This Week in Books Judy Blume Responds to My Adoration

We have been completely inundated with Best of 2014 lists and prizes, and it's hard to continue caring about all of these announcements, but one I actually truly care about is the Folio Prize, and they announced an 80 volume shortlist. As always, it's a great place to start if you want something great to read.

Last week I shared my love of Judy Blume and she followed that up by announcing a new novel for adults to be published in 2015. My influence knows no bounds.

Finally, last night was the series finale of the truly excellent 'Colbert Report;' it's a TV show, not a book, obviously, but I'm including a link to this really lovely and kind of ridiculous musical number that concluded the episode because Stephen Colbert is the only late-night TV show host to include authors as guests, in addition to his very forthright advocacy for independent publishing. The worst thing about the video is how many of these people couldn't be bothered to learn the words to this very simple, repetitive song.

#ReadWomen2014: Sarah Waters

For the second time, I'm recommending you read an author who I haven't had the time to read yet (but in my defense, several of her books are on my shelf, waiting for the Christmas vacation to be consumed).  As Wikipedia says, "She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society and featuring lesbian protagonists." So, there you go.

I became aware of Sarah Waters via NPR's Barrie Hardymon. At this point, our tastes have aligned so closely that I will read anything she recommends, and she has been one of Sarah Waters' most vocal supporters in 2014. The Paying Guests was her big novel of the year, and has been included on many year-end lists (including NPR's Book Concierge, where you can read a review by Barrie herself).

The Gift of Books: At the Movies

Most people use their Christmas vacations as an opportunity to go see all the Oscar-bait movies of the year. Show those people how much you judge them by giving them the gift of the book upon which the movies are based, which are inherently better.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed -- Fucking duh, guys. This book is fantastic and the movie looks especially great. Reese Witherspoon is a definite favorite for the 'Best Actress' categories, plus, thanks to 'The Mindy Project,' a "Wreath' Witherspoon is a new holiday tradition

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand -- The Daddest Dad that ever Dadded. Your dad probably already keeps this book next to the toilet, but just in case he's unaware of books written by women, get him this one. It's this year's version of Team of Rivals (the book that inspired 'Lincoln').

Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon -- I'm not officially endorsing this because I hate Thomas Pynchon, but I love Paul Thomas Anderson more than I hate TP, so I will be seeing this movie, and skipping the book, like a true American.

"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" by Raymond Carver -- A bit of a stretch, but the characters of 'Birdman' are working on a theatrical adaptation of this short story. The whole thing is very meta, and I have no idea if reading the story will enhance your understanding of an otherwise confusing but great film.

Honorable Mentions: 'The Hobbit' by JRR Tolkein and 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay' by Suzanne Collins -- It is extremely likely that everyone has already read these books, but just in case they haven't, this is the final opportunity before it is officially too late to get in on these cultural touchstones.

#ReadWomen2014 Non-Fiction: 'Science...For Her" by Megan Amram

I put off writing about this for several weeks (it was published back in  November) because I still haven't been able to get my hands on a copy. My own library doesn't have it yet and for the first time in history, the Michigan Electronic Library system has abandoned me. I am in an endless loop of requests, followed by fulfillment notices, followed by weird e-mails regarding its current "non-circulating" status. I may just break down and buy it at this point, and then donate it to the library anyway so that no other woman has to feel my pain.

Anyway, for those not in the know, Megan Amram is a hilarious and talented writer on NBC's 'Parks and Recreation,' and has a pretty devoted following on Twitter. 'Science...For Her!' is her first book and functions as a bit of an absurdist textbook/Cosmo mash-up/parody. It is difficult to describe, but all you need to know is that she's very funny and a feminist and works with Amy Poehler. That should be more than enough to motivate you to check this out.

What I'm Reading: 'Broken Monsters' by Lauren Beukes

I don't usually read anything in the suspense/thriller/crime genre; I am mostly repulsed by people's fascination with serial killer pop culture, and while I'll occasionally dive into something like 'Top of the Lake,' it's rare and one indulgence is enough to last at least six months.

I picked up Broken Monsters because Beukes first novel The Shining Girls was very well-reviewed, plus this one takes place in Detroit, so...you know. But now that I'm a few chapters in I can't decide if I really love reading a murder mystery about my hometown or if I hate it. Beukes is South African, so naturally there's a very loud voice in my head, reminding me that she is a total outsider and for her, Detroit functions as a kind of shorthand for all that is gritty and mysterious and abandoned. On the other hand, she gets a lot of it right (except for the serial killer part. We don't really have those around here. Bigger fish to fry and all that).

