Beastmomma

From goodreads:

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

Pages: 550 (paperback)

Rating:10 out of 10

Source: Purchased from the Regulator book store in Durham, NC

I was excited to be able to pick next selection for the DC area book club I joined when we came to the area.  When  The Book Thief by Mark Zusak came out a few years ago, I read lots of wonderful reviews around the blogosphere.  As I was browsing the Regulator book store in Durham one fine day, I saw the Book Thief had come out in paperback and I made the purchase! I was excited and curious to finally begin this novel to see if it lived up to the buzz.  After reading quite a few "okay books," I was thrilled that the Book Thief stole my heart immediately and kept me wanting more as I turned the pages. As soon as I started, I was drawn into the book.  I found the story of Liesel very compelling.  The book made my commute seem short and when we had long flights and a layover on a recent trip to Jamaica, the story made the time go quickly.

One of the things which made the story so compelling to me is that the story is told from the perspective of death.  Death gives us insight into Nazi Germany, war, and anti-semitism. However, death makes the experience more human and accessible by sharing with us the story of Liesel.  I loved her relationships with her foster parents, her best friend Rudy, and Max, the Jewish person her family hid in the basement.   Another central part of the story is Liesel's relationship to books and how learning to read saves her life.  I found it so poetic and tear inducing that each book theft was connected to a significant event in Liesel's life.  At various points in the book, I found myself crying at the sweetness of interactions between the characters-- Liesel and Rudy, Liesel and her papa, Liesel and her mama, Liesel and Max. 

Another aspect of the novel I really enjoyed is the way in which the complexity of the characters is developed.  The conflict between wanting to fit in with the majority so as to not be harassed and following your conscious comes across in the decision of Liesel's parents to take in a Jewish person. I also loved the stories that Max shared with Liesel and the scene where she steps into the parade of Jewish people marching through her town is heart breaking.  Many points in the book illustrate how even in the worst of times, the best of the human spirit emerges.

I am looking forward to the book club discussion of this book.

I am also counting the book for the following challenges:

• Orbis Terrarum: The author was born in Australia
• 2010 Global Reading Challenge: I am going to count the book for Australia, since the author was born there.
• Chunkster Reading Challenge: The book is 550 pages

Since my last Sunday Salon post, I am excited to report that I met my New Year's Resolution of reading at least one more book this year than I read last year.  While I was impressed with myself for cranking out 16 books last year, I am even more excited that I have managed to read 18 books (so far) this year!  Since my last Sunday Salon post, I wrote and posted reviews of Hometown and This Child Will Be Great.  While I found both books informative, neither grabbed me as a really great read.   I started a book this week into which I am already engrossed.  I had heard a lot of good things about The Book Thief by Mark Zusak. I remember reading lots of positive reviews about the book a few years ago, but did not get a chance to read it until now.  So far, I am completely taken with the story. Although, I have had to hide tears which I have formed in my eyes while I have been reading on the train. I hope the book continues as strongly as it has begun!

From goodreads:

In this stirring memoir, Sirleaf shares the inside story of her rise to power, including her early childhood; her experiences with abuse, imprisonment, and exile; and her fight for democracy and social justice. This compelling tale of survival reveals Sirleaf's determination to succeed in multiple worlds: from her studies in the United States to her work as an international bank executive to her election campaigning in some of Liberia's most desperate and war-torn villages and neighborhoods. It is also the story of an outspoken political and social reformer who, despite danger, fought the oppression of dictators and championed change. By sharing her story, Sirleaf encourages women everywhere to pursue leadership roles at the highest levels of power, and gives us all hope that, with perseverance, we can change the world. In January 2006, after the Republic of Liberia had been racked by fourteen years of brutal civil conflict, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Africa's "Iron Lady" was sworn in as president, an event that marked a tremendous turning point in the history of the West African nation.

Pages:353 (Hardcover)

Rating:6 out of 10

Source: Checked out a copy from the Natick library and then picked up another copy from the Alexandria public library.

I first picked up This Child Will be Great:Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President written by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the World Party Reading Challenge. In the original format, the country for the month of June was Liberia.  I began reading in June, but I did not complete the book until last night.  Part of my slow reading progress is the density of the book and the other is that I had other reading commitments.   Overall, I really enjoyed the book.  It is both President Sirleaf's personal story and the history of Liberia.  I learned a lot about the history of the country.  A few highlights are mentioned below.

