Well, time for a book review post!  As I gathered together the books I’ve read since last time, I realized that 4 out of 5 of the books I just finished reading provide some form of satire or societal critique.  So, it’s been an entertaining reading season, and probably explains why my cynicism has increased just slightly   I think I’m going to try out the quote-style book review once again, because there are some truly fabulous quotes that just need to be repeated.  Annnnnd…begin.

1. Love in a Dead Language – Lee Siegel. 

This book is…difficult to explain.  It’s kind of like 3 or 4 books in one.  It’s a fictional story (even though the author inserts himself as an active, albeit it minor, character) of a professor who falls in love with one of his students, and is murdered.  In honor of his lover, he has been translating the text of the Kama Sutra, and providing commentary.  After he dies, the completion of the translation and the other matters of the academic estate are left to one of his doctoral candidates, who then annotates the professor’s translation/commentary.  Sooo yeah.  There’s a lot of playing with language, which is awesome, and in some places it’s just ridiculous; definitely a funny & entertaining read, even if occasionally confusing.
“We were, nevertheless, not so happy that she had convinced Isaac that being a poet was a good career choice.  In Vatsyayana’s time the profession promised fame, fortune, the love of women, and the respect of men, not to mention a higher birth in the next life.  But no longer; we live, as everyone has surely noticed, in tawdry times in a banal world.”

2. Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger.  Ah, Holden Caufield.  I guess I heard a lot of hype about this book, because I wasn’t completely bowled over or anything by it.  I guess at the time it was written it was most likely a truly transformative writing style – very innovative.  And it is incredibly stream-of-consciousness, and Holden is an engaging character, whether or not you like him (which I found him pretty sympathetic).  Good read.

“You could tell he wasn’t tired at all, though.  He was pretty oild up, for one thing. ‘I think that one of these days,’ he said, ‘you’re going to have to find out where you want to go.  And then you’ve got to start going there.  But immediately.  You [Holden] can’t afford to lose a minute.  Not you.’  I nodded, because he was looking right at me and all, but I wasn’t too sure what he was talking about.  I was pretty sure I knew, but I wasn’t too positive at the time.  I was too damn tired.”

3. The Mermaid Chair – Sue Monk Kidd

So.  This book is the only one that wasn’t somewhat satirical.  It was also probably the one I enjoyed the least out of this batch. I like Sue Monk Kidd – I *loved* The Secret Life of Bees.  But I don’t know, I just found this one kind of meh.  Predictable; not in terms of plot (which is pretty interesting) but just in terms of message I guess.  And delivery/voice.  Same old thing.  True, it’s an interesting premise – a woman falling in love with a monk, plus the additional mystery of what’s going on with her mother and how her father died – but it really just kind of fell flat for me.  It was also a little too romance-novel-esq…mushy.  But there were still some enjoyable parts, and the ending was a little surprising in some ways.  An easy read to pick up and put down from time to time, I think (what my former yoga instructor called “a good bedside book”).

“After I’d learned how my father had died, there was a lifting away of sorrow.  I can’t explain that, except to say there’s release in knowing the truth no matter how anguishing it is.  You come finally to the irreducible thing, and there’s nothing left to do but pick it up and hold it.  Then, at least, you can enter the severe mercy of acceptance.”

4.  Mumbo Jumbo – Ishmael Reed.  I enjoyed this book quite a bit; it really pushed me to think and examine it in a literary way (as had Love in a Dead Language).  Reed’s composition of the novel was stimulating and drew from a number of different means of presentation.  The novel presents the “Jes Grew” movement in the 1920s and the ensuing conspiracy by the “Wallflower Order” to depose it.  Essentially it looks at the way Western Civilization seeks to control its members of society and, specifically, the relations between blacks & whites throughout history.  Highly satirical and definitely requires that you pay close attention to what you’re reading.“What it boils down to, LaBas, is intent.  If your heart’s there, man, that’s 1/2 the thing about The Work.  Even the European Occultists say that.  Doing The Work is not like taking inventory,  Improvise some.  Open up, PaPa.  Stretch on out with It.”

