The Bookseller by Mark Pryor

I love mysteries.  I love books and books about books.  For reasons unknown I've been infatuated with Paris from a young age.  So when Mark Pryor's The Bookseller appeared on my radar, it was a foregone conclusion that I would read it. The story centers around a Paris bookseller named Max who is kidnapped in broad daylight from his bookstall along the Seine.  His friend Hugo Marston, a former FBI agent and current head of security at the U.S. embassy in Paris witnesses the kidnapping and sets out to find out what happen to his friend and bring the perpetrators to justice.  

The Bookseller is the first novel by the author and the first in the relatively new Hugo Martson series.  For a first novel, it was good, not perfect, but good.  There are a bugs that need to be worked out.  For instance, the character Hugo is supposed to be from Texas and there are constant references to him being a "cowboy" although other than being from the Lone Star state there is little to support this characterization.  This seemed like a superficial characterization but then maybe that was intentional.  Maybe it was an attempt to portray how the French see Americans, especially American law enforcement.  There is an awful lot of crime and coincidences stuff thrown in the book's 300 pages - Nazi hunters and Nazi collaborators, unexpectedly valuable books, and turf wars between rival international criminal organizations.  There is a new girlfriend who turns out to have several personal and professional connections to Hugo, Max and the case.  References to Sherlock Holmes are thrown in for good measure.  Oh, and I almost forgot about Hugo's sidekick, a semi-retired CIA agent who decides it would be a good time to visit Paris.  It came together in the end but there were times when it felt a little like everything and the kitchen sink had been thrown in. But these complaints are minor.  Overall I enjoyed the book.  It is a first novel and I am willing to bet the series will improve with each new book. 

Submerged by Dani Pettrey

   Bailey Craig was the bad girl in high school.  She drank a little too much and slept around.  Twelve years a later she's sober and has earned a doctorate in Russian history (or something like that).  Despite being on the straight-and-arrow she still feels tremendously guilty and ashamed about her behavior in high school.  Fortunately, Bailey now lives in Oregon, far away from her Alaskan hometown and the people who knew her (and tormented her) in high school.  She had no intention of ever setting foot back in Yancey, Alaska again.  Then she gets a phone call telling her that her Aunt Agnes, a woman who was there for her when her parents weren't, has died in a plane crash.  Bailey returns to Yancey, intending only to stay long enough to attend the funeral and settle her aunt's affairs, but then...

A few years ago I went to Alaska.  It is one of the most beautiful places on earth that I've ever seen.  I am equally intrigued by its history.  Submerged is set in Alaska.  That and the fact that the blurb on the cover promised "romantic suspense" pretty much meant I had to read it.  It is the literary equivalent of a Lifetime or Hallmark movie.  I mean that as a compliment.  It has a simple plot, is light and quick, and has a perfect Hollywood ending.  I found this in the fiction section of a Christian bookstore, which is to say there is a heavy emphasis on redemption and religion.  There is no subtlety on this point.  Bailey's past sexual indiscretions and her eventual redemption are a major theme in the story.  This lack of subtlety is my only real criticism.  I mean, seriously high school is so over.  It's been twelve years.  Bailey has stopped drinking, found God, and has her life is well on track - get over high school already.  Anyway, notwithstanding the heavy handed handling of Bailey's past, I enjoyed the book.  It was exactly was I was in the mood for, but then I love Hallmark and Lifetime movies.

Reading Challenges: Done and Done!

At the beginning of the year I took on three reading challenges.  The first was a Goodreads challenge to read 60 books in 2013.  Though I got behind for awhile, overall this was an easy challenge.  In fact, I am now  on book 62.  Next year I may aim for 70 or 75 books.  That would be a real challenge for me.

I have forgotten the details of the second challenge, as the person or group that was hosting it disappeared.  At first I was disappointed, but then I stumbled upon the Literary Exploration genre challenge.  The idea was to read books from 12 (easy), 24 (hard), 26 (insane) different challenges.  The genres were picked by the moderators of the Literary Exploration book club, but individual readers chose what books to read.  In case it isn't clear below, to complete the hard challenge for example, one would read books from the 12 genres in the easy challenge plus the additional 12 books in the hard challenge.  I started off with the easy challenge but then started reading genres from the other two challenges before I had even finished the first one.  In the end I just decided to read all thirty-six.

The best part about this challenge was that I discovered genres I had never read before, like steampunk and cyberpunk, and was re-introduced to genres I hadn't read in a long time, like poetry and drama.  The hardest genres for me were horror and true crime.  I've never been much of a horror fan and did not love the book I chose, but would be willing to try another horror novel.  As for true crime, I was afraid true crime books were all movie-of-the-week books about whatever sensational crime was most recently in the news.  Luckily I found a true crime story that didn't involve murder.  While the book I read for this genre was fine, I still can't say I'm a fan of the genre.  Perhaps that's ironic since I love mysteries, but true crime just isn't as fun or interesting to me.

Now that I have completed this challenge I'm looking forward to a month of what I'm calling "free reading," which basically I'll be reading without having a challenge dictate what kind of book I read next.  This mostly like means I'll be reading romance and mystery books, two of my favorite genres.

