Category: Fiction

Beautiful Joe

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JosephSaunders, Marshall. Beautiful Joe: A Dog’s Own Story. Storytellers Ink, 1990.

Another Booklust special. I’m not being sarcastic. This book is special. I loved it. Decidedly a children’s book with great illustrations, I dove into it for a quick-like-bunny read (think an hour or so). I think I just needed a break from Admiral Hornblower and all his blowing (more on that in another post). Beautiful Joe is the haunting story of an abused puppy told from the puppy’s point of view. Very unique. This dog suffers cruelty at the hands of his farmer owner (like his tail and ears being chopped off). If you need a good cry, pick up this book! For all its sadness, at times it also is poetic and preachy. I’ve heard of other versions being underwritten by the ASPCA, though my edition made no mention. The narration does leave the story and focus more on animal rights from time to time, but all in all it is a moving story. It has touched the hearts, and remained in the memory of many.

Spoiler: Joe is rescued and ends up in a loving household.
Booklust Twist: Pearl calls this a “three hanky read” (Book Lust p.237). If you love animals I agree!

Almost Innocent (with spoilers)

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Almost Innocent Bosworth, Sheila. Almost Innocent: A Novel. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1984.

I blew through this novel in about two days. Not an overly complicated story, it surely entertained me. Set in New Orleans and surrounding areas (Houma, for one), it’s all about the tragic relationship between Rand Calvert and the beautiful Constance Alexander as told (in first person) by their daughter, Clay-Lee. We start in present day and Clay-Lee “flashes back” to her childhood, when she was about nine years old. She is witty, humorous at times and beguiling. At first I was under the impression she is the Almost Innocent the title speaks of. As a child she vaguely comprehends the intricacies of her parents’ relationship, but is observant to notice changes between them. She is aware of downward spirals. However, one of my biggest complaints about Clay-Lee’s storytelling is that on some occasions she refers to her parents as Rand and Constance in addition to the expected Mommy and Daddy. If it serves a purpose in the narration, I have clearly missed the point. I don’t know of many children who switch from mom and dad to proper first names. In my experience, it’s one or the other.

Spoiler: The Almost Innocent in the story is actually Constance. She begins an affair with her husband Rand’s deplorable Uncle Clement after he convinces her he is dying. She is innocent in her thinking that this affair will bring prosperity after his death for he promises to leave his wealth to her. She even goes so far as to become pregnant with his child. It’s a lose-lose situation once she discovers the truth. Does she commit suicide? Is her hemorrhaging to death a freak accident? Clay-Lee is witness to her bleeding and does nothing. Does that make it murder? Did Clay-Lee let her mother die? Clement seems to think so and even confronts Clay-Lee at the funeral. It’s a bizarre ending to the ever-sadder story when you realize that Rand, the ever-faithful (maybe) loved her to the end.

Booklust Twist: Nancy Pearl categorizes this book as ” Families in Trouble”(Book Lust, p. 83).

Things Fall Apart

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Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Portsmouth: Reed Publishing, Inc. 1992.

achebe I started The Plague (you all have read Albert Camus) before I got sick. Not a good thing while you’re puking as you can surely imagine. So, I’ve started Things Fall Apart, instead. It’s another Booklust choice (of course). My library has a pretty cool edition complete with a list of principal characters, a glossary of terms, a background history of culture, and suggestions for further reading – all before you even get into the story by Achebe. I’m only at the part where it’s announced that Ezeugo, the wife of Ogbuefi, is murdered. Page eight. More later.
12/7/06: Puzzlement: Okonkwo learns that when is father is called, “agbala” it’s not only another name for a woman, but it’s also a term for a man without a title, a purpose. A seemingly derogatory term for sure. But, wait! The Oracle was also called Agbala and people came from all over to consult it. Maybe being called, “agbala” isn’t so bad after all.

Booklust Twist: this is categorized as “African Literature in English” and as a companion read with Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, and King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hoschild (Book Lust, p.15 & 63).

