Weekly Geeks #4 What is Real Beauty?

This week in Weekly Geeks we are supposed to take a social issue and highlight it. Because most of us are women, or men that may one day have a daughter, I decided to highlight the undue attention of our society towards outward beauty and the destructive ways that we go about achieving what we consider "real beauty".

Instead of books, I decided to use some short films from Dove, Campaign for Real Beauty. Alot of us have seen these, but for those who haven't, please take a few moments and watch them. They make their point, believe me.

This first one is about the pictures of beautiful women we see in magazines and on billboards. Do they really look like that? Check it out and see. This one is called "Evolution".




There is no escape from the onslaught from these images and our young daughters see them too. What not-so-subtle messages enter their minds and form their self-esteems?
Check out "Onslaught". This one has some graphic images but it tells the truth.




This discussion is an eye-opener. All these young girls are very pretty but see what they think of themselves. This film is a little longer but well worth the time. Check out Girl's Self-Esteem



Is there a solution to this mess? The multi-billion dollar beauty industry says buy more cosmetics, take dangerous diet pills, and mutilate yourself with unnecessary plastic surgery. Will it solve the self-esteem problem? Does being beautiful mean being perfect? I say no.

Booking Through Thursday - Books Vs. Movies

Books and films both tell stories, but what we want from a book can be different from what we want from a movie. Is this true for you? If so, what’s the difference between a book and a movie?

One of my pet peeves are "loosely adapted" or "based on" the book movies. Those are the ones that take the characters and basic situations from the book and then make major changes to the plot or ending of the book. The vast majority of the time I leave the theatre shaking my head sadly and sometimes in irritation.

Why can't they just tell the story the author told? Is it cheating or laziness or something even worse? I must say that when I see a loosely or poorly adapted film my first thought is that the screenwriters have poor reading comprehension skills and do not understand the story nor know how to choose those elements that most define it.

That said, there is alot of leeway for directors and actors to flavor their film and have a different vision. For example these two versions of Pride and Prejudice. They are the same story with very different flavors but both work within the correct boundaries of the story. Most people have a favorite but I think both work well.

America, America

Reviewed for Librarything

I like reading memoirs and stories about American families and their struggles to overcome adversity. Politics is a bit of a stretch for me and I usually avoid the subject in literature like the plague. But the description of this book intrigued me so I put my name in the hat to receive an advanced copy. I am so glad I did.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. The story goes back and forth from the sixties to the present day and recounts the growth of Saline, once farmland owned by one man, then a working class suburb to a thriving, successful, and modern town. It describes almost identically the town I live in. Corey Sifter, a hard working and level headed boy, is noticed by Liam Metarey who owns the town's land and goes to work on his estate. At that great house Corey is caught up in the politics of the day as an inside outsider and unwittingly becomes a part in a nasty scandal.

One of the things I really liked about this book was that it told the truth from both sides. Canin speaks plainly about political intrigues, media manipulation, and even corruption, but on the flip side describes national idealism and an astounding vision of what a democratic society could be. It is obvious on every page how much Ethan Canin loves his country despite it's flaws in leadership and believes wholly in the strength of the common man.

I highly recommend this fine work.

The Meaning of Night

Some books are meant to be savored slowly rather than devoured. One can put them down, not because it is boring, but because the pages just read need to be thought through and wondered about before taking the next bite. I found myself thinking about the psychological aspects of the characters and where they were headed while in the car, at the grocery store, and (gulp!) while in church.

The slower pace might have been excruciating for some and I was initially dismayed, but once I relaxed and let it flow like it should, it was worth the longer ride.

The story starts at the end and through Edward's Glyver confession to his friend Le Grice, takes the reader back through an unusual life that pits Edward again and again against his nemesis, Phoebus Daunt. The victim of a severe injustice that robs him of deserved opportunities, Edward plots revenge for years before learning a startling truth about himself that changes and broadens the scope of those efforts and almost justifies them. It slowly builds to it's conclusion and although I wasn't very surprised at the outcome, getting there was a satisfying trip.

The obsessions of Glyver, who worked under the alias of Glapthorn for years are complicated and I found myself going back and forth on the wisdom of holding on to them for so long. Edward Glyver is an extremely intelligent bibliophile and can converse on almost any literary subject imaginable. However, he is deeply flawed and uses his bad experience as an excuse for the actions and inactions throughout his strange career. To say he underachieves would be putting it mildly and his personal vices are many and varied. I loved his explanation of his personal philosophy when his love Miss Carteret brought up common beliefs of Heaven and Hell.

