Still Wasting Time

Two years ago, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I challenged myself to return to reading for pleasure. It is so easy to make excuses not to do something. From work to family, there are so many obligations pulling me in so many directions, it would be understandable to people if I claimed there was simply no time to dedicate to one of the most enjoyable pastimes.

Now, I carry whatever I'm reading, the hard copy or my Kindle, with me wherever I go. Ten minutes to kill before picking up my daughter and nephews at school? I squeeze in a chapter. Find myself aimlessly searching for something to watch on TV, or staring vacuously at my computer screen? I shut the TV off or close my screen and read.

It is hands down the best resolution I've ever made.

For this year, rather than rehash how I've increased my book tally, I've decided to list the best of 2015 adventures. For all my 2015 reviews, click here.

My Top 5
I've provided my initial write-up of the book after I read it. In red are additional comments of mine as I write this.

5. The Pearl that Broke Its Shell Nadia Hashimi
At first the book was a bit slow, but as it picked up, I got more into the story and the characters. It was interesting to learn about the custom of bacha posh--the practice of passing a young daughter off as a son--and to think that puberty is the cut-off line for when a girl is seen as useful to her family. I liked the parallel narrative of Rahima and Shekiba, but felt the ending for both was rushed. I have not issue with open-ended conclusions, but how the author got there was abrupt. The book lends itself to great discussions of gender identity and freedom in one's own skin. 4.5/5 In looking at my ratings, I was initially surprised that this book scored as high as it did. But then, I reread my review and thought back on the book and remembered that this book was pretty solid. This was a good lesson for me because without my ratings and reviews, The Pearl may have slipped through the cracks. 

4. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
As I read this book, I kept adding to my list of people who should read it. At first I was thinking parents of young women about to enter college, then I was thinking the young women themselves and now I realize everyone is a stake holder in rape culture, from the those who may be victimized to those who might be perpetrators, from law enforcement to educators, from coaches to athletes and every possible combination in between. I was not surprised by the treatment victims received, even when perpetrators confessed to the crime. While so much of the book enraged me, there were important facts about how victims of sexual assaults behave after the fact and about the probability of rapists to rape again that should one ever find him/herself in the presence of a rape victim--either as a friend or a jury member--they'll have a better understanding of the larger issue and hopefully more compassion than judgement. While the book focuses on one town, rape culture is an issue nationwide and an important topic for everyone to educate themselves about. 5/5 I have not stopped recommending this book to anyone who will listen. Really. Read it. 

3. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
I do not think I've read a more compelling nonfiction book. Rowing is not something that particularly appeals to me, though I now have a greater understanding and appreciation for the sport having read this book. Yet, the author was able to make me care about rowing because I cared about the men in the boat. Also interesting was the history behind the 1936 Olympics and the extensive propaganda carried out to keep the world from discovering Germany's true intentions. I loved it. 5/5 I bought this for my dad for Christmas. I'm really hoping he likes it as much as I did. I think he'll appreciate the work ethic and dedication of these young men as my dad has an insane work ethic as well. 

2. All the Light we Cannot See by Antony Doerr
This was my favorite read of 2015 so far. Doerr brings each character in the book to life with very little effort. I was rooting for Marie-Laure and Werner throughout the entire novel. The relationships in the novel, father-daughter, sister-brother, uncle-niece, and everything in between were authentic and sincere. I loved how Doerr showed us who each of these characters was through his/her relationships with others. The structure of the novel was great too in that each chapter was extremely short, and left me wanting to know more about that character. However, to get to the next step, I had to read another, equally compelling, piece of another character's plot line. Lastly, I loved that there were so many perspectives of the war introduced--the occupied, the German soldier, the opportunistic jeweler, the innocent children of both Germany and France, the rebels, the weak and selfish, the brave. I loved it.  5/5 I love the conversations I've been able to have since starting this challenge two years ago. From colleagues to family to strangers, you're never at a loss for something to talk about when you read. Case in point, I struck up a conversation with a woman in BJs about this book after I finished it. She was hesitant to get it. Her daughter recommended it, but she wasn't sure. After we talked, she said she was excited to read it. Mission accomplished. 

