I'm not generally a re-reader. Sure, I've read a few things over and over again - the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, The Perks of Being a Wallflower - but mostly I try to make time for things I haven't yet experienced. There's so much out there!
Recently I've had an unusual desire to reread some books. I think it might be because I know they're good and somehow that seems more appealing than reading something that might or might not be good. Certainty can be comforting. In some cases it's been so long that I barely remember the books, but only remember how much I liked them.
When I began this post, I worried that I wouldn't be able to come up with 10, but once I got thinking I came up with so many that I had to whittle it down.
Here are the top 10 books (in no particular order) that I want to read again and the reasons why:
1. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith: I loved it and that's basically all that I remember.
2. Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty: I want to re-experience my love for Marcus Flutie.
3. The Secret History by Donna Tartt: I've read all her books now and this one was still the best, and it's been a very long time since I read it.
4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: Because it's still the best Dickens.
5. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath: Not long ago I read a nonfiction book about the summer that inspired the novel, and also I haven't read it since high school.
6. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov: I didn't like it, but I should. I'm willing to try again.
7. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood: I didn't read the second one and then when the third came out I couldn't remember the first. I want to start with this one and read the whole trilogy.
8. The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian: I read it when it first came out and I've never stopped thinking about it.
9. Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban: I haven't stopped thinking about this one either. That voice just pops into my head when I least expect it.
10. The World According to Garp by John Irving: It was one of his first books I read, and I loved it. As much as I always love reading his writing, nothing has quite measured up to these early novels.
Whether or not I actually read these again remains to be seen, but they are the ones I keep thinking about.
Do you re-read? What's on your list?
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
War and Peace: Progress report 2
When a book is this long, I sort of assume it will include lengthy, boring descriptions or other such filler, but not so here. There are some beautiful descriptions to be sure, but also there is a hell of a lot of things happening with the characters. It has become quite a page-turner!
Several characters are young and marriageable which, as you can imagine, leads to a great deal of intrigue. There is Pierre, the illegitimate son of a Count, who was raised in France and then inherited his father's wealth, making him suddenly appealing to the aristocracy. He is rather awkward and lost, trying to find his way in life and looking for something to inspire him. Natasha Rostov is an impassioned young woman who can't decide who she is in love with, but whatever she feels at the moment, she feels strongly. One of my favorite characters is Marya, a devout young woman who is aging out of the marriageable range and living under a domineering father. He is really cruel to her, and she is constantly willing to sacrifice her happiness and martyr herself for the greater good. Eventually something will have to give and I really hope she is able to come into her own as the strong, wise woman she has the potential to be.
There is just so much to discuss in this book! In class we've had extensive conversations about such subjects as dueling and Freemasons. The instructor continues to be fantastic. She is also fascinating in her own right. A poet and a dissident, many of her family members killed by Stalin, she is incredibly knowledgeable and expresses strong opinions about Putin. Sometimes I can't help but think, "To hell with Tolstoy - tell me more about you!"
This experience is all even better because I'm taking the class with two of my friends. As I mentioned, I'm not the only person in my social circle dorky enough to sign up for a War and Peace class. Every week we all go to class and then have dinner together nearby. It's only for eight weeks, but I'm really getting used to it. Only four more classes and 600 pages to go!
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Sunday Knitting
I rarely do colorwork so I'm very excited about my new project. Here's a glimpse.
It's actually very easy. The color pattern is created by using slip stitches, so I'm only ever using one color at a time. It creates a very satisfying pattern though, doesn't it?
It's actually very easy. The color pattern is created by using slip stitches, so I'm only ever using one color at a time. It creates a very satisfying pattern though, doesn't it?
Friday, October 24, 2014
Whose Body?
Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers (1923)
When a body is found in a bathtub, Lord Peter Wimsey must not only determine the identity of the killer, but also that of the victim. He was wearing nothing but a pince-nez, and appeared around the same time as the London financier Sir Reuben Levy disappeared. Is this two mysteries, or one? Enlisting the help of his friend Inspector Parker, his resourceful manservant, Bunter, and even his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver, Wimsey is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Reading a book written so long ago is a rather different experience than reading a historical novel, that is, a novel written now about a former time period. The author of a historical novel would feel a need to provide context and explain the unfamiliar. But here, we're just plopped in the middle of a very different period and left to figure it out ourselves. It's not difficult - this isn't a big novel filled with complicated political and military references (see: War and Peace) but rather a short and simple story of a particular mystery. But still, I noticed things: the use of the apostrophe in 'bus, for instance, which reminded me that it used to be a longer word. Or the uncomfortable discussions of the missing Mr. Levy, who is repeatedly referred to as "the Jew" and described as "Hebrew." I kept cringing and expecting anti-Semitic commentary which, thankfully, never came. But obviously, cultural sensitivity changes through time so it can be a bit jarring - and educational - to read older books.
Wimsey was an enjoyable character in many ways. I like his habit of ending a sentence with "what?" as in, "Hate anything tiresome happenin' before breakfast. Takes a man at such a confounded disadvantage, what?" He also took great delight in everything about the case. "I love trifling circumstances...so many man have been hung by trifling circumstances." Although it was a decent story on its own, it was really Wimsey's character that makes it stand out.
I've heard of Dorothy Sayers and knew she was a well-known and loved mystery author, but never picked up one of her books until now, when we chose Whose Body? for book group. It was a fun little whodoneit, which I found all very charming and British. It was short and easy, a great counterpoint to the mammoth and complex other book I'm reading right now. If you're looking for a easy but entertaining mystery, I bet this would fit the bill.
Reading a book written so long ago is a rather different experience than reading a historical novel, that is, a novel written now about a former time period. The author of a historical novel would feel a need to provide context and explain the unfamiliar. But here, we're just plopped in the middle of a very different period and left to figure it out ourselves. It's not difficult - this isn't a big novel filled with complicated political and military references (see: War and Peace) but rather a short and simple story of a particular mystery. But still, I noticed things: the use of the apostrophe in 'bus, for instance, which reminded me that it used to be a longer word. Or the uncomfortable discussions of the missing Mr. Levy, who is repeatedly referred to as "the Jew" and described as "Hebrew." I kept cringing and expecting anti-Semitic commentary which, thankfully, never came. But obviously, cultural sensitivity changes through time so it can be a bit jarring - and educational - to read older books.
Wimsey was an enjoyable character in many ways. I like his habit of ending a sentence with "what?" as in, "Hate anything tiresome happenin' before breakfast. Takes a man at such a confounded disadvantage, what?" He also took great delight in everything about the case. "I love trifling circumstances...so many man have been hung by trifling circumstances." Although it was a decent story on its own, it was really Wimsey's character that makes it stand out.
I've heard of Dorothy Sayers and knew she was a well-known and loved mystery author, but never picked up one of her books until now, when we chose Whose Body? for book group. It was a fun little whodoneit, which I found all very charming and British. It was short and easy, a great counterpoint to the mammoth and complex other book I'm reading right now. If you're looking for a easy but entertaining mystery, I bet this would fit the bill.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
NELA 2014
Hey! It's time for my annual summary of the New England Library Association Conference. Here are the sessions that I attended this year.
Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom
This was sort of what it sounded like. The presenter began by telling us that YouTube has been blocked in Pakistan for two years and showed a video of Pakistanis hugging a YouTube mascot and begging it to come back. She talked about the assumption that technology makes everything more democratic and open, and the reality that democracy is eroded by surveillance. This was an interesting topic and she was a good speaker, but the session began at 8:30 and I'm afraid I wasn't quite awake enough to appreciate it as I should have.
Mixing It up for Millennials: Programming for 20- and 30-Somethings
Representatives from three different libraries shared stories of successful programs for younger adults. The Nashua, NH public library hosted A Night Out for 20-somethings, an after-hours event in which lots of vendors and organizations set up tables and the library made their space atmospheric with dim lighting and a piano player. The vendors included visual arts groups, music schools, a fabric/yarn store, a church singles group, and a sports shop. The library had a booth with information about downloading ebooks, a chocolate tasting, and Cards Against Humanity. It sounded like a great event that would be especially helpful to new post-college folks moving into the area.
