Pictorial Literature

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn

2011-12-20T13:23:00.004-06:00

I read this book for my philosophy of history class, and while it was not exactly a pleasurable experience, it has drastically affected the way that I think about science. I have always pictured science as this monolith that moves forward in a constant state of progress. Kuhn introduced me to the idea that science is governed by paradigm shifts that fundamentally change the way scientists understand their discipline. Science changes as anomalies are discovered which the old way of doing science cannot account for. Scientists then switch to new a new paradigm that can account for the anomaly. Since science develops in this manner, it is not necessarily linearly progressing. This explanation is overly-simplified, but it shows the wide difference between what I use to believe and how I think about this topic now.

Evolution and natural selection are two examples of paradigm shifts that have radically altered the way science is done.

An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke

2011-12-12T18:04:00.001-06:00

This might be one of the best book titles ever. Based on that and all the reviews on the cover that said it was "witty" and "absurdly hilarious," I was expecting that it would make me laugh. It didn't, not even once. It makes me wonder if all those literary critics decided that it would be a fun idea to try to collectively trick people into getting a book. Or if they just did not bother to read it and wrote reviews off of what they thought the book would be like. Or, much more likely, I just didn't get it. It's not like it would be the first time that happened. Regardless, it is still a great title.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

2011-12-12T18:01:00.001-06:00

Sijie writes a fictionalized account of two boys sent to the country to be "reeducated" during China's Cultural Revolution. They end up in possession of several illegal foreign novels, which become crucial to their mission to educate the Little Seamstress. It's a good read, and I'd rather not give any more of the plot away.

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

2011-12-12T17:58:00.004-06:00

I wrote this post at the end of April, but I never got around to taking this admittedly simple picture.

Since I am going to be moving soon, I am slowly going through my books and trying to read the ones that ended up stacked in the back of the closet so I can decide whether to keep or donate them. I remember finding this book while attempting to organize the massive mess in my sorority's un-air conditioned storage room a few summers ago (mistake on multiple levels). I promptly stuck it on my bookcase and then packed it into boxes on more than one occasion during my CBU time.

The book was ok. Ehrenreich raises some good issues, but she also tends toward hyperbole at some points. It was interesting, and a nice break from Civil War ladies.

Final decision: donating it to the Goodwill Bookstore.

Chomsky for Beginners by David Cogswell

2011-12-12T17:52:00.001-06:00

I wrote a paper about Noam Chomsky for my philosophy of history class. I had no idea where to start so I thought back to the friendly introduction to Derrida that I received last fall and decided to look for a comic book. I really love these writers and illustrators for giving the philosophically disinclined an easy entrance into some really deep topics.

Brida: A Novel by Paulo Coelho

2011-12-12T17:16:00.002-06:00

""Magic is a bridge," he said at last, "a bridge that allows you to walk from the visible world over into the invisible world, and to learn the lessons of both those worlds."
"And how do I learn to cross that bridge?"
"By discovering your own way of crossing it. Everyone has their own way.""

My way is going into lovely and deep woods and making myself feel small in the best possible way.

Cloudsplitter: A Novel by Russell Banks

2011-12-02T16:22:00.006-06:00

I read this book last June so the details are getting a little fuzzy, but I will say that it was one of the best historical fiction books I have read. The author does a remarkable job of giving you a sense of what it might have been like to be living in the antebellum Adirondacks and Kansas. It's roughly the size of a dictionary, but I would recommend it nonetheless.

Funny thing is

2011-07-24T08:40:00.003-05:00

that this summer seems to have slipped away from me. What with moving, working 3 jobs, getting married and not to mention adjusting to the loss of the Oxford comma, I have yet to put up a single book I read this summer (or the rest of the ones from last semester for that matter). I would like to swear that I will get around to it, but you never know.

Although to leave you on a pseudo-cliffhanger, I will say that the most interesting book I have been reading has been one by a man from Djibouti (Djiboutian?).

Blue books by lots and lots of people

2011-05-23T12:30:00.004-05:00

I spent the last two semesters reading many hundreds of essays (no exaggeration) written in blue books. It is how I earn my keep as a grad student. Occasionally I read some true gems...like the one person who was convinced that MLK helped Emancipation era freedmen gain their civil rights. The top of the books say USE YOUR IMAGINATION, but really, you shouldn't.

Grimm's Fairy Tales by J.L.C. & W.C. Grimm

2011-05-13T12:08:00.005-05:00

I suppose it was not completely accurate to include this book in the picture for How to Talk about Books You Haven't Read since I was actually reading it at the time. Some of the stories in this collection were ones I knew well, like Hansel and Gretel, but most were ones that I had never encountered. The last one in the book, Peter the Goatherd, was freakishly similar to Rip Van Winkle. Also, there were a disproportionate number of stories about cats.

Now I feel like I need to go find some Hans Christian Anderson.

The City and the City by China Miéville

2011-05-13T12:05:00.003-05:00

I missed political science fiction! I took a self-imposed hiatus from it after my junior year class of the same name, but it felt good to return to an old favorite genre.

It took awhile to get into this book, but when I did it became impossible to put down. The premise is that there are two city-states that exist in the same physical location. The citizens of each city cannot interact or acknowledge citizens of the other without "breaching," which leads to uncertain but serious consequences. So when a murder occurs that involved the crossing of these murky international borders, it causes a slew of unforseen consequences for the dectives involved. Obviously, Miéville takes this idea to an extreme, but how many times have you walked around Memphis and "unseen" what is going on around you? How many cities exist inside of this one?

Diaries and letters from Civil War era West Tennessee by Nannie, Rebecca, Amanda, Belle, Jessie, Sarah, Mattie, and others

2011-05-13T11:57:00.005-05:00

One reason I have not been posting as many books this semester is because I haven't been reading as many. Instead, I spent a couple of months on a primary document binge. Sometimes the handwriting could not be deciphered even with the aid of a magnifying glass. Oftentimes I would catch myself day dreaming after a few hours of reading. And then every once in a while I would stumble upon something unexpected. Like the girl who told her friend that she was sorry to hear that she was getting fleshier. Or the girl who "embraced Mother Earth" while trying to play a game of ball (in mixed company). Basically, although research can be truly horrendous at times, it generally leaves me with the feeling that the people of the past weren't all that different. Hopefully my paper about elite women's transcendence of wartime inconvenience came across coherently.

So it's been awhile...

2011-04-28T23:03:00.002-05:00

Without going into too much detail, the past month has been rather trying. I'm muddling through ok with the help of some great family and friends and infrequent trips to the bar. I'll go back to posting soon. I just, well, life can be tough.

Selected Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay

2011-03-24T22:39:00.004-05:00

Modern Declaration

I, having loved ever since I was a child a few things, never
having wavered
In these affections; never through shyness in the houses of the
rich or in the presence of clergymen having denied these
loves;
Never when worked upon by cynics like chiropractors having
grunted or clicked a vertebra to the discredit of these loves;
Never when anxious to land a job having diminished them by
a conniving smile; or when befuddled by drink
Jeered at them through heartache or lazily fondled the fingers
of their alert enemies; declare

That I shall love you always.
No matter what party is in power;
No matter what temporarily expedient combination of allied
interests wins the war;
Shall love you always.