1. The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah
I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I have read other books by Kristin Hannah, and while I liked them, one might categorize them as "chick lit"--which is well and good for a fun, quick read. But when you're reading a book about WWII, chick lit isn't going to have the gravitas one would expect. I'm glad I got over myself and read this despite my preconceived notion of what it would be like. Though the book was a little slow in the beginning, it wound up being a wonderful read. I loved Isabelle's fierce spirit, Vianne's reluctant courage and the way the sisters come to understand their father through "their" war. There are some predictable moments, but many poignant ones as well. Overall, the book offers flawed (as in personality, not writing) but admirable characters as well as numerous lessons on how little time we have to tell those we love how much we do and how important it is to do something that matters. 5/5 I'm pretty sure this will be on the required reading list for my Heroine's Journey class next year. The more I think about the book and remember reading it, the more excited I am to share it with more people. 

Honorable Mention:
Written in my Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

My husband and I dressed as Jamie and Claire
from the Outlander series on Halloween.

OK, so this Honorable Mention gives me a chance to talk about my new book obsession. But, isn't that something that deserves to be noted? I mean, this series got me talking about something more than Harry Potter, and I think my mom is glad that I've moved on from dressing as a teenage boy wizard for Halloween...


But really, it was gripping, well-written, and a nice ending for characters I came to really care about. However, I have heard a rumor she is currently working on the ninth book.

Looking for a new book obsession? The Outlander series is it.

Steel yourself for disappointment in adaptation of The Book Thief

Book adaptations are always a risky venture. More risky is adapting a renowned book. Brian Percival (Downton Abbey) makes the attempt with Markus Zusak's The Book Thief in his 2014 release of the movie by the same title.

The novel, and by extension, the movie, takes us to Molching, Germany 1939. A young girl is being transported to Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and Rosa (Emily Watson) Hubermann's home--an aging couple who has agreed to foster Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nelisse) and her brother Werner, who dies on the train ride there. While living with the Hubermman's, Liesel must allow herself to get close to others again while slowly gaining understanding of her parents' disappearance, the punishing Nazi Party, and anti-Semitism that surrounds her. As the war continues and tensions rise in Molching, Liesel forges new relationships with her foster parents, a Jewish fist fighter who hides in their basement, and a boy with lemon hair who dies longing for one kiss from Liesel. Each of these relationships is fostered through books, reading, and words.

There are striking moments in the film, most notably the juxtaposition of horror and innocence during the Night of Broken Glass scene. The children's choir sings the Nazi anthem as Jewish shop owners are tossed out of their businesses, and as men and women are clubbed in the street after being ripped from their homes. Also striking is a book burning ceremony, where the mayor's rhetoric reminds the Molching citizens that filth needs to be burned. At the conclusion of the speech, books are burned, the anthem is sung, salutes are given, and the camera pans in on a woman with tears in her eyes--whether of blind obedience or fear is up to the viewer.

Admittedly, there are some difficulties presented to Percival with this book adaptation, the largest obstacle being the book's narrator Death (Roger Allam). How does one aptly translate the narration of this entity, maintaining the sardonic and astute observations of Death without being a distraction to the viewer? Apparently, one does not. Death's narration appears a handful of times--so infrequently that when his observations are piped through the stereo, the viewer has to remind herself who the speaker is.

Even allowing for the difficulty of Death's presence, the movie is underwhelming in its lack of character development, the most endearing and poignant piece of Zusak's novel. Rudy (Nico Liersch), Liesel's best friend and neighbor in Molching, is adorable and endearing in the film; however, his character never goes beyond the love sick puppy missing his dad who is off fighting the war. The outrage over Hitler's murdering prejudice that leads to Rudy's rebellions in the book--standing up to power hungry Hitler Youth members or handing out bread to starving Jews who are marching to Dachau--are not truly addressed, leaving the viewer with no sense of Death's love for the boy Liesel never kisses. He's a secondary character, not one who plays a crucial role as he does in the book.