Despite all these reservations, I'm still reading it at breakneck speed, because a good suspense novel is nothing if not readable.

#ReadWomen2014: Judy Blume

Everyone read Judy Blume as a kid/pre-teen; I have always thought of her as more faux-controversial than actually controversial, because it was always through public school that her books crossed my path, and we actually read some of them (like the truly awful Frecklejuice) as a class assignment. The rest I sought out on my own -- even as a kid I realized they were dated as they all had a very crusty, 70s vibe that I found weird. So much had changed for women in girls in the era of Blume's career, so even a book about menstruation could feel outdated (Pads on belts? Whaaa...?) But despite those limitations, there is something so incredibly timeless about them and her ability to capture the emotional tenor of early adolescence is remarkable.

The problem with a prolific author like Judy Blume is that she made such a name for herself as an author for children that her adult books easily found their ways into classrooms and junior high libraries -- thus, my fling with Summer Sisters, which was surreptitiously passed around and dog-eared by my group of friends, for whom it was the pinnacle of erotic fiction (we did not try very hard to seek out erotic fiction). As an adult, this is still one of my favorite guilty pleasure books; it was clearly written to be read at the beach, and as heavy as the sexual content is, I think it's one of the best books on female friendship ever written.

If you haven't taken the time to keep up with Judy Blume since you were 13, read this dialogue between Blume and a young writer she has a had a tremendous influence on, Lena Dunham.

The Gift of Books: All the Prizes...

They say gifts often reveal more about the giver than the recipient, and the following books, the biggest and best of 2014, will inevitably show the world your impeccable taste.

Lila by Marilynne Robinson -- Probably best in combination with the first two volumes of Robinson's  Midwestern trilogy, this has been a major prize-winner from a Pulitzer Prize veteran.

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell -- If your friends or family are already David Mitchell fans, they've undoubtedly already read this, but if they aren't yet, they soon will be. His novels are ambitious and he nails it every time. This was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize this year.

An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alamedinne -- An NPR Staff Pick for 2014, this novel follows a reclusive woman in Beirut as she reflects her memories on the Lebanese War.

Bark by Lorrie Moore -- A collection of short stories by an American master, and a NYT Notable Book of 2014.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacquline Woodson -- Yes, it's technically YA, but it's also a National Book Award winner for young adults, and was recently purchased by the Obama girls. A ringing endorsement, if ever there was one.

#ReadWomen2014: 'Words Will Break Cement: the Passion of Pussy Riot' by Masha Gessen

Pussy Riot was one of those things that arrived in the news, and suddenly everyone was behaving like it was thing that naturally, everybody already knew everything about. But I found that whenever I tried to engage anyone in a conversation about them, no one actually knew anything. It seemed like everyone would rather pretend to know about it than actually know about it, which is why I've enjoyed Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen's really in-depth look at the Pussy Riot women and their performative protests. Her exclusive and unparalleled access to the members and their families makes for a very insightful read. Nor does Gessen allow any personal bias to creep in on the narrative, which is somewhat incredible given how much time she spent in interviews and correspondence with her subjects. It reads more like the great long-form journalism we've come to expect from publications like The Atlantic or BuzzFeed.

For those especially interested in Russian culture, Gessen's previous book, The Man Without a Face: the Unlikely Rise of Putin is really, really excellent and utterly chilling.

What I'm Reading: 'Brown Girl Dreaming' by Jacqueline Woodson

Yes, technically this is considered to be a YA book, largely because Woodson is one of the most acclaimed/celebrated/decorated authors of books for young people. And if I had a pre/teen, I would insist they read this, along with all her other terrific novels. I would go so far as to argue that in light of the recent events in Ferguson and Staten Island, Brown Girl Dreaming might just be the perfect and essential text for discussing civil rights with younger adults. But that doesn't mean it isn't beautifully written and fully enjoyable for a grown-ass person either, because it is certainly one of my favorite books published this year.

Brown Girl Dreaming is a semi-autobiographical prose-poem account of Jacqueline Woodson's childhood in the South during the Civil Rights movement. Although it's an era in history with its fair share of excellent literature, nothing about Brown Girl Dreaming reads like cliche and Woodson's perspective and memories feel so fresh and alive.

This Week in Books the Obamas Follow in my Footsteps...

