Remember Me Like This

Remember Me Like This has, for some reason, the feel of a thriller. Maybe it’s the pace of the writing or the fact that I didn’t want put it down (I read it in two sittings). But, it’s not a really a thriller and it certainly isn’t a typical guilty pleasure that we sometimes look forward to blowing through over a weekend and then promptly forget about the next day. No, Bret Anthony Johnston has written a beautiful, pitch perfect novel that will stay with you for a long time.

Four years after Justin’s disappearance from a small Texas town he is reunited with his family. There have been plenty of books written about this topic but they usually stop here where the family is reunited, the book is tied up neatly with a clear happy ending.  But Remember Me Like This essentially begins with the return of a 16 year old boy to his family. Johnson takes us beyond that typical happy ending and we see that this is only the beginning for this family. Complicating matters(and this is not a spoiler), Justin has been living only miles away the entire four years, a fact that haunts not only his parents but Justin as well. 

I loved this book because it never really takes the easy way out and  the author respects the reader enough to know we don't need everything spelled out for us, and like life, the endings aren't tidy. I highly recommend this for your book group. 

Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill

I’ve been talking about Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill quite a bit since reading it in January. Of course anyone who has heard me go on and on about a book knows that doesn’t mean I liked it; in fact, there is a certain bestseller from last year that I still complain about. I do however, like Dept. of Speculation quite a lot.

Offill’s book is the story of a marriage that very well may be coming to its end. Told in sparse vignettes (and when I say sparse I mean some are a line or two long), some darkly comic, some anyone who has been in a dissolving relationship will identify with, and a few are simply heartbreaking.

Jenny Offill

The size of the book may easily lend itself to being read in one sitting, and you certainly could breeze through this in an hour or two, as it’s less than two hundred pages.  But come on, are you made from stone? Do you want to be like Liz? No, I didn’t think so. To breeze through this book is to really miss an opportunity to let these thoughts or notes on life and marriage marinate. Take your time with this book and I guarantee that your experience is going to be richer than those who raced through it (and I suspect it is the case with a few of the reviewers). This little book lands some punches to the gut: it's deep, it's emotional, and it's raw. I took a month to read it; I suggest you do the same. Ok, that's not exactly true (at all) but I didn't read it in one sitting and I cried twice. 

This may be a wild comparison but after reading this my mind went to an old book that I go back to every now and again when I am pining for my youth (every Thursday at happy hour), Life After God by Douglas Coupland.  Also told through vignettes, Life After God explored many of the same things: anxiety, loneliness, and the end of relationships.

Oh, and for those of you who underline or highlight books...get your pens out. 

An Author a Day for Thirty Days: Day 27

I will freely admit that I was late to the Don DeLillo party. The problem with being late to the DeLillo party is that it’s a daunting task to begin. He’s quite prolific, so knowing where to begin is key. Now, having said that, I have no idea what book is best to start with; I will just tell you how I jumped in. Let’s take a deep breath because brothers and sisters…we are diving in.

White Noise was the first novel I read by DeLillo because when I came out to a co-worker as not having read any of his books, this was the one that was recommended. I wish I read this in a book group because there are dozens of great topics for discussion, such as conspiracy theories, violence, twenty-four hour media cycles, and our obsession with consuming goods.

Now, what I did next was panic because I had been living on this planet for nearly forty years and had only read one DeLillo book, and now realized it was a huge mistake and  needed to get a move on. I chose Libra because it was the next novel he wrote and at that time I thought, oh hell, I’ll just finish this guy’s library. Libra imagines the life of Lee Harvey Oswald and what may have led up to the assassination of JFK. If you like a little conspiracy CIA plot in your books, this is excellent.

Next I chose Mao II which is about a reclusive writer (think Salinger) who spends his life writing a novel he refuses to finish (once published it will cease to be art).  Themes of violence and commercialism abound; this is my favorite DeLillo book.

