Self-Help Round-Up, Part 2

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo; This book is ridiculously popular right now, which really speaks to something I do not understand at all. I am very clean and neat by nature, so I read this as a fellow tidier and really agreed with everything Kondo writes about. There are definitely some things that get lost in translation -- such as the need not to hold on to too many charms from shrines, not a problem for many messy Americans. The thrust of the book is basically to get rid of as much of your stuff as possible and only keep the essentials. When you get rid of a sweater that you never wore, you shouldn't feel guilty, you should thank it for teaching you an important lesson about what doesn't work in your wardrobe, and then you should wish it well as you put it out into the world where it will find a new owner. Since finishing this book, I have packed up ten boxes of stuff to donate, which felt amazing. This book is a delight but it will not change your life and if you are intrigued by the thought of getting rid of everything, I'd advise skimming it. Under no circumstances is this a book you should own.

It's All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow; Not a self-help book per se, but a GOOP publication about eating healthy, so close enough. Those damn freckles on her nose were what convinced me to get this book. I will eat anything that gives me adorable freckles like that. So there are some legitimately good recipes in here, but I'm not someone who needs recipes for things like smoothies. Also, she gives a lot of weird pseudo-medical advice about cutting everything out of your diet in order to self-diagnose food allergies or pseudo-allergies, and I find that highly suspect. All things in moderation, including Gwynnie. I should maybe mention that I am generally very pro-Gwyneth and I find her particular brand of highly aspirational authentic living to be as close to a religion as I can muster. She got me to drink almond milk and do Pilates, two things I don't regret.

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg; This book got way too much attention for the wrong reasons. It's a great book of career advice, for men or women, and it also makes a very deliberate point of illustrating the ways in which the American political and economic systems in place are generally impeding women's careers. Some people are mad that she's rich and wrote this book, which makes no sense because I don't want career advice from anyone who isn't rich...? She never asserts that being rich is the solution to anyone's problems -- I think she just felt the need to qualify over and over again how lucky she is/was to have a support system that allowed her to accomplish everything that she did, and to further contrast her experience with that of so many women who lack her resources. I feel the same way about this as I do about Lena Dunham -- if you're going to have an opinion anyway, at least read the book/watch the show.

The Better Father's Day Gift Guide

Don't waste a day of celebrating your father with garbage books like Erik Larson and Doris Kearns Goodwin. That is perhaps unnecessarily harsh -- both are great writers -- but show a little creativity this Father's Day. Every other Father's Day gift guide I've seen lists the same old sports and non-fiction stuff, which is fine and predictable and lame. Here are the superior choices to celebrate your dad:

Missoula by Jon Krakauer -- This one is actually a trick because Krakauer is totally in the realm of Erik Larson and Doris Kearns Goodwin in terms of non-fiction bestsellers, but hey, dad's love Krakauer. Plus, this one has a bit of sports and a heaping dose of feminism, so it's the perfect thing.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood -- In my own dad's words "It's one of the best books I've read...AND it's by a woman!"

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald -- I've got a longer review of this coming up, but it's a really terrific book about grief and falconry, and is totally something your dad would like, if your dad is awesome.

The White Album by Joan Didion -- Baby-boomer dad's like books about their cultural "moment" which is why every list of dad books includes some kind of rock bio, but give your dad this instead. Didion's counter-culture essays are smarter and more nuanced than anything else out there.

Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace -- Another book of essays, although these are a lot more contemporary. Dads love books upon which movies are based (Seabiscuit, Unbreakable, all the Lincoln  biographies), so buy your dad this funny, touching book and remind him about 'End of the Tour.'

The Son by Philipp Meyer -- If your dad is like my dad, or my father-in-law, he likes Westerns, even if he doesn't know it. More likely he just finds himself watching whatever is on AMC on a Saturday afternoon, and thus a lot of 'Lonesome Dove' type stuff. The Son is a really recent, really great novel, although I will admit the brutal violence was too much for me. 

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel -- If your dad dabbles in PBS programming, he probably caught at least an hour or two of the miniseries, so get him hooked on the original, which is better and less confusing; also, if he's like my grandpa, he can't figure out how to watch the rest of the episodes, so he needs to get caught up anyway.

