Never Let The Truth Get In The Way Of A Good Story

I learned early that the most important thing in life is a good story.

Throwback Thursdays are a favorite of mine. Scanning my shelves for books I've read (and reread) in the past, feels like reconnecting with old friends. I'm an ardent fan of rereading. Oscar Wilde was as well: “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”

Ruth Reichl had me from her first chapter of Tender at the Bone. Wait, that isn't true. She had me at her first lines of her Author's Note at the very beginning of the book: "Storytelling, in my family, was highly prized....If this required minor adjustments of fact, nobody much minded: it was certainly preferable to boring your audience." So while this book is true, she explains, it "may not be entirely factual." Sounds like the creed a couple of my brothers live by: never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

And Reichl, one of the world's leading food writers, does tell a good story. Regaling us with tales of her manic-depressive mother, otherwise known as "The Queen of Mold," who was "taste-blind and unafraid of rot" and "had an iron stomach." At ten, Reichl appointed herself the "guardian of the guests" at her mother's dinner parties: "My mission was to keep Mom from killing anybody who came to dinner." Her constant vigil led her to the discovery that "food could be a way of making sense of the world....if you watched people as they ate, you could find out who they were."

While her mother's culinary catastrophes will have you laughing out loud, at the heart of this memoir is a young girl traveling into adulthood, trying to navigate life with a mom suffering from mental illness, and a loving father, caught between doing right by his daughter and protecting the woman he adores.

Reichl is unflinching in her detail, yet never self-pitying nor grandiose. She approaches writing like she appears to approach life: pragmatic with a healthy dose of humor. If you haven't yet read Tender at the Bone, I wholeheartedly recommend it. If you read it years ago, a reread is long overdue.

Posted by Rachel

An Eye For An Eye

With sincere apologies to the Thanksgiving purists among us, let's talk Christmas. I hear you, purists, and when it comes to malls decked with boughs of commercialism, I'm right there with you. But Christmas music? Well, that's where we part ways. Ingrid Michaelson's Snowfall is serenading me as I type.

Chalk it up to research, if you must. You see, Tracy and I take our Christmas music as seriously as we do our book gifting—churning out a new compilation of favorite tunes to friends and family every year. Tracy started the tradition years ago and, in true friend spirit, I hitched my wagon to her Christmas star. Any excuse to combine two things I love—holiday tunes and time with Tray—I'm all in.

Research aside though, I've always been an early listener. If only I were an early gift buyer as well. My holiday shopping habits look an awful lot like my college essay-writing habits: all-nighters fueled by caffeine and sugar. Last-minute shopping is my modus operandi. I don't recommend it.

For those of you smart enough to start early, thus avoiding the crowds and the tendency to consume colossal amounts of gingersnaps and Coke Zero, we're here for you. For those who need a little nudge, or in my case, a shove, we've got your back too. Starting next week, we'll post gift-giving ideas for all the book lovers in your lives, leading up to the launch of our Holiday Gift Guide on November 27th.

In the meantime, we'll let you get back to feeling thankful, and leave you with George Costanza, who isn't feeling thankful.

Posted by Rachel

Only Ivan

 It’s hard to put into words.  Gorillas are not complainers.  We’re dreamers, poets, philosophers, nap takers.

What does an easygoing silverback, a stray Chihuahua mix, and a wise old elephant have in common?  They all live in the Exit 8 Big Top Mall in Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan.  You’ll be hard pressed not to fall in love immediately with Ivan who says initially, “People call me the Freeway Gorilla.  The Ape at Exit 8. The One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback.  The names are mine, but they’re not me.  I am Ivan, just Ivan, only Ivan.  Humans waste words.  They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot. Everyone knows the peels are the best part.” At this point, on page two, the Silverback had me.

Ivan copes with his isolated life in a cage (inside of a mall no less) by making friends with the other animals on display.  The night janitor’s daughter seems to intuitively understand that the urban gorilla is an artist at heart. He also has an affinity for American television.  Truth is, Ivan just seems human at times. Poignant friendships are the hallmark of this touching, award-winning book best suited for 8-to 11-year-olds. Please be warned: you’re gonna fall for Ivan’s unforgettable first-person (first-primate?) narration.  You’ll enjoy how Applegate blends humor and emotion in a story about friendship and hope.

If you are a fan of Charlotte’s Web, Ivan will definitely draw you in.  

*It is interesting to note that this fictionalized story is based on a true account of a baby gorilla named Ivan who was kidnapped from a jungle in Africa. He spent 27 years walled up inside a shopping mall in Tacoma, Washington. Fortunately, he was relocated to the Atlanta Zoo.  A few years back, Ivan died after turning 50 years old.

