2008 Round Up

My Dad taught college statistics, so you might think some of that would have rubbed off on me and I'd keep better track of my 2008 reading so I could tell you all kinds of things about it. But no... all I can really say is that it was a very enjoyable reading year for me! I read more books than I've ever read in a year, and that's due to all of you! My TBR list is ridiculously tall (books to the ceiling and all...), but I'm also reading more of them than ever before. And I love all the reading sidetrips and the challenges. Thanks to each of you for your wonderful reviews, and for sharing your passion for books and reading, and for inspiring me to read more and more and more..!

So here are a few stats that I did round up for this end-of-the-year post:

• 103 books read in 2008 (new record for me)
• 9 completed Reading Challenges and 3 still ongoing!
• Favorite read alouds to second graders this year: The Wizard of Oz and Charlotte's Web
• Favorite audiobook of the year: Summerland, by Michael Chabon

Five favorite reads of this year (in no particular order):

1. Something Rich and Strange, by Patricia McKillip
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer
3. Briar Rose, by Jane Yolen
4. Far Away and Long Ago, by W. H. Hudson
5. Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
   

My favorite Book of the Year: Far Away and Long Ago, by W. H. Hudson

Wishing each of you a very Happy New Year, and may 2009 be healthy and happy and full of books for you!

The Madonnas of Leningrad

A couple of months ago, I read a lovely review of The Madonnas of Leningrad on a friend's blog (Lesley's Book Nook), and knew I wanted to read this book. It seemed a perfect fit for Sarah G's 2009 Art History Reading Challenge. Being snowbound last week, I couldn't resist starting it, even though the challenge hasn't officially started. I hope I'll be forgiven for not having any self-control and starting the challenge early, but I'm so glad I did! It was a wonderful book to read while snowbound!

In Lesley's review of the book, she mentioned that she wished she could have clicked on the names of each painting mentioned in the book, to look at the image as she went through the book. I felt exactly the same way, and decided to take the time to write down each reference as it came up in the book. Then, I looked up each one on the internet, and also spent a lot of time at the Hermitage Museum web site (where you can literally spend hours and hours looking at the paintings, the history of the museum itself, the story of the siege, the renovations after the war, etc.). I enjoyed the story very much, and loved that the modern day parts of the book were set in the very familiar Northwest. But I was completely transported by the art!

I decided that my review of this book should be a visual review, so I started putting together a slideshow of the art pieces Debra Dean referenced in her book. But I soon got overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of paintings she referenced, (I've already looked up 50 art pieces on the internet and there are even more on my list!) and didn't really know how to manage the technology of my idea. So, I'll leave the idea open for anyone who is more technology savvy and would be willing to put it together. It would be an incredibly beautiful slideshow to watch, and would add a tremendous depth of understanding of the book!!

So I'll just leave you with my little Photoshop montage of some of the art work and photos I've enjoyed while reading this lovely book, and urge you to read it and experience the art!

Melting!

MAIN ROADS: Wet, but clear of ice and snow.
SIDE ROADS: Terrible, but the ice is starting to melt!
CABIN FEVER? -- Subsiding!

Thanks to all of you for your calls and comments on being snowbound in the Seattle area. For those of you that live far away, an explanation: the Seattle area is very hilly and doesn't usually get much snow or ice, so we don't have a lot of snow-removing equipment, and we don't use salt on our roads because it is considered to be very bad for our sensitive wetlands and marine life. So when we get a major storm like this one, we usually just wait a day or two and it all melts and the beautiful winter green returns. However, every once in a while (like in 1990, again in 1996, and like this year), we get hit by a really mean storm, with either deep snow or terrible winds, or both. And then we're in trouble with terrible road conditions and/or no power due to toppled trees. No fun!

B and I live at the top of a hill, and the main road down the hill has been closed for days. It's open and clear now. However, the ice on our street will take a couple of days of serious melting to clear, and has been treacherous for walking as well as for driving. A few of our neighbors with 4-wheel drive SUVs have braved the roads in the last week, and we watched them from the window and decided not to even try it. We've enjoyed our snowbound activities, and our wintery walks, but it was awfully good to get out this morning and go to the grocery store. And, of course, we stopped at Starbucks (which had the longest line we've ever seen there) on the way home.

