Jill's Wrap-Up Post

Thanks to Wendy for hosting the Notable Books Challenge. I read some great books for this challenge - here is my completed list:


1) The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta (NYT Most Notable) Completed January 12, 2008 (review)
2) Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo (NYT Most Notable) - also reading for Themed Reading Challenge Completed February 23, 2008 (review)
3) Exit Ghost by Philip Roth (NYT Most Notable) Completed August 29, 2008 (review)
4) Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (PW Best Book) completed October 2, 2008 (review)
5) The Gathering by Anne Enright (NYT Most Notable) - also reading for Man Booker Challenge completed July 6, 2008 (review)
6) Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe (PW Best Book) completed May 2, 2008 (review)
7) The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (NYT Most Notable and PW Best Book) - also reading for Man Booker Challenge completed January 13, 2008 (review)
8) Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (NYT Most Notable) - also reading for Themed Reading Challenge completed April 8, 2008 (review)

My favorite? What a hard choice - but I would have to pick Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. My least favorite was Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe, but that book still earned three stars. All in all, a great challenge and great reading!

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (Jill)

Heart-Shaped Box
By Joe Hill
Completed October 2, 2008

A long time ago, I gave up reading about ghosts and gore and things that go bump in the night. I think it was a result of reading Stephen King’s Pet Semetary, which bothered me in a nightmarish way. I figured I wasn’t cut out for thrillers and spooks.

When Stephen King’s son, Joe Hill, released his debut novel, Heart-Shaped Box, my interest in reading this widely acclaimed story was piqued, but then I reminded myself: “It’s not your usual genre.” I prefer books about “real” characters with “real” problems. Ghosts don’t usually fit that bill.

But I decided to take a plunge and picked up Heart-Shaped Box, saving it to read in October to get me in the mood for Halloween.

And after the first page, I was immediately sucked in.

It’s the story of an aging rock star, Jude, who collected occult items. He had the opportunity to purchase a haunted suit for $1,000 and he gobbled it up without a thought. Little did he realize that the suit was really haunted. Haunted, in fact, by the stepfather of one of Jude’s former girlfriends, who allegedly killed herself over the break-up with Jude. The ghost, named Craddock, was out for revenge, and Jude was in his sights.

There was just enough creepy in this book to keep the story moving, but it did not go overboard. I would compare it to a really good episode of “Lost” – strange enough to be interesting, slightly plausible if you belief in that sort of thing, and downright entertaining. The plot and character development was spot on, and Craddock gave me the willies. What else could one want out of a ghost story?

Let’s face it: Joe Hill inherited the right set of genes, but my hat’s off to him for making his own kind of spooky story. I look forward to reading his second novel when it’s released. I can only imagine how proud Papa King must be of his talented son. ( )

Exit Ghost by Philip Roth (Jill)

Exit Ghost
By Philip Roth
Completed August 29, 2008

In his latest installment of Nathan Zuckerman stories, Philip Roth created a story of an aging literary genius who was battling several demons: incontinence, impotence, a failing memory and worries about his legacy. This is my first Zuckerman book where he narrated (he did appear in The Human Stain but more as a minor character), and I found his storytelling to be intelligent, desperate and enthralling.

Zuckerman lived in near-isolation in the Berkshires but traveled to his old stomping ground, New York City, for an experimental procedure to help with his incontinence (a result of prostate cancer). While there, he becomes intrigued by an ad where a young couple wanted to swap homes for a year. Jamie and Billy were looking for a country refuge to escape the scares of terrorism in post-09/11 New York City. On a whim, Zuckerman agreed to meet the couple and became mesmerized by the beguiling Jamie (frustrating for an impotent Zuckerman).

Through Jamie, an ambitious young writer, Richard Kliman, contacted Zuckerman. Kliman was writing a biography on a long-forgotten American author, E.I. Lonoff, (one of Zuckerman’s heroes). However, Kliman wanted to add a scandal to Lonoff’s story. Outraged, Zuckerman realized that he’s an old man – no match for the young energy produced by Kliman – and wondered: After Zuckerman died, who was to stop a young author from writing his biography full of scandal and secrets?

This story documented the journey of a genius, dealing with the physical limitations of an aging body and the slow mental decline of his brain. You felt Zuckerman’s desperation, frustration and determination to remain the man he once was. More than that, though, you shared Zuckerman’s concern for his legacy, literary canon and lack of control over both once he was gone.

