Tuesday, July 18, 2006

My Friend Leonard by James Frey

My Friend Leonard is the sequel to A Million Little Pieces. I started it a few months ago, but put it down to get some academic reading done. I picked it back up two days ago and just couldn't put it down. I stayed up into the wee hours last night reading this book. As I read the last 20 pages or so, I had tears streaming down my face. I had made some predictions about the outcome of Leonard's life based on the first book, but my predictions were wrong. Way wrong!

My Friend Leonard picks up where A Million Little Pieces left off. It opens with James Frey serving his [controversial] jail sentence, takes us back to Lilly, but is mostly about Leonard's life. We read about Leonard's "job", James' life and interaction with Leonard, and finally feel the resoluation we've been waiting for. The narration written makes Leonard a very quick read; the plot is captivating, but the style of writing takes a little while to get used to. If you liked A Million Little Pieces, you'll enjoy My Friend Leonard as well. I highly recommend it.

"In the bold and heartbreaking My Friend Leonard, James Frey picks up the story of his extraordinary life pretty much where things left off in his breakout bestseller and Amazon.com Best Book of 2003, A Million Little Pieces, the fierce, in-your-face memoir about Frey's kamikaze run of self-destruction and his days in rehab. Fresh from a stint in jail from pre-rehab-related charges ('On my first day in jail, a three hundred pound man named Porterhouse hit me in the back of the head with a metal tray.'), clean-living Frey returns to Chicago and gets sucker-punched with a cruel blow that will leave readers ducking for cover in anticipation of the blinding bender that's sure to come. But then the titular Leonard, the larger-than-life Vegas mobster ('West Coast Director of a large Italian finance firm') whom James befriended in rehab, steps into the story and serves equal parts unlikely life coach, guardian angel, and father figure for the grief-stricken author, adopting him as his 'son' and schooling him in the fine art of 'living boldly': 'Be not bold, be f-cking BOLD. Every time you meet someone, make a f-cking impression. Make them think you're the hottest shit in the world. Make them think they're gonna lose their job if they don't give you one. Look 'em in the eye, and never look away. Be confident and calm, be f-cking bold.'

Hurricane Leonard storms into James's life, showering his young charge with multi-course feasts at steakhouses and Italian restaurants, courtside seats at Bulls' games, Cuban cigars, and an elaborate Super Bowl party in Los Angeles, all the while doling out wisdom on life and love and motivating James to stick to his burgeoning writing career. James even has a brief stint as an employee of Leonard's, though occupational hazards--like having a nine millimeter shoved in his face--prove too much for the novice bag man (though he does make enough to invest his earnings in a Picasso drawing). When Leonard drops out of sight for an extended period, his absence leaves readers aching to hear the familiar refrain of 'My Son!' just one more time.

Frey sticks to the taut, staccato style that shot through A Million Little Pieces with such raw electricity. Surprisingly, the tone feels equally at home with this book's focus on friendship and extreme loyalty, and works to intensify the always-looming, adrenaline-rush threat of violence and the lure of the Fury that courses like a riptide throughout the book. Ultimately, it's a sense of hope, and humor even, that prevails and makes My Friend Leonard a stand-alone success. Despite his shady pedigree, you'll long to have a friend like Leonard just a phone call away." --Brad Thomas Parsons. Amzon.com

Check it out for yourself: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1573223158/qid=1153229058/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-6187481-1842530?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner

Ok, before you jump to conclusions about this book based purely on the title, here me out. Good In Bed is a story about Cannie, a twenty-something who is a writer and deals with an ongoing weight problem, ultimately causing self-esteem issues. The title comes from a sex column, "Good In Bed," that her ex-boyfriends writes for a Cosmo-esque magazine. The story opens with Cannie reading the latest issue of this column in which she is the subject. The story is humorous, but drags at times. The ending made me smile and at numerous times I found myself relating to Cannie's weight and esteem issues. If you are looking for something to read at the beach, this is the book for you.

"Weiner's first novel should satisfy readers from older teens and above. Cannie Shapiro is in her late twenties, funny, independent, and a talented reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer. After a 'temporary' break-up with her boyfriend of three years, she reads his debut column, 'Good in Bed' in the women's magazine, Moxie. Titled 'Loving a Larger Woman,' this very personal piece triggers events that completely transform her and those around her. Cannie's adventures will strike a chord with all young women struggling to find their place in the world, especially those larger than a size eight. Despite some events that stretch credulity and a few unresolved issues at the end, this novel follows the classic format of chasing the wrong man when the right one is there all along. Veteran storyteller Maeve Binchy gave us Bennie in Circle of Friends; now Jennifer Weiner gives us Cannie. Look for more books from Weiner." -Rebecca Sturm Kelm, Amazon.com

Read a few pages: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743418174/sr=8-1/qid=1153228277/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6187481-1842530?ie=UTF8

Monday, July 10, 2006

Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom

After years and years of people telling me I need to read Tuesdays With Morrie, I finally found the time to do so. Now that I am done, I know why. What a touching story! It's very sad because you grow to love Morrie, but at the same time, he truly teaches you important life lessons. The story is very short and easy to read, but even from page one you are captivated by this man's charm.

Tuesdays With Morrie is the true story about a professor, Morrie, and a student, Mitch. SIxteen years after Mitch graduates from the college Morrie teaches at, Morrie contracts Lou Gehrig's disease. Mitch, who has lost touch with Morrie, sees an interview between Ted Koppel and Morrie and decided that it is time for him to go visit his former professor and friend. While there, they decide to turn this visit into a weekly thing; every Tuesday Mitch will make a visit and Morrie will share with him the experience of dying. The book brings us not only through these Tuesday visits, but also Morrie's, and ultimately Mitch's, experience with death.

