How I Saved My Father's Life by Ann Hood

I'm a day early!!  I officially feel awesome about myself. 


Anyways... I really enjoyed this book!  It follows Madeline, a 12 year old girl, who believes she has saved her father from an avalanche only to have her parents divorce and her father marry Ava Pomme, a sophisticated New Yorker.  The story mostly follows her during the first year of her parents' divorce as she comes to terms with what happened.

I really like this story because it deals with a theme every person can relate to even if their parents are not divorced.  Madeline has to come to terms with her father, who she thought was perfect, actually left his family for his new wife.  At first, she believes it's all her mother's fault for being so ordinary, but as she spends more time with her father and his new wife, pieces start to fall into place.  The story doesn't end with her having all the answers, but instead with her realizing that even though her father did something horrible, he's still her father and will be a big part of her life.

As someone who luckily didn't have to go through my parents' divorcing, I can't speak to how accurately this book portrays those feelings.  As an adult who has had to come to terms with the fact that my parents are imperfect people though, I loved how the book presented that realization.  Madeline was allowed to hate each of her parents for different reasons but decide at the end that she loved them both.  That's an important realization for teenagers to make... unfortunately too many people get disillusioned with their parents (or other people) and never get past realizing that they are real people.

This book could be the perfect springboard for a discussion between either a parent and their child or an older sibling and younger sibling about how adults aren't perfect, but you have to accept their imperfections and love them anyways.  (P.S. I own this book, but probably won't ever read it again, so if you want the book it's yours!)

New Reading Goal

A book and a post a week.  Due on Wednesday.  Don't expect one tomorrow because there probably won't be one.

I figure that maybe, just maybe that if I have something holding me accountable I'll actually read a book and think about it instead of just playing Minesweeper all night.  Now that I don't have the English program to keep me reading like a madman I need something new to keep me focused, and you all get to fill that role.  Hope you don't mind!

Also, if you read this on Google Reader, you should look at my actual blog.  I changed the whole look and feel thanks to the Google Template Designer and I LOVE it now!!

P.S. Don't be surprised if the form my reviews take changes somewhat in the future.  Just let me know what you like/don't like about the new reviews so I can take that into account.  I'm working on a project that I'm not quite ready to share with everyone yet.  I need to work through some logistics first in my head.

Saving Fish From Drowing by Amy Tan

I got this as a "whoopie" present at the 2008 O'Bryant New Year's Eve party, but didn't get around to reading it until now... which I really regret.  I'd always look at it and figure that someone had given it because it wasn't a very good book (for heaven's sake it hadn't been opened at all!).  I had only held onto it because no one else's presents looked any better.  Finally, when I decided I was going to read all the books I owned, I had to read it.  And I really really liked it.

If this book is any indication, Amy Tan has a beautiful writing style.  I loved how the story line moved.  There were two different related story lines that went back and forth beautifully, partially because there was the same narrator seeing everything.

This book really got me thinking about the way the media influences our views and perceptions of events.  In this story a group of tourists are kidnapped by a misguided group of indigenous people who believe the tourists will save them.  The story gets on the news and everyone tries to put their own spin on it.  The situation was really interesting to me because it's something that happens in our everyday lives.  The media tries so hard to make the smallest story huge, and big stories become ridiculous.  The book, true to life, told of all the different news outlets scrambling to get exclusive interviews with family members, friends, anyone connected to the people who had been kidnapped.  Any new piece of information (no matter how small) was heralded across the TV screen. 

So overall, I really loved this book.  Everything I've just told you makes it sound like a deep, serious book, but some of the situations are just so comical that you can't help but laugh.  It's not a terribly quick read, but it is worth it.