I thought Exit Ghost was brilliant. Filled with witty prose, political satire and ageism, I look forward to reading Zuckerman’s stories set during his prime. You have to wonder if Zuckerman’s creator, Philip Roth, shared his character’s frustrations as an aging writer. If what I’ve read is any indication, Roth is secure in his legacy as one of American’s greatest writers. ( )

The Gathering by Anne Enright (Jill)

The Gathering
By Anne Enright
Completed July 7, 2008

In The Gathering, Anne Enright took a disturbing look at family dysfunction. Told from the perspective of Veronica, a 39-year-old homemaker, the readers learned the ups and downs of being part of her large Irish family, made more complicated as the family dealt with the suicide of Veronica’s brother, Liam.

Veronica’s ghosts were a large part of this novel. Veronica was the keeper of Liam’s childhood secret, and as she grieved for her brother, she had to come to terms with the tragedies that plagued him. She also had to deal with her life decisions: hiding Liam’s secret, marrying her husband, mothering her daughters, and coping with her own mother, who Veronica loved and despised simultaneously.

Enright’s writing style was seductively descriptive. I envisioned the deeply depressed Veronica spiraling out of control, frantically typing her family’s life story as she drank and escaped from her obligations. She was not an easy character to like, but Enright’s writing evoked sympathy and sadness for this character.

In addition to the manic narrative, the reader must muddle through the many phallic references and sexual metaphors that sprung up (no pun intended) in each chapter. I can’t say these themes added to the novel, but they did not appall me either. Perhaps I was too wrapped up in Veronica’s train wreck to care.

All in all, The Gathering was a decent story about being a family member and how one woman dealt with her depression in the face of a family tragedy. If you like stories set in Ireland or are a fan of Booker winners, then I would recommend The Gathering to you. ( )

Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe (Jill's review)

Jamestown
By Matthew Sharpe
Completed May 2, 2008

Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe is a post-annihilated view of America, set against the historic backdrop of the early Jamestown settlement. In this story, John Rolfe, John Smith and company voyaged to Virginia from Manhattan, searching for more fuel and resources for their New York-based company. When they arrived in Jamestown, they met great resistance from the natives, but as in history, the young Pocahontas became the link between these two cultures.

The story was written with each chapter told from a different character’s viewpoint, which helped move the story along. By far, my favorite character was Pocahontas. She emerged as a funny, vulnerable and believable 19-year-old girl. As brutal as her male counterparts, Pocahontas preferred diplomacy and was fascinated by her northern visitors. And yes, like history, there was a romance, but I won’t reveal which John she fell for.

Reviewers of Jamestown loved the satirical nature of this book and raved about the brilliant execution of dark humor and political commentary. Furthermore, Jamestown was listed as a 2007 Best Book by Publisher’s Weekly. For me, however, I didn’t get it. It was like a conversation with a dark but witty guest at a party whose allusions and nuisances went over my head. I don’t fault Matthew Sharpe for my inadequacies, though. His writing style was easy and humorous, his characterization was spot on and I am sure other readers would enjoy this book.

If you enjoy the darkest of humor and the most satirical of political and environmental commentaries, then you may want to try Jamestown. ( )

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

The Yiddish Policemen's Union
By Michael Chabon
Completed April 8, 2008

The Yiddish Policemen's Union was one of the most peculiar, entertaining and head-scratching books I have ever read. Michael Chabon is a deliciously fun, imaginative writer, and this book is dripping with literary snark. I was expecting an "okay" read, and I am happy to report that I loved, loved, loved this one.

The book is set in Siska, a fictional district in Alaska inhabited by Jews who fled there in the late 1940's. Siska embodied the good and bad of any community, and to help combat the bad, Siska employed police officers like the main character, Meyer Landsman and his partner, Berko Shemets. Meyer was one of those Lethal Weapon/Mel Gibson cops- quick with the one-liners, always working on a hunch and on the verge of self-destruction. And Berko was just like Danny Glover - the stable married guy who often pulled his partner out of trouble. Mix in Meyer's ex-wife, Bina, who served as their commander, and you have The Yiddish Policemen's Union.

