Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Our Little Infinity
"...it occurred to me that the voracious ambition of humans is never sated by dreams coming true, because there is always the thought that everything might be done better and again." - from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
Recommended reading.
I heard about it, and also heard it was sad. I vaguely knew it had a storyline focused on cancer, which also is a topic I struggle reading about. But, the Collector's Edition at Barnes and Noble caught my eye and I surrendered my hesitation. Besides reiterating how dangerous (and expensive) my visits to bookstores can be, it sure enough turned out to be a good buy.
For the better part of the first half of the story, I seriously questioned the popularity of this book. The writing was interesting (mostly), yes, but there was a tinge of superficiality. And then at some point, I think when the story's turning point in the plot really occurred, I was hooked. I wasn't hooked in the "Twilight" form of just wanting to know what happens, but rather in the "wow, this is a really good book, can't-put-it-down" kind of way.
I knew what was going to happen at the end when I reached the turning point. Normally, this was turn me off of a book. But John Green, I think, did this on purpose, investing me not only in the book's key relationship by telling me it would be short-lived, and then using every part of the story to reflect on how fleeting, yet meaningful, certain aspects of life can be. Not to mention conjuring up connections to my own personal romances and tragedies.
What surprised me most is that I actually teared up at the end. Not because what happened in the plot surprised me, but because of the writing - the words caught me by surprise and tears actually crawled down my cheeks.
And it was over, just like that. Despite knowing what would happen, I was surprised it actually ended. So abruptly and beautifully at the same time. And that's when I knew what the buzz was all about - why the bestseller, why the "Collector's Edition" as a marketing ploy, why it was recommended to me by so many different people.
So trust me, it's worth reading. The story reads like a Hollywood movie with more poetry. It's a love story that I can see being as culturally profound as Romeo and Juliet, and Green, although writing for teenagers, doesn't hesitate at all to make references to great works of literature through the ages. The characters are smart and witty while also being wise and dynamic. Philosophically, the book includes themes around life, love, time, and human relationships - nothing novel or new, but uniquely told through the lens of the type of tragedy anyone who has ever heard the word "cancer" can relate to.
Bear with the first half. You'll find that turning point and never look back.
Per Hazel Grace's eloquence, I say this about her story (as told by John Green): "Some infinities are bigger than other infinities...I can't tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity."
~MJ
PS Also really enjoyed The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. Another must read, explained via another blog. It's funny, poignant and high-quality. The movie is different in many ways, but also good. I recommend both, because very truly, "I believe in happy endings."
Monday, December 31, 2012
2012 Books
These are the books I read in 2012:
~MJ
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
- The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (Kindle)
- The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson
- The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings
- A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
- Gold by Chris Cleave (Kindle)
- The Leftovers by Tom Perotta
- How Children Succeed by Paul Tough (Kindle)
- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
- Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry (Kindle)
- Messenger by Lois Lowry (Kindle)
- Son by Lois Lowry (Kindle)
In process:
- Blasphemy by Sherman Alexie
- Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
- In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (Kindle)
- Aleph by Paulo Coelho
Books on the immediate reading list entering 2013:
- The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
- The Weird Sisters by Elanor Brown
- The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
- A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkein
Didn't read as much as I usually do, but I'm pleased with the books I read in 2012 - all the more reason to look forward to 2013!
~MJ
"The Giver" is a series!
So, maybe this isn't news to you, but it is to me! "The Giver" by Lois Lowry is the beginning of a quartet series!
The first book, written about 20 years ago, became one of my favorite books during my first year of teaching - although I had been hearing about it since middle school. What's the hype?
It is a dystopian novel about a young boy who begins to recognize that his seemingly perfect community is not as flawless as it seems. The first time I read it, I was upset at the ambiguous ending and thought I had put in the reading for naught. The more I read it with students, however, I loved the story more and more and realized how magical the story, and even its ending, are.
In her Newbery prize acceptance speech, Lois Lowry spoke of all the letters she received from children about the ending - complaints, praise, and even ideas about what the ending should have been. Lowry left it open on purpose - hoping that readers could create the ending that best suited their imagination.
And then came "Gathering Blue." I actually did read this in middle school, or, well, tried. Like the Giver, it's a little slower to start and also in a world so unfamiliar to mine that I couldn't anchor myself into the story and push through. I remember my students struggling with the beginning of the Giver in these ways, and how hard it was, on some days, to sell them on the idea that, "Really guys, this is a great book!"
When I first read "Gathering Blue" I had no idea about the Giver, nor did I know they were connected. With my second group of students, I found out that not only was "Gathering Blue" a companion to the Giver, but that "Messenger" made it a trilogy. I didn't make time to read either, but I had students who read Blue and highly recommended it to me.
Then I noticed, this fall, Lowry had a new book, "Son," meant to finally be the closing tale of the Giver "quartet." Kindle had new editions tying all four novels visually together so I gave the books a shot over winter break - and literally didn't look back.