Summer Reading...

"Summer reading" isn't really a thing for me because I read all year long and don't make much of a distinction between seasons -- I just read what I'm in the mood to read. But I will happily acknowledge that there are definitely certain books that are just more pleasurable to read at certain times of year, and I have a well-documented history of reading more Southern and L.A.-oriented authors when it's hot outside. I have no specific titles in mind this summer, but I am looking forward to reading some Faulkner this year, and he is both a Southern writer and a man (something I was not allowed to read last summer). Here are some of my recommendations for your summer reading, if you're into that kind of thing:

-The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides: There is a Bookhive List post on this forthcoming, but it's good enough to warrant multiple mentions. An especially relevant novel if your summer will involve any proximity to fish flies or dying trees.

-Anything by Joan Didion (except A Year of Magical Thinking): Her essays on the American West and late 20th century counterculture are spare, essential and sizzling. I recommend her constantly for every occasion and will continue to do so, unapologetically.

-Any of the major contemporary women writers who are writing excellent literary fiction that is often mis-characterized as women's/genre fiction: Megan Abbott, Meg Wolitzer, Sarah Waters, and Tana French, for a start.

-Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee: Not because it will be good, but because it will be the literary event of the year.

-Re:Jane by Patricia Park; I have Roxane Gay's recommendation to thank for this, but Park's debut novel is a contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre, with the protagonist as a Korean-American woman. I already got a copy of this, so expect a longer review soon.

-The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins; I haven't read this yet but it's definitely on my list, as it was recently endorsed by NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, which has never steered me wrong. It's been described as Gone Girl-esque, and it has already made a big splash this year.

-Missoula by Jon Krakauer; I love to read Krakauer in the summer, because it's very intelligent non-fiction that is actually quite easy and quick to read. Granted, this one is about rape at colleges, so not exactly light, but I also read his book on murder in the Mormon community during the summer, perched in a patio chair, so take that as you will...

-Loving Day by Mat Johnson; This was one of 2015 most anticipated works of literary fiction, and while I haven't read any of Mat Johnson's novels yet, I religiously follow him on Twitter and I try to read his essays and nonfiction online whenever I can. He is smart and funny and works issues of race and identity into his writing so seamlessly and effectively.

Black History Month for Adults: the New Classics

Black History Month is something every elementary school kid becomes familiar with -- along with figures like George Washington Carver (peanuts!). Most adults spend little/no time thinking about African American history, either in the month of February or any other time of year, but we should all view it as a good time to inject our reading with some much-needed diversity. Thus, my picks for great reads to celebrate Black History Month:

Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat -- A collection of lovely and stirring short stories from Haitian-American author Danticat. She is woefully underrated and someday will be one very required reading list, so get an early start.

Zami by Audre Lorde -- Lorde was a feminist, Civil Rights leader, and most significantly to me, a librarian. She wrote non-fiction and poetry and all of it is essential.

White Girls by Hilton Als -- Als is a theater critic for the New Yorker but his published books have a much wider breadth than that, and this book of essays is really terrific. He's a really great contemporary cultural critic and I only wish that he wrote more.

Kindred by Octavia Butler -- Full disclosure, I haven't read this yet but it's definitely on my list. Butler is one of the most significant science fiction/fantasy writers and advocates of the genre, and Kindred is about a twentieth-century Black woman who is transported to the early nineteenth century where she meets her ancestors, a white slave-owner and the woman he owned. Butler herself described it as "grim fantasy," but it's bigger and more complex than any genre term.

Open City  by Teju Cole -- You will be hearing this name over and over in the coming years, as Cole is one of the most significant African American writers working today, and his stuff has been published in every magazine/literary journal of any importance. Along with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, he is shaping the way the world views Nigeria during a time of significant turbulence and cultural change.

