I just finsihed reading the novel PUSH by Sapphire. This is the novel that inspired the movie that just came out on DVD, Precious. WOW...it was absolutely crazy. This author kept my complete attention and this book did not leave my side for two days. Yes, I finished this book in two days. It was kind of like a car wreck, it was so crazy and obscene that I wanted to find out what else could possibly happen to this woman. I experienced so many emotions while reading this gripping story; love, hate and everything extreme in-between the two.
Amazon does a great job of summarizing the book:
Claireece Precious Jones endures unimaginable hardships in her young life. Abused by her mother, raped by her father, she grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed. So what better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect. That is the device deployed in the first novel by poet and singer Sapphire. "Sometimes I wish I was not alive," Precious says. "But I don't know how to die. Ain' no plug to pull out. 'N no matter how bad I feel my heart don't stop beating and my eyes open in the morning." An intense story of adversity and the mechanisms to cope with it."
http://www.amazon.com/Push-Novel-Sapphire/dp/0679766758
It is written in a ghetto dialect so at times it is hard to understand. Also mixed in are some of Precious' poems that were written during her time in a pre- G.E.D. program.
VERY, VERY GOOD read. Next: watch the movie.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
5 down, 45 to go! (The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff)
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
I bought this book with Stolen Innocence. They both are about the lives of people in the F.L.D.S. This book was...okay. It took me quite awhile to get done which says a lot for a reader like myself. I have a harder time following novels than other books because they do not seem to hold my attention as well as say, historical fiction or non-fiction books. Here is what the author has to say about the book:
I do not think I would recommend this book to avid readers nor will I read it again. Hey, I can't always pick out the best books.
I bought this book with Stolen Innocence. They both are about the lives of people in the F.L.D.S. This book was...okay. It took me quite awhile to get done which says a lot for a reader like myself. I have a harder time following novels than other books because they do not seem to hold my attention as well as say, historical fiction or non-fiction books. Here is what the author has to say about the book:
Faith, I tell them, is a mystery, elusive to many, and never easy to explain.
Sweeping and lyrical, spellbinding and unforgettable, David Ebershoff’s The 19th Wife combines epic historical fiction with a modern murder mystery to create a brilliant novel of literary suspense.
It is 1875, and Ann Eliza Young has recently separated from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Expelled and an outcast, Ann Eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. A rich account of a family’s polygamous history is revealed, including how a young woman became a plural wife.
Soon after Ann Eliza’s story begins, a second exquisite narrative unfolds–a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah. Jordan Scott, a young man who was thrown out of his fundamentalist sect years earlier, must reenter the world that cast him aside in order to discover the truth behind his father’s death.
And as Ann Eliza’s narrative intertwines with that of Jordan’s search, readers are pulled deeper into the mysteries of love and faith.
I do not think I would recommend this book to avid readers nor will I read it again. Hey, I can't always pick out the best books.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
4 down, 46 to go! (Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall)
I continue to be amazed by the good books I choose to buy! :) I ordered this book around Christmastime with a gift card from Barnes and Noble. It is by Elissa Wall, a woman who was once a part of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the polygamist sect in Utah, Arizona and Texas.
It is her first hand account of growing up in the sect, being forced to marry her first cousin at age 14 and finally breaking free of the sect and its leader, Warren Jeffs. It is 446 pages, small print and a small book to hold onto and read comfortably. I got through this book in under a week. I was so entranced by the way these people choose (or not choose) to live their lives. From the very moment she was told she was going to be married, she went to the Prophet (leader of the church) (Rulon and Warren Jeffs) and asked if they could put off the wedding until she was older and more responsible, of couse, they said no. In their society they are to obey the word of the Prophet and treat it like it is a direct word from God. Even if they do not like something or do not feel it is right for them, they must "keep sweet" and do as the Prophet and the Priesthood head says.
After years of being repeatedly raped and abused by her husband, Allen, she finally chose to escape her life in the sect and break free. She later married a friend that had also escaped (Lamont Barlow). At 20 years old, she decided it was time to face Warren Jeffs and save other girls from what happened to her at such a young age by testifying against him in a Utah state court. Warren Jeffs was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison.
I really enjoyed this book and the detail she is able to give is excellent. I even read the prologue to my 8th grade writing class as an example of a great narrative essay using a lot of vivid details.
