The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson by Jerome Charyn

Title: The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson
Author: Jerome Charyn
Pages: 352
Published: 2010 W.W. Norton & Co.
Read For: Tribute Book Tours (thank you for the review copy!)
My Rating: 2.5 stars

I've been interested in Emily Dickinson in a moderate way for years.  The combination of the amount of poetry she wrote in the time she lived, with the reclusive manner in which she lived her life has always spoken to me of someone with an observant, reflective nature.  I have read some of her poetry in the past, despite the fact that I've never been a huge poetry enthusiast.  From everything I've read, I've understood her to have been plagued by some depression and melancholy spells due to the deaths of those around her, and largely known for her interest in gardening for much of her life.  This, however, seems to be a common misconception, according to Jerome Charyn. (If you are interested, compare the poem posted below with the author's comments on the YouTube video below.)

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching, 

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

It is apparent, from the title and cover of The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, that this is not a serious book--at least in the reflective, melancholy sense of the word.  Still, I thought the entertainment might be tempered by some insight into her life, that it would be a biographical novel, similar to those of Irving Stone but with a touch of humor.  What I found was more of an imagination, a re-creation if you will, of how her life could have been.  This re-created figure is light and lithe, not only in mind but in action.  She dares to buck authority and dreams only of adventure and romance. This poem displays her sense of humor, though it is rather an introverted variety:

I'm nobody! Who are you?

Are you nobody, too?

Then there's a pair of us--don't tell!

They'd banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!

How public, like a frog

To tell your name the livelong day

To an admiring bog!

Perhaps the thing I missed most in this book was the lack of inclusion of her poetry.  I think that this reflects that the intent of the author was an imagination rather than traditional representation, although even at this I think some her poetry would have given the book more credence.  Despite my recriminations, I can appreciate looking at an historical character in a non-traditional manner; this one was just a bit too lighthearted for my taste.  I never felt like I knew the Emily presented in this book, which is the one thing that should happen when reading The Secret Life of said person.  If, however, you are in the mood for a playful look at a woman ahead of her times, consider picking this up.

There is a review of this book by Joyce Carol Oates here, if you are interested.  Thanks again to Tribute Book Tours for providing me with a beautiful copy of this book!

Villette Read-Along: First Impressions

Chapters 1-5  (My copy of Villette is 657 pages of reading, and the first 5 chapters cover the first 57 pages.)

I mentioned earlier that the Villette Read-Along (hosted by Wallace at Unputdownables) is the first Read-Along I've joined...which means that this is the first time that I've put concentrated effort into forming thoughts about a book while I'm still in the process of reading it.  That's my disclaimer in case I'm going about this all wrong. :)

First impressions:

• PACE--These pages went by at lightning speed!  I was surprised, to tell the truth.  I remember the beginning of Jane Eyre being interesting, but I don't remember it flying by.  It sure would be nice if this continued, but with another 600 pages to go, it isn't likely.
• CHARACTERS--How did a Dickens character jump into a Bronte novel?  Is it just because I'm currently reading Our Mutual Friend that little Paulina seems to be straight up Dickens? "Relieved of her wrapping, she appeared exceedingly tiny; but was a neat, completely-fashioned little figure, light, slight, and straight.  Seated on my godmother's ample lap, she looked a mere doll; her neck, delicate as wax, her head of silky curls, increased, I thought, the resemblance."  The other characters so far are clear and pleasant, although we don't get to know them very personally, least of all Lucy Snowe, the narrator.
• WRITING STYLE--I'm enjoying the writing style so far.  It seems to be much lighter than Jane Eyre, the reflections have an airier quality almost.  I did have to reread the analogy of the ship at sea to make sure that I didn't miss any vital information, but other than that everything has been pretty straightforward.

