Category: BookLust I

Here First

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Krupat, Arnold, and Brain Swann, eds. Here First: Autobiographical Essays by Native American Writers. New York: Modern Library, 2000.

Here First was, well, here first so I’m reading it first. I’m a little over 100 pages in and my first reaction is voyeurism. I’m peering into lives and seeing cultures I know little to nothing about. There is bitterness in their words, humor on the surface. Poetry in pieces. I’m having a tough time with the prejudice because I’m one of Them (being white) and not them. A perfect example is a favorite quote:
“The neighbor boy pointed to the screen laughing at the hooting Indians being chased by cavalry and told her that she was an “Indian.” I hugged my heartbroken daughter and said, “But you are an Indian.” She told me right back, “But I’m not that kind of Indian.” None of us are.” (Bird, Gloria. Autobiography as Spectacle: An Act of Liberation or the Illusion of Liberation? p65)

Booklust Twist: Categorized as “American Indian Literature”, (Book Lust, p.23).

Last River

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Balf, Todd. Last River: the tragic race for Shangri-La. New York: Crowne Publishers, 2000.

This just came in for me. Not only is this a BookLust mention, but Todd Balf is a Massachusetts man. I’m curious about this (nonfictional) story because I have a near & dear friend who does the whitewater thing. When I’m not worried about him cracking his skull open, I’m proud of him.

EDIT: I’m still reading Here First so River will just have to wait. 11/21/06

11/23/06: I gave up on Here First so I could jump into Last River.
11/25/06: Wanna hear something weird? Back when I first ordered Last River I said I was curious about the story because I have a friend who kayaks. I’m 60 pages into it and already Balf has mentioned HACKS, which my friend is a member (okay, president), and Falls River where my friend lives AND the very house my friend lives in. It doesn’t take much to excite me. I know I won’t see his name in this print, but it thrills me to know I’m delving into his world.

11/27/06: I finished Last River. Once I really started reading I couldn’t put it down. Was it the sense of imminent doom? I did know someone would die tragically. Balf was clever never to let on who would meet his doom on that monstrous river. I think that was part of it, but I think it was more out of fascination for Balf’s respect for the Tsangpo Gorge and everything that went with the October 1998 expedition. I have a deep rooted respect for the places I’ll never see, the things I’ll never do and the dangers I’ll never comprehend. This book opened my eyes to a different way of life: a life challenged and driven and obsessed by whitewater. In the end, I think I understand my friend a little better too.

Booklust Twist: Categorized as “Adventure By the Book” the kayakers are called, “gung-ho”, (Book Lust, p.8).

BookLust

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Pearl, Nancy. Booklust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason. Seattle: Sasquatch Books. 2003.

I think I have gone mad. I have decided to read every book mentioned in Booklust. Here’s why: I have the Nancy Pearl action figure. Nancy is a librarian and being a librarian myself it’s almost mandatory I call Nancy my “hero” but, I hadn’t even read the book that made her famous. Never even knew what it looked like (aside from the little plastic version that came with Plastic Nancy and that’s not saying much). The combination of a) deciding to get back to reading fiction, b) finding librarything, and c) needing guidance on what to read (because I’ve missed out on so much) led me to this challenge, this madness.
Booklust is cool. If I actually get through this challenge I will have read books on every subject imaginable: from novels written by Alice anybody (Adams, Dark, Hoffman, McDermott, and of course Walker) to books on Zen Buddhism and everything in between. I will read books about cats, black holes, Ireland, and yes, I’ll even read stuff called “chick lit” (her words, not mine). I am dreading the books specific to things like bombs and primates, though. Thankfully, she has nothing suggested for hippos, centipedes or mayonnaise!

UPDATE: I am nearly finished adding all BookLust recommendations to LibraryThing and guess what I’ve gone & done? Ordered More Book Lust, Nancy’s second book of recommendations. I think I’ve lost it. I’ll be in my coffin, still trying to read. My ghost will sit up and say, “Do you mind not closing the lid? I can’t see the page I’m reading!”