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A review of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
I’ve mentioned before that I appreciate a good ending in my books. This one has a great one, just saying.
And why not? Alexie is a great writer. I remember reading a story of his in an undergrad writing class and being totally depressed. No way would I ever write anything that good. I’ve heard teachers use some of his shorts in language arts classes and they work really well even though they weren’t written for YA audience. But he writes honestly about growing up which is refreshing. So I was interested to read his latest title which is intended for YA audiences. I won’t lie, first few pages I was rolling my eyes. No way I thought would any 14 year-old be this self-aware and articulate about it. I wasn’t buying Junior as a character. Then I finished the first chapter and it was over, I was in. Alexie makes you be in Juniors world as much as you are in his head, almost forces you. It’s an aggressive book that makes you squirm a little. Forget any romantic or mystical preconceived notion you may have about modern life for American Indians. No choice is easy for Junior, to stay on the rez or to go to the white school, to be apart of the tribe and a way of life that may kill him or betray his family, his friend and get out. As a reader you do not get an easy ride either. It’s heartbreaking because its a world you can’t completely understand, being an outsider, but you know is real. Alexie presents many problems and shows there is no right solution, no answers. It’s devastating a little, but there is hope (see opening line).
Totally Awesome. Really cannot recommend this book more. It’s been added to my list of YA books that should be required reading for adults too. Awesome.
There are also illustrations and drawings sprinkled through the book. Junior is an avid drawer so we get to see some of his cartoons and pictures. Just like we get to see the picture of his world.
Books coming out that I’m crazy excited about.
After Potter 7 a few friends asked me, what are you going to do now? What will happen when there’s nothing left to wait for. Because Potter fans, like Cubs fans, are champion waiters. There was a very easy answer. A few weeks after Potter debuted came Eclipse and shocked everyone by knocking Potter out of the top spot, at least at Borders. Everyone who know my love of YA came up to me, have you read Twilight? It’s awesome. Yes friends, I said sagely, it tis. Or maybe I said duh. Hard to remember.
So it wouldn’t be another summer if there wasn’t another round of book releases that are making me foam at the month in anticipation.
First up on May 6th is The Battle of the Labyrinth the next Percy Jackson book from Rick Riordan. So what if I find that I’ve developed a slight crush on our half god/half mortal hero Percy. There is so much to love. He’s like a young Indian Jones, a bit cocky but still gets knocked down once and awhile. His best bud Annabeth is one kickass goddess in training. And Percy’s aunts, uncles and other assorted relations crack me up. That’s the charm of the series, Greek gods and goddesses messing around in modern New York. I can’t wait to see who pops up in the new book. It’s going be awesome.
Also on May 6th (busy day) Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing with Fireby Derek Landy. I don’t really care what the next book is about. It could involve Skulduggery and Stephanie, now Valkyrie, fighting some crazy, fantasy cross-over fight with Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl and I’d still read it. Landy writes like Stephen King, only funnier. Seriously, this guy’s awesome with mood, sarcasm, impending senses of doom. Again, I’m all over it. With one caveat. I knew this would happen. Talked about it with others who love a good cover. I adored the hardcover art for the 1st book. It was awesome. It visually matched what the book was about. Dark, dangerous, deadly, cool. It was the coolest cover I had seen in a while and I knew I had to read this book. So what did they do to the paperback? THEY POTTERED IT!! Now I give full blessing to Potter rip-offs out there. The money’s there, soak it up I feel. They aren’t all terrible. But Skulduggery is not a Potter rip-off. It is in it’s own world, doing it’s own awesome thing. The new book also has a Pottered cover. I’m so upset. They had their audience right the first time, pre-emo kids (or premos, either way) I get it, I do. Publishers need books to appeal to a broad range of people, namely adults buying books for their kids. This book did that though, with the old cover. The content was mild enough for middle school, but the cover was cool enough for junior high, screw it, even high school. And now, le sigh. Okay, I’m done.