Black History Month for Adults: the Classics

Black History Month is something every elementary school kid becomes familiar with -- along with figures like George Washington Carver (peanuts!). Most adults spend little/no time thinking about African American history, either in the month of February or any other time of year, but we should all view it as a good time to inject our reading with some much-needed diversity. Thus, my picks for great reads to celebrate Black History Month:

The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois -- Not an easy book, but an important one, and if I can read it, so can you. This is out of copyright too, which means it's very easy to get an audio or e-book version of it.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X -- I read this in junior high, which strikes me as very amusing now. What were my parents thinking? I remember really loving the first half, which chronicles his life as a pimp and a thief in great detail. As an adult, I found much more to appreciate in the political content, so I guess there's something for everyone in this book.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Life by Marshall Frady -- Penguin Lives Biographies are terrific, and I have many, many on my shelves, including this one. After you've seen 'Selma,' read this succinct biography and appreciate the fact that MLK Jr. is a much more interesting human that you were ever taught in school.

Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin -- Every human should read James Baldwin. This is his most essential novel, but it's all good, and he also wrote some terrific essays throughout the Civil Rights movement.

Anything by Toni Morrison -- She is the essential African American authoress and she's a prolific writer, with a new novel coming out this spring. Start with The Bluest Eye, then try Beloved. Song of Solomon is Barack Obama's favorite novel.

Books to Lean In to the Cold

Some people want to escape the cold this time of year, but I'm one to revel in the changing seasons. In Michigan, you don't have much of a choice anyway. For me, winter is all about lazy weekends on the couch, lots of slowly cooked soups and roasts, and flipping through seed catalogs, dreaming of spring.  The following titles are my suggestions for those who want to enjoy winter while it's here:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis -- It's always winter but never Christmas and kids run around in huge fur coats. If you haven't read this since you were a pre-teen, do yourself a favor and pick it up because it's still a great book.

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman -- This series warrants a much longer post and eventually it'll get one, but in the meantime, all you need to know is that there are zeppelins and human souls exist outside the body as cute animals and it mostly takes place in the Arctic. It is also the series to read if you became an Atheist and hate C.S. Lewis now.

Anything by Jack London -- I hated these books when I was a kid, but they get the job done; there are adventures in the snow with huskies, and people falling through ice and death by hypothermia, etc etc.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton - Never has sledding seemed so melancholy. Avoid if you're suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt -- One of the very first books i wrote about for Bookhive, and an excellent read if you like sexy collegiate bacchanalia and long, drawn-out descriptions of Vermont apartments without heat.

The Mysteries of New Venice series by Jean-Christophe Valtat -- A decidedly literary adventure series of the steampunk persuasion that takes place in the Arctic, natch. These books are also great for winter because they're addictive, thrilling reads.

Books on Love, Part II: Optimists Version

Their Eyes Were Watching God  by Zora Neale Hurston -- My favorite thing about this novel is that I read it in school and in our discussion it quickly became obvious that everyone had a completely different opinion on which man was Janie Crawford's one true love. This one's all about love as life-long journey.

Middlemarch by George Eliot -- Three different central love stories, each very distinct. Everyone has their favorite, and Fred Vincy's struggle to demonstrate his worth to Mary is definitely mine. Not just a great love story, one of the best novels ever written.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton -- Does not qualify for everyone's definition of a "love story," but I think there's something really beautiful and admirable about the central relationship between Newland Archer and his wife May Welland. Her cousin the Countess Olenska shows up and Newland wastes about 400 pages in a cloud of passion and lust but still marries May in the end; they have a very long, happy marriage and several lovely children. Some people hate this ending, but I'm a huge fan of it because it feels very possible, plus, Winona Ryder is May Welland in the film adaptation and I will never not take her side.

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez -- A widow revisits her first love after the death of her husband and the results are beautiful and sad. There is a stillness to this novel that absolutely knocks you to the floor.

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling -- Because there is no greater literary love than the slow-burning relationship between [SPOILER ALERT] Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. She gives him up to fight the greatest darkness the world has ever known and a part of me was secretly mad that she didn't divorce him before the epilogue scene.

Persuasion by Jane Austen -- Because there has to be a Jane Austen on the list and this one is very quietly the best Jane Austen novel.

