This was a thoughtful well written philosophical book set in Seattle. On the surface, it is a story about Enzo the dog and Enzo's family, Denny the race car driver, his wive Eve and their daughter Zoe. The interesting part is that Enzo was born with human intelligence. This makes the story incredibly amusing, but also a fantasy.
What makes this book so special is the insight into the seemingly impossible situations that make up each of our lives. Enzo's family experiences extreme challenges that I hope not a single reader will ever have to cope with, but the application of professional car racing skills to life is absolutely delightful, entertaining and profound. Just the idea that we are all zooming at incredible speeds on a race car track, trying not only to win, but to survive life is an exhilarating metaphor.
In the following paragraph, Enzo is considering how he will live his next life when, as he believes, he will be reincarnated as a person.
"To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. ... To separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter every day. To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. This is something to aspire to. When I am a person, that is how I will live my life."
This is a good book club choice. It is a short, easy read, and is fun to discuss. As for the book club party, I would recommend a trip to the races, lunch at a sports bar, or a trip to the doggie park for a picnic!
Please, post and tell me what you thought of this book! I give it two paws up!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Voyarism into two other book clubs
I'm currently reading Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. It is delightful, but I'm not quite ready to write about it as I've only just begun. However, I would like to share with you a few other books that some other book clubs are reading and discussing. It seems that everyone who reads is a member of a book club, at least within my circle of friends and aquantainces. I spoke to two people yesterday (my friend B. and a female aquantaince at the pool), and this is what they are reading in their book clubs:
The Apothecary's Daughter would be a good choice for a feel good read, and would be my choice of these four books if I was to pick one of the four for a pleasent afternoon.
"Klassen blends her tale well; each ingredient—romance, friendship, healing arts, mystery" Publishers weekly.
My friend, B., really loved this book, so maybe you will also.
Her group is also getting ready to discuss The Help.
Our group read this, and I consider this book to be one of the best discussion books we had last year. The story, the setting and the topic of the ratial inequality in the south during the civil rights movement made for excellent discussion material.
My new friend at the pool is also a member of a group that is discussing
Skinhead Confessions: From Hate to Hope. It has good Amazon reviews, and though the material is relevant to today's society, I find it so sad that people can be entrenched in a culture of hate. On the other hand, this particular book club is also reading Bonk, so they are a group of people who really want to get into some serious topics.
The Apothecary's Daughter would be a good choice for a feel good read, and would be my choice of these four books if I was to pick one of the four for a pleasent afternoon.
"Klassen blends her tale well; each ingredient—romance, friendship, healing arts, mystery" Publishers weekly.
My friend, B., really loved this book, so maybe you will also.
Her group is also getting ready to discuss The Help.
Our group read this, and I consider this book to be one of the best discussion books we had last year. The story, the setting and the topic of the ratial inequality in the south during the civil rights movement made for excellent discussion material.
My new friend at the pool is also a member of a group that is discussing
Skinhead Confessions: From Hate to Hope. It has good Amazon reviews, and though the material is relevant to today's society, I find it so sad that people can be entrenched in a culture of hate. On the other hand, this particular book club is also reading Bonk, so they are a group of people who really want to get into some serious topics.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
This is one of those books you just can't put down! I finished this at 2 AM Friday night, even though I needed to get up early the next day (quite reminiscent of the Nancy Drew 3 AM middle school readathons). This is not common for me.
This book would make an excellent gift. The reading is light and the story compelling. The characters and setting in a Hunan county in China during the 1800's is very interesting. It would be a great book for any female reader, including a middle school or high school reader (reading at their grade level, which is not common at all where I live). It would also be a book that I would highly recommend for a reading group discussion. There are discussion questions at the end, but I would not find any of these necessary in a meeting. This book needs no guidance into discussion!
There are many striking topics covered in addition to the rich social issues of Chinese culture. One topic that stood out distinctly for discussion is the life long relationship between female friends. The relationships, even in American culture, can be so strong that we also refer to each other as sisters or as Aunts (in the case of a strong bond between women of two different generations). However, in Chinese culture this was formalized in written contracts. Another topic I find interesting for discussion are the social ordering of people in Chinese culture compared to our own American culture. The Chinese culture is extreme in this era, as evident in the foot binding (another amazing topic for discussion), the education of the males vs females of this culture, the living arrangements of married women (ruled by their mother-in-laws outside of their natal home) and the strict requirements for respect and obedience.