And I promise to get back to book reviewing soon!

Cabin Fever

Our car has been parked in the garage for a week -- a week of snow and ice in an area that seldom sees that sort of thing. Last Friday, my husband's bus commute to downtown Seattle took a total of 5 hours (for 8 hours of work), rather than the more usual 1-½ hours total. So we've stayed home in the warmth since then, leaving the house only for walks around our neighborhood. We had planned ahead for bad weather...so have had enough food, although we ran out of chips for nachos, darn it, and we've watched all the episodes on our current Netflix obsessions. And Christmas was quiet without family members able to join us ... their presents still sit under the tree unopened, waiting for the roads to clear enough for travel. Our daughter only lives 4 miles away, but is also snowbound at her place. And our Portland family has had even worse winter conditions than we've had, so nobody is going anywhere at the moment and Christmas is on hold until the melt!

So here are a few things that are helping us fend off Cabin Fever...

Playing with our Grandboy on Skype...

Watching the extended version of The Lord of the Rings, again for the second time this year.

Going for walks has kept us from going stir crazy, but was difficult until we opened the Christmas presents B had the foresight to order for us:
Have you heard of Stabilicers? And Trekking Poles?
And, of course, we've been reading, reading, reading! I've finished 3 books this week, and will post reviews before too long. That's the nice part of being snowbound when there's no end to the pile of books to draw from!

So we are surviving this extended winter storm. It's funny how something you read a long time ago can come back to you suddenly with crystal clarity. Watching out the window this morning, I had a sudden "book memory" -- descriptions from Laura Ingalls Wilder's, The Long Winter, came flooding back to me. She described so well this feeling of Cabin Fever that keeps trying to creep in and take over. But we're fighting it off!

B's Tradition

My husband started his own Christmas tradition a few years ago. Every December, he puts a $50 bill in tiny little envelopes and gives one to each member of the family with the instructions that they are to get themselves a Christmas gift they really want, wrap it up, and put it under the tree with a tag that says from themselves to themselves! We've had a lot of fun and laughter with this tradition over the years.

Here's a photo of this year's gift to myself. The order arrived from Powell's, most of them used books but in excellent condition, and within the price range if you don't include the hardback on the bottom of the pile which I couldn't resist adding to the order (Germaine Greer's new book). I was delighted to open this present yesterday! And, as you can see, I'm all ready for Historia's 2009 Shakespeare Challenge to begin!

Warmest Wishes

To all our family and friends, near and far:
From our home to yours on this Christmas morning ... wishing you a warm and wonderful Holiday Season!

A Christmas Meme

Wendi (Wendi's Book Corner) tagged me for this Christmas meme. It was fun to look at old photos and remember Christmases past!

1. What is your very first Christmas memory?

The first Christmas I remember was actually caught on tape by my Dad. Not video tape (way long before that), but on one of those old reel to reel audio recorders that he hid behind the Christmas Tree. On the tape you can hear this very irritating little girl who kept saying, "Lookee, you guys." "Lookee, you guys." I was desperately trying to get the attention of my beloved older brothers.


2. Do you have a favorite Christmas gift?

Our son was our favorite Christmas gift ever! He was born 2 days after Christmas, and we just didn't have Christmas at all until he arrived. Almost 7 years later, we had his little sister on Halloween. So we have joyous holidays around here.

3. Have you ever celebrated Christmas outside of your country?

I celebrated one Christmas in Argentina! I was an exchange student there in 1967, and Christmas came at the very end of my year-long stay. It was the strangest feeling to have Christmas in the middle of summer, and celebrate it with fireworks as if it were the 4th of July. I loved going to Midnight Mass on that Christmas Eve, and enjoyed a special performance of the Argentine Misa Criolla, beautifully sung. Click here to listen to the Kyrie from Misa Criolla set to photographs of beautiful Argentina.