The Haverhill, MA public library shared several programs they organized, but the most interesting is their Get Lit book group, which takes place at a local bar. It's pretty well known so I had heard about it before and it was great to learn more about it. They use social media pretty heavily and have had a lot of success reaching out to authors on Twitter, and even have lots of Get Lit swag. Libraries tend to shy away from alcohol-related events, which I kind of think is a shame. There's an assumption that any booze will lead to extreme drunkenness and problems, but this is not the case with this group.
Finally, a librarian from the public library in Peabody, MA told us about a whole wealth of programs they put on. Many were instructional, like beer brewing, coffee roasting, and meditation, but they also have a film discussion group and several book groups. They rely a lot on the talents of their staff who can teach lots of interesting skills, but they also do a lot of grant-writing. Interestingly, they have an adult programming advisory board, which I think is a fantastic idea. Most libraries have advisory groups for teen programming, so why not for adults as well?
NERTCL Luncheon with Peter H. Reynolds
This luncheon was sponsored by the section focused on children and teens, so it was no surprise that I was unfamiliar with this author and illustrator of picture books. But now I will be checking out some of his books for sure. He shared one call The Dot, in which a kid is convinced that she can't draw, but when pressed she makes a dot, and then decides she can make a nicer dot, and so on until she feels confidently artistic. It's pretty great! He was also just a funny, dynamic speaker. (I can't say much positive about the food, unfortunately.)
Reconnect with Readers' Advisory through LibraryReads
My library supports LibraryReads, in that one person in my department has been maintaing a LibraryReads display, so I thought it was high time I figured out what this was all about. Also, I know (and admire) one of the presenters and was especially interested to hear her speak. LibraryReads publicizes a list of ten new books every month that librarians are excited about. In this session, we learned how to get involved by requesting advance copies, nominating titles we love, and writing blurbs. They also talked about how LibraryReads benefits us when we participate, which was what I really needed to hear. I already had an Edelweiss account but have never ever requested a book through it, so I'm very happy to now be reinspired to use it.
Stand Up & Shout: The Youngish Leader on Changing Direction
A lot has changed in library leadership recently, and the path from newly-minted librarian to director can be short and swift. Two young library leaders shared their experiences and provided valuable advice about taking on a leadership role when you feel unprepared for it. I'm not necessarily interested in being a library director (nor am I especially young anymore) but again, I knew one of the presenters and was especially interested in what he had to say. My biggest takeaway from this session is that you are never ready for a director job until you are in it - no other library job is like it, so there's just no way to prepare other than just to do it. The presenters do advise to use experiences like committee work to help build skills, and to "fake it 'til you make it." The two guys presenting met during leadership training and make a great team. They were funny and inspiring and full of good advice. I don't think I'll be applying for any director jobs soon - I really like my job - but it doesn't seem so impossibly out of the question anymore.
This year I attended NELA for just one day, which I don't like as much as staying for the whole thing. I had to get up super-early, and didn't have the benefit of a nearby hotel room for emergency cat naps. And of course I missed out on all the after-hours fun. But I learned a lot, got inspired, and met up with some librarians who I really like a lot but rarely get to see.
It was a little bittersweet, because my library director recently announced that he's moving out-of-state. He's very involved in the profession and well-known around here, so of course everyone I talked to at the conference asked me about his departure and the open position. There are very many open library director positions right now, so I've been a bit worried about our ability to fill it well. Although I'm still sad that he's leaving, it was very heartening to hear that our library is such a desirable place to work and there seems to be a lot of interest in that job. Hopefully that means we'll get another great director!
Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom
This was sort of what it sounded like. The presenter began by telling us that YouTube has been blocked in Pakistan for two years and showed a video of Pakistanis hugging a YouTube mascot and begging it to come back. She talked about the assumption that technology makes everything more democratic and open, and the reality that democracy is eroded by surveillance. This was an interesting topic and she was a good speaker, but the session began at 8:30 and I'm afraid I wasn't quite awake enough to appreciate it as I should have.
