"Water for Elephants", Sara Gruen - I just finished this book a few days ago and it goes to the top of my list. Wonderful, wonderful read - for anyone who likes a good story with a bit of history. The author is female, but the protagonist is male and I think men will enjoy this book as much as women. Set in the 1930's, it gives us insight into the world of the traveling circus, a world that I have a love/hate relationship with (afraid of clowns and death-defying acts, love animals, hate whips, don't like big crowds, fascinated by freaks...). Archival photos are at the start of every chapter, fueling the imagination with the details of reality. Great for a Book Club selection (coincidentally, we are discussing it with my friend Amy's group in late January). Well-developed characters, colorful and engrossing.
"Year of Wonders", Geraldine Brooks - Not for the weak-stomached! Another in the genre of historical fiction - this time, the setting is 17th century rural England, at the time of the plague. The heroine is a maid, intelligent and hard-working, with the strength and faith to survive even the most heart-wrenching atrocities and personal loss. The story moves quickly and it is a fast read, and it is well-written and never trite. Being a spectator to the horrors of the plague and all of the mis-steps they make trying to drive it from their village is like watching a train-wreck in slow motion. But the important thing is who and what survives, and what it means for their futures.
"Julie & Julia", Julie Powell - So this was my first time reading a book based on a blog, which I guess is something that we will probably be seeing in the literary world more and more. Perhaps because of that, the flow is a little bit awkward (I know that I don't write in the same way every day, and most likely Julie did not, either). However, I really enjoyed this book. Julie gives herself the seemingly overwhelming task of making every recipe in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", and she does this with limited tools and resources, and a self-described crappy Long Island kitchen. It is not what she cooks that stands out (wayyyyy too many aspics and things with bones), but the journey and her ability to stick it out. In other words, it's a great metaphor for life. She is forthcoming about her mistakes and emotional breakdowns, and most of us can relate to that. It was both inspiring and validating to me, in terms of wanting to take on something new and meaningful in life, and finding the strength and stamina to see it through.
"Eat, Pray, Love", Elizabeth Gilbert - this is the book I have most recommended this year to my women friends - it seems to have struck a chord all over the nation. I bought it in an airport bookstore the week that I quit my job, thinking that it would be the perfect thing for me to read, and it turns out that it was. The book is written in 3 parts, and takes place in 3 different locations. Eat = Rome, Pray = India, and Love = Bali. Elizabeth Gilbert takes us with her on her journey, and her self-depreciating voice is like that of an old friend. She's imperfect but determined (similar to Julie Powell, above), and the lessons she sets out to learn are not always immediately evident. But again, as in life, truths reveal themselves to her along the way, and the people that she meets become vital instruments in her self-discovery. It's unusual that a non-fiction book is also a page-turner - this one is just that. It's one that when you finish it, you sigh, sad that it is over and happy for having been along for the ride.
"The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets", Eva Rice - loved loved loved loved this book! I bought it prior to going to London this summer (I like to read books set in the place where I will be traveling), after reading a staff recommendation at Books Passage in Corte Madera. And to be honest, I really liked the look of the cover. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down - I was immediately swept into the world of 1950's England and the wonderful characters in the story, especially the teenage protagonist Penelope and her effervescent friend Charlotte (who I imagined as Kate Winslet, like her character in "Heavenly Creatures") . It's hard to believe that this is a first novel - every detail is so well-developed and the prose reads beautifully. Funny, touching, poignant - I can't wait to see what Eva Rice has in store for us next - a must-read!
"On Chesil Beach", Ian McEwan - the minute this book graced the cover of the New York Times Book Review this summer, I was anxious to read it. McEwan is one of the best writers of our generation, and I am a huge fan of his work. "On Chesil Beach" is a book to be savored. As with many of his other books, it centers around a bittersweet love story, and a fateful series of events. It's not a long book, but requires concentration to fully appreciate each moment. Definitely one of the better works of fiction in the past several years
"A Man Without a Country", Kurt Vonnegut - in one of those "perfect dinner party" scenarios, Kurt Vonnegut will definitely be one of my invited guests. As a long-time fan of his fiction, I really enjoyed reading his quips on life and its many lessons. Vonnegut seems to stand for people to be firmly rooted in reality, and not to get too high and mighty lest they fall - and at age 82, he had every right to feel that way. What a loss to have this wonderful author and his dark humor no longer among us.
"The Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast", Bill Richardson - what a lovely little book, which I never would have found on my own. My friend Jessica gave it to me as a present, telling me that it was special, and she was absolutely right. The small world created by these endlessly amusing brothers, their Canadian B & B, and the odd assortment of guests, is greatly entertaining, in the same way "Lake Woebegone Days" is during a good episode. It's darker, without the Unitarian bent, so that's even better. I loved that it celebrated individuality and people who love animals and love to read. Pleasantly odd and wonderful.
"The May Queen", ed. Andrea N. Richesin - I enjoyed this collection of short stories about women in their 30's by first hearing excerpts read by the authors during a live reading. It was a great way to get introduced to the book. All of the stories are very different, but with the common theme of women dealing with life and its many joys and challenges. I was so excited when I saw that Tanya Donnelly, from the band Throwing Muses and Belly, was one of the contributors! Also, I was lucky enough to talk to and befriend Nicky Richesin, the book's editor, which has been a gift unto itself.
"This is Not the Life I Ordered", Jackie Speier, Deborah Collins Stephens, Michaelene Crisini Risley, Jan Yaneniro - You think you've had a bad day? Just read a few of the hardships that these women (and the other contributors) have had to face, and your problems will suddenly seem like a walk in the park. The point is not to diminish what you are going through, but rather to show how anything, no matter how great or overwhelming, can be overcome. There are little exercises at the end of each chapter which I didn't do, but are handy if you feel compelled to treat it like a workshop. I chose to take the general ideas and consider them in general relation to my own life. One of the important take-aways is that we are not alone in our struggle, and relying on our community of either other women or loved ones is not only advised, it is necessary.
