Out of the Best Books

Reading Our History

2008-04-26T14:31:00.001-07:00

In a few days, Utahans celebrate Pioneer Day. This is a time for all of us to look at our heritage—that of ourselves, our family, and our country. History is important. It tells us where we’ve come from, how we’ve grown, and gives us insight into where we are going.

Studying history is more than just memorization of facts. Although there are many interesting stories about men and women, battles, events and so forth, a knowledge of this information may not be of more help to anyone than making a game of Jeopardy! more fun or financially rewarding to a contestant.

Historians.org suggests we should study history because it helps us understand people and societies. In this ever changing world, one in which travel across national borders occurs more often than people used to travel across state lines, it is important that we understand different cultures. Although the United States has always been home to a bevy of immigrants, never before have they been so wide-spread in their settlement, no long staying in isolated communities such as history shows for areas of New York, Minnesota, Washington, or even the Icelanders who settled in Spanish Fork.

The same website also suggests history helps us understand change and how the society we live in came to be. “The past causes the present, and so the future.” Think about your own habits. Are there things you do simply because your parents did it? You may have heard the joke about the woman who always cut a large chunk off her holiday ham before baking it. When she was asked why, she replied, “That’s what my mother used to do.” Curious, she asked her mother why she did this and her mother’s reply was simple, “Because the full-shank of ham wouldn’t fit in my pan.” Knowing the history might have saved this woman the expense of buying a too large ham only to throw part of it away.

Don’t allow your history to be thrown away. Try keeping a journal or read the journals of your ancestors. Write a personal history. Read books about your city, culture, or country. Find out about other interesting people and nations. Use history to enrich your life. You’ll know more about the world as well as yourself.

(Article originally published 7/21/06)

Superman vs Captain Jack

2008-04-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

This week, movie goers will decide who will win the contest for ticket sales between Superman Returns (Brandon Routh) and The Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest (Johnny Depp). The consensus along Disneyland’s red carpet last week seemed to indicate that Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) was already out of the running when it comes to the question of which character the female fans would most like to spend time with.

Who are these characters and why are movie fans and readers drawn to them? Superman definitely wins the contest for longevity, having been around regularly, although in many formats, since his inception in the early 1930s. Captain Jack Sparrow has only been with us since the first Pirates movie in 2003. However, characters like these two have been part of literature forever.

Superman represents the refined, pure, and perfect gentleman, the Ashley Wilkes of Gone with the Wind, so to speak. His values are virtue, honor, and protecting society. Jack Sparrow is a rogue—unprincipled, unreliable, a scoundrel, like Rhett Butler. Both a bit of a romantic, Superman saves women from danger, while Captain Jack pulls them right into the middle of it, and the women don’t seem to mind. Yet, in reality, both men stand for the same thing, they will do anything for the love of a good woman.

Why are readers drawn to characters who are like Captain Jack? Perhaps it’s the sense of danger and survival that draws us, like the real experiences of Jon Krakauer in Into Thin Air. Maybe it’s a longing to help the character overcome his pain that led to this disposition, like Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre.

Why do readers like Superman? Well, he’s Superman. Who wouldn’t want to be indestructible, able to fly, and stand for all that’s right in the world? Although when a twenty-five year-old Christopher Reeve (Still Me and Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life) first donned his Superman cape, he had no idea that his life would one day require him to overcome the odds like his famous character, Chris proved that all of us can make the world a better place, super-powers not required.

So, whether you choose to see Superman Returns or The Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest, remember that these two characters are archetypes of other heroes we see around us, both in literature and in life. Perhaps that is why we are drawn to the same kinds of characters when we read. We know these people and they are who we want to be.

(Article originally published 7/7/06)

Meeting Mary

2008-04-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

As a budding author myself, one of my favorite things to do over the years has been to meet nationally published authors. I’ve met so many that I have trouble keeping track of them all, it seems, but occasionally I’ll meet an author who stands out in my mind as being very special. This would especially be true of mystery writer, Mary Higgins Clark.

I met Mary at the annual writer’s round-up for the League of Utah Writers in 2002, and what a pleasurable experience it was. The diminutive Ms. Clark was the keynote speaker, and what a dynamo for such a tiny woman. Her stiletto heels and beehive coifed hair still only brought her up to my shoulder in height, but her persona filled the entire room. Her presentation touched on everything from her marriage and children, to the early struggling days of a writing career though her phenomenal success.

She understood her audience and gave great advice to authors about style, information gathering, and finding story ideas all around you. She talked about the craft of writing a good mystery and how to hone writing skills. She told about her newest book endeavors (Kitchen Privileges : A Memoir was about to be released.) and talked about upcoming mystery ideas she had. If there’s one thing to know about Mary, she’s a talker.

