November 2007 - Page 2 of 3

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
by Anne Fadiman

Fadiman has written a fantastic book about the clash between two cultures met in the arena of medicine. In 1980 Lia Lee was born in the United States, daughter of a Hmong refugee family from the remote mountains of Indochina. At three months old, she developed symptoms of epilepsy. Her parents viewed this condition as indication that her soul had been stolen by a malevolent spirit. Her team of doctors at the Merced Community Medical Center prescribed medicine that could halt her seizures and enable her to grow up to live a relatively normal life. But her parents did not understand the doctors\’ diagnosis, disagreed with their treatment, routinely failed to administer her medications and preferred to treat her with traditional Hmong healing methods. Both the doctors and her parents cared deeply for Lia, but their complete failure to understand each other led to a disastrous series of events and tragedy.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is a skillful woven story built of Lia\’s complex medical case, her family\’s stubborn solidarity and an exploration into Hmong culture, history and folklore. The author has imbued it with patience and irony. It presents both sides of the story fairly, looking in equal depth at the doctors\’ concerns and the deep-rooted beliefs of the Hmong.

The final, precisely apt conclusion rings true:

\”If you can\’t see that your own culture has its own set of interests, emotions, and biases, how can you expect to deal successfully with someone else\’s?\” (p.261)

Rating: 4/5 341 pages, 1997

More opinions at:
Book Addiction
A Bookish Type

Tags: 4/5- Great Book, Current Reads, Nonfiction (general)

The Tie That Binds

by Kent Haruf

Holt, Colorado is the setting of The Tie That Binds, a dismal tale about a dysfunctional family of farmers. When the original homesteaders fail to make the farm thrive, their children inherit a bleak harsh life. The daughter Edith ends up taking on the brunt of responsibility, fulfilling her duty to her family, as unthankful as that was. In spite of the fact that I did not find the characters very likeable with their disagreeable dispositions and painful relationships, their faults make them very human and realistic. There was something admirable about their stoic nature in the face of challenges and bitter disappointments. I cannot imagine living such a grim, unrewarding life with an unforgiving family and came away from the book uncertain if I should condemn or could possible condole Edith\’s final actions that sealed the tragedy of this story.

It also made me think twice about my fantasies that rural life is mostly peaceful and rewarding. Haruf\’s portrait of life on the high plains shows a bitter struggle to make ends meet against cold winters and a faltering economy. It takes a strong will and spirit to continue against the odds, as Edith\’s family does in this book.

Rating: 3/5 246 pages, 1984

Tags: 3/5- Good Read, General Fiction, Past Reads

The Pilot\’s Wife

by Anita Shreve

I have come to realize, after reading a dozen or so popular books gleaned from booklists, that there are two types of writers I enjoy. The first are those who use words in a lucid, picturesque, poetic or simply beautiful manner. Language, the turn of a sentence and precise meaning of words are a work of art. These books are delicious to me. The second group are all about a fantastic story. They are master storytellers, manipulating emotions and plot twists in unexpected and startling ways. I don\’t savor these books, I gobble them. Even if I\’m not really enjoying the writing, I often feel compelled to finish because I just have to read the rest of the story! The best is when an author does both, then it\’s amazing.

Of the \”storyteller\” group, Jodi Picoult, Kent Haruf and Anita Shreve are some of the authors that come to mind. I have read a few books by each of them recently, and they were pretty good stories, but after several titles I had my fill.

The Pilot\’s Wife falls into this category. A woman dreads and finally meets the moment when her pilot husband goes down with his plane. As she deals with the aftermath of emotional turmoil caused by his death, the media and industry raise questions about her husband\’s activities. She uncovers an unwelcome truth: her husband was leading a double life. Determination leads her to uncover his secrets, despite the peace of mind it will cost her…

Rating 3/5 293 pages, 1998

Tags: 3/5- Good Read, General Fiction, Past Reads

Reading Lolita in Tehran

A Memoir in Books

by Azar Nafisi

Reading Lolita in Tehran is about a group of women in Iran who studied and discussed forbidden books with a university teacher in her home. It doesn’t really read like a memoir, and was not what I expected. I was picturing an intimate story about the women’s lives and interactions with each other, facilitated by their book group. What I got was a bunch of essays on Vladimir Nabokov, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James and Jane Austen, with asides to Saul Bellow, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Gustave Flaubert, the Bronte sisters and more; Iranian politics, religion and the oppression of women. Once I let go of my expectations, I did enjoy this book. It gave me a clearer picture of the Iranian perspective and attitudes toward Western culture. I remember thinking to myself at times: well, no wonder they see us that way! (Though I am well aware not all Iranians share the opinons depicted in the book).

My main criticism is that it jumps around a lot, moving from one subject to the next without much warning and going suddenly from the present back to Nafisi’s experiences at the beginning of the Revolution. This can get confusing and detract from the focus of the book. Also, it is a bit dry and can make you feel like you’re back in school; especially if you are unfamiliar with the books discussed. Due to the many works mentioned in this book, I have added more than a dozen titles to my TBR list, of classic literature I felt guilty for not having read yet!

Rating: 4/5

356 pages, 2003

Tags: 4/5- Great Book, Bios / Memoirs, Past Reads

Meme: Preservationist

Booking Through Thursday question from Conspiracy-Girl:
I’m curious how many of us write notes in our books. Are you a Footprint Leaver or a Preservationist?