The guys were investigating the death of heroin junkie, who may or may not be the Messiah. Their inquiries led to the strictest of Jewish sects and a conspiracy of historical proportions. Each chapter took the reader closer and closer to unraveling the mystery, and Chabon kept his readers at the edge of their collective seats through each page. It's a classic "who done it" story - with a lot of Yiddish language.

I am not well-versed in Judaism or Jewish history, but I detected a serious side to this story - a commentary on the numerous displacement of Jews throughout history and an exploration of what happens when Jews get too comfortable in any one place. I wonder too if Chabon is holding up a mirror to Jewish society and showing readers the pluses and minuses of their culture. Again, I am not an expert in Jewish culture, but I will be curious to read thoughts from those who are - to learn more about the "Jewish" aspect to this tale.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union is not a book for everyone. I think you have to enjoy dark, subtle humor (similar to Christopher Moore) and not be intimidated by the Jewish themes in this story. It's a very readable story, brilliantly written and eloquently developed. I look forward to reading more work by Michael Chabon in the near future. ( )

Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo

Bridge of Sighs
By Richard Russo
Completed February 23, 2008

Sitting in front of you is a huge piece of delicious chocolate cake. It’s covered with fudge icing and slightly chilled to help you enjoy the rich chocolate goodness. Without a doubt, this chocolate cake is an art form all its own.

Presented with such succulent sweetness, are you the type to devour it in a few bites because you cannot wait for each delicious morsel? Or, are you more likely to take small bites to enjoy each fudgy nugget as its own tiny piece of heaven?

You are the latter? Great - I highly recommend Richard Russo’s latest book, Bridge of Sighs, to you. Everyone else – the impatient kind like me – probably can skip this turtle of a novel.

In Bridge of Sighs, readers explored the lives of Lou C. (aka Lucy) Chapman and his childhood friend, Robert Noonan (aka Bobby Marconi). Lucy and Robert are exact opposites: Lucy stayed in his small town all his life, Robert was an international artist living in Venice; Lucy was a wimp, Robert was a bully; Lucy was a guy you can count on, Robert made unreliability an art form. The book mostly centered on Lucy’s life with recollections from his childhood mixed with his present life. In Lucy’s sections, the readers learned about Thomaston, New York, over a fifty-year time span – small-town narratives that are the trademark to Russo’s storytelling. Love triangles, racial issues, sickness and bullying all found their place in this book.

While Russo is a master of small-town yarns, he took his time unraveling this story. Have you ever encountered an older gentleman who can talk for hours and hours about his life, each tale its own mini-adventure? That’s Lucy. It took more than 500 pages to get his story told. Each page and chapter rode like a steady tide, with small ebbs and flows. Sometimes a large wave moved the story along, but often it’s the rhythmic push and pull that advanced the story.

It’s no fault of Bridge of Sighs that I continuously lost my patience with this story. In fact, I cannot contend that the book needed better editing or a more direct style. It’s how Richard Russo writes his books, and you either like it or you don’t. I guess I am the kind who eats my chocolate cake really fast.

I would recommend Bridge of Sighs to readers who can take each page and relish in the beautiful language, narrative style and small-town wonder. If you are the patient kind, I think you will be richly rewarded with this tale about friendships and small towns. ( )

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

The Reluctant Fundamentalist
By Mohsin Hamid
Completed January 13, 2008

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is an unsettling story of a young Pakistani man, Changez, whose life was impacted by 09/11 and the unstable relationship with his love interest, Erica. Changez was educated at Princeton and recruited by an elite firm upon graduation. He moved to New York City where he could blend in and focus on his work, his friendships and Erica. Changez seemed to tolerate American society well enough until the attacks on 09/11 when he underwent constant scrutiny because he was Muslim. He no longer felt like he could “fit in,” and when the U.S. didn’t support Pakistan against rising escalations with India, his toleration for his host country completely dissipated.

