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Imagine there is a world war raging right outside your front door. Another country has invaded yours, and your family must hide in the cellar to escape capture. Several neighbors join you in hiding, and except for intermittent scavenging, the whole l...more
Imagine there is a world war raging right outside your front door. Another country has invaded yours, and your family must hide in the cellar to escape capture. Several neighbors join you in hiding, and except for intermittent scavenging, the whole lot of you must remain in the cellar day after day, fighting hunger, illness, and frustration with each other. Struggling with the events unfolding around you, you and your neighbors tell magical stories to cope and teach lessons.
That is the premise of WHEN THE ELEPHANTS DANCE, a debut novel by Tess Uriza Holthe. Set in the waning days of World War II, as Japanese fight Americans over possession of the Philippine Islands, the novel is a dramatic display of history combined with exceptional storytelling.
WHEN THE ELEPHANTS DANCE is a story of courage and compassion and provides interesting insight into Filipino culture. Many of the stories shared by the war-ravaged characters are based on tales handed down to Holthe from her family. An action sequence from which Holthe’s novel was born is based on her father’s experience as a young boy foraging for food during World War II. Holthe’s father was captured and mistaken for a rebel soldier, by the Japanese. His story became the opening scene for WHEN THE ELEPHANTS DANCE.
My entire interview with Holthe is available through my blog (if you read this book, you’re going to want to know about this author and her work), but the answer to one of her questions particularly resonated with me. I explained to Holthe that while I have almost no personal Filipino connections, I loved her writing. Then I asked her thoughts about what draws non-Filipino readers, like me, to her book. This is what Holthe had to say:
“I think the themes are universal: love of family, what you hold dear, rethinking the future you had planned for yourself. During wartime everything is under such extreme conditions that each decision, each gesture takes on a gravitas, an immediacy and what remains is what you love and want to protect, everything else falls away. War tests everyone’s mettle and to be put in such cramped quarters, having to spend it with a disparate group of people brings out very noble and very selfish aspects in us all. The sociology of that kind of thing, a melting pot and a cauldron at the same time, I suppose makes for interesting reading. It made for interesting writing.”(less)
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I love the smell of campfire. It clings to everything and evokes such strong, vivid images for me. One whiff of campfire and I picture little, tousled heads climbing out a tent, marshmallows crammed between crackers and chocolate, and chipmunks scurr...more
I love the smell of campfire. It clings to everything and evokes such strong, vivid images for me. One whiff of campfire and I picture little, tousled heads climbing out a tent, marshmallows crammed between crackers and chocolate, and chipmunks scurrying through pine trees.
“The Girl Who Stopped Swimming” is a novel that’s stuck with me like campfire. The images and characters created by the author, Joshilyn Jackson, refuse to leave my senses.
While “The Girl Who Stopped Swimming” is not a fantasy novel, the main character, Laurel Hawthorne, is haunted by two ghosts; a shot-dead uncle from Laurel’s childhood, and a teenage girl who drowned in Laurel’s backyard pool.
Helping Laurel to uncover the hows and whys of the drowned girl’s death is a crazy cast of characters from Laurel’s family. My favorites are Laurel’s wild, older sister, Thalia, and Laurel’s straightlaced, computer-code obsessed husband, David.
“The Girl Who Stopped Swimming” is funny, sexy and scary. It is the ultimate book club book, especially since Ms. Jackson arranges occasional telephone calls with book clubs. How cool is that?!
But before you ask the dear author questions, I’ve asked her some of my own in an email interview.
Q: When I thought that Laurel's husband might be having an affair, I was a little bit angry with my own husband, who is very faithful, loyal and not at all a part of your book. I was just THAT into the book. What's it like hearing that sort of thing from readers?
A: That's awesome. The very best part of being published has been meeting readers who have met my characters. Before, these people only lived vividly in my head, and I couldn't talk about them with anyone.
Q: Your book is set in Alabama and Florida. Why would a reader in Colorado be interested in it?
