I shall never forget it, as long as I live (and that's an extremely bold statement, I know).

I found myself wondering in the middle of it, whether I could somehow finagle my master's thesis from this book, or at least incorporate it as one of the texts. I just want an excuse to read it again.

Here is my concise praise for this book:

It is, by far, the best modern fiction I have read (granted, I don't read much modern fiction). 

It moved me. 

I want you to read it so we can talk about it. Are you up for it? Have you read this? Will you?

What is the best fiction / nonfiction that you've read lately, something that you know you can never forget?

March 18th, and reading

Yesterday was my one-month anniversary from eye surgery. I can't believe it's only been a month.

I feel like my vision is really good, but I still have trouble focusing at times. I'm not sure if it's related to something or not, or if it's some astigmatism that will need corrective eye wear. It's not really enough distortion to slow me down, but it can be irritating. Like if someone asks me a question that requires me to read something far away and no matter how much I squint at it, I cannot make out the word(s). I do have quite a few floaters, too, which make focusing a bit difficult as well. I'm not sure what to do about that. There isn't a cure for floaters, although I read yesterday that they tend to dissipate after a while. I can only hope, right?

It hasn't kept me from reading books either, although I find the transition from reading text in front of me to focusing further away takes longer than I remember it did prior to the surgery. I think I've read three books in the last two weeks, which has been wonderful, as I hadn't read a book from late December through early March. The latest one, I finished last night: Cry, the Beloved Country. I had a feeling that I'd read it before, but when I reached the end, I knew I hadn't. It's such a beautiful story of love, redemption, hope, and mercy, even while dealing with death, corruption, hate, and segregation. I may put it on my list of favorite books. Paton is an excellent story-weaver, and upon reading the introduction which included a little bit of a speech he gave about the book, I can see his heart for South Africa and Africa as a whole throughout the novel. It is heart-breaking and yet hopeful.

I keep a running tab on all books that I've read, probably since 2006 or 2007. The latest additions (and near future ones, as well) are from a list of 40 classic novels that I found online. While I had read a sixteen already, I've added three in the last two weeks. The Catcher in the Rye (which I did not enjoy), The Call of the Wild (which I loved), and Cry, the Beloved Country. Next up I have Zora Neale Hurston's classic Their Eyes Were Watching God. A friend of mine did her senior English paper on this book, and I've wanted to read it since (that's 5 years, folks). I think I'll start today.

You'll remember, if you followed my post-surgery updates, that I had a scare with rubbing my eye only a week after the procedure. Well, I did it again last night, only I didn't freak out this time. It just irritated me that I did it. I've had no issue with this since I quit wearing the goggles to bed about a week ago. I don't know if I was subconsciously commemorating the anniversary of my surgery or what. But I think I'll be okay this time.

Next week I have my one-month appointment. Hoping for great news.

Reading

I've been wanting to read this book for a year.

I first saw it last August when I was birthday shopping for my sister-in-law. Intrigued by the cover initially, after reading the back of the jacket, I knew that both she and I would enjoy this novel.

To be honest, I can't remember if I bought it for her. But it has been on my radar ever since. My sister bought it, then, sometime within the year, and lent it to me after reading it herself. It's been gathering dust for months on the little rickety bookshelf between the dressers in my bedroom. I've wanted to read it, since having possession of it, but it's easy to pass over on that tiny, low, out-of-the-way bookshelf. Plus, Harry Potter and his gang side-swiped me mid-March and have usurped all my literary time since.

Last week, I began a list of "Things to Do" for the remainder of my August and the subsequent September. The defining factor of items on this list, what separates them from the many, similar lists I keep at work, is that this list is for fun. I make lists of what to do for fun. In my free time. (Does that somehow diminish the "free" part? Jury's out.)

In an ambitious gesture, I included 3 book titles on the list. What with school starting and thus working late, small group, and some other yet-to-be-defined activities, reading three books in a month seemed impossible even as I wrote it. Diligently, however, the very next day, I picked up The Memory Keeper's Daughter. A tale of loss, emptiness, longing and endless searching. A story of hopelessness, and yet, moments of redemption and all of it told in such beautiful language. An astounding work of art, this novel. Recommended to all.

Some international bandwagons are worth joining

I finished the seventh and final Harry Potter book in a few days. I couldn't stop reading it. On some level, I wanted to read it instead of hanging out with my sister, whom I hadn't seen in 6 months. She won, in the end, which is only right.

Since finishing, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Every day glimpses of scenes or phrases from the book flit across my mind; sometimes I even dream about it.

I just saw that "The seventh installment of the Harry Potter saga is the fastest-selling book in history, publishers say, with some 11 million English-language copies sold in the first 24 hours."* 11 million. In one day.

I saw a kid in Wal-Mart yesterday who was waiting in line with the book. The loving way in which he handled it, the somewhat euphoric grin on his face mirrored my own feelings of first laying hands on what would turn out to be the best book in the most well-written young adult series that I've encountered.

Immediately after finishing the final pages, I wanted to start reading the whole series over again, just to see how well J.K. tied characters, plots, and themes together throughout all of the books. I've resisted this urge, however, since I have about three different extensive lists of books to read. That said, I still haven't managed to pick up a book since completing The Deathly Hallows. I'm afraid anything I jump into will be highly disappointing after such a perfect ending to a brilliant series.

