First Post of 2014: Summaries

So…
It's been an awful long time since I've written, and I've read some amazing, very unique books since. I won't talk about all of them, but a few were particularly special. All the books I read are part of the bookshelf list on the bottom of the site (except for mobile version). Also, on my Dayre account I usually log what I'm reading, mostly through posting up pictures and quotes that are really worth your while!! 

Independent People, Halldor Laxness 
An Icelandic epic written by a winner of the Nobel Prize, this book took me a little long to get into. The first 10%of the novel I loved, but then the plot took a big down-turn and got really boring, with the main character marrying a girl who quickly died off. I became invested after her death, when the protagonist, Bjartur, marries again and has children. His relationship with his children and their growth dominated most of the story, as does Bjartur's fierce independent nature (hence, the title).

A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth Ozeki
This novel surprised me. I picked it up at the airport, forgetting I had marked it on a wish list on Goodreads, expecting something good. It ended up being great. The confessional diary of a troubled Japanese girl (who feels distinctly American, having grown up in California) struggling with terrifying issues like extreme bullying and a suicidal father finds its way to the hands of someone very far away... Ruth is an author, though she recently denies this, since she feels she has lost her ability to write. The workings of a memoir lie uncompleted, a pile of memories on her desk. Ruth lives a very isolated, rural lifestyle on a Canadian Island with her husband. Finding Nao's diary is a moment of discovery for Ruth, and she learns to wake up to the life around her. The two protagonists, Ruth and Nao, are crafted very well; they are believable, endearing, but also human in their faults. Nao, though bullied herself, once or twice unabashedly bullies those who are even more "uncool" than her, and, as many teenagers are, is often snappy and unthinking. Ruth similarly toys with the reader's sympathies, as she is sometimes dismissive of her husband, a character for whom I felt a great affinity. She is picky, moody, and also occasionally shortsighted. These are very human qualities and ones that I cannot claim freedom from, and it is part of this complex characterization that made this novel so engaging. It was also a great story, one that I recommend to just about anyone. I enjoyed reading this book especially because one of the main things I got out of Ozeki's novel was the importance of every single moment, of every single second, of every day--the importance of awareness and conscious living. It was a message that went very well with two other books I read in this same time period, The Shipping News and, more particularly, Humboldt's Gift. 

The Shipping News, Annie Proulx
One of the more distinctive books I've ever read. The writing style was impressively beautiful, with an abundance of beautiful and striking metaphors. The sentences are short, clipped, and yet full of voice. I'll leave the description for this one minimal, but it's another great recommendation. 

Humboldt's Gift, Saul Bellow
A wonderful, exciting, hilarious, novel, HB served as my introduction to the world of Saul Bellow Books. I cannot wait to return. At turns riotous and stagnant (in the best way possible), the plot, though busy, is never afraid to make room for the workings of the mind of Charlie Citrine (another unbelievably memorable character; suffice it to say, this book blew me away). Charlie Citrine has been alive for around six decades, during which time he has managed to fall hopelessly in love with many people, become a famous author, win prizes and honors from America and abroad, get married and divorced, and then lose all the money he ever worked for. He is a passive man, content to think and do whatever to please those around him, always willing to experience the sensational. It was a pleasure to spend a few days reading this book and immersing myself in the beautiful words that comprise this novel. 
 
A Dirty Job, Christopher Moore
Humorous, light, and fun to read, this Christopher Moore novel, another first for me, chronicles the tale of Charlie Asher, who, on top of being a recently widowed new father, is now also a Death Merchant...

Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell
A romance between two sixteen year olds…loved this book intensely. I finished it last night and haven't stopped thinking about it since. It brings up some very important issues about gender, family, bullying, and love. 

There have been other books, but these were the most recent. I'm also still exploring short stories, which is great. I'll be posting pictures soon, and also starting a reading diary for an amazing book I just started reading: The Island of Second Sight