A: Same reason I would be interested in a book set in Colorado---or France, for that matter. I like to inhabit other people's lives as both a reader and a writer. I know what it’s like to be a wife and mom writing novels in Georgia. This book let me step outside that and experience what it might be like to be a haunted art quilter with major sister issues living in Florida.
Q: Do you have a favorite sentence or scene from the book?
A: I like all of Thalia’s dialog. Every time she opened her mouth I cackled or blushed or both.(less)
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Some people follow sports teams, other people follow actors or rock bands. But me, I follow authors. And while some people fantasize about celebrities they’d like to dine with, I have a list of rock star authors I dream of interviewing.
Recently, one...more
Some people follow sports teams, other people follow actors or rock bands. But me, I follow authors. And while some people fantasize about celebrities they’d like to dine with, I have a list of rock star authors I dream of interviewing.
Recently, one of my dreams came true when David Baldacci agreed to an email interview with me. Upon hearing the news, my impulse was to jump and kick in a manner my legs haven’t experienced since the late 1980s, when I was a high school cheerleader. I quickly discovered my body is no longer qualified in jumping and kicking. It is, however, perfectly fine sitting at a computer conducting research on a favorite author. So that’s what I did. And here’s what I learned:
Before becoming an internationally-acclaimed bestselling author, Baldacci practiced law for nine years. He hit success with his first novel, “Absolute Power” and hasn’t looked back. He’s written more than a dozen best sellers. Baldacci’s works are translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries. And over 60 million copies of Baldacci's books are in print worldwide.
Even I, an ardent Baldacci fan, was surprised by those statistics. And if I wasn’t a fan, upon learning those stats, I’d feel inclined to read a Baldacci title.
A good place to start is with Baldacci’s “The Camel Club.” This book is the first in a series which follows a club of D.C.-based truth seekers. The club consists of an unusual mix of four members: a man without a past currently called "Oliver Stone"; obsessive computer genius Milton Farb; blue-collar laborer Reuben Rhodes; and Library of Congress reference specialist Caleb Shaw.
In “The Camel Club,” the members witness a shocking murder in a D.C.-area park. While secretly trying to unravel the crime, the foursome is slammed into a plot that threatens national security and world stability.
If that’s not enough to get you reading Baldacci, perhaps a taste of my interview will do it. (The full interview is available on my blog, address below.)
Question: An enormous amount of research must go into your writing. Is there a particular research experience or discovery you’ll always remember?
Answer: Listening to incessant gunfire at Quantico while I was down there researching “Last Man Standing.” I felt like I was in the Middle East. Being nearly arrested by the FBI while toting around a German film crew in D.C. Ranks right up there. And then my experience on the Acela train after two passengers overheard me talking to a medical expert about poisoning someone for research for a book and summoned the police. That was fun too. Now whenever I travel, I duct tape my mouth shut just to be safe.(less)
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Before reading “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, I thought, There’s no way I’m recommending this book in my column. McCarthy won a Pulitzer Prize for “The Road” and the book was one of Oprah’s Book Club picks. I figured with a Pulitzer and Oprah on his...more
Before reading “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, I thought, There’s no way I’m recommending this book in my column. McCarthy won a Pulitzer Prize for “The Road” and the book was one of Oprah’s Book Club picks. I figured with a Pulitzer and Oprah on his team, McCarthy probably didn’t need me recommending “The Road,” too.
But then I read the book. And every grocery-shopping trip since, I’ve found myself thinking about “The Road” and buying a few extra cans of fruits and veggies. And when my can opener broke recently, I didn’t consider for a second about replacing it with an electric version. A little manual opener suits me just fine, thank you.
See, canned food and can openers play a supporting role in McCarthy’s story. When I realized how much “The Road” was making me think about those mundane items and how much the book was affecting my everyday thoughts in general, I decided I must recommend the book here.
“The Road” is written in a style which seems very jolting initially. I know there must be people out there who put the book down after the first couple pages, because the sparsely punctuated sentences and nameless characters are jarring at first. I’m begging you to keep turning pages, though. After a few minutes, everything starts flowing and the story becomes engrossing.
