Recently in Books Category

I just want to take a moment to brag on myself.  I actually accomplished one of my goals in 2007.  In 2006 I pledged to attempt to read 75 books but came up one book short.  I renewed my pledge in 2007 and rededicated myself to the challenge.  And I succeeded in reading 80 books last year!

So that is one goal I can cross off as having met.  Who says no one achieves their New Year's Resolutions?

I am not going to make such a pledge this year, however, as it is already clear that my time and focus are going to be severely challenged.  Things might change, but right now I can't set that as a goal and be realistic.

I finally managed to read the first six books of Harry Potter so I could dive into the final book. Millions of people already know what happened but I am furiously trying to finish. When that is done I will come up for air and post on the whole HP saga, the wonderful British Open, and whatever else comes to mind.

See ya soon, and no spoilers!

I will confess to not being involved in the whole online social networking thing. I don't have a MySpace page, or twitter, or anything else.

But today I did stumble upon a couple of book orientated social networking sites and decided to try them out.

The first, is Shelfari:

Based in Seattle, Shelfari introduces readers to our global community of book lovers and encourages them to share their literary inclinations and passions with peers, friends, and total strangers (for now). Shelfari was the first social media site focused on books, and will continue to innovate as it brings together the world's readers. Our mission is the enhance the experience of reading by connecting readers in meaningful conversations about the published word.

Harry Potter fans please note that Shelfari is having a Seven Days of Harry Potter contest:

If you're like us, you love the Harry Potter books and you're gonna buy the book right away. If you post a review of Harry Potter 7 on Shelfari.com within a week of its release, you will be entered to win one of the prizes, including a signed copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

If that strikes you as simply more crass commercial marketing, then skip that part and just track your books and compare notes with friends.

- The other site I joined is Good Reads. Here is what the founder has to say about the site:

When I was in second grade, I discovered the Hardy Boys series. Ever since, I've loved to read — both for fun and to improve my mind. And I'm always looking for the next great book. Reviews on Amazon and other sites are helpful, but I thought there might be a better way.

One afternoon while I was scanning a friend's bookshelf for my next great read, it struck me. When I want to know what books to read, I'd rather turn to a friend than any random person, bestseller list or algorithm. So I thought I'd build a website — a website where I could see my friends' bookshelves and learn about what they thought of all their books.

Goodreads is that site. It is a place where you can see what your friends are reading and vice versa. You can create "bookshelves" to organize what you've read (or want to read). You can comment on each other's reviews. And on this journey with your friends you can explore new territory, gather information, and expand your mind.

I have to say after just a few moments of noodling around, I like the way this site works. I may just use this to track the books I read.

So if you enjoy this sort of networking sign up and connect with other avid readers.

The current issue of The New Republic contains a trio of hit pieces on conservatives and conservatism. I have already dealt with Sam Tanenhaus's shabby attempt to use Whitaker Chambers to attack George W. Bush. But Tanenhaus can't hold a candle next to Alan Wolfe's "review" of The Essential Russell Kirk. The scare quotes are necessary because the essay isn't really a review but rather a rambling practically incoherent attack on a man who dared to think, and live differently, than Wolfe.

Wolfe often poses as an objective academic but the tone of his piece is not one of respect and honest engagement but one of sneering contempt (ironic given Wolfe's title). Wolfe is actually a preening moralist judging everyone by his idiosyncratic views. His sloppy essay is ignorant of the history of conservatism and the wider scope of Kirk's work.

After Wolfe's piece was published National Review Online posted some responses and a lengthier essay by Jeffrey O. Nelson. This prompted a response from Wolfe.

There is good news and bad news in this whole affair. The good news is that perhaps this will spark more reading of Kirk who, even among conservatives, is more often gestured at then actually studied. The bad news is that there is a chance that some will be influenced by Wolfe's poisonous prose and it forces those of us seeking to defend Kirk to wade through his ignorant bile. The admittedly verbose post (or a shorter version see Ross Douthat) that follows is an attempt to answer Wolfe's charges and perhaps inspire you to read Russell Kirk.

What seems like billions of pixels have been spilled to debate the relative merit of, for lack of a better term, online book coverage. The battle lines seemed to have been drawn between the upstarts online and the elders of print (Despite the fact that the lines are not so clear). Various "experts" with haughty opinions have weighed in about what is or isn't good for "literature" or "books" or "reading." They have often leeped to the defense of so called professional, or perhaps traditional, newspaper book review sections. One organization mounted a campaign to "save" these sections (must stop using quotation marks). Which is all well and good except so many have felt the need to take snide swipes at blogs and other online sources. Uninformed, unprofessional, biased, gossipy, etc.

