My Feminist Summer Reading List

Since it is summer and I have all the time in the world, I decided to spend my time reading more feminist books. I'm not in school anymore, so I really don't have very many scholarly feminist articles to read anymore. And while not all of the books I've read are strictly scholarly, they have helped me to understand feminism a little bit more.

Bossypants by Tina Fey - The reason why I love this book is because it is how one woman has taken feminism and interpreted it in her daily life. I think lots of women can relate to her experiences of learning about being a woman in this patriarchal world and how feminism fits into things for her personally. Of course, this is not intersectional feminism - Tina has a lot of white, heterosexual, cis, etc. privilege, and she does not address that. But a lot of feminists are in the same position (like myself), and that doesn't make any of the issues she's dealing with less important. Though it does mean that you, as a reader, should probably be aware of the lack of intersectionality while reading it.

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran - Similar to Bossypants, this book/memoir is another personal interpretation of feminism. It is not deep feminism or even the bottom line of feminism. But it does do a good job of showing everyday sexisms and how one woman interprets the events around her. I think for both books we can learn that it's okay for feminists to make mistakes and not be perfectly feminist-y; that standing up against sexism isn't always clearcut and can be very difficult; and that many events in our lives are actually subtle sexism. I also loved the way Caitlin treated childbirth in this book.

I've also written about Bossypants and How to Be a Woman here.

Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts - So this book is pure history. And sometimes that can be kind of dry and hard to get through. But also, the lives of these women are FASCINATING. As feminists, it is important that we try to rewrite history with the women included. As it is right now, history is dominated by male figures, and the women are completely ignored. But women existed! We can't just assume that they were all gossiping and sewing, completely ignorant to what was going on outside of the sphere of the home. This book shows that women played an important part in founding the country, from Eliza Lucas who single-handedly made indigo a cash crop in the South to Mercy Warren who greatly inspired the rebellion against England through plays and poetry. Without women, we wouldn't have this country, even if they weren't always on the battlefront. We need to remember that.

Click: When We Knew We Were Feminists edited by Courtney E. Martin and J. Courtney Sullivan -

This book is a collection of essays by different feminists describing the moment when feminism "clicked" for them. Men and women from all different kinds of backgrounds discuss the parts of their lives that lead them to embracing the label of "feminism." They discuss what they do and don't like about the feminist movement as a whole. They explore what being a woman means to them, the female figures in their lives, and their personal stake within feminism. I think it's a great read because sometimes emerging feminists can get anxiety over the fact that their origins in feminism were for selfish reasons. We don't always think about rape victims or child brides in developing countries. We generally start out with rejecting the sexism that immediately affects us. And that's okay. I do think it is important to have a kind of selfish stake in feminism, as well as being aware that it extends beyond you to all the other women in the world.

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg - This book has been pretty famous this year. Sheryl Sandberg is currently the COO of Facebook, which is HUGE. I absolutely love Facebook, by the way. But she's also an awesome person because she's helping to shatter the glass ceiling in the tech industry, as well as by being high-up administrator. Lean In discusses the reason why women now outnumber men in terms of college graduates, but still are not CEOs or very high up in business hierarchies. What I liked about this book is that it discussed societal issues, but also had some practical solutions for women (and men) to do. It made me feel very empowered, especially since I had just started my new job when I read it. Again, this book has been criticized for being "white" feminism. Most women in this country aren't even in a position to take Sandberg's advice of Leaning In. I guess I'm technically not either since I'm in an entry-level position. But I would absolutely recommend it for any working woman.

Summer is over! Looking back at these books, I've realized that they are all pretty ... white. Click is the only exception, but even then I believe it was dominated by white women with a few great chapters by women of color.

I do have a good reason for this, though! I was actually halfway through Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan (see! Not just white women) when I got distracted by the Game of Thrones books. Can you really blame me for getting sucked into those???

Next time I do a feminist reading stint, I'll make sure to include more women of color.

"Diary of a Single Mormon Female"

My thoughts

So first of all, I won Diary of a Single Mormon Female as part of a contest over at Modern Mormon Men, and got a copy signed by the author, so thanks Aleesa! (I feel like we're on a first name basis after reading this. After all, I was basically reading her journals. We have to be pretty tight after that.) I was really excited to read this because I was expecting it to address a lot of the cultural issues of the Church, such as pushing marriage onto people and treating single adults as second thoughts. I was not disappointed on that count at all. I think Aleesa did a fabulous job demonstrating how harmful some aspects of Church culture can be. 

I think the beginning of the book is a little slow. Part of this is because I didn't really need explanations of Johnny Lingo and fasting, seeing how I also grew up LDS. Those sections do make me wonder who the intended audience of this memoir is, or if her editor made her include it. (Who published this book? Did Aleesa do it herself? Wow, that's impressive.) 

I also just didn't find her earlier journal entries that entertaining. I think part of the problem is that I feel like my experience literally mirrored hers. I absolutely had church boys that I had crushes on, and our relationships consisted entirely of my daydreams and the very minor interactions we had, which I would blow out of proportion. (Unlike Aleesa, I actually married my Jon ... Yup, I would totally stare at 12-year-old Colby as he passed the sacrament. Then write about it in my journals. Which I still have, and were a huge source of entertainment to my family after I got engaged to him.) It's an interesting phenomenon, and I'd like to see how many women who grew up in the Church have experienced something similar. 

