Recent Reads

I've been more slack in my summer reading progress than usual, thanks to True Detective and good weather.  However, I have discovered a few good titles so far.  Two of the books are rereads that I remembered liking, but not necessarily what they were about.  The third is a new title that I checked out mostly because I liked the guy's glasses on the cover. 

Black Swan Green by David Mitchell (2006).
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I first read this book shortly after graduating from college and really enjoyed it.  However, I could no longer remember much about it other than the cover and that it was British and had a kid that stuttered.  So naturally I checked out again just to refresh my memory.  Based loosely on author David Mitchell's childhood, the book follows 13-year-old Jason Taylor who is dealing with a garden variety of life issues.   His parent's marriage has hit a rough patch.  His older sister is going away to college. He's also secretly a published poet, which he keeps secret to avoid being picked on in school.  Like most intelligent, sensitive kids, Jason deals with some pretty intense bullying at school, which is intensified by his speech impediment. The book is set in 1980s Margaret Thatcher era England.  I wasn't all that familiar with that period of history, which includes the Falklands War, but Mitchell does a good job dropping the reader into that era. 

The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld (2006).
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I first read this book while I was in graduate school.  I remember immediately relating to the main character, Hannah Gavener, who's kind of a socially awkward loner.  Imagine my horror later on to read reviews of the book describing Hannah as irritating and a "sourpuss" (thanks a lot, New York magazine!).  After rereading the book recently, I can see how some people find Hannah to be a difficult character.  She is stubborn, usually says the wrong thing, and is primarily responsible for her own misery (isn't everyone?).  However, I think that makes her more of a realistic and sympathetic character.

Sittenfeld follows Hannah's life from early adolescence, where she struggles with having an emotionally volatile father, to her late twenties.  The book primarily focuses on Hannah's relationships with the different men in her life.  In high school and college, Hannah frets over her lack of a love life.  However, even after she starts dating, she finds her actual relationships wanting.  Instead, she longs for Henry, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of her more glamorous cousin, Fig.  Throughout the book, we see Hannah struggle with her low self-esteem and poor social skills while trying to become a functional adult.  I especially enjoyed the depiction of Hannah's relationships with her more together sister Allison and her beautiful but irresponsible cousin Fig, which seemed pretty true to life. 

Courting Greta by Ramsey Hootman (2014).
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I'm a sucker for a man with thick glasses, so naturally this book called to me from the book cart.  However, the main character Samuel Cooke didn't turn out to be the bespectacled hunk the cover alludes to.  Instead, he's a cantankerous 34-year-old disabled computer geek turned public school teacher.  In spite of their age and size difference, Samuel quickly develops a crush on Greta "Cass" Cassamajor, a 46-year-old, tough as nails gym teacher and girls' basketball coach.  In spite of her tough exterior, Samuel decides to ask her to dinner, thinking she will immediately rebuff him.  Much to his surprise, Greta agrees and the two start an awkward and uncertain romance (aren't they all?).  Both Samuel and Greta has a whole host of issues.  Samuel is super neurotic, bitter, and doesn't really take care of himself in the way that he should.  He also has never been in a relationship before.  Greta is a woman of very few words, a lot of rules, and she's been badly hurt by men in her past.  However, despite her tough attitude, Greta is very caring and fiercely loyal.  This is a very sweet romance, but Hootman doesn't spare the character's darker sides or the awkwardness of their courtship.  The book is also frequently funny, especially Samuel's jaded perspective on life.

Recommended read: The Death of Bees

Warning: this book will not be for everyone. The Death of Bees, a debut novel by Scottish author Lisa O'Donnell, is written in internal monologue, or conversational style, with the three main characters' voice in short alternating chapters. Some words or phrases may be unfamiliar to an American reader, but in context, you'll be able to understand the meaning. I will also note, that the author does use profanity throughout, but it is true to the characters.

Marnie and her sister Nelly are left to fend for themselves after their parents' death. Marnie, soon to turn 16 (age of legal capacity in Scotland), wants to keep her sister with her, so she doesn't report their deaths. A horrible childhood is plainly stated by Marnie, but she only alludes to despicable actions on both parent's parts, so you are left to fill in the blanks. Their neighbor, Lennie, sees the girls struggling and becomes their defacto caretaker over time. As a group they try to protect one another from the suspicions of friends and family on the whereabouts of the parents.