Observations & Thoughts

I'm intrigued by Lucy Snowe.  I want to know more about her, but at this point I'm not sure that she'll ever really open up fully.  It's as if she is reserving her inner self to protect it from the readers somehow.  She didn't want to tell us about her family, or the tragedy that forced her into a life of service; she tells us what she sees, and sometimes what she thinks, but not really what she feels.  I'm hooked--let's read more!

True Grit by Charles Portis

Title: True Grit
Author: Charles Portis
Pages: 235
Published: 2010 The Overlook Press (orig. 1968)
My Rating: 4 stars

There has been a surge of reviews on this book since the new film came out, and I understand why.  I simply had to read this book after seeing the new film.  (I'm not one who minds seeing a movie before reading the book--most often if I like the movie, I like the book even more.)  I loved this film.  The acting, the setting, and especially the dialogue.  I haven't seen the old John Wayne movie, so I can't compare the two, but I can say that the recent one is a real treat.  Reading the book after seeing the movie didn't diminish my opinion of either one.  The film not only does a great job bringing the characters to life,  but follows the book quite closely.

True Grit is Mattie's story of how, when she was 14 years old, she sought to avenge her father's death.  It is told in her voice, and what a strong narrative voice she has.  Mattie takes herself pretty seriously, and the story is a serious one in many regards, although there is humor laced throughout, making it feel more comic than dramatic.  The part I had the most fun with was the dialogue--it is here that I found something truly unique (although the characters themselves were vivid and that was vital to the success of the story as well).  It was so much fun to hear the outdated speech patterns, I almost wanted to read it aloud.  The first line of the book might sound stilted, but if you take your time, put a voice to the lady telling the story, you can see that it is laden with character.

People do not give it credence that a fourteen-year-old girl could leave home and go off in the wintertime to avenge her father's blood but it did not seem so strange then, although I will say it did not happen every day.

There are very few contractions used in the speech, and it makes for interesting reading.  Contractions are such a part of speech patterns around me that it was a fascinating comparison.  I'm glad that I saw the movie before reading the book, because it allowed me to really hear the characters.  Passages in the book may have struck me as contrived or unrealistic if I didn't have such a good example of how it could really sound.

Mattie's voice and personality were strong and unique from beginning to end, and the pace never lagged for me.  Dialogue is not an area in writing that I'm used to being so entertained by, so this was a surprise and a delight.  I look forward to reading more Charles Portis in the future.

Nine Horses by Billy Collins

Title: Nine Horses
Author: Billy Collins
Pages: 144
Published: 2003 Random House (orig. 2002)
My Rating: 3.5 stars

I've done it!  I've made it through my first volume of modern poetry (not counting the children's poetry I read to my kiddos all the time) since this Literary Blog Hop.  Other than Willa Cather's April Twilights, which I read last year to kick off my personal goal to read Cather's published works, this really is the first serious attempt I've made to read grown-up poetry in just about forever.

I was hooked when I read the first poem: Night Letter to the Reader.  I read only a poem or two a day, not wanting to overload myself, but I still found that some of his poems just seemed to be alike.  I may have enjoyed it more if I had rotated with another poet, but I was a little afraid that if I did that, I wouldn't commit to finishing any one volume.

I was interested to find that, (like I mentioned on my Blog Hop post,) it was still the shorter poems that I enjoyed more.  There is just something about how condensed the thought becomes when it is fitted into few words that feels magical to me.  I loved this one:

No Time

In a rush this weekday morning,

I tap the horn as I speed past the cemetery

where my parents are buried

side by side under a smooth slab of granite.

Then, all day long, I think of him rising up

to give me that look

of knowing disapproval

while my mother calmly tells him to lie back down.

I still find myself waffling between loving poetry and not connecting with it.  However, I'm now at the point where it seems to be more a matter of finding the right poet, or the right poems from the right poets, than a like or dislike of poetry on the whole. There seems to be such a wide variety in poetic style, that sometimes I wonder how it all fits together.  How do I go about finding my niche?