OBIT: Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People who Led Extraordinary Lives by Jim Sheeler

2011-03-15T13:35:00.003-05:00

This one was an odd choice for me. The only reason I picked it up was because I was out of town and needed something to read before I could fall asleep. I found this book on the bookshelf in the guestroom and picked it up since it is divided into seven page chapters (perfect for pre-sleep). Sheeler had a good concept, but it was a bit too sentimental for me.

Thanks to Amanda, my future-sister-in-law, for the loan.

Shattered Hope: The Guatemalan Revolution and the United States, 1944-1954 by Piero Gleijeses

2011-03-13T17:01:00.002-05:00

I find it incredibly depressing to read about the CIA's involvement in Guatemala. Talk about disheartening. It is like watching a bad spy movie.

Women and the Nicaraguan Revolution by Tomas Borge

2011-03-02T13:49:00.005-06:00

Borge's speech explains the Sandanista's views about women in Marxist terms. This slim volume was published in the United States in 1982.

A History of the Cuban Revolution by Aviva Chomsky

2011-03-02T11:31:00.005-06:00

I was majorly impressed with this book. Chomsky manages to accomplish a truly remarkable feat, a balanced historical account of the Cuban Revolution through 2010. She explains events from the U.S.-centric view that I am familiar with and then addressed how Cuban historians present the subject. The historiography is vastly different depending on which country's historians you are reading. I thoroughly enjoyed it; I hope the other books that come out of this publisher's Viewpoints series are equally well done.

Key West...90 miles from Cuba. To put that in perspective, Cuba is closer to the United States than Memphis is to Nashville.

Gah!

2011-03-01T23:08:00.003-06:00

I am getting very far behind on this project that is meant to be my stress reliever. Somewhere in between the reading, writing, and wedding planning, taking photographs has slipped away. My list of books that I have read that are awaiting pictures is getting incredibly long; hopefully, I will be able to take a breather over spring break and catch up.

Also, I have read three books about women in the Civil War--anybody got any brilliant photo ideas?

Museums and Community: Ideas, Issues and Challenges by Elizabeth Crooke

2011-02-10T19:51:00.004-06:00

I read this book for my class which is also titled Museums and Communities. Not terribly exciting actually.

From Reliable Sources: An Introduction to Historical Methods by Martha Howell & Walter Prevenier

2011-02-10T19:50:00.005-06:00

I think the title tells you all you need to know; it's an introduction to historical methods. Basically, the authors talk about all the pieces needed for a historical work to be a valuable and reliable addition to the literature.

I guess this is as good of a time as any to say that I will not be posting nearly as frequently for the next couple of months. Instead of reading as much history this semester, I will be writing history. Frankly, the thought of doing this research seminar fills me with a throbbing sense of anxiety, but at least I anticipate that I will learn a heck of a lot. It's a trade off really.

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History by Michel Rolph-Trouillot

2011-01-23T17:52:00.002-06:00

Rolph-Trouillot writes about the ways in which power is asserted to silence parts of history. Sometimes the process is intentional, but oftentimes it is not. Which version of a story gets told? What is ignored? What might be lost forever because the sources were not deemed important enough to save?

Suspect Relations: Sex, Race, and Resistance in Colonial North Carolina by Kirsten Fischer

2011-01-16T13:01:00.004-06:00

Fischer writes about the ways in which sexual activity shaped the boundaries of race in the 18th century. She discusses white, Native American, servant, and slave women and the sexual realities they faced. These sexual relationships were imbued with double standards, and were important in determining acceptable racial behavior as well. It was well written, easy to read, and had some very blunt examples. It is also the last history book I am reading this semester.

I read this book back in December and just realized that I never posted it. The smiley face, which appeared in a salad bowl after all the greens were gone, is because I was happy that I was going to get to spend the next month reading some fiction.

The Story of Enschede and Memphis by William R. Herstein

2011-01-16T12:59:00.003-06:00

While looking for a different book in the museum library this morning, I spotted this small text. I love Memphis history, especially the history that has not been widely written and debated (I'm talking about you, Civil War and Yellow Fever epidemic). Evidently, after World War II Memphis "adopted" the city of Enschede, Netherlands, because of the cotton trading connection between the cities. Students made cigar boxes full of school supplies and citizens donated clothing and money and shipped them to Enschede via New York. When a new hotel was opened in Enschede in 1950, it was named Memphis-hotel and originally flew the flags of the Kingdom of Holland, the United States, and the City of Memphis. Who knew?

For some more stories about Memphis' colorful past, check out the Memphis Moments that were writen by staff members at the Pink Palace.

Big Blonde and Other Stories by Dorothy Parker

2011-01-16T12:57:00.001-06:00

From July through December, this little text was my "waiting" book. Several years ago, Penguin released classics in small, incredible portable books and called them Penguin 60s in honor of their 60th anniversary. This book resided in my purse and was only read when the line at the bank was moving slowly or I was waiting for someone to arrive while at a restaurant. I have only ever found a couple of these books in used book stores, but I always keep an eye out for them. If you spot any, please let me know. Or even better, buy it, and I will pay you back the 25-50 cents it cost you.

See how small and convenient this book is? It hardly took up any prime purse real estate.

Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School by Adam Ruben (PhD!)

2011-01-16T12:53:00.002-06:00

A-freaking-MAZING. This book made me laugh out loud with its clever diagrams and painfully true assessments of life as a grad student. After a semester of grad school, things are starting to feel less overwhelming, but there are some aspects of it that I do not think I will ever consider pleasant. I am glad that I have the opportunity to do what I am doing; I am also glad that I am learning to laugh about it (when I don't feel like throwing a book out a window or yelling at undergrads whom fail to grasp the finer points of plagiarism). This picture is of the GA office in which I spend many hours a week.

I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert

2011-01-10T21:51:00.002-06:00

I got several odd looks from family members while reading this book. I think it was the spontaneous bouts of laughter.

How to Talk about Books You Haven't Read by Pierre Bayard

2011-01-10T17:31:00.004-06:00

I will be honest; this book confused me. Bayard did encourage me to think about reading in a new way by suggesting that the act of reading is not a seamless process, but rather one that contains contradictions and gradations. He also notes that books are not binary and do not exist for individuals as either read or unread (sounding like Derrida to anyone else?). The idea that not you should not read books but should instead talk about books that you have not read in order to be able to be creative and tell your own story is an interesting concept, but I am not sure that I agree. Basically, I am puzzled at what I should take away from this book or if I should have read it at all given that I contradicted the title.

And no, I have not read any of the books in the picture. To take a suggestion from Bayard, I am not ashamed to admit it.