I used to underline my favorite passages in books, and sometimes write notes in the margins. Not to mention putting my name in permanent marker across the top edges. Especially when I was in high school. I even used to underline in ink, so that flipping through the book I could quickly locate a quote I wanted. I don\’t do that anymore. I\’ve even gone back and erased what I could of books I had underlined in pencil, and begun to replace ones I had underlined with ink. I re-read my books often and prefer to see them with new eyes each time, instead of having my attention drawn to words I appreciated ten years ago but don\’t see so much in now, when something else is speaking to me… Instead of marking up my books, I keep a notebook by the bed where I jot down ideas and notes, as part of the log of books I\’ve read.

Tags: memes

The Dogs of Bedlam Farm

An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys and Me
by Jon Katz

Jon Katz moved with three border collies into an old farmhouse in upstate New York where he shared land with a bunch of sheep and a few donkeys (as you can see from the subtitle). A novice at livestock keeping, he plunged into the work with the help of his half-trained dogs and some friendly neighbors. Toiling through a bitter winter a bit unprepared, Katz came face to face with some of his limitations, to know himself and his dogs better than ever before.

Most of all, The Dogs of Bedlam Farm is about how dogs are what we make them. The trainer (or lack of training) does a lot to shape a dogs\’ behavior, demeanor and work habits. Katz realized that to have better dogs, he had to be a better person, because they were a reflection of himself. And so he begins a long struggle to do so, taking us along with him on the rough road to overhaul his spirit, with many mishaps, amusing adventures and new friends gathered along the way.

The personalities of the workaholic dogs, woolly sheep and two gentle donkeys shine though these pages full of reflections on life and descriptions of the land. This book was a joy to read, and inspirational as well.

Rating: 4/5 256 pages, 2004

Tags: 4/5- Great Book, Animals Nonfiction, Past Reads

Fast Sketching Techniques

by David Rankin

This has to be one of the best books on sketching that I have read yet. The author is an award-winning watercolor painter who graduated from Cleveland Institute of Art. He developed his sketching techniques while spending time in India, purposefully seeking better methods of productive drawing that would be useful for creating paintings back home. Besides many samples of drawings and exercises to do, the book covers topics such as the difference between drawing and sketching, how to draw faster, how to optimize use of photographs along with sketches, improving observation skills, making better compositions, maximizing productivity, how to capture a likeness of people or animals and much more! Fast Sketching Techniques is a great reference book for any artist who wants to improve their on-site drawing skills.

Rating: 4/5 144 pages, 2000

Tags: 4/5- Great Book, Art, Past Reads

Last Child in the Woods

Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
by Richard Louv

According to the author, in the past two generations, not only have areas available for children to play in nature decreased, but parents have been (intentionally or not) discouraging kids to play outdoors. Fears of injury, strangers, and all kinds of accidents that could result in lawsuits have resulted in laws, rules, and parental restrictions on kids\’ outdoor play. There is a serious lack of direct experience with local nature for them, unstructured play being replaced by organized sports, environmental learning being about places far away (like Africa) and attractions like video games and computers keeping them indoors. He argues that this lack of nature experience can have serious emotional and spiritual consequences. He presents studies that show how contact with nature can help children overcome depression, attention deficit disorder and obesity. Other studies show that hands-on nature education helps children develop skills in independence, critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. Finally, Louv presents a variety of ways parents, teachers and civic leaders can help children reconnect with local nature in a safe, creative and beneficial manner.

Based on research and countless interviews with children, parents and educators, Last Child in the Woods is a serious look at the current alienation many kids have from nature and the importance of \”reconnecting\” them. I did get a bit bogged down by all the statistics presented, but overall this is an excellent and thought-provoking book. Visit these this link for interviews with the author.

Rating: 4/5 310 pages, 2005

Tags: 4/5- Great Book, Nature, Nonfiction (general), Past Reads

Fingersmith

by Sarah Waters

In this winding tale of intrigue and fraud, Sarah Trinder is an orphan who grows up in a household of thieves in Victorian England. A suave con man convinces her to become involved in an elaborate scheme to obtain the inheritance of a gentlewoman named Maud. Sarah takes position as Maud’s maid, with the intent of helping the con man seduce Maud so he can marry her, get her inheritance, and then put her away in an insane asylum. But then Sarah finds herself becoming physically attracted to Maud, and determines to help her instead of follow the original plan. Even her new scheme with Muad, however, doesn’t go as expected… Fingersmith is well-written and compelling. However, I would prefer to do without the erotic love scenes. If it weren’t for that, I would certainly read more by this author.

Rating: 3/5

511 pages, 2002

More opinions at: Jenny’s Books
anyone else?

Tags: 3/5- Good Read, General Fiction, Past Reads

Cat Confidential

by Vicki Halls
I feel certain this is a good book, and I like reading about cat behavior, but it just isn\’t engaging me right now. There are others I am more eager to read, and flipping ahead after 40 pages nothing looked original or spectacular enough to keep me this time. I may open this book again somewhere down the road.

Abandoned 289 pages, 2005

Tags: 0/5- Abandoned, Animals Nonfiction

Month: November 2007

A Memoir in Books

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