Books to Drool Over, July edition

I was really excited about Paula Nguyen's Secrets of the Red Lantern: Stories and Vietnamese Recipes From the Heart, when I found it at the library. It's a 342-paged combination of Vietnamese recipes and memoir. The essays start in Vietnam and detail the family's escape and eventual settling in Australia.

This is a beautiful book, with photographs of both food and family, as well as other artwork, interspersed among the recipes. The pages are thick, and it has one of those silk bookmarks attached to it. I love those things.

Will I use it? The trouble is, it's too big to carry around to read as a memoir, and even as a cookbook it's unwieldy. I wish Andrews McNeel had published it as either a memoir with a few recipes at the end of each chapter, or a cookbook with brief memories, and not both.

The pictures of the food made me want to go to Nguyen's restaurant, they looked so delicious. But these aren't, for the most part, recipes I'm going to fix at home for my family, what with the pork bellies and the dried mushroom strips and the pennywort, and all. I might make the Ca Rot Chua (pickled carrots), since we've gotten more carrots from our CSA than we can munch through, and it looks delicious and simple. You're supposed to put them into Banh Mi Thit (Vietnamese Pork Rolls), but I think I'd either use them in tortilla roll-ups or lettuce wraps, or just toss them into a green salad. Here are the basics:

Bring to a boil, then cool:
1 1/2 cups rice vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
Grate 3 large carrots and place in a jar, cover with vinegar mixture, let sit overnight.

There are probably more recipes as doable as this one, but between the size of the book and the number of recipes with ingredients that would be hard to come by, I got overwhelmed and found myself just gazing at the pictures, getting hungry for take-out Vietnamese or Thai food.

Publication Info: Andrews McNeel, 2007, ISBN:978-0-7407-7743-1

It's a book review! It's a game! It's Weekly Geeks!

There are 3 random words and one random phrase (from Creativity Tools random word generator) inserted into the review below. Your job is to guess whether the book (premise, title, etc.) is as fake as the cover I created, and which are the randomly generated words and phrase. For further details, see the full Weekly Geeks assignment.

Lenore's boyfriend Fergie snuck out of their shared flat in Quebec on the day after Christmas and took the Union Jack bus to Florida on Lenore's dime, leaving a huge debt in his wake. As Lenore puts it, in her distinctive way: "The debt rattles into the Jack coach, while I listen to its endless echo, alone. Alone, that is, except for Heidi upstairs, and she's about as sympathetic as a robot."

Something Drastic consists mostly of Lenore's pathetic letters to Fergie, begging him to return, or to call her, or even just send a postcard. Author Colleen Curran does a brilliant job bringing Lenore's voice through in her letters. And, though the letters are written entirely from Lenore's perspective, it's easy for the reader to see that she's completely delusional when it comes to Fergie. He's a jerk, and everyone but Lenore knows it. Curran does insert some letters from Lenore's upstairs neighbor to give further details of the circumstances by which Fergie left, but they're really not necessary.

Lenore's voice is so authentically pathetic that I had a hard time reading it. I think some would find her endearing, but I had to put the book away several times because I couldn't bear to read her recurring slogan, "How could you do this to me," any more. She does begin to come to her senses and stick up for herself, but I almost didn't make it to that point. For me it was too little, too late.

Well, Bloomsbury? Whadya think?

When it comes to the controversy regarding the photo of a lovely white girl that illustrates the cover of an upcoming book about an African American girl, I am not sure there's anything left to say. There must be more I can do, beyond expressing my concerns to the publisher, or adding my voice to the chorus that has said that this is wrong, so wrong. Beyond committing to reviewing more books featuring people of color. Beyond encouraging diverse reading through a reading challenge and a meme.

I decided it's time to take a more practical route. Bloomsbury wants to sell books to teens, and their best idea for this particular book leaves an acrid taste in people's mouths. I thought it might be helpful if I offered some alternative covers that they could use. So I sat down and thought to myself: what sells to teen girls? And I came up with this book cover:



My apologies for the fact that I'm not artistically gifted, nor do I have fancy equipment, but you get the idea. In fact, I thought maybe Bloomsbury could convince the author to change her name to Justine Meyerbalestier, so that the book could be shelved accordingly. Surely they could get a few sales out of that?

Not being a marketing expert, I'm willing to concede that there may be some issues with this approach which I may not be versed in, so I came up with several alternate covers. I think this next one is my personal favorite:



It's 105 degrees in Portland today but it doesn't get any hotter than this cover. Note the city backdrop to reflect the fact that the story takes place in New York City, and as an added bonus, the model shares the approximate skin tone of the main character. Do firefighters figure in to the plot at all? Who cares? Ninety percent of teen girls and ten percent of teen boys won't be able to resist this cover. And you never know with a liar--maybe Micah's real name is Michael.

The city backdrop in the above cover got me thinking that maybe a city skyline would make a good cover. I picked my favorite, and went with it.

Just look at that skyline! No pollution to speak of, and the gorgeous Mt. Rainier in the distance. Yes, the story takes place in New York City, but ever since 9/11 I've associated the Manhattan skyline with tragedy, so I decided teens might not go for it. Plus, we can't know whether the story actually takes place in New York City. Could be Seattle. In fact, readers could choose to believe any setting that sells. Which leads me to the last possibility:


When Liar comes out in September, many a reader will be ready to plan a warm getaway for the cold weather months, and you can't beat Hawaii for beauty and sunshine. A cover promising free tickets to Hawaii is bound to get attention! And no, of course there won't be any free tickets--haven't you heard that the publishing industry is in trouble? In keeping with the theme, it's a baldfaced lie. You got a problem with that?