Posted by Tracy

Friends Don't Let Friends Read Bad Books

I collect people.  There it is, the truth in four words or less. Some folks pick up stamps, comic books, or coins—not me, people are my bag.  Zac, who is an Apple Genius by day, aspiring writer by night, and a gifted sounding board in between told me so. He sees details with acuity—the ones even genuine observers miss.  And Zac would know.  I collected him years ago and I’m so glad I did—he’s undoubtedly one of my most important friends.  Irreplaceable.

So, despite the absence of almost-famous pancakes and marriage-proposal-good buttermilk syrup, I’ve been chatting with my peeps about some of their favorite reads.  I selected carefully from my crowd: one an English professor who loves the living as much as the dead, one a Renaissance man who codes despite being a true aesthete at heart, and one who is brainy and brilliant like Rae in giving the best books.  I feel good about this because I’m a believer that friends don’t let friends give bad books.  And you are fast becoming my friends—ne’er a collection too big.  

Zac’s Pick

Zac, beautiful soul, loves Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses.  He said, “it was the kind of book that I read slowly because I didn’t want it to be over. The prose was evocative (which is such a vague adjective), but the words created an amazing sense of character and landscape and how the two related.  It was the kind of book that reminded me why I care about literature.  The intimate power that a book can have to move you as an individual.”  Time to read All the Pretty Horses if you haven’t.  

Stacy’s Pick

I have known Stacy since college.  She and I got to know each other better with years.  Stacy exudes a loveliness that is undeniable.  I feel energized whenever I’m around her.  She listens long.  And invariably, she always responds with what I need to hear.  I’m not sure how she does that.  She’s taught literature classes for years.  The Professor’s House is a staple for her.  Cather’s reverence for landscape, especially of the West, is superb.  Cather’s writing is like light.  A definite must read even if you’re not in Dr. Day’s classroom!

Ted’s Picks

Ted worked on a PhD in British Literature at Auburn University.  He’s a guru when it comes to books, code, rock-n-roll and kindness. Bless him for it.  Ted is easily one of the most humble smart guys I’ve ever met. The fact that he never misses an allusion is just icing. Ted couldn’t be limited to one favorite.  Admittedly, it’s unfair to ask of a reader to choose just one.  So Ted’s top three are House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, The Brothers Karamozov (also one of Zac’s favorites) by Dostoevsky, and Wallace Stegner’s Crossing to Safety.  He loves these books because they all explain life’s messiness to him; or at least attempt to hold it up to a magnifying glass.  It will get you out of the binary world—help you to see so many shades of gray—on a socioeconomic level (Mirth), a philosophical/religious level (Brothers), and then there’s the interpersonal level (Crossing).  These reads will take your breath away.   

Eliane’s Pick

I collected Eliane nearly two decades ago.  She’s one of my best finds.  Ever.  Currently, she lives in Denmark. That fact makes me curse miles and loathe distance.  But she’s never far away. Eliane’s a voracious reader, which accounts for some of her brilliance.  One of her constants is also a favorite of mine: A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean. Eliane reads this novella every year. She said, “I love its simplicity, and its descriptions of nature and family relationships.  It is beautiful.”  A gorgeous read. 

Posted by Tracy

Buttermilk Pancakes And The Power Of A Compliment

I have learned that to be with those I like is enough. —Walt Whitman

At first glance, I thought I had a quibble with Walt. I was tempted to tweak his lovely line by replacing like with love. Who do I think I am, second guessing a wordsmith like Walt? An amateur, that's what I am. Walt knew that it can be far easier to love someone than like them. I spent the morning with my kids and four of my brothers' kids whom I not only love, but happen to like a whole lot.

We made my niece Mariah's famous buttermilk pancakes topped with her perhaps even more famous buttermilk syrup. Look out boys, these are marriage-proposal good. Although the chef that comes with them is the real prize.

We talked about an assignment my girls were given in one of their college courses to meet three new people by midnight. Everyone weighed in on how they approach people they don't know. My nephew Gavin has no problem with the direct, straight up approach. Mariah finds it easier to talk to people sitting next to her in class and she reminded us that everyone likes to have someone to talk to. Her brother, Cameron, said he's found you can't go wrong with a compliment.

Our conversation then turned to where so many of them do: books we love. Here are some top picks from some of the people I like most:

Cameron's Pick

Cameron, the consummate capitalist, loves how Ayn Rand, who wrote Atlas Shrugged in the 1950s, so accurately depicted some of the economic events that have shaped today's society.

Chad's Pick

Chad, who spent two years serving a mission for our church in South Korea, is a huge fan of the Pulitzer Prize winning The Orphan Master's Son.

Gavin's Pick

We were able to distract Gavin long enough from his upcoming nuptials to find that one of his favorites is a favorite of mine as well. I am so glad Gavin reminded me of Peace Like a River. This one is due for a re-read. Another favorite of Gavin's is also by Enger: So Brave, Young, and Handsome. A book, that according to its title, Chad is certain must be about him.