After speaking for nearly an hour, Ms. Clark took up residence for the next two hours at the autograph table where she signed numerous books for most of the audience. And she didn’t just rush through the stacks, she talked to each person as they came though the line. She made real conversations with those who spoke with her, looking for ways to connect with her readers and they connected with her.

Ms. Clark knows how important her fans are to her career. On May 5, 2006, she posted the following on the Amazon.com website for the book No Place Like Home: “I thoroughly enjoy meeting the people who are my readers. Let’s face it, an author without readers is like a tree falling in the forest – if no one hears it, did it make noise?”

I will always remember my experience with Mary Higgins Clark, and I hope that if I ever become a best-selling author like she is, that I, too, will remember the importance of connecting to my audience. Because, in reality, isn’t that what good writing is all about? If your reader doesn’t connect to the story, then what good is the writing anyhow?

One Hit Wonders

2008-04-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

The music industry often talks about artists who are “One Hit Wonders,” meaning that they had a single song to hit the charts. Baha Men (“Who Let the Dogs Out?”), Billy Ray Cyrus (“Achy Breaky Heart”), Patrick Swayzee (“She’s Like the Wind”), and Bobby “Boris” Pickett (“Monster Mash”) all make the internet lists.

In the world of publishing, there are also “One Hit Wonders,” authors who release a first book that soars to the top of the charts in popularity, and then are never heard of again. Some of these authors fail to reemerge because of choice such as Harper Lee (see today’s book review). Others don’t produce a book that garners the same kind of spark as their first book did, and some are never offered another publishing contract.

Some authors who might fall into the category of One Hit Wonders might include Laura Hillenbrand who wrote her book “Seabiscuit: An American Legend” by doing research entirely from her home via the internet, L. Frank Baum who wrote fifteen books but all of them were about Oz, or sisters Emily Brontë (“Wuthering Heights”), Charlotte Brontë (“Jane Eyre”), and Anne Brontë (“Agnes Grey”).

This week, go to your local library and browse the shelves, looking for authors who have a single title listed under their name. Choose one to check out and read. You may discover a hidden talent, a total loser, or unearth treasure by an artist who thought they only had one book in them.

Reading a Life

2008-02-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

For some reason, we as a society are fascinated by the life of celebrity. Whether is be actor, musician, politician, business leader, or the person next door who gained fame for whatever they did, we love to read about their successes and failures.

It’s this fascination with celebrity that brings success to television shows like Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood, networks like E! Entertainment, magazines like People, Us, and The Star, and to full-length books of biography and autobiography. We just can’t seem to get enough.

As I wrote this column, three of the top five bestsellers at Amazon.com were biographical: “Night” by Elie Wiesel, “Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons” by Tim Russert, and “Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival” by Anderson Cooper. The New York Times list added “Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog” by John Grogan, “Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero” by David Maraniss, and “My Life in France” by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme in the top ten.

Books about our newest celebrities come out with lightning speed. The Blue Banner biography of American Idol Carrie Underwood was released a short five months after she won the competition. “Aruba : The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway and Corruption in Paradise” by Dave Holloway was released while the investigation of the girl’s disappearance is still under way. Some subjects of biographies never seem to die as proven by the success of “The Beatles: The Biography” by Bob Spitz released just over a year ago.

No matter what arena of life you find the most interesting, a biography, autobiography or memoir about a celebrated person makes for interesting reading.

Reading, Writing, and Motherhood: Just Like Erma Bombeck

2007-11-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

On Mother’s Day, I was sitting in front of my blank computer screen, thinking about the show I just watched on humorist and columnist Erma Bombeck.

Erma and I have a lot in common. I write two weekly newspaper columns just like she did. I’ve written several books, albeit only two of mine are published. She’s had ten on the New York Times Best-Sellers list. We’re both from the Mid-West. She’s from Ohio; I’m from Indiana. We both settled in the West–I’m in Utah; she moved to Arizona. And we both try to see the humor of life, although I think she’s much better at it than I am.

A journalist by trade, Erma knew the importance of reading and the joy of writing. Despite being told by a college professor that she would never make a career as a writer, Bombeck saw her goal, then did everything in her power to make her dreams come true while raising three children with her husband. She wrote about the experiences of her family, although the stories were sometimes embellished to enhance the possibility for humor. She taught us much about the importance for laughter and brought us some of the funniest pieces ever written for women.

Despite the health issues of breast cancer and polycystic kidney disease which eventually claimed her life, Bombeck continued her weekly schedule of housework which provided the fodder for her newspaper columns. "If I didn't do my own housework, then I have no business writing about it. I spend 90 percent of my time living scripts and 10 percent writing them," Bombeck once said to the New York Times. Bombeck published more than four thousand syndicated columns in 900 papers nationwide, wrote 15 best-selling books, and became one of the world's most beloved humorist columns before her death in 1996.

Although I never expect to write as many columns, publish as widely, or be as funny as Erma Bombeck, I want to thank her for proving that women have a place in the world of newspaper columnists. I only hope that someone finds my columns occasionally as funny, interesting, or true to life as those she gave to her readers.