You see events through the eyes of each character and it's interesting to see how each interprets situations. How age, past experience, and temperament color their perceptions. Your opinions of the girls and Lennie keep shifting with each new chapter. This is a character study more than a mystery, but there are a few bombshells along the way casually thrown in. The chronology is loose - the book is divided into each season for the year. Fans of Gillian Flynn (specifically her book Dark Places) may enjoy this book, as the structure and style is similar.

The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell
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Cast the Book: Gone Girl

 Read the book!
Or listen to the audio!

Gillian Flynn’s smoking hot thriller is being turned into a film.  David Fincher (Zodiac, The Social Network, Fight Club) is in talks to direct, so my hopes are pretty high for the film.  Gone Girl is a dark and often very funny domestic drama following the events surrounding the disappearance of beautiful Missouri housewife Amy Elliott Dunne.  If you read the book, you probably already have an idea of who you would like to play Amy and the other lead characters.  Below are some of my picks.

SPOILER ALERT: The book has some major twists, some of which are revealed below.  If you haven’t read the book, tread carefully!

Nick Dunne:  Nick is Amy’s husband.  He used to be a journalist until he was laid off, now he’s a bartender and part-time college professor.  He’s in his early to mid-thirties, handsome in an 80s movie villain sort of way (think: James Spader in Pretty in Pink), and from Missouri (he and Amy relocated from her native NYC after they both were laid off).  Nick constantly seeks the approval of others and has some secrets that he’s hiding.  When I was reading the book, I pictured Nick as being played by Matthew McConaughey ten years ago Sadly, time travel has not been invented yet, so he’s a little bit too old now.

First Choice:  Bradley Cooper.  Cooper is a little bit on the old side, but he can play younger.  He’s got the jerkish good looks and acting chops to play Nick.

Runners-Up:  It would be fun to Jake Gyllenhaal play a character who is a little bit of creep and Maggie Gyllenhaal could play his twin!  Adam Scott would be really, really good in this role too, even though he’s older than B.Coop and not nearly as big of a name.  I’ve also heard Ryan Gosling mentioned for this role, but since he’s on hiatus from acting, that’s probably a no-go.  Personally, I think he’s too confident and naive-looking for the part.

Amy Elliott Dunne:  The pivotal character in the book, a former NYC career gal turned Missouri housewife.  Amy is in her late thirties (she’s a little older than Nick) and a beautiful blonde.  She’s the inspiration for her parents’ successful series of children’s books, Amazing Amy.  Amy is a tough role to play.  Her character goes from sweet to frighteningly crazy, and she’s incredibly smart.  When I read the book, I envisioned her as played by Anne Hathaway though she’s too young and brunette for the role.  Reese Witherspoon is producing the movie and was rumored to play Amy (though she’s since backed out).  While Witherspoon is the right age and look, she might be too much of an obvious choice.  Maybe it’s just because I’ll always associate her with Tracy Flick from Election.

First Choice:  I really like the idea of Gwyneth Paltrow taking on this role.  She is blonde, from an upper class family and New York City raised, so she has a really similar background to Amy.  And Paltrow can be really good with the right material.

Runners-Up:  It would be cool to see an actress who usually stars in fluffy material like rom-coms or romantic melodramas in this role.  Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Garner, or Katherine Heigl would all be fine choices to play Amy.

Margo “Go” Dunne:  Nick’s beloved twin sister.  She’s in her early thirties and very pretty in an old fashioned way.  Go works with Nick at their bar and has a dry sense of humor.

First Choice:  Zooey Deschanel.

Runners-Up: Maggie Gyllenhaal (and not just with Jake) or Juliette Lewis.

Andie:  SPOILER ALERT.  Andie is Nick’s “very very young, very very pretty” mistress.  She was a student in one of Nick’s classes.  Andie is a curvy brunette and very much the opposite of ice queen Amy.  When I read the book, I pictured Alison Brie playing Andie.  But while she plays a college sophomore on Community, Brie is really quite a bit older than Andie.