It's that time of year, when publications start dropping their "Best of" lists. A lot of people seem to hate these for some reason, but I love them. The Millions has a unique spin on it, with each contributor (including a lot of great writers) doing a short essay "A Year in Reading 2014." This gives them the opportunity to write about the books they loved without the strict structure of a list and ranking.

The greatest year end book list is undoubtedly NPR's Book Concierge, which is one of my favorite things, ever. I go back and look at the previous year's Concierges on a regular basis. It is beautifully designed and has a really terrific interface. Try selecting one of the tags along the top of each review in order to filter by their very clever categories. A favorite feature is the fact that all the reviews are written by recognizable NPR contributors, including many who don't normally write/report for the Books or Arts sections.

Finally, the Obama family celebrated Small Business Saturday by visiting Politics and Prose in DC. They bought a ton of great books, including many notable 2014 titles, but my favorite part is the batch of Redwall books the girls took home. It makes me really happy to know kids are still reading those.

#ReadWomen2014: Sylvia Plath

I don't go around name-dropping Sylvia Plath as a write I enjoy; it's too loaded a statement, and I definitely did enough of that in 7th grade. As a pre-teen, I consumed her writing, including her fiction, letters and diaries, and poetry, and I felt pretty awesome about it -- probably comparable to an Ayn Rand phase. Plath was only 32 when she committed suicide, so in many ways she is a perpetual and eternal young adult, making her writing all the more appealing to the adolescent mind. 

By the time I graduated from high school I was very over Sylvia Plath and she seemed immature and melodramatic. It wasn't until a recent re-reading of Ariel that I remembered why I enjoyed her writing so much in the first place. I still wouldn't go so far as call her a favorite author, but I'm also over my cynical late teens/early 20s phase of denouncing everything I used to genuinely enjoy. I have a feeling that Sylvia Plath is an author I'm going to be revisiting, again and again, as I age, and my response to her writing will probably change many more times before I'm done.

The Gift of Books: On My Wishlist...

Books are one of my favorite gifts. Besides being plentiful, easy to purchase, and very easy to wrap, you can make the gift of books as thoughtful and creative as you like. I like to pick out a few different books that are all loosely related; my mom's birthday gift last year was Julia Child's memoir My Year in France along with a copy of her classic cookbook and a new non-fiction book, Provence, 1970 -- the theme was French cuisine but each of the books was distinct and would entertain differently.

I've put together a few different bookish gift guides, which I'll be posting over the next few weeks. Today's list is the books I am desperate to get my hands on. I've read a lot this year, obviously, but these are the ones I missed and hope to unwrap on Christmas morning (friends and family take note) :

The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel -- A short story collection from someone better-known for her historical fiction. I'm deeply embedded in Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies, so much so that I rush home from work to settle in with the novel and cup of tea, but I have mounting anxiety about finishing it and then becoming depressed, so I need more Mantel in my life.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel -- Another one from my personal short list, this National Book Award finalist follows a theater troupe in a post-Apocalyptic future as they travel through a now largely-empty Great Lakes region. It sounds like everything I've ever wanted in a novel.

The Fever by Megan Abbot -- Teenage girls, vaccination anxiety, and a dark, twisting thriller. I haven't read Megan Abbott yet, but she's always on my list of authors to check out, and everything about this sounds intense and amazing.

Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique -- A family epic spanning generations in the Virgin Islands, which has rings of A High Wind in Jamaica, one of my all-time favorites

How to be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman -- An immersive course in Victorian daily life. I enjoy reading history, and I especially appreciate any historian who finds a really unique structure or frame for their research and who is a truly great writer.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters -- I keep hearing amazing things about Waters, and I keep reading recommendations of her books by other authors and critics whom I really adore and admire, so I know I'm going to fall hard for her novels. Luckily there are many, with this being the latest. It is something of a historical romance in Britain between the wars, so also a good read as I binge on Downton Abbey, in preparation for the next season in January.

Literary Ludite: comiXology

Some of you will remember my foray into the world of comics via Saga, the increasingly popular and wacky space opera series by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples (which by the way was just release in a 1 volume, issues 1-18 omnibus edition). I immediately fell in love with the story, characters and artwork, but I bemoaned the necessity of buying issue after issue, especially as new issues have been dropping until a very recent hiatus. In the end, I have accumulated three trade paperbacks, each a collection of individual comic issues, as well as many individual digital issues, via the comiXology app on my Kindle Fire HD 7, a recent birthday gift (thanks, Mom).

