Carol's Comments December 2014

Carol’s Comments December 2014

Hello Everyone! Welcome to another issue of Carol’s Comments. This autumn has been quite a whirlwind for me. Just like the swirling leaves and erratic weather, my reading choices also have been very frenetic. I’ve flitted from one book and genre to another, not able to focus on a central theme like I usually do. So when I finally settled on three books that really felt comfortable and kept me interested, they resembled a cornucopia of my eclectic tastes ranging from contemporary memoirs and historical biography to re-imagined fanciful fiction.

The first book I selected was I Am Malala co-written by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb. Subtitled “the story of the girl who stood up for education and was shot by the Taliban,” this powerfully absorbing memoir chronicles Malala’s courageous young life as well as Pakistan’s turbulent political history from its creation in 1947 to the present day oppression under the Taliban. Born in 1997, Malala is a very unconventional girl in a very traditional society. Supported by her father who also defies the Taliban by establishing a school that educates both boys and girls, Malala possesses an indomitable spirit as she faces adversity and insurmountable odds advocating gender equality. 

Amidst her country’s political turmoil, she relentlessly crusades for girls’ educational rights. For example, she agrees, under the pseudonym Gul Maki, to write a blog for the BBC Urdu web site vividly describing life under the Taliban in through a girl’s point of view.

The Taliban nearly silence her quest for girls’ education and gender equality by critically shooting her on October 9, 2012. She was only 15 years old. She miraculously survived this assassination attempt. I thought the most heart wrenching chapters of the memoir focused on her long recovery from her injuries. Through multiple surgeries, temporary paralysis and a strong fighting spirit, she continues to champion for girls’ equality and freedom while now living with her family in Birmingham, England.

This utterly fascinating book reminded me of a modern day The Diary of Anne Frank with a more positive outcome. The memoir also features a chronology of Pakistan’s history as well as including a glossary of Islamic and Pakistani words and phrases. This makes it easier for the reader to understand the Muslim culture. Told through a young girl’s viewpoint, I Am Malala gives readers a glimpse into modern Pakistani culture and an extremely disturbing portrait of a country gone absolutely insane.

As a side note, shortly after finishing I Am Malala, I learned that on October 10, 2014, Malala Yousafzai at 17 became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner, an award she truly deserved. 

This Fall I watched a tremendous amount of PBS without even including my favorite standby Masterpiece Classic/Mystery. I spent almost every evening viewing many fine documentaries especially Ken Burns’ spectacular seven-part documentary The Roosevelts: An Intimate History. It intrigued me so much I can’t believe I watched a 14 hour documentary in seven consecutive days! I totally immersed myself in Theodore, Eleanor and Franklin D Roosevelts’ trials and triumphs.

After thoroughly enjoying Ken Burns’ documentary, I couldn’t wait reading the accompanying book The Roosevelts: An Intimate History primarily compiled and written by Geoffrey C. Ward with a preface by Ken Burns. The book’s seven chapters use the same descriptive titles featured in each episode of the documentary series:

1.     Get Action 1858-1901

2.     In the Arena 1901-1910

3.     The Fire of Life 1910-1919

4.     The Storm 1920-1933

5.     The Rising Road 1933-1939

6.     The Common Cause 1939-1944

7.     A Strong and Active Faith 1944-1962

These chapters, however, do not duplicate but instead subtly enhance each segment by including stunning photographs, vignettes and personal artifacts from the time period not mentioned in the film.

The book’s central theme focuses more on the personal lives of its three subjects. For instance, Ward describes Theodore, Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt as “wounded people” who triumph over great adversity to lead meaningful, fulfilling and productive lives. Ward’s beautiful book is an excellent companion piece to Burns’ documentary. 

For further reading about Theodore Rooosevelt, I recommend Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough, a very enlightening biography about Theodore Roosevelt’s early life and Edmund Morris’ The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt an excellent biography chronicling his early political career.

