If Than True Lovers Have Been Ever Crossed, It Stands as an Edict in Destiny: Book Review of Stargirl

 

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Description

When I was younger, I was a Jerry Spinelli fan. My favorite of his books was Maniac Magee–a brilliant and emotional book about a boy who moves between two worlds but doesn’t seem to permanently belong to either of them. Stargirl, similarly, tells the story of a girl who doesn’t seem to know how to curl herself into the tight space of a high school student. Stargirl, like her name, is almost ethereal in her goodness and kindness, to the point that her utter concentration on the needs of others seems almost fake. It is almost as though, in her selflessness, she is trying to call attention to herself as a good person.

But let’s step back for a second. Stargirl is told from the point of view of Leo, another student at the high school, the kind of kid who does not like to be the center of attention and who actively seeks to blend in. As for Stargirl, on her first day of school, in front of the entire cafeteria, she walks up to a student and sings “Happy Birthday” while playing on her ukulele. For Leo, she is a great fascination–she is mysterious and flamboyant, the opposite of what he tries so hard to be. She wears clothes that seem to be from another century, sets up her desk like a table in every class, and eventually, she cheers at the football games, performing more dramatically than the cheerleaders, band, or even the football players themselves. She cheers for both teams, and she dances, and she calls attention to herself even more than the players. For this, Stargirl is noticed, and in certain ways, shown admiration. The home team was so terrible, there tended to be more people on the away team’s side than their own. After she began her elaborate performances, the stands were filled and the school and town were rallied.

Stargirl is so outside the norm of the rest of the students don’t really know what to think of her. In the midst of all the excitement and attention that she garners, Leo finds himself developing a crush on Stargirl and wondering if, perhaps, she might feel the same way about him.

Stargirl is the kind of book character we want to see more of--quirky, expressive, and willing to stand out. She has no desire to be popular and seems unaware of whether people like her--or not. She dresses as she likes and brings joy to everything she does. She enjoys acts of kindness, both those that are planned and unplanned, and those for which she receives credit and those for which she doesn't. She appreciates the world around her in a way that many people don't. 

The back of the book praises Stargirl as a "celebration of nonconformity,” but the depiction is much more complicated than that. It is difficult to discuss this book without spoilers, but in Stargirl standing out in such a flamboyant way is not shown as being easy or without consequences. And more complicated is Stargirl's relationship with Leo, who as much as he admires Stargirl, struggles with how much attention she calls to herself.  

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach Stargirl? If I were to teach this book to middle schoolers, I would want to have a tough conversation with my students about fitting in. Developmentally, in middle school, friends take on a much greater importance, and often the opinions of friends outranks that of others, including parents. The fear of not having friends or being excluded or teased is very strong, even more than at other points in a person’s life. Fear of not fitting in is a real and powerful thing.

It can be very difficult to express yourself when you are concerned about what others think of you. It is not uncommon for people to make an effort to dress similarly to others and not express unpopular likes and opinions. Of course, repressing yourself does not feel good and is not healthy. People should feel comfortable to be who they are and have the courage to say things that they think. They should choose their friends based on who shows them love and respect and a desire to see them at their best. Due to having little control over who they spend the majority of their day around and a still developing sense of self-esteem, adolescents do not always make the healthiest decisions about who to make friends with. 

Without all of the tools to express themselves, clothing is a big way that students tell the world who they are. For this reason, it’s even more important that they have the opportunity and feel comfortable to dress as they please. Should they wear a band uniform to school when they want to or a chicken suit? Should they be shouting soliloquies at the top of their lungs in the cafeteria? Is it worth it to fit in if you feel like you’re being fake? Is it worth it to stand out if people don’t like you? If they exclude you? 

Admirably, one of the questions that the book asks is how much being an “individual” is about behaving in ways that call attention to how different a person is and how eager they are to dress and behave in a way that positions them against the crowd and how much is simply being your authentic self. Is the authentic self so much outside of a norm created within a culture? Or is nonconformity created in an effort to stand out from the crowd? There is something to be said for creating a community, and for taking care of one another. There is something to be said for having some agreement for behavior and agreeing to rules. What would a school or a work place look like if everyone was not so concerned about unspoken social rules? 