4. What is your favorite Christmas decoration?

I particularly love our Christmas tree ornaments. Each of them has a special story, so each one is a real favorite. For example, in the photo below, the ornament on the top left was one we got when our son was very young and represents one of his favorite nursery rhymes "Rub-a-Dub Dub." The ornament on the top right is a tiny little book representing my years of working at the bookstore. On the bottom left, is a Mother Goose ornament from when our daughter was little and her favorite poetry book was The Real Mother Goose. And on the bottom right is an ornament that reminded us of Gimli, from one of the times our family read aloud The Lord of the Rings.

5. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

We make homemade spaghetti and sauce for Christmas Eve dinner! Yum!

6. Have you ever had a white Christmas?

Yes! Many! I grew up in Salt Lake City, so it was weird NOT to have a white Christmas!

7. Have you ever gone Christmas caroling?

Yes, but not as an adult, just when I was a teenager.

8. What is your favorite Christmas movie or story?

I love the old movie of Miracle on 34th Street, with a very young Natalie Wood.

9. Do you have a Christmas link you would like to share?

A link to my current favorite Christmas song, Sarah MacLaughlin's Wintersong. Enjoy!

Windstorm Update

The predicted high winds with gusts up to 75-90 mph didn't materialize here last night, thank goodness! We did have enough wind to make the icicles that formed on the street light outside our window stick out at a funny angle. But it wasn't the fearful night we'd anticipated. Much relief here! Thank you so much for all your kind wishes! We'll be checking on our family in Portland later this morning ... they're having a major cold, icy-snow, wind event there, too!

Waiting For Wind

It's a frigid cold morning in the Seattle area, but beautiful. The sun is up this morning and everything is covered with snow and ice. The last three school days before the Holidays were cancelled due to the icy weather, and another snowstorm is on its way. BUT, the weather people are also predicting those terrible Northwest winds for later today and tonight. Noooo! I promise I won't complain about the ice and snow anymore. I won't moan and groan about the cold temperatures. But please don't let it get windy!


We're all still traumatized by the Hanukkah Eve Storm of 2006, which caused widespread power outages and lots of property damage. We were without power for three days that time, but our daughter was without power for 8 days (I feel so sorry for the people in the Northeast without their power still!!). So we don't want a repeat of that vicious windstorm, and we don't want to be without power for days and days. Cross your fingers! Please!

The End of an Era

Today marks the end of an era. My mother has been the book group leader at the Mount Olympus Senior Center, in Salt Lake City, for the last 11 years, and today was the last book group meeting she would lead -- at age 89, she is retiring from her volunteer job. She needs to have her own quiet reading time now, and deservedly so.

She chose the last book carefully -- Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri, and prepared as she always does for these meetings: she reads the book and then researches the author and the circumstances of the story; Then she rereads the book and marks special passages she wants to share with her group. She was completely ready to share another wonderful book with the loyal, long-time members of this book group (as many as 14 come every month!), but she didn't plan on the snowstorm that kept her housebound and unable to drive or even schedule the shuttle bus, and she was very disappointed.

But snowstorm or not, the fact remains that for the last 11 years, she tirelessly lead the senior center book group members through book after book, and I think her choices were wonderful. It's a remarkable list:

1. The Education of Little Tree, by Forrest Carter
2. This House of Sky, by Ivan Doig
3. The Color of Water, by James McBride
4. The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks
5. Mutant Message/Down Under, by Marlo Morgan
6. The Road From Coorain, by Jill Ker Conway
7. Refuge, by Terry Tempest Williams
8. Wait Till Next Year, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
9. A Place of Her Own, by Dori Sanders
10. Angela's Ashes, by James McCourt
11. Katherine Graham, A Personal History
12. Greatest Generation, by Tom Brokow
13. Under a Wing, by Reeve Lindbergh
14. No Ordinary Time (1st half of the book), by Doris Kearns Goodwin
15. No Ordinary Time (2nd half of the book), by Doris Kearns Goodwin
16. Abigail Adams, by Natalie S. Bober
17. Having Our Say & On My Own at 107, by Delany Sisters
18. Jewel, by Brett Lott
19. Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom
20. Four Letters of Love, by Niall Williams
21. Dancing at the Rascal Fair, by Ivan Doig
22. Life and Death in Shanghai, by Nien Cheng
23. Tis, by Frank McCourt
24. The Professor and the Madman, by Simon Winchester
25. Bound Feet and Western Dress, by Pang-Mei Chang
26. Daughter of Fortune, by Isabel Allende
27. Growing Up, by Russell Baker
28. Where Rivers Change Direction, (A Collection of Essays)
29. Chocolat, by Joanne Harris
30. Jefferson: Man on the Mountain, by Natalie S. Bober
31. West With the Night, by Beryl Markham
32. Letters From Yellowstone, by Diane Smith
33. 84, Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff
34. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, by Jennifer Armstrong
35. Helen Sekaquaptewa: Me and Mine, as told to Louise Udall
36. Mankiller: A Chief and Her People, by Wilma Mankiller & Michael Wallis
37. Girl With a Pearl Earring, by Tracey Chevalier
38. Wish You Well, by David Baldacci
39. The Professor's House, by Willa Cather
40. Death Comes For the Archbishop, by Willa Cather
41. Barbara Jordon: American Hero, by Mary Beth Rogers
42. Washington, by Meg Greenfield
43. A Kitchen God's Wife, by Amy Tan
44. A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson
45. Hanna's Daughters, by Marianne Fredriksson
46. October Sky, by Homer H. Hickam
47. Simon's Family, by Marianne Fredriksson
48. Bend in the Road, by Nicholas Sparks
49. Seldom Disappointed, by Tony Hillerman
50. Galileo's Daughter, by Dava Sobel
51. Yellow Raft on Blue Water, by Michael Dorris
52. The Optimist's Daughter, by Eudora Welty
53. First Mothers, by Bonnie Angelo
54. Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver
55. Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, by Anne Fadiman
56. Skipping Christmas, by John Grisham
57. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie
58. Inside Islam: The Faith, The Conflicts, introduction by Akbar S. Ahmed
59. A Girl Named Zippy, by Haven Kimmel
60. Thousand Pieces of Gold, by Ruthanne Lum McCunn
61. Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger
62. Seabiscuit, by Laura Hillenbrand
63. The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
64. The #1 Ladies Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith
65. To America: Personal Reflections, by Stephen E. Ambrose
66. Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind, by Ann B. Ross
67. Blessings, by Anna Quindlen
68. Leap of Faith, by Queen Noor
69. Breaking Clean, by Judy Blunt
70. Mount Vernon Love Story, by Mary Higgins Clark
71. Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi
72. Reason For Hope, by Jane Goodall
73. Plainsong, by Kent Haruf
74. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
75. Kitchen Privileges, by Mary Higgins Clark
76. The Lady and the Unicorn, by Tracy Chevalier
77. Thanks For the Memories, Mr. President, by Helen Thomas
78. Michelangelo and The Pope's Ceiling, by Ross King
79. The Guardian, by Nicholas Sparks
80. The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams, by Nasdiff
81. Founding Mothers, by Cokie Roberts
82. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
83. An Unfinished Life, by Mark Spragg
84. Miss Julia Meets Her Match, by Ann B. Ross
85. The Sinister Pig, by Tony Hillerman
86. When The Emperor Was Divine, by Julia Otsuka
87. Chinese Cinderella, by Adeline Yen Mah
88. The Kite Runner, by Khalad Hasseini
89. A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly
90. True Believer, by Nicholas Sparks
91. Abigail Adams, by Natalie Bober
92. Lucky Child, by Loung Ung
93. All That Matters, by Jan Goldstein
94. A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest Gaines
95. Our Endangered Values, by Jimmy Carter
96. My Antonia, by Willa Cather
97. March, by Geraldine Brooks
98. The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle For Equal Rights, by Russell Freedman
99. The Mermaid's Chair, by Sue Monk Kidd
100. The Story of My Life, by Farah Ahmadi
101. Redbird Christmas, by Fannie Flagg
102. Delights and Shadows, by Ted Kooser
103. Snow Flower and The Secret Fan, by Lisa See
104. After This, by Alice McDermott
105. Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks
106. The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
107. Warriors Don't Cry, by Melba Beals
108. Palestine: Peace Not Aparteid, by Jimmy Carter
109. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, by Alexander McCall Smith
110. The Space Between Us, by Thrity Umrigar
111. The Family Tree, by Barbara Delinsky
112. The Infidel, by Ayaan Hiirisi Ali
113. The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri
114. Jane Austen (Share a book or movie)
115. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
116. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
117. The Worst Hard Times, by Timothy Egan
118. Born Standing Up, by Steve Martin
119. A Thousand White Women, by Jim Fergus
120. Double Cross, by James Patterson
121. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
122. The Innocent Man, by John Grisham
123. Chocolat, by Joanne Harris
124. Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortensen
125. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
126. Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri

I am incredibly proud of my mother, and is there any wonder where my own passion for reading comes from, or why I started this blog as another way for us to share books?

Kudos to you, Mom! You are an inspiration! I love you!

Thunder Snow

There's no school here again today--It's a SNOW DAY! The storm that hit the Seattle area yesterday missed us and laid down all it's snow to the north and south of us. But the forecast had been so formidable that all the districts canceled classes yesterday, and we had the day off even as the expected snow went elsewhere. This morning was a different story. The snow arrived at the beginning of rush hour and announced itself with thunder and lightening. I'd never heard the term "thunder snow" until this morning when a weathercaster so aptly described what was going on outside our window! It completely blanketed the area, not leaving out any neighborhood or school district. So it's another day with schools closed, and this teacher has actually been able to get almost all her Christmas presents wrapped early for a change!

A New Zealand Secret Santa

I was so excited today when I went out to get the mail and found a package from New Zealand! My Secret Santa, Maree (Just Add Books), was my Secret Santa and sent me a lovely calendar of New Zealand wildlife, and a beautiful little glass sculpture called "Fish Hook" or "Het Matau," which "represents strength and determination and brings peace and prosperity and good health. Also provides safe journey over water." They are lovely!

Thanks for the gifts, Maree! And best wishes to you and your family for a very happy holiday in New Zealand! And a special thanks to Nymeth for organizing this Christmas Swap again this year!

Let It Snow

We have snow on the ground and very cold air that has dipped down from Canada, and the only thing to do with such weekend weather is stay at home in the warmth and READ!

So, I've already finished Orson Scott Card's Christmas book, Zanna's Gift: A Life in Christmases. It was a sweet little book, with some important reminders about what is really important in life -- family and love. I enjoy OSC's work, especially the Ender's series. And I have a special fascination for him because, although I've never met him, we must have crossed paths on numerous occasions! He lived in Orem, Utah for awhile, and so did I. He went to the University of Utah during the years my father was a professor there (did he take a class from my dad??). And when I read his work, I hear things that resonate deep inside my genetic-cultural roots.

As I read Zanna's Gift, I recognized some of my own extended family. Perhaps that's the way everyone feels when they read it -- maybe it's a universal feeling -- but for me, as I read it, I pictured people and landscapes with warm familiarity.

Exploring Dewey's Blog

I have a lot of blogs I love to visit, and I really prefer to go directly to each blog to see what's new, although I do appreciate my Google Reader that lets me know when a new post comes up. But with our busy, hectic lives, we seldom spend very much time on each other's blogs. I've been spending a lot of time over at Dewey's blog, trying to decide which books I would like to read for the Dewey's Books Reading Challenge. It's incredible to spend in-depth, extended time with a blogger, going back to the beginning and exploring years of interesting posts! I'm finding that it's a quiet, lovely way of honoring the spirit of Dewey and her passion for books and for life. Her blog is full of life and passion, and that's the way I want to remember her.