5. Nightlight: A Parody – The Harvard Lampoon.  I absolutely LOVED this book.  Like more than words can say.  As most of you know, I’m a bit ambivalent when it comes to the Twilight saga…this book picks up on all of those aspects which caused me to take issue with the books.  And it’s just so dead-on and hilarious.  Please go read it.  I can’t say it enough.  Also, you’re going to have multiple quotes on this one cause it cracks me up…It’s enjoyable whether or not you’ve read the Twilight books, or seen the movie, but it’s even more amazing if you have read the books…

“Why did I have to beware?  Was Edwart going to hurt me?  What hadn’t he hurt me yet?  Was I not worth the trouble of hurting?  No.  I was being insecure.  I was worth a lot of hurting, elaborately planned to take place in an old ballerina room with easily shattered mirrors to complete the gloriously gory spectacle.  If Edwart didn’t think I was worth that, I’m sure some other vampire would.”

“‘So is it awkward if I ask what our status is?’ I asked quickly.  Not that I cared either way.  I just wanted to know, you know?  ‘Not at all.  We’re a couple now.’  Hmm. I wondered how I’d express that on Facebook.  I’d have to change it from what it was before: ‘It’s complicated with a vampire.’  But then I realized that worked pretty well with the new scenario.”

Anyway, that’s what I’ve been reading for the past monthish.  Onto new books…happy reading all!

…book review time.  I have now sat down four times to try to write this post.  So hopefully this time I will actually follow through and finish it.  This is what happens when you wait too long and have 6 books to write about…but oh well!  Onward and upward.

1. A Lesson Before Dying – Ernest J. Gaines: This book is set in Louisana in the late 1930s, and tells the story of a young African American man wrongly convicted of murder and facing execution.  It does this through the eyes of the country teacher, who learns as much from the young man and the community as he teaches them.  As usual, great Southern literature did not let me down – this book was wonderful.  It was also a pretty quick read.  Five stars on my arbitrary five-star scale.

2. The infamous Twilight series – Stephanie Meyers: So, just to be clear, this includes Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.  And this is most likely a re-review, because it was definitely a reread.  However, I feel like it’s necessary to review again because my opinion of the books has completely changed.  And I am forced to admit that…I like the series.  It goes against so much I believe for me to say that, but ultimately, the intriguing plot and seamless happy ending and vampire obsession is too much for me to resist.  I still take issue with the gender roles (and especially with Bella & Edward’s relationship) but in terms of sheer entertainment value…not a bad read.

3.  The Voice That Is Great Within Us:  American Poetry of the Twentieth Century – ed. Hayden Carruth:  So, I have not finished this book yet.  It is kinda a giant-ass book of poetry.  Like well over 700pgs and tiny tiny type.  I got it my freshman year of college (ages ago – Spring 2005) for a workshop class, but neglected it for a long time.  The first time I cracked open this book was at the end of my Spain voyage, back in 2007.  And in this second venture (2009) I made it through the following poets – T.S. Eliot, John Crowe Ransom, Conrad Aiken, John Peale Bishop, Archibald MacLeish, Edna St. Vincent Millay, e.e. cummings, Charles Reznikoff, Genevieve Taggard, Mark van Doren, Thomas Hornsby Ferril, Louise Bogan, John Wheelwright,  Horace Gregory, Hart Crane, Alan Tate, Yvor Winters, Robert Francis, Kenneth Fearing, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Lorine Niedecker, Richard Eberhart,  and Louis Zukofsky.  Phew.  It was incredibly refreshing to step back into poetry.  I’m not entirely happy with this editor – there are some poets whose work I would like to see more of in this anthology (how do you only put in 3 Langston Hughes poems when he completely defined the movement in Harlem?) but I guess that just dates the editor and the perspective literature sometimes takes on more contemporary, groundbreaking, and marginalized writers (some of the selections from female poets were lacking, too).  But, I am glad they were included at all, and this anthology certainly offers a wide variety of American poetry.

4.  The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck:  It’s a little embarrassing (especially for someone with a B.A. in English – because what else is a B.A. in English good for?) but I was a Steinbeck virgin before this book.  And somehow I made it all through school without reading this one.  This is one of those books that gets a lot of hype before you read it – in good and bad ways.  I had heard so many different things about this book…that it was wonderful, terrible, boring, brilliant, engaging, and impossible to get through.  Honestly, I had heard so many negative things about the book that I was a little afraid to read it.  I mean, it’s lengthy, and who wants to willingly jump into the prospect of being bored for what could be weeks at a time (especially when I have so many other tantalizing books to read on my shelves)?  So, I was blissfully happy for years without knowing anymore about this book than a vague Veggietale reference involving some very country, (but actual) grapes on a wagon who were kinda grumpy.  And I was ok with that.