The book also asks: Who are you if you spend all of your time watching the popular kids to know how to dress, what to like, and how to behave? Surely, there is something to be said for not forcing yourself to be a clone of everyone else, but there is also something to be said for understanding certain social behaviors and refraining from some behaviors.  

It is worth the discussion with students to read this book. It is short and at a level that most middle schoolers would be able to digest. In addition to a discussion of celebrating the individual vs. community acceptance, there is a lot to discuss in terms of character development. Under the right circumstances, I would teach this book.

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Let the Library Puns Begin: Book Review of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

 

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

Description

In The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms, Amy is a not-quite divorced mother of two who has spent the last three years living a financial nightmare. Her husband left her with two small children, a large mortgage, and no financial assistance. With the help of a close friend, Amy is able to get a degree in library science and secure a job as a school librarian. She is able to hold onto the house and keep her children fed by scrimping and pinching and some more assistance from her friend. When her husband returns and wants to spend time with their kids over the summer, Amy has the opportunity to take some time to care for herself and perhaps make up for lost time. There are plenty of surprises in store for Amy, if she is willing to take some chances.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler was a book club pick and lead to a rousing discussion about Amy’s abilities to have fun away from her kids and the choices that she makes. There was little talk about her not-quite ex-husband, though I found him to be the worst part of the book. The idea that an adult could leave their spouse with two children and no financial support is pretty terrible. I guess that it happens in real life, too, and people are able to make it through, but ugh! It seems pretty unforgivable. Who should be allowed to do such things?

The book has some creative moments and the backdrop of a school librarian is good for working in some discussions about reading and getting kids to read.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach The Overdue Life of Amy Byler? This book includes romance, single parenting, financial struggles, and making fun for yourself outside your family. All very interesting and important discussions, but the argument for teaching this book would be a hard sell, for a few reasons. The first and most important is that the writing is not all that strong—the prose does not sparkle, and, at times, it tries too hard to be humorous, such as in the diary-letters written from the daughter to the main character. Second, the acrobatics that the author goes through to make Amy’s summer situation more believable are pretty intense. Third, Amy’s situation with her runaway husband and her handling of it is super frustrating.

I could see a scenario in which The Overdue Life of Amy Byler was used to discuss something like how divorced women are depicted in fiction or depictions of women over the age of thirty seeking romance. I would also consider this a good book club pick—while it is not high literature, we had a lengthy and spirited discussion.

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The Roof, The Roof, The Roof Is on Fire: Book Review of The House Is on Fire

 

The House Is on Fire by Rachel Beanland

Description

The House Is on Fire by Rachel Beanland is a book club pick--a fictionalized account of a real theater fire in 19th century Richmond. During a packed performance, the theater caught fire, the blaze quickly growing and causing structural damage. The audience fought their way out, some jumping from second and third stories of the building. Over fifty people died in the fire and the theater was completely destroyed. The grief of the community was overwhelming.

Beanland tells the story from the points of view of four distinct characters: Sally, a widow at the theater with her her dead husband’s brother and his wife; Jack, a young stagehand, Cecily, a slave accompanying the slave owner’s daughter; and Gilbert, a slave who was not at the performance, but who rushes to find the daughter of his wife’s slave owner. While the experiences of each are very different, all four survive the fire, and all four deal with the aftermath in different ways.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach The House Is on Fire? Beanland uses the fire as a vehicle to explore gender relations, the experience of the enslaved, and employment, among other topics. There is certainly much to discuss and Beanland shows great imagination in creating the lives of the four characters. In a genre writing class, the book could serve as an example of a lot of the moves that contemporary historical fiction makes. There is a strong female character who bucks against societal norms, a graphic show of how the “good slave owner” is nothing more than a myth, what appears to be a well-researched account of what theater life was like, and a historical event on which the plot is built. For all these reasons, it creates a good example to aid in a discussion about how historical fiction works. I did enjoy reading the book over all, but I would put at least a few other historical fiction novels ahead of The House Is on Fire.