The story is that of a man and his young son as they walk towards an ocean in a post-apocalyptic United States. The world is covered in ash and there are very few plants and animals alive. Most of the people who are alive are vicious cannibals, but the father convinces his son that some good people are left. And the father struggles to believe his own words; he is dying and hopes his son will not be left to fight savages alone or be forced to kill himself with the two bullets remaining in their gun.
The book, for me, is a story of love between a father and his son. But it’s also about survival---not only global and personal survival, but the survival of hope and goodness in the worst of circumstances. It is beautiful and thought-provoking.(less)
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I am not a big fan of dogs. Nor do I enjoy car racing. And, yet, I absolutely love “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” a novel narrated by a dog who believes car racing is a metaphor for life.
Nearing death, awesome dog Enzo considers all his family has...more
I am not a big fan of dogs. Nor do I enjoy car racing. And, yet, I absolutely love “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” a novel narrated by a dog who believes car racing is a metaphor for life.
Nearing death, awesome dog Enzo considers all his family has experienced: struggles his master, Denny, overcame to pursue racing; the severe illness of Denny’s wife, Eve; the battle to protect Zoë, Denny and Eve’s daughter. While reading Enzo’s philosophical story, I lost my heart to his family. And I’m not the only one; the book is on all the important publishing lists. I recently interviewed the author, Garth Stein, about his success. An excerpt is below. For the full question and answer session, please visit my Gazette blog.
Question: When you were writing “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” did you have any clue it would be successful?
Answer: Well, I mean, I don't think any writer starts a project thinking, "This will probably suck, but I'll invest years of my life in it anyway." When I start a book, I begin with the assumption that it will be the best book ever written and everyone in the world will love it! Writing a book is a long, hard, grueling process, so one has to think as positively as possible.
It's true, though, with “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” that one might look back on it and say, well, dogs and cars...how can you miss? But I had plenty of detractors when I was writing the book, including my former agent who refused to represent a book narrated by a dog. (I found a new agent!) So while I had no guarantees the book would be successful, I did have a belief that the voice of Enzo was something people would really respond to. And it turned out to be true!
Q: The voice you created for Enzo is very distinct; he has a certain rhythm to his speech, a unique vocabulary. Did you experiment with voice or did you immediately come upon the one used for Enzo?
A: No, Enzo is Enzo. I did very little "thinking" about the voice of Enzo once I found it. It really resonated with me and was fun to write, so I didn't want to get too didactic about it. As Denny would say, "Sometimes you simply have to believe."(less)
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When I recently saw a book of Carl Hiaasen’s in the library’s adult section, I thought it was shelved incorrectly. Famous to me for his middle grade books “Hoot” and “Flush,” I thought all Hiaasen wrote were children’s books. Hah!
A little research i...more
When I recently saw a book of Carl Hiaasen’s in the library’s adult section, I thought it was shelved incorrectly. Famous to me for his middle grade books “Hoot” and “Flush,” I thought all Hiaasen wrote were children’s books. Hah!
A little research informed me that Hiaasen’s written more than ten novels for adults. I picked up the one I discovered at the library, “Skinny Dip,” the cover featuring a provocative drawing of a woman in water (I don’t how I mistook it for a children’s book), and got to reading.
Like “Hoot,” “Flush,” and Hiaasen himself, “Skinny Dip” is based in Florida. And also like “Hoot,” “Flush,” and the author’s opinion-and-editorial column in The Miami Herald, “Skinny Dip” champions Florida’s fragile ecological environment. But it wasn’t the environmental slant which hooked me on “Skinny Dip.” It was the opening scene.
“Skinny Dip” opens with main character Joey Perrone being thrown off a cruise ship. It’s Joey’s husband, Chaz, who does the tossing. The couple is celebrating their second marriage anniversary, and as Joey hits the water, she is completely baffled as to why Chaz would want her dead. Miles from the coast of Florida, Joey is determined to make it home alive. As a reader, I couldn’t put the book down until I found out whether Joey made it to shore. Plus, I wanted answers about Chaz’s motivations.