For my readers interested in exploring more about the personal lives of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, you must see the excellent 1976 miniseries, Eleanor and Franklin starring Edward Herrmann and Jane Alexander along with the 1977 followup Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years.

For some unknown reason, I keep gravitating toward books and movies about the 1920s. For instance, while re-watching the marvelous two- part 2011Woody Allen documentary which heavily focuses on the filming of Midnight in Paris, I remembered how much I enjoyed reading The Paris Wife by Paula McClain and Gioa Dilberto’s biography about Hadley Richardson Hemingway, Paris Without End three years ago. I realized I wanted to learn even more about Ernest Hemingway’s personal life.

While browsing The New York Times Trade Paperback Fiction Bestseller List online one day, I found Mrs. Hemingway by Naomi Wood and quickly requested it from the library. 

Woods’ imaginative novel explores Hemingway’s life from 1926 to 1961 through the unique perspective of his four wives: Hadley Richardson Hemingway, Pauline “Fife” Pfeiffer, Martha Gelhorn and Mary Welsh. Ironically, his first three wives’ narratives begin when their marriages are disintegrating and in Mary Welsh’s case, while watching her husband deteriorate mentally and physically.

Conversely, they all fondly recall in flashback, the bewitching experience of loving a very charismatic yet incredibly complicated man. These four women also would be linked forever together in an unconventional sisterhood not only because of their passionate and enduring love for the famous writer but because they all tolerated Hemingway’s infidelities, chauvinism and self-aggrandizing behavior during their relationship with him. More importantly, each wife inspired Hemingway to write The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Old Man and the Sea, some of the greatest works in American literature.

This captivating novel reminded me of a feminine version of A Moveable Feast, Hemingway’s posthumously published fictional memoir. Mrs. Hemingway is the perfect companion to The Paris Wife. I highly recommend it.

I guess the old adage “the book is better than the movie” in most cases, really rings true. As many of my readers know, in my April 2012 column, I absolutely loved Death Comes to Pemberley, a re-imagined mystery sequel to Pride and Prejudice by renowned mystery author P.D. James and gave it a glowing review.

So when PBS announced on Facebook and other media outlets that the network would air a BBC production of James’ novel on Masterpiece Mystery this October, I frantically devoured any news I found about it on social media, The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly. The previews on PBS looked s very enticing as the miniseries premiere date approached that I even marked my calendar so I wouldn’t miss it!

But when I started reading tepid reviews about the program, I tried to dismiss them. I figured the reviewers were just being overly critical about this screen adaption of the clever sequel to the Jane Austen classic and the incomparable 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. 

Unfortunately, when I watched the two-part adaptation on October 26 and November 2, I was extremely disappointed especially Anna Maxwell Martin’s portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet Darcy. Totally miscast and at least ten years too old for the role, Maxwell Marin seemed too dowdy, sullen, drab and tentative to play Jane Austen’s high spirited, vivacious and independent minded heroine.

The plodding story had such a convoluted plot that I had a difficult following it and nearly fell asleep. Director Daniel Percival should have trimmed at least 45 minutes from the film. Although Matthew Rhys and Matthew Goode give decent performances as Darcy and George Wickham respectively, this boring film lacks the mystery and suspense found in the book. I recommend skipping this lackluster movie and reading P.D. James’ inventive novel instead.

All the books, movies and TV shows reviewed in my column can be found at most local public libraries. My readers from St Joseph County, Indiana can visit the St Joseph County Public Library’s web site at libraryforlife,org for more information.

I’ll be taking a holiday break so see you all again next time in 2015. Thanks for reading!

Carol's Comments September 2014

Carol’s Comments

September 2014

  Hello Everyone! Welcome to another issue of Carol’s Comments. Summer is usually a time to be adventurous and explore new things. This time I did the opposite. After spending many long relaxing summer evenings with Jon Hamm and Benedict Cumberbatch watching (and re-watching) Mad Men’s  mid-season finale and totally immersing myself  in every episode of Sherlock, I decided to focus on my favorite authors and literary genres this year. 

