Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Towelhead : A Novel by Alicia Erian
A disturbing book. This book is difficult to read since the central themes are bad parenting, sexual abuse, and a confused thirteen year old girl who just wants to be loved and have some attention paid to her in any way she can. After Jasira’s mother’s boyfriend shows inappropriate attention to Jasira, she is shipped off to live with her Lebanese father in Texas. His ideas and rules for parenting are much different than Jasira’s mother, but her parents are equally deficient in parenting skills. Her mother is jealous, competitive and emotionally manipulative and her father is controlling and physically and mentally abusive, between the two of them they can not figure out how to show Jasira any love.
A friend of mine was getting a pedicure recently and the proprietress of the nail salon was lamenting the fact that she had a child very early in life. The child was now in her teens. She said, “When you have a baby, you no longer get to be the baby.” My friend nearly died realizing that this woman was still trying to “be the baby” and never learned to grow up and take responsibility for herself. As I was reading Towelhead, I could not stop from thinking about this odd conversation. A lot of bad parenting could be directly related to the fact that some of the parents are still trying to “be the baby” and therefore compete with their children instead of take the opportunity to grow up and become a parent. It is obvious that Jasira’s mother still wants to be the baby.
This book is rife with adults who can not look past their greedy selves to see let alone understand the needs of a young lost girl who is dabbling in inappropriate flirtations with adult neighbors, and exchanging sexual favors for attention with the first boy who shows an interest in her. After reading this book, I can see how so many girls end up in such dire circumstances.
I read an interview where the author discusses how this novel is partly based on her life, but not entirely. When you start to think about the reality of so many girls out in the world who actually do live these lives, that is what makes this book devastating
A friend of mine was getting a pedicure recently and the proprietress of the nail salon was lamenting the fact that she had a child very early in life. The child was now in her teens. She said, “When you have a baby, you no longer get to be the baby.” My friend nearly died realizing that this woman was still trying to “be the baby” and never learned to grow up and take responsibility for herself. As I was reading Towelhead, I could not stop from thinking about this odd conversation. A lot of bad parenting could be directly related to the fact that some of the parents are still trying to “be the baby” and therefore compete with their children instead of take the opportunity to grow up and become a parent. It is obvious that Jasira’s mother still wants to be the baby.
This book is rife with adults who can not look past their greedy selves to see let alone understand the needs of a young lost girl who is dabbling in inappropriate flirtations with adult neighbors, and exchanging sexual favors for attention with the first boy who shows an interest in her. After reading this book, I can see how so many girls end up in such dire circumstances.
I read an interview where the author discusses how this novel is partly based on her life, but not entirely. When you start to think about the reality of so many girls out in the world who actually do live these lives, that is what makes this book devastating
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
These are a few of our favorite words
One of my all time favorite words is “penultimate” which means the second to last. I love it because it is usually misunderstood. It sounds like it should mean the absolute ultimate or something, but no!
My friend schooly g loves the word “elbow” due to the way it sounds and simplicity.
The Ever-Lovin’ Hubby’s (ELH) fave word is “shiznog” (is it really a word?) because it is so fun to say and is an almost polite replacement for the swearword “shit.”
My friend Mrs. B says, “right now, I'm enjoying the word ‘pickle’ because it has hard sounds and soft meaning. I also enjoy “antepenultimate,” which is the one before the second to last. I also like “crepuscular,” because it sounds like it should have to do with pustules, but it doesn't. words rock.”
mryendor likes the word precept since it is an idea that is used as the basis for action when it may not necessarily be true.
What are a few of your favorite words?
My friend schooly g loves the word “elbow” due to the way it sounds and simplicity.
The Ever-Lovin’ Hubby’s (ELH) fave word is “shiznog” (is it really a word?) because it is so fun to say and is an almost polite replacement for the swearword “shit.”
My friend Mrs. B says, “right now, I'm enjoying the word ‘pickle’ because it has hard sounds and soft meaning. I also enjoy “antepenultimate,” which is the one before the second to last. I also like “crepuscular,” because it sounds like it should have to do with pustules, but it doesn't. words rock.”
mryendor likes the word precept since it is an idea that is used as the basis for action when it may not necessarily be true.
What are a few of your favorite words?
Monday, September 19, 2005
Crapmare (newly coined word)
Crapmare
(n) The feeling of such intense fear, horror, and distress brought on by an over abundance of emotional crap which brings on the wish to wake up from the dream that is actually the reality.
(n) The feeling of such intense fear, horror, and distress brought on by an over abundance of emotional crap which brings on the wish to wake up from the dream that is actually the reality.
Summer Reading List (most recent last)
I have been negligent in my blogging. I have been reading, but not writing. I think I will write more about each of these books at some point. but right now, just wanted to document them. I think I read others and forgot what they were since I last posted anything. One main reason to have this blog was to keep a record of the books I read and what I think of them.
His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman
http://www.philip-pullman.com
This is a great fantasy series. Short interesting and well worth reading. Apparently it is juvenile fantasy. The only difference I see is that the protagonist is a child on the verge of puberty (not a big shift for fantasy), there is no sex or swearing in the books, other than that, it is a good fantasy series. The ideas developed across the three books are really interesting in their depth of thought on consciousness, religion and the meaning of a soul. These books are not for anyone who is uncomfortable with challenges to Christianity.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
http://www.jkrowling.com
Nope, I wont tell you who dies.
