Friday, April 29, 2011

The Royal Wedding

It should come as no surprise to the readers of this blog that I have been very excited about the Royal Wedding. Congratulations Will and Kate! I have taped 8 hours of wedding coverage and will spend my evening on the sofa with tea and scones, watching the ceremony.

Before I go watch the coverage, however, and in honour of the royal couple, I thought I would share with you one of my favourite books. The book is particularly appropriate for today: Two Centuries of Royal Weddings by Christopher Warwick.

The book covers all the royal weddings from Princess Charlotte to Prince Michael of Kent. As it is a bit old, it stops right before Charles and Diana. However, you get all the weddings of every other important figure from Princess Charlotte on. You learn about the race to get married and father an heir after Princess Charlotte dies. You learn about the marriages of Queen Victoria's children. And, finally, you learn about all the important marriages of the royals in the 20th century.

Warwick has a pleasant writing style and the book flows well. Enough history is explained in the beginning for the reader to understand who the people are, and Warwick gets more detailed as we move into the 20th century and to weddings which might be of more interest to the general reader (such as the wedding of our current Queen, Elizabeth II, in 1947).

What I really enjoy about the book is its mix of history and gossip. You learn about the royal family members, but also about some of the lighter gossip surrounding the parties - nothing malicious is repeated here. Warwick is also a style correspondent - he describes the outfits of the bride and guests. He's like a history buff with an eye for fashion.

I wouldn't mind an updated version of this book to encompass the weddings of Charles and Diana, Andrew and Sarah, Anne and Timothy Laurence, Edward and Sophie, and Charles and Camilla - if only to have all the photos of the many lovely gowns! Or a look back at the royals before Princess Charlotte. However, this book is a good read for anyone who wants to learn some of the history of other royal weddings and take a look back at some of the weddings of William's relatives.

Now it is off to my couch for tea, scones, and the Royal Wedding! I do wish Will and Kate all the best and hope that their marriage is strong and happy.



Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Legend of King Arthur

In addition to my recent read about Robin Hood, I also read a book based (loosely) on that most famous of British legends: King Arthur. Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones uses the Arthurian legend as a jumping-off point for a very interesting story.

Hexwood is a very confusing book to describe. And to read, actually. I have had to read it a number of times and it's only recently that I think I've started to get it. It's easier to put the pieces together on a reread.

There are two entwined stories in Hexwood. The first is a story about a young girl named Ann who is recovering from a long illness. Ann lives in a small English village near the industrial complex of Hexwood Farm and the forest of Banners Wood. Something strange is going on at Hexwood Farm and Ann is determined to find out what it is. The only way into the Farm is through Banners Wood, and that is where Ann goes as soon as she is feeling better. However, what Ann encounters in Banners Wood is even stranger than what she thought she was seeing happen at Hexwood Farm.

The second story involves an intergalactic organization that appears to be in control of Earth, as well as a number of other planets. Who are the members of the mysterious Reigner Organization and how are they connected with Earth? What is this mysterious device located in Hexwood Farm and how is it affecting the inhabitants of Ann's village? And, finally, how is King Arthur connected to these two very distinct stories?

I told you it was confusing. I suppose I could be slightly more clear, but I've only just figured it out myself. I think. Plus, I think it would spoil the book too much if I gave away the answers I have before you've read it. With this book, I think the reader should go in knowing little and try and figure it out along the way - that's more fun anyway! Time, plot, and characters are all confusing in this book. But I don't mind being confused - I like that the author assumes that I am smart enough to figure everything out - after a few readings. If you are interested in fantasy, sci-fi, and the legend of King Arthur, read this book. Let me know your thoughts and theories and we can discuss our ideas together.

If you're just interested in King Arthur without an extra layer of fantasy/sci-fi, the best modern adaption (that I have read, anyway) is by Rosemary Sutcliffe. Her brief, spare retellings contain the full essence of the myth without any overdramatization. Her books are good to learn the basic facts. If you want a more detailed and imaginative look into the Arthurian realm, you can try Guinevere, Queen of the Summer Stars by Persia Woolley. This book is one of a series that looks at the Arthurian legends from Guinevere's point of view. They are excellent reading. And, finally, I recently picked up Gwenhwyfar: The White Spirit, by Mercedes Lackey, from the library. I'm curious to see how the Queen of Fantasy interprets the stories of Arthur.


Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Incomplete Polygamist

The first part of my quest to read popular books was going really well. I enjoyed the two non-fiction books I had to read, but stalled when it came to the fiction book. My first popular fiction choice was The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall. Now, I love Sister Wives on TLC (don't watch Big Love, however, don't get HBO and I'm not interested enough to search out where it might be on), so I figured I'd love this book.


Well, yes and no. The first chapter was terrific - I felt pulled in and connected immediately. I understood both the loneliness and chaos that defines Golden's life. Golden is the main character - the titular Lonely Polygamist. He is the patriarch of his family, the somewhat happy husband of 4 wives and father of numerous children. Right away in the first chapter the reader is introduced to the chaos and disorder of a big family - made even more chaotic by expansion of that family. I was intrigued and interested. I wanted to read more.


But then, I don't know, somehow it just dropped off. I don't know if that's because I was leaving it to read late at night when I was tired, but somehow I just didn't feel as driven to read the book. Sure, I was still enjoying the characters and was interested in reading more about Golden, but I wasn't compelled to pick up the book. Perhaps that had something to do with the structure: the author jumps from Golden's current perspective, to that of his wife Trish, to his son Rusty, to Golden's past, and to a mysterious omniscient narrator in italics that talks about the house in general. I liked all the different voices, but it did make the book a little difficult to come back to if I'd been away from it for a little while. Also, I just kind of wanted to hear about Golden's story. I am interested in Trish, but I would rather that she had her own story. Rusty I wasn't really interested in as much as the adults.


So, sadly, I returned The Lonely Polygamist to the library when it was due, without having finished it. I think it is a book I will eventually enjoy, but I think it just fell through the cracks at the moment. I think I'll give it a try this summer when I have a few days and nothing else much going on.


In happier book news, I picked up Game of Thrones at the library today. Now I will get to see what all the women-unfriendly hype is all about!

Friday, April 15, 2011

Fantasy Women

Part of my usual evening Internet-surfing ritual involves checking out the Jezebel website. Even though it's sadly gone downhill since the redesign, it's a still an interesting site to check out for current events with a feminist focus. The best part is the commenters - they are witty and wonderful!

Anyway, I was reading the Jezebel website and came across this interesting article: http://ca.jezebel.com/5792290/in-game-of-thrones-review-new-york-times-explains-women-hate-fantasy-novels. (And, yes, I know there is a way to link a link in text and I tried it in html and it didn't work. You'll just have to copy and paste into your browser.) Basically, the NY Times writer thinks that women dislike fantasy, so that is why the new fantasy miniseries on HBO, Game of Thrones, has to put in all the romance and stuff, or women will never watch. (Never mind the fact that apparently all the romance is already in the book - which I have not read.) (But have put on hold at the library!)

As an avid fantasy reader who is also female, I obviously think that the writer is wrong. It is true that not all women like fantasy. But that is true about nearly every genre of books! Not all women like historical fiction/romance/true crime/gardening/non-fiction/chick-lit/mystery/insert genre here books. There are a wide variety of women out there, with a wide variety of tastes in books. Some of those women will like fantasy books. Some of those women will not.

I happen to be a woman who likes fantasy. I like it because it takes me to a world that is not my own. When I read, I don't want to read about everyday problems - I have enough of my own to deal with. I'd rather read about the kinds of problems people in fantasy novels encounter: sorcerers, magicians, dragons, knights, and the like. The problems in fantasy novels are always so much greater than my own: there are kingdoms to save, worlds to establish, evil to vanquish. These books make my minor annoyances about the crowded train vanish - or at least make bearable for awhile.

Fantasy is not the exclusive preserve of either men or women. Both parties can read and enjoy fantasy novels. Fantasy novels don't have to be altered to attract women either: not every fantasy reader likes every fantasy writer. I quite like Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, Tamora Pierce, and Robin McKinley. Other people may hate these writers - and that's okay!