It definitely picked up for me after Aleesa turned 16-17 and actually started to date. Those experiences began to be different than mine. I'll try not to give any spoilers away here, but I was fascinated and horrified by who she was when she was going to BYU. I loved watching her grow, step-by-step, until she was the person at the end of the book. And I loved the end of the book. My favorite line is

"Church culture seems to dictate that life's trials can be discussed only in the past tense, hand in hand with the feel-good declaration that everything ended up working out just fine. Most people are very uncomfortable acknowledging doubt, anger, grief, despair or any of the other, less sparkly emotions. The injuction Christ gave his disciples to "be of good cheer" has been interpreted by many as the only legitimate state of being for a Mormon at any time - hence robust sales of Prozac in Utah" (218).

Emphasis is mine. I just feel like that's a really true part of the Church culture. We somehow are afraid of acknowledge doubt, even though you cannot have faith without questioning things.

So even though Aleesa's trials in this context revolve around being single and I am now married, I can still really relate to her emotions at the conclusion of this book. I think they are universal, despite her specific context. While I found the duration of this memoir entertaining and informative, it was the ending that really spoke to me.

Your book club

• When did you start noticing boys? Were they boys from Church? Did you write about them in your journal?
• How did Aleesa's religious beliefs affect her interactions and attitudes towards boys? Have you had similar experiences with church lessons that revolve around future companions? Have you had any experiences with marriage being taught in different ways or frequencies to the teenage girls than the boys?
• What do you think of Aleesa's time at BYU? What was her outlook and attitude like during that entire experience? Do you think that outlook/attitude is common (especially among BYU students)? How did she describe the men in her life? What do you think, if anything, went wrong? Did you see any sort of pattern or similarities between all of her crushes (other than them not working out)? Do you think Aleesa's attitudes affected her dating life? In what ways did Aleesa grow during her time at BYU? 
• What do you think about Aleesa's relationship with Hugh (her first boyfriend)? Have you had a similar type of relationship?
• Aleesa frequently talks about "potential" with the men she has a crush on. Is this outlook on dating normal or unusual? Do you ever think that way? Do you think it's an effective method? (Read the first paragraph on page 137 about Sam.)
• On pages 141-142, Aleesa and her friends start discussing sex. Does her experience of learning about sex reflect yours? Do you agree with her about the ways she wishes the topic of sex was taught?
• On page 171, Aleesa comments that some of the teachings of the Church on dating can be contradictory and confusing. Do you agree? What are some things you'd like to see changed?
• How does Aleesa represent the men of the LDS church? Do you feel this is a fair representation?  
• Aleesa sticks to her standard of only wanting to marry LDS men, even though it meant giving up Boris and Amir. What do you think of this decision? Do you think things would've worked out between her and one of those men? Do you think she was being foolish and narrow-minded or strong and uncompromising (or maybe even a little of both)? 
• Do you agree with Aleesa's assessment on the way Church culture often treats trials, such as in the quote above? Have you ever had similar feelings or feelings that you felt weren't as "kosher" in the Church? Is there anyone you can talk to about these types of feelings?
• BONUS QUESTION: If you are married, what are some better ways that you can interact with the single adults? What's something you can say other than "oh, you'll find someone some day"?

Yeah, sorry, I know that's a lot. The great thing about book clubs is that you get to pick and choose what you want to talk about! Some topics may not get a lot of response from the crowd, and some you may end up talking about for hours. Good luck! I hope you enjoyed Diary of a Single Mormon Female and any subsequent discussions!

How to Read Like a Feminist

Being an English major has taught me that there are a number of ways that you can read the same book. It all comes down to the context in which you want to look at a text. You can look at a book historically, which generally means comparing it to other works that were written around the same time and seeing what they have in common. You can think about colonialism when reading a book, which often means themes of race relations or questions about savagery versus civilization (think Pocahontas).

Generally, a feminist novel is one that has a female protagonist and deals primarily with the relationships between women. (Do we apply The Bechdel Test to books? Comment and tell me your opinion.) But that doesn't mean we can't look at other kinds of books from a feminist perspective.

(It's also worth noting that a female character who isn't "strong" can still be a feminist novel. Sure, we feminists love a strong, kickass woman, but really, who doesn't? But that's also not realistic. Just as men aren't always strong - and many novels focus on the low and pathetic points of a man's life - women aren't always strong either. We can definitely have feminist novels where the women don't come out looking great.)

Reading Like a Feminist

When reading, ask some questions about the book. 

1. Are there women in this book? Is the protagonist or antagonist a woman?
2. What is the relationship women have to men? Are they primarily girlfriends, wives, daughters, mothers, sisters? Do you experience female characters outside of their relationship to men?
3. How do men treat women in this book? Does it seem like the book or narrator condemns or condones the actions of men towards women?
4. Do the female characters seem realistic and fleshed-out to you? Do they experience growth or learn any lessons? Do they change in any way?
5. If this is a historical book, are the roles and actions of women much different than they are now? Do they women have anything to say about their roles? Do the men? Does the book take time to point out how the roles of women back then are different from women today? 
6. If there are multiple female characters in the book, are they different from each other? Do they have different personalities and make different life choices?
7. Do women come out looking good or bad? 
8. Do the female characters drive the plot of the novel at all?
9. Are the female characters passive or active? Are they acted upon or do they do the acting?
10. Is the author of this book male or female? Do you think that the sex of the author somehow colors the way they write about men and women?
11. Are the female characters dependent on men?
12. As a feminist, what do you like about the book? What do you dislike? (This is different from asking you what you like and dislike about the book generally. You are allowed to love any kind of entertainment or literature that makes the feminist in you angry.)

An Example

Let's use the Harry Potter books as an example, since almost everybody has (or really, REALLY should have) read those.

