Dana Swier Huff's Blog, page 55
January 23, 2012
Musing Mondays: Young Adult
Why do you think that the Young Adult genre is so popular with even the adult readers? Do you read YA books, yourself?
I think YA is popular for several reasons. First of all, it's in the midst of some kind of renaissance, perhaps ushered in by writers like Lois Lowry and Laurie Halse Anderson. There is simply a lot of really good YA fiction out there right now. I think one of the reasons it is popular with adult readers is that we were all young adults once, and I think good fiction, whether the protagonist is a little girl like Scout Finch or an elderly man like Jacob Jankowski, is always appealing. Therefore, I don't see why a teen protagonist shouldn't appeal to an adult. I also think the Harry Potter series, the Twilight series, and the Hunger Games series had massive appeal for fans of all ages. Perhaps one reason for the popularity of YA is that these books prompted readers to pick up other YA fiction.
I do read YA. As a matter of fact, I am on my third YA book this month. I don't read it exclusively or even a lot when compared with my normal reading habits, but I have never felt any shame in reading it, and I have enjoyed reading it since I was a young adult myself.
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Post © Dana Huff
Musing Mondays: Young Adult
January 22, 2012
Sunday Salon: Rereading Outlander
It's been a rainy weekend, but that's perfect weather for reading.
Because I joined the Outlander Series Reading Challenge, and because I haven't read the last several books in the series, I have been rereading the first book, Outlander. Actually, I've been listening to it. I used my Audible credits to go ahead and pick up the entire series in audio format because I had heard that the narrator, Davina Porter, was particularly good. She is.
It's strange what you pick up on when you reread books. I have read Outlander twice before. The first time I read it was in 1999. At that time, I read the first four books in the series, which were the only ones published then. I have never finished any of the books published after Drums of Autumn, but I did start The Fiery Cross. One of the things I think Gabaldon is very good at is character development and description. She can really bring a scene to life. However, for the first time, and perhaps I noticed it because I was listening, sometimes she includes scenes that don't necessarily move the plot forward. They do develop the characters more, but I wonder if that could be done more efficiently with scenes that push the plot forward. I wonder if it is a side effect of her writing process. I know she is a "scene stitcher." She has described composing individual scenes and then sewing them together. Obviously, not all of her scenes work like that. Some of them are critical plot points.
Of course, in the case of Outlander, I don't complain about these scenes, but every single book in the series is a chunkster, and I do wonder if it will become a problem as the series wears on, particularly on a reread. I happen to love the first book, and I remember loving the second, but it did seem to me that each successive book wasn't quite as good. I know for a fact that I prefer Jamie and Claire in Scotland to just about every other setting, but I know that they must stay in America after The Fiery Cross.
One of the reasons I am particularly enjoying listening to the audio book instead of reading is that I can hear all the wonderful accents. Davina Porter gives a slightly different voice to each character, and listening to the book is quite enjoyable as a result.
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Post © Dana Huff
Sunday Salon: Rereading Outlander
January 21, 2012
Saturday Reads: January 21, 2012
Saturday Reads is a weekly feature sharing bookish links from news, blogs, and Twitter that made up my Saturday reading.
I spent a lot of time at my two favorite newspapers' book sections on my iPhone this morning. The Guardian has a great article by Margaret Atwood reflecting on The Handmaid's Tale some 26 years after it was published. A commenter quoted Rick Santorum, underscoring just why Atwood's book is as important as ever. Here's my review of The Handmaid's Tale from my archives, if you're interested.
The New York Times has a great review of The Flight of Gemma Hardy, which I will soon be reading for TLC Book Tours (very excited!).
The publishers also sent me a pretty copy of Jane Eyre, which Margot Livesy's book is based on. I can't wait to reread that one. It's got deckle-edged pages and the paper cover is textured. I am very much in favor of this new trend in making classics look cool with bold, creative covers. As much as I love old paintings, I think they're becoming a little played as book covers (she said, knowing she used one on the cover of her own book—in my defense, I don't have the budget to pay a graphic artist to design one). I think winter is a good time to read gothic classics.
The New York Times also has good reviews of new nonfiction, including Ian Donaldson's new biography Ben Jonson: A Life, John Matteson's new biography The Lives of Margaret Fuller, and Richard W. Bailey's new book Speaking American.