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Which 17th Century Spanish Painter Would You Be?: Book Review of I, Juan de Pareja

 

I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño

Gratitude

Thank you to Montgomery County Public Libraries for making I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño readily available at no cost to the public.

Description

Juan was born a slave and grew up with a slave owner who treated him much like a pet. When the slave owner died, he was inherited by her relative. In his new home, he became the assistant to Diego Velázquez, the famous painter. As Velázquez’s assistant, among Juan’s new responsibilities were stretching his canvases and mixing paint colors. He waited on Velázquez and helped him with his paintings as needed, but Juan was not allowed to create any paintings of his own.

As a slave, it was illegal for Juan to paint. The more he learned and the more he watched Velázquez and the apprentices he took on, the more that Juan wanted to create his own art. He saw where the apprentices flourished and where they failed, he understood the lessons that Velázquez wanted them to learn, and he felt the passion behind creating art. What will happen when the desire to paint becomes more than Juan can bear?

Would I teach this book?

I, Juan de Pareja is historical fiction, based on an actual man who was a slave to Velázquez. The story, then, is loosely based on events that actually occurred and were embellished through the imagination of Elizabeth Borton de Treviño. As this was a true story, I appreciated the intense drive to make good art. I appreciate the FOMO of having to sit backstage as others are able to preform. It was strange to me, however, to read of Juan’s complacency at being a slave. He was born into slavery, and while he was not poorly treated, the first slave owner did not treat him as a human child, instead, he was looked upon as a somewhat pampered animal. The lack of bitterness and his simple acceptance felt odd.

The book is not set in the United States, where slaves were treated violently and used for hard agricultural labor in addition to domestic work. The culture and practice of slavery in Spain at that time seems different from that in the United States. However, it felt jarring to treat slavery as though it was not a great injustice and as though it did not diminish owners in their humanity. It felt like a perpetuation of the “good slave owner.”

Slavery is addressed in the fact that it is illegal for Juan to paint and draw, but this seems a bit subordinate to some basic rights such as moving about freely. Perhaps the real de Pareja did not so much question the position that he was born into, but the conversation cannot be ignored today. If I were to teach this book, I would certainly prepare to have this discussion and help students to think through how slavery is presented in the book and how we regard human rights today.

I, Juan de Pareja does provide an interesting discussion about passions and wishing to pursue them, as well as what one might have to suffer in order to follow one’s dreams. Too often, inspirational tales are shown not as “look at what you could do” but more “look at what someone in a more difficult situation did.” As in, giving the message that those without means can still overcome their challenges and not that you must work hard to overcome your challenges. The empathy falls out of it–students often feel so removed from the situations (such as an enslaved person in seventeenth century Spain) that they do not get that they also must strive to reach their dreams, not simply dream. We must not only dream big, but we also must work to help ourselves and others to achieve their dreams.

Have you taught I, Juan de Pareja? Or, have you read I, Juan de Pareja and have thoughts about how it might be discussed? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments. 

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In Case of Emergency, Which Kid Would You Save?: Book Review of The Accidental Favorite

 

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood

Gratitude

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways and Henry Holt for the review copy of The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood.

Description

In The Accidental Favorite, the Fischer family has gathered together to celebrate first the naming of the eldest daughter’s baby and then the mother’s seventieth birthday. Along the way, many crazy things ensue, including a clear indicator that their father has a real and evident favorite.