Harry Potter is obviously about a male character. There seems to be an equal balance of male and female characters (but I haven't actually counted, so there could be more men than women). Harry, as a character, has varying relationships with all sorts of women. These female characters have a large range of diversity, displaying traditional femininity, vapidness, intelligence, athleticism, loyalty, cruelty, kindness, villainy, determination, heroics, etc. They all (for the most part) have distinct personalities from each other. Many of the more important female characters have both strengths and weaknesses, and they change over the series, making them round, fleshed-out characters. While they all have men in their lives, none of them seem to be dependent on men, and they are all generally pretty active. 

So even though this is a book with a male lead (and a male antagonist), we can still look at the women within the story. There may not be a ton to glean from different books about the female characters (because LOTS of books center on men), but it is always possible to pick out little bits and pieces.     

Go try this and tell me how your experiences turn out. If you can think of any more helpful questions to ask yourself when reading, please comment below and tell me!

"Bossypants" and "How to Be a Woman"

My thoughts

I just read Tina Fey's Bossypants and Caitlin Moran's How to Be a Woman back to back. The funny thing is, they really are very similar. On the cover of Caitlin's book, someone has reviewed it as "the British Bossypants," and it's true! They both talk about the horrors of puberty, being a woman in a male-dominated workplace, their family, and their experiences as mothers.

The thing I like about both these books, besides being hilarious and easy to relate to, is that they're both gateway drugs into feminism. I mean that in the best way, of course. They are two individuals' experiences with feminism. Because it's so easy to understand, these books are a great introduction to feminism.

They aren't, however, the bottom line of feminism. Tina Fey has been criticized for this one line she has about how beauty standards have evolved to the point where one woman is expected to have body parts from all sorts of ethnicities. The way she comes across in the line is derogatory to women of color, or so I have read from women of color (I didn't find it offensive at first, but that could easily be my white privilege. It might also be that I read it differently than those critics did). I didn't like that both of them criticized other female celebrities, though the reasoning behind it made sense.

So while the books aren't hardcore feminism, or even inclusive, intersectional feminism, they are brilliant, funny, lighthearted, and have some great criticisms of everyday sexisms.

Your book club

Because these books are both very personal, your book club might get very personal too when talking about these books. It might just turn into story time. But that's okay! I think that's the point of both of these books, and that's what reading them encourages.

Here are some questions that will hopefully bring about awesome discussions in your feminist book club:

1. Talk about your experiences with puberty. Did your parents give you "the talk"? What are some conversations you had about growing up with siblings or friends? 
2. In Caitlin's book, she talks about what we call our private body parts. Do you think the names we use for our breasts and vagina are important? What are some of the names you hear that you do or don't like? 
3. What are some of the beauty standards you come up against? How have you had to fight them and learn to accept your body? Do you still struggle with some of them?
4. Both Tina and Caitlin have mentioned gay friends that they had. What do you think of their relationships with people who are homosexual? How do you think the gay community and feminism relate to each other? Can gay men understand some of the experiences of women in the patriarchy? (You could also talk about lesbian women in this discussion, but this is also a REALLY BIG discussion. You might have to try to reign it in.)
5. Both Tina and Caitlin use humor to talk about feminism. Tina even uses humor to bring feminist issues to a national audience. How does using humor help feminist causes? You could use rape jokes as an example in this discussion.
6. Both Tina and Caitlin have experienced sexism in the workplace. Both of them have had to fight for more female representation in male-dominated industries. How do you think things have changed for women as comedians and musicians? Are we making progress in those two fields? You might also want to share some experiences you have had in your own workplaces. 
7. Caitlin describes her first experience of being in love with Courtney. It's obviously an awful relationship, and Caitlin seems to know that, but she sticks with it. Why does she stay with Courtney for so long? Have you had a similar experience? Why was it so important for Caitlin to be in love?
8. What do you think of Caitlin visiting a strip club? What are your personal feminist views on women working in the sex industry? Do you agree with Caitlin's conclusions?
9. Caitlin describes her wedding and all the issues she has with the wedding industry. Do you agree with her? Did you have problems with your wedding, or have you been in a similar situation as her sister, Caz? 
10. Tina Fey tells a story about Amy Poehler saying to Jimmy Fallon "I don't care if you fucking like it." Talk about that. Talk about male privilege, too. 
11. Both Tina and Caitlin talk about motherhood, as well as how they bring their feminist outlook to motherhood. If you are a mother, talk about how you try to bring feminist ideals to raising your child. If you aren't, you can bring up goals you have for raising children in a feminist way. Is motherhood a feminist act? (Discuss Caitlin's chapter about giving birth for the first time. I absolutely loved that part. She made giving birth seem so empowering, like a she-warrior.) 
12. Talk about Caitlin's chapter on abortion. Do you want children? Do you think not having children is a feminist act?
13. Both Tina and Caitlin are white, mostly middle-class feminists living in developed countries. Discuss some of the privilege that comes with that, and maybe some of the privilege you saw in Tina and Caitlin. 
14. Now that you've read both books ... which one did you like better and why?

So there's a lot in there. SORRY. You could probably talk an entire 24 hours if you went thoroughly through every one of those questions. So just pick and choose what you and your book club will probably like. 

And I hope you enjoy the books!

Book Review: The Poisonwood Bible

Yay, I finished one of my book resolution books (post found here)!!!

This book is The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. The novel starts out in 1959 as a Baptist preacher takes his family to live in the Congo so they can be missionaries. Interestingly enough, the entire story takes place from the point of view of his wife and four daughters, and not the preacher. I believe this novel is supposed to be a modern-day retelling of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, a classic that takes place in 19th century colonized Congo. They share very similar themes of individuals trying to "colonize" the land, but the jungle is so wild that it ends up changing them forever, claiming them, or driving them mad. They learn in the end that Africa will never play by their Western rules.