This is a must read for everyone!

"This true story about the love between a spiritual mentor and his pupil has soared to the bestseller list for many reasons. For starters: it reminds us of the affection and gratitude that many of us still feel for the significant mentors of our past. It also plays out a fantasy many of us have entertained: what would it be like to look those people up again, tell them how much they meant to us, maybe even resume the mentorship? Plus, we meet Morrie Schwartz--a one of a kind professor, whom the author describes as looking like a cross between a biblical prophet and Christmas elf. And finally we are privy to intimate moments of Morrie's final days as he lies dying from a terminal illness. Even on his deathbed, this twinkling-eyed mensch manages to teach us all about living robustly and fully. Kudos to author and acclaimed sports columnist Mitch Albom for telling this universally touching story with such grace and humility." --Gail Hudson, Amazon.com

Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076790592X/qid=1152545394/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-3474267-0831041?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Crank has been recommended to me a few times by students. I packed it in my suitcase for my trip to Dallas, knowing that I would have some free time to get some of my summer reading done. The best way to describe this book is a more recent Go Ask Alice. This book is a story about a teenager's addiction to drugs, the "monster." It is loosly based on the author's daughter and people in her life. It is written in poetry form so even though it is 537 pages long, I was able to finish it in a few hours.

After only a few pages, I was able to see why my students have been captivated by this story. I have experience with addictions in my family, and was able to relate to the main character's description of her personality on and away from drugs as two separate people. I know some of my students have dealt with situations like this, so I hope it scares them enough to never play with the effects of drugs.

"Ellen Hopkins's semi-autobiographical verse novel, Crank, reads like a Go Ask Alice for the 21st century. In it, she chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the "monster," the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or "crank." Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: 'there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree.' Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank. Soon, her grades plummet, her relationships with family and friends deteriorate, and she needs more and more of the monster just to get through the day. Kristina hits her lowest point when she is raped by one of her drug dealers and becomes pregnant as a result. Her decision to keep the baby slows her drug use, but doesn't stop it, and the author leaves the reader with the distinct impression that Kristina/Bree may never be free from her addiction. In the author's note, Hopkins warns 'nothing in this story is impossible,' but when Kristina's controlled, high-powered mother allows her teenage daughter to visit her biological father (a nearly homeless known drug user), the story feels unbelievable. Still, the descriptions of crystal meth use and its consequences are powerful, and will horrify and transfix older teenage readers, just as Alice did over 20 years ago." --Jennifer Hubert, Amazon.com

Read a few pages on your own: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0689865198/sr=8-1/qid=1152543613/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3474267-0831041?ie=UTF8

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

After reading a heavy novel, The Kite Runner, I felt I needed something easy. Sadly, I chose Prep. This novel was not an easy read, but I think it's because I wasn't really interested in it. Once I got about half-way through, I felt that I had made too much of a time investment, so I figured I would finish it.

The story line is quite basic: a young, white, middle class girl from the Mid-West decided that public high school is just not good enough for her, so she begs her parents to allow her to attend a boarding school in the Northeast. Lee chooses the best school, Ault. Only the children of the best-of-the-best attend Ault; the wealtiest, most reputable families from around the country. Prep follows the changes that Lee goes through, her outlook on life, and how she deals with normal teenage issues, all while living at a boarding school.

I found this story to be very immature. The critics love this book, but I am just not seeing the same substance. It could possibly be because I just finished a very intense book, or because I am getting tired of the same predicatable teenage story line. If you are looking for an easy to read, coming-of-age story, Prep is the book for you.

"Curtis Sittenfeld's poignant and occassionally angst-ridden debut novel Prep is the story of Lee Fiora, a South Bend, Indiana, teenager who wins a scholarship to the prestigious Ault school, an East Coast institution where 'money was everywhere on campus, but it was usually invisible.' As we follow Lee through boarding school, we witness firsthand the triumphs and tragedies that shape our heroine's coming-of-age. Yet while Sittenfeld may be a skilled storyteller, her real gift lies in her ability to expertly give voice to what is often described as the most alienating period in a young person's life: high school.

True to its genre, Prep is filled with boarding school stereotypes--from the alienated gay student to the picture perfect blond girl; the achingly earnest first-year English teacher and the dreamy star basketball player who never mentions the fact that he's Jewish. Lee's status as an outsider is further affirmed after her parents drive 18 hours in their beat-up Datsun to attend Parent's Weekend, where most of the kids 'got trashed and ended up skinny-dipping in the indoor pool' at their parents' fancy hotel. Yet even as the weekend deteriorates into disaster and ends with a heartbreaking slap across the face, Sittenfeld never blames or excuses anyone; rather, she simply incorporates the experience into Lee's sense of self. ('How was I supposed to understand, when I applied at the age of thirteen, that you have your whole life to leave your family?')

By the time Lee graduates from Ault, some readers may tire of her constant worrying and self-doubting obsessions. However, every time we feel close to giving up on her, Sittenfeld reels us back in and makes us root for Lee. In doing so, perhaps we are rooting for every high school student who's ever wanted nothing more than to belong." --Gisele Toueg, Amzon.com

Take a gander yourself: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081297235X/sr=8-1/qid=1152201973/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3474267-0831041?ie=UTF8