I also really liked this feature on Edith Wharton as New York will celebrate her 150th birthday on Tuesday. Nice link to Downton Abbey and discussion of Wharton's own novel The Buccaneers.
Of course, Charles Dickens also celebrates a big (200th) birthday this year, and The New York Times has a fun feature on Dickens. Favorite quote? "The fact is that Charles Dickens was as Dickensian as the most outrageous of his characters, and he was happy to think so, too."
I'm think anyone interested in New York might find the new book New York Diaries: 1609-2000 intriguing. It sounds like the book has a variety of entries, from the "famous, the infamous, and the unknown in New York." The Times reviewed this one, too, of course.
Flavorwire had some interesting posts, too. I particularly enjoyed "The Fascinating Inspirations Behind Beloved Children's Books" and "10 Cult Literary Traditions for Truly Die-Hard Fans."
Finally, I enjoyed this reflection on A Wrinkle in Time at Forever Young Adult. A Wrinkle in Time will be 50 this year. Can you believe it?
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Post © Dana Huff
Saturday Reads: January 21, 2012
January 17, 2012
Teaser Tuesdays: A Northern Light
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My teaser:
"Writers are damned liars. Every single one of them."
—A Northern Light, Jennifer Donnelly, p. 93
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Post © Dana Huff
Teaser Tuesdays: A Northern Light
Readers Who Don't Read Historical Fiction
I'm a huge fan of historical fiction. I enjoy learning when I'm reading, and I have always been fascinated by history. My historical fiction reading habits may have formed when I was in middle school and started reading the Sunfire historical romances. But I recognize that not everyone really likes historical fiction. If I could recommend ten books I think might change your mind if you count yourself among those who don't like it, I think it would be the following books:
Those Across the River , Christopher Buehlman: If you think you prefer horror or even just creepy stories, this historical fiction novel about werewolves in a small Georgia town might just prompt you to give historical fiction a chance. Just because it's set in the past doesn't mean it's all petticoats. Review .
Outlander , Diana Gabaldon: This first book in the Outlander series has a bit of romance and sci-fi as well as some war drama as it begins as World War II ends and moves back in time to just before the second Jacobite Rebellion. Notoriously hard to classify, Diana Gabaldon's books take you squarely back to another time and keep you turning the pages, too. Review .
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell , Susanna Clarke: This alternative history fantasy novel set during the Napoleonic Wars pits two great magicians against one another. It's a little bit Jane Austen, a little bit Neil Gaiman, and a little bit J.K. Rowling. Review .
The Dante Club , Matthew Pearl: This one is part murder mystery set against the backdrop of post-Civil War Boston, where Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is translating the first American edition of Dante's Inferno. He and his fellow poets Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell, John Greenleaf Whittier, and their publisher J. T. Fields, gather to look over Longfellow's latest cantos and offer him feedback. Meanwhile, a series of murders mimicking the punishments in Dante's hell strike fear into the heart of the city, and only the poets know Inferno well enough to commit such crimes… Review .
The Vampire Lestat , Anne Rice: Anne Rice will make you interested in eighteenth and nineteenth century Paris and New Orleans. I have always thought Rice wrote better when she was writing about the past.
The Paris Wife , Paula McLain: This book will interest folks who normally only go for literary fiction. First, it's about Hemingway's time in Paris and is told from the point of view of Hadley Richardson, his first wife. Second, it's quite literary and beautifully written itself. Review .
Water for Elephants , Sara Gruen: Set in a Depression-era circus, this book has a little of everything: action, forbidden romance, and running away to the circus! Review .
A Farewell to Arms , Ernest Hemingway: Given that this book was written in the 1920′s about WWI, I guess it qualifies as historical fiction, although it does feel like cheating to include it because I wouldn't include a book set in the 1990′s on this list. Ah well. At any rate, it's a great novel, well written, with some of the most beautiful passages in American literature. And it's Hemingway writing on war. Review .
Ahab's Wife , Sena Jeter Naslund: Not only does this one give you the perspective of Captain Ahab's wife Una, but you also learn quite a bit about nineteenth century New England. The book is gorgeous. One of my favorites of all time. Review .
The Poisonwood Bible , Barbara Kingsolver: This book is for those who love literary fiction, symbolism, and allegory and think it can't be found in historical fiction. This is a beautiful book, another one of my favorites, and so important in terms thinking about Africa and America's own role in colonial history. Review .
