Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I'm typically not one for historical non-fiction. At all. However the title of this book caught my eye and it turned out to be worth the read. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich offers interesting vignettes that detail women in history who were "well-behaved" and therefore overlooked.

Cotton Mather called them "the hidden ones." They never preached or sat in a deacon's bench. Nor did they vote or attend Harvard. Neither, because they were virtuous women, did they question God or the magistrates. They prayed secretly, read the Bible through at least once a year, and went to hear the minister preach even when it snowed. Hoping for an eternal crown, they never asked to be remembered on earth. And they haven't been. Well-behaved women seldom make history.

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's argues the women who didn't try to make history but did were the women who changed the face of female possibilites and feminism. Ulrich's goal was to uncover these well-behaved women's history and tell it. This book is well-researched and included clever anecdotes that make the book accessible - even to readers like me who don't often read historical non-fiction. My favorite section was the one entitled "Slaves in the Attic" and detailed the lesser known stories of Harriet Tubman, Harriet Powell and Harriet Jacobs; women who all contributed to 19th century feminism in their own unique way. 

Harriet Tubman, 1869 woodcut

While I did enjoy the book enough, I wouldn't say it was great. I found some sections dull repetitive. The overall message was inspiring, but the delivery lacked a certain punch. As I've mentioned, I haven't read much historical non-fiction that covers women in history, but I can't help but think there is a better book out there on the subject. 

Publisher: Vintage, 2007

Fragmentary Girl

“I am still so naïve; I know pretty much what I like and dislike; but please, don’t ask me who I am. A passionate, fragmentary girl, maybe?”
-Sylvia Plath

The Missing Statues - Simon Van Booy

I've been interested in reading Simon Van Booy's collection of short stories The Secret Lives of People In Love ever since it was compared to Miranda July's Nobody Belongs Here More Than You, which is my all-time favorite collection of short stories. But, before I acquired the book I stumbled upon Van Booy's short story "The Missing Statues" via Fifty-Two Stories. (Read it here for free.)

This is a whimsical story, told in a tone that reminded me of a fairy tale, in which Van Booy captures the feeling of what it's like to be a child. There isn't a specific message van Booy relates in the story, except perhaps to highlight the importance of stories themselves:

"That sounds nice, and I like stories very much," the priest said. "They help me understand myself better."

Overall "The Missing Statues" is a nice story, but I'm not sure I'll be running out to get The Secret Lives of People In Love. Then again, he did win The Frank O'Connor Award for his collection Love Begins In Winter, so I probably shouldn't judge his writing on this one short story.

One Day - David Nicholls

I try to avoid books about relationships. Let me be more specific; of course every book involves relationships of some kind. I try to avoid those that center on romantic relationships. But every now and then, I read reviews about a book that I just need to read. One Day was one of those books. Don't get me wrong, some of my favorite books are those that examine love and it's complications, misconceptions and inevitable disappointments. But, I think about these ideas more often than not in real life, I'd rather not dwell on them while reading.

That being said, in my experience, books that I relate to are often the ones that captivate me most. David Nicholl's One Day is no different. He structures his novel in a very unique way; every chapter details the relationship of Emma and Dexter on the same day (July 15th) each year, beginning in 1988 and continuing each year for the next 20 years. A lot can change over a year and with each chapter, Dexter and Emma's relationship becomes more complicated and confused than the previous year, as many relationships do.

This is a book about who you want to be and the person you inevitably become. This is a book about timing and examines the hopes we have and the reality that ensues. Nicholls explores themes of fate and the the power of one moment, or one day, to change everything. The premise and structure may seem trite (cf The Time Traveler's Wife) but I promise you, Nicholls delivers in a unique and fulfilling way.

This is a lovely and bittersweet read that is all at once captivating and honest. It's not life changing, but certainly makes you think about what is and what could be - at least if you are the type succumb to the reverie of what it's like to be young and in love, ambitious and unsure.

Experience new things. Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance.

Publisher: Vintage, 2009

Back to the Classics Challenge

Hosted by Sarah at Sarah Reads Too Much, this challenge spans from January until June 2011 and will push me to read more classic literature! I try to be good and mix it up by throwing in classics here and there, and I'm thinking this challenge will ensure that I keep it up. I've been on a contemporary kick lately so this should help me out.

So, there are 8 goals to complete:

1. A banned book
2. A book with a wartime setting (any war)
3. A Pulitzer Prize (fiction) winner or runner up
4. A Children's/Young Adult Classic
5. 19th century classic
6. 20th century classic
7. A book you think should be considered a 21st century classic
8. Re-read a book from your high school/college classes

I'm really excited about challenge. I was dreading the children's/YA goal until I remembered Hans Christian Anderson and Lewis Carol. If you are interested go sign up on Sarah's blog.

A mind is like a parachute...

image via thingssheloves

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open. 
-Frank Zappa

National Book Award Winner Announced Tonight

Big news kids! Tonight the National Book Award winner will be announced and four of the five nominees are women:

Nicole Krauss, Great House
Lionel Shriver, So Much For That
Karen Tei Yamashita, I Hotel
Peter Carey, Parrot and Olivier in America
Jaimy Gordon, Lord of Misrule

Hopefully this shuts Jodi Picoult up for awhile. NPR books and I are on it:

@nprbooksNPR Books

Yeah! RT @LitMusings: Lots of women on that list. Take note @jodipicoult RT @nprbooks 2010 National Book Award Nomineeshttp://n.pr/cY8iNP

Top Ten Villains, Criminals and Degenerates

Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

1. Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter Series - Rowling): "The most powerful dark wizard to ever live!" Voldemort put his soul in seven horcruxes to attain immortality and gain ultimate power. That will make my list any day.

2. Richard III (Richard III - Shakespeare): Richard is who I believe to be the ugliest of all Shakespearean men - both in appearance and character. Richard's only motivation is power and he is prepared to take down anyone who stands in his path.

3. Humbert Humbert (Lolita - Nabokov): Arguably the most cunning characters of all-time, Humbert Humbert is the lowest of the low.

4. Rabbit (Rabbit, Run - Updike): Not a villain or criminal, but certainly a degenerate. Rabbit's inability to find satisfaction in life brings a lot of pain to many people in his life.

5. Stanley Kowalski (A Streetcar Names Desire - Williams): One of the ultimate bad boys of literature, Stanley's uncontrollably rage and violence sends his wife's sister into a mental institution after raping her. Sesh.

6. Patrick Bateman (American Psyco - Easton Ellis): The scariest kind of criminal; a serial killer with a mask of sanity.

7. Long John Silver (Treasure Island - Louis Stevenson): A one-legged pirate determined to take the treasure for himself, this is a degenerate I love to hate.

8. Holden Caulfield (The Catcher in the Rye - Salinger): A degenerate I absolutely hate, Holden is the ultimate hypocrite and, to be honest, seems quite contrived. He's the real "phony"!

9. Miss Trunchbull (Matilda - Dahl): I was seriously afraid of Miss Trunchbull as a kid. Ugly, mean and abusive, Miss Trunchbull still gives me the creeps.

10. Napoleon (Animal Farm - Orwell): In my mind, the character who represents everything that is wrong with dictatorships.