 After reading a very witty and delightfully candid interview in the New York Times Book Review with Diane Keaton, one of my favorite actresses and role models, I couldn’t wait to read her irreverent new book Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty over the Memorial Day weekend. Keaton’s quirky memoir, a follow-up to her 2011 autobiography Then Again features comic and sometimes very poignantly personal vignettes and essays on the true meaning of beauty. Keaton also extensively comments on her unconventional relationships with Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty and Al Pacino.

  This is definitely a must-read for devoted Diane Keaton fans. It was so hilariously funny and entertaining that I finished it in two days!

Next I wanted to concentrate on some serious historical fiction. At first, I had a little trouble finding the perfect choice. Then one day while browsing the New Fiction section at the River Park Branch, I accidently found Vindication, a fictional biography about Mary Wollstonecraft, the 18^th century feminist author written by Frances Sherwood in 1992. I thought it ironic that I had discovered this book because while reading Muriel Sparks’ biography about Mary Shelley, Wollstonecraft’s daughter, this winter, I wondered if the Frankenstein author espoused or embraced any of her mother’s radical beliefs. 

 Sherwood’s critically acclaimed first novel chronicles Wollstonecraft’s life from 1785 when she escapes her wretched, indifferent family so she can pursue an independent life to her untimely death at age 38 in 1797.

Strongly influenced by Enlightenment philosopher like Voltaire, Rousseau and John Locke, Wollstonecraft leads a very passionate and adventurous life. For instance, after her girls’ school fails primarily due to her sisters’ incompetence, she works as a governess in Ireland to support herself. Eventually she returns to England and lives and works for publisher Joseph Johnson who encourages her to become a writer. Under his mentorship, she writes her most famous book   A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792. 

 Soon after the book’s publication, she travels to Paris to observe and write about the consequences of the French Revolution firsthand, While having a torrid affair with the unscrupulous American adventurer/frontiersman Gilbert Imlay, she almost literally loses her head during  the  Reign of Terror. Shortly after returning to England, Wollstonecraft marries writer/philosopher William Godwin in 1797.

 Amazingly, this rather intellectually challenging novel was so compelling I couldn’t leave it alone even when I should have been asleep! I especially enjoyed the last chapter. It didn’t end with Wollstonecraft’s death in 1797 but instead served as an epilogue by describing the fates of all the people who played an important role in her remarkable life.

 Sue Monk Kidd has become one of my favorite authors ever since I reviewed The Secret Life of Bees and Traveling With Pomegranates for one of my first blogs three years ago. I especially admire her direct yet lyrical writing style as well as her genuine and heartfelt characters. So when I saw several months ago that her new novel The Invention of Wings has appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List, I was very anxious to read it. Unfortunately, it was such a wildly popular book at the library that I couldn’t check it out until nearly Independence Day. It was clearly worth the wait.

  Set in Charleston, South Carolina from 1803-1838, this uplifting novel focuses on the 35 year relationship between real-life abolitionist Sarah Grinke and the family household slave Hetty (aka “Handful”). After Sarah receives Handful as a gift on her eleventh birthday, she vows to free her one day. 

In the meantime, she secretly teaches Handful how to read and write despite her parents’ objections and South Carolina law. Possessing a very determined and independent spirit, she defies social convention by espousing women’s rights, becoming an abolitionist and eventually converting to Quakerism after meeting and falling in love with Israel Morris. 

 Eventually her beliefs (especially on feminism) become too radical that even the Quakers reject her and her younger sister Angelina. Throughout the rest of her life, her crusade for equality for both blacks and women never wavers. Despite much adversity, Sarah also keeps her childhood promise to Handful by helping her escape from slavery.

 Kidd’s absorbing narrative alternates between Sarah and Handful which gives the reader different perspectives of life experienced by slave and free in the pre-Civil War South. I highly recommend this book for middle and high school students as well as adults.