Sometimes I feel like if the poem is understandable then it can't truly be poetry--meaning, of course, that all the poems I like are of lesser quality somehow--although that's an obvious misconception.  I simply encounter much more poetry I don't like than that I do like, and I haven't yet figured out if that is due to a poetry-immaturity on my part or a stylistic preference, or a combination of the two.  What do you think?  Do I just keep looking and plugging away at different poets and see what happens?  I'm currently working through Leavings by Wendell Berry, and haven't decided where to go next.  I'm considering  If There is Something to Desire by Vera Pavlova because the poems look short and sweet.  How do you keep up on newly published poetry?  Thoughts and advice are welcome!

The Big Reveal: Indie Lit Awards

The results are in!  The Independent Literary Award short lists have all been read, discussed, and we have our winners.  If you want to know what book to pick up next, take a look at this list:

GLBTQ

Winner: Annabel by Kathleen Winter

Runner Up: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green, David Levithan

Literary Fiction

Winner: Safe From the Sea by Peter Geye

Runner Up: Great House by Nicole Krauss

Non-Fiction

Winner: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Runner Up: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Speculative Fiction

Winner: Kraken by China Miéville

Runner Up: Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

Being involved in the awards process was a blast.  I loved seeing what books were being nominated, (I only wished I had some great books of my own to nominate--I'm working on remedying that this year,) and it was so exciting when the shortlists were decided upon.  Even the task of reading through the shortlist was great fun--what diversity we had in the Literary Fiction category!  If you are curious about the thoughts that went into making this final decision, check out the reviews of the other panelists/judges:

Safe From the Sea: my review, Write Meg, Fizzy Thoughts, Book Chatter
Great House: my review, A Guy's Moleskine Notebook, Book Chatter, Amused, Bemused and Confused

I'm glad I had the chance to get to know these fabulous book bloggers better, and read some the favorites from 2010.  Thanks to Peter Geye for writing such a great little book, and special thanks to the amazing Wallace for coming up with the idea in the first place and making it happen!


Now go get your hands on a copy of Safe From the Sea and tell me what you think!

For the Record: January 2011

What a great month for reading!  I got some books read that qualify for some of my challenges, and had some highly rated reads as well (apart from one that I could not finish, which shall remain nameless).  I felt like I read some real quality stuff this month.  My one regret is that I didn't get to read any nonfiction, so I'll definitely be aiming for some of that soon.

4 books were read for the Indie Lit Awards (I read Room in December):
  - Great House by Nicole Krauss --3.5 stars--
  - C by Tom McCarthy --3 stars--
  - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson --3 stars--
  - Safe From the Sea by Peter Geye --5 stars--

4 books qualified for various challenges I have going:
  - Persuasion by Jane Austen (from the authors of 2010's top 5) --5 stars--
  - The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (Newbery Award winner) --3 stars--
  - The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan (New Release) --5 stars--
  - The Road by Cormac McCarthy (Pulitzer Prize Winner, Back to the Classics Challenge) --4.5 stars--

And 5 more books beyond those (that I haven't posted reviews of yet):
  - True Grit by Charles Portis (I had to read this after seeing the new film) --4 stars--
  - The School Story by Andrew Clements (read aloud to my kiddos) --3.5 stars--
  - Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen (recommended by a friend) --3.5 stars--
  - Nine Horses by Billy Collins (poetry! yay me!) --3.5 stars--
  - Dragon Flight by Jessica Day George (read aloud to my girls) --4 stars--


Other posts in January:
  - First Lines of Pulitzer Prize Winners
  - Review of The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby
  - Hated Books from High School
  - Reading Interrupted: New Books!
  - Scattered thoughts about reading, tracking reading, and more new books
  - Books for my kids for Christmas
  - How I became a Reader
  - Review of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Dickens and Eliot and Bronte, Oh My!

