Roy L. Pickering Jr.'s Blog, page 21

Books You May Want To Check Out

The Warmest December by Bernice L. McFadden: Violent alcoholics beget violent alcoholics beget... Pretty much everybody in this beautifully written novel is in agony. They are each perpetrators and victims, tormentors and the ones suffering from a brutal disease. The cycle appears to be endless, but Kenzie is fighting to break the pattern. This novel, which is told from her point of view, is filled with unfathomable cruelty that it seems nobody would be foolish enough to stick around and take. Surely fleeing for their lives is an option. But instead of running from barbaric cruelty they are each running from their own demons. These demons take on liquid form and exist in bottles obtained from bars and liquor stores. The reader pities them for their hopelessness, urges those being bullied to take a hint and act out of self preservation rather than inexplicable loyalty. But neither Kenzie nor her brother nor her mother listen to the reader, or to friends, or to each other, or to concerned strangers such as policemen sometimes called to the scene of the crime. The jaded officers know in advance that their advice will be ignored, for the story is a sadly common one. The thing about a cycle is that it's extremely difficult to locate an exit point. No matter where you are it looks the same. There are glimpses of small hope, moments of grace, occasions that provide a view of genuine happiness, but eventually the moment to suffer comes back around. As long as Kenzie is consumed with understandable hate, she suffers and requires destructive medication to deal with the pain. She cannot escape by running, but rather, by confronting and figuring out how to forgive. Easier said than done.



The Shipping News by Annie E. Proulx: Annie Proulx has a lovely way with turns of phrase. That said, I expected a little more from this book since it won a Pulitzer Prize. Extra expectations are not the fault of a book or its author though. The story is quite simple and proceeds at a measured pace. It does contain some dramatic events (heartless adultery and abandonment, sudden accidental deaths, murder, beheading, stalking, return from the dead even) but these things happen "offstage" and are described in matter of fact fashion. Far more attention is paid to the smallest of day to day details such as fishing, boat building, house repair, small town newspaper business. The Shipping News is in part a love story, a finding love again after being hurt story, yet this aspect of the tale is largely devoid of heat and passion as well. The story is all quiet observation of a man named Quoyle and those closest to him getting by the best they can. While remaining a decent man and father he learns a new way to live and a new way to love. Along the way he discovers that his worth is greater than he had been previously led to believe, once he finds people better able to appreciate him for who his.



Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward: Novelists like Jesmyn Ward don't come along very often. Only truly special writers can slip readers beneath the skin of a character, make them feel as if they are experiencing the events happening on page first hand. Reading Salvage the Bones one is drawn into the oppressive summer heat of Louisiana; aches with helpless desire; is burdened by a stifling sense of loss; vicariously goes through youthful yearning to be loved, even if only as much as a treasured pet. Prior to the arrival of Hurricane Katrina, the pace of the narrative is slow and steady. We wait for the inevitable devastation to arrive, knowing far more about what is to come than the family we're observing up close. A motherless girl lets the local boys take what they please from her until she meets one from who she wants something back. She is a lone woman in a world of men, and it is through her eyes that we pass idle time waiting, watching, remembering, wishing for what is plain will not be, settling for whatever she is able to grab hold of. This girl does not get placed on a pedestal like her brother's prized dog, but like China she is able to nurture when called upon, ready to fight tooth and nail for survival when necessary. Read this novel. Then join me in the wait for Jesmyn Ward's next one.



