I'm Still Attached

Some books just get you.  You start to read them and within the first few pages, you feel some sort of strange ethereal pull from the book that stays attached to you until you've read every.single.word.  And even longer, sometimes.  And you can't even read another book until your mind/body/soul have processed that book.  It just happens.  And those are great, great books.  I'm not convinced they have to be extremely well written (although they often are) or that the content has to be super intense (although it may be).  I am convinced, however, that the story told tells us a truth in a such a profound way that we can be changed by the book.  If we let ourselves.

I read Ragged Company  (Richard Wagamese) this past week.  My community does this great thing called One Book One Community where encourages all our local people to read the same book, whether on your own or in a group, and then hosts author events and discussions, etc.  The local paper is involved and the libraries are huge advocates.  I love it -- because I love community and I love people reading and they pick really great books.   This year, Ragged Company was the livre du jour.  And it totally got me.

The premise of the story is pretty simple: four homeless people win the lottery ($13.5 million) and, obviously, it changes their lives.  Feel good story of the year, right?  People escape the horrifying world of the street with the great salvation of money -- yay!  But the story. OH the story.  Quickly, and with a certain quietness, Wagamese starts telling a story that is much more profound than street life = bad; rich life = good. He weaves complexities and voices, circumstances and hearts into a rich tale that reveals that our potential lies in our ability to see and love others, rather than in our potential to possess and use wealth.  

And it isn't an easy read -- you  will cry and the images will haunt your heart.  But you will also learn.  I have spent (a little) time with people who live on the streets and the way Wagamese honours and tells their story moved me.  He tells painful, raw truth with a profound gentleness and beauty.  He holds pain in tension with love and does not, not, not wrap everything up nicely.  He tells us a truth that can change us; can change our perspective and our compassion.  

I keep wanting to pick up another book, but everything seems to futile just now.  I'm still attached to Ragged Company.  I need a few more days. 

 

Juliet, Czechs and the Saddest Book Ever

I like starting books when I know nothing about them -- it adds a sense of adventure to my literary travels.  Going on recommendations or just curiosity, I stumble into incredible worlds and stories that I might have steered away from had I read the back.  

So it was with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  The title gives away nothing and I walked in blind, joined by a few friends, to the world of Juliet Ashton.  Even though I highly recommend starting books without knowing exactly what to expect, I am going to give you a small snapshot of this book.

World War 2 has just ended and England is searching for footing, hope and stability after a long and arduous war.  Rationing, coupons and devastation still fill the air as author Juliet Ashton provides some relief through her light-hearted stories.  While searching for subject matter that goes deeper, she engages with a group on the small English Channel Island of Guernsey and...well, that's all you need from me.  

You know what I loved about this book?  It was so balanced.  It was funny, sweet, poignant, intruiging, heart breaking, devastating, challenging and witty.  I was captured in minutes.  It took me two days to read this book -- and I have two children under the age of two.  So that meant something (ie, my own sleep) went largely neglected for the sake of the story.  But it was worth it.  When people want to read something 'light but not frivolous' I think this is what they want.  A good story, with great heart, that doesn't burden you with suffering but still goes deeper than surface interactions.  

What would I change?  Just one more chapter.  That's all I wanted.  One more look into what happened.  I would have liked that.  

I love reading about World War 2 (we go way back).  Here are some other books that I would recommend:

Far to Go (Alison Pick).  A story of Czech citizens in World War Two, this story is a present day-past day interaction that culminates in the past and present meeting.  Lovely writing, interesting story and made me want to head back to Prague.  Also, written by a Canadian.

The Book Thief  (Markus Zusak).  See my other posts.  READ!  

 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by (John Boyne).  This story is told from the perspective of a little german boy in WW2.  Adorable in his naivety, it is also one of the saddest books ever.  At one point my hand flew to my mouth and it stayed there until the end of the book.  However, it is a good read.  Just be warned: saddest book ever. 

Guilty Pleasure Reading...

So I love reading (hence the blog) and I do love reading a good good book, but there is also something so good about a book that isn't that great but makes you feel great.  These are my guilty pleasures--I know they aren't well written, classics or timeless.  They will flit away like the seasons but, for me, these books manage to eek out space on my bookshelf even when I'm consolidating and storing up most of my literary treasures.  Why?  Because some days you just want to curl up with a book where good wins, love triumphs and everything ends in a way that makes your chest feel warm. 

1. Pretty much anything by Sophie Kinsella but my favourite is definitely The Undomestic Goddess.  It wins with me because the heroine isn't as silly as Becky Bloomwood (ie, the Shopaholic) or as random as some of Kinsella's others.  And I like the classic tale of finding yourself where you least expect it.  And finding love there too.  
2. Twilight.  Ooof.  There you go.  I said it.  I like Twilight.  To be clear, I know this is not a well written book and I know, trust me, that this is a fad.  But the part of me that loved playing house and make believe as a child still likes to imagine a world where other forces are at play--funky, handsome, romantic forces.  You might think less of me, but I'm okay with that.  No need to justify the guilty pleasure read--we all have them!  Sometimes you just want to enjoy a classic werewolf-vampire-love-triangle and I certainly do. 
3. Gemma Townley's The Hopeless Romantic's Handbook.  Not actually a handbook for romance, but a super sweet story where people put some of their power to good use--a nice little addition to an otherwise fluffy experience.  And, despite the inclusion of Twilight, you'll note a general theme of liking British Chick lit.  There is something endearing about reading about love in a different cultural vernacular.
4. Books about food.  Yummmm.  I like to read about good food that I'll likely never make/eat but I love to swallow words that make my mouth water.  Best example lately, The Food of Love by Anthony Capella.  A retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac that might be a bit over-sexualized, it still describes food in a way that made me want to eat offal (that would be organ meat--brains, livers, hearts, pancreas) and had me rethinking how I order coffee.  I also read The Hundred Foot Journey which wasn't as much a love story as The Food of Love but was definitely filled with yummy, yummy food.  But if you are looking for real books about food, I would suggest Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and Jamie Oliver's Cook with Jamie (which I've mentioned before). 

If I think of others, I'll add them!  Afterall, we all want something light and delicious to read from time to time, don't we?

Happy reading!