“Skinny Dip” is fast-paced and funny. If you’re looking for a great tent read (beach reads are so overrated) for your next camping trip, this may be the one for you. And if you’re sharing the tent with a couple middle schoolers, bring along Hiaasen’s “Hoot” and “Flush,” too.
“Hoot” is the story of Roy Eberhardt, a new kid at Trace Middle School in Coconut Grove, Florida. Roy’s convinced the new-kid experience is all bad, until he meets two friends and a bunch of owls. The owls are endangered, and it’s up to the friends to beat the system and save the owls. If you’ve got power in your tent, the film-version of “Hoot” is available on DVD.
“Flush” is the story of Noah Underwood. Noah’s dad, Paine, is in legal hot water after trying to sink a casino boat. Paine is convinced the boat’s operator is dumping the boat’s sewage into the ocean. With a colorful group of friends, Noah works to clean both Paine’s name and the ocean water.(less)
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As soon as December hits, people start to ask me, “What was the best book you read this year?” I usually have a title in mind by Halloween, but not this year. My family’s Thanksgiving leftovers were mostly gone and I still hadn’t found a standout boo...more
As soon as December hits, people start to ask me, “What was the best book you read this year?” I usually have a title in mind by Halloween, but not this year. My family’s Thanksgiving leftovers were mostly gone and I still hadn’t found a standout book. Then Ann Patchett’s “State of Wonder” landed on my library holds shelf.
This novel has it all: compelling characters, a richly layered plot, an exciting setting, a complicated romance and a thought-provoking theme. I laughed and cried while reading “State of Wonder,” and when the end came—in the wee hours of a Saturday morning—I would’ve given Patchett a standing ovation, if only my claps wouldn’t wake my little ones.
The story begins in a Minnesota pharmaceutical lab in which two scientists, Marina Singh and Anders Eckman, had worked side by side for seven years. Anders is away in Brazil, checking progress on a valuable new drug. Marina is in the lab alone, when her boss (and lover) Mr. Fox walks in. He holds a letter from a Dr. Swenson. She was Marina’s mentor in medical school and is now in charge of the drug Anders went to evaluate. Dr. Swenson’s letter states that Anders died in Brazil of a jungle fever.
Anders’ wife and Mr. Fox implore Marina to travel to the jungle. They both want more information; Anders’ wife wants to know more about her husband’s death and burial, and Mr. Fox wants a progress report about the new drug.
With much trepidation, Marina makes the journey and eventually locates Dr. Swenson. Now in her seventies, the doctor is as formidable as Marina remembers. She manipulates her research team and the natives, provides information only in bits and pieces, and convinces Marina to participate in questionable activities.
While Marina battles ghosts from her past, she must also answer lingering questions about her friend’s death and make peace with the new drug’s ethical consequences. I cheered Marina on through these challenges, as well as her fights with nature; she is bedridden with illness in one scene, comes face-to-face with a boa constrictor in another and meets poison-arrow-tossing cannibals in a third.
“State of Wonder” is my favorite read of 2011. I look forward to reading more of Patchett’s work—she’s written six other novels—in the new year.
Miller welcomes book suggestions. Read her blog at www.anitalaydonmiller.blogspot.com or e-mail anita.l.miller@att.net.(less)
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Fiction for adults can be separated into two distinct worlds: literary and popular.
Literary fiction explores characters in depth. It’s not unusual for literary authors to write pages of character description, both physical and psychological. Literary...more
Fiction for adults can be separated into two distinct worlds: literary and popular.
Literary fiction explores characters in depth. It’s not unusual for literary authors to write pages of character description, both physical and psychological. Literary fiction is often complex and multi-layered. While these books have a plot, the emphasis is on character more than story.
Popular fiction, on the other hand, is all about story. Ask a reader to describe popular—also known as “commercial”—work and he or she will have no trouble summarizing basic premises. Characters are important in these books, but not as important as what happens to them.