Told through the perspectives of the mother, Vivienne, and sisters Nancy, Eva, and Alex, the story moves between memories from the women’s childhood and the week-long family get together. Eva, the youngest and prettiest, has the oldest grandchild, and is now a successful entrepreneur. Nancy, the middle child, the one who acts out, is divorced with one child, and she became a successful doctor. Alex, the oldest, is an ambitious music teacher, married to another teacher, and together they have three children, including the youngest of the grandchildren, baby Dolly. At the same time the sisters have close, loving relationships, they also have insecurities and jealousies, begun in their childhood.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach The Accidental Favorite plays on common family dynamics and entertains the question of if these dynamics shape who a person will be in their adulthood, as well as the impact that off-hand parental comments and favoritism plays on identity and behavior. Will the oldest child be the most responsible and successful? The middle child the one who gets in trouble and pushes boundaries in order to get attention? The youngest the most pampered and least tried, with a much easier childhood and adulthood than the others? Maybe. But I also wonder about the dramatization of the family structure in The Accidental Favorite.

The characters were mostly likeable and mostly understandable. Mostly, I was in their corner. Mostly. But Alex was really, really difficult to like at times. Really. She was so difficult to appreciate. Yes, she had a lot to deal with in her life, more than the other two women, but her behavior toward her sisters--well.

In addition, the idea that grown women in their thirties and forties would still be so hung up on sibling rivalry--I suppose it is something that remains throughout life, but to have such an impact? I don’t know. Is this common? Do many people actually experience this in their forties? Just thinking this one out.

The book might be a potential to be taught in a contemporary literature course--maybe. It lacks the bite of many things that I have read as of late. It is doubtful that I would teach it in a creative writing class. If I did, I would use it to teach writing through multiple perspectives.

The narration is in third-person, yet still demonstrates distinct differences when it is attached to each of the characters. The sisters have their own separate personalities, attitudes, and beliefs about themselves, the past, and the current reality. The names at the beginning of the sections and the time frame help to clearly orient the reader without being distracting.

I would readily recommend this book for a book club, as it offers a significant discussion about sibling dynamics and how to read the different characters

.

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The Way to Healing Is Through the Stomach: Book Review of Crying in H Mart

 

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Description 

Crying in H Mart is Michelle Zauner’s memoir of grief and appreciation of culture, particularly in the cuisine of her Korean heritage.

Zauner lost her mother when she was only twenty-five and had just begun to develop a more mature relationship with her. She describes herself as having been a difficult child and her parents struggling to help her through depression when she was in high school. Music, as she writes, was what saved her in her adolescence, but it was food that helped her in the mourning process for her mother.

From her early childhood, the strongest connection Michelle had with her mother was food. Her mother paid close attention to the food preferences of others and lauded Michelle’s Korean palate. Every other year, they went to Korea to visit family and take in the country in which her mother grew up and lived until she married Michelle’s American father and left after her birth. In Korea, and with extended family, food is still the language of love and joy.

The book describes a difficult reality between daughter, mother, and father, as well as including details about her mother as she was dying of cancer.

Would I teach this book? 

Would I teach Crying in H Mart? Crying in H Mart, as a memoir, seems to have less distance from the death of the mother and less reflection than some other similar memoirs, such as Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died. The point of telling is fresh and incredibly youthful. It’s a vibe, and not one that I dislike.

Crying in H Mart was a book club pick, my first book club pick, and it is a book that I might have found my way to without book club. The majority of the non-fiction that I read, which is admittedly significantly less than the fiction that I read, is memoir. I love a good story. My mother recommended this book to me, and when it was my turn to suggest books, I put this one on the list.

Crying in H Mart is a good book to teach as well as a good book for book club. As for teaching, Crying in H Mart illustrates how pairing a common experience, such as the loss of a parent, with a point of passion, such as Korean cuisine, helps to make a work both personal and universal. In terms of representation, as Zauner discusses looking for role models with whom she can identify in music, including Korean American voices, the representation her voice offers is important. Zauner’s relative youth at the point of writing the book is also significant in terms of including diverse points of view.

If you were a fan of Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert or Wild by Cheryl Stayed, you will likely enjoy Crying in H Mart, though I enjoyed Crying in H Mart much more than the other two.

