American Wife

"American Wife" is a novel that made headlines when it came out- not just because the author (Curtis Sittenfeld) is a celebrated writer who had many fans eagerly anticipating her next work, but because her book, "American Wife" was sold as work of fiction, based loosely on First Lady- Laura Bush, a woman who is often in the public eye but has remained largely out of the spotlight.

"American Wife" is the story of Alice Lindgren, a bookish, thoughtful woman who marries a wealthy, carefree Charlie Blackwell- a man from a political family who is so similar to George W. Bush, you can almost here G.W.B reading the lines of Charlie as you read. There are many more parallels between the novel and the life we know of Laura Bush- both grow up Democrats, both have beginning careers as librarians, both are involved in car accidents that result in death, both marry men who have addictions to alcohol and later become President, both of their husbands are fighting an unpopular war... and the list could continue.

The genuis of Sittenfeld's writing is that she creates characters that are so flawed, so entrenched in personal drama yet still relatable- still likeable. Though Charlie Blackwell is thoughtless and often selfish- a man who puts his country into an unpopular war, I still found myself drawn to his character. Charlie's parents (who you cannot read about without immediately thinking of George Bush Senior and Barbra Bush) are portrayed just as you would imagine the REAL couple to be- a highly political couple who are deeply aware of 'appearances' and 'proper behavior' but who have been peppered by Sittenfeld with enough charm that they become likeable.

One of the greatest moments of the novel was how Sittenfeld shows how love can change politics, and how politics cannot change personal beliefs. Laura Bush (like Alice Lindgren) has been asked about abortion and has shown in interviews to be pro-choice. I had always wondered how a pro-choice First Lady could resolve herself to marry a man who she knew was pro-life, and could (or would) affect policy to reflect his belief. Sittenfeld expertly answers this in her book, through a paragraph that stands out to me both for it's simplicity and thoughtfulness. It is shortly after she has decided to marry Charlie Blackwell.

If I were to tell the story of my life (I have repeatedly declined the opportunity)... I would probably feel tempted to say that standing that night just inside my apartment, me in my nightgown and Charlie in jeans and a red shirts, I made a choice: I hose our relationship over my political convictions, love over ideology. But again, this would false honesty; it would once more contribute to a narrative arc that is satisfying rather than accurate. My convictions were internal- I'd rarely seen the point in expressing them aloud, and if I had, my entire political outlook could have been summarized by the statement that I felt bad for poor people and was glad abortion had become legal. And so I didn't choose anything in this moment. I had met Charlie a matter of weeks before, and already the idea of living without him made me feel like a fish flopping in the sand. To go from being a Democrat to a Republican, or at least to pretend, through smiling obfuscation, that I had- this was a small price to pay for the water washing back over me, allowing me to breathe.

Along with her ability to clearly capture the best and worst of humans and find yourself rooting for characters who remind you of people in your 'real life' that you cannot fathom liking, and her ability to give explanation to choices often not discussed, Sittenfeld manages to expertly weave in political commentary, with issues such as class, race, homosexuality, love and wealth and the result is a beautiful, thought provoking novel.

I admit, it's long (over 500 pages) but it's a quick read and book that makes you feel sad when it's over. And isn't that the measure of a good book?

What Happened

I had been eagerly awaiting my copy of this book, thinking it would fill in missing gaps, answer questions, firmly end all (or at least some) of the 'what actually happened?' questions I had about Iraq, the Valerie Plame Wilson leak and Scooter Libby.

In short, this book gives you no insider details, no memorable quotes, no revelations that pull back the curtain and show you 'inside the White House'. Instead, you get pages of Scott McClellan talking about how he stood up to hazing in his university days, how Scott felt confused at times, and endless quotes Scott puts in from pundits and reporters alike who repeatedly call Scott a 'good man'.

Don't get me wrong- I DO think he was put in a difficult position, I do think that he did the best job he could- given the administration he worked in and the hand he was dealt. But does this book deliver anything new? Not at all.

The hype for this book was far better than the book itself. I finished reading it feeling like the movie trailer of this book (because let's face it- they will turn this into a movie at some point), will be the best part of the film. There's just not ENOUGH in the book for the book to be worth reading. Scott hints at possible areas of interest- Colin Powell's views on Iraq, Condi Rice and her enabling ways, the secrecy involving Dick Cheney and just how out of the loop George W. Bush really was on some issues (hello Katrina? I'm talking about you)- but never follows through with any of them. As soon as you find yourself getting interested in the book, it backs away and returns to the dry narrative of Scott discussing yet another time he was "in the Oval".

I suspect if you want a book to lecture you on how to improve Washington, this may be a winner for you. If you are looking for a book that gives you dirt on what happened during formative Bush years in the White House- skip it. I highly recommend Bob Woodward's trilogy "Plan of Attack", "Bush at War" and "State of Denial" instead. These books are far superior in regards to information shared, insider views and writing style.