I'm still in the process of reading Our Mutual Friend.  The one I swore I was going to finish in 2010 for my Fall Into Reading Challenge.  It is just so easy to set down and put away, so easy to ignore.  Why is that?  I enjoy reading it, but then I set it down and forget about it.  I'm now reading it through Daily Lit installments, which is actually going quite well.  Dickens in installments is rather enjoyable.  Who knew?  (Apart from simply everyone in the 19th century of course.)  This might be the only way I will end up being able to cross the scores of Dicken's novels off my list. (currently on page 315 of 822)

As if one big classic at a time wasn't enough, I threw George Eliot into the mix.  I have Daniel Deronda listed on my Back to the Classics challenge since I enjoyed the film adaptation and have been wanting to read it for quite a while, and figured that there was no way I'd be disciplined enough to finish it by June if I didn't do something about it now.  So I'm reading that through Daily Lit installments as well.  It isn't quite as great in installment form as Dickens is, but at least I'm making headway.  I figure that by the time I'm really able to pick it up in March or so, I'll already be halfway into it. (currently on page 163 of 737)

As if TWO big classics at a time weren't enough, I jumped all over the Villette read-along at Unputdownables.  I own Villette and have been wanting to read it for quite some time as well.  My short burst of reasoning before committing myself went something like this:  I've been wanting to read Villette, challenges don't create enough motivation for me, perhaps a read-long will.  I've never joined a read-along before, so I'm looking forward to it.  It sounds almost like a weekly book club meeting instead of a monthly one, what's not to like? There is a great group of readers that will be reading and posting on Villette during February and March, and I think there's still time to join!

And so I find myself in the middle of a rather chaotic conglomeration of classics.  Not my first choice in methods of reading books, but my first choice didn't work for me so well.  We'll see how this goes, and move on from there.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Title: The Road
Author: Cormac MacCarthy
Pages: 287
Published: 2007 Vintage Books (orig. 2006)
Read For: Back to the Classics Challenge, Pulitzer Challenge
My Rating: 4.5 stars

When the film adaptation of this book was released, I had no idea that it had begun as a book, and definitely no idea that it was a Pulitzer Prize winner.  All I knew was that the film looked creepy, and that dystopia was not my thing.  My husband went to see it without me, and I was perfectly fine with that.

And then I found out that it was a Pulitzer Prize Winner and I was agape for about three weeks.  I've loved the Pulitzers I've read, they have always been insightful and written well, and I've made it a personal goal to read them all at some point.  So The Road made it onto my TBR list.  When I made the further discovery that the author has some other amazing books out there, The Road jumped up quite high on my list.

I can't say that The Road was an enjoyable book to read.  How could a story of a father and son trying to survive a cruel wasted world be pleasant?  What was fascinating to me about this book was that the plot line was so very simple, the two main characters were only slightly developed, (you get to know their thoughts, but never their names.  There is no contemplating or bonding or making friendships with these poor distraught characters--they are in survival mode for goodness' sake!  No time to kick back and ponder!) the writing was sparse, and yet the setting was vivid and boy, was my heart pounding!  I recently posted the first line, but the syntax is brilliant and bears repeating.

When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him.

The only other quote from the book I took note of was on page 15.  After that I pretty much didn't breathe or blink until there were no more words for me to devour.

The blackness he woke to on those nights was sightless and impenetrable.  A blackness to hurt your ears with listening.

There were no dialogue tags in the book, so once or twice I had to reread a couple of lines to make sure I was sure of who was talking, but overall it didn't inhibit the reading experience.  If anything, it enhanced it because it made you aware that the attention wasn't solely on the conversation, the character's attention was elsewhere.  Many of the sentences were fragmented observations, which really served to set the mood as well.  In short, McCarthy's writing floored me.  I immediately found an excuse to drop by my local indie book shop and get my hands on another of his books (ended up with All the Pretty Horses) because I can't wait to read more of his writing.  I almost even want to see The Road in film format, but I don't know if I'm ready yet.  Maybe at some point the intensity will fade and I'll be up for the experience.

If all the books I've chosen for the Back to the Classics Challenge are this rewarding, I'm in for a great six months!