Ignoring for a moment the amateur look of each of these covers, which idea do you like best? Place your vote here!

Which alternate cover do you like best?
	Twilight Liar
	Firefighter Liar
	Skyline Liar
	Hawaii Liar
pollcode.com free polls

This post was written as part of the C.O.R.A. Diversity Roll Call meme. While it is written in a tongue-in-cheek manner, when it comes to the underlying assumptions behind the decision to use a white model to sell a book with a black character, I'm not laughing. Bloomsbury's decision wasn't made in a vacuum. There is work to be done.

15 Reasons to Smile When Gas Prices Go Up (and up, and up)

It won't happen right away, according to Christopher Steiner, author of $20 Per Gallon--

which, have I mentioned, you can win?

--in fact, things will get a lot worse for most of us before they get better. But when the prices at the pump continue to skyrocket (and Steiner makes a strong case for the fact that they will), Steiner's book maintains that we can look forward to a future with:

1. Less traffic, especially at rush hour
2. Less smog and pollution.
3. A fitter, healthier population
4. Kids living close enough to walk or bike to school again
5. The demise of big box stores like Wal-Mart, and therefore
6. The return of the small-town Main Street
7. More telecommuting
8. Improved inner city transportation systems
9. High speed trains connecting major cities
10. Greater demand for and availability of locally grown and made food
11. Fewer products made in China and shipped overseas, and therefore,
12. More products made locally
13. Further innovation in alternative vehicles
14. The survival of species such as Bluefin tuna, which are currently being overfished to extinction
15. Increasingly greener energy sources

As he follows the rise of oil prices from the current $3-4 per gallon of gasoline, up through $6, $8, and so on up to $20 per gallon, Steiner gives the history of our dependence on petroleum in different arenas, and the effects rising costs will have on our day-to-day lives. To keep things lively, he also brings readers into the heart of America as he visits an airplane graveyard, makes deliveries throughout Manhattan in an electric UPS truck ("all in all, it amounts to a powerful golf cart with a ton of cargo space,"), and goes carp fishing with a professional fisherman.

Steiner acts like he can see the future. Yes, he backs up every assertion with facts and figures, but some of his predictions may turn out differently than he expects, and I'm sure there are other visions of the future. Still, this book adds a fascinating perspective to North America's current lifestyle. In the scheme of things, our dependence on petroleum products is a tiny blip on the radar of humankind--a blip that we're destined to leave behind at some point. We might as well suck it up and prepare ourselves for change.

The Soundtrack: Tower of Power's Only So Much Oil in the Ground.

Would you like a copy of this book? Be my (and Hachette Book Group's) guest! The giveaway will be open until Saturday, August 1, when I'll draw two winners.

Kampung Boy--Lat (mini book review)

This will be short, because I don't have much to say about this graphic novel, except that it's adorable and I loved it. Kampung Boy is the simple story of a Muslim boy's early years in a small village, or kampung, in Malaysia in the 1950s. Lat has been a popular comic artist in southeast Asia for years (there's even a TV show of Kampung Boy), and his work is just recently making its way to the U.S. His unique illustrations captured an unfamiliar-to-me time and place while making me laugh. I'll be handing it over to both of my kids. Town Boy is the next in the series and I can't wait to read it.

The Soundtrack: It's got to be a traditional Malaysian folk song. Here's Dia Datang, sung by Malaysian pop singer Aishah.

Publication Info: First Second, 2006, 144 pages

Other reviews: A Chair, A Fireplace, & a Tea Cozy

Diversity Roll Call: On Gender and Misleading Covers

Gosh, where to even start? I had planned to address some gender issues that came up for me this week, but I don't want to overlook the important discussion that's been going on about cover art, specifically the cover art of an upcoming YA release. So, this will be a two-part Roll Call. With two weeks before the next topic, there's time to write a post for each part if you'd like (it's also fine not to). Just be sure to link to the exact post/s in the Mr. Linky so we don't miss one.

Topic A: The book cover that lies

Justine Larbaleister's upcoming release, Liar, is a psychological thriller set in New York City, told from the point of view of a compulsive liar. Larbaleister, the anglo-Australian author of How to Ditch Your Fairy and the Madness or Magic series, says that she makes it a point to feature non-white protagonists. The narrator of Liar, for example, "is black with nappy hair which she wears natural and short." Here's the U.S. cover:

Huh??

Publisher's Weekly addresses the mismatch between the character description and the cover art. So does Larbaleister herself. It's also well worth reading E. Lockhart's thoughts on the topic (she's the author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, among others) .

Two choices, if you choose this topic.

1) Use this week's Roll Call to post about this controversy. If you've already posted about it, please link to your post here.
2) Kathy from The Brain Lair inspired me when she Tweeted that she might have her students do this: Design your own cover for Liar.
Hey, you never know--the paperback may come out with a redesign!
Have fun with this. If there's another cover that grates at you for similar reasons, feel free to do your redesign on it. At right is the Australian version for inspiration.

Topic B: What We Ask of Boys

Some of us live in fairly homogenous communities, and some kids aren't exposed to a lot of diversity in their day-to-day lives. (All the more reason to include it in the books they read! But I digress). The one kind of diversity that nearly everyone is exposed to on a daily basis, and often within their own families, is gender diversity.

Librarian Diantha McBride wrote an open letter to publishers in School Library Journal, detailing several things she'd like to see changed in children's books. The most controversial statement she made was this:

I need more books for boys—as do most librarians who work with young people. I've noticed that lots of books with female characters aren't really about being female. In fact, in many cases, the main characters could just as easily have been males—and that would make my job a lot easier.