Mariah's Pick

Mariah wants to make it known that Harry Potter is and forever will be her top pick. (My kids' picks come with the same disclaimer.) She once wrote a paper for Tracy's Beginning Writing course advocating Harry Potter be added to the canon. A more recent read Mariah likes is The Life of Pi.

Emma's Pick

My daughter Emma especially loves the Peter and the Starcatchers series. I think she read her first one in 6th or 7th grade. She's in college now and still goes back to that series when asked about books that matter to her. Shannon Hale's The Goose Girl series makes that list as well.

Susannah's Pick

Susannah is by far my biggest reader. She's responsible for a large portion of our Kid Lit and Young Adult picks. She was aghast to find I'd left one of her favorites, The Mysterious Benedict Society, off the list. She recommends the entire series for ages 9 and up. For a real treat, after your kids read the book have them go here.

Ben's Pick

What can I say about Robot Wars except that he's found a book he likes so I'm not complaining. If you have a boy that loves robots, Mars, and action-packed prose, this book is a sure bet.

Posted by Rachel

There's A Skip In My Step Today

It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?" —A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

Heading to Utah today to get in some much needed Tracy time and join in welcoming home her sweet girl from serving a mission for our church. We'll eat great food, laugh real laughs, and see a movie in a theater we're sure sells Coke. And we'll work on that Gift Guide we've been promising.

In the meantime, here's a peak at what we're reading now and will be reviewing soon:

MY LATEST LISTEN

WHAT I'M READING

WHAT TRACY'S READING

Posted by Rachel

Cats, Heathcliff, And American Pie

Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.

This week's throwback is one of my favorites, Wuthering Heights—hence Tracy’s gift for my unborn (years out) grandchild.

Those Brontë girls knew how to write a wicked tale, didn't they? Charlotte was a bit more subdued; she kept her crazy in the attic. But Emily. Ah, Emily. She hurled it about with reckless abandon. You want a love story, she asked? I'll give you one so twisted and heartbreaking and haunting that you'll weep at the wonder and the ugliness of it all. Happy endings be damned! Turns out love is a many tortured thing.

No Mr. Rochester here. And most especially, no Darcy or Captain Elliott. I can hear Heathcliff's dismissive scoff now: "If he loved with all the powers of his puny being, he couldn't love as much in eighty years as I could in a day." And love his Catherine he did—albeit with a brooding, obsessive, downright dangerous kind of love that unleashed a quest for revenge so ruthless and cold-blooded it would have given even Edmond Dantès pause.

From what I've read of Emily's life, of all the tales of love she could have written, this one rings most true. Preferring solitude and wondering moors to social society, she appeared to care little for convention. Her one novel, much like herself, was vastly misunderstood and under-appreciated at the time of its publishing. Charlotte said of her: "an interpreter ought always to have stood between her and the world."

Spend a little time on the moors near the Brontë home in Haworth, where Emily was said to roam for hours on end, and you'll understand even further why conjuring a Heathcliff was more doable than a Darcy. While Tracy and I were studying in London, we did just that, staying with our group in a large, eerie hostel smack dab in the middle of the moors. It was a late winter evening when we arrived, making the scene all the more foreboding as we headed out in search of Catherine's ghost and her haunted Heathcliff. What we found instead were hundreds of cats combing the moors, and worse, our hostel, and a local band playing "American Pie." Now that's the stuff literary dreams are made of.

Posted by Rachel

So Far Behind I Think I'm Ahead

My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read. —Abraham Lincoln

I’m a gift giver by nature.  It won’t surprise that I relish finding an impeccable read for an unsuspecting or celebrating friend.  Acquaintances are no exception.  Like fantasy/sci-fi writer Vera Nazarian, I believe “whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow [for] more light.”

Rachel is one of my favorite people…to shower with books because she’s an insatiable reader. No white lies here—it’s hard to keep up with her.  (Sometimes I’m so far behind I think I’m ahead.)  I gave her Ordinary Grace after she’d read it, too kind to tell me so.  Recently, my defeated self resorted to asking have you read The Rosie Project, The Secret Keeper, or They Came to Baghdad?  Yes. Not yet. No.

But I have my victories—big ones too.  The ones where I surprise her with an enchanting read she has no knowledge of.  Before the leaves started to change color, we met at a quiet cabin to refuel and laugh out loud.  Happily, I handed Rachel The Snow Child.  She delved into Ivey’s world morning, tried at noon, and night.  Like The Rent Collector I sent to her door, she’s written a post about it.  And so, I vigilantly search for pages she hasn’t plumbed through. 

Last year, I picked up the Little Miss Bronte version of Wuthering Heights (a Weather Primer) for Rachel’s unborn grandchild (years out). She can put it near her big girl copy once Emma or Zannah give their mother the opportunity for inexhaustible delight. If you can’t wait for a bambino to enjoy charming illustrations that describe the different types of weather Heathcliff and Catherine encounter while crossing the moors, we’ll totally understand.

Posted by Tracy