After using the app for a few months now, I honestly can't say enough good things about it. If you are a fan of comic books or graphic novels, the app alone makes the Kindle seem worth it, but that's information best left to a forthcoming Kindle review. The app is pre-loaded on the new Kindle, but it's also available for download on other tablets and smart phones.

comiXology is essentially an e-reader app exclusive to comics and graphic novels. The digital library is staggering in its depth, and you have access to the very newest and very oldest comics. New issues of Saga automatically downloaded on my Kindle the same day they dropped in stores, making keeping up with a current book so much easier (and less intimidating). As I've been reading Jill Lepore's The Secret History of Wonder Woman, I've been able to find many of the issues she references (her research is meticulous) and read the Justice Society or Wonder Woman comics in conjunction with the book, which has really enhanced the experience. It's also the only way most of us will ever get our hands on those old, rare, and valuable issues, which have been lovingly digitized and restored for the app.

I started using the app by searching for Saga, which was easy enough because it's one of the most popular titles on the app. I then subscribed and inhaled each issue when it appeared in my library. A word of warning -- the app can get extremely addictive; Saga, for example, always ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, so it would not be hard to indulge in the instant gratification of buying each subsequent issue, when it would be much cheaper to just buy a big edition.

The readability of the comiXology app is also worth noting. They refer to it as "Guided View Reading Technology," and it's ideal for anyone who isn't normally a comic reader, because it allows you to zoom into each panel, and then the reader naturally moves from text to text in the order it is intended to be read. It's not easy to explain so check out their web site to see a demonstration.

Finally, there is the browsing and discovery, which is almost as fun as reading an actual comic. As I mentioned, the library is extensive, and it's organized in a way that is very conducive to browsing, allowing you to filter by writer or artists, publisher, or genre. It will recommend comics to you based on what you've already read, and there are always free books available for preview. Since Saga wrapped up, I've gotten into Captain Marvel, which will mark the first time in history I actually read a comic book before seeing the movie, as well as Ms. Marvel, which I'm sure will turn into a movie franchise soon enough.

What I'm Reading: 'Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?' by Lorrie Moore

Here is a pearl of reading wisdom for you: when trying to get into a new author, read their shortest book first. This will often give you an idea of whether or not you enjoy their work in the most efficient way possible. This method saved me probably months of struggle with Thomas Pynchon, because I had the wisdom to read The Crying of Lot 49 (maybe 100 pages total), instead of one of his doorstop books. I realized I hated Thomas Pynchon, and had only wasted an hour of my life.

This principle guided my decision to read Who Will Run the Frog Hospital, although in all honesty I very much expect to enjoy Lorrie Moore and read more of her books. There is something very satisfying though, about discovering and experiencing a new writer in the course of an afternoon. She is another author on my #ReadWomen2014 list, someone whose work I hoped to become familiar with over the course of the year, so it's also helpful to have a very slim novel to read in these final weeks of 2014.

#ReadWomen2014: Hilary Mantel

I have already advocated for Hilary Mantel's most popular and very critically acclaimed novel Wolf Hall and its sequel Bring Up the Bodies. And as if you needed another reason to check them out, the BBC is adapting them with Damian Lewis as Henry VIII, and there is a stage adaptation on Broadway, so you need to read them before they reach total pop culture saturation. Plus volume three in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy is expected to be published in 2015.

When you've completed that task, dive into the rest of the Hilary Mantel oeuvre, which includes her incredible collection of short stories The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher, published earlier this year. She has plenty of other novels and short story collections to check out, as well as a one-volume memoir, but of greatest interest to me is her historical fiction account of the Reign of Terror, A Place of Greater Safety. Everything I've read of heard about it makes it sound like something I would love, and if Wolf Hall is any indication, Mantel has a pretty firm grasp on historical fiction.

Books to be Thankful For

We should be thankful for all (most) books, so this list is really more like, "Books to Enjoy on Your Thanksgiving Holiday." For me, that means books that are well-suited to Michigan road trips, cozy lakeside cottages, and a constant barrage of interruptions from family members. For others, it probably means good airplane books, and for a tragic few, it means a good book to fall asleep reading after you recover from a long day spent in the kitchen. Plan your weekend reading material accordingly:

Little Women by Louis May Alcott-- It starts with a Christmas Eve scene of sisterly affection, so it's a nice way to kick off the holiday season, and there is no greater story of familial love and thankfulness in times of scarcity. Either film adaptation also makes for a good family movie.

John Saturnall's Feast by Lawrence Norfolk-- A very sumptuous, lovely pseudo-historical novel about a young orphaned kitchen boy who cooks his way to prestige and power in 17th century England. I really adored every second I spent with this book and I can't think of a better foodie novel.