Side note: I get a kick out of checking the back cover of books to see their classification. Incidentally, this book is classified as Popular Culture/Literary Studies (although I am redesignating it philosophy). For some reason, I find the fact that someone sits down and gives books identifying labels fascinating. I am adding that to my mental list of job possibilities: book classifier. So in that spirit of classification and tidy categories, I have tagged all of my previous entries. Looks like fiction was last year's winner followed closely by history (shocker).

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

2010-12-31T11:03:00.003-06:00

It seems appropriate to end the year with the author who started it. Books that make me laugh are always checked off in my mental win column. The subject really does not matter. If it makes me laugh out loud, I like it, and David Sedaris always makes me laugh. One of his essays in this collection is titled 'Six to Eight Black Men' and is largely about Christmas traditions in Denmark. It made me laugh until I cried.

Thanks for loaning me another one, Angela!

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

2010-12-31T11:00:00.007-06:00

The Complete Persepolis is the first work that I have read from an Iranian author. Satrapi tells her life story as a graphic novel and in the process, explains what it was like to grow up in the shadow of the Islamic Revolution. She covers a wide range of themes and provided a new context from which to consider contemporary Iran.

"The regime had understood that one person leaving her house while asking herself: 'Are my trousers long enough? Is my veil in place? Can my makeup be seen? Are they going to whip me?' No longer asks herself: 'Where is my freedom of thought? Where is my freedom of speech? My life, is it livable? What's going on in the political prisons?' It's only natural! When we're afraid, we lose all sense of analysis and reflection. Our fear paralyzes us. Besides, fear has always been the driving force behind all dictators' repression. Showing your hair or putting on makeup logically became acts of rebellion" (302).

One of Satrapi's most consistent themes is family. This is a photograph of me and my fiancé; we are already family.

Complete Poems by Dorothy Parker

2010-12-24T14:18:00.007-06:00

Indian Summer

In youth, it was a way I had
To do my best to please,
And change, with every passing lad
To suit his theories.

But now I know the things I know,
And do the things I do;
And if you do not like me so,
To hell, my love, with you!

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

2010-12-24T13:36:00.003-06:00

Busy, busy, busy

Thanks to Russell for the loan of both the book and a pen. The book was to read; the pen was to write in the margins.

Derrida for Beginners by Jim Powell

2010-12-24T13:35:00.002-06:00

"America is deconstruction." --Derrida

Dr. Palmer lent me this one about a month ago when I stopped by his office when I was up at CBU hanging up posters. In the course of our conversation, I mentioned that whenever anyone in my seminar classes mentioned theory, I got hopelessly confused. He lent me this book that he had read when he took philosophy of history when he was in grad school to help me get a handle on deconstruction/textuality. It is certainly the most accessible philosophy book I have read; the cartoons helped. It was also purposely flippant and would drive any serious philosopher crazy. For me, it was all the philosophy I could handle.

Interview with the Vampire by Ann Rice

2010-12-21T10:42:00.004-06:00

Let me start by saying that I did not take this picture (I was 5 at the time), but it is my absolute favorite one of Cameron and Ryan.

It was nice to go back to a day when vampires did not glitter in the sunlight or get slayed by supernatural teenage girls (not that I have not enjoyed both of those contemporary vampire twists). Reading Rice's novel, it was easy to see where all the modern vampire hype got its start. Thanks to Chase for the loan.

Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott

2010-12-16T09:08:00.005-06:00

Is it so wrong to laugh when you think about faith? Or to consider that God's standards of loving you are incredibly low (mostly it's about showing up and trying)? Or realizing that you aren't the only person who thinks this way? I found this book at Burke's Bookstore last Saturday afternoon, tucked away in a corner of the theology section waiting for me. It got me through my paper writing, exam grading week and a half with some light-hearted humor, introspective prodding, and the reminder that this too shall pass.

If you have never read any of Anne Lamott's more spiritual work, I highly recommend it. Start with Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith; Plan B is its sequel. If you have book borrowing privileges with me (which is pretty much everyone; I fear I may be too trusting with my books), feel free to ask for a loan.

I took this photo with my new Diana lomo lens. The plastic lens distorts the light and makes colors more vibrant. Like Lamott, I find the outdoors to be one of the easiest places to have a conversation with God.

Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential by Dan Pallotta

2010-12-14T22:06:00.004-06:00

Yuck. Ech. Awfulness.

This book was absolutely terrible. If you have been following along, you know that I hardly ever come down harshly on a book. This book, however, sucks. I think Pallotta wrote this book to justify the enormous salary he was making as a nonprofit CEO before his charity folded. I think that he says controversial statements with no actual solutions (other than to have the courage to dream our biggest dreams). I think he would have a love affair with capitalism if it was personified. And I think his writing style is one the most gosh-awful ones I have ever read (constantly using increasingly bizarre metaphors and placing your "key points" in italics is distracting not helpful).

Yes, new ideas need to enter the nonprofit sector. Yes, current efficiency standards are lacking. Yes, there are changes that can be made to make the system more effective. No, Dan Pallotta is not the nonprofit savior.

In the interest of fairness, I should say that just about everyone in my Theory and Practice of Nonprofit Administration class disagreed with me. The majority thought he raised great points, and some students were actually fawning over him. I will say that he made me think, but I also could not get past the horrendous writing.

Writing all this down has been cathartic. Maybe now I can write my final paper without having to fight the urge to hurl the book across the room. I think the picture of the vomiting computer adequately sums up my feelings about this book.

Binder O' Assorted Readings by various authors in academic journals

2010-12-14T21:54:00.001-06:00

Meet my binder o' assorted readings that I read this semester for HIST7060. We had different professors come in most weeks and spend the first hour and a half of class discussing the study of women and gender in their particular field. Most of them assigned at least 3 readings. Not all of the readings are in here because by the end of the semester I deemed the binder too heavy to lug around. I know this isn't a book, but I spent so much time reading all of these articles that I decide they count. Yeah, grad school's fun.

What a Woman Ought to Be and to Do: Black Professional Women Workers during the Jim Crow Era by Stephanie J. Shaw

2010-12-14T21:52:00.003-06:00

I really liked this book. Shaw takes these women and explains how their parents and communities taught them who they should be as African American women. They were not educated in spite of being black women; they were educated because they were black women. She also does a good job contrasting this ideal of womanhood with the reality they faced once their education was finished. I also liked that this discussion was the first one in which I know I participated well. Corner turned.

I read this book back in November. Same old story about being backlogged that I will not bore you with again.

Founding Mothers and Fathers: Gendered Power and the Forming of American Society by Mary Beth Norton

2010-12-05T17:00:00.001-06:00

405 pages.............

This book was assigned to coincide nicely with Thanksgiving. You know what I'm thankful for? Not having lived in colonial America.

Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver

2010-12-05T16:59:00.003-06:00

I could not fall asleep the other night so I took the time to finish this book, which happens to have been sitting by my bed 2/3rds of the way read since August. To be honest, it is not Kingsolver at her best. Pigs in Heaven is the sequel to Bean Trees, which I read on the plane to Brazil a year and a half ago. The story seemed solid at first, but the ending felt forced, like it was not really what the characters wanted to do. Maybe Turtle and Taylor should never have left Arizona in the first place.

Part of the reason I like reading Kingsolver's books is because I distinctly remember the people who suggested I read them and who I passed the books off to in turn. I grabbed The Poisonwood Bible from a friend's apartment three summers ago and read it in 36 hours because I could not put it down. This summer I found a copy of it at the library used book sale and bought it for a quarter to give to my grandmother. A camp counselor told me to read Bean Trees when I was 15, but I didn't pick it up until I saw it at a used book store a week before I left for Brazil. I left my copy in Brazil with Rahel, the German Ph.d candidate we helped with field research, because she wanted something to read that was in English. I read Animal Dreams last year on the way to California with my mom. I gave it to her when I was finished. She liked it so much that she bought Pigs in Heaven and then passed it along to me. Last April, I walked into an apartment to see a friend reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle for a final paper. I mentioned that I would like to read it, and she told me to come back in two days and she would give it to me.

When I think about the cycle of getting and giving Kingsolver's books, I am reminded of the very different people in my life. Some are still a presence; others I have not talked to in years. Regardless, it makes me think about the network to which I belong when I realize how a suggestion from a counselor at Camp Marymount led to a book being given to a German student living in Brazil six years later. It is just one of those things that makes me pause.

Music and Revolution: Cultural Change in Socialist Cuba by Robin D. Moore

2010-12-05T16:57:00.004-06:00

What do son, timba, and nueva trova have in common? They are all forms of Cuban music, and all genres of music I had never heard before class two weeks ago. That's a benefit to reading a book about music, to discuss it in class, you have to listen to it!

Song of Songs

2010-12-05T16:56:00.004-06:00

The night before John and Amanda's wedding, I was hanging out with the bridesmaids at the apartment. We got to talking about the readings for the wedding and how one of the options was from Song of Songs. One of the people who had read it laughed a little and mentioned how that would have been an interesting choice. Post-discussion, I figured I should read it. It was my first foray into Biblical poetry and might I just say, "Wow."

Imposing Decency: The Politics of Sexuality and Race in Puerto Rico, 1870-1920 by Eileen J. Suarez Findlay

2010-12-05T16:55:00.004-06:00

My book about turn of the century Puerto Rican prostitutes. I really enjoyed the shock value when people asked me what I was reading. Short version: Class was linked to race; concepts of sexuality and honor varied by class. To be white meant to be elite and honorable. To be black meant to be working class and disreputable. What color your skin was did not necessarily determine which group you belonged to because they were social as opposed to biological concepts. Who do you think the prositutes were?

(Get it? The buildings in Chicago are imposing. I finished reading this book in October, but I have been struggling with how to take a picture for a book about prostitution and war. Not that this lame stretch is much, but it's better than nothing.)

Essence of World Religions: Unity in Diversity by Pravin K. Shah

2010-12-05T16:48:00.003-06:00

This book is another one that I started reading years ago and just now finished (for the same, pre-sleep reasons). I bought it from a Jainist at the Ghandi-King Conference my freshman year at CBU. I think by this point I have probably read all of it twice since I skipped around, but I finally finished the book from cover to cover. It is intended as a brief overview of major world religions and includes a nifty comparison chapter on Eastern and Western religions. My favorite part was a reading a Jainist's interpretation of Christianity. Sometimes you learn the most about yourself by looking through someone else's eyes.

I also feel like I should mention that I finished reading this book at the end of September. I just never got around to taking a picture for it.

Gay L.A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians by Lillian Faderman and Stuart Timmons

2010-11-28T15:56:00.004-06:00

When I first saw that one of two books I had to read this week was 360 pages long, I was not amused. However, this book is incredibly readable and, frankly, fascinating. If this topic interests you, you should definitely give it a read (or if you are friends with me, borrow my copy). It reads like popular history, which means it is full of anecdotal stories and is meant for a general audience. It was a nice break from reading some of the truly stodgy ones I have been going through as of late. Don't get me wrong, I love reading history (hence the current path I am on), but some authors are completely oblivious at how to make their books enjoyable. Thankfully, these two writers do not fit into that category.

A note about the picture:
It is interesting to me that people choose to discriminate against others because they are "weird" or different. Everyone's weird. And everyone has something about them that can be targeted by someone else. Stop the name calling; all it causes is hurt.

Fighting for American Manhood: How Gender Politics Provoked the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars by Kristin L. Hoganson

2010-11-14T21:25:00.005-06:00

It's a book about how gender was an important aspect of the US's decision to get involved in Cuba and the Philippines. Everyone wanted to be manly and promote the virility and fraternity that war supposedly fosters. It had fun cartoons of Uncle Sam as an old woman.

In my mind football has always been equated with guys. I don't think there were any gender politics at work at this game though, just lots of friends having fun.

Latin American Popular Culture: An Introduction Edited by: William H. Beezley and Linda A. Curcio-Nagy

2010-11-14T21:19:00.004-06:00

YES! A book about popular culture! It was a collection of essays about topics ranging from Mexican cookbooks and the creation of national identity to the roots of Brazilian samba. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The picture is of graffiti in Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. I'm now falling back on pictures that I have taken over the past couple of years since I am currently without the time or creative powers to take new ones.

Everyday Life and Politics in Nineteenth Century Mexico: Men, Women, and War by Mark Wasserman

2010-11-05T12:44:00.004-05:00

This book read like a meta-analysis of research on nineteenth century Mexico, which meant it lacked clear citations. Wasserman says his themes include the struggle of common people to control their everyday lives, the dominant factor of external war in economic and political developments, and the transformation of gender relations. He barely touched on the last topic, which makes me wonder why authors sometimes stress in their introductions that they are going to talk about something when they only mention it in passing. Seems like a strange strategy.

In Defense of Honor: Sexual Morality, Modernity, and Nation in Early-Twentieth Century Brazil by Sueann Caulfield

2010-10-31T19:06:00.004-05:00

Caulfield uses "deflowering" (a.k.a. seduction) cases from early twentieth century Rio de Janeiro to address the topics of sexual morality and nation building. It is truly amazing what people will latch onto in order to keep gender and racial hierarchies intact.

To Be a Slave in Brazil 1550-1888 by Katia M. De Queiros Mattoso

2010-10-27T14:00:00.003-05:00

Putting time limits on historical phenomena is an interesting concept. Slavery certainly existed in Brazil prior to 1550; 1550 just marks when the slave trade started in earnest. [Basically, I like this picture (from Chicago) and wanted to make it work for this book.] Mattoso examined the social aspect of slavery by looking at how slaves interacted with each other, their masters, and freed slaves. The problem was that she did not use footnotes or endnotes, which made her conjectures seem a bit ungrounded. I read this one as part of my oral report for class last night. It was for more than half of my grade so hopefully it went well.

