Off the Shelf, May 2013

The books I've picked up, turned the pages of, and thought about during the month.

Fever by Mary Beth Keane

For the second month in a row, I have finished my book group book a week ahead of time. This may be a record for me. Fever was good. The novel didn’t blow me away, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Keane ‘s novel follows the (fictionalized) story of Typhoid Mary, the woman who was discovered to be an asymptomatic carrier of Typhoid Fever in New York at the turn of the 20^th century, infecting people for whom she worked as a cook, but never showing signs of the illness herself. After reading the story, I have a difficult time referring to her as Typhoid Mary; it was likely a name she hated. The story is quite sympathetic toward Mallon (for good reason) without romanticizing her, which I appreciated. So much of her story is heartbreaking because of the lack of knowledge about disease and medicine—Mary Mallon was unusual and few people, let alone a working cook and those around her, understood what it meant that she could pass on a disease she never had herself. Keane wrote Mallon as a complex, emotional character; she exhibits pain and anger along with love and kindness, often all at once. Keane’s novel made me want to know more about the non-fiction Mary Mallon; it made me wonder how much we know about Mallon’s life and if we have access to her correspondence, but then, I’m a giant nerd who loves that stuff. I would read more by Keane.

Film: a Very Short Introduction by Michael Wood

I’m teaching a film class in July. I ordered books for the course last week and am in the process of research for planning classes. I will be reading more film books in the next two months. I did not end up ordering this one (which I might regret, this is a good little book). I think the Very Short Introduction series by Oxford University Press is pretty fabulous. They are smart, (very) short, and $10. There are 183 books in the series. Browse. Learn stuff. 

Mason Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne

I don’t own many knitting books (only three, I think) but I find myself picking this one up pretty often. A friend recommended it and I have found myself knitting several of the projects, some regularly. I like the authors’ sense of humor (one of the best project names: Absorba, the Great Bathmat) and they don’t shy away from mentioning mistakes or colors gone wrong. The projects range from beginner to more advanced and cover everything from dishcloths and baby blankets to curtains and nighties. So far, I haven’t had any difficulty with instructions and have been happy with every project I’ve worked. Next up: Absorba, the Great Bathmat!

An update on The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Sutterfield from April: I finished the novel this month and I did enjoy the story. It’s not one I feel the need to read again, but it’s an intriguing mystery about storytelling, memory, and loss. I’m glad I finished it and recommend it. 

To be fair, I also read, commented on, and graded over 200 pages of student papers during the first half of May. I’m hoping to pull more books off the shelf in June. Many more. Sometimes I think my job teaching literature and writing is bad for my reading of literature and writing. 

Off the Shelf, April 2013

These are the books I have taken off of various bookshelves during the month. The current plan is to write up some book notes toward the end of every month. I'd love any book recommendations you have—just leave a comment.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Sutterfield. I’m not quite done with this one yet, and it was last month’s book group selection (shameful, I know), but it’s good so far. A mysterious and an intriguing novel, it is a story about writers and storytelling (which I always love). My book group had a good discussion and it seemed the book was enjoyed pretty universally (I was trying not to listen too intently as I had only read the first 60 pages at that point). I’ll add to my review when I finish it in the next couple of weeks. 

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling. Kaling’s book is this month’s book group selection. Kaling is a comedy writer (most know her as Kelly Kapoor in The Office and by her new show, The Mindy Project which is in its first season this year). There are truly funny moments in the book that made me chuckle out loud. It would be a great, easy summer read. Kaling writes about growing up with a charm and quirkiness that I admire. The charm was somewhat lost for me as she writes about her eventual success as a comedy writer. The second half of the book is a bit scattered, but it is worth a read, especially if you’re in the mood for light and witty. Kaling makes a lot of lists in the book, and I do love a good list, but toward the end some of her lists feel like a stretch; they don’t fit in as seamlessly as the writing in the early chapters. 

Real Fast Food by Nigel Slater. I’ve been reading and cooking from Nigel Slater’s book for a couple of months now, and I am a bit in love. I foresee making space for more of Slater’s cookbooks on our shelves. I’m on a mission to diversify the food we eat; I tend to make the same food over and over and I need to be more creative. Slater’s Real Fast Food is helping; the meals are easy, use few ingredients, and don’t take a lot of prep time--perfect for making after a long work day. I was introduced to Slater by The Wednesday Chef, who posted this recipe from the book. It is a favorite at our house. I also love his recipe for scrambled eggs with a white wine reduction: breakfast just got classy in our house. (That’s Classy with a capitol c. My dad left us some Refreshing White in a box of Franzia after a recent visit. I used that for the eggs instead of opening a bottle. Classy, I tell you. I'm sure Slater would not quite approve of the wine choice). 

The Lifespan of a Fact by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal. John D’Agata is breathing life into the literary essay, fighting for the essay as a current and relevant genre. He teaches nonfiction writing at the University of Iowa, a nationally renowned writing program. D’Agata wrote an essay that was rejected by the publication which commissioned the piece because it was deemed too fictional. Another publication picked the essay up and gave Fingal, an intern for the publisher, the job of fact-checking the entire piece. The Lifespan of a Fact is the product of that project. D’Agata’s essay is published in the center of the book’s pages, surrounded by notes and correspondence written by Fingal. The notes are color coded based on whether or not D’Agata’s statements were verified; source references and D’Agata's responses to Fingal's work are included, creating a full conversation with the essay itself. The resulting text explores how far facts might be stretched before creative license moves non-fiction writing too close to fiction writing. I’ll be using the text in my literary essay writing class in the fall.  

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag by Alan Bradley. I am a mystery novel junkie. Books are my crack, and mystery novels are the best kind of crack. I actually haven’t read enough of them in the last couple of years. I’m trying to remedy that. Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce series is my newest discovery. I quite love the character Bradley has created in this chemistry-mad eleven-year-old. I have a fondness for spunky girl detectives, especially those who works to find their own spaces in the world. The series begins with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, set in the English countryside around 1950. The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag is the second in the series. This book wasn’t quite as endearing as the first, but it’s a series I will continue to follow. Flavia is a kick and in this novel, the character of Grace Ingleby is heartbreakingly lonely; Bradley writes characters well. 

What are you reading?