 After finishing The Invention of Wings, I realized I had never read Kidd’s second novel The Mermaid Chair published in 2005. I think the main reason I had avoided it was I thought it would be overly sentimental and maudlin for my taste. Plus I knew that it had been made into a very mediocre Lifetime movie starring Kim Basinger in 2006.Despite these misgivings, I plunged into it. Amazingly, The Mermaid Chair turned out to be one of the best contemporary romantic novels I’ve read in a long time.

Set in 1988 on an island off the South Carolina coast, Kidd’s book revolves around 42 year old Jessie Sullivan , a frustrated housewife and aspiring artist who narrates her own “coming of middle age” story. Returning to her childhood home after her religiously eccentric mother commits a violent act of self-mutilation, Jessie’s ordinary and conventional life dramatically changes when she falls in love with Brother Thomas, a disillusioned Benedictine monk.

Through Brother Thomas’ help, she finds “a solitude of being” to enrich her life with a meaningful purpose. More importantly, Jessie also uncovers the pivotal role the Mermaid Chair plays not only in her mother’s horrific compulsions but also the answers to long buried family secrets.

I really had lots of fun this summer taking a leisurely literary journey to the 18^th through 21^st century without leaving the comfort of my living room sofa! I’m glad I could share it with you all. 

All the books reviewed in my column can be found at most local public libraries. My readers from St Joseph County, Indiana can visit the St Joseph  County Public Library’s web site at libraryforlife.org for more information. Thanks for reading! See you all next time!

Carol's Comments June 2014

Carol’s Comments June 2014

Hello Everyone!  Welcome to another issue of Carol’s Comments. After a brief hiatus, I’m back online with my own blog! All my columns can be accessed at any time at carolscommentsreviews.blogspot.com. I’m very excited I can begin this new adventure with all of you.

After the St Joseph County Public Library’s One Book, One Michiana events ended, I still wanted to explore more books focusing on creepy, haunting themes. The first book I selected was Havisham by Ronald Frame. 

In this enthralling prequel to Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, Catherine Havisham, one of the most enigmatic characters in British literature narrates this tragic tale. As the only daughter of a wealthy brewery owner, Catherine becomes a very high spirited, self-confident and independent minded young woman. However, after meeting and falling hopelessly in love with the charming yet mysteriously elusive Charles Compeyson, she enthusiastically accepts his marriage proposal. Unfortunately, her whole world completely unravels when he jilts her on their wedding day.

The once gregarious and ebullient Catherine suddenly transforms into the hauntingly tormented spinster “Miss Havisham”. She is so utterly devastated by this traumatic event that she closes down her father’s brewery and retreats from the real world forever by always wearing her wedding dress as a symbol of the mockery of love. Time literally stands still for her because she sequesters herself in the family mansion Satis House and insists that everything remain just as it was on her wedding day.

As her delusions and insanity grow, she decides to adopt the orphan Estella as her daughter, At this juncture, Frame’s novel intersects with Great Expectations’ plot when Pip becomes Estella’s companion. This gives the reader Miss Havisham’s view whether Pip’s unexpected good fortune would make him a suitable husband for her ward. Frame also offers an alternate ending of what fates might await Pip and Estella.

Ultimately, Havisham is a great companion piece to Dickens’ original novel because it provides a compellingly intriguing backstory of one of Dickens’ most eccentric and complicated characters. This very absorbing novel reminded me Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys’ prequel to Jane Eyre. However, I  enjoyed Havisham better because I could empathize and identify with the title character more because her anguish is timeless.

After finishing Havisham, I really wanted to watch a movie version of Great Expectations. Although there are many fine adaptations of  Dickens’ classic including the faithful 1946 film directed by David Lean and starring John Mills or the 1998 modern update featuring  Ethan Hawke, Gyneth Paltrow and Anne Bancroft, I decided to concentrate on  two recent adaptations: 2011’s Masterpiece Classic’s production with Gillian Anderson and the 2012 film release featuring Helena Bonham Carter.