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Clock It: Middle School, Year 2 Reflections

As my students will tell you, I am big on reflection. Research in Teaching for Transfer, the concepts on which Writing for Transfer is built, suggests that in order for students to be able to apply the skills that they learn to other areas, reflection is key. Summer is a great time to reflect on the previous school year and what I want to keep and what I want to leave behind. Four big takeaways: 

1. Moving on is hard. 

In my current position, I am blessed to teach the same students in sixth and seventh grade. Building a relationship over two years makes such a difference! At the end of this year, it was difficult to say goodbye to my departing seventh graders. Yes, in eighth grade they will still be in middle school and I will still see them--but they won’t be my students, learning with me in my classroom. At the same time, I know that they have learned and accomplished so much in the past two years--most of them had a bat or bar mitzvah. Most of them put in a lot of hard work, not just in English class, but in their other subjects, including their electives. The perspective they have gained, as well as the self-knowledge, is very admirable. 

2. Maximize my time. 

Organization is not my strongest skill, so this year I worked on using my time more efficiently. 

I began using timers to make sure that I worked on different things, instead of getting caught up in one area or another. Depending on the amount of time I had, I would set timers in increments of twenty minutes. I also tried to set aside some time to work in a distraction-free area. 

As a passionate person, it is not always easy to switch gears and extremely difficult to dive into tasks that are not my favorite. And yet they must be done. (See--setting goals is important for everyone!) I also have to be flexible about the goals that I set and realize that there are times when I will have to shift my focus. 

3. Raise student voices.

Recently, I heard someone say of a young author, that they could not have experienced that much in twenty-five years and their life could not be enough to write about. I did not have much of a response at the time, but as often happens, it really stuck in my craw, because it goes against everything that I believe in as a writer and a teacher. 

It is incredibly unfair and shortsighted to assume that someone in their twenties has not yet experienced life. Someone in their eighties will probably have experienced more, but that does not discount the young life. It is not as if life waits to begin until a certain age. The thoughts and experiences of young people have great value. If you think to discount them, it is a loss to you and our youth.

This year, I read about students preparing for basketball tryouts, preparing for bar and bat mitzvahs, and being afraid of going to the dentist. Perhaps in an adult purview, these things mean very little, but in truth, these are the things that shape our youths for their continuing journey.

Take preparing for a basketball tryout--realizing that you should be working out and learning months in advance in order to play better is not only very responsible, it shows that they are learning. In my school, a Jewish school, everyone has a bar or bat mitzvah, and so to many it may seem common. And yes, it is something that binds them together. But it is also a reminder that even these “common” experiences are felt deeply by the individuals. 

Consider the student who wrote clearly of their terror of the dentist--it showed how much they had mastered figurative language, which we had spent a good deal of time focusing on the year before. That, and the ability to express themselves clearly and compellingly. 

I would not and could not tell any of these students that their experiences weren’t valid or important. That the struggles they faced are not as significant as those of an adult’s or that what they have to say is not meaningful. Are they skilled enough to write a best selling memoir? They are probably not ready for that, but not for lack of thought or emotion.

 

To dismiss the voice of youth is to dismiss the vitality, creativity, and input that could not be provided by someone older, regardless of what they had accomplished. 

4. Listen with more than your ears. 

Okay, I just spent a lot of time discussing how important the voices of the young are, and I am not going to take that back. But I am going to say that the emotional maturity of adolescents is not perfect, and they cannot always voice what they are thinking and feeling. And so it is especially important to listen, not just with your ears, but your eyes, and yes, with your heart. (Yes, very cringe). If you can listen with your heart, instead of hearing the defensiveness, you will hear sensitivity and self-protection. In addition to anger, you may hear confusion. In teasing others, you may hear a need for challenge or a need for help. Most acting out is a mask for another need.

It was a good year. I learned a lot. My students learned a lot. Heading into summer, I am determined to do a lot of reading, learning, and writing. A big thank you to everyone who made this past school year possible--my family, the administration of the school, my colleagues, the parents who entrusted me with their precious children, and, of course, my students. Have a great summer, everyone!

What Do You Do with a Magical Drunken Sailor? Book Review of Voyage of the Damned

 

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

Gratitude

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways and HTP books for the review copy of Voyage of the Damned by Frances White. It's a beautiful book! 

