She is hysterical. I loved this book. I laughed aloud (especially at the article about purses), and I connected emotionally to her final essay about death.
I read several Amazon "reviews" about the book, most written by people who loved the book. But I also read the reviews by people who were really disappointed by it--and you know? They made me angry! I get so defensive when I really like a book and someone disses it. Some described it as vapid and too short. Vapid? Are you kidding me? And it is what it is, length wise. She said what she had to say and what she wanted to say, and then she was done.
The thing is, I connected with this collection of essays more than I thought I would. She is writing about being over 60 much of the time, and I still have 23 years before 60. Nevertheless, I have been going through such a crisis about age and death since the birth of my last baby. And Ephron found me there, and she made my laugh at it, and she validated it and she made me sad about it. Thank you, Nora Ephron. I hope you stay well, and later die well. I think you'd know what I mean by that.
I finally got my hands on Cupcake. I had wanted listen to it as I had to Gingerbread and Shrimp, but I don't think it's out on recording yet; either that or libraries haven't purchased it. It was fun to read, though. I didn't love it as much as I did the other two, but it was still yummy. I love the detailed descriptions of what CC eats--or wants to eat--. Oh! I just wanted to chow down on cupcakes! I think it's great that CC fills out, and loves that she has filled out. But I think I have finally tired of her, even though I still adore her character.
Although I have not talked about training yet, I am about to begin talk about it. A lot. I thought I could make this blog purely about my reading, but what I really want to talk about is triathlon--and training--and figuring out how to train without over-training and without abandoning my family. I am competing in Timberman, a 1/2 Ironman, in a little less than a month.
Tomorrow I go for a 48 mile bike ride followed by a 60 min transition run. I go on most of my training rides alone (probably inadvisable) but I find it's not efficient enough to ride with a group. If I have to work out for four hours on a Sunday, I'd rather not add an hour or two in travel, set up, schmoozing, and taking breaks, even if I do have company, and even if it is safer, and even if I do learn a great deal from riding with other people. I am too tried right now to be insightful or funny, so I will report in tomorrow.
I've been reading the blogs of a few YA authors I really like--namely those of Sarah Dessen, Meg Cabot and Rachel Cohn. Cohn actually has a website and a My Space page, not technically a blog, and Sarah Dessen and Meg Cabot actually have Live Journals, but whatever. I don't know why I'm drawn to these sites. Dessen's is really a legitimate journal, and I assume she maintains it just so she is writing everyday and has an audience every day. I have to wonder if she has another journal still, a journal that she doesn't share with the entire world. Meg Cabot's journal is really an extended advertisement for her various books with a few tidbits about her life mixed in. I don't begrudge her this--but it definitely feels more faux then Dessen's.
Sarah Dessen is pregnant with her first child. I have to restrain myself from posting comments on her site when she writes about the travails of being pregnant. She's having trouble focusing, has cravings, is trying to finish a book which is difficult when pregnant. I just want to scream, OhmiGod! Just wait, honey! Being pregnant is no picnic, I agree--but having the actual baby (and by that I don't mean just the actual giving birth part) rocks your world like nothing you've ever known. It doesn't even rock it--it decimates it--and you must attempt to re-create it and you while being unbelievably drained and exhausted. The actual birth process is akin to running several marathons back to back, after which there is not rest for the weary--but instead the beginning of non-stop soothing, nursing, rocking, crying (both you and the baby), sweating, and identity crisis all done on little to no sleep. I really think that God planned it this way on purpose. The first months are like Motherhood Boot Camp. It's like you are slammed into motherhood with such overwhelming force that after you make it through those first months nothing can ever shake you in the same way again (barring war, death, homelessness--etc. you can get the point.) Not even having future children affects you the same way as the first. For subsequent pregnancies you have no time to ponder how tired you are or the craving you have. You just move, move, move! Your perspective completely changes.
I say all this only because I'm curious to see if Dessen will continue to write in her livejournal during the months after she gives birth, and if she does, how her public presentation to the world will be manifest.