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth03B5N513312634963
OK book, not Earth shattering or anything. Gives and interesting perspective on the life of a Bangladeshi woman in an arranged mariage to an immigrant in London.
Zorro: A Novel by Isabel Allende
http://www.isabelallende.com
OK, at first I thought I was going to hate this book. The last few books I read of hers bored me to tears. Her strong empowered female characters have been making me gag for several books. Why do I keep reading them you ask? I have no idea. Someone hands me the book and I read it? Nothing better to do with a couple of hours and all other books are lost? I actually found this tale quite refreshing from the other books of her's I have read in the last few years. It is not the story of Zorro's escapades, rather the story of how he became Zorro. The story is intermingled with all sorts of great history of California, Mexoico, Spain and New Orleans. I was sucked in by this book. It was a fun adventure.
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clark
http://www.jonathanstrange.com
OMG! Such a great book, but it is long and you have to enjoy the odd 18oo's England and a bit of magic thrown in the mix. Very impressed that it is a first book. I actually only know of about two people who might like to read this, and one already had it on her list. I want to know who has been reading it to make it a best seller. It is huge (800 pages) by most people's standards, and very very English. I can clearly see why it is a best seller. It is a great book.
Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore
http://www.chrismoore.com
How can you say no to Christopher Moore for some good plane reading? The plane trip from Denver to DC is a long one. I sat next to some rather old lady who kept looking at the title of this book askance. Some of the most amazing wacky tales spring from Moore's brain. I want to know what drugs he takes and if he doesn't OMG, how do you explain the stuff he dreams up? This one was silly, enjoyable, but not nearly as good as Lamb or The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove
Currently reading The Confusion by Neal Stephenson
http://www.nealstephenson.com
Kinda feel like he has really gone down that schlocky trail ever since Cryptonomicon, but somehow compelled to read his stuff. This one is the second book in a trilogy. The first one made me want to throw it against the wall in a bitter rage because of how flat, arrogant and predictable his books have gotten while at the same time learning all sorts of interesting things about the time period and physics, who knew? He absolute best book is Diamond Age, if you read anything by him, read that. Good writing and characters that don’t make you want to throw the book at the wall. Not really proud to tell anyone I am reading this.
His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman
http://www.philip-pullman.com
This is a great fantasy series. Short interesting and well worth reading. Apparently it is juvenile fantasy. The only difference I see is that the protagonist is a child on the verge of puberty (not a big shift for fantasy), there is no sex or swearing in the books, other than that, it is a good fantasy series. The ideas developed across the three books are really interesting in their depth of thought on consciousness, religion and the meaning of a soul. These books are not for anyone who is uncomfortable with challenges to Christianity.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
http://www.jkrowling.com
Nope, I wont tell you who dies.
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth03B5N513312634963
OK book, not Earth shattering or anything. Gives and interesting perspective on the life of a Bangladeshi woman in an arranged mariage to an immigrant in London.
Zorro: A Novel by Isabel Allende
http://www.isabelallende.com
OK, at first I thought I was going to hate this book. The last few books I read of hers bored me to tears. Her strong empowered female characters have been making me gag for several books. Why do I keep reading them you ask? I have no idea. Someone hands me the book and I read it? Nothing better to do with a couple of hours and all other books are lost? I actually found this tale quite refreshing from the other books of her's I have read in the last few years. It is not the story of Zorro's escapades, rather the story of how he became Zorro. The story is intermingled with all sorts of great history of California, Mexoico, Spain and New Orleans. I was sucked in by this book. It was a fun adventure.
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clark
http://www.jonathanstrange.com
OMG! Such a great book, but it is long and you have to enjoy the odd 18oo's England and a bit of magic thrown in the mix. Very impressed that it is a first book. I actually only know of about two people who might like to read this, and one already had it on her list. I want to know who has been reading it to make it a best seller. It is huge (800 pages) by most people's standards, and very very English. I can clearly see why it is a best seller. It is a great book.
Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore
http://www.chrismoore.com
How can you say no to Christopher Moore for some good plane reading? The plane trip from Denver to DC is a long one. I sat next to some rather old lady who kept looking at the title of this book askance. Some of the most amazing wacky tales spring from Moore's brain. I want to know what drugs he takes and if he doesn't OMG, how do you explain the stuff he dreams up? This one was silly, enjoyable, but not nearly as good as Lamb or The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove
Currently reading The Confusion by Neal Stephenson
http://www.nealstephenson.com
Kinda feel like he has really gone down that schlocky trail ever since Cryptonomicon, but somehow compelled to read his stuff. This one is the second book in a trilogy. The first one made me want to throw it against the wall in a bitter rage because of how flat, arrogant and predictable his books have gotten while at the same time learning all sorts of interesting things about the time period and physics, who knew? He absolute best book is Diamond Age, if you read anything by him, read that. Good writing and characters that don’t make you want to throw the book at the wall. Not really proud to tell anyone I am reading this.