And rounding out my summer reading, Stephanie Meyer. The woman herself from the opening para. She’s got her first adult (whatever that means) novel coming out in May. And a movie based on Twilight that’s already getting some buzz from MTV and E!. Yeah, whatever. Breaking Dawn’s coming out. Freaking last book in the Twilight Saga. My sister’s going nuts. She has no patience. She’s already told me this is what she wants for her birthday. Yeah, as soon as I get my copy of Twilightback we’ll talk. I’m in the Jacob camp. Just cause I don’t think Edward is badass enough. I’m sure he is. But with Bella, sorry to say, he’s kinda a puss. I have no clue how she’s going to end this.
On a side note, Nora Roberts is coming out with #2 in her new trilogy The Hollowor whatever. Does it matter? I’m going read it. And then wait for #3. Her books are crack. Another author I can’t quit, Laurell K. Hamilton has another Anita Blake mess Blood Noir. Again, I say I’m done, I don’t need you. And I go right back. But I mean it this time. Something better happen in this one besides Anita getting laid. Or I’m out. Until Hamilton’s next Merry Gentry novel. DAMN YOU!
Borders is giving away a weekend with Beedle the Bard that hand written book of tales by JK Rowling if you write a 100 word essay by April 22nd. I’m so there. Screw my end of semester papers. http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_6577252_1?ie=UTF8&docId=1000207461&pf_rd_m=AKEVKO7DR4RA&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=1FX85V3VSNWFJ17TD5G9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=382816101&pf_rd_i=283155
A review of The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
Since college every respected reader I’ve met has told me to read Terry Pratchett because they’re sure I will love him. Discworld was been recommended to me over and over. And I totally meant to read it. I even got halfway through Colour of Magic before Potter 7 came out and derailed everything I was reading at the time. Not to say I didn’t enjoy Colour of Magic, but with so much to read and so little time (grad school and all) it got shuffled to the “maybe later” shelf of my book case.
Listening to Stephen Briggs perform and I do mean perform The Wee Free Men is fantastic. Besides doing great voices for the herione Tiffany, the villian the “Quin” and the victim, Tiffany’s little brother Wentworth, Briggs voices the Nac Mac Feegle like Rob Anybody and Not-as-big-as-Medium-sized-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock-Jock. Its hilarious. I’m alone in my car at a stop light laughing. I know people think I’m crazy. I’ve seen the looks. Yes Pratchett is funny. But hearing the over accented Scottish and the outragous, ridiculous things the Wee Free Men say is too much sometimes.
“Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willnae be fooled again!”
Don’t get me wrong, I love Tiffany. She’s clever, but not too clever. She’s brave, but messes up too. The story is fast-paced, exciting and full of good ol’ fashion magic. There’s an evil “Quin” who steals children. There’s odd “Alice in Wonderland” type side characters. There’s wise women and hard working men. But the book is called the Wee Free Men and it might not be their story, but it is their show.
Totally gets an Awesome. Chek out the audio even if you’ve read the book. It’s a whole different experience. Can’t wait to start the next “Tiffany” book A Hat Full of Sky.
A review of Voices of Our Times: Five Decades of Studs Terkel Interviews.
I, like any good Chicagoan, know who Studs Terkel. Besides his historical writing based on collected oral histories, Studs also hosted a local radio show where he interviewed the biggest names in literature, music and entertainment. This audiobook is a greatest hits collection with excerpts from interviews with the likes Woody Allen, Maya Angelou, Mel Brooks, Pete Seeger, Dorthy Parker, and James Baldwin. My favorite has to be the interview with Mel Brooks. He does the entire interview in this crazy Greek character and Studs plays the straight man perfectly. Studs goes beyond interviewing his subjects, he engages them in these amazing conversations that go in unexpected and interesting places. Compare these interviews with the crap you find on “The View” or Bill O’Reilly and one can see why people mourn our current culture. Studs shows great respect for not only his subjects but also what expertise they bring to the table. After listening to this collection I fully committing myself to reading the rest of Studs work, but only in audiobook. Studs has the best voice. It’s like listening to a cup of tea, warm and comforting. I could listen to him read the phonebook. Seriously. This so gets an Awesome.
So I am so digging CPL’s new OPAC (check it out here www.chipublib.org). I went this morning to my local, friendly branch and picked up the two audio books I put on-hold online. It was sweet. I know other libraries have been doing this for ages but how cool is that?