Many reviewers contend that this is a novel about anti-American views after 09/11 and how an educated young man, scorned by the behavior of Americans, become bitter and possibly evolved into a terrorist. While I agree with this contention, I would also argue that Changez was more deeply affected by the mental decline of Erica and his inability to break through her mental illness. Erica was profoundly depressed by the death of her first boyfriend several years ago. She recovered enough to get through Princeton and write her first novel, but the presence of a new lover rocked her gentle stability and reverted Erica to her depressive state. Changez could not compete against the dead lover who still held Erica’s heart, despite all of his best efforts. He eventually conceded to this fact, and in the end, lost Erica forever. Heart-broken and disillusioned about the “American way of life,” Changez became depressed. His broken heart is what pushed Changez “over the edge” – to the point that he could no longer live in America anymore.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a hard story to read because it holds a mirror up to American society – and the mirror does not reflect back a good image. As an American, I agree with Changez’s assessment of my country’s flaws, but in my mind, I continue to counter these points with positive ones. Like anything, we’re good and bad – and far from perfect. Despite my discomfort, I enjoyed this short, suspenseful novel immensely, and I would recommend to any reader who wants more enlightenment on American and Middle Eastern affairs as well as a beautiful account of Pakistan. ( )

(cross-posted from my blog)

The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta

The Abstinence Teacher
By Tom Perrotta
Completed January 12, 2008

Set in the “perfect” suburb, The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta attempts to explore what happens when two forces collide – those who believe in teaching abstinence in high school versus those who believe in teaching a more “in your face” curriculum.

Ruth Ramsey has been the high school’s sex ed teacher for years, and she had always followed a more clinical, “real life” approach to her course. She believed in teaching students about birth control, masturbation, sexually transmitted diseases and the intricacies of intercourse. When one of her students complained about her class, Ruth was brought under scrutiny by the school district, led by an evangelical church who demanded that the county teach abstinence in the classroom. The church won the debate, forcing Ruth to change her pedagogy. Uncomfortable with this decision, Ruth struggled with following the rules and going with her gut.

Meanwhile, Tim Mason coached Ruth’s daughter’s soccer team. A recovering drug addict and alcoholic, Tim turned to Christ to help him recover from his addictions. He is far from perfect despite his best efforts, still longing for marijuana and beer, lusting for his ex-wife and struggling to maintain the best Christian values. Coincidentally, Tim belongs to the same church that raised issues against Ruth’s teaching methods.

Ruth and Tim, as if representing their own sides, come to head when Tim decided to lead his team to prayer after winning a game. Ruth is outraged and threatened to file a complaint against Tim for subjecting his soccer players – some of whom are not Christians – to prayer in a community league. Tim contended that it was appropriate to pray and that he did not force anyone to participate.

The premise of this book is outstanding – if only Perrotta had decided to attack the issue. He flings it out there so promisingly and then reels it in like he regretted even starting the conversation. His character development is there. He draws his characters in such a way that you feel sorry for them, root for them or just want to yell at them in disgust. But good characters can’t do it alone. They need a good plot to drive home the point. While we learn a lot about the characters’ sex lives, we really don’t learn or explore the issues about teaching sex to our children.

While I am disappointed in The Abstinence Teacher, I am not turned off by Tom Perrotta’s work. Reading other reviews have assured me that The Abstinence Teacher is not his best book. I hope my next selection will be more satisfying to me as a reader. ( )

Jill's Selections

Thanks to Wendy for hosting this challenge! I am very glad to participate in this challenge because there are some great books listed.

After perusing the lists, here are my selections for this challenge:

1) The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta (NYT Most Notable)
2) Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo (NYT Most Notable) - also reading for Themed Reading Challenge
3) Exit Ghost by Philip Roth (NYT Most Notable)
4) Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (PW Best Book)
5) The Gathering by Anne Enright (NYT Most Notable) - also reading for Man Booker Challenge
6) Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe (PW Best Book)
7) The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (NYT Most Notable and PW Best Book) - also reading for Man Booker Challenge
8) Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson (NYT Most Notable and PW Best Book)
9) The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (NYT Most Notable) - also reading for Themed Reading Challenge

I am not designating any alternates at this time, but if I read more than these nine selections, I will add it to the challenge. There is always something reviewed by a challenge participant that sounds so intriguing : I will have to add it!

Jill's 2007 Notable Reads

Oh boy, this is kind of sad. After reviewing both the 2007 PW Best Books and the 2007 NYT Notables, I have only read two books from these lists:

PW
The Archivist's Story by Travis Holland (review)

NYT
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan (review)

However, I am slightly consoled to know that three NYT Notables are sitting on my bookshelf, just waiting to be read:

The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo
The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon

I am mulling over how many books I want to read from these notable lists in 2008 - I will be back to post my choices soon!