Books on Love, Part I: Cynics Version

There is an over-abundance of books on love, and very few of them end happily, which is why I've rounded up a list of recommended fiction for those who are less than thrilled about Valentine's Day this year.

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene -- The name says it all; if you like your love stories to include terminal disease and weird Catholic overtones, this is the one for you.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood -- For those among us who have decided to swear off men for good, this is the validation you need.

Heartburn by Nora Ephron -- A very funny, sweet novel based on Ephron's own divorce experiences. Not nearly as cynical as the rest of the list, and an excellent breakup book.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte -- A book about love for anyone who feels too much. 

The Awakening by Kate Chopin -- I am so tempted to summarize this novella about an unhappily married woman but I would inevitably ruin the ending for you, and it is such a treat (if you hate Edna, as I did).

Books to Escape the Cold

My official Theory of Winter is that January is the worst because it's the darkest and longest winter month; 31 days is God's idea of a hilarious joke. February on the other hand, is nice and short and even includes a very indulgent holiday (I know a lot of people will bristle at this because it is NOT cool to like Valentine's Day. And those people don't have my husband, who historically knocks it out of the park for this holiday, probably because he knows how insane I go in winter). So you've survived the worst of it! Now you just have to coast through this short, terrible month. and the following list of books will help you forget the weather:

A Passage to India by E.M. Forster - Prolonged engagements! Unrequited love! Colonialism! And false accusations of sexual assault! All under the hot, Indian sun. I read this a few years ago in January. It helped a little.

The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner - This novel jumps between the steamy, gritty New York art scene of the 1970s, the sizzling streets of Rome amid political and civic turmoil, and the white hot salt flats of Utah. There is a lot of talk of engines and burning metal and motorcycles. It's also just a good book that you should probably read, regardless of the weather.

Play it as it Lays by Joan Didion - If you trend toward Season Affective Disorder, then stay away from this one. I wouldn't go so far as to say this novel will help you forget your cares, but it will certainly put your weather problems in perspective. Plus there's a lot of Los Angeles freeway cruising in a convertible.

The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene - Literally every page of this novel includes some reference to humidity or sweat. A bit more colonialism, if that's your thing, this time in Sierra Leone. There's also a juicy affair (because it's a Graham Greene novel) and a Catholic crisis of faith (because it's a Graham Greene novel).

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys - A really inventive and cool response to Jane Eyre, this novel tells the pseudo-prequel story of Rochester's first wife, a Caribbean heiress who later goes insane and ends up locked up in his attic. There is a 1993 film adaptation with an NC-17 rating, in which a young Naomi Watts plays a small role...You're welcome.

Bookhive's 2015 Reading Resolutions

I make New Years resolutions every year, but I generally try to go easy on myself. I'm not looking to give up caffeine or lose 50 pounds; normally I pick a few things I'd like to learn, a few dishes I've always wanted to try cooking, and some books I know I want to read. It's nice to start the year with some intentions, even if they're small.

Last year my resolution was #ReadWomen2014, so that was relatively simple, and I stuck with it. As part of that goal, I also strove to read a lot more women authors of color (which I did) and some of the major feminist texts (which I mostly did not). 

This year my reading resolutions are very influenced by the blog; I don't spend much time on reading that I can't later write about, so my resolutions are also (hopefully) a forecast of what you can expect to see in 2015:

One poetry book per month -- This is not something I have ever had much success with, but Adrienne Rich has made me believe again. I will try not to let this become One Adrienne Rich Book Per Month, I promise

Doorstop Books -- I've read some very long books, but all the major ones (Atlas Shrugged, Infinite Jest, War and Peace) are still on my shelves. I still haven't decided which I'll attempt first, and I'm not going to put any metrics to this, because one will feel like a success. I'll be blogging throughout the experience, and I hope someone is inspired to read along with me.

More of Those Obnoxious Books I Missed in College -- The Rilkes and the Walter Benjamins of the world deserve my (and your) attention. I miss the experience of collegiate reading immensely, and I don't want to let too many post-grad years go by without revisiting the meaty stuff.

What are your reading resolutions for 2015?