However, I actually, despite all the warnings before I read it (and groans while I was reading it) thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I won’t pretend it was easy to get into – why on earth he wrote an entire chapter about a turtle at the beginning of the book is still a little beyond me (I mean, I get the metaphor, but it didn’t seem to be entirely necessary) – but once I was on my way with them, I was right there with them.  It was extremely well-written.  And, especially in this economy, it was fun to get so righteously angry at the oppression of the workers.  It wasn’t the most enjoyable read, and didn’t have *exactly* a happy ending, but it is unquestionably a great book, and a great piece of American literature.  I need to learn to just start trusting Kevin’s book advice against what everyone else might say, because he was completely right about this one (he’s also the only reason I even endeavored to read this – even if like 5 years later – but that is because I take his book recommendations so highly).

5.  Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen:   Ok, it’s getting really annoying…every time I reference this book I want to include Like at the beginning of the title, which makes a weird morph of the movie Like Water for Chocolate and Water for Elephants.  But I digress (it should be noted that that’s a great movie, however).  Anyway.  Rachel recommended this book to me…and by recommended I mean she essentially insisted I drop whatever I was reading/doing and read this.  And then even brought me her copy so I had no excuse not to read it And it, again, was a wonderful recommendation to take.  This book is very fast-paced and intriguing (which was a nice change following Grapes) and has all the key ingredients of a good story – romance, murder, villains, circus clowns, a train, a former rich-boy-turned-poor-vagabond, and an elephant.  The style in which the book was written actually reminded me a little of the movie The Notebook, just because it was framed in the context of a 90(or 93) year-old man in a nursing home, telling his memories of his life in the circus.  What was truly great about this book, tho, and what I think makes it as great as it is, is all of the research Gruen put into her writing, and the way she wove actual, true anecdotes of American circus life into the story.  It completely opens up another culture within the American culture.  Love it.  Good read.

6.  A Child Called “It” – David Pelzer:    Yet again another recommendation, this time from my co-worker, Keegan.  She told me I should read it ASAP and that I would probably be able to finish it before the end of our shift…and she was correct, lol.  It’s a short work, and it reads quickly.  This book is the first in a trilogy detailing the life of the author, David Pelzer, who was the victim of the 3rd-worst case of child abuse in the State of California.  This installment focuses on the very first part of his life, which details the treatment he received from his alcoholic mother.  Now…it’s hard to shock me with stuff like this at this point in my life, but that does not detract from the shocking awfulness of what this man endured as a child.  I am amazed at how he is able to look back on his life and write the way he does and speak with the forgivness and objectivity that he does in the book.  It’s a really fascinating read, even if pretty depressing and out-of-this-world crazy.  It does speak to his own resilience though, and the importance that we all play in providing resources and assistance for those living in abusive situations (as his teachers were key in helping remove him from his abusive home).  Definitely a must-read for anyone who works with children or in human services.

Is it just me, or has time really gotten out of control with how quickly it’s going by?  And while I gained an extra hour with Daylight Savings Time, I’m pretty sure I’ve lost around 3 from debaucherous activities this month.  Meanwhile, I desperately need to get my life organized.  Car insurance biz, grad school, cleaning my apt, student loans, budgeting…all the fun things in life.

But instead, I’ve been playing around with some crazy friends from work.  It’s been good.  When I haven’t been doing that, there have been a lot of lunches with a lot of wonderful people from various Wake Forest institutions.  Or reading.  Or watching It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.   These are all good things.  (Speaking of reading, I have updated my Books to Read list to include the plethora of books I’ve bought but haven’t read yet…check it here.)

So for the most part, life continues to roll along smoothly.  Work is…crazy.  Oh children.  Mostly, I’m just looking forward to Thanksgiving, when I get to fly up to Pittsbrugh, PA and visit with the family.  And attend a classy baby shower.  And play with small children.  Overall, it should be great

If you get some time (aka have some time you’d like to kill just in case it isn’t passing by quickly enough for you), check out my other site for random findings on the internet.  And have a good day!

PS   Lately while I’ve been being boring and hanging out in Winston-Salem (slowly tranforming into a townie) my incredible sister dearest has been having all sorts of adventures.  You should read about them at her blog.

It’s that time again…book review time!

1. Goddesses in Everywoman, Jean Shinoda Bolen:  So this book is a little difficult to describe, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as a casual read to just anyone.  But, if you’re into Greek mythology, women’s issues, and Jungian psychology, it’s definitely interesting and appealing.  Apparently it was a very innovative idea when the book came out – utilizing the images of the Greek goddesses to explain and tipify the female psychological archetypes.  I found it pretty easy to understand and thought-provoking.