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Post © Dana Huff
Readers Who Don't Read Historical Fiction
January 16, 2012
Delirium, Lauren Oliver
Lauren Oliver's dystopian YA novel Delirium takes place in an alternate present in which love has been found to be the root of all humanity's problems and has subsequently been treated as a disease. When citizens turn eighteen, they undergo a procedure that removes their capacity for love, and, in the view of most members of the society, renders everyone happier. Lena is weeks away from her procedure when she meets Alex. She falls in love with Alex, or as her society would call it, contracts amor deliria nervosa. Alex leads her to question everything she has ever believed about her society.
One of Oliver's nice touches is an epigraph at the beginning of each chapter. The epigraph comes from literature or handbooks published by the government, and it is a quick way for Oliver to give her reader a glimpse of the world in which the novel is set. The reader doesn't learn too much about what is going on outside of the U.S., and that is by design, because Lena doesn't know, and the oppressive government is not forthcoming. Perhaps because Lena either does not know or is not interested (or because Oliver is saving it for later in the trilogy), the reader doesn't learn how society arrived at the conclusion that love is a disease that should be eradicated. I did get the sense that the U.S. had decided love was dangerous quite a long time ago. I had a little bit of trouble believing the U.S. had come to the conclusion that love was so dangerous when it was mentioned that not every country in the world agreed, and I had to wonder what happened in the U.S. We are a group of people who enjoys their freedom, and for us to agree to such a totalitarian regime, something big must have happened. I didn't get my answer, but perhaps it will be revealed in the future books of the trilogy.
While I can appreciate the way in which Oliver designed this alternate present, and parts of the book were gripping, the book as a whole didn't grab me by the jugular the way it seems to have done for many other readers. I think I couldn't get past the idea that a society would ever decide love was a problem that needed to be eradicated. I think I might try to read the sequels because I am interested enough to know what happened. I struggled with how to rate this book, and I ultimately decided on four stars because I did think it was probably better than just OK, but I also had no trouble putting it down, and sometimes I wasn't over eager to pick it back up again.
The sequel to Delirium, Pandemonium, will be released on February 28.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Other reviews for Delirium:
Forever Young Adult
There's a Book
YA Reads
Goodreads
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Post © Dana Huff
Delirium, Lauren Oliver
January 15, 2012
Sunday Salon Check In
I'm not too far from finishing Lauren Oliver's Delirium, and I can't tell how I feel about it. It didn't grab me like Divergent did. I like parts of it, but I also don't have too much trouble putting it down and I don't feel much desire to pick it back up again. Danger signs!
Now that we're a couple of weeks into 2012, it seems like a good time to check in on some of my goals.
The faculty book club has been revived. I went ahead and chose a book. Date and place of meeting TBD.
I have been doing a little better with commenting more on reading blogs. Not much, but a little.
I haven't even looked at my blogroll to see if I need to clean any dormant blogs out.
The first two books I read this year were not set in either the U.K. or the eastern seaboard, so I think I'm doing better changing up locales.
In terms of my other goals:
The exercise regimen is going great. I do an hour on the Wii Fit every day—a mix of yoga, strength training, aerobic activities, and balance games. I am getting better at the activities, and what's more, I can tell I'm toning up. I haven't actually lost that much weight, and it seems to yo-yo up and down a bit with a general trend toward weight loss. I think I have maybe lost about five pounds. That thing yells at you if you gain weight or skip a day of exercise.
The only progress I've made on learning to knit is joining Ravelry and talking to my sister about it. She sent me a link to the site she used to teach herself to knit.
I'm probably cooking about the same. I did make some fabulous pub-style chicken and French fries last night. Fantastic dinner. I didn't cook tonight though.
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Post © Dana Huff
Sunday Salon Check In
January 14, 2012
Saturday Reads: A New Weekly Feature
As usual, Robin Bates's exploration of literature as a mirror enlightens. In this case, Robin considers the notion of books as friends.
I'm enjoying Carl Pyrdum's Thesis Thursday posts (but have to save them for the weekend). This one explores Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain, and prompted me to remove my copy from the shelf. I should read it this year. All the way through. I've only read parts of it, and I've had it since about 1992. Also, a side note: Why did Shakespeare never write about King Arthur? I would have loved to have seen what Shakespeare could have done with the Matter of Britain.
Mandy has convinced me I need to read Bleak House. Downloaded it on my Kindle.