Similarly, Max (Ben Schnetzer), the Jewish fistfighter, is reduced to a background story, not the crux of Liesel's development and understanding of basic humanity. Liesel arrives to the Hubermanns only knowing what she's been taught to believe by adults and her teachers at the Hitler Youth classes. When this man arrives at the door, nearly dead from hiding and traveling, movie Liesel is curious and eager to get to know the stranger; her earnestness is in contrast to book Liesel, who is nervous, tentative and slightly distrustful of this man she knows is putting her, and her new family, in danger. It is not until Max extends a gift of friendship, a book he writes for her, that their friendship is solidified. In the film's version, Max wakes up and they're friends. There is no bonding over nightmares and the shared guilt that each of them feel having survived while their family members have not--or at least will likely not--come back from wherever they are.

The one shining aspect of the entire film is Rush's performance as Hans Hubermann. He is humble, gentle, funny and exceedingly kind and believable as Hans. From the first time he meets Liesel, nervous and paralyzed in the back of a car, we know this man, her new Papa, will protect her. It is also one of the relationships the film tries to get right. There are certainly elements of bonding from the novel that are not included in the film, but enough of their time together, her reading lessons at night, basement writing lessons, and the comforting sound of the accordion, showcase the loving bond between Liesel and her Papa.

While the viewer should always enter into a movie adaptation with the understanding that the book and the movie are two separate entities, there are important elements that should be included in order to uphold the original sentiment. For viewers who did not read the novel first, the movie comes off as lighter and more superficial than the novel. There is loss, sadness and horror in both the film and the movie, but what the novel is able to do that the movie cannot is display both the vile capabilities of human beings and the the resiliency of the human spirit: the power and the glory of words, and their ability to save lives.

Some more ruminations on reading

Being critical of books isn't a bad thing. I always find it funny when students apologize to me for not liking a novel we've read in class. My stock response is always, "Why are you apologizing to me? I didn't write it."

This is me when I hear any Miley Cyrus song on the radio.

I understand that not all books will resonate with all students. Even novels that overwhelmingly receive rave reviews from students, like Markus Zusak's I am the Messenger, leave some students unimpressed or uninspired. The inability to get 100% of students to like a book does not make me feel like a failure as a teacher, nor does it make a book a bad book.

Just like with any other piece of art, music, or film, everyone's tastes differ. My preference for country music does not demand that others listen to it any more than I should be subjected to Miley Cyrus. (Just. No.)

However, I have learned, not only through the course of finding my way back to reading for enjoyment, but also through being an English major, that books, like many new things in life that are presented to us, deserve a sincere attempt.

Don't be jealous of my amazing HP costume.

If I stuck to my narrow-minded view of fantasy back in the spring of 2001, when I was a junior in college who believed her roommate was a wacko talking about wizards and muggles, I would have missed out on a literary world of wonder. Similarly, to have dismissed the Harry Potter series simply because it was Children's or Young Adult--a term that thankfully has lost much of the negative connotation it once held through other wonderful writers like John Green-- would have stripped me of the ability to find comfort and escape in re-reading the magic of words when I was going through a hard period of my life.

Not every book I've given a sincere attempt at has worked out so nicely, however. To this day, The Time Traveler's Wife, a book the boasts 4.5 stars out of 5 on Barnes & Noble, has a bookmark stuck in the pages about a third of the way through. It was the first book in my life I've given myself permission to "Miley Cyrus" (I'm making it a verb now) and just say no to. There was nothing in either of the characters I cared about, so I figured, why keep reading?

It is important to note here that I was reading Time Traveler's for my own enjoyment, and not for a class. There have been plenty of school-assigned titles I wasn't pumped about reading: Tartuffe comes to mind. Pure torture. But for every Tartuffe the was a Magus. John Fowles's postmodern head game that is The Magus was an intense read because I could not lose focus for a second. It was to me what A Tale of Two Cities is to my freshmen. Complex, layered, and hard work--but worth every second of that work.

I walked away from The Magus experience with a much deeper understanding of the individual and was able to connect that lesson of self-knowledge to the self I was in the midst of defining as I neared the end of my college tenure; however, I would not have been able to get that depth of understanding had I read The Magus on my own. I'd have been in way over my head without the discussions with my peers and the probing questions of my professor.  