Description

In Voyage of the Damned, Dee is on a boat with eleven other young people, bound on a pilgrimage to inaugurate the new empress. The others on the boat are not average young adults—they are the Blesseds, the ambassadors for the goddess in each of their regions. Together they unite Concordia and ensure that everywhere is safe and the economy is healthy.

The relationships between the different regions and between the Blesseds is full of politics and secrets. Dee’s province, known for the fish it provides for the rest of the empire, is at the very bottom both geographically and in terms of respect. Add to that Dee’s own secret—he does not have a blessing, but for the sake of his province, he must pretend.

Just when he thinks that things cannot get any worse, other Blesseds start turning up dead. As Dee begins to investigate, he finds two unlikely allies to aid in his sleuthing. Will he be able to find the murderer and save the rest of the Blesseds? Will he be able to keep his secret and protect his province?

Voyage of the Damned has queer representation and a blend of genres–think of Agatha Christie meets Percy Jackson. The characters and relationships are complicated and interesting. And the book really is beautiful. The front cover is blue and gold and it has edge decoration. 

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach Voyage of the Damned? With its mix of murder mystery and fantasy genres, Voyage of the Damned might fit in with a genre writing class. It is a first novel, and in many ways feels like a first novel. Dee, as the main character, does not feel entirely consistent, and neither are the relationships between the characters—and not in a complex way, but in a it doesn’t make sense way. In addition, there are some twists, especially at the end, that don’t feel exactly satisfying for the characters or the plot.

Perhaps in a literature course on queer representation it might make sense to include Voyage of the Damned, but I think it would still be a hard sell.


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What's in a Name? Book Review of Crow Mary

 

Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom

Description

Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom is historical fiction set in the 1870s and based on a woman who actually lived and was known for her heroism—she rescued five women during a massacre in Canada in which 40 Nakoda people were murdered. She also testified during the trials of some of the accused, which at that time was unheard of–an indigenous woman testifying in a court of law.

Goes First is still a teenager when her father marries her off to White fur trader Abe Farwell. Farwell takes Goes First to a preacher to get married and the preacher baptizes her and renames her Mary. To differentiate her from other Marys, she is nicknamed Crow Mary, as she is a Crow woman.

Goes First is confused by many of the practices of the White people—they sleep in closed in spaces, unable to see the sky and without fresh air. More than anything else, she is appalled by the practice of selling alcohol to indigenous people, who become completely out of control and addicted when they drink. For his part, Farwell does his best to understand Mary’s take on the world, but considering the cultural understandings and legal system, Goes First is never on the same footing as Farwell.

The massacre and the decisions on how to proceed for justice after put a strain on Goes First and Farwell’s marriage. Will they be able to come back together?

Crow Mary was a book club pick, and not one I would have chosen on my own. It is a challenging read emotionally, as it is set in a difficult time in American history, when there was a great disregard for human lives and the environment. We have not yet fully reckoned with the crimes committed.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach Crow Mary? That is a particularly difficult question to answer. It is important to read about this time period and this history and to discuss it. Literature is a great way to begin a discussion and to think about how historical events impacted individual people. However, in considering books for teaching, it is less subject matter and more quality of writing that is important. That is not to say that subject matter is not important, but that having things to discuss about the writing is of greater importance. Even in a gender studies course, I would be looking for more experimentation or expertise.

That is not to say that Crow Mary is poorly written–it’s not. It is clear that it was well-researched and there was great thought and sensitivity to how the character may have thought and felt. There were no cringy parts that were clearly pandering to current day sensibilities, that feel inauthentic, with the author trying to make misogyny and racism palatable by having a character who has strong sensibilities outside of their time, as many historical fiction books have. There is just nothing that stands out about the writing, no moments that make it feel remarkable.

The story and subject matter, as well as the research and endorsement of by Goes First’s relative and the Crow people that the author consulted make it a great book club read.

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Ants Under the Magnifying Glass: Book Review of Under the Dome

 

Under the Dome [UNDER THE DOME] [Paperback] by Stephen King

Gratitude

Thank you to Montgomery County Public Libraries for making Under the Dome by Stephen King available to the public for free.

