I mentioned in a previous post that one of my goals for 2009 is to read at least 30 books and that another one of my goals (at my husband's urging) is to write more. Isaac consistently writes reviews of the books he reads (check out his blog), and I think this is an excellent idea. I have decided to follow suit, at least as much as possible. This endeavour will also help me achieve another one of my goals: to be a better blogger. Oh, how I love thee, multitasking! In the future, I'll be reviewing the books as I finish them. Hang with me now, though- I've got several to review. And do yourself a favor and read through the entire review; I've saved the best for last.
The Tale of Despeareaux by Kate DiCamillo
Who says you have to be a child to enjoy children's books? I especially look forward to a good children's book after I've been reading something laborious or, to put it in the words of the famous Marty McFly, "heavy." And no, Doc, there isn't anything wrong with the earth's gravitational pull in the future.
Despereaux is a sweet story of a little mouse who finds himself the hero of his own story through his surprising courage. I enjoyed Despeareaux's blights and plights, and though the book doesn't make my list of most beloved children's stories, I did find myself becoming attached to the little furry rodent as he experienced new adventures. And potential learning bonus: though written as a child's story, I guarantee reading it would increase most American adults' vocabulary. The author, Kate DiCamillo, makes a point of introducing a new word to the reader and then taking a break from the storyline in order to further illustrate the concept.
Princess, Daughters of Arabia, and Desert Royal by Jean Sasson
These three books aren't necessarily a trilogy, but they are definitely worth the extra time to read all three. They are the autobiography of one of the Saudi princesses, Sultana, written and published with the help of one of Sultana's American friends. Of course, Sultana is not the actual name of the princess, and the author tried to disguise the true identity of the princess so that in the event that somehow a copy of the book fell into the hands of another member of the royal family, the princess would not be recognizable; remember that the Saudi royal family is huge, and this idea of protection through ambiguity is not as far-fetched as we might be inclined to think.
The first book was published in the early nineties and served as an eye-opening expose on the inner workings of Saudi royalty. Sultana describes her childhood, telling specific stories which help to paint a picture of the typical life for a female member of the royal family. While there are many instances of unbelievable cruelty and sexism located within the pages of these books, I don't think it was included merely for the shock value. There are incredibly horrific things that happen in this culture of complete male dominance, and the books serve as a way to allow outsiders to see and yes, perhaps even understand a little, what goes on behind the closed doors of the Kingdom. That being said, I in no way believe that all the males of Saudi Arabia are all ignorant, sexist men. Reading the two follow-up books help to demonstrate the presence of good, and even great, men within the royal family. If you read these books, expect to be shocked and even offended, especially if you are a woman. But like I mentioned before, the point of writing these books wasn't necessarily to make readers' jaws drop while reading, but to allow the readers to see inside a world so often completely shut away from everywhere else so that maybe, just maybe, someone will more fully understand these women and the lives they lead.
Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea
Continuing with my Saudi theme, this is a the result of a somewhat social experiment from Saudi Arabia. A young woman begins an email ring, detailing the lives of four of her friends. The email ring became such a sensation in the Kingdom, receiving both good and bad press, that it was eventually turned into a book. This book has more of a modern flair and focuses more on the characters and less on explaining the daily life in Saudi. In the Princess books, the reader is disgusted with the societal system in place, whereas in Girls of Riyadh, the reader finds herself more disgusted with the personal behaviors and actions of particular individuals. The book is less of a social commentary on the aspects of Saudi society and more of a typical coming-of-age story. I still recommend it, especially as the read does learn a good deal about Saudi Arabian culture through the characters' lives.
Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynn Truss
When I say, "This book should be taught in schools, studied, and memorized above all other books (excluding the Bible)," I am not exaggerating. It's about punctuation and grammar- how wonderful can you get?
The author, Lynn Truss, is witty and informative throughout this short read; she is British and does a wonderful job of delving into both the British and American usage of punctuation. Truss explains the beginnings of certain punctuation marks and the reasoning behind them, opening our eyes to how gloriously meaningful that little mark called the apostrophe can be, how the common comma can change the meaning of text so utterly, how that often-neglected semi-colon can imply so much! I know all of the writers out there are salivating right now while others probably have befuddled expressions on their faces. "Punctuation? She's getting all excited about punctuation?" they wonder...and the answer, my dear friend, is a glorious yes!
Please, please, please read the book. Even if the thought of reading an entire book on punctuation sends chills down your spine, reminding you of eighth grade English class when you were forced to diagram sentences for an hour straight, I still think you'll enjoy this book! And if you read it, then you'll know why I'm putting my punctuation mark outside of my quotation marks here: because I am a "stickler". And, I want to be British, and adopting this method of punctuating makes me feel more authentic...
More reviews to come!
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2 comments:
This is awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed the basic flavour of those books. Maybe some new favourites?
That "trilogy" of books sounds intriguing. I would say I'd put it on my list, but my list is never-ending, and I've only read one book this year. Sad.
I read Eats, Shoots and Leaves a few years ago and loved it. Does she say in the book to put punctuation outside of quotation marks? Because I know the rule for periods and commas is that they always go inside the quotation marks. Maybe it's an American vs. British thing.
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