I hope someone will tell me what they think of this book. What did you think?
This book would make an excellent gift. The reading is light and the story compelling. The characters and setting in a Hunan county in China during the 1800's is very interesting. It would be a great book for any female reader, including a middle school or high school reader (reading at their grade level, which is not common at all where I live). It would also be a book that I would highly recommend for a reading group discussion. There are discussion questions at the end, but I would not find any of these necessary in a meeting. This book needs no guidance into discussion!
There are many striking topics covered in addition to the rich social issues of Chinese culture. One topic that stood out distinctly for discussion is the life long relationship between female friends. The relationships, even in American culture, can be so strong that we also refer to each other as sisters or as Aunts (in the case of a strong bond between women of two different generations). However, in Chinese culture this was formalized in written contracts. Another topic I find interesting for discussion are the social ordering of people in Chinese culture compared to our own American culture. The Chinese culture is extreme in this era, as evident in the foot binding (another amazing topic for discussion), the education of the males vs females of this culture, the living arrangements of married women (ruled by their mother-in-laws outside of their natal home) and the strict requirements for respect and obedience.
I hope someone will tell me what they think of this book. What did you think?
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and other eastern tales of recommendation.
I received Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See as a get well gift from my Aunt. Finally, after finishing Texas (what a long read that was), I treated myself to a choice from the long negleted "book stack". This book is a great selection! It is an historical fiction accounting of the the life of a chinese girl, Lily, set in the 1800's in a Hunan county. The second chapter has a description of the disfiguring horrible tradition of foot binding that I will never forget. I learned that that the girl's toe bones and arch must break to complete this process. I will edit this post as I have more to say about this book. I can't wait to get back to this book later this evening.
It is as good as other eastern tales such as Aurthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha
or some of Perl Buck's materpieces. In the past, the New Mexico Readers' Group has discussed Memoirs of a Geisha, The Good Earth, Imperial Woman and Bound Feet and Western Dress, A Memoir by Pang-Mei Natasha Chang. I hope that our book club picks an Amy Tan book at some point, as they are delightful also. I would highly recommend my two favorites, The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife.
Perhaps if you never read the book Memoirs of a Geisha you could enjoy the movie. I did not, and my recommendation would be to read the book. It was excellent.
It is as good as other eastern tales such as Aurthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha
or some of Perl Buck's materpieces. In the past, the New Mexico Readers' Group has discussed Memoirs of a Geisha, The Good Earth, Imperial Woman and Bound Feet and Western Dress, A Memoir by Pang-Mei Natasha Chang. I hope that our book club picks an Amy Tan book at some point, as they are delightful also. I would highly recommend my two favorites, The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife.
Perhaps if you never read the book Memoirs of a Geisha you could enjoy the movie. I did not, and my recommendation would be to read the book. It was excellent.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Book meeting on Texas, and great book choices for our next discussion
For the next discussion, one of the following three books will be our new choice. It will all depend on how the people in the group vote. Lisa choose the following books. Usually, we vote on the next read at our meeting, but being at Texas Roadhouse, it was too noisy to decide.
To review the meeting, Texas Roadhouse was my (bad) choice for discussion. We were lucky to be seated, but even at 4:30 in the evening, it was very crowed and noisy. Most everyone liked the book with one exception. There were door prizes for those who finished the book (another Mitchener book, Caribbean for one finished, and a pack of gum for the other finisher), and a door prize for the person who read the fewest number of pages (around 80 pages). This prize was a caribou that pooped out candy when you lifted his tail. It required no reading to enjoy! Everyone got a real cotton boll from Lubbock (from my trip out there over Thanksgiving). Anyway, if was fun. Our next meeting is tentatively set for the 3rd Saturday in March.
The next job is to vote on the next pick and send Lisa an email. I want to read all of them!