An Unofficial Rose

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Murdoch, Iris. An Unofficial Rose. New York: Viking Press, 1962.

I read this book in practically one night. I have mixed feelings about Murdoch’s Unofficial Rose. For starters, I never felt like I got to know the characters well enough to care about what happened to them. To be honest I was disgusted by them, all of them. The relationships could be broken at a whim. Marriages meant nothing. It reminded me of a throw of the dice. Partnerships came and went, were formed and were broken again. Nothing was permanent or sacred.
The thing I liked the most was the suspense. No one knew who was really being honest with anyone else. I didn’t know where anyone’s true heart was laid. Okay – here’s a spoiler: son wants to run off with his young mistress. He demands money from his father in the form of the sale of a beloved painting just so he can run away with said mistress. Father sells painting, even though it was his prized possession (and the very item he thinks he married his wife for). Son’s wife has a chance at divorce and a new relationship with someone who might love her and she admits loving back. She declines just in case cheating hubby changes his mind and comes back to her. I was irritated with her but I did not know the character enough to care.

Booklust Twist: Nancy Pearl recommends anything and everything by Iris Murdoch (Book Lust, p.162).

Only Daughter (with spoilers)

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Anderson, Jessica. The Only Daughter. New York: Viking, 1980.

Set in Australia 1977, this is another Book Lust choice. I’m only 8 pages in but already I see similarities between my family and the Cornock family. Sisters on the telephone comparing notes on a mother’s behavior, “Did she give you the ‘I’m getting old’ speech?” “Yup.” I’m giggling already. I’m also getting schooled on Australian dialogue. A ‘tick’ is the equivalent of our ‘sec’. “Just a tick” is the same as “Just a sec.” The only annoyance with the book is that there are so many characters (already) that the author was justified in putting a family tree in the beginning of the book.

Edit: 11/30/06 – I have finished the book and there are three things I loved about it: Anderson never needed to spell out everything that happens. She implies and that kept me guessing. One mystery – why was Siddy calling Jack, “son” when Jack died? The characters constantly surprised me. Sylvia, the “only” daughter returns to Sydney (from Rome) coincidentally (?) when her father has had a stroke. She claims she didn’t know he was dying, but… she’s only been gone 20 years and she’s only his favorite child. Suddenly she is back? Get the picture? There is a twist to the will: Sylvia gets the money, but only after her mother dies (which Molly swears she won’t do). I also loved the complexity of all the relationships. Once I got them straight, I loved the power struggles between the sexes, the constant threat of ‘I’m leaving you.’

PS~ Incidentally, the cover of my copy of the book shows a swing and a hat. Probably one of the most powerful scenes in the book, IMO. Guy, a stepson by marriage is testing a rope swing. Jack, the stroke-suffered father is sitting in his wheelchair only yards away. Guy, in an evil attempt to scare his stepfather, swings close enough to kick Jack’s hat off his head. It’s a power struggle that Jack ultimately wins.

Booklust Twist: This is categorized as simply, “Australian fiction” (Book Lust, p.29).

Prejudice

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Muse, Daphne. Prejudice: A Story Collection. New York: Hyperion. 1995.

On a lunch break today I picked this up. On a whim I started to read. It’s another “classified as young adult” collection of short stories all dealing with prejudice and the swirling labels that go along with ignorance: hate, fear, discrimination…all from the point of view of a child/young adult. I don’t know how I get myself into these books. Native American. Jewish. Japanese. Pretty. Lesbian. Poor. Southern. White. All within the first 62 pages. This is supposed to be a collection of stories written by different writers but all the stories sound the same. All told in that Coming-Of-Age voice, with Insert-Your-Prejudice-Here terminologies. I’ve gotten through six of the 15 stories and I’m admitting defeat…for now. My main goal is to read every book that Nancy Pearl suggests in Booklust, so I don’t know I keep getting off track with these “moral dilemma” books!

UPDATE: I finished all 15 stories and wasn’t impressed.

