June 15, 2008
I just wanted to make a note that my blog has moved from http://anovelworld.wordpress.com to http://thenovelworld.com
I’m pretty sure the wordpress address will keep rerouting the link back to the dot-com page, but please make a note to change your bookmarks in case it stops rerouting for some reason. =)
June 15, 2008
In the Lake of the Woods by author of the bestseller The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien is an eerie book about the sudden disappearance of Kathleen Wade during a camping trip with her husband John Wade. This book focuses more on the psychology of loss suffered by John Wade, as he is the main focus on the novel. This book was a bit complicated to get into, since the author would switch back and forth between John’s childhood, his developing romance with Kathy, their marriage, and ultimately, his failed campaign run for the US Senate.
Due to the suicide of his father when John was only fourteen years old, he suffers from massive abandonment issues and has trouble trusting anyone in his life. Add to that a long stint on the front-lines of the Vietnam War, and John fits the mold of your typical troubled man. When his wife disappears, John comes under suspicion by those near him, the two patrol officers and even Kathy’s sister. The book is written in a unique way, not only with the chronology jumping, but also with the general storyline. O’Brien alternates between chapters of plot, and a chapter of testimonial snippets we can assume are taken from witness interviews and perhaps a court case sometime in the future. O’Brien even includes footnotes in these chapters where he expands on details and provides background information and those quoted in those chapters. Any chapters discussing Kathy’s whereabouts or even her mental state during her disappearance are titles “Hypothesis” so that the reader is aware that things are not as they should be, that Kathy’s disappearance is on many levels not what anyone expects to be. =O’Brien does not seem to point any fingers at an obvious culprit.
Its a gritty book, but its well written, and very emotional. John Wade is a disturbed man trying to make sense of the world he lives in.
Find this book at your local library
May 13, 2008
I think this is one of the shortest of Austen’s novels. I made the mistake of reading this book right after Emma. So many of Jane Austen’s novels involve love triangles, confusion and mixed messages that I felt as if I was rereading Emma for the first 30 chapters of the book. The storyline did finally go on its own path, and became more interesting as the characters became more unique.
This is one book where female superiority reigned. It reigned over men, and over situations. All the women were powerful and in control at all times. Austen likes her heroines to be strong and unique and clever, with the exception of Fanny Price. I have developed an appreciation for Fanny as I read more of Austen’s works. As shy and timid as she is, she is a breath of fresh air, a change of pace from the usual characteristics Austen bestows on the female gender.
The thing that got to me, was how timid and hollow the men were in this novel. Usually there are one or two strong male characters that you use as a standard to judge all other men by. Not in this novel. The men were weak, easily manipulated and indecisive. The women made all the decisions through every step of the novel.
The Dashwoods are an interesting blend. Fanny Dashwood, sister in law to the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne, is selfish, spoiled and manipulative. Every time her husband tries to do something nice for his sisters, she manages to talk him out of it. This dynamic is apparent with all the relationships in the novel, as the women control all the decisions of the men through some kind of flowery verbiage.
Elinor Dashwood is the most sensible of all the characters, leaving her sister to be the most emotional extrovert of all the characters. Other than Fanny Dashwood, there was no single villian in the form of an elder, rich and much doted upon respected woman. There is Mrs. Ferrars, Edward’s and Fanny’s mother, but she only appears once, and is only lighted talked about elsewhere in the novel.
Throughout the entire novel, Elinor and Marianne’s mother is nowhere to be found, as the daughters have left to go visit family friends for the duration of the novel. Its a testament to the girl’s intellect and emotional strength to be able to go through so many emotional rollar-coasters with only themselves for support. The bond between sisters is extremely potent in this novel, as they are in all of Austen’s works. Sisterhood is the high revered form of relationship, then followed with the bonds of family and lastly by the bonds of marriage.
I feel like my common complaint with Austen’s novels is that they are always about 10 chapters longer than necessary. The first half of the book lacks in dialog and is filled with very lengthy paragraphs of description interspersed with shorter paragraphs of description. This one, being only 50 chapters, is a quick read, and if you can get past the first half with mild interest in the characters, then your patience will be well rewarded.
Find this book at your local library
Sense and Sensibility By Jane Austen 270 pages ISBN: 0679601953May 12, 2008
I suppose this can be labeled the Mecca for all bookworms. This traveling tour of books, authors and amazing workshops coming to an area near you!
The schedule:
May 29 – June 1, 2008 - Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
May 28 – May 31, 2009 - Jacob K. Javits Center, New York City, NY
June 3 – 6, 2010 - Washington DC Convention Center, Washington DC
June 9 - 12, 2011 - Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
I wish I could go this year, its only an hour plane ride from where I live, but finances and timing get in the way. Neil Gaiman is going to be there early Friday morning, he’s the author I want to see the most. Other notables include: Cheech Marin, Judy Blume, Philippa Gregory, Alec Baldwin, Magic Johnson, Christopher Buckley, and John Hodgman. Well, those are the notables that I would seek out personally.
Book Expo America is geared towards anyone in the book industry; publishers, booksellers, librarians, retailers and rights professionals from all around the world. The tagline for the event is “Where the world gathers to get a great READ on the industry.” I’m going to be in Chicago the weekend before, and therefore all my funds will be tapped out. But I should start saving to go New York next year, or Washington DC the year after that. Might as well make the trip well worth it and do some sight-seeing while I’m at it.
But, on a lighter note, the Book Group Expo will be coming back to San Jose in October. I volunteered to help out at the registration booth last summer, and it was a really fun experience. A convention for book groups from all around the US. There were so many different authors and groups, my head was swirling. I was even able to get into a couple of the seminars and different workshops. The exhibit hall is fun to browse. Last year I talked to a number of local independent publishers and bookstores and managed to walk away with a few books from the tables. Once I can figure out my work schedule for the fall, I’m going to volunteer for the Book Group Expo again this year. The founder, Ann Kent, is really friendly and this October is going to the 3rd year (Chapter Three) of the Expo. Its a great idea and gathering of book lovers to support. I also have the California Library Association Conference coming up in November 2008.
My boyfriend always marvels at how I always want to buy books. I work in a library, and yet, that’s not enough for me. I need a steady supply of unread books in my own house, I need to constantly poke my head into every second hand bookstore and library that I see when walking down the street. I usually have decent will power and restraint to walk away with only a couple of items, but unlike every little girl at the tender age of 8, when I saw Disney’s Beauty and the Beast I made a solid promise to myself to one day own a library the size of Belle’s library at Beast’s castle.
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