Book Bites

Book Bites, our book talk with area book groups, is always an exciting and challenging event. The challenge stems from having to select only a few books from the abundance of worthy candidates. So, I ask myself – what exactly makes a good choice for book groups? I suppose, ultimately it is subjective, based upon who is in the group and what the group as a whole wants from their selections. But, for me, a good reading group book is one that is thought provoking, easy-to-read, and rife with conflict.

Books resonate differently for each reader – we all take away something unique and personal. And, of course, our tastes vary, but one hopes that personal taste aside, a good book can stir-up some food for thought. It’s really not enough for a book to simply be “enjoyable” – it needs to stimulate ideas, and hopefully, get one to see the world anew.

So, me being me, I tend to recommend those books that would otherwise be overlooked. I enjoy the unusual and horrific – this includes vampires, zombies, werewolves, aliens etc. And though I know these types of books are not compatible with the tastes of some book groups, I feel they are valuable and can lead to meaningful discussions. It’s not easy, always being the odd-one-out, the gal who always pushes the boundaries of palatability. But I have an abundance of optimism and hope, and refuse to be quelled. So, I’m going to put it out there for the rest of you.

Here is my personal favorite selection for book groups. Enjoy:

World War Z by Max Brooks – a wowzer of a story that chronicles the survivors of “The Zombie Wars.” For me, this is one of the best examples of stretching the genre boundaries. It’s a thoughtful, relevant, timely and gripping book - the zombies are an embodiment of a viral pandemic that sweeps the globe. What makes this an utterly brilliant piece of fiction is how real every single character seems. How plausible they are and how completely human – from our deepest fears and transgressions, to our most profound ability to reach out to one another and help each other survive. I cannot praise this book enough.

My Favorite YA Books

I wanted to take a moment to list some of my favorite recent YA books and authors. This list is in no particular order, nor is it complete - there are simply too many wonderful books to name here:

Twilight (duh) – the story of Bella, Edward and Jacob, and the many forms of love, is simply some of the best storytelling I’ve encountered in years.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson – one of the best books I’ve ever read, period. Anderson has a way of beautifully expressing the agonies and ecstasies of adolescence. I highly recommend her novels. Don't miss her latest smash, Wintergirls.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman – quite possibly the most moving book I’ve read in ages. This story of a family tragedy had me laughing and crying without ever feeling overwhelmed. The writing is understated and sincere. READ THIS BOOK!

Artichoke’s Heart by Suzanne Supplee – what a gift this book is. It addresses an array of “issues” (self-esteem, illness, single parenthood, first love) with an authentic, charming and hopeful perspective. It’s a perfect selection for Mother-Daughter book groups.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie – a devastatingly raw and humorous look at life as an outsider. Alexie is one the greatest writers around and his first YA novel is astonishing and brilliant.

Sarah Dessen has written some of the best teen books of the past decade. Her books plumb the depths of the teen experience with honesty and profundity. Don’t miss Just Listen and the soon-to-be released paperback edition of Lock and Key.

Susane Colasanti is another author who has a way of capturing adolescence with pitch perfect dialog and understanding. When it Happens and the forthcoming Waiting for You are terrific.

Please, feel free to comment and share your own favorites.

For more selections and reviews, I highly recommend:
http://www.teensreadtoo.com/

Young Adults and Twilight

Recently I’ve immersed myself in the world of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga. I’ve lived there for the past two weeks, no kidding, and I can’t seem to pull myself away. This current obsession has gotten me thinking about the clamoring throngs of tweens, teens, and yes, grown women who have succumbed to the lure of Bella’s story.

I turned to my book buddy/sister-in-law extraordinaire, Karen, for some insight – it was her recommendation of Twilight, after all, that broke the proverbial camel’s back (I’d resisted it for a long, long time). Here are her thoughts:

“I think that what Twilight captures is that no matter who you are, in adolescence EVERYONE has an outside-looking-in feeling. Everyone also thinks that they’re fairly ordinary, but secretly believes that there's something spectacularly special and different about them ... special enough to captivate EDWARD. And in the meantime, you're remembering the awkward first kiss/first date/first infatuation kind of stuff ... and it's presented in a PG kind of way that you'd be comfortable reading with your own daughter or your mom."