Mixing It up for Millennials: Programming for 20- and 30-Somethings
Representatives from three different libraries shared stories of successful programs for younger adults. The Nashua, NH public library hosted A Night Out for 20-somethings, an after-hours event in which lots of vendors and organizations set up tables and the library made their space atmospheric with dim lighting and a piano player. The vendors included visual arts groups, music schools, a fabric/yarn store, a church singles group, and a sports shop. The library had a booth with information about downloading ebooks, a chocolate tasting, and Cards Against Humanity. It sounded like a great event that would be especially helpful to new post-college folks moving into the area.
The Haverhill, MA public library shared several programs they organized, but the most interesting is their Get Lit book group, which takes place at a local bar. It's pretty well known so I had heard about it before and it was great to learn more about it. They use social media pretty heavily and have had a lot of success reaching out to authors on Twitter, and even have lots of Get Lit swag. Libraries tend to shy away from alcohol-related events, which I kind of think is a shame. There's an assumption that any booze will lead to extreme drunkenness and problems, but this is not the case with this group.
Finally, a librarian from the public library in Peabody, MA told us about a whole wealth of programs they put on. Many were instructional, like beer brewing, coffee roasting, and meditation, but they also have a film discussion group and several book groups. They rely a lot on the talents of their staff who can teach lots of interesting skills, but they also do a lot of grant-writing. Interestingly, they have an adult programming advisory board, which I think is a fantastic idea. Most libraries have advisory groups for teen programming, so why not for adults as well?
NERTCL Luncheon with Peter H. Reynolds
This luncheon was sponsored by the section focused on children and teens, so it was no surprise that I was unfamiliar with this author and illustrator of picture books. But now I will be checking out some of his books for sure. He shared one call The Dot, in which a kid is convinced that she can't draw, but when pressed she makes a dot, and then decides she can make a nicer dot, and so on until she feels confidently artistic. It's pretty great! He was also just a funny, dynamic speaker. (I can't say much positive about the food, unfortunately.)
Reconnect with Readers' Advisory through LibraryReads
My library supports LibraryReads, in that one person in my department has been maintaing a LibraryReads display, so I thought it was high time I figured out what this was all about. Also, I know (and admire) one of the presenters and was especially interested to hear her speak. LibraryReads publicizes a list of ten new books every month that librarians are excited about. In this session, we learned how to get involved by requesting advance copies, nominating titles we love, and writing blurbs. They also talked about how LibraryReads benefits us when we participate, which was what I really needed to hear. I already had an Edelweiss account but have never ever requested a book through it, so I'm very happy to now be reinspired to use it.
Stand Up & Shout: The Youngish Leader on Changing Direction
A lot has changed in library leadership recently, and the path from newly-minted librarian to director can be short and swift. Two young library leaders shared their experiences and provided valuable advice about taking on a leadership role when you feel unprepared for it. I'm not necessarily interested in being a library director (nor am I especially young anymore) but again, I knew one of the presenters and was especially interested in what he had to say. My biggest takeaway from this session is that you are never ready for a director job until you are in it - no other library job is like it, so there's just no way to prepare other than just to do it. The presenters do advise to use experiences like committee work to help build skills, and to "fake it 'til you make it." The two guys presenting met during leadership training and make a great team. They were funny and inspiring and full of good advice. I don't think I'll be applying for any director jobs soon - I really like my job - but it doesn't seem so impossibly out of the question anymore.
This year I attended NELA for just one day, which I don't like as much as staying for the whole thing. I had to get up super-early, and didn't have the benefit of a nearby hotel room for emergency cat naps. And of course I missed out on all the after-hours fun. But I learned a lot, got inspired, and met up with some librarians who I really like a lot but rarely get to see.
It was a little bittersweet, because my library director recently announced that he's moving out-of-state. He's very involved in the profession and well-known around here, so of course everyone I talked to at the conference asked me about his departure and the open position. There are very many open library director positions right now, so I've been a bit worried about our ability to fill it well. Although I'm still sad that he's leaving, it was very heartening to hear that our library is such a desirable place to work and there seems to be a lot of interest in that job. Hopefully that means we'll get another great director!