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott

2010-10-13T13:37:00.005-05:00

I found this book in the $1 section at Borders four years ago. I read half of it then and picked it up again a month ago. I like reading before I fall asleep at night, but I am in no way alert enough at that point in the day to do (more) school reading. Thus, I needed something I could read 2 pages of at a time and not feel compelled to finish in a timely manner. Hence, the book I started four years ago. If I liked and/or understood geometry this book probably would have held my attention better given that it is basically a mathematical thought experiment. Although, looking through the lens of all the feminist theory I've been studying, the book is an intriguing take on women's role in British society circa 1884. Interesting that women can never be any shape other than a straight line and should be educated so they can be controlled.

Afro-Latin America 1800-2000 by George Reid Andrews

2010-10-08T10:19:00.006-05:00

I think this book is my favorite one I have read for this class to date. That might be due to the fact that Andrews draws heavily on examples from Brazil to develop his argument that Afro-Latin Americans have played a critical role in transforming the social, political and cultural life of Central and South America (9). That makes sense considering Brazil by far has the largest black population in Latin America due to its heavy reliance on and late disavowal of the slave trade. I especially liked his explanations of the development and appropriation of Afro-centric and Afro-derived cultural traditions. Hopefully, centuries from now (if the planet hasn't been completely trashed), the human population will have moved beyond race. After all, they're just colors.

The Limits of Racial Domination: Plebeian Society in Colonial Mexico City, 1660-1720 by Douglas Cope

2010-10-08T10:15:00.005-05:00

Why can historians not seem to keep their book titles succinct? Cope had a really fascinating take on the racial politics of colonial Mexico City. Basically, he argues that the plebeian subculture limited Hispanic ability to control castas (racial mixed people) through racial ideology. Race had real meaning because it delineated individuals' social networks, but "passing" as another casta group was only an issue if one was trying to break into the closed world of the Hispanic elite.

Public Lives Private Secrets: Gender, Honor, Sexuality, and Illegitimacy in Colonial Spanish America by Ann Twinam

2010-09-24T17:58:00.004-05:00

In a way, it is a book about sex in colonial Latin America, but it is really more about the consequences for all of the people involved. Men and women paid for sexual indiscretions differently, illegitimate children were stained without honor, and people paid large sums of money to have the crown award them legitimacy. Fascinating really.

Feminist Theory from Margin to Center by bell hooks

2010-09-19T15:03:00.011-05:00

Ok, I have some issues with this book. That may stem from the fact that I happen to be middle class and white, exactly like the people hooks thinks is the problem in the feminist movement. It is difficult to read chapter after chapter that are down on white women. That being said, she does have some valid and interesting points. For example, she sees racism, classism and sexism as interconnected problems. She is abrasive and revolutionary, but she brings a necessary angle to the debate. Maybe some day race will not make a damn bit of difference.

Genealogical Fictions: Limpieza de Sangre, Religion, and Gender in Colonial Mexico by María Elena Martínez

2010-09-19T15:03:00.009-05:00

Copied directly from my weekly paper: Martínez’s book examines the emergence of the concept of limpieza de sangre, traces its exportation to Mexico, and studies the way the system changed to become more secularized. The reliance on transatlantic institutions to prove purity claims kept the system from dying out in Spain and reinforced its importance in Mexico. Limpieza de sangre was intimately tied to religion and gender but was never a monolithic concept.

Limpieza de sangre=purity of blood

For Glory and Bolívar: The Remarkable Life of Manuela Sáenz by Pamela Murray

2010-09-09T23:54:00.003-05:00

Remarkable was a good word choice to describe la Libertadora. Her relationships with powerful men (such as Bolívar) put her in a position to have a certain amount of influence in Latin America's "Age of Revolution." She might not have been a transvestite, but she certainly challenged gender roles and social conventions in her own way.

Modern Latin America by Thomas Skidmore and Peter Smith

2010-09-09T23:49:00.004-05:00

I got my syllabus for my Latin America Historiography class, and it had a section saying that if I did not have a background in Latin American history, I needed to read one of the listed books to get an overview. So I borrowed this book from my professor and spent many hours learning about the period from independence up through the early 21st century. General trends: economies went wonky, much coffee was grown and politics were tumultuous. Latin America is fascinating.

Sovereignty and Revolution in the Iberian Atlantic by Jeremy Adelman

2010-09-03T15:32:00.004-05:00

Let me start by saying I have no real background in Latin American history, and this book is definitely not the one to read if you are a casual reader of history. Not at all. Adelman focuses on economics and politics and the roles they played in Latin American sovereignty before and during the revolutions. There was much discussion of merchants and boats. It seems like he is developing the historiography of the subject, but I do not think that you can get a clear picture of the topic while ignoring social history and half of the population. Women were there too, man.

Graduate School

2010-09-03T15:21:00.003-05:00

It's official. I'm back in school. This fact has a couple of implications for this project:

- My reading is getting very topical. For example, trying to figure out how to take pictures for eleven books that are all about Latin American history is going to be interesting. I suggest you check back to see my creativity (or lack thereof--we'll see which wins).
- It is going to take me a bit more time to put up pictures. In the past there has not been much lapse between me reading and me posting. Oh, how times are changing!

So if you find yourself wondering, "What exactly does a graduate student do with her time?" feel free to check in and see the fascinating books I will be reading.

The Claddagh Ring by Malachy McCourt

2010-08-27T18:38:00.004-05:00

I feel like I need to take a shower to get the saccharine tackiness off of me. I went to the library specifically to borrow this book because I love cultural traditions...and claddagh rings. I think they are beautifully wrought, and I was planning on giving one to a certain guy for a certain day, but first I wanted to make sure the tradition was what I thought it was. You know how writers sometimes end chapters or books with a lingering phrase that is meant to make you pause and consider what you have have been consuming? Well if you ever wondered what it would be like to read something where every sentence attempts to do that, then give this one a read. I have never been so disappointed in a book in my life. It takes mad butchering skills to take such a potentially great subject and turn it into drivel.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

2010-08-12T12:12:00.008-05:00

I really like dystopia novels, especially when they are imbued with a healthy dose of satire. Atwood seems to be asking what happens when people keep trying to outdo nature and turn a handsome profit in the meantime. For every spliced gene and animal re-combination, the consequences cause more problems that keep the cycle circling closer to a fully unstable point. Do not get me wrong, I think scientific inquiry and invention are wonderful and have an incredible amount of potential. Still, I cannot help but think that at some point humans may go too far and be unprepared for the fallout.

"Why is it he feels some line has been crossed, some boundary transgressed? How much is too much, how far is too far."

Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S.C. Gwynne

2010-08-10T10:04:00.007-05:00

People have a tendency to ask me how I can possibly enjoy reading history. Here is an attempt at an answer. History is fascinating because it is not a static subject but rather one that raises as many questions as it answers. Then there is the additional fact that there is so much to learn. There is always a subject waiting in a book that can introduce you to an aspect of life on this planet that you knew nothing about. I had never given Comanches or their place in America's "manifest destiny" any thought before I read this book. I had no concept of the brutality of Plains Indian warfare or the bitter reality the last of the free bands were forced to face. Thanks to Steve for handing me this book as a break from that angry one I am trudging through.

The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon

2010-08-01T22:03:00.004-05:00

Weird book.

The Postman by Antonio Skármeta

2010-08-01T22:01:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite things to do is to let a book choose me. I aimlessly wander the stacks at the library and judge books solely on their covers or titles. I skim the back and then let myself make a snap judgment: to read or not to read. Of course this method has varying success. It has led me to some of my all-time favorite reads (such as The Scarlet Pimpernel) and to some that have been so unbearable that I stop reading halfway through. I rarely pick books in this manner since I always have a long mental list things I want to read. But on those weeks when every day feels like the one before, a bit of spontaneity in the form of reading is the quickest way to fix the problem. The Postman is simple; just the kind of book I needed.

Bee Season by Myla Goldberg

2010-07-28T21:53:00.004-05:00

R-I-V-E-T-I-N-G

This book was in no way what I expected. Goldberg has a unique style and is as gifted a storyteller as anyone I have read. No one in Eliza's family is left unmarked by bee (as in spelling bee) season. I closed the book with a silent cheer for Eliza and a sigh of relief that I have never been a good speller.

Feminist Theory: The Intellectual Traditions by Josephine Donovan

2010-07-28T21:52:00.008-05:00

Whew. This book, a read for Women and Gender Historiography, marked my first one for graduate school. *Pause for overly dramatic mental applause.* It took me three weeks to finish it, which is why I read it over the summer instead of waiting for classes to start. Honestly, I do not think I am cut out for intellectual history; it bears too much in common with philosophy. Thanks to Chase, my favorite extreme religion/philosophy, emphasis-on-philosophy major, for explaining the details of existentialism to me.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams

2010-07-25T17:54:00.008-05:00

I like taking a break from novels and history to read plays. There's something very satisfying about knowing that you can sit down with one and finish it in two hours. Alas, it also leaves you with the feeling that you need to see it on stage to get the full effect. In my humble and, frankly, uninformed opinion, I think this play is Tennessee Williams at his best. You can almost feel the tension when you turn the pages.

The picture is a scan of a photo I took on a disposable camera back in my Camp Marymount days. I tried to find a picture of Tin Roof cabin, but I had to settle for one of the senior camp lodge pre-facelift. One of the many things for which I can thank camp is for introducing me to the tranquility of falling asleep to the sound of rain plopping on a tin roof.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

2010-07-16T10:39:00.003-05:00

“Because for some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.”

I love the way Anne Lamott writes, so reading about how she writes seemed like a no brainer. Even though the type of writing we do is vastly different (my "characters" are not composites--historical writing does not lean that way), her take on the way writing sucks but is rewarding at the same time is damned true and good to hear from somebody else. Thanks to my dad for letting me read his Christmas present (from me) before he got a chance to. (All I'm saying is that I gave it a good five months of shelf time before I picked it up...)

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

2010-07-14T22:06:00.004-05:00

I have always wanted to read Amy Tan, but I just never seemed to get around to it. There was always something else to read that seemed to bump her from her place on my mental list of books to read. Enough was enough, however, and when I saw this book sitting on a shelf for fifty cents, I realized it was time. I just wish I had not waited so long. Between the mother/daughter dynamic, the strength of the mother, the cunningness of the aunt, the introduction to a new culture, and the new perspective on World War II, I had a hard time putting this book down. I love the imagery of incense carrying prayers off toward heaven. I also love that many religions/cultures have the same idea. It makes the world feel a little smaller and more familiar.

Sorry about the graininess of this picture. The only way to capture the incense smoke was with a high ISO, which in turn led to the increased noise. Also contributing to the problem was the fact that I used my point and shoot instead of my DSLR. I'm also going to go ahead and apologize for not posting more. That would be because I'm not reading as much lately. You see, I finally discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer and have literally been watching the seasons on Netflix for hours.

The Basque History of the World by Mark Kurlansky

2010-07-08T16:42:00.005-05:00

"Garea gareana legez."--Let us be what we are.

Basque culture and history are fascinating, and if you do not agree, it is probably because you have not fully looked into the subject. The sheer fact that this nation without a state has managed to survive Roman conquest, the dividing of Europe, and Franco is reason enough to want to learn about them. Add to that their unique language and culture and how could you not be intrigued? Granted I did not know any of these things before I read Kurlansky's book. For me, the bad press Basque separatists have gotten over the years as terrorists in the world media is what made me start asking questions. I hope someday I will be able to visit Euskal Herria, see the ikurriña flying, and walk by the Guernica oak tree.

NB-I do not think that the Guernica tree is a post oak, but I was working with what I had in my backyard.

Enlightenment by Maureen Freely

2010-07-06T20:51:00.004-05:00

I am still not sure what to make of this book. I hated it at first because it seemed so scattered, but I eventually realized that was all part of the plan. By revealing facts slowly and out of order, Freely was able to give the reader a sense of the confusion of being an outsider in Cold War and contemporary Turkey. At times the two American protagonists seemed to combine into one person with a singular purpose, which I believe the author also meant to have happen. By halfway through the novel, I was compelled by the story and itching to know why no one would tell a straight story. The afterword, written by Suna, a minor-turned-major character/Turkish sociologist with always hidden motives, answered as many questions as it confused. I closed the book still wondering what exactly had happened, which I suspect is how Freely wanted me to feel. As an outsider, I will never be able to completely understand the situation, no matter how many pages back I turn or questions I ask, just like Miss M. Freely sure was good at controlling this reader's emotions.

Dawn by Elie Wiesel

2010-06-30T22:20:00.009-05:00

Dawn follows the thoughts of eighteen-year-old Elisha, a Hasidic Jewish survivor of Buchenwald, on the night before he is to execute a British officer in Palestine. The event is to take place at dawn, leaving Elisha an entire night to think about the moment that will permanently change him into a murderer. For me, the most striking moment was when the ghosts of his past joined him in the room to remind him that by becoming a murderer he was also making them, the people who had contributed to the man he had become, murderers as well.

These photographs are ones that I took last summer in the Brazillian cerrado. The first one was taken around 5:00 AM; the last one was around 6:00AM.

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

2010-06-30T22:14:00.007-05:00

I found this play jammed amongst other classics at the library booksale. Since I've heard/read it referenced in several places, I figured it was worth a read. It was my first absurdist play, and I believe it may be my last.