Of the many reactions to this throughout the blogosphere, Renay's sarcastic rant stood out for me:

"Why yes! Girls should have to read about boys because you know, they’re used to it, but boys shouldn’t have to pick up a book with a female narrator, because they might get cooties. . . . Boys need books with male narrators because they can’t see themselves in a female perspective, because they’ve been trained not to by a society that is hostile to women and girls. The answer is not to cater to this hostility, it is to come up with creative ways to make the books appealing."

Meanwhile, Mr. Chompchomp of Guys Lit Wire issued an apology of his own, for the fact that his recommendations for books for boys tend to bypass books with female leads, regardless of whether the premise/writing/style might have boy appeal. He remedies this with a list of books with female protagonists and boy appeal which I'll certainly be making use of for my boys.

Three choices, for this topic:

1. Talk about a book (or offer a list of books) that you think has appeal to both genders. Or, books with a female lead that would appeal to guys, or vice versa. It doesn't have to be a kids' book--choose whatever genre you'd like.
2. For authors: talk about gender in your writing--For example, what's your experience been with crossing over to the other side? Do you shy away from it? What do you think of the suggestion of switching a protagonist's gender for the sake of sales/boy appeal/gender equity?
3. Take a book that you love and change the protagonist's gender. How does this change the book's meaning? Would it hold the same place in your heart if the males were female and vice versa?

Post your link or links in the Mr. Linky below.


The C.O.R.A. Diversity Roll Call is a biweekly meme hosted by myself and Susan at Color Online. All are welcome! Join us once, twice, or every time--all we ask is that you link back to the original post, and be open to conversation with other participants.

T'Aragam--Jack Regan (kid review)

Dear Jack Regan,

You couldn't have known this, but you wrote to ask me to review T'Aragam at the perfect moment. Days away from leaving on a family road trip, I was in need of another audio book to complement The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. And, lo and behold, you were giving away the audio version of your book for free on Podiobooks.

Do you have any idea how many books you bumped past on my review pile with this timing?

My family and I met protagonist Max Ransome while plodding our way through the longest part of the drive through California--that hot stretch of highway where nothing happens. Nothing, that is, unless you're following a funny little fellow named Gramkin on the hunt for some cheese for the annual Medgekin games. The miles flew by as the scary Phantors attacked Max Ransome's family castle, killing his father and sending Max on a trek with the wizard Zohar, Gramkin, and an Eeyore-like monster named Gloom. And your voices, Mr. Regan! There's definitely something to be said for an author reading his own work, when the character voices are so charming and funny.

We got to Grandma and Grandpa's in the middle of chapter seven, and the next day my 8-year-old asked when we could go somewhere in the car again so we could listen to T'Aragam. This after three days of driving.

But you want to know what we didn't love, too, right? Of course you do! We have two beefs with the book.

1: Death. Hey, it's part of life, right? We don't mind a dose of mortality in our fiction. But here's what my kids had to say about the deaths in T'Aragam.

Evan (age 8): Too many people that you like died. It was kind of like, hey I met this new guy! But he's probably gonna die soon.
Ben (age 12): The thing about his father dying, it wasn't really that bad, because you didn't really know him. It seemed like they should have made it more like he was really young when he saw it, like the Phantors had attacked the castle before, when he was like 4 or 5, and his father died to protect him or something.
Me: You mean because then he wouldn't need to be as upset right then?
Ben: Right, it was like "My father died! Well, I'm just gonna go have this adventure."

I don't think there actually were an inordinate number of deaths, but the fact that Evan thought there were is significant, don't you think? In other words, death as a plot device rather than as part of a character arc leaves us unsatisfied. We want it to impact our fictional characters, and us, for more than a few pages.

2. We want some girls! Many boys like their protagonists to be male, and mine are no exception. And in fact, we were so wrapped up in the story that none of us noticed this until it was over. But, of all the people and creatures that Max encounters through his adventure, how many are female?

There's an evil priestess who tries to ruin everything, and there's a cook in the beginning who's quite funny but who we never see again. Even Max's mom doesn't make an appearance.

Evan says: "There should have been a girl that traveled with Max and Gloom and Gramkin."

The fact is, my boys truly appreciate female characters, and so do I. They especially like feisty ones who can stand up for themselves, and they even like a little romance, as long as it's not too flowery or, you know . . . romantic.

To sum up--great story, perfect on audio, and we're all looking forward to the next installment, "Kingdom Heir," scheduled to release in December. Preferably with a girl or two to round out the cast of zany characters, as well as the return of Max, Captain Baggywrinkle, Gloom, and Gramkin.

Thanks for the story,

Ali and her co-reviewers

Back Creek--Leslie Goetsch (book review)

Back Creek is the story of a young woman's summer between high school and college in the mid-seventies. After Grace witnesses a fatal boating accident from her home, events unfold that help her start figuring out where her hometown and family ends, and her individual self begins.

If you like books set in the southern U.S. where the setting plays as much of a role as a character, you'll love this. Virginia is a bit of a puzzle to this northern girl (is it The South? But why? It's smack in the middle!), and I enjoyed getting to know the area through Grace's eyes. The minor characters--a young Vietnam vet, Grace's sister who returns after getting kicked out of the home five years before, and Grace's parents--are unique enough to capture the imagination without taking the focus away from Grace and her journey.