Bookhive's Best of 2014

So many bloggers and writers and editors will tell you how much they positively despise putting together "Best of' lists at the end of the year. Those people are lying. Making lists is incredibly fun and frankly not all that difficult. Yes, there are tons of movies and books and albums that are made each and every year, but only a small fraction of them are worth consideration for a "Best of" list and it is quite literally their job to figure out which ones. So they can get over it. 

A few caveats regarding my own list: I am not a professional literary editor or reviewer; I have a full-time job so anything I read that was published in 2014 had to be squeezed into an already busy schedule, and additionally, had to be available to me at the library or interesting enough to warrant a purchase, which is rare for new titles. I'm still not enough of a mover and shaker to warrant advance review copies, so I do my best to keep up and I have the library fines to prove it. Thus, my favorite titles published in 2014:

The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore -- Smart, well-researched, incredibly interesting and so much more than a history of a comic book character. 

On Immunity by Eula Biss -- Really hard to describe but brief and wonderful all the same. Her meditations on the nature of disease and vaccination are poetic and troubling.

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples -- This comic started a few years ago but the latest issues and an omnibus edition were published this year, so it's fair game. I am not a comic book expert, so when I say it's my favorite comic book, that probably means very little, but it's really terrific; funny, challenging, and beautiful.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson -- Just ignore the YA-genre buzz around this short prose-poem memoir. Adults should read it, kids should read it.

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast -- A really warm and honest and insightful graphic memoir on the aging and death of Chast's parents. I cried less than I expected.

Women in Clothes by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, and Leanne Shapton -- I was surprised by how many "Best of" lists forgot about this one, because it made a huge impression on me. I still haven't removed it from the pile next to my bed because I keep going back to it. It is endlessly entertaining and makes the smallest minutiae of women's lives fascinating.

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.

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.

Books to Help You Cope with the 'Serial' Finale

It feels like everyone I know is listening to the 'Serial' podcast; more realistically, it's probably only a very small percentage of people I know, but sometimes Twitter can really skew your perceptions of reality (something like only 19% of adults are on Twitter. This is mind-boggling to me). If you haven't gotten into it yet, do so immediately. You will be instantly hooked; it has been characterized as this year's 'True Detective,' which I can't speak to because I never got around to watching that, but I remember the conspiratorial fervor with which people watched it. 

There are eight Serial episodes thus far, and we've been promised "a dozen or so" by creator/producer/host Sarah Koenig, which means we are in the final stretch before the true crime drama comes to a close. This is inevitably going to leave a big, homicide-shaped hole in your life, so the following are my suggestions for how to fill it.

'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote. The greatest true crime story of all time and a piece of storytelling so masterful, it essentially ended the career of Capote, who was never able to produce anything like it ever again, and who delved very deeply into drugs and alcohol while awaiting the final verdict in the case. It is not easy to read. It is bleak and disturbing, but so, so rewarding. This is a nice way to get over 'Serial' because you will be sick of true crime after reading this.

'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn. Not a true crime story, but a really thrilling and suspenseful novel with as many twists and turns as 'Serial,' and a very similar approach to the audience. One of the things I love about 'Serial' is the way my perception of the case changes from week to week, and 'Gone Girl' achieves something very similar. Both are able to exist in an ambiguous. grey area between "guilt" and "innocence."

'Top of the Lake' directed by Jane Campion. Not a book, I know, but excellent and a worthwhile endeavor, nonetheless. Arguably even more difficult to stomach than 'In Cold Blood,' but equally as addictive and rewarding. I heard they are planning more episodes, which has me distraught because it is the perfect mini-series, and I desperately want more and yet never want to think about how it made me feel ever again.

'God'll Cut You Down' by John Safran. This was only just published and I'm still no the wait-list for a copy from the public library, and I'm growing very impatient. This will violate my adherence to #readwomen2014, but it is almost December and I have very little control over the library's request schedule, so I'm leaning into it. Like 'Serial,' it is a true crime story, with the writer himself functioning as a character; like Sarah Koenig, John Safran disappeared into his investigation of the story, and having a journalist serve as the reader's entry point into the story can be really effective.