Beastmomma

From goodreads:

In the fall of 1900, Dr. Gustav Uyterhoeven left the chess garden that he and his wife, Sonja, had created together in Dayton, Ohio, and journeyed to South Africa to serve as a doctor in the British concentration camps of the Boer War. Over the next ten months he sent twelve chess pieces and twelve letters back to Sonja. She set out her husband's gifts as they arrived and welcomed all the most faithful guests of the garden to come and hear what he had written - letters which told nothing of his experience of the camps but described an imagined land called the Antipodes, where all the game pieces that cluttered the sets and drawers of the garden collection came to life to guide the doctor through his fateful and wondrous last adventure. Brooks Hansen offers a tale of spiritual progress disguised in the most exotic visions of the imagination. And yet The Chess Garden encompasses a very real world, too. Alongside the doctor's visions of the Antipodes, the story of his life gradually unfolds as well. History and allegory are expertly woven until finally both lead back to the chess garden itself, a place where ideas give way to vision, reason meets faith, and fact and figment are finally reconciled.

Pages: 481 (Hardcover)

Rating: 7 out of 10

Source: Checked out a copy from each of the following libraries-- Natick, Alexandria, and Rockville

I began The Chess Garden or the Twilight Letters of Gustav Uyterhoeven by Brooks Hansen all the way back in May 2010; it was the second selection in the Natick book club I joined.  While the member who selected the book was very enthusiastic and excited about the story, I had a very hard time getting into it.  At our book club meeting in June, I loved her perspective so much that I was determined to finish the book.  It took me almost a year to finish the book.  I finally got into the story during my third attempt. 

The process of reading the book also tested my commitment to the public libraries of MA, VA, and MD.  All of the libraries have a two term renewal limit.  I was super slow in reading, so I had a lot of pauses in my reading. 

While I questioned my decision to finish the book several times, I am glad that I continued.  In the end, I loved learning about the Doctor and his wife.  His personal journey and the way he used to stories as a way to cope with the horrors he was witnessing in concentration camp.  I liked the way the letters were a way for him to connect with his wife and also to continue the sense of community they had created in Ohio.  I even cried a little towards the end of the book.

I am counting the book for the following challenges:

2011 Global Reading Challenge: Part of the book took place in South Africa, so I am counting it for the contintent of Africa.

Chunkster Reading Challenge 2011: The book is 481 pages which meets the requirement.

From goodreads:

Late afternoon sun sneaks through the windows of a passport and visa office in an unnamed American city. Most customers and even most office workers have come and gone, but nine people remain. A punky teenager with an unexpected gift. An upper-class Caucasian couple whose relationship is disintegrating. A young Muslim-American man struggling with the fallout of 9/11. A graduate student haunted by a question about love. An African-American ex-soldier searching for redemption. A Chinese grandmother with a secret past. And two visa office workers on the verge of an adulterous affair.

There's little food. The office begins to flood. Then, at a moment when the psychological and emotional stress seems nearly too much for them to bear, the young graduate student suggests that each tell a personal tale, "one amazing thing" from their lives, which they have never told anyone before. And as their surprising stories of romance, marriage, family, political upheaval, and self- discovery unfold against the urgency of their life-or-death circumstances, the novel proves the transcendent power of stories and the meaningfulness of human expression itself.

Pages: 240 pages (paperback)

Rating: 10 out of 10

Source: Purchased from a borders store that was closing in DC

I discovered Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's writing while living in Atlanta. I went to Charis bookstore and asked for a recommendation.  The bookseller told me about Mistress of Spices and I was intrigued.  I devoured that book and then found myself going through the rest of Divakaruni's books at lightening speed.  Since I joined book clubs and started blogging, I have not read anything by her in quite some time.   A few weeks ago, I had gone with a coworker to a Borders store near our office which was closing.  I felt sad to walk through the aisles and see all the books that had been left behind.  Even though I am on a book buying diet, I could not resist purchasing One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.  I have been looking for a book to dive into which draws me into the story right away and does not make me feel ill at all the terrible things that happen (see Corelli's Mandolin and The Glass Castle)

One Amazing Thing did not disappoint.  I love the premise of strangers making it through a scary situation by sharing stories.  Part of Divakaruni's genius is how she makes even the simplest characters rich and full as they tell a story of what led them into the agency and has shaped their world view.  After each character told his/her story, the other characters react and respond not only to the events, but also reflect on how the story relates to them.  I love the way sharing stories was used to build community and create connections.