The online folks have risen to their own defense to a degree. Some have recognized valid criticisms others have pointed to the equally uninformed opinions of the denizens of print. Insults and barbs have been traded and emotions have run hot and cold.

This whole thing strikes me as silly. The format involved is mostly irrelevant. Does it matter whether a book review is online or in the paper? The format is simply a distribution tool. Obviously, those who make a living doing the distributing will want to think seriously about the future and debate how best to move forward. But for those of us who just enjoy books and book reviews, I fail to see how it matters. We are just looking for interesting, thoughtful, and varied discussion of books. Where and how means little in the long run.

If I want to get a sense of what a book might be like whether I go to my local newspaper, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, a local independent bookstore's website, or a blog doesn't really matter. What matters is if the source is one I can trust and has the information I need. Seeing as tastes and perspectives vary greatly, a reader needs to find a source that lines up with their own needs.

As anyone who has read this blog with any regularity knows, I am fascinated by the "professional" mini-reviews of places like Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus, etc. For one, I admire the skill it takes to capture a complex book in a few sentences. Not all of these reviews do that but those that do are quite impressive. I have a hard time squeezing all my thoughts and reactions down into a finely honed paragraph. So I admire those that can do so and still effectively communicate about the novel in question.

I also find it interesting how these quick hit reviews choose what to focus on; on how they balance the positive and negative. After all these reviews aren't really literary criticism, but aimed at giving people a good idea of what the book is like and whether it might line up with their tastes.

But I think it is a mistake to view these sources as somehow tainted with the greed and lust of consumerism; to view them as logical outgrowth of a industry that treats books like any other widget (perhaps more on the larger idea behind this criticism in another post). It seems to me that there is room for a wide variety of book discussion and a number of different ways to approach book reviews.

Let's face it, there are simple more books being published than one can get a handle on. In the face of this information overload, I think these mini-reviews serve a purpose. They summarize the plot and give one a sense of the style and skill of the author. I think they are a useful tool in making book buying decisions. Are they the only tool? Of course not, my own judgment, advice of friends, past experiences with the author, and more impact whether I buy, or read, a book.

I am sure there are plenty of people who don't care for these brief takes on books. I am also sure that authors are frustrated with a system that tries to capture their work in a few sentences. But so what? Surely the internet is big enough that we can let a thousand flowers bloom. Can't we have discussions and reviews of practically any size and scope? Can't we enjoy and use multiple tools and sources depending on our need, tastes, mood, etc.?

Sometimes I enjoy a long essay-like book review that uses a book to discuss big ideas and that has the time and space to dig deeper. Sometimes I want a short take that simple lets me know what a book is about and gives me sense of its worth. Sometimes I enjoy, or want, the opinion of experts, of people who have spent considerable time on a subject, while other times I may enjoy reading the opinions of someone who simply enjoys books. And of course, there are a great many attributes in between expert and amateur.

And I think this is the beauty of online discussion of books, you can find practically anything you want. With the risk of sounding like a raging relativist, I think we can enjoy all sorts of things without labeling one style or format good and another bad.

Sorry about the radio silence of late but off-line life has been intruding. I have some reviews and some opinions I would like to share but I need to find some time to get them down in pixels.

There has been a lot of discussion in lit blogs about local newspaper coverage of books. Ohio papers are working at unique ways to bring coverage to the web. I thought I would offer some links to give you an idea of what this entails.

- The Columbus Dispatch is looking to start an online book club and has asked readers to pick the first book. The choices are: Up in Honey's Room by Elmore Leonard; The Woods by Harlan Coben; or The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon.

- Dispatch Book Critic Bill Eichenberger has also started a blog with the rather pedestrian title of Book Blog. One small complaint: good luck finding it from the main page of the paper's website!

- Dayton Daily News also has a book blog more inventively titled Book Nook.

- The Cincinnati Enquirer's Sara Pearce has a book blog called LitChick.

- The Cleveland Plain Dealer (or at least Cleveland.com) doesn't have a book blog but has been running reviews from Blogcritics for some time now and, unlike some of the other papers, they have a nice - and easy to find - book section.