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Sunday Knitting
Here is my finished Huntress Shawl, with its little fox face.
But I'll probably wear it as a scarf, more like this.
This was an easy project that went quickly. You begin with the center panel, and use yarnovers to make the fox head. Then, stitches are picked up on each side and knit toward each end, decreasing until it tapers to just a few stitches before binding off. The Huntress Shawl pattern is from the Fall 2012 issue of Knitscene. The yarn, Cascade 200 Superwash, is just from my stash. I always like working with Cascade of any sort.
I don't recall why I bought this particular yarn, but I rarely buy any without specific plans in mind. Nevertheless, my stash has gotten a little out of hand, mostly just from project leftovers. So yesterday I went through and pulled out enough to fill two large bags and offered it up on Freecycle. What I have left is mostly sock yarn and it's far more manageable. I also found a few things I didn't realize I had, which was especially surprising since I keep a spreadsheet of all my yarn.
I'm still working on Pianissimo, but now I've also started a couple of socks as well. I'll share photos of those soon!
But I'll probably wear it as a scarf, more like this.
This was an easy project that went quickly. You begin with the center panel, and use yarnovers to make the fox head. Then, stitches are picked up on each side and knit toward each end, decreasing until it tapers to just a few stitches before binding off. The Huntress Shawl pattern is from the Fall 2012 issue of Knitscene. The yarn, Cascade 200 Superwash, is just from my stash. I always like working with Cascade of any sort.
I don't recall why I bought this particular yarn, but I rarely buy any without specific plans in mind. Nevertheless, my stash has gotten a little out of hand, mostly just from project leftovers. So yesterday I went through and pulled out enough to fill two large bags and offered it up on Freecycle. What I have left is mostly sock yarn and it's far more manageable. I also found a few things I didn't realize I had, which was especially surprising since I keep a spreadsheet of all my yarn.
I'm still working on Pianissimo, but now I've also started a couple of socks as well. I'll share photos of those soon!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Stay Awake
Stay Awake by Dan Chaon (2012)
Have you ever read a really good book and several days later when you try to tell someone about it, you can't even remember what it was about? That's how I feel about Dan Chaon's book of short stories, Stay Awake. Granted, collections are a little tougher anyhow because there are so many different plots and characters, but all that has really stuck with me are the feelings they evoked.
Some bits and pieces I remember: a guy who is haunted by his former family who he wronged, and whose new young son is having terrible nightmares; a couple whose newborn has an extra head; a guy who keeps finding mysterious notes everywhere that seem to be trying to tell him something; children murdered by their parents. Two of the stories feature men who each lost a finger by falling off a ladder.
They aren't horror exactly, but they are dark and unsettling. There's always a feeling that something is not quite right and you can't see what it is, but it's just out of the corner of your eye and you'll know the full, terrible truth in just a moment. They are all completely unnerving.
Chaon's writing is vivid and precise, and he neatly conveys all of the most unpleasant feelings that exist in humanity in one convenient volume. As with all great short stories, a lot is conveyed in few pages, and in these stories whole lifetimes of guilt and fear can be read in a half hour. At first, I read one story every day or so. But then I read the last four in a day, and that was a bit too much weirdness and discomfort to be enjoyable. So, pace yourself.
Am I exaggerating? You be the judge. After all, October is the perfect time to delve into the strange and creepy. You might not enjoy these stories exactly, but you won't soon forget them.
Some bits and pieces I remember: a guy who is haunted by his former family who he wronged, and whose new young son is having terrible nightmares; a couple whose newborn has an extra head; a guy who keeps finding mysterious notes everywhere that seem to be trying to tell him something; children murdered by their parents. Two of the stories feature men who each lost a finger by falling off a ladder.
They aren't horror exactly, but they are dark and unsettling. There's always a feeling that something is not quite right and you can't see what it is, but it's just out of the corner of your eye and you'll know the full, terrible truth in just a moment. They are all completely unnerving.