But I wouldn't be honest if I didn't tell you this: halfway through Back Creek, it came time to leave on our road trip to California. With luggage space tight and only 100 pages left of the book, I opted to leave it at home to save space, and instead bring a longer book that would last me the whole trip. I was happy to pick it back up again when we returned, but I had no trouble walking away from it for ten days, either.

The Soundtrack: In the summer of 1975 I was almost 8, and this is what I remember: That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh uh-huh.

Publication Info: Bancroft, 2008; 226 pages
Other reviews: Life in the Thumb
Books and Movies
Simply Books
Steph Su Reads

Diversity Roll Call: Sci Fi and Fantasy

This edition of the C.O.R.A. Diversity Roll Call (like the new button?) is up at Color Online and the topic is Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I don't read a lot of either of these genres except with my kids, and I can only think of one by an author of color, which I read years ago--Kindred, by Octavia Butler (1979). I loved it and highly recommend it. But I don't have much else to say about it at this point, so I was stymied about how to respond to the questions:

Spotlight science fiction and fantasy titles where people of color are the leads, works by people of color in these genres or discuss your thoughts about race in these genres. Do you notice the absence of color? In what ways is race portrayed in fantasy and science fiction beyond using traditional racial terms like black and white? If the book cover prominently features people of color, does it affect your perception? Are we more comfortable with imaginary characters versus different race in these works?

With time ticking down (the next question will be posted here on Worducopia on Friday and I have to figure out what it is, first), I turned to my kids. "Can we have a conversation about race in Science Fiction and Fantasy books?" My 12-year old is so agreeable: "Sure, Mom, just as soon as America's Funniest Home Videos is over."

* * *

Q: Can you think of a Science Fiction or Fantasy book you've read where the main character wasn't white?

A: I can't really think of one off the top of my head. But it seems like there must be one.

Q: How about just any character who isn't white? Like, in Harry Potter, there's like Dean Thomas and Cho Chang, but they're pretty minor characters.

A: I'm sure there are some, but I can't think of any.

Q: Do you notice the absence of color in the characters?

A: I sort of haven't really thought about it. Because I'm white, I guess.

Q: Do you think you'd think about it if you were a person of color?

A: It seems like I would, because if you think about it the other way around, if it seemed like every book you read most of the people were dark skinned—that would be not good.

Q: Why not?

A: It would make it seem like people who looked like you don't make interesting characters for a book.

(Evan looks up from reading Erin Hunter's Seekers: But if it's about bears, then that's okay. You can't have a dark-skinned bear.)

Q: If the book covers prominently feature people of color, does it affect your perception? Would you be more or less likely to read it?

A: I don't think it would affect it that much. It really depends what the book is about.

Q: In what ways is race portrayed in fantasy and science fiction beyond using traditional racial terms like black and white? Like, green-skinned people vs. purple, or lizards vs. cats, or--

A: Well, there's the wizards vs. muggles, in Harry Potter.

Q: Ooh, good answer! Go on.

A: Some wizards—like the Death Eaters, and Malfoy—hated muggles. And people that weren't wizards were called Mudbloods and considered not as good. (Mudbloods is a derogitory slang, the first time Malfoy says it to Hermione's face the other wizard kids are shocked) In the 4th book the Death Eaters were blasting muggles and making them hang in the air and stuff.

This is a great example, because the attitude towards non-wizards wasn't based on how they looked, and it wasn't whether they could do magic, either--Hermione was a really good wizard, but the "racist" pureblood wizards were against her because she was Muggle-born. Nothing she could do would ever change her status in their eyes.

They probably wouldn't be interested in buying books written by muggle authors, or featuring muggles as main characters, either.

Down to the Bone--Mayra Lazara Dole (book review)

Down to the Bone is fiction, but inspired by a true incident in author Mayra Lazara Dole's life:

At fourteen, my first love and I were thrown out of a Miami Catholic high school due to a love letter she sent me about our first time making love. . . . They read the letter to my mom who’d been dragged from one of her factory jobs to attend the infamous finger-pointing experience (finding out her little girl was a total homo)–Mami was so shocked she punished me harshly: I could never again see or speak to my beloved. (Mayra Lazara Dole, in an interview with Teen Book Review)

Down the the Bone begins as Laura experiences the same humiliation Dole recalls, and the subsequent rejection by her school, her mother, and many of her friends. Laura and the other characters are Cuban Americans in Miami, and one strength of this book is that it's so thoroughly enmeshed in that vibrant community. Everything, from the dialogue to the food to the attitudes towards homosexuality, is Cuban to the core. Me, I thought the characters were over-the-top, but what do I know? Dole herself says (as quoted on Chasing Ray) , "Cubans are over-the-top and I’m always asked to drastically tone down my characters." So, apparently I was experiencing a bit of culture shock.

I don't think it was just the culture shock that kept me from connecting with Laura, though. Her focus on who she wants to kiss and who she's willing to be seen with made it hard for me to take her seriously. Her "I'm not gay, I'm just in love with a girl" would have rung truer for me had she struggled at all with her feelings for the girl in question. Instead she's so cotton-candy sweet in-love that I had to brush my teeth afterwards and instead of feeling sorry about their separation, I was relieved. Let's just say this: private nicknames like "Pookie" and "Scrunchy" should not be legalized for public consumption, no matter the genders of the happy lovebirds.

So, not one of those YA books that I (twenty-plus years past the target audience age) fell in love with. But as an alternative to the plethora of books out there in which blonde, blue-eyed girls obsess over who they're willing to be seen with and which boys they want to kiss? I hope Ms. Dole has more where this one came from.