Penny Dreadful by Laurel Snyder: I had never heard of this book or the author before deciding to give it a shot as bedtime reading for my six year old daughter. From the cover copy I saw it shared traits with books we've read to her so far such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Holes, Half Magic. These books each feature young protagonists and the element of magic. The twist in Penny Dreadful is that by the end we're not certain if magic ever really played a part in what took place or if certain critical events were instead the result of chance. Did Penny wish things into being or did they coincidentally take place shortly after she wished for them? With Penny being such a vague wisher, asking for improved circumstances rather than for something specific to change them with, we can't be 100% sure. The story takes a little while to get going in the eventful sort of manner that children enjoy. I thought my little one might grow impatient with the set-up and ask for another book. But she remained sufficiently intrigued so we kept reading. Once Penny and her parents leave The City and move to the interesting house they have inherited, the narrative picks up steam. In her new home the formerly rich and sheltered Penny learns the value of friendship and using her inner resources to get by in a world where everything is no longer handed to her on a silver platter. Her feisty best friend Luella is the character my daughter was most amused by and related to best. Her pivotal role is basically to introduce Penny to normalcy and childhood experienced the way it ought to be done, with joy and exuberance and curiosity and daring. Before meeting Luella, Penny knows of adventure through books. After, she finds that no adventure is greater than life itself.



Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín: To say this book starts off slowly is a major understatement. It lulls you. For 50%+ of the page count the narrative is quite uneventful, a stomach churning journey at sea being as dramatic as it gets. This journey takes the protagonist, a young Irish woman, from the small town she has grown up in and is all she knows to Brooklyn, NY. Once she arrives in a strange land you expect the narrative to pick up steam, but it does not. Instead it quietly moves forward via a writing style that is not at all showy, but simple and straight forward and lovely and easy to be carried along by. Just as we're beginning to seriously wonder if anything dramatic is going to happen, something does, something that returns Eilis to Ireland for a month. I won't say what the event is, not that specificity matters all that much here. What matters is that once Eilis is back in her hometown she comes to realize that life contains a handful of vital choices - some that are made for you and some you make for yourself; some that are well thought out over a long period of time and others that are made in an impetuous flash; some which can be easily undone, some that are tortuous to undo, and some that are irrevocable. Each of us is in charge of our own destiny. Each of us is equally subject to the whims of fate, helpless to do anything about it. Eventually we will look back and see this is where that ended, this is where that began, and we will reflect on the fact that our lives easily could have gone far differently if only. But that is a life unlived. Dwelling on what did not come to be will get us nothing except for a solitary trip down memory lane. This lesson is masterfully laid out before readers who are patient enough to see the story through to the end.



Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving: John Irving is one of my favorite authors. The best of his best (Garp, Hotel New Hampshire, Owen Meany, Cider House Rules) are amongst the finest novels ever written in my opinion. This isn't to say that I'm incapable of finding fault in his books. For example, I found Son of the Circus to be disappointing. But John Irving at his worst is more fascinating to read than many writers at their best. An interesting thing about Last Night in Twisted River is that it is in many ways a meditation on his writing career. It's as if he decided to give a gift to faithful readers who have followed him book after book by tossing in as many familiar elements as possible. The more John Irving novels you've read in the past (I've read them all), and the more you happen to know about his personal life which works itself into his books, the more elements/themes you'll instantly recognize. Some examples are bears, farting dogs, wrestling, loss of a child, car accident caused while sexual activity is taking place in one of the vehicles, abortion, New Hampshire, Canada, and a main character being a writer. That character masters his craft at the Iowa Writer's Workshop. One of his books is adapted into a film and wins an Oscar. Sound familiar? Irving seems to be winking at his beloved long time readers throughout this book, giving them liberal dashes of the old while presenting them with the new. Technically the plot is about a man and his son spending the majority of their lives on the run because of an accidental killing and their attempt to cover it up. But what this book is really about is the process of becoming a writer, a process that never stops no matter how many books one has already written. Each book is a new beginning, a new opportunity to learn how to get from beginning to end, even if this means going from end to beginning. It isn't for everyone, the way I feel some of his biggest successes happen to be. But for John Irving fans it's a must.



R.I.P. Donald J. Sobol. I devoured his Encyclopedia Brown books as a child.

PATCHES OF GREY is a B.R.A.G. Medallion™ Honoree

I am thrilled to announce that my novel Patches of Grey has been named a 2012 B.R.A.G. Medallion™ Honoree. The full list of honorees can be found here. Be sure to check out the indieBRAG web site to learn more about this fantastic organization and who they choose to honor. I am humbled to be among the group of independent authors that they recognize and recommend. You can also learn more about their mission to spotlight quality on the part of authors who self publish in print or digitally in this blog post by Helen Hollick.