What Happened, indeed.

The Post-Birthday World

I've found that as my life has begun to get crammed full with work and weddings, friends and family, I've gotten more choosy with my book selections. I'm a huge book whore, but I just don't have time to waste on books that aren't really doing it for me.

Which makes me glad I picked up "The Post-Birthday World" by Lionel Shriver.

Anyone who's watched the movie "Sliding Doors" and saw how tricky it can be to follow two stories being played out simultaneously will appreciate this book. It's far more detailed and funny than the movie it shares much in common with.

It's the tale of an American artist, Irina McGovern who lives in London with her long-time boyfriend. They are friends with a famous snooker player named Ramsey Acton, and celebrate Ramsey's birthday together every year. One year Irina's boyfriend Lawrence cannot make the birthday dinner- and Irina and Ramsey meet for dinner alone. They get drunk and kiss. Or, they get drunk and Irina goes home without kissing Ramsey.

Each chapter continues on- one story follows Irina as she lives a life of guilt for having cheated on Lawrence and deals with the eventual break up and her new romance with Ramsey. The other follows Irina and Lawrence as they deal with their relationship, one filled with surprises and heartbreak.

I promise it's not as complicated as I'm making it sound. My favourite part of the story is how the author ensures that many of the same events happen, the same lines are said by a character but depending on which path Irina chose (to kiss or not to kiss..) the context is completely different.

It's a choose your own adventure for the adult world- a well written, richly worded account of what happens when you follow down both the path you chose and the road not taken.

The Guy Not Taken

Oh how disappointed I am, let me count the ways...

When it comes to 'chick-lit' I'm picky. I'm not a fan of the Shopaholic series, nor did I find Bridget Jones life changing. But I have always enjoyed the writing of Jennifer Weiner. "Goodnight Nobody", "In her Shoes", "Good In Bed", and "Little Earthquakes" are all books I loved and have read more than once. So it was with a bit of excitement that I picked up "The Guy Not Taken" a collection of short stories by the author as a nice holiday treat to myself.

I should have bought myself a fruitcake.

It's not as though Jennifer's writing takes a completely different tone in this collection, she still is able to write a sentence I am envious of, but it's everything else that falls by the way side- the stories, the mood, and most importantly- the characters.

The first few stories center around a family who has been abandoned by their father. The narrator is funny and dry, but her domineering sister takes over the tale and is perhaps- the most annoying character to ever been created. She's greedy and thoughtless and it's never made clear why the narrator (or anyone else really) ever REALLY sticks up to her. It's only after she's ruined the inside of her grandmothers car (by leaving in food that gets infested by maggots) that you see anyone get upset with her. I found myself skimming the book early on just to save myself the trouble of reading about her.

And when you are skimming pages early on, it's never a good sign.

The stories do improve as the book goes on, but I couldn't help but think I would have preferred to re-read one of her old works than invest time and money in this one. Even her best stories in the collection ("Dora on the Beach", "Buyers Market") aren't enough to pull the book out of the mediocrity that she falls back into with this piece of work.

Nineteen Minutes

Sometime last year "My Sisters Keeper" by Jodi Picoult was THE book to read. I joined the masses, read it it- and loved it. I've read a few more of her books that ranked high for me but none which came close to the love I felt for "My Sisters Keeper"- until now.

Ninteen Minutes is the story of a school shooting. In keeping in traditional Picoult fashion, the story jumps narrators and time. In many books I find this a distracting quality, but in this one, it makes sense and leads the reader to the conclusion necessary to end the book satisfied.

Picoult expertly tells the tale of a teenager named Peter- who within the first pages of the book goes on a shooting rampage in his school killing students and a teacher. You naturally despise him, but as the story continues- you learn his history, the constant bullying straight from kindergarten until highschool and the you begin to wonder if endless years of bullying and torment can ever justify a murder, and if they can't- what can they justify?

Though Peters story could be it's own book, the author also weaves in the story of Josie- Peter's first and only friend in kindergarten who grows up to join the 'popular crowd'. How she deals with popularity, with Peter, with the pressures of watching someone get bullied and doing nothing is as interesting as Peters own tale. Also present are Josie's mother- who is a judge assigned to the case, and Peter's mother- a woman dealing with the realization her son has done something that she cannot help him undo.

I enjoyed this book on many levels. I appreciate a writer who is able to combine a controversial issue in a way that lets the reader see ALL sides of an argument without feeling like they are getting a one-sided account. As a teacher I adored it, I think any book that can raise awareness about school bullying is important and the way that it's done in this book- without apologizes or restraint makes me thankful that I was never in a position that Peter faced. Also, as a former student it appealed to me. The choices that Josie has to make- to preserve herself in a environment ripe for bullying, while still never succumbing to the bullying that others around her participate in- is one that I never really thought about. How guilty is someone who watches and does nothing?