At the end of the day tho, I could not tell you which goddess myth I identify with more.  But, that was something I liked about the book: she took great pains to point out that women rarely fit solely into one archetype for their entire lives.  Rather a woman might have many different archetypes present within her at different points in her life.  She uses 7 goddesses throughout the book, divided into 3 categories.  The Virgin Goddesses are Artemis, Athena, and Hestia.  The Vulnerable Goddesses are Hera, Demeter, and Persephone.  And Aphrodite is the Alchemical Goddess.  If I had to choose…I guess I’d say this is my order:  First place is a tie between Artemis and Demeter.  Second place a tie between Hestia and Hera.  Then I’d say Aphrodite is third, Athena fourth, and Persephone the one I identified with the least.  But I don’t know.  Whichever chapter I was reading I seemed to identify with.  Oh well.

2.  The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon:  This novel came highly recommended to me by a few friends & fellow readers, whose opinions I place great value in for many things – but especially for books.  So I was understandably quite excited to read it (especially as it was forced into my hands with a promise to mail it back – which I swear I am going to work on next week).  And…the novel managed to live up to the expectations.  It really was extremely, extremely good.  The plot follows two Jewish cousins; one is New York born, and the other an immigrant to the States having escaped at the start of World War II.  Essentially they hit big during the comic book boom, but there is sooooo much more to the story.  Chabon’s writing is impeccable; engaging & descriptive.  The characters are engaging and the plot draws you in.  Also, the sheer amount of knowledge this author has about the rise and fall of the comic book empire is staggering.  Definitely would recommend this book.

3.  eat pray love, Elizabeth Gilbert:  I know it’s cheating because I’ve read this before and raved about it for a solid 2 yrs now.  But.  I finally reread it this summer.  And I have to be honest, I was a little afraid to reread it.  It was *so good* and meant so much to me the first time I read it that I was positive there was no way I was going to enjoy it as much this time around.  These were foolish fears.  The book lived up to my remembered expectations, if it did not surpass them.  If you are just passing through this blog, I encourage you to stop whatever you are doing on the internet, whatever you are reading, and go pick up eat pray love and read it.  If you are a friend or family member of mine and have not read eat pray love, I insist you do so now.  Ok, ok.  It can be a little cheesy and after-school special at time.  But.  The spirit of this book is undeniable.  And the author’s honesty with her emotions and experiences – and the humor and insight with which she relays them – are just incredible.  Please go read this.  Especially if you are at a transitional point in your life (aren’t we all?)

So, that’s that.  I’m trying to update the reviews more regularly so there’s not quite such an overwhelming list.  Also so I can remember what I’ve read.  But this month it would have been a short list anyway because for some reason, I really had to push myself through all of these books – even tho they were all fabulous works.  I’m not sure why I had to work so hard to do my casual reading this month…I guess I just wasn’t in the mood?  Maybe it was all the work or travel?  Regardless, I am pretty excited to be drawn back into the thrall of books with my current read…but that will wait for the next book review time.

Well hello friends.  While it hasn’t been that long since I’ve posted (certainly not that as long as I usually go between posts) quite a bit has happened in my life.  Last Wednesday, the 12th, I left the creature comforts of the United States and headed down to Guatemala.

The group:
Cat Wilson, traveler and adventure-girl extraordinaire.  Hetero-lifemate.  Previous countries of travel – Spain, France, Portugal, Canada, and Belize.  Artist and personality-type expert.  Currently working at Canvas on Demand.
Kasee Metcalf, super-traveler and keeper of time.  Future pilot and excellent knower of youtube videos.  Previous countries of travel – Spain, Turkey, Morocco, Israel, and we’re not even sure where else… Knows all the same people from Wake I do.  Currently at dental school at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Kelly Chauvin, badass and ever-the-optimist-even-when-you’re-pretty-sure-there’s-nothing-to-be-optimistic-about.  Can turn anything into a come-on or turn-on.  Previous countries of travel (as far as I know) – Spain, Morocco, Portugal, United Kingdom, Australia.  Epic poet of the Motivation & Koala era in my life.  Currently serving in the Peace Corps in Guatemala.  Main reason we headed down that way.
Me.  Well, hopefully you know a little bit about me if you’re reading this.  But just because it’s fun, and my blog should be the place where I get to show off, my previous countries of travel – Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, England, Scotland, Norway, South Africa.  Currently a Residential Counselor working with entertaining if occasionally dangerous teenagers.