First Choice:  To increase the creepiness of Nick’s character, I would cast former Disney star Selena Gomez.  She’s 20 right now, so about the perfect age to play a college student.  And picturing her coupled with Bradley Cooper is quite unsettling.

Runners-Up:  Gomez’s Spring Breakers co-star Vanessa Hudgens could definitely take on the role.  She’s a little bit more mature, so it makes the pairing less weird.

Rand and Marybeth Elliott: Amy’s somewhat self-absorbed writer parents.  The Elliotts stand by Nick, at least initially.  I’d cast Mimi Kennedy  and Jeffrey Tambor.

Desi:  Amy’s ex-stalker, a wealthy momma’s boy.  Jude Law would be great if he can do the accent.

Desi’s Mom:  Looks creepily like Amy.  Blythe Danner is the obvious choice.

Nick’s Dad:  A senile misogynist.  He’s way overqualified, but no one convey crazed old man in the same was as Christopher Walken.

Tanner:  Nick’s sleazy defense attorney.  My first thought was Bob Odenkirk, who is so good as shady lawyer Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad.  But he probably doesn’t want to be typecast.  Matthew McConaughey could be really good and flashy in this part.  For a smaller name, Ray Wise could bring an interesting mix of creepiness and authority.  

Ellen Abbott:  A Nancy Grace-like TV show host.  If her sense of humor is good enough, the best person for this role is obviously Nancy Grace. 

Happy Birthday, Edgar Allan Poe

One of America's greatest and strangest authors has a birthday this week; Edgar Allan Poe's brief and tragic life began January 19, 1809. In his forty years on this Earth he lived in extreme poverty, battled debilitating addiction, mourned the deaths of virtually every woman he ever loved, and, however improbably, penned immortal verses, invented the detective story, gave new resonance to the literary terms "macabre" and "bizarre," and left an indelible mark on world literature. Should you wish to celebrate this author's enduring legacy, I would encourage you to seek out The Library of America edition of his Poetry and Tales or the Penguin Classics edition of The Portable Edgar Allan Poe. Both collections contain exciting, suspenseful stories that have thrilled readers for over one-hundred-and-fifty years. For an overview of the author's troubled life, I recommend the biography The Haunted Palace: A Life of Edgar Allan Poe.

Still Missing

If you're into twisty, psychological novels, sink your teeth into Still Missing by Chevy Stevens. The book opens after the protagonist, Annie, has survived a year-long captivity. As she discusses her obvious issues in therapy, we find out the horrific events that transpired during her captivity. Her captor's true identity is still a mystery and naturally, she is having trouble with re-adjusting to life after her ordeal.

Instead of a book about a cop investigating her abduction (though there is a detective that helps her), we get Annie piecing together her own clues to help heal herself. Even though the author opens with the biggest reveal: Annie survives, she manages to still throw a couple of curves at us. If it was possible for the crime to become even more despicable, it does. And then it does again.

I would recommend this title if you're a fan of Gillian Flynn's books.

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
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So hot right now: Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn is so hot right now since releasing her third novel Gone Girl in early June to wide acclaim (hints that it will be on many "best of 2012" lists). Because it might be difficult to get your hands on her newest, don't hesitate to get one of her older titles Sharp Objects or Dark Places.

Flynn's novels may not be for everyone; they are dark and suspenseful (although there is occasionally a drollness that pops up). But, and it's a big but, they are skillfully written and rewarding. Her characterization in both books are stellar. She writes people and dialogue realistically and the reader meets the characters as one would in person-- over time. Though this technique might imply a slow-paced read, they aren't.

Sharp Objects follows Camille Preaker, a reporter living in Chicago who is tapped by her boss to return to her home town in Missouri to report on the murders of two young girls. She is not pleased about this prospect, and we find out why as she re-introduces herself into the world of Wind Gap, Missouri. Camille is shut-out of the official investigation by the sheriff, but she's always got good 'ole gossip to go on. However, things get uncomfortable the minute she's back in her childhood home: the memories of her long-dead little sister, her cold mother, her step-father without a spine and her pre-teen half-sister who's got a reputation around town as a trouble maker. She reverts back to her own dark thoughts and memories in mere days of being back home while trying to find out what happened to the two murdered girls.