It is her first hand account of growing up in the sect, being forced to marry her first cousin at age 14 and finally breaking free of the sect and its leader, Warren Jeffs. It is 446 pages, small print and a small book to hold onto and read comfortably. I got through this book in under a week. I was so entranced by the way these people choose (or not choose) to live their lives. From the very moment she was told she was going to be married, she went to the Prophet (leader of the church) (Rulon and Warren Jeffs) and asked if they could put off the wedding until she was older and more responsible, of couse, they said no. In their society they are to obey the word of the Prophet and treat it like it is a direct word from God. Even if they do not like something or do not feel it is right for them, they must "keep sweet" and do as the Prophet and the Priesthood head says.
After years of being repeatedly raped and abused by her husband, Allen, she finally chose to escape her life in the sect and break free. She later married a friend that had also escaped (Lamont Barlow). At 20 years old, she decided it was time to face Warren Jeffs and save other girls from what happened to her at such a young age by testifying against him in a Utah state court. Warren Jeffs was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison.
I really enjoyed this book and the detail she is able to give is excellent. I even read the prologue to my 8th grade writing class as an example of a great narrative essay using a lot of vivid details.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
3 down, 47 to go! (Faith, Hope, and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor)
I teach 8th grade so whenever I see a new book in the library that looks good I will try to read it. I do this 1) for easy reading in-between heavier stuff and 2) so I can hopefully recommend a book to a student.
I originally saw this book on Barnes and Noble.com while trying to spend a Christmas gift card and decided to order it because it had great reviews.
I was unsure if it was something I would easily get through in the beginning but I soon fell in love with the easy going character, Ivy June Mosely, a teenager from the mountains of Kentucky who doesn't even have indoor plumbing! She is chosen by her school to participate in a student exchange program with an all girls school (Buckner Academy for Girls) in Lexington, Kentucky. She spends two weeks in Lexington with the privileged Catherine Combs and then Catherine spends two weeks in Thunder Creek with Ivy June. These girls find themselves very different on the outside, but very similar on the inside when it comes to faith and hope (hence the title).
I got really attached in the last half of the book and couldn't put it down last night until I finished it. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a lighter read, but take it as nothing more.
I originally saw this book on Barnes and Noble.com while trying to spend a Christmas gift card and decided to order it because it had great reviews.
I was unsure if it was something I would easily get through in the beginning but I soon fell in love with the easy going character, Ivy June Mosely, a teenager from the mountains of Kentucky who doesn't even have indoor plumbing! She is chosen by her school to participate in a student exchange program with an all girls school (Buckner Academy for Girls) in Lexington, Kentucky. She spends two weeks in Lexington with the privileged Catherine Combs and then Catherine spends two weeks in Thunder Creek with Ivy June. These girls find themselves very different on the outside, but very similar on the inside when it comes to faith and hope (hence the title).
I got really attached in the last half of the book and couldn't put it down last night until I finished it. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a lighter read, but take it as nothing more.
2 down, 48 to go (The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger)
I always enjoy reading a book that was deemed good enough to be made into a movie. Of course, I always read the book before seeing the movie if it seems like something I would enjoy.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger was a good book. It was hard to get into at first because of the confusing format the author wrote in. To preface each chapter is the name of the person that is talking and their age. For example Henry (35, 12) Clare (6). So the reader is left to figure out if it is the 35 year old Henry talking or the 12 year old Henry. After you get a ways into the book, you get the hang of how it is to be read therefore making it easier to get through. In the beginning I found myself re-reading pages just so I could fully understand what was happening and to whom. I ended up really enjoying the book, but it cannot be called one of my favorites.
Brief synopsis taken from Amazon.com:
"This clever and inventive tale works on three levels: as an intriguing science fiction concept, a realistic character study and a touching love story. Henry De Tamble is a Chicago librarian with "Chrono Displacement" disorder; at random times, he suddenly disappears without warning and finds himself in the past or future, usually at a time or place of importance in his life. This leads to some wonderful paradoxes. From his point of view, he first met his wife, Clare, when he was 28 and she was 20. She ran up to him exclaiming that she'd known him all her life. He, however, had never seen her before. But when he reaches his 40s, already married to Clare, he suddenly finds himself time travelling to Clare's childhood and meeting her as a 6-year-old. The book alternates between Henry and Clare's points of view, and so does the narration. Reed ably expresses the longing of the one always left behind, the frustrations of their unusual lifestyle, and above all, her overriding love for Henry. Likewise, Burns evokes the fear of a man who never knows where or when he'll turn up, and his gratitude at having Clare, whose love is his anchor."
