I was at the pool not too long ago when a former student's mother told me about Room. She gave me no details about the book except that she found herself crying off an on as she was reading the book. I now know exactly what she was talking about.
This book is not for the faint of heart or for the casual reader who simply wants to be entertained. This book is serious...it it hard to read at times...but it touched every part of me as both a woman and as a mother. Every woman's greatest fears are hit head-on in this book, yet are done within the safe confines of pages of a book that can be closed when the story becomes too intense.
Honestly, aside from a personal recommendation, I knew nothing about this book before I loaded it onto my Nook. I never even read the back of the book. I think it was better that way. There were certain parts of the first section of the book that were bothersome: why was this mother treating her son as she did, why did they never leave Room, and why was this mother still nursing her 5 year old? As the story progressed and as part one became part two, it all became clear. Instead of viewing this mother as negligent, I now saw how strong she was and how incredibly brave both Ma and Jack were.
Sometimes we read to comfort ourselves, sometimes we read for pleasure, and sometimes we read for entertainment. I am not sure that reading Room would fall into any of these categories. At times it was like a train wreck--I knew I shouldn't look, but I couldn't pull myself away. But, I am glad that I read it. It made me think a lot about how strong I might/might not be in a similar situation. It also reminded me of the lengths a mother would go to to protect her child and of how scary and confusing "outside" often is. Even when you've lived there your entire life.
Be brave, be strong. Read Room.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
#47: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
I put off reading this book for the longest time because I just couldn't see reading an entire book about the circus. I refused to see the movie because I just couldn't see watching an entire moview about the circus. I have seen the error of my ways and am here to tell you that if you haven't read this book, you absolutely should. It is so much more than a book about the circus. Furthermore, I want to know when this movie comes out on DVD because I want to see it so badly I can't stand it (although I am glad that I read the book first!).
The one aspect of this book that I kept coming back to in my head while I was reading was how quickly your life can change. Nothing in this world is guaranteed and that's a scary thought.
This book also made me question how I would respond to tragedy--would I deal with it and move on, or would I try to escape, thinking that I had nothing left? I truly hope that I will never find out the answer to this question, but it is something to think about.
From a literary standpoint, one of the things I liked most about this book was the shift in time from present day to flashback (I know not everyone does so this is something to think about before you read this book). I can honestly say, too, that I'd rather have known the 90 (or is it 93?) year old Jacob more than the younger one. While he certainly had a life worth talking about as a young man, he was priceless as a 90 something adult.
As I said before, this book is so much more than a book about the circus. It is a book about survival on so many different levels. I am so glad that I finally listened to all of those FB friends who loved this book and read it myself!
The one aspect of this book that I kept coming back to in my head while I was reading was how quickly your life can change. Nothing in this world is guaranteed and that's a scary thought.
This book also made me question how I would respond to tragedy--would I deal with it and move on, or would I try to escape, thinking that I had nothing left? I truly hope that I will never find out the answer to this question, but it is something to think about.
From a literary standpoint, one of the things I liked most about this book was the shift in time from present day to flashback (I know not everyone does so this is something to think about before you read this book). I can honestly say, too, that I'd rather have known the 90 (or is it 93?) year old Jacob more than the younger one. While he certainly had a life worth talking about as a young man, he was priceless as a 90 something adult.
As I said before, this book is so much more than a book about the circus. It is a book about survival on so many different levels. I am so glad that I finally listened to all of those FB friends who loved this book and read it myself!
Friday, August 26, 2011
#46: A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith
This book was recommended to me by my very best friend from Middle School. It seems that she knew me well then and still knows me now, too! I loved this book.
I have to be honest and admit that I read this book before and during my Disney trip a few weeks ago. So, I am feeling a bit removed from it now that I am more than half-way through #47 and have spent the past week focusing on school, not on my books. Because of this, the bog I am writing isn't going to be like my others. I am going to get stright to the point because it is the "big picture" of this book that I have taken with me, not all of the little details.
Claire, the famile lead in this story, is one of my favorite characters EVER, but I prefer her childhood character (who is a spirited and loyal and loving like no other literary character about whom I have read) to her adult character. Roan I loved from start to finish. He makes me proud of him on each and every page. I could identify a lot with his character (and it makes me wonder if this isn't why this book was recommended to me by a childhood friend). Roan comes from a hard beginning and with a little love and the faith of Claire all of that changes. Roan reminded me that some people can rise above incredible obstacles and can change their own lives for the better. He's an amazing character and an inspiration.
This book draws you in from the first page and is hard to put down. I did pick it up during down time in the hotel while at Disney just so that I could find out how it ends. I think this story and the message it conveys about individuals and families is going to stick with me for a while. That's a good thing.