Description

Okay, let’s start by talking about the elephant in the room—Under the Dome is an elephantine book. At 1,074 pages it is by far the longest book I have ever read. In fact, I started it last year and then had to return it to the library because I had to leave town for the summer. I signed it back out again this year and finally finished!

In Under the Dome, an invisible force field covers the town of Chester’s Mill so that nothing can get in or out. Not just people but air and water, too. While this is rough for everyone, it is an especially bad surprise for Dale Barbara, or as most people call him, Barbie, as has been been warned to leave town after a group of local toughs targeted him. Now he is trapped in Chester’s Mill and his chief aggressor is the son of the unofficial mayor. Unofficial, but Jim Rennie effectively pulls all the strings in the town.

Under these circumstances it’s not just Barbie who doesn’t stand a chance, but the whole town who will be even more under Jim Rennie’s thumb with no one to rescue them.

Very quickly lines are drawn between team Rennie and team Barbie. As the truth about Rennie comes out and he strengthens his police force, it’s unclear if team Barbie can save the people of Chester’s Mill.

Jim Rennie is one of scariest if not the scariest villain King has created. At least in terms of human villains, that is. Rennie easily justifies all of his decisions as Gd’s will. He has no regard for human life or sympathy for others.

Would I Teach This Book? 

Would I teach Under the Dome? I thoroughly enjoyed reading Under the Dome, though it was a time commitment. Due to the time commitment, though, it would not be the ideal novel to teach. It is not worthy of its own course, as much as I enjoyed it.

There are other King books that do similar things, such as Sleeping Beauties, which has the added appeal of being cowritten work. If you have time commitment phobia for the books you read, you might try Sleeping Beauties first.


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I Like My Coffee Black, Like My Soul: You Like It Darker Book Review

 

You Like It Darker by Stephen King

Gratitude

A big thank you to Montgomery County Public Libraries for placing You Like It Darker by Stephen King on the Lucky Day shelves, where I found it, and giving me three non-renewable weeks to read it. And in my case, to review it.

 

Description

You Like It Darker is a collection of King’s shorter works, though King’s shorter works are sometimes longer than the average author’s regular-sized books. “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” the longest of the works and the emotional center of the book, tells of a man who has the misfortune to dream of the location of a murder victim. Once Danny confirms that the woman’s body does exist in the location that he dreamed it, he calls the police to report it anonymously, but the police still manage to track him down, and they do indeed believe him to be the culprit. Thus follows a story that is anything but innocent until proven guilty.

In “Two Talented Bastids” we read of two friends who become famous later in life, one for writing and the other for visual art. As the story of their talent rolls outward, the question of the origin of talent is asked quite plainly.

King’s Author’s Note is gratifying to read after finishing the book, as is often the case for his books. His humble acceptance of his talent and prolificness remind me of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Ted Talk “Your Illusive Creative Genius,” in which she discusses the concept of genius choosing to visit a person versus the current day concept of a person being a genius.

 

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach Stephen King’s You Like It Darker? Perhaps. While I like other King collections more, for example Nightmares and Dreamscapes, it is good to teach more contemporary works. If I were going to teach this book, I would be more likely to teach it in a fiction workshop than in a literature course, as in many graduate workshops students are writing shorter works and it is important to examine them and use them to talk shop. I first read King in a graduate workshop, and I am fond of the idea of teaching it in one.

P.S.--My students recently found my blog--shout out to them! Thank you, reader, for visiting!     

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Who Doesn't Love a Good Conspiracy Theory?: Book Review of So Far Gone

 

So Far Gone by Jess Walter

Gratitude

Thank you to Harper and Goodreads Giveaways for the review copy of So Far Gone by Jess Walter, due out June 10, 2025.