Some of her books I'd like to read:

1. Everything is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Soer
2. The Common Reader, by Alan Bennett
3. The Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. LeGuin
4. The People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
5. Beatrix Potter, A Life in Nature, Linda Lear
6. Einstein's Dreams, Alan Lightman
7. The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak

Corduroy Mansions

My new listening to audiobooks while knitting obsession? ... Corduroy Mansions, the serialized digital book by Alexander McCall Smith. I'm late to the party -- the first chapter was actually published on September 15th, but it's better late than never. A new chapter is being published each weekday for 20 weeks, (roughly 100 chapters or so) and he's now up to 60 or so chapters. You can read each installment online, or download it into your iTunes. I'm not quite caught up to the current chapter yet, but I'm making great progress with my knitting project and enjoying the listening.

I'm sure my brain was primed for the experience of reading a serialized novel by those early years of watching all those movie and TV serials with my brothers. This book is a set of stories that take place in the Pimlico part of London, in a building named Corduroy Mansions. The stories are all about the different residents of that building and neighborhood, so there's no end to possible ideas for the book! Reading this novel is a very interactive experience, as McCall Smith is also giving his readers a chance to respond and make suggestions for things to add to or change in the story line. I know it also adds to my enjoyment of the listening that the narrator is Andrew Sachs, who played Manuel in Fawlty Towers.

Corduroy Mansions is an unassuming large house in London's Pimlico, inhabited by an assortment of characters and one dog, writes Alexander McCall Smith.
The date of the building is indeterminate, but there are Arts and Craft features that point to the very late nineteenth century.
It is believed to have been built as an asylum, or possibly a school, or a mansion block.
In fact, nothing is known about the building's history, although it does feature in a guide to the architecture of Pimlico.
It is described there as "a building of no interest whatsoever".
The nickname Corduroy Mansions was given in jest by a fashionable person, and stuck.

As always, with McCall Smith's writing, it is humorous, cheerful, and a fun reminder not to take life so very seriously all the time. No matter how busy my day, or how tired I come home from my school day spent with 7 and 8 year olds, I can listen to an installment, chuckle, knit a couple of rows, and decompress from life's intensity!

Try it, you'll like it!

Here's a video of Alexander McCall Smith introducing his book and the Pimlico neighborhood in which the story takes place:

Dewey's Books Reading Challenge

My friend, Chris, at Stuff As Dreams Are Made On, came up with a lovely idea to honor the memory of Dewey, our blogging friend that passed away last week. His idea was to create a reading challenge and have participants visit Dewey's blog to choose their books from her reviews. I've been over there in the last few days, spending time reading past posts, and appreciating her in a whole new way. And I thought about the footprints she left behind -- her reading pathway -- and wouldn't it be nice to follow along in those footsteps for awhile...?

So when Chris made the comment on his blog that somebody should put together a Reading Challenge doing just that, I knew it had to happen. Chris is the perfect host for such an undertaking, and I will support him in any way I can. Dewey was a wonderful "idea person," a passionate reader, and an inspirational community builder, and this Reading Challenge is a nice way to celebrate her literary life.

So visit our Dewey's Books Reading Challenge blog, and think about joining us! Right now I'm going to spend some more time over at Dewey's blog, and put together my own list of choices.

Becoming Naomi León

I always thought the biggest problem in my life was my name, Naomi Soledad León Outlaw, but little did I know that it was the least of my troubles, or that someday I would live up to it.

Pam Muñoz Ryan is becoming one of my favorite authors! I recently read her book, Esperanza Rising, and loved it. I just finished her book, Becoming Naomi León, and loved it equally as well. She is an author that writes beautiful, heartfelt, honest, uplifting books for young and old alike.