Kingsolver's novel, however, is not nearly as dark as Conrad's, so don't be too afraid there. It's also interesting to note that Heart of Darkness had hardly any women in it, but Kingsolver's book is not only from the perspective of women, but often concentrates on the role of women in both the tribe they are living with and the American society back home. I almost see this book as a sort of sequel to Heart of Darkness, and I think it would be very effective reading for maybe a high school AP history class (because you have the original effects of colonization, then the lasting effects up to the 1980s).

I loved this book and recommend it to anyone. I finished it in about a week, which says a lot because it is over 500 pages. I will say that the end dragged on a long time. You'd think it would've ended about 200 pages earlier, where the climax was, but it just kept going. The end also gets very contemplative and preachy. I think Kingsolver really wanted this novel to touch in our modern times, to relate to the reader in some way. I'm not really sure because I wasn't around in the 80s, so I had no idea what was going on in the Congo back then (come to think of it, I don't even know what's going on there right now ...).

I did find this book pretty easy to relate to in certain ways. It does make you think about real Christianity ("There are Christians and then there are Christians," the novel says at some point). I think the novel does ask you to think about what circumstances would change you. I think it definitely smacks you over the head with our own white, American privilege, and wants us to be aware that our lives are so vastly different from people living in Africa (or other places like it). And really, I appreciate that. I mean, the least we can do is be aware of our privilege.

Also interesting: although the novel talks a lot about Western vs. African privilege, it rarely goes near the issues of race and the discriminations that existed. You'd think it would do that more, but I think the point Kingsolver is trying to bring across is about humanity in general, and not the differences we have. I think she did that extremely well.

To end with: it was beautifully written, with an engaging story and very round, likable characters. Go put it on your list.

Book Review: In the Time of the Butterflies

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez is the book that my Relief Society bookclub is reading for this month. It is a historical fiction about a family (particularly the sisters) who helped start a revolution that eventually overthrew the dictator of the Dominican Republic. A brief historical summery can be found here: Wikipedia.

I think this book was great for our bookclub because it centers around the Mirabel sisters, who were an important symbol of the movement, as well as extremely brave activists. They were called "Las Mariposas," which I guess means "butterflies" in Spanish - hence the title.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It's a fairly easy read, but very interesting. I think that the dictator, Trujillo, and the struggle of the Dominicans is a largely forgotten part of history (I only know of it because I've read The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz). The majority of the novel concentrates on the relationships between the sisters, but also about the sisters as wives, daughters, in-laws, mothers, etc., even their relationships to God and their beloved country. They learn much about themselves and grow, especially as they get older and the rebellious movement picks up. I think the women are largely fascinating because even though they married young in a patriarchal society where their husbands and fathers had the final say and they were expected to just raise children, they are extremely independent and strong. Their involvement in the revolutionary movement is often alongside their husbands or they joined after their husbands did, but they have roles separate from their husbands. Their reasons were separate from their husbands. They were seen as just as much of a threat to Trujillo, if not more of one.

What I didn't like about the novel was that it was easy to mix up the timelines and some of the sister's husbands. The sisters themselves were distinct enough that they were easy to keep straight, but I could never remember who was married to who.

Some bookclub questions:

1. Why did the Dominican people choose to call the Mirabel sisters "the butterflies"? What is the significance of that particular symbol?
2. How were the Mirabel sisters strong outside of their activism? 
3. How did their gender influence this story?
4. In what way were these women "nurturers"?
5. What did this novel teach you about relationships?
6. When did the sisters grow in this novel?
7. Where in the novel could you relate to the characters or their situations?
8. What did this novel teach you about sacrifice?
9. What about their setting is similar to ours? Do we share some of those cultural aspects (such as religion, emphasis on family, etc.)?

Books I was forced to read, but ended up loving

I'm having so much fun making these book lists (seriously though, all of these covers together are like, BOOK PORN for me), and I just thought of a genius one!!!

All the books I have been forced to read for class, but ended up loving. There's quite a few of them. Let's see how it goes!

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - At first, I hated this book. It's relatively short, but super weird. The tone is consistently dark. It talks about things that I consider to be "old literature" fears, like cannibalism. It's not very interesting at parts. But then when we started talking about it in class, I slowly and begrudgingly began to like it. There is amazing imagery, beautifully poetic writing, this epistolary style of narration, and haunting revelations about human nature. It's a short book, so it's also an easy classic to check off your list.

Sula by Toni Morrison - This book is supposed to represent the black experience in the 1920s, but I found it very easy to relate to. It centers around two female friends, and how close they've always been. As they grow older, wild child Sula leaves their hometown, and quiet, sensible Nel marries and settles down. Their relationship changes over time and eventually ends. Morrison beautifully describes the community as a whole and the unique relationship between the two girls. Sula is also an extremely interesting and dangerous character. And I definitely like this book better than Beloved. Beloved is kind of just traumatizing, and I couldn't finish it.

Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro - Again, I really hated this book the first time I read it. It features a British butler who looks back on his life, reflecting in a way that reveals to the reader how repressed he is and how he only lives to serve. Later, he begins to question these decisions. It is a very slow, very unexciting read, but very subtle. There were lots of scenes that my seventeen-year-old brain didn't pick up on until my teacher pointed them out to me. I would probably like it a lot better if I read it now. I came to appreciate it more as I read other books by Ishiguro.

Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien - I didn't expect to love this book because it centers around the soldiers in the Vietnam War. It's not the most appealing part of history for me, personally. I found O'Brien to be a brilliant writer and excellent story teller. This book not only gives different meanings to all of the experiences the soldiers have, but also constantly questions what "fiction" is. I also found surprising ways to relate to it. Just so you know, it's one of those books that makes you feel sad at times, but a good sad.

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood - This is a longer, slower book, but still very good. It alternates two story lines, the first being about two sisters growing up and the second is the science fiction novel that one of the sisters has written. I did read this for a feminist class, so it does tell the story of women who are oppressed and rise up above it. Interesting themes of using fiction and how memories work.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin - Another relatively short read. I found as a woman, I could sympathize with Edna's frustrations. It was interesting that many of the boys in my AP English class hated this book, and could not understand Edna's actions. Also a lot of great symbolism, imagery, poeticness, etc.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - This is absolutely my favorite classical book. So brilliant! It's also epistolary, as it was a favorite technique of the time. This novel brings about all sorts of themes and questions of intelligence, creators, creations, responsibilities, etc. Very deep. Also way better than the movie, starring Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh, where the characters are mostly just yelling at each other and running in a desperate way. The book is much more subtle than that.





Geek Love by Katherine Dunn - Actually, I've already reviewed this book here: Books of 2012.

The Big Clock by Kenneth Fearing - I had to read this book for my American Noir class, so it is an older crime novel. But it's an interesting twist on crime novels. Most of the book takes place from the point of view of the witness, George. George sees his boss murder a woman, and the murderer sees that someone was there and could pin the crime on him, but not who. George's boss asks George, as his employee, to help track down the witness, who is secretly George but the boss is unaware of it, for a "story" (they work for a newspaper). George faces the task of having to find himself for the sake of his job, while also trying to hide the dangerous fact that he is the person they're all looking for. Very funny and interesting. 

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood - Another feminist novel. This is a very short piece. It's the story of the Odyssey, but from the point of view of Penelope, Odysseus' wife. It brings up a lot of questions and ideas of how we treat classical literature and the "unsung" role of women. Definitely makes you look at The Odyssey differently.







The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - Also already reviewed, found here: Books of 2012.

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith - Also here: Books of 2012.

A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro - This is the first of Ishiguro's novels, but very recognizable. Ishiguro likes to follow the current lives of his British characters, as well as the story line of their memories. This particular book is awesome because it is super circular. Also very dramatic and exciting.   

1984 by George Orwell - This is one of the few books I have ever read that has SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME. Seriously. There's this one line that made me literally jump. That doesn't happen very often when you're reading, so I have to give props to that. Definitely enjoyed this book.

The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Again, a classic that kind of speaks for itself. I found it very boring at first, but it definitely picks up. Not necessarily a book that you can relate to, but if you tried, you could definitely find themes that are relevant today ("slut-shaming," anyone?). Also, book does not end up being what you expect. And Hawthorne is a beautiful writer.







Well, that's a lot. Moral of the story is: if you haven't yet read these books because you were forced to by evil teachers, go out and read them now!

Books women should read

I did it again. I saw an awesome idea for a book list on someone else's blog and decided to add my own opinions. Here's the original blog: 10 Books Every Woman Should Read.

I agreed with some on her list and will be reading some of the others that I haven't yet. But I also thought she limited herself with 10, and want to add some more.

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - OMG this book. If you want all the butterflies of a perfect love, read this. Plus, awesome and strong heroine. 
2. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - Again, OMG. Brilliantly written, brilliant protagonists. Not to mention, I feel like what the characters go through is something lots of women can relate to.
3. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery - There are very few characters as endearing as Anne Shirley. Like the first two, the time period might throw you off, but her trials are still ones that you can very easily relate to.
4. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - Beautifully written. This book made me think a lot about life and death and the relationships I have with the women around me.
5. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot - Princess Mia is absolutely one of my most favorite characters ever. She is HILARIOUS, and, again, very easy to relate to. (Check out other series by Meg Cabot. She very entertaining!)
6. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan - This is a book about mother-daughter relationships and all of the ups and downs that they endure while growing older. Another one that makes you reflect, and maybe also appreciate and understand your mother better. Plus, an awesome insight into Chinese culture, something I don't get exposed to a lot.
7. A Little Princess by Frances Hodges Burnett - Although this book is about a very young, romantic girl in a very innocent time of life, it's a great lesson on self-esteem and knowing your worth no matter how bad life is.
8. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - When Louisa was a young, ambitious writer, she started out trying to write daring, exotic, creative, and romantic adventures about places in Europe she had never been to. After a while, she became convinced that the real story was in her own home, and she should instead write about what she knows. What followed is an incredible story of familial relationships, and the challenges that come when you and your sisters grow up. I feel like in this stage of life with my three sisters now making their big life decisions, it is incredibly relevant despite having been written in the 19th century.
9. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - I've never really been a fan of this book. Mr. Rochester throwing himself on the couch in protest of his love is really just too much for me. But I was recently forced to reread this book in an English class and realized just how feminist Jane is. The main plot of the book may be about a romance, but some of her thoughts reveals just how much she yearns as a woman for the same adventures and control over her life that men have. She was very ahead of her time.
10. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares - This wonderful series follows the friendships of four young girls, as well as touching on the relationships they have with sisters, mothers, step-family, boyfriends, etc. The girls learn how to remain friends despite physical distance, different experiences, and growing older. 

Other writers that deserve honorable mention: Emily Bronte, Sylvia Plath, Sophie Kinsella, Kathryn Stockett, Sarah Dessen, and Laurie Halse Anderson.