Writing this, I realize that all of these books are really great for book groups--tons of stuff to discuss, all incredibly relevant. So in my opinion these are all good jumping off places for DeLillo and it’s a safe bet you will read more than one of his books. 

Book Group Picks to Kick Off 2012

Now that we've shaken off the holiday season, it's time to grudgingly associate with acquaintances while pretending to care about their children and drinking lots and lots of wine, all under the pretense of reading the same books together.  I think if Gianna and I had a book group and I got to name it, I'd call it "Dear God I Resent You People."  In other news, yes, I'm still single.  Still, we love the idea of book groups because we love the idea of people buying and reading books.  We want to stay employed.  Here are some of our top book group picks, new or coming out soon in paperback, for the first three months of 2012.


Gianna's Picks:

The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht

Random House

Paperback out now

For those keeping track, this is the 147^th time that either Liz or I have blogged about this book. That is only one fewer than Let’s Take the Long Way Home (which is also an excellent book group choice). The Tiger’s Wife is textured, compelling, mystical, and multi-dimensional. It is a heartfelt work of serious literary fiction that only comes around once every few years. I’ve said this before, but Tiger’s Wife will be read for generations. I would say that if you are in a book group that truly cherishes literature, this is a must.

Open City by Teju Cole

Random House

1/17/12

This absolutely stunning work by Teju Cole has several built-in discussions/themes for book groups: the Holocaust, slavery, 9/11, genocide, and the invasion of Iraq are a few that will keep the discussion going late into the evening…so, you know, bring extra wine.

Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton

Random House

1/24/12

Blood, Bones, and Butter is quite simply one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read, while officially it may actually be a food memoir. Memoirs can be very hit or miss for book clubs, but I would put this in the hit column. The writing is as fine as anything you will read. I would compare it to All Over but the Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg, or Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl (a huge book club favorite).

 

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

Random House

2/1/12

I wanted to include a really good yet more commercial book on my list and Lisa See immediately came to mind. She brings timeless themes to every book: belonging, love, family (particularly sisters and mothers and daughters), and what it means to belong. Dreams of Joy is an outstanding sequel to Shanghai Girl; I highly recommend both books for clubs.

Welcome to Utopia by Karen Valby

University of Texas Press

3/1/12

Oh, how I love this book. I’ve read it three times and each time I find something new, something meaningful, something to hold on to. While the story of a small town in Texas, this small marvel of a book could have been nearly anywhere in this country. Themes are numerous and include: race, war, gender, family, change, the impact of pop culture, and what it means to live in a small American town. Utopia is a mix of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Last Picture Show. That’s a big statement, I am standing by it, and you know where I live.  Okay, if you actually know where I live that’s sort of creepy, but you know what I mean. [I'll send you Gianna's address for cash.]

Liz's Picks

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Random House

Paperback available now

Who doesn't love a good, creepy ghost story that echoes classics like Rebecca?  Who doesn't want to see the Harry Potter kid's new movie?  The Woman in Black is a chilling read that has the added bonus of being Daniel Radcliffe's first starring film role since he went wizard.  Here's a great opportunity to read the book and then see the movie as a group.

Snowdrops by A.D. Miller

Random House

2/7/12

The surprise Booker Prize finalist offers lots of discussion material for groups.  Modern Russia, dishonest women, the mob, the black market, bodies in the snow--this isn't your mama's book group pick.  It's a contemporary con novel and rumination on truth in a country where everything is relative.

House of Prayer No. 2 by Mark Richard

Random House

2/14/12

I'm actually a fan of the idea of memoirs for book group picks.  The added reality of a true story adds another level to the conversation, and House of Prayer No. 2 offers lots.  Mark Richard grew up with physical problems that had him relegated to hospitals and special needs schools even though he was plenty smart.  He also was a wayward youth searching for purpose who spent time working as a fisherman, painting houses, and loafing.  How he became a writer's writer is a story worth reading.