The writer of the piece says that women aren't interested in fantasy because they are busy reading other kinds of "book-club" type novels. (Ones with big, important themes that tend to be read for book-clubs.) Or, at least, the author has never met a woman who would rather read fantasy than a book by Lorrie Moore. (I had to look her up - she's an award winning short story writer.) Maybe the author is just not meeting the right kind of people. I think she needs to expand her book-club and add some women with different points of view. Women who like fantasy/sci-fi/romance/mystery books. Try reading outside your genre for awhile - you might like it!

Basically, all I am trying to say is that many women like and love fantasy novels. For me, it's because they offer more escapism and enjoyable plots than many contemporary fiction works. I have not read Game of Thrones, but do admit that it sounded like the type of book I would be interested in. I have put it on hold at the library, and I'm interested now to read it - especially since the NY Times author thinks I won't like it. Fantasy novels don't have to be adapted for TV/movies to appeal to women - many of them already do. In fact, I hope that my favourite fantasy stories will never make it to TV or film, so they won't get ruined by a producer trying to change what is so special about the story to make it more commercial. I love my fantasy novels, and I will continue reading them and writing about them.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

In Sherwood Forest

Today's book is one of my favourites by one of my favourite authors. I must admit, I don't pull it out very often, but every time I read it I fall in love with it all over again.

The book is The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley. No surprise, it is a retelling of the Robin Hood story. We learn how Robin first became an outlaw, gathered his band of merry men, and established his rivalry with the Sheriff of Nottingham. All the old favourites are here: Maid Marian, Little John, Will Scarlett, Friar Tuck. And there are some new favourites too, which I will leave to the reader to discover.

What I especially like about this book is its blend of myth and history. McKinley doesn't have to be historically or factually accurate because she is addressing a character of myth and legend, but the historical touches lend veracity to her story. It is historical tale softened by legend, and legendary character made real by grounding in history.

The hero himself, Robin, is a practical, pessimistic, and even humble figure. He is no outsize superhero as painted by legend, but soon is portrayed as one by the public. The Outlaws of Sherwood shows the man behind the bow, and then builds up the legend further as tales of Robin's heroics spread throughout England. The reader also gets introduced to the backstories of other characters like Will Scarlett and Little John and they become more developed as people. The characters move out of the mists of legend and become real characters, pulling the reader in and humanizing the myths. The reader feels the power of the legend more strongly because of the human connection. I have yet to read this book and not cry at the end.

McKinley is a terrific author. As seen previously with her fairy-tale retellings, she is exceptional at taking stock fairy-tale characters and imbuing them with life and warmth. These are real people with real feelings - hopes, dreams, good points and bad. The Outlaws of Sherwood is an enjoyable book and a gripping read. You will be swept up in the plot and will not want to leave Sherwood Forest behind at the end of the novel.


Saturday, April 9, 2011

What's up, Doc?

The other day I watched the documentary/movie Freakonomics, based on the popular best-seller that I read last year. Given that I've read the book, I thought I would share my thoughts on the movie with you.

I did see it a little while ago, so my memory is rusty, but from what I recall, the movie is pretty good. They address a number of topics from the book in entertaining and different ways. Sometimes they stick to the story from the book. Sometimes, they go further and explore the theme from the book and look at new research and information on the topic. Sometimes, the information is not directly related to the book, but is similar thematically.

For example, one of the topics they looked at was cheating in sumo wrestling, as had been discussed in the book. However, the filmmakers took it further and looked at some recent news on cheating in sumo wrestling and some journalists who are working to bring the truth about cheating to light. It was an interesting glimpse into Japanese society.

Each subject was directed by a different director. The authors of the book framed each segment, so the overall style of the film was the same, but each segment reflected the style of that particular director. It is difficult to make facts and figures be entertaining on the big screen, but I thought the graphics designers did a good job translating the concepts to the movies.

I was a little disappointed that the movie didn't discuss one of my favourite parts of the book: the economics of drug dealing. I would have liked to hear more from the economist who did the studies on the drug dealer that kept good records of his "business" that were analyzed economically.

Overall, the movie was enjoyable. I'd heard negative reviews of the movie, and, while it was not as good as the book (because not everything translates to the movies), it was still an enjoyable, and informative, evening.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Election Mania

When I read Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin and the Race of a Lifetime, the Canadian election was just a gleam in Michael Ignatieff's eye. Now it's a full-blown reality and this book is even more timely than ever!