Description

Rhys dropped out of the world after losing his job, getting dumped, and punching his conspiracy theory mad son-in-law. Believing that he was of no further use to society, Rhys rid himself of his phone and hopped off of the grid and onto his grandfather’s old sheep farm that never did support any sheep. Seven years later, Rhys is dumbfounded when he opens the door to see his granddaughter and grandson on his porch. They have been brought to his remote location by his daughter’s neighbor. His daughter Bethany has run off without telling anyone where she was headed and left instructions that if her husband follows her then the children should be brought to her father instead of left with the Army of the Lord (AOL). AOL is the military branch of the cult Rhys’s son-in-law has most recently involved his family in. Thus begins Rhys’s journey back into the civilized world--which may or may not be as civilized as he would like.

So Far Gone is told in third person, but looks over the shoulder of other characters in addition to Rhys, including as Bethany and his two grandchildren. From each point of view, we learn not just about Rhys, but about all of the different understandings that arrive at a situation, all of the people who have a stake and a history and an idea of what happened and how things should proceed. In the midst of all those other personalities and desires, Rhys is hoping he can find his daughter, save his grandchildren, and maybe win back his girlfriend—you know, make up for some of those lost years.

The story is a bit cooky and plays up the paranoia of the current times that intensified during Covid and the weariness and distrust many feel of those who are of a different political leaning or belief system. It is not lost on the perceptive reader that Rhys has behaved almost as drastically as his derided son-in-law. What is sane and insane may seem clear to you, but not quite as clear to anyone else. The grizzled Rhys, for instance, is not aware of how his unkempt appearance and gamy odor impact those around him.

I appreciate being given the opportunity to read this book—I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. At first it seemed mid—another story of a family disconnected due to politics. However, as I kept reading, I became more interested in the plot and invested in the characters.

Would I Teach This Book? 

Would I teach So Far Gone? It is a reasonable possibility. With all of the books now coming out that touch on the Covid pandemic and the intertwining politics, it is clear that our imaginative zeitgeist seeks to trod this path. Compared to some of the other books that explore similar territory, So Far Gone approaches with humility and humor. A book like this is a conversation opener, in particular an opportunity to discuss point of view and difficult main characters.

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In the Blink of an Eye: Book Review of It Goes So Fast

 

It. Goes. So. Fast.: The Year of No Do-Overs by Mary Louise Kelly

Gratitude

Thank you to Henry Holt and Goodreads Giveaways for the review copy of It Goes So Fast by Mary Louise Kelly.

Description

Mary Louise Kelly, of All Things Considered fame, missed a lot of moments of her kids’ lives, in part due to her live radio show. Her eldest son was about to graduate from high school when she realized that she would not have another chance to make up for the times that she missed. At the same time, she happened to have a book deal on the table, and decided that she would write about her year of doing everything she could to be part of her sons’ lives, which turned out to be a lot about soccer games.

It Goes So Fast focuses on Kelly’s family experiences, including her father and his death. It is set in an anxious time in world politics, as this was also around the time that Russia invaded Ukraine. She also shares about her career, aging, friendships, and her passion for running.

The chapters are more like individual essays than an unbroken narrative, though the storyline of Kelly’s “Year with No Do-Overs” does carry through. Her prose is confident and friendly and her explorations avoid easy conclusions and simple truths. Instead, the difficulties of balancing career and motherhood, her identity as a woman, and her relationships are allowed ambivalence and gray areas.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach It Goes So Fast? It Goes So Fast is a good example of a memoir in essays and how to build a narrative through stories that overlap in time and experience. It is also allowed to wander a bit in terms of subject matter, though it always comes home to her sons.

It Goes So Fast, however, might not be as interesting to a younger college crowd as it would be to readers who have been out in the world a bit more. Especially to those who are parents. Kelly addresses the fact that her book is very much about motherhood early on, and points out that everyone must deal with the realization that there is only so much time in this life, and there are many experiences of “the last time” that we might not know are the last time until much later. I can identify with a lot of what she shares in her book.

Still, It Goes So Fast is so much about parenthood that while it felt relevant to me, I am not sure that I would teach it to a general audience. Perhaps in a gender studies class or in an essay writing or memoir class, but I am still not sure that I would choose this book over the many other memoirs available.

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