Naomi is a young girl with a lot going on in her life. She lives with Gram and her little brother, Owen, in a trailer affectionately called "Baby Beluga," in Avocado Acres Trailer Rancho in southern California. They've been living with Gram ever since their mother left them. Naomi is bright and talented (she carves beautiful little figures out of soap), but she has a hard time speaking out and standing up for herself. This is a wonderful story of a young girl growing up, finding out what is really important in her own life, and learning that she has hidden strengths.

Something fun about this book is that each section and the chapters in that section are the names of collective nouns -- for example, the first section is called "A Rabble of Yesterdays," and the first chapter is called "A Paddle of Ducks." The collective nouns each fit the story perfectly in one way or another.

A lovely read, highly recommended.

Click here to see a fun list of collective nouns.

Click here to read about Oaxaca's Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes), which plays an important part in this story.

Malinche

Malinche, by Laura Esquivel, is a fascinating fictional account of the relationship between the Spanish explorer/conquistador, Hernan Cortés, and the Indian woman who was both his interpreter and his mistress during his conquest of the Aztecs.

(From the Reading Group Guide in the book):

"Throughout Mexican history, Malinalli (Malinche) has been reviled for her betrayal of the Indian people. But recent historical research has shown that her role was much more complex. She was the mediator between two cultures, Hispanic and Native American, and three languages, Spanish, Mayan, and Náhuatl. She was also a slave, trying to rebel against the barbarous culture of her masters, the Aztecs. But her loyalty was to her own people, whom she was trying to free."

Laura Esquivel's writing has been described as lyrical, and I agree. This book was beautifully written. I didn't know very much about this part of history, so I was completely caught up in the story and the events. But what I loved most were the beautiful descriptions and the emotional truths expressed so honestly.

On Malinalli's role as interpreter:

"Being "The Tongue" was an enormous responsibility. She didn't want to make a mistake or misinterpret, and she couldn't see how to prevent it since it was so difficult translating complex ideas from one language to the other. She felt as if each time she uttered a word she journeyed back hundreds of generations..."

"...Words were like lightning, swiftly crossing valleys, mountains, seas, bringing needed information as readily to monarchs as to vassals, creating hope or fear, establishing alliances, abolishing enemies, changing the course of events."

I really liked the following passage which described Malinalli's sadness upon discovering as a very young girl that her beloved grandmother was blind:

"The grandmother tenderly took her into her arms. "I will ever leave you. Every time that you see a bird in flight, there I'll be. In the form of the trees, there I'll be. In the mountains, the volcanoes, the cornfields, there I'll be. And, above all things, each time that it rains I will be near you. In the rain we will always be together. And don't worry about me, I went blind because I was disturbed at how the appearances of things would confuse me and not allow me to see their essence. I went blind to return to the truth. It was my own decision, and I am happy with what I now see."

It's quite a story, and I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy historical fiction, and especially for anyone who appreciates Laura Esquivel's beautiful writing.

Click here to read Christine Welter's excellent review of this book.

Click here to read an interview with Laura Esquivel about her book, Malinche.

An Audiobook Challenge

J. Kaye is hosting an Audiobook Challenge, and since I love listening to audiobooks, and have listened to 23 audiobooks this year, I am signing up for this 2009 challenge, too!

Our goal is to listen to 12 audiobooks in 2009, and I'll update this post and list my books as I go.

1. A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula Le Guin (narrated by Rob Inglis)
2. The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama (narrated by himself)
3. Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Mystery, by John Mortimer (narrated by Bill Wallis)
4. The Devil's Arithmetic, by Jane Yolen (narrated by Barbara Rosenblat)
5. The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett (narrated by himself)
6. The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece, by Jonathan Harr
7. Zel, by Donna Jo Napoli (narrated by Alexandra O'Karma)
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

Libraries have always been my favorite places, so J. Kaye's Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge is another challenge I couldn't resist. I'm signing up for reading 12 books in 2009, and will update this post as I go along. Thanks, J. Kaye!