After the Wreck

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Oates, Joyce Carol. After the Wreck, I Picked Myself Up, Spread My Wings, and Flew Away. New York: HarperTempest. 2006.

When I first learned of this book I didn’t know anything about it. Yet, when it was in my hands and I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Labeled “young adult fiction” I feared it would be dumbed down and too young (despite my love for Oates’ work). While it does have a somewhat optimistic, to be expected somewhat happy ending I was pleasantly surprised by its grit. After the Wreck tells the story of one girl’s struggle to get over the tragic death of her mother (car accident). Jenna’s downward spiral begins soon after she moves from New York to New Hampshire to live with relatives.  Jenna is not the goody-goody kid and her rebellious nature is as realistic as it is refreshing. Things can can only get worse before they get better. My favorite part: Jenna learning how to run again after the accident. I can relate.

My Brother Sam

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Collier, James L. My Brother Sam is Dead. New York: Scholastic. 1974.

I don’t know what made me pick up this grade school book. A strong desire to finish the books I should have read in my youth? Probably not, since I’d never heard of this one before. I was wandering the stacks of our Education Resource Center when I stumbled across it. It looked interesting so I gave it a chance…and read it in one day.

It’s the life of a kid in the midst of the American Revolution. His brother (Sam, obviously) joins the fight while the rest of the family tries to remain neutral. All sorts of tragedies befall the Meeker family and I found myself praying for the book to finish. I didn’t think there would be a happy ending (judging by the title) and I was right – there wasn’t.
Interestingly enough, the towns and even some of the characters are nonfictional. It makes me want to travel to Connecticut just to find the tavern, the fishing grounds, the trade route…just to stand in the path of history.

An American Tragedy

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Dreiser, Theodore. An American Tragedy. New York: World Publishing Co. 1962.

I don’t know why I’m reading this book. The binding looks like it will break if I even so much as breathe on it the wrong way. Someone has written notes in this library book and that in itself drives me nuts. I don’t want to be influenced by scribblings of another’s thoughts. Oh well. I don’t know much about this book other than to say it was recommended.

I started to get into this book after 100 pages or so. According to Nancy Pearl, that’s 50 pages too many. I would have stuck with it because I didn’t get to the really good part – the part that made it controversial and ultimately banned in it’s day (the whole reason why it was recommended), but it was due back at the library…and you know how librarians can be about overdue books. Note to self: if still alive after conquering Book Lust List, restart American Tragedy.

The Forgetting Room (w/spoiler)

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Bantock, Nick. The Forgetting Room. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. 1997.

I have always been a fan of Nick Bantock’s work. I fell in love with Griffin and Sabine and reread the trilogy a thousand times over the years. When I found out Bantock had more to offer I jumped on the chance to read them all. I just finished The Forgetting Room. Part fiction, part art and all mystery, The Forgetting Roomis one man’s journey to Spain. It’s his nine day journal about unraveling mysteries surrounding his grandfather and the life he led.  In true Bantock fashion there are glorious pages of artwork and of course, voyeuristic letters to unfold.

Spoiler: Armon doesn’t completely solve the mystery. There is romance is the air.

The Chocolate War (w/spoilers)

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Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York: Dell, 1986.
I hated this book. Not because of the way it was written, well, maybe that added to it a little. I hated the premise. How can a school be overrun by bullies? How is it possible that an educational establishment can become so out of whack? I didn’t believe in the power of The Vigils as much as I believed in the bullies behind it.
Then, there’s the character development, or lack of it. I was itching to write out a chart of who was who. Who were the good guys? There wasn’t enough detail to really make me feel sorry for, or like, or hate any of them one way the other. Even Jerry, the “main” character lacked depth. I felt bad for him because he was the kid without a mom, he was the weakling who decided to stand up for himself…or something. I have no idea why he did half the things he did. All I know is that he wanted to play football and he had a strained relationship with his dad.

Spoiler: I can only assume he died in the end.