'That was what I was brought up to believe,' I replied, 'but as I have been deficient in perfection from an early age, it has never seemed to me a comfortable philosophy. It is so ridiculously easy, don't you think, to fall into sin? I prefer to believe that I was predestined for grace. It accords far more closely to me own estimation of myself and of course it relieves one of the tedious necessity of always having to do good.'

Edward also does some acts of incredible compassion including saving a young woman from a life of prostitution. But how much injustice, how many secrets, how much plain old bad luck can one person handle after all? What does it take to finally resort to murder?

Anyone who loves Victorian history or literature will find this book a dream come true. Michael Cox presents a staggering amount of information on old books, colloquialisms, dress, places, and other historical references. There are footnotes on almost every page.

I highly recommend this novel.

Tennyson

Ages 9-12
240 pages
Knopf
January 2008

I did this review some months back for Curled Up With a Good Kid's Book. The children's section is not changed as often and I forgot about it until I received notification this morning that it posted. Then it all came rushing back, how haunting and dreamy this book is. A beautifully told tale of old southern gentility which tries to cover up it's past shameful acts but cannot hide from a regret-filled ruined present. I recommend it for adults and children alike.

A beautifully crafted atmospheric novel that takes place in a crumbling estate of old Southern gentility, Tennyson brings to mind the enchantment and cruelty of a world long past.

Hattie and Tennyson Fontaine are sisters who live with their father and writer mother in a shack by the Mississippi River during the Depression. Poor but doing better than many others during that time, life is simple as they play hide and seek and swing on a rope swing hung in the dining room. For mother Sadie, who writes story after rejected story, it is the life of a frustrated mediocre writer who dreams to someday be published in her favorite magazine, the Sophisticate.

One day Sadie disappears, and their father takes the girls to his childhood home, a once-grand mansion called Aigredoux, now a crumbling, vine-covered shadow of its former glory. They are to be looked after by his sister, Henrietta, and he encourages the girls to play along with her strange ways. To be suddenly thrust into such change is bad enough, but Aunt Henrietta is a bitter woman who was forced to sell off first land, then pieces of her family home to pay for food and other necessities. She immediately has the idea that if the girls could attract rich suitors the family home might be saved, but the girls are resistant and quickly make enemies of Henrietta and her bad-tempered housemaid, Zulma. The only relief the girls experience is the weekly visit to the Ascension Parish Post Office to drop off stacks of letters Aunt Henrietta writes to the government every week.

But the house has a magical quality to it, and Henrietta begins to dream about actual people and events that occurred at the time of the Civil War. She sees the magnificence of the plantation home alongside the heartless treatment of slaves and the depravity of war. A gifted storyteller, she begins to write her dreams down and is miraculously published in the very magazine her mother dreamed of. But someone does not like the Fontaine family secrets being held out for public view, and Tennyson finds she must make some tough choices.

Blume uses ethereal imagery that evokes a sense of decay and ruin that are the penalty for a shameful past. I felt right there watching plaster chunks fall from the ceiling, Mason jars fill with rainwater scattered about the dripping house, and the humiliation of precious family marble pried up from the staircase for a few dollars. The tone changes drastically when she introduces Bartholomew Prentiss, the fussy editor-and-chief of Sophisticate and we are treated to some bumbling good humor. He brings some life and color to an old family bogged down in present troubles because they cannot let go of its imaginary past.

The appendix includes the Fontaine family tree, poems and songs by Tennyson, slave songs, and a song from the Depression.

Jaimie Bell/2008 for curled up with a good kid's book

Sunday Salon

Despite the fact there was a killer heatwave this week and I was stuck in the house next to the air conditioner for hours, I did not get as much reading done as one would think.

Not that my books are boring, certainly not. The Meaning of Night, despite a slow start, is quite chilling and I am hooked. The psychological aspects of the main characters are intriguing and I find myself wondering how this is all going to end up. Well, the beginning kind of tells you and the story is a confession but the layers are fascinating to delve into. This is not a quick read, but one that is meanto to be savored slowly and deliberately.

I received America America by Ethan Canin from Librarythings early review program and although I haven't begun reading it exclusively, the little I have perused looks very interesting and I'm looking forward to really getting going on that.

Now that it is summer and classes are over I find I have more time and decided to look around for a challenge. I found the Raved About Reads Challenge , hosted by MizB at The Book Zone.

It doesn't officially start until June 30, so there is plenty of time to get prepared.

