Beatrice and Virgil (novel)

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel

I couldn't wait to read this book, having so loved Life of Pi, Yann Martel's last novel. After finishing it, though, I'm left scratching my head, trying to decide if I liked it or not.

The story centers around an author, Henry, who is living off the proceeds of a wildly successful first novel (throughout the story, you can't help but wonder how much of himself the author projects into his character) but then suffers the brutal rejection of his second book. He meets a mysterious old taxidermist who is writing a play, the two main characters of which are a donkey and a howler monkey, based upon a stuffed donkey and a stuffed howler monkey who reside in his shop. The taxidermist enlists Henry's help in the writing of the play, which is disjointed, largely nonsensical, and very strange.

It's a well-written novel; Yann Martel clearly has a brilliant mind. This story, like Life of Pi, is full of the unexpected. Not everything is what it appears to be on the surface, and the reader is left to figure out - or decide - what is real and what is not, and what is symbolic and what is literal.

It held my interest enough so that I read it in a couple of days, but I don't think it will stay with me like Life of Pi did. Definitely a worthwhile read, though. Mine's up for grabs if anyone wants it.

The Three Martini Playdate

The Three Martini Playdate by Christie Mellor

Doesn't the title just shout Adult Fun?! Although the book isn't really about booze-soaked playdates, it is about righting the balance in a world where tots have come to rule the roost. We're the parents - the adults! - and we were here first, for goodness sake! It's time to take back our lives (at least to a degree), some authority, and to stop feeling guilty for having and pursuing adult interests.

This is another book by the same author of You Look Fine, Really. I love her wicked sense of humor. And although this book is written very tongue-in-cheek, she definitely speaks the truth about the absurdity of some notions of parenthood in these modern times, such as parents who won't say "no" to their child for fear of breaking his little spirit, babyproofing a house to the point where every object with a corner is covered in foam padding, feeling it necessary to fill up every waking moment of our children's time with enriching activities, and allowing our children's social lives to squeeze the life out of our own.

A sampling of chapter titles:

• Saying No to Your Child: It's a Kick!
• Bedtime: Is Five Thirty Too Early?
• Child Labor: Not Just For the Third World!
• "Children's Music": Why?
• Karate, Little League, and Ballet: Your Child's Eighty-hour Work Week

On the subject of playdates, the author has this to say:

". . . I have discovered and easy and fun solution for weeding out the types of parents with whom you would rather not share your afternoons. When forced into a playdate situation, invite the parents over around the cocktail hour. The cocktail hour may be an hour, more or less, around four o'clock, at which time I suggest you noisily and with much gusto mix up a cold batch of martinis. This is a surefire method of separating the wheat from the chaff, the cream from the nondairy soy alternative. If, after you have offered drinks all around, the visiting parents quickly gather the child and child-related paraphernalia and run silently from your house, enjoy your martini with the knowledge that these people were not the sort with whom you would want to embark upon a long-term playdate relationship. If, however, their eyes light up and sighs of relief can be heard (as well as faintly audible whimpering noises), you may have the beginning of a workable alliance."

Cheers!

I'm keeping this one. And I think it would make the perfect gift for new parents!

Best Friends (novel)

Best Friends by Martha Moody

This one was a pretty decent read. I picked it up at a used book sale, drawn in by the "National Bestseller" label across the front. It seemed like it would make for good reading on a relaxing day.

Well, the relaxing day didn't come until last week, when I had lots of solo traveling to do. Once I got a few pages in, I was on a roll and finished pretty quickly. Best Friends is the tale of two women who meet as freshmen in college. One is from Ohio and the other is from LA. They're a bit of a mismatched pair, but their relationship blossoms and the book follows their lives for the next 25 years or so.

A few times, I felt like I could guess how it was all going to end, but then I'd realize that I still had hundreds of pages to go and there was more likely more to it than I was anticipating. There are secrets and lies and some unexpected twists. I found myself wishing this could be turned into a movie. Why remake old stuff when we can have a good story like this one on the big screen?

If you're interested, I'd be glad to send you my copy.

Mommie Dearest (memoir/expose)

Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford

Originally published in 1978, the year following Joan Crawford's death, this is Christina Crawford's account of a harrowing childhood lived out under the tyranny of an abusive, alcoholic adoptive mother. The book and the movie based on the book have become virtually iconic; most everyone is familiar with Mommie Dearest, whether in paperback or on the big screen, so I won't bother giving any more of a synopsis of the story.