The Soundtrack: Here's Pitbull taking you on a tour of his hometown while singing Ay Chico. If you refuse to listen to rap or are bothered by mildly suggestive lyrics (the Spanish part is fairly tame, basically he's singing for everybody to get down, don't be afraid to stick your tongue out, and he doesn't want water he wants a drink), by all means turn the video's sound down and listen to Tito Puente or Gloria Estefan instead--the faces of Miami are worth watching to any soundtrack. Pitbull, born Armando Christian Pérez, was born in Miami in 1981 to first generation Cuban immigrants, who raised him right: with poetry. They made him memorize the works of nineteenth century Cuban poet José Martí.

Is there multiculturalism in YA Lit?

Well, of course there is. But are we making the most of this--and encouraging publishers to offer teens more variety--by reading and showcasing books written by and about nonwhite characters? For the most part, the answer is sadly no. Black-Eyed Susan has issued a challenge for those of us who enjoy YA lit: Add some color. Commit to reading and reviewing YA literature by and about characters of color. We want to be more than the McBook of the month. We want substantive inclusion.

From now until August 30th, how many multicultural books will you read and review on your blog?

I'm trying hard to take the pressure off myself for numbers of posts, so I'm not committing to a number, but I will commit to a 1:1 ratio of multicultural to monocultural books in my reviews for the month of August. Will you join me?

Susan has put together a great book list to get us started (and have I mentioned her giveaway? No??? Go see!). I haven't heard of a lot of these, and I resisted the urge to look them up before bolding the titles I've read/reviewed and putting a # next to the titles that are already on my list. Which of these have you read? Do you know of any titles that should be added to the list?

Susan’s Unofficial List of Great YA by or About Women of Color:

1. When Kambia Elaine Flew In From Neptune by Lori A. Williams
2. Every Time A Rainbow Dies by Rita Williams-Garcia
3. No Laughter Here by Rita Williams-Garcia
@4. Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia
@5. If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
6. The House You Pass On The Way by Jacqueline Woodson
7. Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
@8. From The Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson
9. Sold by Patricia McCormick
10. Heaven by An Na
11. The Parable of The Sower by Octavia E. Butler
12. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
13. Persepolis by Majane Satrapi
@14. The Rock and The River by Kekla Magoon
15. Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins
16. Mare’s War by Tanita S. Davis
@17. A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott
@18. Down To The Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole
19. Don’t Get It Twisted by Paula Chase
20. Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson
@21. Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper
22. The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake
@23. Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger
24. Does My Head Look Big In This? By Randa Abdel-Fattah
25. Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier
26. Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim
27. The Meaning of Conseulo by Judith Ortiz Cofer
@28. In The Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
29. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
30. First Part Last by Angela Johnson
31. Pemba’s Song by Marilyn Nelson
@32. Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan
@33. M + O 4EVR by Tonya Hegamin
@34. Lucy The Giant by Sherri L. Smith
35. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
@36. Throwaway Piece by Jo Ann Hernandez
@37. White Bread Competition by Jo Ann Hernandez
38. Across A Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande
39. Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
40. Ash by Malinda Lo

Reading Around the World

Inspired by Weekly Geeks 26, I went through the books I've read so far in 2009 to see what parts of the world I've been reading about. I was particularly interested in seeing whether the results would reflect my focus on diversifying my reading. I wondered if reading more authors of color had impacted the geography of my reading choices. I guess in order to answer that I'd have to compare 2009 with 2008, wouldn't I?

This is what I came up with, combining fiction and nonfiction:
North America: The United States, Canada, Mexico
Central America/Carribbean: The Dominican Republic (Never did finish Oscar Wao, but I'm still counting it), El Salvador, Puerto Rico
South America: Ecuador, Peru, Chile
Africa: Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Morocco, Uganda
Europe: France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and England
Middle East/Asia: Iraq, China, Japan, India, Vietnam





Australia and the Pacific is conspicuously missing from my list--I read an entire series by an Australian author (The Ranger's Apprentice), but I didn't count it because it doesn't take place there. I'm surprised that Asia and the Middle East are so under-represented, too. I'd like to read more from those regions, at some point.

The map doesn't show it, but the vast majority of books I read this year take place in the U.S.--most of the other countries have only one or two books on my have-read-in-09 list. I love learning about other cultures through reading, but I also love reading books that take place closer to home, especially those written by local authors. It's all about finding that balance, I guess!

What about you? Do you seek out books that take place in other places, or do you prefer to stick closer to home in your reading adventures?

Guest Post: Tomi Akinyanmi

Tomi Akinyami is the author of A Worthy Legacy, which I reviewed on Saturday. As part of her author blog tour, she shares here her own thoughts on striving for greatness.

A few months back, I came across an elderly man by the side of the road hailing passing cars. He stood in front of a car, with its hazard lights blaring. It looked like he was having trouble with his car. The sight of that old man standing helpless on the side of the road tugged at my heartstrings and I stopped to see if there was any way I could help. As I rolled down my car window to see what he needed, for the first few minutes he muttered in complete shock “Nobody stopped! Nobody stopped!” It took about five minutes before he was calm enough to explain that he had a flat tire and his jack didn't work well. All he needed was another jack.

Also, the news recently featured the story of the attack on a man this last June. It appeared that two men one of whom carried a shot gun were lying in wait for their victim when he arrived at his workplace one morning. When he opened his van door, he was jumped by the culprit with the shotgun. Following a short struggle, the man was shot in the arm and in the torso. As his attackers ran away, the victim stumbled into the street and losing his footing collapsed rolling and bleeding on the road. He laid bleeding heavily in the street, yet car after car, trucks and even a school bus swerved to avoid hitting miss him but none of them stopped. The whole unfortunate mishap was recorded by security cameras.