As someone who frequents area book clubs, I regularly see people give up on literary novels. Readers get halfway through the book, and when “nothing happens,” they put the book down. Popular fiction is, well, more popular.
I have no issue with popular fiction. In fact, most of the books I recommend in this column fall into that category. I do, however, keep my eyes open for entertaining literary fiction, books I believe will hold the attention of readers who normally prefer commercial works.
Ali Smith’s “Where but for the” is one such literary novel. Smith’s characters exist within a unique, interesting storyline. The central character, Miles Garth, attends a dinner party in a London suburb. He is a stranger to his hosts and to all but one person at the party—and the person who does know Miles only recently met him. Imagine everyone’s surprise, then, when Miles locks himself in a spare bedroom, and refuses to come out. He’s there for months.
The first character Smith delves into is Anna Hardie. She knew Miles only as a teenager. They each won spots 30 years ago on a European holiday for high schoolers from around the country. Despite their loose ties, Miles inexplicably has her email address in his wallet. He didn’t take his wallet into the spare room, and the homeowners find Anna’s address in it and contact her. Intrigued, Anna comes to their aid.
In addition to Anna, readers meet several other characters who have loose affiliations with Miles. As each character appears, readers learn about them in depth. The tension in the story—the question of whether Miles will ever leave—keeps the character analysis interesting. I wondered which character would draw Miles out. And that made this literary work popular with me.
Miller welcomes book suggestions. Read her blog at www.anitalaydonmiller.blogspot.com or e-mail anita.l.miller@att.net.(less)
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As a little Mexican-American girl growing up in Pueblo, I read shelves and shelves of books. Mysteries, classics, biographies and encyclopedias—I read everything I could find. I never, however, read a book about a little Mexican-American girl. That b...more
As a little Mexican-American girl growing up in Pueblo, I read shelves and shelves of books. Mysteries, classics, biographies and encyclopedias—I read everything I could find. I never, however, read a book about a little Mexican-American girl. That bit of personal history stayed with me, and now I’m particularly cognizant of books that are culturally diverse. I make an effort to seek out books that include cultures different from my own.
That’s why I was excited to receive “Never-Ending-Snake” from the husband and wife writing team of Aimée and David Thurlo. The book is number sixteen in the police procedural series starring Special Investigator Ella Clah. Clah is a member of the Navajo Tribal Police, and the series is set on a reservation.
Being a police procedural, the writing is tight and unglamorous. It attempts to solve a crime as a true police force might investigate it. Being unfamiliar with police procedures, I’m not sure how well “Snake” accomplishes that feat. The book does, however, give an authentic-feeling glimpse into tribal life.
The work’s authenticity is due to David Thurlo’s history. He grew up on a Navajo reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico. According to the couple’s web site, David Thurlo’s father worked for the Bureau of Mines at the Navajo Helium Plant. David graduated from Shiprock High School and the University of New Mexico. He met Aimée during his senior year at UNM, and the writing team was born. As a team and separately, the couple has written more than seventy novels in a variety of genres. And their fans are the happier for it.
“Snake” was my first Thurlo read. The book begins with Clah landing at the reservation’s small airport. She’s returning from Washington D.C., where she’s been offered a job. Two other tribal members are also returning to the reservation. That’s why it’s difficult to determine the target, when men open fire on Clah and her travelling companions at the airport.
The rest of the book follows Clah as she and her partners investigate various leads. Entwined in the investigation is the subplot of Clah’s job offer. The position would provide more stability for her tween daughter. However, Clah appreciates the comfort and familiarity of reservation life.
In the end, of course, the criminals are found, and Clah chooses to stay on the reservation. That’s a good thing, as I look forward to learning more about Navajo life in subsequent Clah books.(less)
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4.18 avg rating — 11 ratings
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published
2011
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3 editions
3.91 avg rating — 11 ratings
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published
2011
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3 editions
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to:
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SHU - WPF Students
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— last activity Jan 09, 2011 12:24pm