The Plan:
Well, as Beth and Shaloot aptly noted before dropping me off at Cat’s, we didn’t have much of a plan.  Or knowledge of anything that was going to be happening.  Which while I don’t recommend before traveling to another country, especially a third-world country, certainly has its perks.  #1 being absolving of responsibility.  #2 being epic adventure.  The rough plan was to fly to Guatemala City and then get the heck out of there to Antigua and follow Kelly around the country.  Massages, rafting, Peace Corps parties, and volcanos were all mentioned as well.

What was not mentioned was that Guatemala has a lot of freaking mountains and is lacking in efficient transportation.  Now I know this is the obvious to y’all, but please keep in mind that I literally knew nothing before this trip.  Hell, I kept thinking Guatemala was in South America (which is embarrassing to admit, but there it is).  So anyway, this meant that of our 6 days in the country, we spent a good amount of time on a bus of some kind.  Here is a brief run-down of what happened…

Day 1: Arrival
Got had on a taxi ride to Antigua paid an absurd amount of money.  Delightedly realized we could still speak Spanish.  Found sweet hostel – The Black Cat.  Took first chicken bus to Santa Lucia.  Had a mostly painful but surely helpful massage and spent too long in temascal (Mayan tradition that is very similar to a sauna).  Got lost on the way back to Antigua.  Found way to Antigua.  Ate delicious food, loved on Kelly when she finally arrived.

Day 2: Antigua & Cabon
Wandered around Antigua and learned some history.  Went to a Music Museum and a Coffee Museum.  Had lunch with one of Kelly’s fabulous host moms.  Received a lot of delicious fruit.  Took a 5hr bus ride to Cabon.  Played dirty versions of M*A*S*H.  Met some other Peace Corps folk.  Dinner, drinks, and dancing in Cabon.  Slight mishap with returning to hostel.  Potentially unsafe trip back to hostel.

Day 3: Lanquin, tiny village, & Cabon
Took a micro bus (i.e. everyone sitting on top of everyone) to Lanquin with smaller group of Peace Corps folk.  From there took a lorry (rode standing up) to tiny indigenous village that is a Peace Corps site.  Geared up for white water rafting.  Learned about malaria, amoebas, & dysentary.  Crash course in white-water rafting; learned that river has class 2, 3, 4, & 5 rapids.  Panicked.  Rafted for about 2 hrs.  Had immense fun.  Then…Kelly fell out of the boat.  It was decidedly not good.  Cat, Kasee, Kelly, Oliver (Peace Corps member) & I hauled tail back to Cabon to the private hospital.  Which was closed because by then it was after 6pm on a Friday.  Proceeded to public hospital.  Eventually wound up back at the hostel.  Spent about 12 hours in wet river clothes.  Thanked God for our hostel manager.

Day 4:  Cabon, Guatemala City, Antigua.
Took bus back from Cabon to Guatemala City (5hrs) to the good hospital.  Got a better idea of the damage to Kelly.  Watched part of an oral surgery until I almost passed out.  Located hostel that had available 1st floor bed.  Went medicine shopping for pain meds, mouth meds, and cold meds.  Headed back to Antigua.  Got food and slept.

Day 5:  Antigua & Pacaya
Breakfast with delicious crepes.  Played in Antigua’s market.  The 3 of us who could walk headed out to Pacaya to climb an active volcano.  Climbed active volcano.  Bonded with ex-pats.  Roasted marshmallows in lava.  Surfed down side of volcano on rocks & ash.  (I only fell on my ass TWICE!)  Climbed down active volcano.

Day 6: Antigua, Guatemala City, Houston.
Organized and spent last morning in Antigua.  Little bit more of mercado shopping.  Got to Guatemala City via chicken bus.  Caught flight.  Got stuck in Customs.  Spent night in Houston.  Watched George Lopez.

Day 7: Houston & Raleigh
Finally, finally back in North Carolina.

End!  Overall, it was a really interesting and good trip.  It was fascinating to learn and see so much.  Understandably, the whole injury thing sucked and was pretty serious.  Kelly is an incredible person tho and handled it amazingly well.  And we made it.  It was great to be speaking Spanish again…that was easily one of the best parts of the trip.  That and the amazing feelings of competency.  Nothing for your self-esteem like climbing a volcano.  But it’s good to be home