Here are the rules:

The challenge is to come up with a list of books you’ve heard others rave about — books you’ve always agreed you *should* read — but that you’ve continually put off reading “until later”.
Now is the time to get those books read!
* You can choose books that you’ve recently heard of IF a bunch of people are raving about how good it is, and how everyone should read it.
* Your list has to have at least 3 books on it. Of course, you can make it much longer than just 3 books. But, you could also just read 3. That’s up to you.
* Yes, your list of books can overlap with other challenges.
* There are no limitations on genre… you can read fiction, nonfiction, religious, secular, etc.
* Audiobooks and E-books ARE allowed

This is the perfect time to go through my TBR shelves and choose those recommended from my fellow bloggers. I have more on my wishlist at Amazon but will add them when they are actually in my home.

My list so far:

The Thirteenth Tale by Donna Setterfield

Affinity by Sarah Waters

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Chocolat by Joanne Harris

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland

The Fountain Overflows by Rebecca West

The Religion by Tim Willocks

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

Friday Ramblings

Appetizer
What is the nearest big city to your home?
San Jose, California.

Soup
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?
Hmmm. I haven't been asked to keep a "secret" for a long time. Many times a situation might call for discretion and I think I'm ok at that. I respect other people's privacy and I try not to butt into other people's business.

Salad
Describe your hair (color, texture, length).
My hair is straight, a little past the shoulder and blond.

Main Course
What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow?
I would like to think courteous! :) I used to be a fast driver and have several certificates from traffic school as proof. The last few years I have slowed down quite a bit. I have even caught myself going below the speed limit!

Dessert
When was the last time you had a really bad week?
Quite a while, actually. Around Christmas is the last I can remember.

Your Score: Merchant of Venice

You scored 56% = Tragic, 44% = Comic, 39% = Romantic, 30% = Historic

You are The Merchant of Venice. Set in the beautiful "city on the sea," The Merchant of Venice is a romantic comedy about a locally prominent sea merchant who agrees to take on a costly loan from a covetous money usurer in order to finance his friend's trip to Belmont to woo a rich and beautiful lady. When the loan defaults however, the merchant's life is at stake, but with the help of his friends, he is saved at the last second and everyone lives happily ever after. What your score tells us about you is that you are most likely a romantic person who is willing to go to extreme measures to help out a friend in need. For this, you are highly regarded and loved by many people. You may be a bit greedy at times, and sometimes you might even get yourself into a little trouble, but luckily you have friends that are willing to help you out in your time of need. We'd certainly help you out if we could.

Link: The Which Shakespeare Play Are You? Test written by macbee on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test View My Profile(macbee)

Oh well. It seemed like everyone else had Much Ado About Nothing and I was hoping to get that one too.

I thought I would get in on this week's theme for Weekly Geeks. It comes from Samantha, who suggested we should write about our fond memories of childhood books.

Alot of people have already named many of my favorites like Nancy Drew and Misty of Chincoteague. I also loved Ramona the Pest as well as all the other Beverly Cleary books. Later on I came of age with Are You There God? It's Me Margaret.

When I found The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander I was transformed. I loved that series and read them all with a fellow sixth grade girl in what was my first book group! The High King, which concluded the The Chronicles of Prydain won the Newbery Medal.

Dead Witch Walking

After slogging through a brutal book, as I did with Rabbit is Rich, it was such a relief to sit back and relax with a light and enjoyable adventure with my favorite witch, pixy, and vampire. I read The Good, the Bad, and the Undead earlier this year and rushed out to buy the rest of the books in the series and they have been sitting on my TBR shelf ever since. What a shame!

I decided to start with the first one to see what I missed and how things came to be the way they were in Rachel's world. Realizing part of the way through that I knew the solution to a mystery that had been going throughout several books was another good reason to start at the beginning.

Rachel Morgan is a witch living in Cincinnati after the Turn and is a runner for I.S. Basically what happened was a deadly virus killed a significant portion of the world's population and to avoid complete social collapse, witches, werewolves, vampires, pixies, fairies, and other creatures like that came out of hiding to offer their services to humans. They were immune to the virus. There were expected altercations and now the world is living in an uneasy truce between the two groups.

Feeling like she's getting the short end of the broomstick, Rachel decides to quit I.S. to create her own Runner service. But no one just resigns from I.S. and a contract is put out on her life. Attacked in all sorts of ways, she turns to her co-worker Ivy, an elegant but dangerous living vampire who quit I.S. along with Rachel to start the business with her. Ivy lives in a church which offers some protection from a few species and Rachel finds the large open spaces, herb garden, and well-appointed kitchen to her liking so she moves in.