As an aside, this post marks book number fifty for the calendar year. If you care to recall, I estimated that I would read that number in twelve months. Through some happy turns of events, I have been able to embark on some much needed self-education during these first six, which has meant much reading of very different types of books. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your attitudes toward formal education), this period is about to end, and my reading will become much more topically focused as I start my graduate program. Some of my books for my first semester recently arrived in the mail, which means that my somewhat carefree novel and nonfiction reading will be curbed. However, there is still much "pictorial literature" to come; the pace and variety might just slow down a bit come August.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

2010-06-22T22:15:00.003-05:00

"The heaviest of burdens crushes us, we sink beneath it, it pins us to the ground. But in love poetry of every age, the woman longs to be weighed down by the man's body.The heaviest of burdens is therefore simultaneously an image of life's most intense fulfillment. The heavier the burden, the closer our lives come to the earth, the more real and truthful they become. Conversely, the absolute absence of burden causes man to be lighter than air, to soar into heights, take leave of the earth and his earthly being, and become only half real, his movements as free as they are insignificant. What then shall we choose? Weight or lightness?"

Good question. Thanks to Gayle Katz for donating this book to the Friends of the Library booksale where I picked it up for a quarter. Your eco-friendly action introduced me to a very different type of literature.

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

2010-06-17T18:06:00.005-05:00

Love stories are intriguing. There are the sentimental, sappy ones that a reader could never take at face value. Then there are the ones filled with unhappiness and suffering. And of course there are the ones that are more about lust than love. Only rarely does an author manage to combine the three in a way that can leave a reader feeling satisfied. Márquez manages to tell the stories of Fermina Daza and Florentino Ariza in such a way that neither is presented as completely a sinner or perfectly a saint. He characterizes them as unique people whose lives took very different paths that eventually led them to each other, although not exactly how one of them planned. It has been a while since I read a novel that captured my imagination so completely. It is no mystery to me why Márquez won a Nobel Prize in Literature.

The Southern Belle Primer: Or Why Princess Margaret Will Never Be a Kappa Kappa Gamma by Maryln Schwartz

2010-06-16T22:05:00.005-05:00

I do not belong to the correct socio-economic class to be considered a Southern belle; however, there are aspects of Southern culture that will stay with me no matter where I live. I will always think sweet tea is God's gift to make summer more bearable. I know that "hot" does not start until the heat index starts creeping into the upper nineties (although it is time to start "buying the air" in mid-April). Eating sliced tomatoes at dinner is a summer staple, and you have to be careful what you say because everyone seems to be related to everyone. Most importantly, I know that to show proper respect, you tack a sir or ma'am onto everything.

This book was silly on purpose, and presented a picture of the Old South that focused on teas, Junior League, silver patterns, and sororities at Ole Miss. My favorite part was the pictures of the "royalty"--from Memphis Cotton Carnival to Natchez Pilgrimage (always a guilty pleasure). I found this book for 25 cents at the Friends of the Library Booksale and thought it would give me a chance to look at my region from a new perspective. I now know for sure that I am not a Southern belle (thank goodness), but I love my region's quirks all the same.

The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela

2010-06-16T18:43:00.003-05:00

¡La Revolución!‎

Azuela wrote his short novel while living in El Paso after having fled Mexico during the revolution. His story is filled with circular irony and the constant questions of for whom and for what Demetrio's rebels are fighting. As with most revolutions, there are no easy answers, only questions that lead to more questions as the revolution consumes its own. As Quail put it after learning of Pancho Villa's defeat, "What the hell, boys! Every spider's got to spin his own web now!"

The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey by Ernesto "Che" Guevara

2010-06-16T18:26:00.005-05:00

The little that I knew about Che before reading his autobiographical account was certainly colored by the context in which I was learning (that context being the post-Cold War United States). I wanted to give Che a chance to speak for himself, and what struck me the most is how similar we are. He made the notes that became this book when he was 24, loved to travel, and was still full of his youthful idealism. Without delving into my own politics (because I do not feel they have any place here), suffice it to say that I understand the spirit that motivated him.

Thanks to Chris Peterson for the loan.

I Am the Clay by Chaim Potok

2010-06-09T21:17:00.006-05:00

Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. Thou art the potter, I am the clay.

This book is very different from the other Chaim Potok novels I have read. Instead of focusing on Jewish family life, this story follows a boy left orphaned by the Korean War. Ancestor worship and appeasement of spirits play a central role in the characters' lives, and the boy's "magic" comes to bring his new, odd family together. It left me wondering who was the potter and who was the clay.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

2010-06-04T14:31:00.004-05:00

So it goes.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

2010-05-29T11:04:00.003-05:00

So I'm exactly the type of person Kingsolver was talking about in her book. The one who has no idea when certain foods are in season (with the exception of tomatoes). I also do not know where my food is grown and prefer not to think about the lives my meat led before turning up on my plate. Her memoir about eating locally for a year was eye-opening and horizon-broadening to say the least. I am not sure if I can become a truly dedicated locavore, but I do know that my attitudes about what I eat are changing. Since it is blueberry season in this part of the South, I think I will go enjoy lots of them right now.

Major thanks to Kristi for introducing me to this book and giving it to me after she finished her paper for her Spirituality and Ethics of Eating class.

Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer

2010-05-29T10:57:00.004-05:00

Parasites are terrifying, interesting, and oddly enjoyable to read about. There are ones that castrate crabs (Sacculina carcini), ones that explode red blood cells (Plasmodium falciparum, commonly known as malaria), and ones whose larvae chew their way out of caterpillars (Copidosa floridanum). They have even influenced evolution and human culture. (It is possible that the symbol for medicine, the caduceus, is reminiscent of the cure for guinea worms.)

Zimmer ends the book with a disturbing thought; what if humans are the parasites on the face of the earth? Parasites are only as successful as they can learn to do minimal harm and keep their host alive. As he puts it, "If we want to succeed as parasites, we need to learn from the masters." I could not agree more.

Bonus for anyone who actually is reading this summary: NY Times op-ed contributor recently posted this about parasites. And thanks to Terry for the loan.

Memphis in the Twenties by Robert A. Lanier

2010-05-28T13:32:00.005-05:00

It is difficult to know where you are going unless you know where you have been. Memphis, it seems, has been just about everywhere, and the Commercial Appeal has covered it all. The Twenties were an interesting time for the city with colorful local characters, a construction boom, massive flooding, segregation, political corruption, and Prohibition. The city also became nationally renowned for having a very high murder rate. (Some things just do not change.) I read this book for work, but it had the added bonus of making me appreciate my quirky city a bit more.

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

2010-05-20T16:24:00.003-05:00

I thought this book was going to be supremely hokey. Supremely, extremely hokey in fact. I could not have been more wrong. Spiritual autobiographies are unique beasts, and Gilbert makes it very clear that what works for her will not work for everyone. However, I too find myself compelled by her desire to find what is best in multiple types of spirituality and combine them into what works. I am not sure what my combination is yet, and I have no plans on abandoning my faith. Nevertheless, I can say with certainty that I no longer believe being a "cafeteria Catholic" is a bad thing...and I really believe God feels the same way.

The picture is of Smathers Beach in Key West, Florida.