Game of Thrones

Colby and I are currently obsessed with Game of Thrones. I got hooked onto the HBO series (because I absolutely love dramas that contain soft-core porn and Lord of the Rings-like settings), and then I convinced Colby to read the books. He quickly went from the books to the show. I guess it's fun to compare and contrast them.

If you've never seen it, just watch this intro:

If that epicness and awesome map art and Medevalish music doesn't get you going ... I don't know what will.

The thing that's amazing about this franchise is FUCKING EVERYTHING.

Okay, I'll scale back a little.

The thing that most impresses me about this story is the characters. The characters are amazing. Of course you've got the characters you love to hate, and the ones you love to love. But what truly impresses about them is how ROUND they are. These are some of the most fleshed out characters. It helps that the books tell a different character's perspective with each chapter; that also helps the story to stay interesting and for the audience to know all stories, even though the characters are often very physically far from each other. 

These characters all have wonderful depth. Take the Starks: Ned Stark, the brave and honorable father and husband, has always been loyal to his wife, Catelyn, except the one time he went to war and thought he'd never see her again and had a child with a prostitute. He does the honorable thing and brings his bastard son, John Snow, back with him and raises him the same as his other children. Catelyn, who is praised for being the perfect mother figure, actually hates John Snow. Though she is one of the "good guys," she snubs his character and treats him like an evil step-mother would. 

Then there's the Lannisters. The Lannisters would probably be the "bad guys," except for Tyrion, who is not only smart, but also very ahead of his time. Tyrion is one of the most loved characters of the franchise, which is why it is so hard to want the utter defeat of the Lannister family. His sister, Cersei, is a fascinatingly complex character. She is an absolute lioness, and, coupled with the fact that she is happily in an incestuous relationship with her twin brother, makes her an antagonist. However, she is also such a loving mother that it comes to a fault. The part I love best about her is her behavior towards Sansa Stark. To her, Sansa is the daughter of one of her enemies. However, because Sansa is betrothed to her son, Joffrey, she frequently takes pity on the young teenager.

I don't think I've given away anything, and even if I have, you still have to check out this show. I warn you that it is one of the most graphic shows I've ever seen, both in terms of gruesome, bloody violence and sexual situations and nudity. In fact, this funny chart shows that: 

Yup.

This show is so full of twists and surprises, and there's more to come! Colby is ahead of me in the story because he's reading the books, and I have to YELL AT HIM to keep him from spoiling it for me!

Go watch!

Book resolutions for 2013

In my last entry, I talked about how I wanted to ditch stupid resolutions that no one really follows through with anyway and make a reading list instead. Guys, I really need to do this. I own probably 300 books (I don't know, I don't count) and at least a fourth of those I haven't read yet. I'm a book whore! I just love going into book stores and looking at them all, and I always HAVE to own the books I love. It's a problem, really, one I'm working on by going to used bookstores and the library more. I'm sorry, Barnes & Noble. I love you and I miss you, but you're also a corporate company and your books are super expensive.

Anyway, books (or authors) I have to read this year:

1. Amy Tan. I've bought about six of her books from Deseret Industries (for those not living in Utah, DI is like Salvation Army. So books are usually a dollar or less) and I've only ever read The Joy Luck Club. Books on my shelf include: The Kitchen God's Wife and The Bone Setter's Daughter. I also need to read Saving Fish from Drowning.
2. Joyce Carol Oates. Of hers I have My Sister, My Love and The Gravedigger's Daughter (which sounds a lot like Amy Tan's title ... hmm ...). Oates has always been a favorite of mine, and I loved her stream-of-conscious novel Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang. Also, I found her Twitter account, where she is adorable and insightful: https://twitter.com/JoyceCarolOates.
3. Both The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall and The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver were from a binge Barnes & Noble trip I did OVER A YEAR AGO and have been sitting on my shelf looking lovely and longing to be read. Kingsolver's book was very highly recommended to me by a friend. Both will be tackled this year!!!
4. Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder is a novel that caught my eye ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO. When I was about 12, I used to go to B&N.com and scan through lists of books and pick out the ones that I wanted to read. I was a nerd. And homeschooled. This novel is about 500 pages long, and it was never on the top of my list, so I never got around to it. Recently, I found it at a used bookstore, so now I HAVE to actually read it. And I will.
5. The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman, The Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro, This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Devil and Miss Prynn by Paulo Coelho are all books I want to read because I've read and loved other books by the same authors. 
6. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje and Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer were both recommended and given to me by friends/my brother. It's gonna happen.
7. And Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is one I've seen in many bookstores and finally found at a used one. It's also a New York Times Bestseller. Plus, I like Amy Tan a lot, so I figured this might be similar. 
8. Anything by Haruki Murakami. I just finished 1Q84 and I LOVED it. He has so many other books that are also bestsellers. Except I don't own any of them because I got this one from the library and I'll get the others from the library too. I will!!!

It'll happen, you guys. I'm going to do it. I'm going to read them all and actually keep a New Year's Resolution. 

(No, I won't. I never keep resolutions and I'm probably going to find new books at new bookstores that catch my attention more. But I don't even care. I'm just crazy about books.)

Books of 2012

I saw another blogger post an entry about the book resolutions she has in 2013, which is WAAAAAY better than another stupid weight-loss resolution (I have anger from how many dieting commercials are on TV this month). I'm going to try to copy her idea (I should probably give her credit for it. Her list is here: Gimme Some Reads Reading List 2013), but first, I want to review some of the books I've read in 2012.

One thing I'm always very frustrated with is Bestseller Lists. Most of the books I am looking for are or have been on some bestseller list somewhere. But so has Fifty Shades of Grey and other terrible books. You really can't trust those things. But you really can't live without them. (Maybe this is a snobby English-major complaint, but I'm sure there are people out there who appreciate literature with the same righteous anger I do who aren't English majors.)