Here's What I read for the 2013 Literary Exploration genre challenge:

1. Adventure – The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
2. Auto-Biography/Biography – Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls
3. Chick-Lit – Where She Went by Gayle Forman
4. Children’s Book – The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente
5. Classics – House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
6. Cyberpunk – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
7. Drama – Macbeth by William Shakespeare
8. Dystopian – Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
9. Educational –  The Smartest Kids in the World by Amanda Ripley
10. Erotica – Hot Ticket by Olivia Cunning
11. Espionage – Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan
12. Fantasy – A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin
13. Graphic Novels – Captain America (Volumes 1 & 2) by Ed Brubaker
14. Gothic – Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
15. Hard-Boiled – The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
16. Historical Fiction – Sacre Blue by Christopher Moore
17. Horror – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
18. Humor – Earth the Book, from Jon Stewart and The Daily Show
19. Literary Fiction – In One Person by John Irving
20. Magical Realism – Chocolat by Joanne Harris
21. Mystery – Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James
22. Noir – Toronto Noir edited by Janine Armin and Nathaniel G. Moore
23. Non Fiction – Hell-Bent: Obsession, Pain and the Search for Something Like Transcendence in Competitive Yoga by Benjamin Lorr
24. Paranormal – Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
25. Philosophical – Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale, edited by James B. South
26. Poetry – Ariel by Sylvia Plath
27. Post-Apocalyptic – World War Z by Max Brooks
28. Romance – A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant
29. Science Fiction – The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
30. Steampunk – The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress
31. Supernatural – The Secret Circle by L. J. Smith
32. Thriller – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
33. True Crime – The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession
34. Urban Fantasy – Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris
35. Victorian – The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
36.  Young Adult – Looking For Alaska by John Green

12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

  In 12 Years a Slave Solomon Northup, a free Black man living in the north, recounts his experience of being kidnapped and sold into slavery.  For twelve years he witnessed and suffered the indignities and brutality of slavery, until one day one of his pleas for help made it to the right person.  He was then rescued and reunited with his family.  It is a compelling and disturbing read.  That it was from the victim’s point of view (as opposed to a third party observer) made it more so. 

In addition to being an account of slavery, it is an account of hope even in the most dire of circumstances.  During his twelve years of captivity, Solomon survived as best he could and somehow, did not lose hope.  He never forgets his family and keeps thinking of ways to get back to them.  Somehow Solomon’s experience doesn’t make him bitter or mean.  I’m not giving anything away by writing that the story ends happily for Solomon.  (If it hadn’t this book would not exist.)  I wish I knew what happened a year, five years, or ten years later.  I want to know how he dealt with the world after going through such a horrific experience.  I wonder how his experience changed how he felt about the country he lived in.  I bet that would be an equally compelling and interesting story.

I read this book in anticipation of seeing the movie of the same name.  After reading it, I’m not sure I can watch the movie.  It paints a vivid picture of slavery and I’m not sure I can sit through images of people being whipped and otherwise brutally treated.  Speaking of the movie, I recently listened to an interview with Steve McQueen (writer and director of the movie by the same name) stated that his goal in making this film was to get book on school curriculums.  I hope he succeeds.  I'd put this on the same level as The Diary of Anne Frank.  Both books put a face on and give a voice to history, reminding us that real people suffered.

One last thought – I read the Penguin Books edition of this book.  It includes an introduction by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. titled, What Is an African- American Classic?  I usually skim, if not skip all together, introductions but this one is well worth the read.

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession

In The Man Who Loved Books Too Much author Allison Hoover Bartlett recounts the exploits of John Gilkey, an unrepentant book thief, and the people, like Ken Sanders, who try to stop him.  I picked up this book to fulfill the true crime requirement for the Literary Explorations Genre Challenge I'm doing this year.  I thought I hit the jackpot when I came across this book (Yea, a true crime story that didn't involve a dead body!), but I didn't connect with this book as I expected.  It was written well enough, that wasn't the problem.

One thing I realized in reading this is that while I collect books, I am not a Book Collector.  I own hundreds of book and love being around books.  When traveling to new places, my itinerary often includes visits to local bookstores or libraries.  I fully understand the the pleasure of holding a book in one's hand.  I appreciate books the craftsmanship and the artistry that went into creating the object,  But ultimately, I loved to read.  Alas, this is what separates me from Book Collectors.  I'm glad there are people out there who are working to preserve first editions and other books for posterity but for my own purposes, a copy bought at my local Barnes & Noble will do just fine.

In addition to finding it difficult to relate to Book Collectors, I also found it difficult to relate to (or care about) John Gilkey, which is problematic since the story is mostly about him.  Gilkey aspires to create a grand, personal library.  Bartlett posits that Gilkey aspires to not only present the image of a "cultured gentleman" but to become that gentleman.  Wanting to better one's self is understandable and even admirable.  In this light Gilkey could be the protagonist in a Horatio Alger story, except for one problem, he's a thief. 