From the above stories and similar stories I’ve heard from across the world, it is heart wrenching to learn that people would actually walk by those in need without noticing them or without care. Perhaps it is because people do not actually see or notice the things around them perhaps it is because nowadays most people are too engrossed in their own stuff to care. Whatever the reason, it is indeed sad to see that all around the world today people would rather walk by than stop to help. It should actually be a cause for concern. It is understandable that because most people are genuinely concerned about their welfare they do not stop to help strangers. But have we become so self-conscious, have we become so heartless that we would rather let a man bleed to death in the middle of the road, than help save his life?

Okay if we excuse fears for our safety with not stopping to help strangers, what do we say about this people rarely greeting or giving a compliments to family and even friends these days? Most of us do not even see others until we literarily run or bump into them, although there appears to be a minority out there who for some reason do not think it is worth it being nice or being polite to others. Truth is we don't have to be friends with someone before we say hello to them or stop to help when they are in need. Saying hi or hello does not mean we are fraternizing, it is just polite. So also is stopping to lend a helping hand to someone in need. Just like we would wish that we had someone to help in our own time of need.

Politeness makes for a friendlier society and with the world the way it is these days, there is no doubt that we do need our communities to be much friendlier. Here is something to consider, if you meet someone and saying hello is too much of a burden, how about giving them a smile instead of turning your head the other way or walking right by looking through them as if they do not exist. Aside from this making your heat feel lighter, think about the fact that if you were suddenly to collapse to the ground, that person you just smiled to might be the very one to save your life.

Here is what is in a smile,

A smile says hello

even when you don’t say the word

a smile speaks appreciation

and this warms the heart

everyone knows how to smile;

even a baby who was just born

the toothless grin of a child

has been known to melt hearts

a smile can brighten the day

for a desperate heart.

a smile can forge friendships

that lasts beyond a lifetime

a smile can break the ice

for a searching soul

seeking a place to call his home

to an adventurer,

a smile says I’m here to help

and what more!

A smile does not cost you a thing.

Perhaps you go around with a bold face and feel that you have no need of more friends. Perhaps you are one of those who think everyone who says hi or tries to be nice wants something from you. Perhaps you are one who would walk by when you see someone in need, too afraid to stop and lend a hand. Perhaps this is often the case with you and but maybe sometimes, you do stop to be polite. Or Perhaps you are one of those people that have come to think that the world is not a friendly place. It is a fact that everyone one at one time or the other looks out for that friendly face in the crowd to renew their hope in the promise of a brighter day.

Today as you go about your life, take time to say hello or smile at the people you meet on your way and as you do that, think on this: If you were to see a friend or even a stranger wearing their clothes inside out what would you do? Would you walk by and pretend you didn’t see? Or would you give them the benefit of doubt and alert their attention? Well just for today, try to be polite and in doing this, you might discover that the world is actually a much friendlier place than you think.

From the desk of......
Tomi Akinyanmi
Author - A Worthy Legacy.
www.aworthylegacy.com

A Worthy Legacy--Tomi Akinyami (book review)

A Worthy Legacy is Tomi Akinyami's tribute to her father's wisdom, written after he died in a car accident. Beginning as a family gathers in a Nigerian village to say their last goodbyes to the family patriarch, and ending with a journal entry written to to his granddaughter before his death, this is a sweet book, full of poetry. It shows the protagonist's love and respect for her grandfather and the impact he had on her world view, so clearly. In fact, I thought this was a true story until I read the author's notes, Behind the Book, on her website. I was a little taken aback to realize it was fictional.

At 101 pages, there's so much room for this book to expand on everything it has to offer. The opening sets the scene beautifully, and then the backdrop seems to just fade away. The woman's relationship with her grandfather is touching, but I longed for deeper characterization, of them and of the surrounding family members. I wanted more context for the grandfather's words.

So my questions for Tomi are:
Did you consider fleshing out the story to make it novel-length? And, what led to your decision to not to do so?

And my questions for my readers are: If you could choose what a loved ones last words to you would be (either past or present), who would it be and what would you wish for?

For me those coveted last words would be from my maternal grandma, who died several years ago after suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It doesn't much matter to me what her words would be--I just wish she'd been able to speak to us in the last years of her life. I would have cherished anything she had chosen to say.

I'll have a guest post by Tomi Akinyami on Monday, July 13. She'll be writing a post that perfectly complements my Striving for Greatness post from a few weeks ago. You may also visit the other blog tour stops for A Worthy Legacy.

$20 Per Gallon--Christopher Steiner (essay and giveaway)

As I mentioned, we took a road trip to California. Because I love irony, in between filling up the tank along our route I've been reading Christopher Steiner's $20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better. Fascinating read. I've got a couple copies to give away to folks who comment on this topic between now and August 1.

Have you cut down on your gasoline usage since prices went up last summer? How would another dollar hike in gas prices impact your lifestyle?

As my answer to this question, I'm reprinting an article I wrote on my personal blog at the beginning of the summer of 2008. Since that article was written, we traded in our minivan and old station wagon for a single car that gets better gas mileage and seats 7. We rode our bikes and bused almost everywhere last summer and fall. We fell off the wagon when it got cold and rainy, and haven't quite managed to scramble all the way back on yet.

Okay, oil dudes. It's on.