I am exceedingly grateful to indieBRAG and continue to be appreciative of all my readers and reviewers. The journey continues and keeps getting sweeter.

Congratulations LeBron James

I have written a considerable amount about LeBron on this blog and elsewhere. Much of what I've had to say has been critical in nature. Much of it he brought upon himself with immature and arrogant behavior. I won't bother to repeat my accusations. Type his name in the Search box to find my rants and remarks on the subject of the man who would be and now finally actually is King...of the NBA. The man is polarizing for obvious reasons. Neither his talent nor his displays of obnoxiousness can be denied. But after doing a whole lot wrong, during this strike shortened season he managed to do a good deal right. He matured. He showed some humility and restraint. He was a leader on and off court by play and example, including when clutch was required. He proved he has what it takes to be a champion, at least one of a certain variety. We may never know if he can be the best of the best when the deck is not stacked in his favor. But he wanted a ring above all else, including carring the load entirely on his own broad shoulders, and he did what it took on and off court to win one. He is a title holder beyond MVP now and this cannot be taken away from him. As for the popularity and respect and legacy benchmarks he gave away to realize his dream, that is his Decision to live with. I assume he is losing no sleep over it. Not anymore. The Champ Is Here. He learned some tough lessons to get to this point. Now he'll be soon learning that the only thing more difficult than making it to the top of the mountain is staying hungry enough to remain up there as others desperately try to claim the spot for themselves.

Summer Reading Plans

Summer readin’ had me a blast - Summer readin’ happened so fast

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ @TNBBC posed the following question on Twitter: Do your reading habits change in the summer? Everyone is posting their summer reading lists... #confusediam xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I replied: Mine do not. #JustMe? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I don't read brainless books. If the temperature is above 80 degrees & I'm on a beach w/ a pina colada I STILL DO NOT READ BRAINLESS BOOKS. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I get a tan in the summer. I get in a little better shape usually. But I don't get dumber and neither do my reading habits. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx As a kid when school provided suggested summer reading the books were classics. Why should “summer reading” as an adult mean brain candy? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Applying "Summer Reads" label certainly does suggest that readers will seek different types of books than they do at other times of year. Why? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I guess literature didn't already have sufficient labels so it needed a seasonal one. When is someone going to create a SARCASM font? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx When you see the titles that are advertised as great for summer reading it tends to be frivolous reading. “Frivolous” as I define the word anyway. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx You’ll see certain books labeled “chick lit” for example 10 months out of the year, a “summer read” for the two warmest months. I’ll ignore it all twelve months. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx My guess is that the people reading 50 Shades of Grey Twilight in the summer don't switch to Nabokov for the winter. Lite reading is an all year round thing. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I’m certainly not against escapist fare, and perhaps summer is the most appealing time of year to read such literature for some people. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx But whatever the genre or plot, if I’m going to invest myself in a novel I want and expect quality fall, winter, spring AND summer. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Looking for a summer read that won't make you think or feel or care? If so, Patches of Grey isn't the book for you. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ** The artwork in this posting can be found at the Etsy shop - Erin Go Paint **

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

I have a wonderful mom and my daughter has a wonderful mom. What more could a man ask for?

April Showers

April 2012 has proven to be quite the interesting month. April is of special annual significance to me because my daughter was born on April 7th. It's also the month that World Book Night is celebrated each year. To honor it I am giving away a copy of my novel PATCHES OF GREY at Goodreads.com, with the winner to be selected on April 23rd. World Book Night comes shortly after the prestigious Pulitzer Prizes are awarded, but this year the star category of Fiction was noteworthy for a lack of selection. Book people have had and will continue to have plenty to say about this snub. There may not be a 2012 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, but that doesn’t mean plenty of great fiction isn’t coming out, from a greater diversity of voices and on more different platforms than ever before. Last but not least, to many hip hop heads April 2012 is a technologically magical one for bringing forth the birth of the Tupac hologram. We've certainly been showered with diverse blessings this April. Next up, those beautiful May flowers.