(http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/015602943X)
I will rent the movie next. Mostly for curiosity's sake to see how they compare and see if the pictures of the people in my mind match those of the director.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger was a good book. It was hard to get into at first because of the confusing format the author wrote in. To preface each chapter is the name of the person that is talking and their age. For example Henry (35, 12) Clare (6). So the reader is left to figure out if it is the 35 year old Henry talking or the 12 year old Henry. After you get a ways into the book, you get the hang of how it is to be read therefore making it easier to get through. In the beginning I found myself re-reading pages just so I could fully understand what was happening and to whom. I ended up really enjoying the book, but it cannot be called one of my favorites.
Brief synopsis taken from Amazon.com:
"This clever and inventive tale works on three levels: as an intriguing science fiction concept, a realistic character study and a touching love story. Henry De Tamble is a Chicago librarian with "Chrono Displacement" disorder; at random times, he suddenly disappears without warning and finds himself in the past or future, usually at a time or place of importance in his life. This leads to some wonderful paradoxes. From his point of view, he first met his wife, Clare, when he was 28 and she was 20. She ran up to him exclaiming that she'd known him all her life. He, however, had never seen her before. But when he reaches his 40s, already married to Clare, he suddenly finds himself time travelling to Clare's childhood and meeting her as a 6-year-old. The book alternates between Henry and Clare's points of view, and so does the narration. Reed ably expresses the longing of the one always left behind, the frustrations of their unusual lifestyle, and above all, her overriding love for Henry. Likewise, Burns evokes the fear of a man who never knows where or when he'll turn up, and his gratitude at having Clare, whose love is his anchor."
(http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/015602943X)
I will rent the movie next. Mostly for curiosity's sake to see how they compare and see if the pictures of the people in my mind match those of the director.
1 down, 49 to Go (Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult)
**I have already read three books this year so the next three posts will have the same date (I am doing some catching up today since I just started this blog)
Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult
Well I absolutely LOVE this author so I knew the book would not disappoint, and it proved me right.
This book is about a young girl, Willow, born with osteogenesis imperfecta (aka. brittle bone disease). The book is written as if the different characters (her mom, dad, sister, lawyer, etc) are writing letters or talking directly to Willow. Jodi Picoult has a way of writing that makes the reader feel like you are living the story. All of her books have a legal issue and this one is of course no exception.
Here is a brief synopsis taken directly from Jodi Picoult's website
When Charlotte and Sean O’Keefe’s daughter, Willow, is born with severe osteogenesis imperfecta, they are devastated – she will suffer hundreds of broken bones as she grows, a lifetime of pain. As the family struggles to make ends meet to cover Willow’s medical expenses, Charlotte thinks she has found an answer. If she files a wrongful birth lawsuit against her ob/gyn for not telling her in advance that her child would be born severely disabled, the monetary payouts might ensure a lifetime of care for Willow. But it means that Charlotte has to get up in a court of law and say in public that she would have terminated the pregnancy if she’d known about the disability in advance – words that her husband can’t abide, that Willow will hear, and that Charlotte cannot reconcile. And the ob/gyn she’s suing isn’t just her physician – it’s her best friend.
(http://www.jodipicoult.com/handle-with-care.html)
I have liked every one of Jodi Picoult's books thus far, but this one for me takes the cake as her best.
Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult
Well I absolutely LOVE this author so I knew the book would not disappoint, and it proved me right.
This book is about a young girl, Willow, born with osteogenesis imperfecta (aka. brittle bone disease). The book is written as if the different characters (her mom, dad, sister, lawyer, etc) are writing letters or talking directly to Willow. Jodi Picoult has a way of writing that makes the reader feel like you are living the story. All of her books have a legal issue and this one is of course no exception.
Here is a brief synopsis taken directly from Jodi Picoult's website
When Charlotte and Sean O’Keefe’s daughter, Willow, is born with severe osteogenesis imperfecta, they are devastated – she will suffer hundreds of broken bones as she grows, a lifetime of pain. As the family struggles to make ends meet to cover Willow’s medical expenses, Charlotte thinks she has found an answer. If she files a wrongful birth lawsuit against her ob/gyn for not telling her in advance that her child would be born severely disabled, the monetary payouts might ensure a lifetime of care for Willow. But it means that Charlotte has to get up in a court of law and say in public that she would have terminated the pregnancy if she’d known about the disability in advance – words that her husband can’t abide, that Willow will hear, and that Charlotte cannot reconcile. And the ob/gyn she’s suing isn’t just her physician – it’s her best friend.
(http://www.jodipicoult.com/handle-with-care.html)
I have liked every one of Jodi Picoult's books thus far, but this one for me takes the cake as her best.
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