Chaon's writing is vivid and precise, and he neatly conveys all of the most unpleasant feelings that exist in humanity in one convenient volume. As with all great short stories, a lot is conveyed in few pages, and in these stories whole lifetimes of guilt and fear can be read in a half hour. At first, I read one story every day or so. But then I read the last four in a day, and that was a bit too much weirdness and discomfort to be enjoyable. So, pace yourself.
Am I exaggerating? You be the judge. After all, October is the perfect time to delve into the strange and creepy. You might not enjoy these stories exactly, but you won't soon forget them.
Friday, October 10, 2014
War and Peace: Progress report 1
Except it takes exponentially longer to read than you'd think because of all the flipping back and forth that is required. In addition to the aforementioned character list, there are copious footnotes translating the French (and sometimes German) text, as well as extensive endnotes explaining the historical context.
War and Peace takes place during the Napoleonic Wars of 1805-1812 and follows several aristocratic families in Petersburg and Moscow, as well as some of the family members who are in the military in various locations. It opens with the death of Count Bezhukov and some intrigue surrounding his beneficiary, who ends up being his illegitimate son, Pierre. Among the families are the beginnings of various romantic entanglements. Then the story moves on to a military setting and it all became extremely unclear to me. There were cavalries and hussars and dragoons and the burning of bridges, along with a little gambling thrown in for good measure, and one of our main characters was injured.
History is not my strong subject, and military maneuvers are completely mystifying to me. The problem is that I often can't visualize what is happening, so it doesn't stick in my head from one moment to the next and the whole story becomes extremely difficult to follow. So I'm doing a lot better with the peace portions of this novel than the war. But luckily we're talking about it in class so I'll be sure to come away with the important bits one way or another.
Our instructor is not only well-versed in this novel, Tolstoy's life, and Russian history, she asks thought-provoking questions that go far beyond keeping all the characters straight. It makes me very glad I signed up because, as I predicted, I'm getting much more out of it than if I had just tried to plow through this novel on my own. So far she is emphasizing the characters, their philosophies, and asking us to consider how they change during the novel. Thankfully, she is less concerned with the historical events.
Still, it all makes me feel just a bit incompetent. As surprising as it may seem to anyone who knows how much I read and how much my life revolves around books, I wasn't an English major. I took a few classes on Russian literature in college, but I'm not really used to discussing books in this way. I'm unfamiliar with many of the themes and ways of looking at literature that come second-hand to those more versed in this sort of thinking. So it's a big challenge, but one that I think will be a good learning experience.
In the meantime, I'm still doing a bit of other reading, so expect a couple of reviews soon.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
TBR Pile Challenge Wrap-Up
The TBR Pile Challenge is technically not over until the end of the year, but I've completed mine so I thought I'd post a wrap-up now. I'm likely to forget by the end of December.
My original post is here, with titles and completion dates and everything, but in case you don't want to click through, here's what I read, in the order that I read them:
Home is a Roof Over a Pig by Aminta Arrington
Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
Persuasion by Jane Austen
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith
Keeping the Castle by Patricia Kindl
When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (alternate)
Wildthorn by Jane England
The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff
I read 11 of the 12 books on my original list, and one of the alternates. In considering which books I liked the most and least, I can easily to point to Never Cry Wolf as my biggest disappointment. It wasn't terrible, and I didn't have a problem getting through it, but it was definitely only ok. It's a little tougher to pick a favorite. The biggest surprise was probably The Welsh Girl. I was a bit wary because of a cover blurb which compared it to The English Patient, a book I have tried in vain to read and found impenetrable. Two of the books I liked most are non-fiction: Home is a Roof Over a Pig and Lost in Shangri-La. I also really loved Agent 6, but that's no surprise and I've already read Smith's newest book, The Farm, as well.
The only drawback of this challenge is that now I don't want to remove anything from my To Read list (which really has to happen sometimes to keep things under control) because I'm convinced that all the books will surely be good and I don't want to miss them. Luckily, I've become more restrained about what I put on my To Read shelf in the first place.