And, drum roll, here are the picks:
Pick number one: Cutting for Stone by Verghese. Lisa wrote "I learned about this one when I saw my patient reading it. She loved the book. New via Amazon costs $8.44 and I saw it at Costco. It's a "magnificent, sweeping novel that moves from India to Ethiopia to an inner-city hospital in NYC over decades and generations" Lots of medical stuff included. 688 pages. "
Pick number two: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Stein. Lisa wrote "I listened to this in my car and really liked it. Everyone I know who has read it has also really enjoyed this novel. This one is told by a dog, which sounds dumb, but the author pulls it off beautifully. Enzo tells his master's life story, which includes "love, tragedy, redemption, danger and--most especially-- the canine narrator, Enzo". New via Amazon costs $4.96 and I also saw it at Costco. 336 pages."
Pick number three: Eternal on the Water by Monninger. Lisa wrote "I read about this one in my Chinaberry magazine, where I get lots of good book ideas. It's a "poignant love story rooted in the forests of Maine" about a couple who falls in love on a camping trip. The heroine has Huntington's disease and the story goes from there, making it a "memorable story of love and courage"."
To review the meeting, Texas Roadhouse was my (bad) choice for discussion. We were lucky to be seated, but even at 4:30 in the evening, it was very crowed and noisy. Most everyone liked the book with one exception. There were door prizes for those who finished the book (another Mitchener book, Caribbean for one finished, and a pack of gum for the other finisher), and a door prize for the person who read the fewest number of pages (around 80 pages). This prize was a caribou that pooped out candy when you lifted his tail. It required no reading to enjoy! Everyone got a real cotton boll from Lubbock (from my trip out there over Thanksgiving). Anyway, if was fun. Our next meeting is tentatively set for the 3rd Saturday in March.
The next job is to vote on the next pick and send Lisa an email. I want to read all of them!
And, drum roll, here are the picks:
Pick number one: Cutting for Stone by Verghese. Lisa wrote "I learned about this one when I saw my patient reading it. She loved the book. New via Amazon costs $8.44 and I saw it at Costco. It's a "magnificent, sweeping novel that moves from India to Ethiopia to an inner-city hospital in NYC over decades and generations" Lots of medical stuff included. 688 pages. "
Pick number two: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Stein. Lisa wrote "I listened to this in my car and really liked it. Everyone I know who has read it has also really enjoyed this novel. This one is told by a dog, which sounds dumb, but the author pulls it off beautifully. Enzo tells his master's life story, which includes "love, tragedy, redemption, danger and--most especially-- the canine narrator, Enzo". New via Amazon costs $4.96 and I also saw it at Costco. 336 pages."
Pick number three: Eternal on the Water by Monninger. Lisa wrote "I read about this one in my Chinaberry magazine, where I get lots of good book ideas. It's a "poignant love story rooted in the forests of Maine" about a couple who falls in love on a camping trip. The heroine has Huntington's disease and the story goes from there, making it a "memorable story of love and courage"."
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Texas, Chapter XIV, Power and Change, Last Chapter!
Finally we get to go to Dallas, also known by Dallasites as Big D, one of my hometowns. I used to live in North Dallas as the child of a wheeler dealer in the 1970's and 80's. I learned that money is very very nice.
I have heard a few people (well, two total) tell me that the last chapters of Michener's books aren't as appealing as the earlier chapters because they are about modern history. This book was published originally in 1985, and I couldn't disagree more. Having a unbiased description of current events (not that 1985 is even near to being a current time) is very interesting in a time where it seems that every current reporter of events has their own political agenda.
What really struck me in this chapter was the visitation of the Mexican illegal immigrant issue that Texas was experiencing in the 1980's. This was as issue for the US government to fix via legislation. The words written outlining the issue, and the consequences of ignoring this issue, could be published word for word in our current 2011 paper and still be true! I found this shocking.
There was discussion of the Simpson-Mazzoli bill, of which a version called the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was passed by congress after this book was published. The problems have not gone away. This is what was outlined as the issue, pre-1985!
"Simpson-Mazzoli was an effort ... to staunch the hemorrhaging along the Mexican border.... The bill offered three solutions: halt further illegal entry, grant generous amnesty and penalize American employers who hired illegals..... opposed it vehemently on the dubious grounds that it would require immigrants... who had later obtained legal status to carry identification cards."
The issues viewed by the extreme radical Mexican-American revolutionary who wants to transform their portion of America into a reclaimed Mexican homeland and the patriot view of retaining American sovereignty are presented. This is a follow up to the previous chapter's description of illegal immigration hardships and cruelties. I would recommend purchasing this book just to read the last two chapters!