In the same vein, I hope students walk away from A Tale of Two Cities appreciating the power of stepping up, doing what is right, and choosing love over hate, even if they kicked and screamed the whole way through, because I was able to guide, to explain, to clarify, and, hopefully to infuse some of my own passion for the characters in them. Again, I'm not delusional that all will feel that way, but end-of-the-year surveys tend to play out OK for 'ole Dickens.

While there needs to be room for contemporary titles where the language might be easier to understand, but the lessons and issues are no less complex, hard work and thinking are not fatal, especially in the classroom where there is a coach to help guide students along.  I strive to strike a balance between classic and contemporary in the classroom. However, students can do themselves a favor by picking up a book outside of class, one aligned with their interests and tastes, to keep their minds sharp and primed to tackle the more difficult texts that will be presented in the classroom. 

As with any skill one hopes to develop, practice makes perfect. The brain is a muscle in constant need of conditioning. However mundane the drills may seem, a student can't hope to master the curve if (s)he never takes some practice swings.

Time Well Wasted*

If you’ve looked at the “What I’m Reading” section of this blog, you’ve noticed that last year I challenged myself to read one non-school related book a month for 2014. At the conclusion of 2014, I was quite pleased to find that meeting the 12-book challenge was easier than I anticipated, so much so that I’ve upped the ante this year and set my goal at 20 books for the year.

Over the next few blogs, I’m going to be talking about things I learned, or relearned, through the course of getting back into reading for enjoyment, rather than reading as a chore or a checklist I have to get through for work.

One truth is that making time for reading is not hard.

When I first started the challenge, I knew my children would not be the most helpful in allowing me to meet my goal. They’re young, like a great deal of attention, and when they’re not given it, find other ways of entertaining themselves which typically end in the dismantling of one or more rooms in the house.

The other obstacle was the fact that I already read quite extensively for my job. Between books for each of my classes (yes, I re-read all books, every year!) and the writing assignments students complete, I’m reading constantly. How was I going to find not only the time but also the energy to add to my daily reading?

I started by setting a goal: I’d dedicate the half hour before going to sleep to reading. By that point, the kids would be in bed, and any work I‘d have to get done for the following day would be completed. Once I established the routine, I figured it’d be easy to stick to.

The problem was that I started off reading books that would not stand for a 30-minutes-a-night limitation. The first book of 2014 was Jennifer Donnelly’s Tea Rose. To say that I couldn’t put it down would be an understatement. I’d go so far as to say I nearly neglected my children for the book. I say nearly because their basic needs were all taken care of throughout the course of my reading the novel. They may have watched more episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse during that period of time, though. 

I found that if the book were good enough, I’d find the time to read. If I arrived somewhere early or was sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for an appointment, I’d have my Kindle, or my phone with the Kindle app, that allowed me to squeeze in a few pages or chapters during down time.

The more time I spent with Donnelly’s characters, the less I cared about other “stuff” I was missing: the latest episode of The Big Bang Theory or Modern Family, and the time wasted scrolling through my timeline on Facebook or pinning baking feats on Pinterest that 90% of the time end in complete failure.

I crack up every time I look at this.

The unexpected lesson in making time for something I always enjoyed, and had allowed to get away from me?  I was actually more present in other areas of my life.  I disconnected from being connected to everything, deleting time-sucking apps from my phone that I learned I didn’t miss while spending time reading—so why would I miss them while hanging out in the backyard with my family, or out to dinner with my friends?

Reading seems, on the surface, to be an isolating activity. But when I think of the conversations I’ve had throughout the course of the year with relatives and friends about the books I’ve read or when I think of the excerpts that connect to lessons I’ll teach to, and discuss with, my students, I realize just how shallow that judgment is.

Finding time to read has allowed me to assess and prioritize how and where I spend my precious time. As I enter into another year and a new reading challenge, I am much more content replacing vacuous status updates with a tea entrepreneur, a Scottish Highlander and his time traveling wife, and a blind young woman as she tries to survive occupied France during WWII.

That’s some time well wasted.

*To borrow a phrase from Brad Paisley