1. Two Sweaters For My Father, Perri Klass
2. The Forest Lover, Susan Vreeland
3. A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Le Guin
4. Mars Needs Moms!, by Berkeley Breathed
5. The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama
6. Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Mystery, by John Mortimer
7. The Devil's Arithmetic, by Jane Yolen
8. The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett
9. The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece, by Jonathan Harr
10. Enchantress From the Stars, by Sylvia Louise Engdahl
11. Return to Labyrinth, Vol. 1, by Jake T. Forbes
12. The Book of Lost Things, by John Connolly

Sarah's Art History Reading Challenge

Rules:

• Challenge yourself to read at least 6 books about art in 2009. These can be either fiction or nonfiction, and can span every genre from historical fiction to graphic novel.

1. The Forest Lover, by Susan Vreeland
2. The Madonnas of Leningrad, by Debra Dean
3. The Matisse Stories, by A.S. Byatt
4. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce
5. Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles, by Martin Gayford
6. LeConte Stewart: The Spirit of Landscape, by Robert O. Davis

Callista's Jewish Literature Challenge

• What: Reading at least 4 books by Jewish Authors or about Judaism
• 
When: December 21, 2008 (Beginning of Hanukkah) to April 27, 2009 (End of Passover)

1. In the Name of Sorrow and Hope, by Noa Ben Artzi-Pelossof
2. The Devil's Arithmetic, by Jane Yolen

3. Night, by Elie Wiesel
4. Day, by Elie Wiesel
5. Dawn, by Elie Wiesel
6. People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks

I've been wanting to read Elie Wiesel's books for quite awhile, so this challenge gives me the opportunity to focus on his trilogy. Thanks to Callista for hosting it!

Historia's Shakespeare Challenge

(All the World's a Stage, by James C. Christensen)

Historia, at BiblioShakespeare, is hosting a new Shakespeare challenge for 2009. I have so many Shakespeare books on my shelf, but haven't gotten around to reading them, so this challenge is just perfect for me! I'm looking forward to spending more time enjoying the Bard in 2009! Thanks, Historia!

The rules are simple:
• You can read anything about or related to Shakespeare - fiction or non fiction, straight bio or authorship debate - and you can read the plays and sonnets as well.
• Read 6 books in 12 months
• Starts January 1st 2009
• Ends December 31st 2009

1. Shakespeare's Wife, by Germaine Greer
2. Shakespeare Sketchbook, by Renwick St. James; artwork by James C. Christensen
3. Shakespeare Alive!, by Joseph Papp
4. A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599, by James Shapiro
5. Introduction to Shakespeare, by Marchette Chute
6. Shakespeare, by Anthony Burgess

Rhinoa's Manga Challenge

The rules are:

• Read at least 6 Manga novels in 2009 (crossovers with other challenges are fine, and please feel free to read more!).
• You do not need to set a list of books to read in advance, just fill them in as you go if it's easier.

Since I'm not very familiar with the Manga world and all the choices available, I'm going to start by reading some of the Manga Shakespeare! I'm looking forward to this introduction to a whole new reading world! Thanks, Rhinoa!

1. Manga Shakespeare: Macbeth
2. Manga Shakespeare: The Tempest
3. Return to Labyrinth, Vol. 1, by Jake T. Forbes
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Ambitious Plans!

Reading challenges are hard to resist! My reading time in the last month has been almost non-existent because of report cards, parent conferences, and life in general. But that doesn't stop me from looking at all the terrific new 2009 Reading Challenges out there and being tempted to commit to reading more books than time allows. Oh well...it's only time...and since I'm just completing some old challenges, I think I'll go right ahead and sign up for some new ones: Rhinoa's Manga Challenge; Historia's Shakespeare Challenge; Callista's Jewish Literature Challenge; and Sarah G's Art History Challenge. Also, because I am such a supporter of my local library, and because I love listening to audiobooks, I'm going to join J.Kaye's Support Your Local Library Challenge and her Audiobook Challenge! I'll set up separate posts that can be updated as I progress through these challenges, and I'm glad that crossovers and substitutions are allowed. This ambitious project should keep me out of trouble for awhile!