The Bush Tragedy (NF 2008) - Jacob Weisberg
Believe it or not, author Jacob Weisberg (editor-in-chief of Slate) does not have an ax to grind with The Bush Tragedy, even though he freely admits the failure of the George W. Bush presidency is a foregone conclusion. He's more interested in a serious examination of Bush's motivations than in bashing the 43rd president.
Before you laugh out loud at Weisberg's comparisons between Bush and Shakespeare's Henry V, thinking that the book's title should be The Bush Comedy, read just a few pages about George W.'s competition with his father George H.W. Bush and consider the son's eagerness in trying to avoid the father's mistakes (especially during the Gulf War). Then consider how a hard-drinking, low-ambition Yale student got religion, orchestrated a campaign that landed him in Austin, and mounted an unlikely run for the White House.
What really drives Bush? The sibling rivalry with his brother Jeb? His religious convictions? Or the advice of members of his inner circle such as Dick Cheney, whom Weisberg calls the most powerful vice-president in the history of the United States?
The Bush Tragedy is a fascinating read, regardless of your political affiliation.
The Last Lecture (NF 2008) - Randy Pausch
You've probably seen Pausch on Oprah or on YouTube, and if you have, you've only seen part of the story. Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006 and has written a "last lecture" for his students at Carnegie Mellon, but more importantly for his children. This could have been a really sappy, weepy book, but it's filled with humor, courage and insight.
Sunstroke and Other Stories (2007) - Tessa Hadley
I've already discussed this book here, but I can safely say this collection was the month's most satisfying fiction experience. Highly recommended.
The Talisman (1984) - Stephen King and Peter Straub
I read this book over 20 years ago and was captivated by it. (Back then it was the first encounter I'd had with Straub and was responsible for my reading some of his mid-80s novels like Koko and Mystery.) When I saw it on audiobook at the library (all 24 discs), I thought I'd revisit it. It's still a very good story and quite an epic, but I doubt I'll read it again or the sequel Black House.
This is What I Did: (YA 2007) - Ann Dee Ellis
Eighth grader Logan Palorey has just moved to a different part of town, which means a new school and new friends. But a new environment can't change the terrible thing Logan witnessed several weeks ago, an incident involving his best friend Zyler. Logan is tight-lipped about the whole thing. His parents want to help but don't know how, his brothers could care less and all the kids at his new school think he's a freak. All, that is, except an odd girl named Laurel who wants to change her name to Laral because she loves palindromes.
Logan's mom suggests going to see a counselor. Logan's dad suggests Boy Scouts. Logan has his own idea: trying out for the school musical Peter Pan. (After all, Laurel's in the musical.) Each of these three situations provides learning experiences for Logan, but none of them turn out to be quite what he expected.
This is What I Did: reminded me a lot of the Laurie Halse Anderson novel Speak, another book about a troubled teen who doesn't want to talk to anyone. This is What I Did: is a quicker read with more humor, but it's definitely not a "light" version of Speak for boys. It packs a real punch and a satisfying ending.
Unaccustomed Earth (2008) - Jhumpa Lahiri
It seems that everybody is on the Jhumpa Lahiri bandwagon. I mean, it's pretty big news when a literary short story collection lands at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. But I have to tell you, I'm not on the bandwagon.
Lahiri is a fine writer and often creates interesting situations between and among generations of families who have immigrated from India to America. The title story about a father visiting his Americanized daughter after the mother's death was both touching and memorable, but all of the stories follow the same themes of family, clash of cultures, etc. For me, there's just not enough at stake for the characters, not enough conflict and tension. It's not that I expect bodies to fly through windows in every story, but something has to happen. For me it mostly didn't.
Bird Lake Moon (J-Fic 2008) - Kevin Henkes
A book that might get overlooked due to a weak title and an unappealing cover. Two boys meet at a lake one summer, one dealing with the separation of his parents, the other dealing with the death of a brother. Probably best for ages 8-12.
Burger Wuss (YA 1999) - M.T. Anderson
Another exceptional work from my favorite YA writer, M.T. Anderson. Some thoughts on the book here.
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (NF 2003)
How did the 2002 Oakland A's baseball team manage such an impressive record with a player payroll that's near the bottom of Major League Baseball? (And 2002 wasn't the first or last time it happened.) How does general manager Billy Beane defy conventional scouting wisdom, find players no one else wants and turn them into indispensable parts of highly functioning unit? The story itself is fascinating, yet so are the stories-within-the-story of young players who were ignored by scouting reports until Beane discovered them. If you've ever wondered just how baseball scouting, statistics and drafts work (or don't work), Moneyball is for you.
Sunrise Over Fallujah (YA 2008) - Walter Dean Myers
This one's a real toss-up for me. On the one hand, Myers has done a great job of showing teens the utter confusion and hopelessness of a war fought by soldiers caught up in the midst of something they just don't understand. But I thought the language was watered down and the characters not as fully fleshed out as they could've been.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Marvels (1994/2004) - Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross
Beautifully painted art combined with a well-thought premise: the world of Marvel Superheroes from the viewpoint of ordinary people. Some excellent moments. This hardcover anniversary edition includes an enormous amount of drafts, scripts and sketches (about half of the book's 400 pages) which had limited appeal to me. This new edition at 248 pages may be the way to go for more casual readers.
Torso: A True Crime Graphic Novel (2000) – Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyke
Recommended to me by my friend Kangas, this graphic novel combines stark black and white artwork with photographs to tell the story of Eliot Ness, fresh from his victory over Al Capone, as he tackles crime in Cleveland in 1935. Things get a lot tougher when a serial killer begins decapitating and dismembering his victims throughout the city. Grim and brutal, but good storytelling.
That's it for May. Now go and read something.
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