Chinaberry Sidewalks by Rodney Crowell

Random House

3/13/12

I think I've mentioned this book almost as much as Gianna has written about The Tiger's Wife.  It's my favorite non-fiction book of 2011, a spellbinding, beautifully written memoir of growing up in a low income family in Houston in the 50's.  Crowell has the ability to bring humor and love to a story that's also full of hardship and violence and kooky religious fundamentalism.  He writes like a poet.  I love this book.

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

Random House

3/20/12

I've written previously about this slender novel as well.  The Buddha in the Attic was deservedly nominated for the National Book Award last year.  It's the story of the women who came to the US as mail order brides to Japanese immigrants.  It details culture shock, struggle, and perseverance in the years between the turn of the century and the start of World War II.  The writing is impeccable and because there is no one protagonist, the structure itself adds to a discussion.  And it's really, really good.  Trust me.

30 More Days Book Challenge: Day 3

Day 3: What Your Book Group Should Read Next

Gianna:

Imagine that you are on a small commuter plane, a flight you have taken many times. Now imagine that shortly after take off you hear an explosion.  You look out your window and see a mangled propeller and engine dangling from the wing. The pilot must make an emergency landing. You know for over 9 minutes that your plane is going down. Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds to be exact. What do you do? [Help myself to the liquor?]

Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds by Gary M. Pomerantz is one of my favorite books. It is the unputdownable, completely riveting account of the 29 people on board flight 529 in 1995. On first glance you may think this is a book about a plane crash, but it is not. It is a portrait of everyday people and how they react in an extraordinary situation. [Wet myself?] When the pilot crash-lands the plane, all but one survive (Chances of surviving a plane crash are actually pretty good; 90% of plane crashes have survivors http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/5402342.stm). Here is where things get interesting – where our biology, our instincts take over. [Randomly punch another passenger?] The plane lands, but as you may know, the real danger of a plane crash is fire or explosion after landing; this is where things get dicey. Who are you? Do you help others? Do you trample others in order to save yourself? Are you paralyzed by fear and have to depend on someone else to save you? [Strip naked and sing showtunes?] And then…when all is said and done, how do you live with the consequences of your actions, or your inaction? What if you cost someone else his or her life? What if you don’t want to be a hero? I think of the reluctant hero Daniel Hernandez, 20 year-old intern for Gabrielle Giffords during the Tucson rampage. When Daniel heard the first gun shot ring out his instinct was to run toward it. Many others ran away – he ran toward it. You know his story and everything he did that day. He says he is not brave or a hero. But that day, he ran toward the gunfire. Would you stay inside a burning plane to help someone trapped in her seat or are you the first one out? [Well...someone has to open the door, right?] Oh…and that faulty propeller that caused the crash of Flight 529….they trace it to the inspector. Imagine being him. [Be fair.  Everyone slacks off on their jobs now and then.]

This book is incredibly moving and ultimately optimistic. I promise, it will lead to a lively and different kind book group discussion and you will forever be recommending Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds. And no, it won’t make you afraid to fly, but don’t read it on a plane.

Liz:

Since she won the Pulitzer Prize for A Visit from the Goon Squad earlier this year, Jennifer Egan and her linked story collection have risen to the top of many a book group's list.  It's an amazing book and worthy of all the attention.  Egan didn't just pop up out of nowhere, though.  After your group reads Goon Squad, spend a little more time with Ms. Egan and select Look at Me, her earlier, National Book Award-nominated novel. 

Look at Me has ranked high on my list of top ten favorite books since the day I finished it.  The story revolves around a model, one on the verge of Heidi Klum-level notoriety, who is involved in a car crash.  She survives, but the accident alters her appearance.  She's still stunning, but she's not quite recognizable as the face she once was.  Along with model Charlotte, Egan layers her story with other characters grappling with their identities, including a mysterious  young man who changes names and appearances regularly.  There is plenty to discuss here, and it's a literary novel that is still accessible for less literary groups.  Also, for book groups with men, much chatter was made this time last year about how men are reluctant to read books by women.  That's a real shame, and so I challenge men to read Look at Me too.  It's not a "girl" book.  It is great literature.