Book Bonanza 1: Books #22-30

In an attempt to catch up with my book-reading and thereby get reacquainted with the writing process, I'm going to blitz through the remainder of the books I've read since the inception of this blog. As the books have added up, it has seemed as though getting an opportunity to catch up has been made more and more difficult. Rather than stop reading in order to get writing, I kept on plowing through books. As a result, I've got a stack of books next to me that has reached a preposterous height. I'm going to run through them, one paragraph at a time. In addition, I'll be giving a quick rating of 1-5 stars, based on my enjoyment of the book.

Book #22: "Killing Yourself to Live" by Chuck Klosterman (****)
The last of Mr. Klosterman's books that I had read, KYTL is an account of Klosterman's trek across America visiting the death sites of famous musicians. Like most adventure tales, the journey is more significant, even if its resolution is unclear. The mental process is very deftly described, as the author brought historical perspective into his musing about the lives (and deaths) of rock stars. I took from this many prophetic passages, and managed to grasp at a notion: what you do while you're doing something "bigger" often becomes the better story. Think about it: how many stories start, "while wherever I was, here's what happened"? The location and the broader theme become secondary to the actual, vivid memory. Now, while I am a huge Klosterman fan, the timing and the poignancy of the book made it one of the more enjoyable of his collection.

Book #23-25: "Millenium series" series, by Stieg Larsson ("Girl With the Dragon Tattoo": ****)
("Girl Who Played With Fire": ***) ("Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest":***)

First of all, the star system here is a bit flawed, only because I would consider them to be comparable. However, since I'm not doing quarter- or half-stars, this will have to do. Anyway, Larsson's trilogy revolving around Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomqvist makes for an entertaining read, if not a well-written one. In an attempt to read the first installment of the series before the theatrical release of the American film adaptation, I picked up "Dragon Tattoo", and had a hard time putting it down. Larsson- in my mind- gets a lot of the "extra" background information out in the open earlier on in the book. If the reader is then able to conceptualize and keep track of it all, the rest of the story goes smoothly. I will say that the final installment had a LOT of background information, making it less enjoyable BECAUSE it followed the second book immediately; a lot of that background information could have been sprinkled in intermittently throughout the rest of the book.

The series itself spends a lot of time focusing on the development and past of Salander as a character. As such, the first book adds a mystery element on top of it. It was that storyline that grabbed at me the most, only because of the elusive nature of Salander's past (Knowing, of course, that there were two other books to follow made me feel better about not having everything revealed in the first story). Throughout the second two stories, the focus on another plot element was absent, making the view slightly more singular. The investment in the trilogy is a hefty one. Ultimately, it pays off, but it takes a while to get there. The pockets of background info dispersed throughout the trilogy can make for a frustrating reading session, as I found myself saying on multiple occasions, "get ON with it!". Since it's a popular trilogy and read, I recommend it. If nothing else, the ability to have lengthy discussions about the characters (Salander, in particular, is complex and worth remembering) and their flaws is an enjoyable time.

Book #26: "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher (*****)
One of the best books I've read in a while. While it's another YA piece, the best part about Asher's work here is that it looks at the IDEA of communication and within it, weaves a story that's not terribly complicated, but is fairly universally understood. The story itself is fairly clever and innovative: a girl who commits suicide first records messages for 13 individuals who have led her to make this tragic decision. The character who we follow through the book- Clay Jensen- is one of the people to whom the deceased had left a message. There's a lot of back story which explains why the decision was made to commit suicide. In the meantime, Clay wrestles with what he could have done to drive a girl to kill herself. The anticipation mounts and as the message to Clay becomes clear, it makes for an emotionally-charged climax. Can't recommend this enough. Even if it's not the great American novel, Asher created an engaging and page-turning work. Perfect for a vacation flight to Asia (yeah, it's been quite a while).