Clarence Saunders: The Piggly Wiggly Man by Mike Freeman

2010-05-20T14:04:00.005-05:00

OK, this one's for work. I am doing a research project at the museum, and I found this piece derived from the author's thesis in the museum library. There's so much more to Saunders than reading a few panels will let you know. Depending on your perspective, we can either thank him for making our lives more efficient or be angry that he was a leading force in the dehumanization of daily transactions. I guess it depends on if you are more of a glass-half-full or a glass-half-empty type.

Up in the Air by Walter Kirn

2010-05-20T13:56:00.008-05:00

I probably should not have read this book while traveling.

1.) It is not a beach read.
2.) Flying while reading about how traveling is making a man lose his mind seems twisted.
3.) The whole thing just feels WRONG.

Just from watching the previews, I am pretty sure the movie is only loosely based on the book. I saw the movie described as a comedy-drama, but there is not much overt humor in the book. Road warriors, my fervent wish for you is that you are nothing like Ryan Bingham.

Thanks to Cal for passing this one along.

Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett

2010-05-20T13:52:00.007-05:00

What I like about this story is the characters' perspectives. They show the intricities involved in life, and, for Rose, the way lies can compound and never fully disappear. It's like spider lines on broken glass; everything can be traced back to one decision.

Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster

2010-05-04T12:06:00.007-05:00

I am just going to say it; this book was not my favorite. On a perfunctory level, I do not like it when the main character has the same name as me. It is distracting. On a (slightly) deeper note, I do not think you have to go to a half-hidden town in Italy to find yourself or learn that women can be more than one dimensional (not that I am sure the leading man ever realized that). I will give Forster another try, but I doubt I will ever read this one again.

Angela, thanks for opening your bookshelf to me again!

The Chosen by Chaim Potok

2010-05-01T20:19:00.004-05:00

Danny, Reuven, Rav Malter, and Reb Saunders came into my life in the guise of assigned reading. That being said, they are the best forced friends that I have ever made. Danny's struggle with his father's silence and his place in his Hasidic community almost broke my heart. At some point we all question, conform, and restructure our lives. Danny and Reuven used their friendship to get through those struggles together. I just hope that I am that type of friend for someone.

The Promise by Chaim Potok

2010-04-28T15:45:00.003-05:00

(NB--This book is a sequel to a book I have not yet posted. I am have some logistical issues taking the picture for that one. It will be up soon.)

I was a bit relieved when I found out that I did not have to say goodbye to Reuven and Danny quite as soon as I had thought. This book is about the choices they make, professionally, personally, and academically as they struggle through the final spasms of their education and learn what it really means to grow up. Their problems mirror where I am in my own life, and I am thankful to Potok for addressing the topic seriously. This time I really am saying goodbye to the duo, although I will admit that I think these are friends I will continue to visit for a long time.

How to Be Good by Nick Hornby

2010-04-19T20:26:00.003-05:00

What does it mean to be good? When is charity no longer charity? Can someone who is good really be bad if they are not good enough? Weird spiritual conversions and living arrangements aside, I think Hornby struck upon something worth pondering. A lot of the book deals with a play on the words "how to be good," and at one point the husband and live-in spiritual guru begin to write a book with that title, which the main character decides she is going to need to read. The picture for this books is, well, less than creative. I'll do better next time.

I liked this quote about reading as well, "It is the act of reading I miss, the opportunity to retreat further and further from the world until I have found some space, some air that isn't stale..."

A Short History of the Jewish People by Raymond Scheindlin

2010-04-19T16:42:00.005-05:00

This book is done simply, the way I like to read history. I can trudge through primary documents, read historiographic overviews, and delve into the minute details of events just as well as your average undergraduate historian. Sometimes though, it is nice to just get a general overview.

As far as Jewish Memphis history goes, Seessel's grocery was a major family business in Memphis for decades until changing hands a few years ago. Started by immigrants in 1858 and still operating under the same name name during my childhood, the stores and delivery trucks were a part of many people's lives. Just shows that the Diaspora community is vibrant in Memphis as well as other places.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

2010-04-12T10:47:00.003-05:00

Don't panic, and don't forget your towel. I found the book much more enjoyable than the movie; the British humor comes across better in print. As a side note, I tried to break my humanoid fascination with digital watches a few years ago, but I frequently find myself with one strapped on my wrist in spite of my best intentions. What a backwards thing to do in such an enlightened galaxy as ours.

Hooked: Pirates, Poaching, and the Perfect Fish by G. Bruce Knecht

2010-04-11T20:14:00.003-05:00

Well...it is a book about fish. Chilean sea bass (a.k.a. Patagogian toothfish) to be exact. And illegal fishing. And a chase halfway around Antarctica in the name of economic exculsivity and environmental protection. And globalization.

And no to everyone who asked if I was reading this book for pleasure, although given my disparate literary tastes I can understand the questioning. As a matter of fact, I will need to think of something more intellectual to say about it for my critical book review for GS200.

As for the picture, this is an digitalized version of a sun print I made this afternoon. I took light sensitive paper, cut out different sized fish to lay on top of the paper under glass, and exposed to the sun for two minutes. After being cold rinsed and dried, this print was the result. Just a different way to do photography.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

2010-04-08T19:27:00.003-05:00

I will freely admit that the only reason I picked up this book was because it was one of those books that I "should have read" (and it was easily accessible on Terry's bookshelf). I am learning more and more that that is the worst possible reason to read anything. This one is such a boy book. It is no mystery to me why every girl who saw me reading it winced when they recognized the cover.

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

2010-04-08T19:23:00.004-05:00

Lewis amazes me. None of his books are the same, and each one seems to address a topic specific to my spirtual needs at the moment I read it. Thanks to Chase for the loan from his C.S. Lewis box set.

"If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven then we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell."

Lieutenant Nun: Memoir of a Basque Transvestite in the New World by Catalina de Erauso

2010-04-08T19:20:00.003-05:00

With a title like that, how could you not pick up this book? Dr. Herrera at FSU gave me this memoir as a "door prize" for coming all the way to Tallahassee. Catalina's story is intriguing for many reasons. She escapes a convent, goes to the New World, kills her brother, and meets the pope all in the early seventeenth century, a time when women NEVER did such things. The modern translation is good, but the colloquial English can be a bit distracting.

Back to the Sources: Reading the Classic Jewish Texts by Barry Holtz

2010-04-08T19:16:00.002-05:00

Certainly not a light read by any stretch of the imagination. The chapter on Talmud almost did me in. I got through all of it except for the chapters on Kabbalah and Hasidic writings though. I consider my worldview broadened in the best possible way.

Backlogged!

2010-04-08T16:02:00.003-05:00

Just in case anyone is actually reading this blog and is wondering if I suddenly stopped reading, don't be silly. I have been traveling seemingly ceaselessly for the past two and a half weeks, giving me lots of time to read but not much time to take photographs. Just wait though. Soon there will be an onslaught of pictorial literary genius. Or at least passable pictures and so-so evaluations.