Ahh, winter break. That delightful time of year when I gorge on random reading. I start back to teaching tomorrow, and before I get bogged down in reading for my classes, I want to share the fun books I’ve been savoring. Well, the first isn’t so much fun as interesting. The rest are fun in a sad sort of way. Ahem.
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande was loaned to me by a colleague. The author makes an argument for the simple tool long used in aviation: a checklist. He applies using checklists to the medical profession, and I was astounded by the results. Rae of Rae Would Rip (okay, she doesn’t actually write said blog, but she should, and I like to pretend she does) is a health care professional, and she confirmed the results shared in the book. While the concept is simple and elegant, the book could be an article and remain persuasive. I’m considering how I can use this in my life and with my students.
Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell is an excellent read. I saw the movie last year, and it was one of my favorites of the year. The novel is short, but the heroine remains with you for a long time. She is everything I’d want my daughter to admire, as opposed to some of the, how shall I say it?, more reliant-on-others heroines that are so popular. Ree is gutsy and determined without being a cliche. Woodrell’s prose is engrossing, despite a few over-written passages. I especially admire his development of the community; as awful as a meth-producing community may be, Woodrell makes the reader believe in the hierarchy and caring (of sorts) among the group. Why read it if the movie is so good? Ree’s character is more fully developed in the novel. A great book to read with older kids, too.
Certainly you’ve read “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, right? If your high school or college English teachers didn’t thrill you with it, the link is to a full-text pdf of the story. It’s a classic. But I didn’t connect the short story to The Haunting of Hill House when I grabbed it from the town library. Only after Mona mentioned how much she enjoyed Shirley Jackson did I piece it together. Jackson’s symbolism speaks to a post World War II world and remains spooky and relevant. So, the novel. It’s the story of a group of disparate folks who gather at Hill House, a big mess of a mansion, to see if they can get in touch with any supernatural activity going on there. The novel is third person, closest to Eleanor, an early-30s unmarried woman who has spent most of her life timid and caring for others. Oh, boy! Does it all unravel once they’re in the mansion. Don’t read this one if you’re home alone!
Last night, while I silently bemoaned the football that was preventing my Sunday-night Downton Abbey fix, I finished David Benioff’s City of Thieves. Benioff is a screen writer (read the interview linked in the last sentence. He’s done some cool work!), which I wasn’t surprised to learn after I finished the novel. It’s a cinematic reading experience, with a just-right amount of detail. Here’s what I wrote about it on Goodreads:
I’ve been thinking a lot about the two forms most story takes: a stranger came to town or a (wo)man went on a journey. Randomly selecting this novel from my library’s bookshelves seems fortuitous in light of my recent thoughts. City of Thieves is set in WWII Russia. Two men, unlikely candidates for friendship, get thrown together to undertake a quest, the failure of which would result in their certain starvation. This is a first-person narrative with the narrative device of the protagonist’s grandson, David, asking about life during WWII. The narrative device may be the novel’s only mis-step, but a minor one at that. The writing is sharp and humorous, making the awful moments more cutting. I may read this with my students the next time I teach my war-themed composition class.
What are you reading this week?
Thanks for the recommendation on Winter’s Bone. I really enjoyed the movie and actually just rewatched is last week because Dale hadn’t seen it yet. I was wondering if it would be worth it to read the book and you just answered my question. I’m currently reading Chris Bohjalian’s The Night Strangers and it’s very good and different from some of his previous novels.
Definitely a few to add to my list! Right now I’m mostly craving fluff as life is a bit stressful. I started a cozy which is usually my escapist indulgence but it was not sitting well so I turned a more enthralling suspense, Hide by Lisa Gardner. I’ve gorged on historical literary adaptations lately and think I may dive into one of Elizabeth Glaskell’s books next.
City of Thieves was such an excellent book – didn’t know Benioff was a screenwriter – explains a lot in his writing style.
Right now I’m reading “Leaving Van Gogh” which is from the point of view of his doctor in Auvers – Dr. Gachet. It is quite good.
Thank you for mentioning Winter’s Bone. It’s on my list and I now I know I’ll read it.
We were too busy to see Downton this week but at least it recorded and we’ll watch before the next episode. It would be tough to miss altogether. I just picked up “I am Messenger” and hope it will be a good read.
Thank you for the recommendation of Winter’s Bone and for the pdf link to The Lottery! I think I read it in 8th or 9th grade – can’t wait to read it again.
Ha,ha…need to add just printed The Lottery out and see that it begins on my wedding anniversary!