In addition to feeling like my reading for 2011 is getting back on track, I am also counting this book for the following challenges:

• What's In a Name Four: I am counting this for the number category
• 2011 Global Reading Challenge: I am counting this book for the North America continent
• South Asian Challenge 2011: The author is South Asian

From goodreads:

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

Pages: 288 paperback

Rating: 7 out of 10

Source: Checked out from the library

When I first began The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, I did not know what to expect.  The book was selected for our next book club discussion. As I started reading, my stomach began to hurt immediately.  I had a very hard time reading about all the neglect.  Based on positive reviews of the book, I imagine that I should have been inspired by how the author and her siblings overcame such adversity.  However, I could not get past why and how the kids were placed in such bad situations.

**Spoiler alert**

I was glad to see how Jeannette and her sister Lori made it to New York and were then able to bring their siblings, Brian and Maureen.  However, I wanted to know more about their adult lives.  For instance, both Jeannette and Brian had romantic relationships that ended.  I wanted to hear more about how their childhood impacted the ways in which they formed relationships as adults. 

The parents belief that children should not be coddled was taken to such an extreme.  Her optimism and denial in the face of such adversity made me angry.  Although, I did feel sympathy towards her when Jeannette was leaving for New York and her mother expressed jealously; her feeling of being trapped was came to light all too clearly.

While Jeannette and her dad had a special relationship, he aggravated me very much. A pivotal point in his relationship with the kids came when he took money from the piggy bank. It felt like he was sabotaging their dreams.  Although, I think he was so consumed with addiction that he had a hard time seeing the impact of his actions on his family.

In spite of my frustrations with the parents, I did feel the tenderness among the family members. When the father passed away, I cried.  I also loved when the family came together for Thanksgiving years later and toasted him.  One thing I learned from the book is that even when you live in dire situations, it is still possible to create happy memories.

I am also counting the book for the following challenges:

What's in a Name Four: I am counting this for the jewelry or gem category.

2011 Global Reading Challenge: All of the story takes place in the United States, I am counting it as my book for North America.

Welcome to the fourth What's in a Name Challenge! This challenge was originated by a young blogger named Annie, who hosted it for two years.  Beth F. has been rocking as the host ever since.  Even though I am still working on last year's challenge, I am excited to try again for this year.

Here's How It Works

Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a number in the title: One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. I finished the book in April. You can find my review here.
   
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I finished the book on March 18th; you can find my review here.
   
3. A book with a size in the title: 
4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. I finished the book in July. You can find my review here.
   
5. A book with evil in the title: The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee. I finsihed the book on December 30th. You can find my review here. 
6. A book with a life stage in the title:  Operating Instructions: A Journal of my Son's First Year by Anne Lammott You can find my review here. 

Other Things to Know

• Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
• Books may overlap other challenges.
• Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
• Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed but encouraged.
• You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
• You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.

While I did not do so well on this challenge last year, I am hoping for a better outcome in 2011.

I am choosing the easy level in the hopes that I can complete the challenge this year!

Read one novel from each of these continents in the course of 2011:

Africa: (1) The Chess Garden or the Twilight Letters of Gustav Uyterhoeven by Brooks Hansen. Part of the book takes place in South Africa.  You can find my review here. (2) Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese Much of the book takes place in Ethiopia. You can find my review here.
Asia: (1) The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli. Most of the book takes place in Vietnam. You can find my review here. 
Australasia
Europe: (1) Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières. You can find my review here. It is sent in Greece. (2) My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk. You can find my review here. It is set in Turkey.
North America: (1) The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls; it is set in the United States. I finished the book on March 18th. You can find my review here. (2) One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni; it is set in the United States. You can find my review here. (3) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. It takes place in the United States. You can find my review here.
South America (please include Central America where it is most convenient for you)

The Seventh Continent (here you can either choose Antarctica or your own ´seventh´ setting, eg the sea, the space, a supernatural/paranormal world, history, the future – you name it). (1) The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee The book takes place all over the world, so I am counting it in this category. You can read my review here. 

From your own continent: try to find a country, state or author that is new to you