On a slightly different note I have been thinking about how so many teachers I know have decided not to have their own children. They want to work with children all day, every day, but they don't want to have their own little rugrats. I find this curious. I also find it curious that so many of these incredible children's/YA authors don't have kids--Meg Cabot and Rachel Cohn for starters. They get kids, they write for kids, yet they don't have their own kids. It could be that Cohn is single and therefore doesn't want a child or doesn't feel she is in a position to have one. Who knows. Cohn doesn't really keep a published journal, so it's hard to know who she is or about her life.
I love reading people's journals. I'm not exactly sure what this means about me. I love first person narration as well, though, so perhaps I'm just interested in story--people's own versions of their own stories. It's different reading a journal by someone who is publishing to the world, with the intent of being read by as many people as possible. I suppose it's a good move in terms of marketing and in terms of writing practice. But how does one decide what is appropriate to share and what is not? How much of Dessen's journal is a contrivance? I think reading people's private world in bonafide journals (ie, finding your Grampa's journal in the attic long after he has passed away) much more interesting in that the words weren't intended for a mass audience. Or were they? I always imagine that someday someone will read my journals, even though they are ostensibly private. I still feel I am writing to or for
someone, not just myself.
Enough.
I have been reading two books simultaneously this week, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld and Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson. I have quite a bit to say about both. I love the both. Do I ever hate a book? That is the big question. Maybe I've just gotten really good at picking out books I know I will like? Anyway, I have a lot to say about these books, but I'm sick of writing. Ciao!
YA BOOK REVIEW
I read the sequel to Gingerbread--Shrimp, by Rachel Cohn. Loved it! Cyd Charisse is just so delicious. I think my favorite aspect of her character is her sensuality. She loves boys and food and music. She is just such a full, living, sensual character. She makes you want to lick the frosting off of cupcakes, dress up in wild clothing, and cut loose. It's fabulous that CC indulges in what she loves and doesn't worry about becoming fat, or frowned upon or labeled. She is who she is. It completely works that she will end up at culinary school. I also love that she eats what she wants and stays slender. Anything is possible in fiction! All of the characters, in my opinion, are full and developed. They are perhaps all a little too gorgeous, especially the oh so perfect Amber, but again, anything is possible in fiction and I love that I want to become a part of CC's life and be inspired by her vim.
I don't want it to work out with Shrimp. Not that I don't like his character; I do. It's just that CC needs to find herself in NYC, and being with Shrimp clouds that , I think. I'm eager to read Cupcake to find out how things turn out. I love that each book in the trilogy uses a food as its title. Works given CC's character.
Are Gingerbread , Shrimp and Cupcake okay for you to read? Lots of high school content in these books. I think they are really only for Grade 8 and up. Nevertheless, it's not up to me, and I encourage you to write about your reactions to these books in your log if you do happen to read them.
Because I loved Shrimp so much and Cupcake wasn't available at the library, I che
cked out Pop Princess, also by Cohn. Loved it too! I loved it like you love a choclately brownie, though. It was sweet going down--I read it in one sitting--but it's not exactly "good" for you reading. The characters, including Wonder, the title character, is not partcularly developed and the plot is predictable and shallow, much like a pop princess hit song. But also like a pop hit, it's catchy and fun and definitely tasty.
It seems pretty clear that the book is modeled after Britney Spears and co, who began as Musketeers and are now media sensations with top-selling pop albums and scandal and hype surrounding their every move. I found it very hard to believe that Wonder could just return to everyday life after her shot to stardom, but naturally I was glad, as I was supposed to be, that she went home (or close to home, anyway) again to grow up. I wanted her to at least have somewhat of a relationship with Dartmouth man (was it Dartmouth?) but I thought the scenario was believable. The fact that Wonder gives it up to him was disappointing but also real, and I appreciated that. Wonder, no matter how much of a flat character, was more real to me than say, Mara in this regard.
This is another book that is for the most part harmless, but does include some s.e.x and drinking. Again--grade 8 and up.