So, I'm going to help you out by telling you some of the Bestseller List books that were horrible and some that were wonderful (though books on my list are not strictly best sellers. They also weren't necessarily published in 2012).

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami - I actually just finished this book YESTERDAY after plowing through it for over two months. It is 925 pages long!!! But so worth it. I loved this book. I will have to say that it probably isn't for everyone, though. For one thing, it does graphically describe sex. Not in any kind of erotic way, but it is explicit. For example, he is not afraid of saying "My penis went into her vagina," which I appreciate. I'd rather have that than crappy euphemisms. For another, the book is kind of slow paced. Murakami likes to detail for you the little things, such as the food that the characters prepare and eat for their meals, the bars they frequent and what they order, and their hygiene routines. I also really liked the pace, though, because I liked how it made me slow down and think about the little things in life. It put me in a very contemplative and deep mood. I could see how other readers might be frustrated by this novel because the climax happens pretty much in the middle of the novel, then things kind of slow down from there. Also also also, if anyone can tell me how, if at all, this is supposed to resemble/reflect/dismantle George Orwell's work, please comment and tell me! WOULD RECOMMEND. 

The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling - There was no way that I was going to pass this book up. I LOVE J. K. Rowling, and always will. BUT this book was awful. I do have to say that it was beautifully written. I very much admire the way that Rowling moved about from each character's perspective, and managed to make all of the characters full and realistic. It was interesting to see the way all of the characters in this small town related to each other. The problem was the story. It was a brilliant idea, but also SO DEPRESSING. It's not even the good kind of sad either, like the kind of sad you actually like feeling because it's like an emotional exercise or whatever. This book just makes you really upset about the state of humanity. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND.

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn - This novel is absolutely brilliant. But again, probably not for the faint of heart. It is weird as FUCK, sometimes gross, and always grotesque. But I think that's what is so fascinating about it. It's like when you watch TV shows about serial killers and you think "oh, that is so absolutely awful, how depraved, why-I-never," BUT YOU STILL KEEP WATCHING IT. And it's interesting that this book is in the horror genre, though nothing scary or suspenseful ever happens. It's just horrifying, I guess. But really, despite all of that, I love this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a very thought-provoking novel. I believe that this one says a lot about our society, despite the mostly fictional reality it takes place in. Also, not a difficult read at all. Probably about 300 pages. WOULD RECOMMEND.

Swamplandia by Karen Russell - Honestly, what drew me to this book was that the premise sounded a lot like that of Geek Love, and it was a New York Time's Bestseller. This ended up being a very depressing read, and again, not in a good way. Like Geek Love, it features a lot of depravity. Unlike Geek Love, that depravity is more realistic. Instead of being this messed up but clearly fictional family, the family featured in Swamplandia could very well be real. This novel is very much realistic fiction. And the last thing I want to think about is a 13 and 16 year old girl who are both basically abandoned by their father and how that leads to them getting lost, taken advantage of, becoming delusional, and getting raped by someone they grow to trust. And since I've already spoiled that rape bit for you, I'm going to tell you that it was probably one of the worst rape scenes I've ever read/watched (almost as bad as in Beloved by Toni Morrison), because the victim just let it happen. She was 13 and her mother had just recently died, so she had no idea that sex wasn't supposed to be like that. She knew she didn't like it, but she assumed that that was just a part of sex. HOW TERRIBLE IS THAT?! Ugh, it made me want to crawl into a hole and eat Cheetos all day. Also, this book was WAY too long, and way not worth it. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - When I was first introduced to Ishiguro in high school, it was with his book Remains of the Day. That one is probably his most famous, but I hated it. I felt like nothing ever happened and it was boring as hell. And it is. You have to really learn to appreciate Ishiguro, because his novels are very subtle. But they are brilliant. I have no idea which novel of his you should start with (maybe A Pale View of Hills because it's probably the easiest to understand what's even going on, but it's also very dramatic. And I think it might be my favorite of his). This novel is no different. It is also slow paced and tranquil, but there's something beneath the surface. Like Murakami's novel, the mysteries of this story are never explicitly solved, but you are left to fill in the gaps yourself. One of the weird things about this novel - and what sets it apart from his other pieces - is that it is actually science fiction. I probably shouldn't tell you that because it takes a while for the story to reveal that part. That's one of the things that's so good about it! (Also, the book is better than the movie.) WOULD RECOMMEND. 

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - This is definitely a quick, fluffy read. The Eyre Affair is very silly, and takes place in a silly alternate world where dodos are cloned and made housepets, time travel is real, and literature and art are so beloved that people riot in the streets over it. The protagonist, Thursday Next, is basically a literature cop, and she is called in when original manuscripts are stolen. When the villain of the book removes characters from the original manuscript and kills them in "reality," they disappear from every copy ever made (making him truly a barbarian). It is up to Thursday Next to save this from happening to Jane in Jane Eyre. This book would probably be entertaining for anyone who loves literature, and to those who love Jane Eyre. WOULD RECOMMEND.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith - A lot of people don't like the idea of taking a classic and changing it to fit modern whims, such as when Grahame-Smith put zombies in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Of course, neither of these books are brilliant literature. But if you've read the original Pride and Prejudice and seen all the different movies a million times, it's interesting, funny, and entertaining to see your favorite passages mixed in with new passages about zombies attacking the fancy ball. This book is in that same vein, except Grahame-Smith didn't take an original novel and add in new stuff, but instead made up a basic biography of Abraham Lincoln and put vampires in it. In this novel, the Civil War was started because of vampires (they would feed on slaves). There's really not much to say about it except that it is an okay book. And a very easy read (Colby finished it in one night. I was not quite so ambitious. And in France when I started it). (Again, book is better than the movie. By a lot.) WOULD RECOMMEND.