Read it. You'll love Claire and Roanie, too! I promise!
I have to be honest and admit that I read this book before and during my Disney trip a few weeks ago. So, I am feeling a bit removed from it now that I am more than half-way through #47 and have spent the past week focusing on school, not on my books. Because of this, the bog I am writing isn't going to be like my others. I am going to get stright to the point because it is the "big picture" of this book that I have taken with me, not all of the little details.
Claire, the famile lead in this story, is one of my favorite characters EVER, but I prefer her childhood character (who is a spirited and loyal and loving like no other literary character about whom I have read) to her adult character. Roan I loved from start to finish. He makes me proud of him on each and every page. I could identify a lot with his character (and it makes me wonder if this isn't why this book was recommended to me by a childhood friend). Roan comes from a hard beginning and with a little love and the faith of Claire all of that changes. Roan reminded me that some people can rise above incredible obstacles and can change their own lives for the better. He's an amazing character and an inspiration.
This book draws you in from the first page and is hard to put down. I did pick it up during down time in the hotel while at Disney just so that I could find out how it ends. I think this story and the message it conveys about individuals and families is going to stick with me for a while. That's a good thing.
Read it. You'll love Claire and Roanie, too! I promise!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
#45 At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
I have had At Home in Mitford on my shelf for about 4 years and even though my aunt told me that the books (it's the first of a series) were great and even though my mother-in-law read the first two and told me that they were great, I just couldn't bring myself to read one. It always seemed that there was something more pressing to read or that I had to read a book a friend loaned me quickly and then return it, so the books (I actually have the first two in the series) just kept waiting there on the shelf for the day when I finally decided to pick one up and read it. I did pick up the first one when I finished book #44 and it has taken me that long to get through this book.
Here's the thing...the book is good. I enjoyed the characters and the events kept me wanting to read more, but nothing about this book made me want to read it quickly. After thinking about it, though, I wonder if that's the point? MItford is a small town with small town characters that moves at a small town pace and so does the book. It doesn't help that each chapter is broken into small sections, so you can get a certain amount of satisfaction from reading a small part and then putting the book down. As a result, it took me a while to finish the book.
Like I said, it was good. I need to warn some readers that this book, and I think all of them in the series but I am not sure, has as it's main character Father Tim. I think it does take a certain reader to want to read an entire book whose main character is an Episcopalian Priest. I liked him and I think you will like him and all of his rather unique neighbors.
This book did give me a new appreciation for Priests, Pastors, and Ministers. I used to think that teachers had crazy jobs--low pay, demanding parents, crazy students--but now I am convinced that Priests, Pastors, and Ministers are the real people with the most demanding work on the planet. They can't escape it ever and are on call 24 hours 7 days a week. I realize now that hey rarely get a break and they are the ones who deserve it the most. God Bless them all!
The question I keep asking myself is will I read any more of the books? Yes, I think I will, but it will be a while. The Mitford books are good ones to read when you have all of the time in the world. They are the ones you carry around in your bag for weeks, reading little bits and pieces here and there and it doesn't matter if it takes weeks and weeks to finish a book. I bet Jan Karon would like for us to read them that way. So, yes, I will read more, but probably next year. One Mitford book a year is good enough for me!
Here's the thing...the book is good. I enjoyed the characters and the events kept me wanting to read more, but nothing about this book made me want to read it quickly. After thinking about it, though, I wonder if that's the point? MItford is a small town with small town characters that moves at a small town pace and so does the book. It doesn't help that each chapter is broken into small sections, so you can get a certain amount of satisfaction from reading a small part and then putting the book down. As a result, it took me a while to finish the book.
Like I said, it was good. I need to warn some readers that this book, and I think all of them in the series but I am not sure, has as it's main character Father Tim. I think it does take a certain reader to want to read an entire book whose main character is an Episcopalian Priest. I liked him and I think you will like him and all of his rather unique neighbors.
This book did give me a new appreciation for Priests, Pastors, and Ministers. I used to think that teachers had crazy jobs--low pay, demanding parents, crazy students--but now I am convinced that Priests, Pastors, and Ministers are the real people with the most demanding work on the planet. They can't escape it ever and are on call 24 hours 7 days a week. I realize now that hey rarely get a break and they are the ones who deserve it the most. God Bless them all!
The question I keep asking myself is will I read any more of the books? Yes, I think I will, but it will be a while. The Mitford books are good ones to read when you have all of the time in the world. They are the ones you carry around in your bag for weeks, reading little bits and pieces here and there and it doesn't matter if it takes weeks and weeks to finish a book. I bet Jan Karon would like for us to read them that way. So, yes, I will read more, but probably next year. One Mitford book a year is good enough for me!
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