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Goodreads Book Giveaway




















Patches Of Grey






by Roy L. Pickering Jr.

Giveaway ends April 23, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win











RIP Dick Clark - May Heaven be your next bandstand

Stranger Than Fiction - RIP Trayvon Martin

After the night Trayvon Martin died at the hands of George Zimmerman, various pieces of information emerged that are indisputable facts. This is largely due to research by those other than the police department assigned to the case. They seem for some reason to have done the bare minimum, if that. George Zimmerman is the only living person who can reveal the entire truth of what happened. Perhaps he will eventually be pressed to give full disclosure. That is my hope. In an ideal world, or at least a fair one, those details would be revealed before a judge and jury.

As a writer of fiction I am interested not only in the usefulness of facts, but also in the power of imagination. Until Lady Justice puts that blindfold back on that never should have been removed in the first place, allowing George Zimmerman to improbably be free from custody, we are left to connect the dots for ourselves.

When writing a story I often start with the conclusion, then jump to the beginning and try to figure out how to get back to the end. I do not write the stuff of fantasy, so the progression of events I concoct needs to be logical. No matter how fantastic the tale may be, my goal is to make it realistic, plausible.

Knowing what I do about the tragic end of Trayvon Martin's life, this is my best guess as to how it came about. George Zimmerman is a zealot, looking for trouble and happiest when it's found. He saw a young black man that he did not recognize. Seeing himself as a sort of Wild West sheriff on account of his involvement in a loosely organized neighborhood watch program, he decided to take matters into his own hands. This was against the instructions of a 911 operator who advised him to stay put. George saw himself as someone who gives order, not takes them. When you're carrying a concealed weapon AND you're twice the size of your victim, it's particularly easy to assume the role of bully.

Like many kids, Trayvon saw himself as more or less immortal, invincible. The fat Spanish/White looking guy who stalked him perhaps made him nervous, but even more so, really pissed him off. What was this guy's problem? Who did he think he was? Unable to restrain himself, George directly confronts Trayvon who at most had been willing to pick up his pace but for damn sure was not about to run from this clown. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" I'm guessing George did not ask very politely. Trayvon could have explained that he was visiting the home of his father's girlfriend, given her name and address, proven that he was precisely where he belonged. But he didn't know that George was carrying a concealed weapon, or that he was mentally unstable, which is my personal diagnosis. Trayvon only knew that some jerk was bothering him, making ignorant racist assumptions about him, refusing to mind his own business. An insult no doubt was hurled by one of them, followed by return verbal fire. No major harm in that. But Trayvon was exasperated by having to defend himself when all he was doing was walking down a street with snack food. He didn't have time for this fool. Perhaps George grabbed at him first or maybe the highly irritated Trayvon just thought to himself "F this nonsense" and got the physical contact started with a quick punch. Sure the guy was bigger and probably stronger than him, but young people are impetuous. They also know that the first punch to land is often the one that finishes matters. Not in this case though. No matter how well Trayvon started off in the tussle he was destined to lose it so long as George was able to get to his gun. Perhaps George honestly feels that he was merely defending himself when he pulled the trigger, especially if he spent a fair portion of the battle on the losing end, ignoring the fact that the fight was needlessly caused by his own provocation.



That's how I figure it went down, but I'm just a second hand storyteller who was nowhere near the scene of the crime. If things eventually work out the way they are supposed to in the land of the free and home of the brave, George Zimmerman will need to answer for his actions on that fateful night. In the meantime, Trayvon's family and loved ones along with those of us on the outside are left longing for justice. Many are angry, which is difficult to find blameworthy. I won't get preachy and advise people not to make blanket accusations, not to blame many for the behavior of just a few. Too early for that. It's natural to immediately lash out when you're hurt.