Monday, June 16, 2008

I really like our local gas station franchise. The guys who've been running it for the past six or so years are a couple of all-around nice guys, and it's always a pleasure to spend a minute or two chatting when waiting to pay for gas. When the price goes up, they roll their eyes and commiserate. When it goes down...well, when it used to go down....they were glad for the relief, too. They also have nearly the best price in town and they're very nearby.

The gas guys also sell sunflower seeds, trail mix, pop, and ice cream bars. I think we'll try to buy lots of those things from them this summer, to make up for all the gas we won't be buying.

I like our local mass transit system pretty well, too, but I don't use it much. Unless we're going to be downtown all day, it's more expensive to take the bus or train than it is to pay for the gas and parking. Add to that the extra time it takes, and the hassle if you miss the bus, and it's hard to get motivated to pay $6-$9 for a round trip bus ride.

Until now.

No, I'm not talking about going car-free, though I applaud those who are. That'd be too drastic for us, and for our extended family who rely on us for the occasional ride. I'm just talking about putting the cars in their proper place for the summer: in the driveway, ready for when we need them.

With oil companies responding to global warming and international conflict by raising their prices to outrageous new heights, it's not just about saving a dollar here and a dollar there. It's teaching my kids that you don't have to be dependent on a car in order to get from point A to point B. Giving them the gift of confidence that mass transit and their bikes can get them where they want to go--that'll save more money in gas during their early adolescence than I'll ever pay in bus fares now.

It's about investing my money in something I can feel good about instead of something that gives me a sick feeling at the pit of my stomach.

I'm not setting myself an ultimatum or a specific goal. I put gas in the wagon on June 12, and in the van a little before that. How long can I go without giving the oil dudes another payment? It's as simple as that.

Giveaway sponsored by Hachette Book Group and open to U.S. and Canada residents who can provide a street mailing address.

Rowan of the Wood (thoughts and guest post)

I'm on a road trip through California with my family this week, so posting will be sparse. My current read is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, because my friend lent it to me almost a year ago. It's her favorite book and she wanted me to read it. So far (p. 105) I'm not seeing what all the fuss is about, but with 500 more pages to go, there's still time.

We finished reading Rowan of the Wood aloud together on our way down here. My kids enjoyed the story, though they weren't crazy about the ending. Evan says, "We have to get the sequel, quick, to find out what happens next." I'd say that's a pretty good endorsement. I invited author
Christine Rose to write a guest post while I'm away. When she asked what to write about, I pointed her in the direction of Straight Talk on Race, Mitali Perkin's article in School Library Journal. This was the basis for a task for the Diversity Roll Call meme, and I thought it would be fun to ask various authors to address these issues. Christine was a good sport about being first. Here are her thoughts:

I'm guilty of stereotyping.

At least a few critics have said so.

Just this morning, I awoke to a review of Rowan of the Wood, which got a respectable B+. The reviewer had many good things to say about the book, but she also mentioned the number of stereotypes: orphan hero, attractive side-kicks, motherly, protective teacher, and father figure.

Truly. If I had a dime for every person who said "Oh, just like Harry Potter," I could retire. Yes.
Cullen, our young protagonist, lives with a horrible foster family, just like Harry Potter.
He has a tragic past, just like Harry Potter.
He wears hand-me-down clothes, just like Harry Potter.
He wears glasses, just like Harry Potter.
He reads books, just like... wait a minute! Harry Potter isn't a bookworm!

I guess Cullen Knight can bee seen as a stereotype, but we must remember that stereotypes became stereotypes for a reason. At one point (perhaps even currently), it was common belief or perception or even reality of a type of person.

Cullen is not based on Harry Potter.
Cullen's life is loosely based on Ethan's (my husband and co-author) childhood.

Ethan lived in less-than-desirable foster care.
Ethan was a bookworm.
Ethan escaped in his books.
Ethan has a tragic past.

Okay, he doesn't wear glasses.

The word stereotype is thrown around far too loosely. After all, does anyone say Harry Potter is a stereotype? The orphan hero has been around since Ancient Greece.

Because it works. Because it’s truth. Because it’s with what people can identify.

Does anyone call Bella a stereotype?
(Outcast, but pretty, high school girl just looking for love)
Does anyone call Edward a stereotype?
(Good looking, romantic vampire with a “soul”)

It’s all been done.
What’s different are the details.
The story.
The plot.

Still, more interesting is the way race is dealt with in Rowan of the Wood.
Basically. It isn't.
All the characters are white, and I'm rather embarrassed to say that I didn't even notice. (Then again, the story is about people from Scotland 1400 years ago and a rural-ish community in Northern California. Predominately white.)

But why should I be embarrassed?
Race is not significant to the story other than the Celtic heritage on which it is based.

We're all familiar with the old adage: Writers write what they know.
We do.

Most everyone in my life is white. I didn’t really think about it because I’d like to think that I don’t see race. But this article caused me to look more closely.

That said, I have very few people in my life. We work 24/7 and are traveling the country on a book tour. The few friends I have met are other vendors at our weekend events.

Mostly it’s me, Ethan, my family, my dogs, and my cat. That’s it.

I know what it's like to be a white, middle class woman in America.
Ethan knows what it's like to be an orphan in foster care.
I know what it's like to be a teacher, since I taught in public schools for six years.
I know what it's like to have regrets in life.

The teacher Max MacFey is the teacher I wanted to be.
The foster mother Trudy is the mother I feared I’d be. (It’s why I don’t have kids!)

These are the life experiences that make up part of our characters.
Race doesn't enter into it.

I certainly didn't want to have a character like South Park's "Token," just to say I had a racially diverse cast.