I'd still like to read my final book on the original list (The Woman in White), but if I don't get to it before the end of 2014, that's ok. It's sort of long, and I'm currently reading War and Peace so I won't be too hard on myself if I only want to read short, easy books for the rest of this year.
Speaking of which, War and Peace is another book I've wanted to read for a good long while, but it's only ever been on the To Read list in my head. It was too daunting to actually add to any real list that I'd be held to. I'm also reading - because W&P is not enough, apparently - a book of short stories called Stay Awake by Dan Chaon, another long-time languisher on my list.
This challenge was just what I needed to spur myself to finally tackle many books that for one reason or another I keep passing over. I'm so glad I participated!
Friday, October 3, 2014
Orange is the New Black
Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman (2010)
As I think we all know by now, the show Orange is the New Black is based on this memoir about an educated white woman engaged to a nice guy who suddenly has to go to prison for something she did many years ago when she was at a very different point in her life. Piper Kerman was convicted on drug charges and had to serve a year at a federal women's prison in Danbury, CT. She describes what it was like in prison, but also provides insight into the system and and the other women caught in it.
I had a tough time keeping track of all her fellow inmates and other characters. There were just so many of them! I also found the prison rules confusing - she did too, so maybe that was intentional - but I felt like many things could have been explained more. For instance, she mentions the complexity of balancing her visitor lists, but I don't know what the challenges were. I know she could only have a certain number of people on the list, but beyond that it was a mystery. How many people could visit in one day? Could several friends come at once? She also mentioned a lot of seemingly-innocuous things being contraband, but then says her friend Rosemarie subscribed to bridal magazines. You can have magazine subscriptions in prison? Perhaps I'm just overly curious about the prison system and how life works there, but I'm left with a lot of questions.
The writing, while not exactly bad, could have been better. For instance, when Piper got a job doing electrical work she explains what it was like being so new to it. Later, she offhandedly mentions that she was shocked once, but doesn't share the story about that, which I thought would have been interesting and worth including.
However, these minor flaws didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I was really touched by how these women took care of each other. When Piper first arrived and had no money for commissary, several women gave her toiletries and other necessities. Later, she did the same for newcomers. They had parties for each other, making elaborate culinary concoctions though they had very little to work with and it seemed like a huge pain in the ass. And they got each other through their prison time the by being good, supportive friends.
I watch the show, so of course I couldn't help but compare them. The book is pretty different, and honestly not as good as the show, but there is still a lot that is the same. I couldn't help but look for familiar characters in the memoir, and many of the characters were clearly based on real people. Obviously lots of creative license was taken with the show to make it more dramatic, and there are a ton of story lines that aren't in the book. One part that did surprise me that wasn't part of the show was just how long Piper had to wait between the time she learned she'd be going to prison and when she actually began to serve her sentence. When someone related to her case was arrested on a warrant, her sentence was delayed while the US tried to extradite the guy because they wanted her to be able to testify before she began to serve. Consequently, she spent six years waiting for the situation to be resolved so she could go to prison and serve her time. Can you imagine knowing you're going to prison and not being able to just do it and get it over with, but having to just wait while it's looming over you? If that's not cruel and unusual punishment, I don't know what is.
Well, actually, a few other things in the book also fell into that category. I'm sure many people in prison must have mental health issues, but the 1400 women at Danbury had to share one psychiatrist and even he was only there for part of one day each week. They were also told that the only health issues that would be addressed were those that were life-threatening. Their food was frequently moldy and one of their bathrooms, nicknamed the Hell-mouth, was regularly infested by maggots. This doesn't seem an environment in which it is easy to stay healthy. Not to mention the inappropriate behavior of some of the guards, who weren't above fondling the women they were supposed to be just frisking. One of the guards would also scream invectives over the loudspeakers all evening, at a loud volume. This all seemed unnecessarily cruel, as though completely losing their freedom wasn't enough of a punishment.