George Zimmerman has some explaining to do, so does the police department, and I'd also toss in those who passed a law that gives people freedom to act out their darkest fantasies and then use a handy get-out-of-jail-free self defense claim. Of course this is infuriating to anyone who has ever been profiled, ever had assumptions made about them on account of their melanin count. This will be the case even if your guess at how that night played out is different than my hypothesis, or your views about race relations or gun control are a far cry from my own.

I trust we can all agree at the very least that the right to walk down a street minding your own business is not one that anyone in the United States of America should ever have to fight for, much less die for. I've strolled down my fair share of dark streets alone with my thoughts. So far I've lived to tell the tale, but as the saying goes – There, but for the grace of God, go I.
Latest review of Patches of Grey by Marie's Precision Reviews

Wishful Thinking

Can anything replace Linmania, particularly in New York City, as the biggest story in the history of sports (until the next one comes along, that is)? Certainly. I wouldn't be shocked if Jeremy Lin isn't even the Knicks starting point guard a month from now (minimal regression is allowable with teams now having a full scouting report on him, otherwise Baron Davis may still ascend to the throne as originally planned), but if Lin continues to excel he'd still need to compete for headlines if a certain Manning brother decided to sign with a certain New York football team. Can I picture both Mannings playing their home games in the same stadium? Intellectually I cannot. There are just too many impediments. The Jets can't afford Peyton and Peyton possibly cannot afford to take another big hit. As intrigued as I am by the idea of one of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks being under center for my team (just as I was the last time), this time around I think the Jets may be better off sticking with the cards in hand. Mark Sanchez had a rough junior year campaign but that doesn't mean he can't and won't rebound as a senior and go on to have a great career. New York is an impatient place as the Manning brother with the most amount of Super Bowl rings can attest, so there's temptation for the team with less championship banners to make it Peyton's Place. But sometimes the game plan of the tortoise is superior to that of the hare. Regardless of whether this is one of those times or not, medical reports and Peyton's wishlist will probably be the determining factors rather than any sales pitch the Jets make. So I won't spend much time envisioning what the elder Manning brother would look like in a Jets uniform, especially since thanks to photoshop I don't even need to waste any imagination.


Top Ten Quotes from Patches of Grey at Quotations Diary

All He Does Is Lin

Anyone who reads this blog with regularity or follows me on Twitter knows that I frequently discuss the subject of race relations. They also know that I love to talk sports. So when a water cooler topic arises that merges the two, I'm usually all over it with swiftness. In the case of the phenomenon that is Linmania, I've held back from writing extensively about it until now. And although I'm finally caving in and joining the runaway bandwagon, my thoughts will be kept relatively brief. After all, pretty much everyone has written pretty much everything about the sensation that is Jeremy Lin. Those who typically write about race but rarely about sports have chimed in. Those who usually write about sports but rarely about race have added their two cents. Those who rarely write or talk much about either race or sports have been compelled to comment. What more can possibly be left to say?


I probably won't unearth any new ways to play with the guy's name. Jeremy is a real Linderalla story and we're all in the throes of Linsanity. He is Super Lintendo come to save the day, and by that I mean a great deal more than merely the fortunes of his New York Knicks. He has also arrived on the scene to make us examine our prejudices and preconceptions, and this ultimately make better people of us all. Something like that.



What Lin comparison can I make that has not already been brought to light? At first people made a connection to Tim Tebow primarily because Tim was the latest scorching hot trend just a couple months ago. Other than the meteoric rises of their respective popularity, they don't have very much in common though. In the era of social media all trends are magnified more than ever before because everyone is able to see what is on everyone else's mind on a continuous basis. Tebow inspired Facebook updates and tweets gave way to the same regarding Jeremy Lin. They are two athletes enjoying improbable early success, so there's that too. Of course, the most improbable thing about Tebow's success was that he achieved it with seemingly so little talent. One is tempted to call Tim a very lucky man, but since he wears his religion on his sleeve I suppose the word we're supposed to go with is blessed.



