Pulitzer Prize Winning author Norman Mailer died today, at age 84. Some of his well known works are The Naked and the Dead, The Deer Park and the The Executioner's Song. His most recent novel, The Castle in the Forest, was published in 2007.
Take a look at this article from Time on "Why Norman Mailer Mattered."
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
Whitethorn Woods
I grabbed the audiobook version of Maeve Binchy's Whitethorn Woods because it is narrated by Paul Michael, one of my favorite narrators. It turns out, Michael doesn't actually narrate the entire book. Sile Bermingham narrates the majority of it, with Michael narrating the beginning and ending. I've never listened to her before, but she's quite good.
The Whitethorn Woods are woods near the Irish town of Rossmore. A well is located in these woods, and has been named St. Ann's Well because it is believed to be a source of miracles. A highway is proposed, which will go right through the woods and destroy the well. The town is divided on the issue and Father Brian Flynn is caught in the middle. Each chapter in the book is the story of someone who either lives in Rossmore, visits Rossmore, or is connected to Rossmore in some way.
Even though there are many characters, Binchy creates well-developed characters with distinct voices and unique stories that pulls the reader into their lives. A good read.
The Whitethorn Woods are woods near the Irish town of Rossmore. A well is located in these woods, and has been named St. Ann's Well because it is believed to be a source of miracles. A highway is proposed, which will go right through the woods and destroy the well. The town is divided on the issue and Father Brian Flynn is caught in the middle. Each chapter in the book is the story of someone who either lives in Rossmore, visits Rossmore, or is connected to Rossmore in some way.
Even though there are many characters, Binchy creates well-developed characters with distinct voices and unique stories that pulls the reader into their lives. A good read.
Author Visit!
The Bookstall in Winnetka will be hosting Joseph O'Connor on Monday November 12 at 7 pm. He will be signing and discussing his newest book, Redemption Falls, the number one bestselling book in Ireland currently.The story is an unforgettable romance of Irish immigrants in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Book Banning in West Virginia
A high school in Charleston, West Virginia banned two of Pat Conroy's books. Take a look at what he has to say about it. I especially like his point that banning the books will only encourage kids to read them.
"Because you banned my books, every kid in that county will read them, every single one of them."
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
The Heart-Shaped Box
I'm not much of a horror fan-I don't like horror films and I don't like being scared. But Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box has gotten such great reviews, I decided to give it a try for some spooky Halloween reading. I should have known....
Judas Coyne is an aging rock star with an obsession for macabre objects. His collection includes a snuff film, a human skull, a hangman's noose and a cookbook for cannibals. When he sees a suit for sale on an online auction that is said to be haunted with a ghost, he decides he must have it for his collection. As soon as the suit arrives, strange things begin to happen and Judas begins seeing the dead man. In an attempt to learn more about the ghost, he contacts the woman who sold him the suit. It turns out that she is the sister of Judas' former girlfriend who recently committed suicide. The ghost in the suit is their father, who blames Judas for the suicide. The ghost is intent on killing Judas to avenge his daughter's death.
And that's about all I can tell you. I was so creeped out, I stopped reading. I admit that I am a big baby. Nothing really scary or violent happens (at least up to that point), but it was pretty creepy. And, Judas has two dogs, and I just know something is going to happen to those dogs, which I couldn't stand to think about. What I can tell you though, is the premise of the story is very clever and it is obvious that Joe Hill is a very talented writer. I am sorry that I couldn't stick with it, because it's a good book. But I need to be able to sleep at night. I have passed this one off to my husband, who likes all thing scary and creepy, so hopefully he can tell me how everything works out. This would be a great read for those who appreciate a good scary story.
Judas Coyne is an aging rock star with an obsession for macabre objects. His collection includes a snuff film, a human skull, a hangman's noose and a cookbook for cannibals. When he sees a suit for sale on an online auction that is said to be haunted with a ghost, he decides he must have it for his collection. As soon as the suit arrives, strange things begin to happen and Judas begins seeing the dead man. In an attempt to learn more about the ghost, he contacts the woman who sold him the suit. It turns out that she is the sister of Judas' former girlfriend who recently committed suicide. The ghost in the suit is their father, who blames Judas for the suicide. The ghost is intent on killing Judas to avenge his daughter's death.
And that's about all I can tell you. I was so creeped out, I stopped reading. I admit that I am a big baby. Nothing really scary or violent happens (at least up to that point), but it was pretty creepy. And, Judas has two dogs, and I just know something is going to happen to those dogs, which I couldn't stand to think about. What I can tell you though, is the premise of the story is very clever and it is obvious that Joe Hill is a very talented writer. I am sorry that I couldn't stick with it, because it's a good book. But I need to be able to sleep at night. I have passed this one off to my husband, who likes all thing scary and creepy, so hopefully he can tell me how everything works out. This would be a great read for those who appreciate a good scary story.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Author Visit!
The Bookstall in Winnetka will be hosting author Frank McCourt next Tuesday, November 13th. I have had a crush on McCourt ever since I listened to him narrate his three memoirs, Angela's Ashes, 'Tis, and Teacher Man. He is a great writer, and I could listen to his voice all day. He will be speaking about his new Christmas book, Angela and the Baby Jesus, which is about Angela (of Angela's Ashes) as a child, who feels compelled to rescue the baby Jesus from her church nativity scene and take him home.
Hope to see you there!
Time: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 7:00 PM
Location: Skokie School, 520 Glendale, Winnetka, IL 60093
No reservations necessary.
Hope to see you there!
Time: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 7:00 PM
Location: Skokie School, 520 Glendale, Winnetka, IL 60093
No reservations necessary.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
The Zookeeper's Wife
Sometimes I feel like I read more non-fiction than fiction. But there are just so many great non-fiction books to read! The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman is one of them. Ackerman tells the story of Jan and Antonina Zabinski. Jan was the director of the Warsaw zoo before WWII and the Zabinskis lived on the grounds of the zoo. When Warsaw was invaded, the Nazis took the animals they wanted and shot the rest for fun. Although the zoo was no longer operating, the Zabinskis stayed put, first under the guise of running a pig farm to supply the soldiers with pork, then as a fur farm to provide the soldiers with fur for warmth. But the Zabinskis were secretly helping the Polish resistance. Jan brought food to many of the Jews in the ghetto. They also helped many Jews to escape, sheltering them in their home and in the empty animal cages. Amazingly, they were never caught.
This is a fascinating story of a very brave family. Ackerman gets much of her information from Antonina's diaries, which provide incredible details of their activities in the resistance, as well as day to day life in occupied Warsaw. A great read!
This is a fascinating story of a very brave family. Ackerman gets much of her information from Antonina's diaries, which provide incredible details of their activities in the resistance, as well as day to day life in occupied Warsaw. A great read!
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