I have heard a few people (well, two total) tell me that the last chapters of Michener's books aren't as appealing as the earlier chapters because they are about modern history. This book was published originally in 1985, and I couldn't disagree more. Having a unbiased description of current events (not that 1985 is even near to being a current time) is very interesting in a time where it seems that every current reporter of events has their own political agenda.
What really struck me in this chapter was the visitation of the Mexican illegal immigrant issue that Texas was experiencing in the 1980's. This was as issue for the US government to fix via legislation. The words written outlining the issue, and the consequences of ignoring this issue, could be published word for word in our current 2011 paper and still be true! I found this shocking.
There was discussion of the Simpson-Mazzoli bill, of which a version called the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was passed by congress after this book was published. The problems have not gone away. This is what was outlined as the issue, pre-1985!
"Simpson-Mazzoli was an effort ... to staunch the hemorrhaging along the Mexican border.... The bill offered three solutions: halt further illegal entry, grant generous amnesty and penalize American employers who hired illegals..... opposed it vehemently on the dubious grounds that it would require immigrants... who had later obtained legal status to carry identification cards."
The issues viewed by the extreme radical Mexican-American revolutionary who wants to transform their portion of America into a reclaimed Mexican homeland and the patriot view of retaining American sovereignty are presented. This is a follow up to the previous chapter's description of illegal immigration hardships and cruelties. I would recommend purchasing this book just to read the last two chapters!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Texas, Chapter XIII, The Invaders
I'm just starting this chapter about Texas invaders, such as illegal Mexicans, people from other states, and ARMADILLOS (which have migrated from Mexico).
I love this stuff. Click here to see a video of an Armadillo:
Video of an armadillo wallowing
If you watch the whole video (or fast forward), he comes out of his mud hole and looks around.
I was so excited to be learning about armadillos, that I asked a man who was the shuttle driver (from the car repair shop) for my ride to work today if he knew anything about armadillos, and boy, did he! I wanted to tell him how they would always give birth to four in a litter, all of the same gender. He beat me to it!
"I am in the Information business", he said. "Did you know that the babies...." etc. Wow! Someone who knows about armadillos. Well, this guy actually seems to know something about everything. Last ride was a lecture on CIA operations in Vietnam; armadillos followed the intricate workings of a steam locomotive.
He gave me a huge amount of information, including stories about his pet armadillo he caught by the tail as it was digging into its hole by the side of an Oklahoma road.
"They don't bite - have no teeth. But you should see them suck up ground beef with their tongue!" he explained.
He told me that the first thing an armadillo does when startled is to jump straight up into the air, just to the height of a car grill.
"Which is why", he explained, "there are so many squashed armadillo's in the road."
My driver finished the lecture with a joke.
"Texas is not a middle of the road state, politically or otherwise. Matter of fact, the only thing you will ever find in the middle of the road is a white line and a squashed armadillo! "
I love this stuff. Click here to see a video of an Armadillo:
Video of an armadillo wallowing
If you watch the whole video (or fast forward), he comes out of his mud hole and looks around.
I was so excited to be learning about armadillos, that I asked a man who was the shuttle driver (from the car repair shop) for my ride to work today if he knew anything about armadillos, and boy, did he! I wanted to tell him how they would always give birth to four in a litter, all of the same gender. He beat me to it!
"I am in the Information business", he said. "Did you know that the babies...." etc. Wow! Someone who knows about armadillos. Well, this guy actually seems to know something about everything. Last ride was a lecture on CIA operations in Vietnam; armadillos followed the intricate workings of a steam locomotive.
He gave me a huge amount of information, including stories about his pet armadillo he caught by the tail as it was digging into its hole by the side of an Oklahoma road.
"They don't bite - have no teeth. But you should see them suck up ground beef with their tongue!" he explained.
He told me that the first thing an armadillo does when startled is to jump straight up into the air, just to the height of a car grill.
"Which is why", he explained, "there are so many squashed armadillo's in the road."
My driver finished the lecture with a joke.
"Texas is not a middle of the road state, politically or otherwise. Matter of fact, the only thing you will ever find in the middle of the road is a white line and a squashed armadillo! "
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