As for Jeremy Lin, also a rather spiritual fellow, most who initially believed he was a flash in the pan have by now conceded that he is talented at basketball. The improbable aspect is that he has succeeded in the NBA while Chinese. No point in tip toeing around this perception. Sure he went undrafted, and yes, Harvard is not a basketball powerhouse. But regardless of those factors, if Lin wasn't Asian I wouldn't be writing this blog posting and you would not have possibly found it because you were googling him.


The truly special thing about Jeremy Lin, the man as well as the growing myth, is that his existence destroys a racial stereotype. And at least from my point of view, that's the very best thing one can do to a racial stereotype. People keep double taking because they find it so difficult to accept that they're watching him pull off what a Chinese guy theoretically should not be able to do. If we go back to the reign of Tiger Woods golf pre Blonde Ambitions, we'll recall a somewhat similar occurrence. Difference is, there is not much if anything in particular about golf that makes it seem a black person would have any more trouble mastering it than a white person. There are far fewer black golfers than white golfers for a variety of reasons, including the very important one that golf is an expensive sport and you don't find golf courses all over the place, unlike basketball courts. Tennis is another sport featuring black stars few and far between. The Williams sisters came along and took over for a good long while. Like Tiger they were exceptions that proved the rule to be a falsehood, although neither golf nor tennis is much blacker in attendance than it was prior to Tiger, Venus and Serena. There have been many African Americans in football for quite awhile, so although it took longer than it should have, eventually they gained foothold in "thinking man" positions such as quarterback and head coach. Each of these situations were unique and therefore headline grabbing at first, but quite plausible when you thought about them. History was made in a fashion much more fascinating than shocking.


But Jeremy Lin pulls off both feats. We are both enthralled and stunned. Basketball at the most elite level demands a degree of athleticism we're not accustomed to seeing from Asians. I'm not sure why this is since a Martial Arts expert is about as athletic as they come, and that club certainly doesn't exclude Asians. Generally Asian dominance in American sports is uncommon because participation is low. The typical Tiger Mom that we learned about not too long ago is unlikely to be pushing her son to a basketball court, demanding that he average no less than a triple double. Maybe this is because that son is infrequently over six feet tall. Jeremy Lin does not look like a typical pro basketball player in race/nationality/anything, so he had to prove to us that he has what it takes. Boy, did he ever. Some people are so genuinely befuddled by the rise of Lin that they keep mistaking offensiveness for cleverness. Chink in the armor? Did you really think that would fly?


I doubt the NBA will become dominated by a wave of Asian point guards any time soon, but won't call it impossible because the beauty of Jeremy's accomplishment is that it redefines what we view as possible. Nobody is looking very far ahead though. Trends are not about what was or what will be. They're about what's taking place right here and now, and at the moment nothing and nobody is hotter than Jeremy Lin. Even out trendy First Black President is impressed. Barack Obama knows a thing or two about defying expectations. He realizes just as a point guard does, perhaps because he plays some b-ball himself, that it's quite useful when your opponent believes your skills are limited and predictable. This makes it that much easier to take people by surprise.


I'm happy about what Jeremy Lin is accomplishing and bemused by reactions to it, such as the two hysterical examples below. The fact that he's doing it for my beloved hometown team makes it all the sweeter. Stereotype smashing is great, but it's basketball season and the Knicks have not done diddly squat for more years than I wish to count. Things are finally looking up (granted, I have been teased by temporary success before only to watch it come crashing down) and I could care less how popular or trailblazing their point guard happens to be. I just want to be able to keep counting wins, and since being made a starter Lin has kept them coming at a steady clip. Other sports analysts and sociological bloggers can examine his effect on our collective consciousness with greater depth if they wish. I'm just enjoying the magic carpet ride. By all appearances, so is Jeremy.

I Love Books

I have nothing much to add beyond the title of this blog posting and the three videos presented below. Watch and enjoy if you're as grateful for the existence of books and the wonderful stories to be found within them as I am.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.