According to Bartlett, Gilkey's justification for stealing books from rare book dealers, many of whom appear to be small businesses, and libraries is that the world is unfair to him and this is his way of evening the score.  Rare books are expensive and dealers act unfairly when they sell books at a price he cannot afford (though one gets the sense that even if he could afford them he would still steal).  If a salesperson wasn't as prompt or polite as he expected, that store deserves to be stolen from.  Gilkey reasoned that when he stole books, often by using credit card numbers he stole while employed at a department store, the stores he stole from had insurance that would cover the costs, so no harm no foul.  That insurance might not cover everything, assuming the book store even has insurance, that a person might prefer the book to the money, or that people just don't like it when people take their stuff without payment or permission, just didn't seem to occur or matter to him.  It was infuriating to read repeatedly about Gilkey justified his thieving.

The other main character in this story is Ken Sanders, who once served as the security chair for the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America.  It was Ken who connected the dots behind a series of book thefts in Northern California.  His diligence and perseverance in protecting himself and others like him from the likes of Gilkey is admirable.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

 

It is the year 2044.  James Halliday, creator of OASIS, a virtual utopia where a person can be almost anything they want to be, has died.  With no friends or family he leaves his vast fortune and control of his company to whomever can find the Easter egg Halliday has hidden deep inside the game.  Five years have passed and no one has made any progress.  Then Parzival (aka Wade Watts) finds the first of the three keys needed to complete the game.  From there, it’s on!  There is a lot at stake, most importantly control of OASIS, and everyone wants to win.  Some are even willing to do anything to win, even kill for it.

Ready Player One is so, so good!  It is a love letter to eighties pop culture - movies, television, music and especially video games.  It is a celebration of the wonders and a warning about the potential dangers of technology.  It is a celebration of the super fan, of the joy of totally loving something to the point of obsession, the kind of obsession that causes you to watch/read/listen to a movie/book/song over and over again and then spend hours researching about the creators who made the thing you love so much.  And it's all wrapped up in an adventure story involving a world wide treasure hunt, danger in the real and virtual worlds, and a dash of romance. 

Ready Player One is one of the most enjoyable books I've read all year.  It's hard to believe that this is Ernest Cline's first novel.  He really hit out of park on his first try.

The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley

In The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way, Amanda Ripley looks at education through the lens of PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) which is a test administered around the world to test the math, science, and reading skills of 15-year-olds.  In general, student scores indicate that teenagers in Finland, South Korea, and Poland are learning and mastering the skills needed to solve problems and make complex arguments, skills that are increasingly important in the modern economy.  In contrast, the scores of American students seem to indicate that teenagers in the United States are not learning or mastering these skills, at least not as well. In an attempt to figure out why or at least how education differed among these four countries, Ripley followed three American students who spent a year abroad in Finland, South Korea, and Poland.  She also talked to educators, parents, and a host of other people.

I found this subject fascinating.  Ripley does not attempt to provide any easy solutions, or really any solutions at all, to the problems in American education.  She simply reports what she discovered through her investigation.  This is certainly not an exhaustive study on education in the U.S. or the world, but it does present an interesting picture and hopefully will invite discussion.

There were three lessons I took from this book.  The first was the importance of creating a culture of rigor around education.  In the countries Ripley focuses on school is expected to be hard, standards are high, and it is assumed that students will meet those standards.  Of course, not every student does.  Still there is something to be said for assuming that kids can succeed rather than assuming at the outset that are too many obstacles in their way for that to happen.  She points out that sometimes policies aimed at helping kids ends up doing more harm than good by providing the kids with reasons to explain why they're not performing better in school.

The second had to with the teaching profession.  I have to admit I have never put much thought into how teachers are trained beyond getting a college degree.  Ripley suggests that an education major is considered to be an easy major in the U.S.  I don't know if this is true or not, but then I majored in political science and journalism (before going to law school and librarian school).  In contrast, in countries like Finland becoming a teacher is comparatively much harder.  Only the best and brightest are trusted with teaching the nation's youngsters.  Ripley's description of the process of becoming a teacher in Finland and the respect with which they are treated reminded me of law school or medical school in the U.S.

The third lesson I learned, or rather was reminded of, was the importance of reading to kids when they're young and engaging them in conversation when they're older.  According to Ripley, engaging your child in these ways benefits the child far more than baking brownies for school bake sales or coaching sports.  Not that those activities don't have value; they do.  It is just that reading to kids, encouraging them to read on their own, and discussing issues with them encourages them to develop and explain their own opinions which requires critical thinking.  Ultimately, critical thinking skills are what kids need to develop as it is those skills that will enable them to tackle complex problems as adults.

When I was high school my stepdad and I use to argue about politics.  I hated this (well maybe I liked it a little).  In hindsight I'm grateful.  It forced me to think about why I believed what I did and to explain why.  In other words, it forced me to think critically, a skill that has been invaluable throughout my career, and really throughout life.  I have also been in the habit of reading for as long as I can remember.  This habit came in handy when I had to get through the massive amounts of reading one is expected to get through in law school.  I would like to think that most parents are imparting these same skills and habits to their kids too.

Ripley's book left me feeling hopeful.  Prior to reading it education seemed like too big of a problem to tackle.  It still seems big but I would like to think I have better grasp of the problems and possible solutions, at least a little bit.