I haven't done any research on other papers. Does your local or state paper have a book blog or a good online book section? It would be interesting to see how many papers are moving in this direction.

- The Publishing Contrarian has a cranky and contrarian post about book reviewers. More on this post when I have a chance.

- Be sure to check out the latest edition of Open Letters Monthly. I am particularly interested in this article in which Sam Sacks laments the great divorce of Christianity from literature.

- I am not hip to all of this social networking going on via the Internets, but I am told it is quite popular. One such site is Gather.com which bills itself as

a free social networking website where members can find and share the best user-created content online. Gather.com members are rewarded for their participation with Gather Points™, or even cash for top contributors.

They are in the midst of a First Chapters Writing Competition which will "launch the career of one talented Gather member and introduce many others to the industry." More information is available here. If this strikes you as some sort of marketing scam feel free to ignore it. If, however, you enjoy this sort of thing (social networking, contests, etc.) please do check it out.

The focus around here of late has been on sports and politics, but never fear books will return to the forefront. I have a couple of reviews in the works, but until then here are a few links for your reading pleasure:

- Unbridled Books has posted another podcast:

This episode of Unbridled Aloud features Timothy Schaffert, author of the widely-praised novel, The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God, and the forthcoming (in 2007) novel, Devils in the Sugar Shop. The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God is a blithe and redemptive seriocomic love story filled with country music, endearing family misadventures, and an ironic brand of down-home religion.

- In case you missed it, Dzanc Books has announced their first title:

Dzanc Books is proud to announce we have found the book that will become our first title: Roy Kesey's extraordinary debut short story collection, All Over. Dzanc Books will publish All Over in October 2007.

Roy Kesey has been hailed as one our best young writers, and All Over presents 19 of his most original and provocative stories. George Saunders called Kesey's writing, "beautiful and powerful ... mythic, vivid, heart-rending." Roy's work has appeared in over 50 top flight journals, including Alaska Quarterly Review, Mississippi Review, and The Georgia Review. Several of the stories in All Over have previously appeared in journals such as Kenyon Review, McSweeney's, Other Voices, and The Iowa Review.

- John Nadler over at Contemporary Nomad has an interesting post on Secretary of Defense designee Robert Gates.

In case anyone is wondering, yes I still read fiction and will be reviewing plenty of it here in the days and weeks to come. This week has had a rather somber focus, what with books on death and war and whatnot. I thought it might be good to bring fiction back into the picture.

I am currently reading A Short History of a Small Place in anticipation of reading the recently released sequel Glad News of the Natural World . I have found it to be a delightful read so far and have read a number of passages out loud to my wife. I thought I would share a passage with you as well. In describing the latest work, Publishers Weekly says "the novel rambles gracefully." This seems an apt description. And, as long as you are in the mood for it, isn't a particularly harsh criticism to my mind.

The section quoted below describes how the narrator, Louis Benfield, comes to know it is winter. It struck me as true and poetic.

So once a year in November I wake up on a Saturday with the sort of felling that must come over birds just before they migrate, and I get straight out of bed into my playclothes and put on my carcoat and my work gloves and my green corduroy hat with the earflaps and I fetch the rake out of our cellar and set out for the bottom of the back lot, where I am condemned to thrash at the mock orange bushes for the balance of the day. And that is when it usually happens, not while I'm still trying to extract from the mock oranges everything that has blown or fallen into them in the course of the year, but after I have left off from the struggle for a spell and have sat down on the grass where I pluck at the rakehead to make the tines sing, and I listen to the sound of the sprung metal dying away sometimes mixed with the cry of a hound or the low, indecipherable noise of a voice on the air, and suddenly I am aware of the sort of chill I haven't known in a year and I notice that the sky is very high and tufted and the color of ash in a grate, which is the color of my breath, which is the color of the afternoon, which is the color of the season; and I know it isn't autumn anymore.

I received the following email from Amazon.com:

We've noticed that customers who have purchased Gilead: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson also purchased books by James Kachadorian. For this reason, you might like to know that James Kachadorian's Passive Solar House: Using Solar Design to Cool And Heat Your Home will be released soon. You can pre-order your copy at a savings of 37% by following the link below.

Huh? Can someone make the connection between Robinson's novel and solar heating your home? Does this say something about Gilead readers? Are the liberal Greens or conservative crunchies? Are did the Amazon computers just burp out a mistake?