But, as a European American, I always feel like if I don’t display the exact correct proportions of knowledge, compassion, awareness, etc., that I’ll be labeled a racist. I don’t want to be a racist, and I don’t think I am. Nor am I a sexist or even speciest, as I believe in the right to a quality of life for all species.

My grandmother was a racist. She died fearing that she would get a black woman’s blood transfused into her body.

I was embarrassed of her racism.

My parents try not to be racists, but they are racist by default. They use expressions like “Jew them down,” without thinking because it was just how they were raised. Their awareness is certainly higher than their parents’, but not as high as the next generation.

I remember when I was six years old, I wanted to invite a black friend, Kendra, to my birthday party. I remember specifically asking permission to do so, as if the necessity to ask special permission to invite a person of color was somehow innate in 1976.

I’m very proud to say that this new generation, my sister’s kids, don’t have this innate separation. Even as stereotypically well-off they are (as a doctor’s family), they have a wide diverse group of friends.

I guess racism, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

Continuing with race in our books, in the sequel, Witch on the Water, we visit the past to a Native American tribe on the West Coast, an initial explanation as to how Rowan’s wand got from Scotland to Northern California.

I’m not Native American.

I know almost nothing about Indian culture.

Much of what I do know I've seen on TV or in movies, which is most likely stereotype.
I did my research on the specific tribe in question, and I used actual words and mythology from their culture. (The same way I did with the Celts.) But perhaps some of the blanks were inadvertently filled in with cultural stereotypes. Those chapters are actually in the hands of a tribal representative as I type this, to ensure we didn’t fall into any cultural stereotype trap or offend the members of the tribe due to ignorance.

However, after reading Perkins’ article, I’ll be taking out any reverence to copper-colored or rust-colored skin. The color of their skin isn’t important. That these people were here first is important. That these people suffered greatly at the hands of other people is important.

Whether the tear fell down a rust-colored or milk-colored cheek isn’t important.

Also in the sequel, it's revealed that Maddy's mother (kind of a nature girl) is a lesbian married to another woman. Is that a stereotype?
I guess it is: the natural, earthy, granola-eating, hairy-legged lesbian.

Funny thing is, the whole natural earth-loving, tree-hugging, animal-protecting, granola-eating activist was based on me in my 20s, not a stereotype.

Perhaps people see stereotypes where there is just life.


Thank you, Christine, for offering your thoughts to my readers!

Christine Rose is half of the husband/wife writing team: Christine and Ethan Rose, award-winning authors of YA fantasy Rowan of the Wood. The authors are on a year-long book tour, traveling the country in a fancifully painted RV they affectionately call the Geekalicous Gypsy Caravan. Christine blogs daily, produces two videos weekly (TheTuberRose) on YouTube, and was named one of the top 100 authors on Twitter by mashable. Catch her prolific tweets and pictures from the road @christinerose.

Writing the Life Poetic

Sage Cohen lied to me. To us! Or is this that "poetic license" they're always talking about?

I'd challenged myself to give poetry more thought—it being national poetry month and all—so I went to see Sage Cohen speak at the April Willamette Writer's meeting. She talked about poetry as a process, something you don't need to be "good at" to enjoy. She read some poems, gave examples of ways to spark creativity, and gave the audience a writing exercise. Afterward she signed copies of her just-released book, Writing the Life Poetic, and I didn't buy one. It was a good talk and all, but right now I need to focus my writing in other directions. I was intrigued enough, though, to put a hold on the book at the library.

When Gabe Barber interviewed Sage on Reading Local: Portland, he asked who the book was written for--and here's where the lying comes in, ready for it?

Sage responded, "Practicing poets, aspiring poets, and teachers of writing in a variety of settings can use Writing the Life Poetic to write, read, and enjoy poems; it works equally well as a self-study companion or as a classroom guide. Both practical and inspirational, it will leave readers with a greater appreciation for the poetry they read and a greater sense of possibility for the poetry they write."

Nice answer right? But not even close to the truth.

I'll grant you that this book will be treasured by the poets, and the poet-teachers, and the poet-wannabes. They'll use its exercises to help themselves blossom, to fight their way out of writer's block. They'll quote passages to each other and nod wisely or laugh in community.

But what about the rest of us? Those of us who Don't Write Poetry? Are we not equally deserving of Ms. Cohen's wisdom? Is she trying to keep it from us by hiding it inside a book that says POETRY on the cover?

Take chapter 78, Keeping Your Wilderness Alive (posted in its entirety on the Writing the Life Poetic website. In this chapter, Sage describes the day she got locked out of her house without a car, an inconvenience which led her to try out a café she'd always been too busy to stop into. The experience was profound.

I tasted, marveled, and wrote some more. And as I did, I was transported to the life and times of Sage of yesteryear. This Sage had free time. With little income and minimal expenses, she lived for the indulgence of her weekend café breakfasts. . . . This old Sage was spontaneous. Not yet the precariously over-committed and over-scheduled adult she would grow up to be, this young woman had room for surprises.

This chapter will have you ready to do what it takes to find your own wilderness. Sage is very convincing, saying, "Your poetry depends on it." I say, if that's poetry, sign me up.

Which is, I believe, the whole stinkin' point of her book. And if poetry is, as she says, a way of looking at the world, then it follows that there isn't a person alive who couldn't benefit from Writing the Life Poetic. But you'd have had to read the book or hear Sage talk to get that.

Until now. Because I'm here to tell you, Sage Cohen lied to us. The correct answer to the question "Who is Writing the Life Poetic for?"

Everyone.

My copy goes back to the library on Friday. I'll be buying one to replace it with.