Blue was still slow to start out, but got interesting about a third of the way through. I didn't have the problem of not being intrigued during the last two books - "Messenger" was a page-turner (finished it in a day) and "Son" was also incredible. Here's the low-down:
"Gathering Blue" is about a girl, who similar to the protagonist in the Giver, is in a controlling society and begins to wonder how it could be different. "Messenger" brings both books together through a third character, a boy who has seen good and bad communities and wants to bring them together. It is here that we realize that the communities in the prior two books exist in one world, and that world seems to be far in the future in our world, adding to the sense of dystopian society developing over time. "Son" ties all together, showing another character's perspective on "The Giver" story and bridging it to the characters in "Gathering Blue" and "Messenger."
In addition to the Giver's discussion of love, hope, pain, and war - the other three books have strong overtones related to America's immigration debate, family, friendship, sacrifice and an age-old battle between good and evil. Altogether fascinating and incredibly deep for YA novels.
Recommended reading for sure.
Lois Lowry (Amazon page), in addition to this series, has written so many other great books for children and young adults and has won numerous awards. She was one of my favorite authors to teach because she is such a prolific writer, and spoke about the purposes of writing and reading so often. Her work, and her words, really helped shape my philosophy of teaching literature, and also helped provide my students a lens in thinking about why they write and read.
Prime example? Also from the Newbery speech, Lowry said:
The first book, written about 20 years ago, became one of my favorite books during my first year of teaching - although I had been hearing about it since middle school. What's the hype?
It is a dystopian novel about a young boy who begins to recognize that his seemingly perfect community is not as flawless as it seems. The first time I read it, I was upset at the ambiguous ending and thought I had put in the reading for naught. The more I read it with students, however, I loved the story more and more and realized how magical the story, and even its ending, are.
In her Newbery prize acceptance speech, Lois Lowry spoke of all the letters she received from children about the ending - complaints, praise, and even ideas about what the ending should have been. Lowry left it open on purpose - hoping that readers could create the ending that best suited their imagination.
And then came "Gathering Blue." I actually did read this in middle school, or, well, tried. Like the Giver, it's a little slower to start and also in a world so unfamiliar to mine that I couldn't anchor myself into the story and push through. I remember my students struggling with the beginning of the Giver in these ways, and how hard it was, on some days, to sell them on the idea that, "Really guys, this is a great book!"
When I first read "Gathering Blue" I had no idea about the Giver, nor did I know they were connected. With my second group of students, I found out that not only was "Gathering Blue" a companion to the Giver, but that "Messenger" made it a trilogy. I didn't make time to read either, but I had students who read Blue and highly recommended it to me.
Then I noticed, this fall, Lowry had a new book, "Son," meant to finally be the closing tale of the Giver "quartet." Kindle had new editions tying all four novels visually together so I gave the books a shot over winter break - and literally didn't look back.
Blue was still slow to start out, but got interesting about a third of the way through. I didn't have the problem of not being intrigued during the last two books - "Messenger" was a page-turner (finished it in a day) and "Son" was also incredible. Here's the low-down:
"Gathering Blue" is about a girl, who similar to the protagonist in the Giver, is in a controlling society and begins to wonder how it could be different. "Messenger" brings both books together through a third character, a boy who has seen good and bad communities and wants to bring them together. It is here that we realize that the communities in the prior two books exist in one world, and that world seems to be far in the future in our world, adding to the sense of dystopian society developing over time. "Son" ties all together, showing another character's perspective on "The Giver" story and bridging it to the characters in "Gathering Blue" and "Messenger."
In addition to the Giver's discussion of love, hope, pain, and war - the other three books have strong overtones related to America's immigration debate, family, friendship, sacrifice and an age-old battle between good and evil. Altogether fascinating and incredibly deep for YA novels.
Recommended reading for sure.
Lois Lowry (Amazon page), in addition to this series, has written so many other great books for children and young adults and has won numerous awards. She was one of my favorite authors to teach because she is such a prolific writer, and spoke about the purposes of writing and reading so often. Her work, and her words, really helped shape my philosophy of teaching literature, and also helped provide my students a lens in thinking about why they write and read.
Prime example? Also from the Newbery speech, Lowry said:
"The man that I named The Giver passed along to the boy knowledge,
history, meories, color, pain, laughter, love, and truth. Every time you place a
book in the hands of a child, you do the same thing.
It is very risky. But each time a child opens a book, he pushes open the gate that separates him from Elsewhere. It gives him choices. It gives him freedom. Those are magnificent, wonderfully unsafe things."
Here's to reading and the journey that comes with it,
~MJ
It is very risky. But each time a child opens a book, he pushes open the gate that separates him from Elsewhere. It gives him choices. It gives him freedom. Those are magnificent, wonderfully unsafe things."
Here's to reading and the journey that comes with it,
~MJ
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