I began first with the three hour Masterpiece Classic miniseries. In this very faithful adaptation written by Sarah Phelps, all the characters ( along with the plot) are well developed and multidimensional, In particular, Gillian Anderson’s stunning performance as Miss Havisham is very hauntingly ethereal and utterly heartbreaking, Anderson creates a ghostly atmosphere in every scene without being campy. The viewer truly understands her torment and disconnectedness with reality. 

Unlike the spectacular Masterpiece Classic miniseries, the 2012 film adaptation directed by Mike Newell seemed condensed, disjointed and lacked any significant character development, Consequently, I felt no empathy for any of the major characters ---- especially Miss Havisham. For instance, Helena Bonham Carter’s outrageously ghoulish portrayal reminded me of a combination of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and The Bride of Frankenstein rather than the hauntingly disturbed and mentally fragile spinster she actually is.

This film was rather disappointing after viewing the superior 2011 miniseries which successfully captures the true spirit of Dickens’ original story. I recommend skipping this movie and watching the Masterpiece Classic dramatization instead.

After reading The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey two years ago, I now really love novels that re-imagine classic fiction. So when I read a favorable review in the New York Times about Rachel Pastan’s new novel Alena, a modern re-telling of  Daphne Du Maurier’s Gothic mystery classic Rebecca, I couldn’t wait to read it.

Set mainly in modern day Cape Cod, the plot revolves around the contemporary art world. Narrated by an unnamed heroine, this young woman meets Bernard Augustin, an aloof, mysterious art director in Italy where he soon invites her to become the new curator at his contemporary art gallery called Nauquasset (aka “The Nauk”) . All is not well when she arrives there. She soon discovers that she is replacing Bernard’s charismatic friend Alena who mysteriously drown two years ago. 

Although Pastan desperately tries to evoke Rebecca’s mood by emulating Du Maurier’s original writing style, this book lacks the suspense, drama and mystery of the classic novel. I found it very dull, boring and lackluster mainly because the characters weren’t fully developed so it was difficult to relate to or sympathize with them --- including the heroine.

After such a dissatisfying reading experience, I longed to revisit Du Maurier’s beloved novel. But since I didn’t have enough time to read Rebecca, I treated myself to the 1940 Academy Award winning film instead.

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Laurence Olivier as Maxim de Winter, Joan Fontaine as the second Mrs. De Winter and Judith Anderson as the obsessively devoted housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, this magnificent dramatization co-written by Robert E Sherwood and Joan Harrison brilliantly captures the eerie atmosphere of  the original story. Everyone should see this marvelous movie at least once.

When Life After Life by Kate Atkinson became a wildly popular bestseller last year, I was very intrigued but rather hesitant about reading it. But after the New York Times Book Review selected the novel as one of the Best Fiction Books for 2013 and Amazon kept recommending me to read it, I decided to ignore my skepticism and plunge into it.

Set primarily in England from 1910-1947 and spanning two World Wars, Life After Life centers on Ursula Todd who is born on February 11, 1910, immediately dies--- and is born again and again on the same date while repeatedly dying in a variety of ways. Every re-birth produces different scenarios affecting not only Ursula’s life but all the people she knows around her. 

This very strange, metaphysical story which reminded me of a surreal combination of Downton Abbey and Groundhog Day strikingly demonstrates how even the most minor choices one makes can profoundly change and affect one’s life and others too.  I think Life After Life is one of the best inventive and imaginative novels I’ve read in a long time. I rarely re-read books, but I loved this story so much that I will definitely return to it very soon. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in thought provoking or unconventional fiction.

All the books and movies reviewed in my column can be found at most local public libraries. My readers from St Joseph County, Indiana can always visit the SJCPL web site at www.libraryforlife.org for further information.

Before I go, I want to thank Steve and Lori Sigety for helping me create my new blog. I appreciate it very much! Thanks for reading and your continued support. See you all next time!