1. No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference, by Greta Thunberg
I feel a bit on fire whenever I am exposed to her thoughts on climate breakdown. She has a powerful clarity. This book is a small collection of speeches from a period of about two years which frequently repeat themselves when you're reading them all in sequence, but that didn't bug me. I really recommend her words, in whatever form (written or recordings).
2. Gravity Is The Thing, by Jaclyn Moriarty
Having just finished rereading a young adult novel of hers, I was delighted to discover and fall into Jaclyn Moriarty's first adult novel. It is so quirky-funny, and sometimes achingly poignant, and has that way some of her books have of wrapping up all of these odd disparate details into one big "ahh, I see" ending. I loved the narrator quite a bit.
3. If I Had a Hammer: Women's Work in Poetry, Fiction, and Photographs, edited by Sandra Martz
The old feminist anthologies are often more digestible than I think, this one included. (This one is from 1990.) Thoughtful but relatively light reading. Of particular interest to me was reading about various pink-collar jobs which no longer exist (e.g. entering bank deposits manually all day long) now that we all have 21st-century computers and the accompanying automations.
Showing posts with label Jaclyn Moriarty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jaclyn Moriarty. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Monday, October 3, 2011
Read in August 2011
As always, titles link to the pertinent Goodreads page — feel free to add me as a friend on there if you have a Goodreads account.
1. Raven Summer, by David Almond
2. Feeling Sorry for Celia, by Jaclyn Moriarty
I love everything I have read by Jaclyn Moriarty. (So far it's all been epistolary young adult contemporary-mostly-realistic fiction.) Always entertaining and fresh and affecting, always takes me less than 24 hours to read, and never predictable.
3. Liar, by Justine Larbalestier
What a mindfrak of a book. It seemed straightforward the first time through, certainly engrossing, but then I read the designated discussion thread on her blog and realized I was trusting the narrator FAR too much. (I could probably mull this book over for days and still feel confused...)
4. Ruby Slippers: How the Soul of a Woman Brings Her Home, by Jonalyn Fincher
I'm not the target audience for this book; I just read it as part of my ongoing commitment to keeping an eye on the evangelical discourse on gender. It didn't impress me, but overall it didn't offend me either, and that in itself is mildly impressive. For the average evangelical USian woman, its ideas would probably be more refreshing than I'm able to discern.
1. Raven Summer, by David Almond
2. Feeling Sorry for Celia, by Jaclyn Moriarty
I love everything I have read by Jaclyn Moriarty. (So far it's all been epistolary young adult contemporary-mostly-realistic fiction.) Always entertaining and fresh and affecting, always takes me less than 24 hours to read, and never predictable.
3. Liar, by Justine Larbalestier
What a mindfrak of a book. It seemed straightforward the first time through, certainly engrossing, but then I read the designated discussion thread on her blog and realized I was trusting the narrator FAR too much. (I could probably mull this book over for days and still feel confused...)
4. Ruby Slippers: How the Soul of a Woman Brings Her Home, by Jonalyn Fincher
I'm not the target audience for this book; I just read it as part of my ongoing commitment to keeping an eye on the evangelical discourse on gender. It didn't impress me, but overall it didn't offend me either, and that in itself is mildly impressive. For the average evangelical USian woman, its ideas would probably be more refreshing than I'm able to discern.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Happiness and gratitudes
• A fresh-to-me Jaclyn Moriarty (epistolary!) novel.
• Accompanying Miss Erin to a screening of a movie she acted in. Such an honor and a treat.
• Mad Men being made available on instant streaming on Netflix.
• The Suburbs.
• The curative powers of journaling.
• Dates with chèvre.
• Visiting with my big sister and bro-in-law and their fantastic baby, who has the best smile I think I've ever seen.
• Confidence and faith.
• Swimming in the ocean after a long, hot, hassling day.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
I read 81 books in 2010
The best:
Anthology of Modern Chinese Poetry, by Michelle Yeh
Revolutionary Letters, by Diane di Prima
The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888-1978, by Sarah Greenough et al.
The Ghosts of Ashbury High, by Jaclyn Moriarty
Second Language, by Lisel Mueller
Unfortunately, It Was Paradise, by Mahmoud Darwish
73 Poems, by e.e. cummings
Poetry in Person, by Alexander Neubauer
Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler, by Lavinia Spalding
Photographs: 1970-1990, by Annie Leibovitz
The Business of Fancydancing, by Sherman Alexie
Anthology of Modern Chinese Poetry, by Michelle Yeh
Revolutionary Letters, by Diane di Prima
The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888-1978, by Sarah Greenough et al.