With attacks coming from the outside and Ivy craving her blood inside, Rachel decides to take matters into her own hands, or paws as it so happens. But I don't want to say more about the story because it is such fun to find out what happens as it goes along.

I recommend reading this book first because all the main characters are introduced here. This series is imaginative and humorous and I'm already getting that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from visiting old friends in books. I look forward to reading the rest.

Booking Through Thursday - Manual Labor Redux

Following up last week’s question about reading writing/grammar guides, this week, we’re expanding the question….
Scenario: You’ve just bought some complicated gadget home . . . do you read the accompanying documentation? Or not?
Do you ever read manuals?
How-to books?
Self-help guides?
Anything at all?

I do read manuals but not cover to cover. I usually just read the needed parts and then keep the little booklets for my phone or camera which are referenced now and then.

As far as manual labor goes around here, that is mostly my husband's job. He is actually quite good at building and putting things together. This year he built a trellis to surround the front porch and it is beautiful. We are going to get a ceiling fan for the library and he will install that as well. He has also put in things like the garbage disposer and all the shelving in the library and and pantry. Yes, he definitely reads the how-to manual.

Self help books I have to say, not so much anymore. I would much rather read philosophy books that encourage me think on my own. I also bought a philosophy class from The Teaching Company and listen to a few lectures now and then.

I'm Officially Giving Up

I'm so glad the BookBinge contest is including the books we tried to read but couldn't finish. I'm putting Rabbit is Rich down and will not be picking it up anytime soon. Please note: I tried really, really hard to finish this. I just couldn't do it. For the record, I stopped reading on page 184.

Was the book bad? Actually, no. John Updike is a brilliant author and has won many deserved awards throughout his career. Rabbit is Rich won the Pulitzer prize in 1982 and Rabbit at Rest won in 1991. His stories pop and he paints a vivid picture of the culture of that day. I was there again at the gas lines in the 1970's oil crisis and experienced that sudden and highly controversial shift in popularity to Japanese cars which got superior gas mileage. That is the reason Harry (Rabbit) Angstrom, owner of Springer Motors and now middle aged, is rich. He sells Toyota's.

Updike's characterizations were phenomenal. Every one of them including minor characters were multi-faceted real human beings. I felt I knew them all. That is what turned out to be my problem.

I hate Rabbit. I mean I really loathe that guy. Yes, I know characters don't have to be good people and sometimes villainous ones are more fun, but I could not get past the person he was. Every time I picked up this book I would read a few pages and negative emotions would overtake me like no other book has done in a long time.

Rabbit is a hollow person who pretends to be full. He is not happy, nor knows how to be. His smug satisfaction on being rich rings false because he married into the Toyota business and then profits from a bad economic turn.

He doesn't use the money to improve his life however and though he wants a house doesn't buy one. He wants to meet his illegitimate daughter but lacks the courage. He thinks he owns the world but has zero leadership skills. It would never occur to him to reach out and help others or his community.

Rabbit ogles every woman he sees, including his son's pregnant fiancee. The first chapter describes him having sex with his passed out drunk wife. Lovely.

Rabbit hates his son and squashes every dream the boy has. Ironically Nelson wants to work with his father in the car business but Rabbit does not want him there for anything. He interjects petty, mean comments into every conversation with Nelson and says terrible things about him behind his back. Though he himself did not attend college, Rabbit is outraged that Nelson doesn't want to finish and has no interest in him as a separate human being with desires and goals of his own. He is something of a nag.

At first I thought the character of Rabbit Angstrom was going to be similar to George Babbitt but no way. Though Babbitt is also slightly corrupt and at times contemptible he is also loyal, optimistic, dare I say joyous, and audaciously goofy. Babbitt stands by his son and is secretly proud when he does something unconventional.

There is much more nastiness in Rabbit but even so, does that make it a bad book? No way! Updike nailed that character but it came too close to home for me. You see, I know a Rabbit, actually two. What can I say, I have my own issues. Maybe some of the situations or Rabbit's attitudes change in the course of the story but I just don't care to stick around and find out.

If this book is supposed to describe the men of that era then thank God it is over. I am happy to report that my own, now middle aged husband is nothing like Rabbit. Nothing.

One thing is for sure. If true art is supposed to challenge a person, then this was the one for me. When I pick up this book up maybe years from now, it will be interesting to see how I feel about it then. Until then.