I resisted beginning the Harry Potter books until this winter because I didn't want to be that person -- the one like millions around the world who were "ooohing and ahhing" over the books and J.K., who were dying to read each successive installment, who had animated discussions about characters and places and animals that didn't really exist. Having heard from several close friends that they were the best young adult literature to come around in years, I finally picked them up. And I'm thankful I was able to read them all in a few short months. I would have been pre-ordering or standing in lines to get it, had I not had the good luck to know people who owned Books 1-6 and who purchased the final book early on, letting me borrow it a few weeks after it was released.

Recently, I've found myself joining in several animated discussions about the characters and events of these books. When a friend asked me what animal I'd most like to run into, I said a Hippogriff, which of course, is not real. It is legendary, however, and thus not just a Potter series invention. When I found out that Disney World is creating a Harry Potter Theme Park, complete with Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the Forbidden Forest, I knew I would want to go. The world Rowling has created is simply THAT amazing.

As in all good books, the characters seem real and are believable. Their motivations and psychoses need to be discussed, deconstructed, and further developed. Severus Snape and Sirius Black are, indeed, remarkable men, though tormented. Harry is an exceptional child. Hermione, brilliant. Draco, quite cowardly and evil.

I'm grateful for this international craze because it is encouraging individuals of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds, and races to enjoy reading. There are so many books being published that aren't worth the ink and paper it takes to print them. It's nice to see a series so well-constructed and written taking the stage. And because libraries caught on early that these books would be hits, virtually anyone in America has access to them...for free. Such a vivid and enchanting imaginary realm deserves the attention and acclaim it is receiving.

* Police arrest French teen over Potter translation, By Reuters.

Join the club

Last night at 9:45 I reached a milestone in my life: I finished Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince. And it was sad, oh my goodness. I cried. I cannot lie. This last book, or the second to last in the series, is very sad. Which goes to show how fond I've grown of the characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Ginny, and others. I love Hogwarts and Hagrid's cottage, and have learned to despise the Dursleys and Malfoys. (a link to a great H.P. character resource)

It has been just three months since I picked up the first book, H.P. and the Sorcerer's Stone. After quickly racing through that one, I realized that I had to finish the series as soon as possible. It was going to take a lot of time, as the books get longer and heavier with each new installment, and I had no desire to turn into a hermit who sat around with her nose buried in a book during every spare minute.

At that point, I remembered the suggestion of my friend Kate that I listen to the books on CD. The dramatic reading was excellent, she told me. When I found out that one of my co-workers had them all on CD, I began borrowing them. Thus, I could spend my lunch hours "reading" about Harry Potter, while preparing, consuming, and cleaning up after my food. I could continue my journey with Harry during my three weekly trips to and from Muncie. To the grocery store (first time I felt lucky that it was in a different city), on the way to friends' houses in Ohio, on my way to meet my parents for dinner, etc.

I was able to nearly finish a ginormous scrapbooking project because I could listen to Harry's stories and get lost in the process of choosing background paper, matting, and cutting and arranging all of my photos and bits of pamphlets that I'd saved from my trip to Ireland. I also made great progress on my quilting project while listening to Harry Potter.

And did I mention the Jim Dale, the reader of the books on CD, is the best dramatist ever? He won an award (can't remember which one) for the 134 different voices he created for H.P. and the Order of the Phoenix. How could a person keep all of those characters straight without Mr. Dale's voices? He brings life to the characters in a way that reading the words on a page could not (not that I'm discouraging reading them, but I'm saying -- he's good. He's very good.).

But now I'm finished. And I'm sad, though very eager for Book 7 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) to arrive (July 21st). I'm also excited to share the tremendous story-telling ability that JK Rowling possesses and the convincing world she has created.

From one bibliophile/librarian to her readership - you absolutely must read these books. They are so well-written; the characters are endearing and revolting (as per the author's intentions), and there are so many excellent themes woven throughout each book - within each and within the series as a whole. She deals with issues of racism, adolescence, cliques, self-identity and self-esteem, and decision-making. Giving of oneself for others - therefore, selflessness - is a significant theme beginning in Book 1 and continuing.
These are important for ideas for people to consider, and it would be easy for parents to parallel these issues with things their children deal with in real life, thus helping them learn how to digest and personally apply, even to discern positives and negatives, in their own lives.

Thus, READ, I say. And read good literature, the stuff that fortifies your soul and encourages your imagination. This is one example, but there are many books out there. Read things that challenge you (both your intellect and your perceptions), not just the things that make you feel good.

Poisonwood Bible

I recently finished The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. It's incredibly well-written and very interesting, as it ties in true historical events from the Congo with a fictional American family who serve there as missionaries.

Kingsolver has created a tale that is told from the perspectives of the five women in this family - the mother and her four daughters. Each chapter is narrated by one of them, alternating so the reader hears certain events from multiple views. The daughters range in age from six to sixteen, so each one has her own unique style of speaking, mistaken phrases and issues to sort through. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates intriguing writing styles and story lines.

Two of my favorite quotes from the novel:

"To live is to be marked. To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story, and that is the only celebration we mortals really know. In perfect stillness...I've found only sorrow." p. 385 (italics are added)

"We constructed our lives around a misunderstanding, and if I ever tried to pull it out and fix it now, I would fall flat. Misunderstanding is my cornerstone...Illusions mistaken for truth are the pavement under our feet. They are what we call civilization." p. 532