The Book Club Dilemma

2007-10-13T19:25:00.000-07:00

In the past few weeks I’ve watched with interest the online discussion of a group of women about their concerns over starting a book club. “What kinds of books should we read? What if club members are offended by the books we choose? Are there books that are more in line with the beliefs of our particular group of members? Must every book be religious in nature if our group starts as an outreach program of our church?”

How can you tell what book is appropriate for your book group to read? The same way you select a book for yourself. Is the book entertaining and the subject interesting? Are there characters the club members can identify or sympathize with? Are the language and situations appropriate to your values? Can readers make connections to the book and themselves, another text, or the world?

When choosing a book for your club, where is the line between censorship and individual choice? If a book club attempts to select books based only on clean content and language, then the club will likely fail. Stories without conflict are boring, if they can be classified as a story at all. Looking only for books that are wholesome in content might leave readers bored and dropping out of the group. Unfortunately, all literature might have some element that someone will find controversial.

When selecting a book, whether it be for a book club, family, or to read on your own, we should always remember that each of us has our own level of comfort. We need to respect the rights of others to choose to read along with us, or to elect not to join. If we find a book to be out of our own personal comfort zone, then skip the discussion. Don’t rely on the comments others make about the book as your sole reason to join or skip a conversation.

Novels allow us a safe place to discuss values, choices, and character motivation. When we have the safety net of discussing fictional characters rather than actual life situations, we discover those universal themes that allow us to grow in character and provide an impetus for discussion.

Books clubs have been around almost as long as books themselves. Find the one that best fits your schedule and taste, and enjoy the friendships that develop though discussing a good book.

A Classic Moment

2007-10-07T15:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get in a mood where only a classic will do. One week found me watching Curley Top which starred Shirley Temple, reading a biography of the young child star by Lester David, finishing Dean & Me: A Love Story by Jerry Lewis, starting a biography about Johnny Carson written by Ed McMahon, and pausing at a couple of I Love Lucy episodes as I channel-surfed. My kids like to tease me by saying those things aren’t classics for me, but the boys are not quite right. Sure, I grew up watching Johnny Carson late at night, but the other shows were only contemporary for my parents and grandparents.

I was chatting with my husband about my re-infatuation with the classics and how sad it makes me to know my children are not exposed to the same brand of comedy today. I Love Lucy first aired October 15, 1951, and has never been off television since then. Somehow, I can’t quite imagine the same longevity for Malcolm in the Middle. Since Friday May 22, 1992, we haven’t climbed into bed at the words, “Here’s Johnny!” Sure, we have Jay and David to keep us company, but somehow it’s just not the same as watching the Amazing Carnack. Nostalgia for the wacky comedy of Jerry Lewis and the crooner tunes my mother used to play has found me watching an old Matt Helm movie starring Dean on Encore a few days ago and watching Jerry turn into The Nutty Professor trying to impress the lovely Stella Stevens on a local station as well. Newer versions of Jerry’s films tend to run more crass than funny, and remakes of Dean’s movies seem to be stuck at Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen. Both the Shirley Temple selections came to me thanks to the Spanish Fork library.

When it comes to books, too, sometimes only a classic will do. It’s amazing the great stories that are out there, waiting to be read by a whole new generation of readers. As you join me in this column and at Lu Ann's Book Review, I plan to provide a balance between the old and the new. I hope you’ll give both kinds of books a try and maybe by reading something old you’ll discover something new.

Have You Read a Good Book Lately?

2007-09-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

I am a reader, and I love to talk about books. I spend most of the school day engaged in conversation with teenagers about the latest adolescent fiction I’ve discovered, or books they want me to read. We discuss the best of the best in classics, and pan the books we’d rank among the worst. Current and former students approach me to beg for titles that are appropriate for them, and I’m always ready to give a list that will cover their reading needs for the next year.

But kids aren’t the only ones who ask me about book recommendations. The first week I wrote this column, I did a professional book review for the National Council of Teachers of English NCTE Selects program, reviewed a middle grade novel for the International Reading Association’s Signal Journal, and submitted a list of 100 recommendations for great short reads to Bookmarks Magazine. I had a pleasant conversation about adolescent novels on the steps of the Spanish Fork Library with library director Pam Jackson, talked with members of my book club about several books that are being made into movies, and discussed a few new releases with my writer’s critique group.

A walk through either my home or classroom would convince you that books are an important part of my life, a part that I’m happy to share with anyone at almost anytime. And that’s what I do in my column each week at the Spanish Fork News. My teaching, writing, and speaking careers provide multiple venues for me to talk about middle grade and adolescent novels, but I know that adults are always looking for a good book as well. I hope you’ll join me each week as I write about topics related to reading, and that you’ll read some of the books I recommend to you, too.