The Plague by Albert Camus - I read this at the beginning of 2012, so I don't remember it very well. It's a famous book, probably a classic. It's very well written. But also, it's slow and drags on a little bit. The characters were hard to keep track of, and almost all of them were French men with similar professions and personalities. I don't think I even bothered in my head to try to imagine up different appearances for them, and instead made them all look the same. It's interesting and probably worth reading, but I don't feel like it said a ton I wouldn't have guessed myself about the human condition and the responses people would have to a plague and a quarantine. Probably the most interesting parts were at the beginning when the plague was gaining ground and we could watch its progress. WOULD RECOMMEND. 

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery - By now, if you read through all of this, you can probably tell that I like books that are both really thoughtful, and that make you think. At first, I really liked this book for that reason. All of the characters are overly analytic. They are introverts and observers, and most of the book is a diary of their observations. I got so caught up in this thinking about and appreciating daily life nonsense that I found myself drinking tea and staring into space for over an hour once day. The main protagonist is studying critical theory and I was also studying critical theory as I read it, so it was interesting to see it described differently. But in reality, who wants to read a novel where a character is reading about phenomenonism, or whatever it's called. Those theories are interesting, but also really boring. You don't want to be reading about them in your free time. And you definitely don't want to read about a character as she is literally studying and reading something. The other protagonist comes off at first as a misunderstood prodigy, but then turns into a spoiled brat. And not to spoil it too much (SPOILER ALERT), but the studying-critical-theory-and-drinking-tea protagonist, who is supposed to be the elegant hedgehog (what an underhanded compliment, by the way), dies at the end. Randomly, out of nowhere. For no good reason, except maybe to make the other characters in the book appreciate a person that they had overlooked previously. Whatever. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND. 

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith - I read this book for my American noir class, but I enjoyed it. It's longer than other noir books we had to read, and much slower paced. Probably the most fascinating thing about it, especially in comparison with the other books I read, was that it took place from the point of view of the killer. Most of the book is filled with tension and suspense, so don't be put off when I say it is slower paced (I meant that relatively). You never really feel sympathetic to the protagonist, but he's also very fascinating. For example, one of the readings that people frequently come away with (mostly because the movie based on this novel made it this way in no uncertain terms) is that the protagonist is gay. This means that a lot of his crimes comes from unrequited love, as opposed to the alternative where the motivation is because Mr. Ripley hates being lower-classed and looked over. Either way, the psychology behind this serial killer is really interesting. It was also nice to finally see a female writer after all the Dashiell Hammets and and Raymond Chandlers. WOULD RECOMMEND.

The Great Gatsby

I am super excited for Baz Luhrmann's upcoming version of The Great Gatsby. The novel has always been one that I've liked (though I haven't understand why it represents the American Dream, and other such stuff that English classes teach you about it) and now it is being done by one of my favorite directors. YAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!

The poster lies, however, because the release date changed to May. Major bummer.

The movie, from what I've heard, is inspired by art deco (as seen on the poster) and Kanye West's song "No Church in the Wild" (which I think is featured in both of the movie trailers).

The trailers are gorgeous and heart-wrenching. I am very excited about the soundtrack. Thus far, it sounds amazing. And remember Moulin Rouge? The music in that movie was SO GOOD.

Of course, it'll be a typical Baz Luhrmann. He's done the star-crossed lovers many-a-time. BUT THAT'S WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT IT!!! Because in the novel, you don't get the emphasis on the decadence of the roarin' 20s. These trailers alone are a VISUAL FEAST.

Guys, I'm not really even that much of a film nerd. BUT SERIOUSLY.

This one has the infamous line "You always look so cool" in it. I love that line. It's so ... paradoxical. Because Daisy says that line, and that's the line that gives away her affair with Gatsby to her husband. It's such a banal line, yet causes so much danger.

Enjoy. (You will). 

"The Day Lady Died" by Frank O'Hara

I love this poem for all the reasons.

The Day Lady Died

BY FRANK O'HARA

It is 12:20 in New York a Friday

three days after Bastille day, yes

it is 1959 and I go get a shoeshine

because I will get off the 4:19 in Easthampton   

at 7:15 and then go straight to dinner

and I don’t know the people who will feed me

I walk up the muggy street beginning to sun   

and have a hamburger and a malted and buy

an ugly NEW WORLD WRITING to see what the poets   

in Ghana are doing these days

                                           I go on to the bank

and Miss Stillwagon (first name Linda I once heard)   

doesn’t even look up my balance for once in her life   

and in the GOLDEN GRIFFIN I get a little Verlaine   

for Patsy with drawings by Bonnard although I do   

think of Hesiod, trans. Richmond Lattimore or   

Brendan Behan’s new play or Le Balcon or Les Nègres

of Genet, but I don’t, I stick with Verlaine

after practically going to sleep with quandariness

and for Mike I just stroll into the PARK LANE

Liquor Store and ask for a bottle of Strega and   

then I go back where I came from to 6th Avenue   

and the tobacconist in the Ziegfeld Theatre and   

casually ask for a carton of Gauloises and a carton

of Picayunes, and a NEW YORK POST with her face on it

and I am sweating a lot by now and thinking of

leaning on the john door in the 5 SPOT

while she whispered a song along the keyboard

to Mal Waldron and everyone and I stopped breathing