Fans of Downton Abbey might want to check out this New York Times article for suggested reads. After reading about these books in post after post on Downton Abbey, I've added the following Downton-related books to my list:
Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by the Countess of Carnarvon (I do hope some mention will be made of the Earl of Carnarvon's connection to the Tutankhamun find). Lady Almina is the inspriation for Cora, Countess Grantham, and Highclere is where Downton Abbey is filmed.
The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton. Wharton didn't finish this book about wealthy American women who travel to England in search of titled husbands. Looking forward to it.
The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin, which has the much better title of My Last Duchess in the UK.
The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy. I read a story somewhere (perhaps apocryphal) about an elderly woman who hung on in her last sickness until the last book in The Forsyte Saga was published.
Rose: My Life in Service to Lady Astor by Rosina Harrison. Lady Astor seems to have been a rather fascinating person.
Howards End by E.M. Forster. I've actually had this on my list for a while.
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Post © Dana Huff
Saturday Reads: A New Weekly Feature
January 12, 2012
Booking Through Thursday: Interview Me!
What's your favorite time of day to read? I can't say that I have one. I read when I have the opportunity.
Do you read during breakfast? (Assuming you eat breakfast.) I don't really eat breakfast, but I do read on the bus in the morning on the way to work. If I am eating alone in a restaurant, I will read.
What's your favorite breakfast food? (Noting that breakfast foods can be eaten any time of day.) I guess it would be bacon. Love good bacon.
How many hours a day would you say you read? If I am really into a book, I might read it all day, but on average, I'd say one to two hours.
Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago? Much more. I know there's no way I read anything close to 50 books in 2001, for instance.
Do you consider yourself a speed reader? Not really. I have learned to read faster than I used to, but I wouldn't describe myself as a speed reader at all.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I would like to fly. I think flying would be so cool. First, it cuts down on travel time because you aren't bound by roads. Second, you're flying.
Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go? Only if I suspect I will have time to read. I bring one back and forth to work so I can read on the bus. I always bring one if I think I'm going to wait, but I don't bring one to, say, the grocery store.
What KIND of book? Whatever I'm reading at the time. Lately it's been my Kindle.
How old were you when you got your first library card? I honestly don't know. I think maybe second or third grade, but I couldn't say for sure.
What's the oldest book you have in your collection? (Oldest physical copy? Longest in the collection? Oldest copyright?) Another one I have no idea about. I do have a dinosaur book that I have owned since I was in second or third grade. That's probably the longest in the collection. I am not really a book collector.
Do you read in bed? Pretty much every night.
Do you write in your books? Sometimes. Depends on the book. I highlight notes in my Kindle a lot. I only rarely write in paper novels, but I almost always write in professional (education) books I read.
If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be? Read what you like. Don't worry that other people don't like it or think it's not "good" literature. It's more important to find enjoyment in reading than to allow someone's opinion of what you read turn you off all the good books you could be enjoying. At the same time, be open to reading books you might not think you're necessarily interested in. You might find you like them.
What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you'd love me to ask? (Actually, leave the answer to this one in the comments on this post, huh? So I can find them when I need inspiration!) I have had a blog post in the hopper for some time about literary crushes, but I haven't ever finished it. Maybe I would if it were an official BTT prompt.
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Post © Dana Huff
Booking Through Thursday: Interview Me!
January 8, 2012
Downton Abbey Season 2
Who is watching Downton Abbey tonight?
If you're not familiar with the series, you could do worse than this season one primer from Forever Young Adult.
Stuff I'm looking forward to seeing:
More Maggie Smith as Dowager Countess Grantham.
The will they or won't they between Matthew and Lady Mary (if he was smart, he'd go for one of her sisters instead. I think Mary is awful).
Matthew is going to have to fight in WWI. What will happen?
Are Thomas and O'Brien going to get a real comeuppance for all their scheming?
How involved is Lady Sybil going to get in the suffragette movement?
What will happen between Bates and Anna?
I hear that a season three is also a done deal, though when it will air in the States, I don't know.
All of this has made me want to read The Forsyte Saga. I tried out Upstairs, Downstairs (the 1970′s series rather than the new one), and I admit I didn't like it much. Also on my list: The Buccaneers and The American Heiress (which I found out in Britain has the much better and allusive title of My Last Duchess; I hate it that things are so often "dumbed down" for Americans).
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Post © Dana Huff
Downton Abbey Season 2