Naturally, the author's claims of abuse have been disputed over the years. I won't judge as to whether I think her claims are credible; I think when such claims are made publicly, it is only to be expected that there will be some who will staunchly deny the claims, and those who will stand behind the accuser. Only the author knows what really happened.

What I found frustrating was the fact that the author never manages to divorce herself from this woman who was allegedly an absolute terror, a complete tyrant. Even in adulthood, she allows herself to be pushed around and bullied by her mother, and much of this has to do with allowing her mother to continue to hold the purse strings. You start to get the feeling after a while that Christina was a willing participant in the twisted, abusive relationship she shared with her mother.

Regardless, I think it's a pretty well-written book, and certainly compelling. The author is not always likable, but I'm not sure if that even matters. The drama of the story keeps the reader turning pages.

I read this the first time back in high school, and I doubt I would ever have picked it up again except that it's my book club's current selection - in honor of Mother's Day being in May. Some of us thought that we may see things a little differently now that we're parents - maybe tying a kid down in bed at night wouldn't seem like such a bad idea, some of us laughed. But you know what? Even now that I'm a parent, I'm still pretty horrified by the things the author describes, and tying a kid down in bed still seems heinous.

If you're looking for a real-life soap opera, this may just be the book for you.

Welcome!

We have a new contributor: Diane, who can be found at My Mind's Ramblings.

Can't wait for her to post a review!

I am culling the list of contributors, as I'd like to have fairly active contributors. So, please don't take any offense if I've removed you, and if you want back on, just let me know.

And anyone who follows this blog, loves to read, and would like to be a contributor (meaning you can post reviews of books you read and participate in book swapping among contributors), please send an email to me at bloggymamaATgmailDOTcom.

Just for Fun - a Survey

If you follow this blog, even if you never comment, could you take a minute to answer these questions? Please? Just for fun.

1. What's the best book you ever read?

2. What's the worst book you ever read?

3. When you start a book, do you stick with it to the end even if you don't like it? Or do you cast it aside in favor of a different, hopefully better, book?

4. Are you more likely to buy your books or check them out from the library?

5. Do you read every single word on every single page, or do you skim through parts?

6. Do you ever cheat and read the last page before you get to the end?

7. What's your favorite genre?

8. What are you reading now?

You Look Fine, Really

You Look Fine, Really by Christie Mellor

I'm not sure exactly what category this book falls into . . . beauty, fashion, life advice, humor?? All of those, really. It's a really fun read - it reminded me in a lot of ways of reading some of my favorite bloggers: lots of wit and wisdom.

When you are a woman who has reached a certain point in life - say, 40ish (ahem), according to the author, it is not necessarily time to become subtle and understated. It may just be time to buy yourself a fabulous red lipstick, throw a dinner party (even if you've never thrown a dinner party before), wear a ball gown to said dinner party (even if you've never worn a ball gown), paint your living room Tangerine, and take hula lessons. The point is, life is not over at 40 - not by a long shot. There is still much to learn, much to do, much to enjoy, and much to celebrate - namely, YOU.

The book is choc full of recipes (for things like A Perfect Martini and Chutney Meatloaf), instructions on things like How To Sew Yourself an E-Z Ballerina Cocktail Frock (the author regularly says "frock" instead of "dress," which just sounds a lot more fun, don't you think?) and How to Build a Campfire (a skill every woman should have, apparently), and tips on things like making your own facial scrub.

And also just practical life advice, like getting enough sleep, how to throw yourself a birthday party (instead of waiting around for someone else to do it for you), celebrating your friends' successes, and so on. Probably my favorite little nugget:

"For many years - too many years - I had convinced myself that I was not 'successful.' I had not attained whatever it was that I had made up in my head that I should have attained by a given age, so therefore, somehow, I was kind of a loser. But at some point, preferably before the age of ninety-five, you really need to have a cold, hard look at what the heck you have been doing for the last forty or fifty years. Have you been learning stuff? Are you interested in learning new stuff? Have you become friends with some good people? Do your friends love you, and do you love them? Do you laugh on a regular basis? Are you excited about what's coming next? Then you're a very, very successful person. Stay engaged, stay interested, and don't forget to celebrate yourself and your successes, great and small, as often as possible!"

So true! I really enjoyed this book.