The Ghosts of Ashbury High, by Jaclyn Moriarty
Second Language, by Lisel Mueller
Unfortunately, It Was Paradise, by Mahmoud Darwish
73 Poems, by e.e. cummings
Poetry in Person, by Alexander Neubauer
Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler, by Lavinia Spalding
Photographs: 1970-1990, by Annie Leibovitz
The Business of Fancydancing, by Sherman Alexie
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Read in July 2010
1. Journalution: Journaling to Awaken Your Inner Voice, Heal Your Life and Manifest Your Dreams, by Sandy Grason
Okay, the title and some of her language is exceptionally self-helpish, but don't be turned off by that; there are some excellent prompts in here as well as motivating and specific advice on how to use journaling to find clarity and work through stuff. I'd even recommend it just for the prompts, if you're not in the mood to read the rest of the text.
2. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
Compelling, but it's faded pretty quickly from my head.
3. The Artful Storybook: Mixed-Media Artists Create Handmade Tales, by Terry Taylor
Nowhere was the complete text of each of the storybooks featured, and that seems like a ridiculous omission. Some of them were not really my thing; some of them were so great I can admire but never hope to emulate. Good visual inspiration, overall, though.
4. Unfortunately, It Was Paradise: Selected Poems, by Mahmoud Darwish
A lot of the Middle Eastern poetry that I've read has been in a rhythm or voice that hasn't felt quite comfortable to me. It may be that something is missing in the translation, but I think it's probably just the influence of different tradition. This volume fit into that generalization. Very thick with oblique, sometimes mixed (?) metaphors. So this wasn't the easiest poetry to fall into, but when it struck me, it really struck me. As in, I would like to own this book. I might give it a reread next summer.
5. The Heart is Not a Size, by Beth Kephart
Lovely and unpretentious YA novel about two best friends whose volunteer stint in a Mexican border town brings their long-forming tensions and private struggles to the surface. I was so compelled by the two girls, Riley and Georgia. Especially Riley. I wish we could have gone longer and deeper with them, yet I think the smaller frame of the story is probably the right size.
6. Moments: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs, 1942-1982, by Sheryle Leekley
The pictures are so worth looking at and knowing the background of, of course, but the text was laughably bad in places
7. Dear Ghosts,: Poems, by Tess Gallagher
Mm...she does some interesting things with her words, but overall, her poems provoked little response from me, either cerebral or emotional.
8. Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler, by Lavinia Spalding
Great tone and offers so much in the way of ideas, prompts, and guidance. I read this as a long-time journaler looking for some fresh inspiration; I would recommend it to someone interested in starting a journal too. And you absolutely do not have to have globetrotting in your future, near or distant, for this book to be worth reading.
9. The Ghosts of Ashbury High, by Jaclyn Moriarty
Tangly, dark yet humorous, perfectly plotted and told.YA. Slow revelations and you have to wait for the pieces to fall into place, but of course you know it will be perfect when they do because it's Jaclyn Moriarty! One of my favorite books I've read so far this year.
10. Ghosts in the Garden: Reflections on Endings, Beginnings, and the Unearthing of Self, by Beth Kephart
Small and sweet. I enjoyed the meditative mood of this collection of personal essays. Also the relative freedom of length; some were four or five pages, some were only a couple paragraphs long. These sorts of personal, contemplative pieces feel very natural in Beth's voice, especially after two years of reading her blog, which takes the same sort of tone. Beautiful photographs of the title gardens, too.
Okay, the title and some of her language is exceptionally self-helpish, but don't be turned off by that; there are some excellent prompts in here as well as motivating and specific advice on how to use journaling to find clarity and work through stuff. I'd even recommend it just for the prompts, if you're not in the mood to read the rest of the text.
2. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
Compelling, but it's faded pretty quickly from my head.
3. The Artful Storybook: Mixed-Media Artists Create Handmade Tales, by Terry Taylor
Nowhere was the complete text of each of the storybooks featured, and that seems like a ridiculous omission. Some of them were not really my thing; some of them were so great I can admire but never hope to emulate. Good visual inspiration, overall, though.