The World Without Us

What would happen if every single human on the face of the Earth disappeared tomorrow? What buildings would be still standing in a thousand years, what animals would become extinct, what fingerprints would be left to prove humans had once existed?

These are the questions that Alan Weisman tackles in his book, "The World Without Us". He doesn't go into the why all humans would disappear, but picks up on the moment after- what would happen next, and it's fascinating.

Two portions of the book are dedicated to New York City and to Africa, and those were the two most engaging parts of the book for me. In the New York Chapters, he clearly details how the New York subway system would be a major contributer to the collapse of the city. What buildings in New York would surive the years, which would be the first to collapse (I was left surprised by the predictions). In the Africian section, he talks extensively about which animals would survive, and why big game animals that once covered North America are extinct, but have lived on in Africa. The answers may surprise you.

There's an excellent chapter on pollution, what the world would be like without humans continuing to clutter the planet with our love of plastics and paper. It doesn't get preachy, but it clearly confirms the idea that our careless treatment of the environment has caused horrible results. While outlining what we've done, it also gives hope to the idea that we can still make a change and alter the course we are on, in regards to hurting the animals, oceans and forests. (how's that for preachy?!)

I was worried that fascination felt for this book would be bogged down by scientific talk, and in some ways it was. There's an entire chapter dedicated to polymers that caused my eyes to glaze, and the chapter on farming was a bit of a struggle. Over all though, the book is engaging and one that I would recommend, especially if you are a reader who can skim read over a chapter on polymers and not lose sleep.

Alice, I think

I admit- I judge books sometimes on their cover. I also judge them by the reviews plastered on the front page. When I picked this book up Meg Cabot's (of "Size 12 is not fat" fame) name jumped out from the cover along with her quote "I laughed until diet soda came out of my nose". I threw it in my cart and hoped for the best.

At just under 300 pages, Susan Juby has managed to cram at least one laugh on every page. Alice, I think is the story of a teen aged girl named Alice who is painfully awkward but keenly observant on society. On her first day of grade 1 her hippie parents let her go to school dressed as a hobbit, and she never recovered. She grows up home schooled and unpopular, but with a comforting confidence in herself that makes you wonder what she will do next. Along with trying to discover her personal style, she works on completing her 'life goals list' (#2 Increase contact with people outside immediate family. Not friends necessarily, but least superficial interaction of 'hi, how are you variety'...).

The majority of the book centers around Alice when she's 16 years old. Through her story you witness her mother get in a hilarious fist-fight with Alice's (grown up now) enemy from grade 1, a fish show, some serious fashion disasters and a stunning comparison to an ex-boyfriend I dated. (Hint- Aubrey).

I almost didn't want to write a review for this book because I knew I wouldn't be able to capture just how funny it is. I understand now why it's a national best-seller, with every age group enjoying it. It's short and lighthearted but with a main character who you care about. I think the only way to illustrate the book is with this: Alice's mother, has a best friend named Geradline. Alice doesn't like her but says "the only cool thing about Geraldine is that she looks like James Woods.".

How can you not love a book that says that?

Napoleon's Pyramids

So, I had been on a bit of a chick-lit run lately and wanted something completely different. I picked up Napoleon's Pyramids by William Dietrich from the library, scanned the reviews and decided to throw it in the mix. I'm glad I did.

The story is set during the last days of the French Revolution. Ethan Gage is a young man who worked closely for Benjamin Franklin and is a bit of a cad. He likes whores and gambling, and it's during a card game he wins an Egyptian medallion. He doesn't know what it's worth, what it stands for or what the strange symbols on it means, but keeps it and trouble follows.

Soon he's travelling with Napoleon to Egypt, on a mission to learn more about the pyramids, and how his medallion fits into it all. Suddenly, there are people after him, who are willing to kill him for the medallion he's won. Even Napoleon asks of it and Ethan has to learn to trust a few unusual people to help keep it safe until he can figure out how to turn his medallion into a key to unlock a mystery he's sure involves the pyramids. There's huge battle scenes, a surprising love story and enough suspense to keep a reader interested. There are mathematical challenges, surprising revelations about the structure of the pyramids (all which are true), real quotes taken from Napoleon and insightful tie ins to the the Bible.

It's a bit like The Da Vinci code, and a lot like National Treasure (the movie starring Nicholas Cage). There are many people in the novel who actually lived, and Dietrich does his best to remain accurate to their life. Some parts drag, and some parts seem over the top, but it was a light, (albeit educational) read and a book I suspect has already been sold to be turned into a movie. If you love it, you will want to read his other works, move to Egypt and tour the pyramids for yourself. If you hate it, you will at least look at the Pyramids in a new (and admiring!) way.