The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever-- Another East Coast family novel, but this time without any scarlet fever. I found this book to be so cozy and funny when I read it, and it's the perfect novel if you're familial interactions include WASP-y repression.

The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper -- A rousing adventure story that includes pilgrims and Indians. A great choice if you forget to pack a book, because statistically it's very likely already on your dad's/grandpa's bookshelf.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein -- This will be a controversial viewpoint, but I enjoyed this significantly more than the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which I mostly hated. The Hobbit is like the good parts of Tolkein, boiled-down into a concise novel intended for a younger audience, so you don't have worry about getting bogged down in Middle Earth history and Elvish language. Even people who don't read fantasy will enjoy this, and there is nothing more Thanksgiving-y than hobbits, who live in cozy underground houses and eat constantly.

#ReadWomen2014 Non-Fiction: 'On Immunity' by Eula Biss

Describing On Immunity will be very difficult, but I will endeavor to express how fantastic it is, all the same. A book about vaccinations did not exactly sound thrilling to me, and I can't remember where I read a very concise review that sparked my interest, but it was serendipitous because I heard about it, read said brief but tantalizing review, and then found it on the shelf at the library, so here we are.

Greek mythology, smallpox, Jenny McCarthy, vampires, H1N1, blood, childbirth, feminism -- all elements of Biss' approach to the concept of immunity, and all given equal weight in her meditations. I adore her structure, which is so much more literary than i expected -- short chapters without titles or numbers, as she moves seamlessly from thought to thought and topic to topic, returning constantly to her personal experiences as a new mother. (A word of warning here-- I think if I were pregnant or had a toddler I would find this book impossible to read. Biss addresses and embraces the paranoia of childhood diseases and vaccinations but it might push you over the edge if you're already in that frame of mind).

It is the best kind of non-fiction in that the author establishes authority as a researcher and as a mother with constant integration of personal experiences and impressively detailed facts. Those who enjoy really detailed and foot-noted non-fiction will be frustrated by this, but those who prefer essays and novels will find it utterly readable.

There are so many interesting points she raises and incredible stories about the human body that I wish I could share, but I don't want to ruin the experience of discovery for anyone who reads it, which I highly encourage everyone to do.

What I'm Reading: 'Bring Up the Bodies' by Hilary Mantel

As much as I eventually enjoyed Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall, I initially struggled to get into it, and so I didn't want to wait too long after finishing it before starting in with the sequel Bring Up the Bodies. In many ways I've found it easier and more enjoyable, likely because I've already put the work into the first volume; it's also a slimmer novel and so much of the world has already been "built," so it's very easy to immediately immerse yourself in the unfolding story.  The fact that I already know everything that's going to happen in no way impedes the drama  of it, and I'll use this opportunity yet again to encourage everyone to persevere through this series, which is so rich and rewarding.

This Week in Books Ursual K. Le Guin Breaks the Internet

The NYT asked authors Gillian Flynn and Cheryl Strayed to discuss women authors and women characters and the experience of having your runaway best-seller optioned for a movie adaptation by Reese Witherspoon.

Usual K. LeGuin was the recipient of an award for her distinguished contribution to American letters at the National Book Awards (hence her inclusion in this week's #ReadWomen2014) and she used the acceptance speech to throw shade at the literary community for largely ignoring writers of genre fiction, like herself. She also is not a fan of Amazon, apparently.

Meanwhile, there were some surprises in this year's National Book Awards recipients; I was very pleased to see Louise Gluck and Jacqueline Wilson win for poetry and young people's fiction, respectively, and was very surprised that Marilynne Robinson didn't take home the prize for Lila, which is certainly still a contender for every other major literary award for 2014.

#ReadWomen2014: Ursual K. LeGuin

I wish I could tell you all about the many Usual K. LeGuin books I've read and loved, but I am woefully behind on her work. She was an author I specifically intended to get know through the #ReadWomen2014 experience, and I have failed miserably, but I won't let that stop me from recommending her.

Her work is often described as science fiction or fantasy, but she is a genre fiction writer who defies and transcends her own genres on a regular basis. Most of her major novels fall into two series, but it isn't necessary to read them in any kind of special order; the series define the fictional universe in which the short stories/novels take place, but there is no need to feel bogged down or intimidated by some kind of massive and demanding commitment to a book series. If you have read more of her work than me (i.e. any of her work), leave your impressions in the Comments.