Karen’s take spurred further thoughts about the Young Adult (YA) genre in general. One might argue that because YA novels are stories for teenagers and about teenagers, there is little in them that resonates with adults. But let’s not forget that we’ve all been there and just because we have crossed the invisible line from adolescence into adulthood doesn’t mean we have to dismiss the experience. Our teenage years are crucial ones and can be brutally intense. Life then is immediate and riddled with angst, change and a lack of control. It’s a time of discovery and false starts and hesitant steps – particularly when it comes to relationships – with friends, first loves, parents, and one’s own self.

It seems obvious to me that YA novels rarely garner the attention they deserve, with a few notable exceptions, like Meyer’s books, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and the phenomenal Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Maybe it’s because adults “rule the school” – they are the authors, publishers, marketers, booksellers, etc., of the YA genre – and the problems of teenagers can seem trivial in a world of pressing adult issues like the economy, family responsibilities, all the varied and constant concerns that accompany adulthood’s status.

But to me, that’s viewing life through a narrow lens. Reality is not so different when one enters adulthood; it just becomes couched in “bigger” pictures, “greater” obligations, and “more” responsibility. Life doesn’t get easier as we grow older. We have to learn to endure more, make harder decisions, factor in the needs of others and weigh the costs carefully. Is this why so many of us get stuck – bogged down in a quagmire of responsibility and indecision that when we finally do move it’s defined as a “crisis” rather than a release?

Here’s another thought from Karen:

"Lots of people dismiss YA literature, but I think that there are some really original and interesting stories to be found there. And it's kind of cool to be reading the same thing as the teenager I hired to watch my three kids. Makes me feel like I've still got it and forget that I'm stretch-marked, crow-footed, and driving a minivan like a loser."

So maybe the take-away here is that it’s not a requisite that we see ourselves in these YA stories, but that they can serve as timely or poignant or funny reminders of what others are going through right now…and that, to them, these issues matter. After all, teenagers are people, too, and their voices deserve to be heard not just by their peers but by all of us.

Books on Television

On Sunday HBO debuted The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, based on novels by Alexander McCall Smith. And while it's only just begun, there is little doubt of their maintaining the integrity of the characters and the storyline with which we are familiar. If it is anything like the phenomenal hit series True Blood then we are in good hands. Their adaptation of the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire mysteries by Charlaine Harris was nothing short of brilliant.

I've been a fan of Sookie and her quirky, dangerous world for years. So, I was excited to hear that HBO was developing it as a series - although, there was an accompanying sense of dread. When watching film or television adaptations of beloved books, it's rare to find a dramatization that compares to the written word - indeed there are only a handful of what I would term "faithful" renditions of books to screen. So, it was with trepidation that I first tuned in to True Blood, but I was pulled into this fantastical world from moment one.

The show managed to present the entire first book – piecing it out week after week during the season, and I think this was the best choice they made. All too often, adaptations fail because of time constraints. How does one condense a four hundred-page novel into a two-hour movie? Inevitably something must be left out. Not so with True Blood. Plus, they managed to expand the world that Charlaine Harris created by giving some of the secondary characters from the books stories of their own - and they did it seamlessly. They managed to flesh-out these characters while remaining true to the personalities established in the novels. It added to the excitement and anticipation of watching the show from week-to-week. Plus, it’s fun to know what’s coming in the main storyline and seeing it realized on screen.

I’m glad I’ve read the books already – I can see the ways they’ve changed things and I can appreciate it in a unique way. Those unfamiliar with the books are missing-out on half of the experience. Not that there isn’t value in watching the show for its own sake. But I’m a book lover, as well as a television viewer. So, there is pleasure to be had from both for me – particularly when the two so flawlessly blend together. Now, I look forward to seeing how the The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency fares. And, of course, I eagerly await the return of True Blood.