Book #27: "Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx" by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc (****)
I had a tough time fully grasping the objective of the book. A non-fiction narrative, "Random Family" follows the lives of 4 Bronx residents and their seemingly inescapable lives of despair. While reading, it often was lost on me that the story was, in fact, non-fiction, and so I had been anticipating the happy ending or light at the end of the tunnel for any of the characters involved. When positive steps were followed by two steps back, I groaned, wondering why the hell it was that the characters couldn't escape the fate of jail or destitution. It is here that the story works its magic: rather than take on a sympathetic tone, LeBlanc simply presents facts as they come, and as a result, the attachments to characters is left solely up to the reader. As I read on, the characters become more and more real, and I empathize with them more and more. It was, ultimately, a REALLY valuable read. While not the clear skies that people may be accustomed to in fictional reading, it is none-the-less an important story to hear.

Book #28: "Life" by Keith Richards (*****)

As a Stones fan, I'm more than happy to throw on the 5th star. If I am trying to remain objective, I would still consider this to be a great read. It is necessary to realize that the allure surrounding the Rolling Stones- and "Keef" specifically- has been going on for fifty years. While not terribly long in the progression of world history, it's an eternity in terms of rock n' roll, and DEFINITELY an eternity in terms of what Richards is purported to have done in that period. Now, to the story: Richards has been lauded for his ability to have such lucid memories of his earlier life. As the ageless wonder of rock, he comes across as FAR from the drugged-out caricature that is thought of at the mention of his name. His musings of childhood come off as whimsical, and it's clear that Richards OOZES charm, like a mischievous kid who is approaching his 70s.

The science of music, the early Stones life (hovels, booze, women), and jet-setting are prominently featured in the book. Richards makes a great point of incorporating as much of it as possible, so as to better understand that the true rarity and longevity of the Stones is a unique result of a multitude of different circumstances. Inevitably, Richards sounds very open in his concessions and story-telling. This is what makes the book SO enjoyable for me: an iconic figure in the history of rock n' roll has nothing left to prove, and so the honesty that comes from his mind and his heart is the most endearing sort of tale.

Book #29: "A Pint of Plain: Tradition, Change, and the Fate of the Irish Pub" by Bill Barich (***)

In this story, Barich is on the quest for a quintessential Irish pub. What develops is an elusive search, based partly in Barich's 'not feeling' certain pubs and part in the transition from tradition into modernity throughout much of Ireland on the whole. The former part of the search is pretty frustrating: the author goes to great lengths to find a spot that is in his head, rather than taking the authenticity that is right in front of him and running with it. On the other hand, the book serves as a where's where of Irish pubs, which is incredibly handy when in the Emerald Isle and in need of a bite (or drink). Barich offers much first-person commentary into the shift in Irish pub culture. As Ireland became more and more westernized (for lack of a better term), the demise of the essential nature of the pub became a growing concern for someone who yearned to experience it. I guess the only thing that keeps this from being better in my mind is that the conclusion is that Ireland is for the worse when it comes to the search for authenticity. I'm sure it's there, as I've felt it. It ultimately becomes a matter of the purpose of pursuit. I'd rather have my optimism.

Book #30: "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros (***)

Mouse here to zoom in

Cisnero's tale of the young Esperanza Cordero is full of half-baked anecdotes on life growing up as a young Latina girl in America. While the depth of Esperanza's narration is felt and recognized through the course of the book, I found myself- like Esperanza- wanting more. I understand the idea that as a child, the narrator's thoughts may not have a conclusion that i scientifically stated or drawn out; it doesn't mean I have to love it. A lot of what happens shows a less-than-ideal surrounding, and yet it is enjoyable to remember a child's perspective in this coming-of-age book. As far as the path taken through the story, I just felt disconnected from the character, something I'm not happy about. I typically feel as though I connect fairly well. This made me sad; ultimately, I'll give it another read-through (at 110 pages, it wouldn't take long), but I was left unsatisfied.