But I was happy to see that the prison staff weren't all as horrible as on the show. Piper's counselor was pretty sympathetic to her situation, once even saying, "You drug people shouldn't even be here." Which I - and many of the prisoners - agree with. Kerman includes some statistics in the text, like the fact that 1 out of every 100 Americans is in prison, which is higher than for any other nation in the world. She also points out that this wasn't always the case, certainly not before the War on Drugs and its mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes. Helpfully, Kerman has included an appendix of resources on justice reform for those who are interested in learning more about prison issues.
There's obviously a lot to talk about here, and this would be a great book for discussion as there are just so many interesting things going on. Although it wasn't a prize-winning piece of literature, it was an enjoyable read that gave me a lot to think about.
I had a tough time keeping track of all her fellow inmates and other characters. There were just so many of them! I also found the prison rules confusing - she did too, so maybe that was intentional - but I felt like many things could have been explained more. For instance, she mentions the complexity of balancing her visitor lists, but I don't know what the challenges were. I know she could only have a certain number of people on the list, but beyond that it was a mystery. How many people could visit in one day? Could several friends come at once? She also mentioned a lot of seemingly-innocuous things being contraband, but then says her friend Rosemarie subscribed to bridal magazines. You can have magazine subscriptions in prison? Perhaps I'm just overly curious about the prison system and how life works there, but I'm left with a lot of questions.
The writing, while not exactly bad, could have been better. For instance, when Piper got a job doing electrical work she explains what it was like being so new to it. Later, she offhandedly mentions that she was shocked once, but doesn't share the story about that, which I thought would have been interesting and worth including.
However, these minor flaws didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I was really touched by how these women took care of each other. When Piper first arrived and had no money for commissary, several women gave her toiletries and other necessities. Later, she did the same for newcomers. They had parties for each other, making elaborate culinary concoctions though they had very little to work with and it seemed like a huge pain in the ass. And they got each other through their prison time the by being good, supportive friends.
I watch the show, so of course I couldn't help but compare them. The book is pretty different, and honestly not as good as the show, but there is still a lot that is the same. I couldn't help but look for familiar characters in the memoir, and many of the characters were clearly based on real people. Obviously lots of creative license was taken with the show to make it more dramatic, and there are a ton of story lines that aren't in the book. One part that did surprise me that wasn't part of the show was just how long Piper had to wait between the time she learned she'd be going to prison and when she actually began to serve her sentence. When someone related to her case was arrested on a warrant, her sentence was delayed while the US tried to extradite the guy because they wanted her to be able to testify before she began to serve. Consequently, she spent six years waiting for the situation to be resolved so she could go to prison and serve her time. Can you imagine knowing you're going to prison and not being able to just do it and get it over with, but having to just wait while it's looming over you? If that's not cruel and unusual punishment, I don't know what is.
Well, actually, a few other things in the book also fell into that category. I'm sure many people in prison must have mental health issues, but the 1400 women at Danbury had to share one psychiatrist and even he was only there for part of one day each week. They were also told that the only health issues that would be addressed were those that were life-threatening. Their food was frequently moldy and one of their bathrooms, nicknamed the Hell-mouth, was regularly infested by maggots. This doesn't seem an environment in which it is easy to stay healthy. Not to mention the inappropriate behavior of some of the guards, who weren't above fondling the women they were supposed to be just frisking. One of the guards would also scream invectives over the loudspeakers all evening, at a loud volume. This all seemed unnecessarily cruel, as though completely losing their freedom wasn't enough of a punishment.
But I was happy to see that the prison staff weren't all as horrible as on the show. Piper's counselor was pretty sympathetic to her situation, once even saying, "You drug people shouldn't even be here." Which I - and many of the prisoners - agree with. Kerman includes some statistics in the text, like the fact that 1 out of every 100 Americans is in prison, which is higher than for any other nation in the world. She also points out that this wasn't always the case, certainly not before the War on Drugs and its mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes. Helpfully, Kerman has included an appendix of resources on justice reform for those who are interested in learning more about prison issues.
There's obviously a lot to talk about here, and this would be a great book for discussion as there are just so many interesting things going on. Although it wasn't a prize-winning piece of literature, it was an enjoyable read that gave me a lot to think about.
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