4. Unfortunately, It Was Paradise: Selected Poems, by Mahmoud Darwish
A lot of the Middle Eastern poetry that I've read has been in a rhythm or voice that hasn't felt quite comfortable to me. It may be that something is missing in the translation, but I think it's probably just the influence of different tradition. This volume fit into that generalization. Very thick with oblique, sometimes mixed (?) metaphors. So this wasn't the easiest poetry to fall into, but when it struck me, it really struck me. As in, I would like to own this book. I might give it a reread next summer.
5. The Heart is Not a Size, by Beth Kephart
Lovely and unpretentious YA novel about two best friends whose volunteer stint in a Mexican border town brings their long-forming tensions and private struggles to the surface. I was so compelled by the two girls, Riley and Georgia. Especially Riley. I wish we could have gone longer and deeper with them, yet I think the smaller frame of the story is probably the right size.
6. Moments: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs, 1942-1982, by Sheryle Leekley
The pictures are so worth looking at and knowing the background of, of course, but the text was laughably bad in places
7. Dear Ghosts,: Poems, by Tess Gallagher
Mm...she does some interesting things with her words, but overall, her poems provoked little response from me, either cerebral or emotional.
8. Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler, by Lavinia Spalding
Great tone and offers so much in the way of ideas, prompts, and guidance. I read this as a long-time journaler looking for some fresh inspiration; I would recommend it to someone interested in starting a journal too. And you absolutely do not have to have globetrotting in your future, near or distant, for this book to be worth reading.
9. The Ghosts of Ashbury High, by Jaclyn Moriarty
Tangly, dark yet humorous, perfectly plotted and told.YA. Slow revelations and you have to wait for the pieces to fall into place, but of course you know it will be perfect when they do because it's Jaclyn Moriarty! One of my favorite books I've read so far this year.
10. Ghosts in the Garden: Reflections on Endings, Beginnings, and the Unearthing of Self, by Beth Kephart
Small and sweet. I enjoyed the meditative mood of this collection of personal essays. Also the relative freedom of length; some were four or five pages, some were only a couple paragraphs long. These sorts of personal, contemplative pieces feel very natural in Beth's voice, especially after two years of reading her blog, which takes the same sort of tone. Beautiful photographs of the title gardens, too.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Ache and gray
Dreary sky. I read the last 300 pages of The Ghosts of Ashbury High (Jaclyn Moriarty) sitting on my floor after lunch after class. It's a brilliant book, so good and so tangly and a bit heartbreaking, and I just read something from my astronaut sister that also made my heart hurt. Both in that vicarious sort of way. So I think now I might watch a movie down here in my room and deal with those in my head later. I have V for Vendetta, The Triplets of Belleville, and Inglourious Basterds out from the library.
Last week was exhausting. I did an inordinate amount of socializing with new people this week, even some mingling, and it took its TOLL. All cool people, mind, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm an introvert who reaches sensory overload very quickly. I climbed in the shower and turned the water on and covered my face with my hands. Take away the people pls. I thought maybe I would spend the weekend with my eyes covered up and noise-blocking headphones on, lying on my bed listening to my thoughts bounce off the fabric of the blindfold? Instead I just slurked about the house, slept, and declined all unnecessary conversation. Gotta do what you gotta do.
Some more pictures from Muir Woods:
I had a scare with my new camera the other day, the shutter wasn't firing and I thought it was broken, but it turns out it's just some wrongheaded safety mechanism to prevent double exposures which went to work because I wasn't advancing the film quite far enough after each shot. I did lose most of a roll from the beach, but I went back and retook a bunch of the shots yesterday after class.
Everything feels right when I've got my feet in the Pacific.
Last week was exhausting. I did an inordinate amount of socializing with new people this week, even some mingling, and it took its TOLL. All cool people, mind, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm an introvert who reaches sensory overload very quickly. I climbed in the shower and turned the water on and covered my face with my hands. Take away the people pls. I thought maybe I would spend the weekend with my eyes covered up and noise-blocking headphones on, lying on my bed listening to my thoughts bounce off the fabric of the blindfold? Instead I just slurked about the house, slept, and declined all unnecessary conversation. Gotta do what you gotta do.
Some more pictures from Muir Woods:
I had a scare with my new camera the other day, the shutter wasn't firing and I thought it was broken, but it turns out it's just some wrongheaded safety mechanism to prevent double exposures which went to work because I wasn't advancing the film quite far enough after each shot. I did lose most of a roll from the beach, but I went back and retook a bunch of the shots yesterday after class.
Everything feels right when I've got my feet in the Pacific.
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