I was struck by the positive light in which President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush were portrayed.  Because of the work I do and my political standpoint, I am very often critical of the former president.  I enjoyed reading an outsider's perspective on how the former president handled foreign relations.  It was also interesting to read about Persident Sirleaf's interactions with former president Jimmy Carter.  Those sections of the book illustrated how much of a difference there can be in international perception and domestic perception of presidents.  I imagine that there is also a difference in how US leaders are perceived from region to region.

Another part of the book I really enjoyed was President Sirleaf's experience running for office. I have some interest in running for public office myself, so I enjoyed hearing her accounts of how she tried to run for office in a way that would allow her to build a coalition with her opponents.   The ways in which she utilized knowledge and expertise from the international community was also insightful.  The thought of campaigning in the United States is daunting enough for me.  I could not imagine trying to campaign in a country where where the weather determines accessibility of many areas.

Finally, I also enjoyed President Sirleaf's reflection on how being a woman impacted her experience.  I was especially intrigued by how President Sirleaf believed marriage and parenthood influenced her journey.  She got married very young and has been unmarried for the duration of her professional career.  One thing I noticed in the memoir is how few stories there were of her interactions with her children.  In her inauguration speech, I found myself nodding vigorously at her promise to invest in the education of young woman.

I am counting the book for the following challenges:

• Orbis Terrarum: The author was born in Liberia.
• Global Reading Challenge: A lot of the book takes place in Liberia which is on the continent of Africa.
• What's in a Name Three: It will fulfill the category of title as the word President is in the name of the book.
• Women Unbound: The subtitle of the book describes very well why the book qualifies for the challenge

From goodreads:

Northampton, Massachusetts, boasts a rich history that dates back to the 17th century. It is home to Mount Holyoke, which has been climbed by Charles Dickens and Henry James (among others), and to Sylvia Plath's alma mater, Smith College. It has always been the quintessential New England town, while becoming in recent years a politically progressive small city, whose population of 30,000 has WASPs rubbing elbows with lesbians, immigrants, students, and the homeless. Driven by a narrative force comparable to that of the best fiction, Home Town is a remarkable evocation of small-town life at the end of the 20th century.

Pages: 349 (Hardback)

Rating: 5 out of 10

Source: Checked out a copy from library in MA and another copy when I moved to VA

When Home Town by Tracy Kidder was nominated as a selection for the August book club meeting of the Professors and Partners book club in MA, I was excited about the prospect. I really enjoyed Kidder's book Mountains Beyond Mountains, so I had high hopes for the selection. Unfortunately, I did not have a similar fondness for Hometown.  At various points, I felt like I was in the middle of a very long episode of Praire Home Companion without the funny commercials and variety of voices.  

Some of the characters were interesting.  I did appreciate the ending of Tommy O'Connor's story; although, by the time I got to the end and cried I wondered if it was from relief of being finished or whether the story was really moving.  I also liked reading about Laura Baumeister who went to Smith College as an older student.  Alan Scheinman's eccentrics and struggle to deal with obsessive compulsive disorder were interesting.  Overall, I did not find any part of the book compelling.  I started the book in August and only finished it yesterday.  I would force myself to read passages and at times that felt painful.  I wanted to finish because I really did love Kidder's other books.  I noticed that this book is written early in his career, so maybe Kidder's later books would be more enjoyable to me.

During my commute and a little bit today, I have been enjoying This Child Will be Great:Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President written by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.  My fellowship work is so intense and discouraging that I needed an inspirational tale.  I am awed by Ms. Sirleaf's determination and courage.  The book is pretty dense, so I am not able to read quickly.  In addition to her own personal story, I am learning a lot about Liberia.

Since my last post, I have been catching up on reviews.  I posted a review of A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini which you can find here and The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender which you can find here. 

Some of the challenges for which I signed up are wrapping up this month and the rest will be finished in December.  I am giving myself an extension on finishing up as my reading time has been limited by my decreased energy and free time.  I have been thinking about 2011 and wondering what my reading habits will be like; I know that many people make resolutions about either not accepting review copies or participating in tours.  Other folks decide not to participate in reading challenges.  For me, I have enjoyed being surprised with the ways in which my reading will evolve in the coming year.  I just have a small ASPIRATIONAL goal of reading one  more book than I did the year before.  I am on track to meet the goal for 2010 if I can just finish and review one more book before December 31, 2010.