I am a political junkie. I'm interested in what's going on, and I am genuinely excited about the election - both as a citizen of Canada and an observer. I like to make my own predictions about what's going to happen and then settle down the night of the election with a bowl of popcorn to watch the results.

Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin is perfect for a political junkie like me. It tells the story of the 2008 American election. The authors cover both sides - the battle between Obama and Hillary for the Democratic Party nomination, and then switches to McCain's race and his selection of Palin. The authors finish with the race for President by both McCain and Obama and ends with the election.

I found this book fascinating. I loved the inside perspective it gave of life on the campaign trail and all of the strategizing that goes on behind the scenes. It was really neat to see how a campaign comes together and how decisions are made. I felt sad for Hillary as I read about her campaign and just how close a race it really was between her and Obama.

I was fascinated by the process used to pick the Presidential candidate's running mate (the VP candidate). Every aspect of the candidate's life is vetted. The researchers examine the candidate's life, as well as the lives of the candidate's family and friends. Usually this happens. However, it did not happen with Palin and reading that part of the book was intriguing at just how little thought went in to her selection as the VP candidate.

I do, as usual, have one slight bone to pick. There are lots of people in this book. Lots of people. Every candidate is surrounded by all kinds of campaign workers. They're all introduced and described at that time, but there were too many of them. I can't remember all of these names - especially as I was never sure how important the people were. I could eventually figure out who did what as the book progressed, but there were too many names to remember. I wouldn't have minded a chart at the beginning of the book saying who did what.

That said, I'm really glad I read this book. It was one I wanted to read when it came out, and I'm glad I actually did take it out of the library instead of just thinking about it. It's the perfect book for political junkies - it reads like a political thriller, but it's all true! Will the Canadian election of 2011 be as exciting? Probably not - but I'll be watching with my popcorn all the same.



Saturday, April 2, 2011

Space, the final frontier

The first read of my top 10 non-fiction books (as chosen by Entertainment Weekly) is Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach. It's easy to see why this book is one of the top non-fictions books of 2010: it is smart and funny. The book is easy to read and is packed full of interesting facts about space travel and humanity's quest to conquer it. This is what science writing should be like: witty, intelligent, and smart. The book doesn't talk down to people, but recognizes that the people reading this book are likely not scientists, and so does a good job of explaining potentially difficult concepts.

Packing for Mars is not a history of space travel, but it does follow the evolution of space travel throughout the decades to show how space technology has evolved. Instead, the book is about the practical things - how do astronauts eat in space? How does the lack of gravity affect humans? How do we study the effect of no gravity on objects to be used in space travel? The book answers all these questions and more.

Mary Roach approaches every topic enthusiastically. She hunts down Russian astronauts, pornographic footage, people on bed-rest for a study, and a parabolic plane with the same zeal and enthusiasm. You feel that Mary Roach really is interested in space travel and how humans would be able to get to Mars. She's the Everywoman of space writing - she asks all the questions the regular joes want to know but would never ask.

I really enjoyed this book very much. It was interesting to learn what astronauts eat in space, and all the testing that has to go in to every object that is going to go into space. One interesting thing was all the different experiments that have been performed in the name of the space program - many with animals. In fact, animals were a vital part of the space program in the beginning. It is always sad to hear about animal testing, but interesting in that many of the scientists involved had really good relations with their animal subjects.

However, the main thing I learned was that I never want to go to space. I had always thought it would be kind of neat to go to space (not that I had a chance anyway!), but now you'll never catch me going on some rocket ship! I don't think I could handle the strange food, everything floating (even crumbs - you can't eat anything with crumbs in space because the crumbs just float everywhere), the "unique" bathroom experiences, the cramped space, and the deathly vacuum outside. Earth is perfect for me, thanks!

Even though I'll be staying on Earth with my cats, I think I'd like to read more about space. It's a very interesting topic, even if I don't want to go there. Also, I think I will check out Mary Roach's other books. Her writing style is excellent - humorous and informative. I recommend Packing for Mars for everyone - even if you don't usually like science books, I think you will enjoy this one.