Dark Places begins 20-odd years after the murder of Libby Day's family. She and her brother Ben were the only two survivors, but Ben is in jail for the murders and Libby (as a seven-year-old) helped put him there. When a so-called murder club offers her money-- something she's run out of-- Libby is motivated to begin an investigation of that day. Did Ben really murder her mother and two sisters?
Libby isn't the most likeable of characters, but, once again, Flynn presents a truthful persona born from a deeply traumatized childhood. Dark Places is also an exceptional study in perception. Flynn drops details which seem insignificant, but we come to find out aren't. What is one person's innocent belongings are another person's proof of guilt. Chapters alternate between Libby in present day, and Ben and their mother, Patty, the day in 1985 leading to the overnight murders. It's an effective device for keeping the suspense afloat as well as giving the reader some perspective. (To those it may interest: in mid May Amy Adams was reportedly in talks to play Libby in the film adaptation of this book.)

Sharp Objects
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Dark Places
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Gone Girl
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Recommended read: Room by Emma Donoghue

Room by Emma Donoghue
NEW FICTION DONOGHUE
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Room is told from the point of view of Jack, who has just turned five years old. He lives with his mom, Ma, in Room, which is actually an 11 x 11 foot garden shed. Jack tells the reader about their routine in Room, which in addition to eating, taking a bath, and doing laundry includes activities such as Phys Ed (they move furniture on top of the bed so they can run on Track that's in the shape of a C), Parrot (Ma plays the TV, mutes the sound, and Jack recites verbatim what he just heard), Corpse (they lay down next to each other being as still as possible), Keypad (Jack presses buttons trying to figure out the code), and Skylight (they stand on top of the table under Skylight and yell as loud as they can). Ma limits Jack's TV watching, which he accepts but doesn't like. Ma and Jack have found resourceful ways of creating activities. Jack keeps adding segments to a snake under the bed made of old egg shells, they've attached toilet paper rolls together to make Labyrinth, and Jack even keeps Ma's bad tooth that falls out to play with. Ma has repeated the stories including The Count of Monte Cristo, Goldilocks, and Princess Diana numerous times for Jack, and they also enjoy singing pop songs to each other.

Each night Jack must be in bed in the wardrobe by 9 PM, because that is when Old Nick punches the numbers on the keypad and comes into Room. Ma keeps Jack out of sight of Old Nick, who takes away their garbage and begrudgingly brings limited food and household items that Ma requests. Each week Ma and Jack are able to request something special, called Sundaytreat.

Because Room is all that Jack knows, he is connected to all the inanimate objects inside, referring to everything by name: Table, Remote, Rug, Wardrobe, Bath. Ma is the only other person he's ever talked to, so her word is law on what the world is. She has told Jack that everything outside Room and what he sees on TV is Outer Space (he refers to the various TV stations as "planets"). But when Jack starts to ask questions after noticing the same pills ("killers") used by Ma on TV, Ma then begins to tell Jack the truth about the world and how she ended up in Room-- kidnapped when she was a 19-year-old college student seven years earlier, Old Nick locked her inside the soundproof garden shed in his backyard. As Ma explains more and more to Jack about the outside world, she formulates a plan for how they can escape.

Jack is one of the most memorable characters from a work of fiction that I have read in quite some time. He has such an open, innocent view of the world, and his voice remains stuck in my head, weeks after finishing the book. I think Donoghue did an amazing job of writing a character who is, in a way, an alien to life on Earth-- even though Jack loves shows like Dora the Explorer and can sing songs by The Beatles and Kylie Minogue, he has never interacted with people and places "outside." I think Room is definitely one of the best books of 2010 and I think you will become quite attached to the character of Jack. As Ma shares her plan for escaping with Jack, I started to actually feel a little sick with worry because I didn't want anything to go wrong. Once you start reading you will curse any task (eating, working, sleeping) that takes you away from finishing this book.