Purple Hibiscus

Purple Hibiscus

by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie

I love this time of the year, it’s always a reading frenzy!  Nice summer days away with lots of free time to read numerous RA Fav Books.  Finished another book, Purple Hibiscus, by author Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie.  The book is set in Nigeria during the time of political unrest and difficult economic times within the country and focuses on the Achike family: Eugene (father), Chukwuka (mother), Kambili (daughter), Jaja (son).  The story is told through the eyes of Kambili, aged fifteen, whose family lives in much greater means than her neighbors.  Her father, a devote Catholic, almost zealot-like, is seen as the leader within the community and helps oversee the local newspaper, which is very outspoken against the political regime attempting to take power.  Eugene expects his family to reject all appearances of sin, pray multiple times a day, and to avoid ALL things that would have them turn against God, even to the point of beating his family (which he does often throughout the book).  Kambili and Jaja are the main focus of his anger, beating them in different ways to punish them for their evil ways.  Kamili and Jaja have a support mechanism in their aunt Ifeoma, who is a professor at the university.  She is able to pry the kids away at times, which leads to Kambili’s attraction to a local priest.  In many ways, the book captures the extreme ways in which religion can hurt a family.  Aunt Ifeoma helps Kambili to see that life should be much more moderate, but she herself is subjected to the brutality of the political unrest, losing her university teaching position because she refuses to teach the propaganda of the new regime who has taken power.  Kambili’s mother soon realizes that her father is only getting worse and decides to take matters into her own hands.  While I could give the ending away, that is never a fun thing to do on a blog.  So, I will say that lessons are learned every day in our lives and the sins of our thoughts and actions all have consequences, as they do for the Achike family.  Adichie is adept at bringing the reader to a faraway land, but in this era of social media and technology, we are reminded just how small this world really is!  One can always learn lessons and about other cultures from her books.

The Defining Decade

The Defining Decade

by Dr. Meg Jay

I really enjoy reading books by psychologists who share their perspectives on issues most pressing to our society based on client sessions. In Dr. Meg Jay’s book, The Defining Decade – Why your twenties matter and how to make the most of them now, the topic of concern is: what do we do with the ‘twenty-somethings’?  Having two sons that fit that description, I eagerly read through this one.  Jay breaks the book into three sections: Work, Love and the Brain & Body.  I often pass along a mantra to my own life-coaching clients: “take action often, and think a little less”.  Young millennials don’t want work to define them – they want to ‘enjoy’ life. Yet they also live in a world where everything is glamorized on social media, which suggests you have to do amazing things and everyone has to be watching.  Jay offers some sound wisdom through her weekly sessions with lost and unsatisfied millennials.  She suggests the newest craze is to use ‘weak ties’, which is defined as the friend of a friend of a friend whom you heard did something similar to what you want to do.  Begin to think about that which you are curious rather than letting it stay unknown.  And NO, your life doesn’t need to be glamorized on social media. Who cares what people think – it’s what you think of your life that matters and you should customize it to YOU, YOUR wants, YOUR goals and desires.  In the area of love, Jay suggests picking your future family (in-laws and spouse) based on true ‘likeability’ factors (remember, this may be a lifelong connection!).  Jay notes some of the downsides in “the cohabitation effect” and that partners may not really get a feel for life in a committed relationship through the pre-marital experiment.  And finally, she explains how you really need to like the person you are dating, not just the idea of being with someone because all of your friends are in relationships.  Her last section focuses on research gained from the brain.  All common sense and helpful.  I plan on giving this book to my sons as it is a helpful tool to reflect on the idea of “I am responsible for what and who I am”.     

The Book of Basketball

The Book of Basketball

by Bill Simmons

A really LONG historical perspective on professional basketball in the US written by Bill Simmons, The Book of Basketball.  Simmons describes how the NBA became a part of who he is after his father purchased season tickets for the Boston Celtics when he was six years old.  Not only was it a bonding experience for father and son, it became Simmons’ door to a world that allowed him to become the writer he is today.  Simmons chronicles lists of the top 100 players, best teams of all time, and the biggest mistakes teams made in the history of the game.  He also provides a litany of other fun lists, such as the best players turned horrible television announcers, the worst trades, “what if these things didn’t happen,” worst personal issues that occurred, and best all-time championship series.  Simmons goes into the statistics of players, sharing the ‘why’ behind all of his assertions.  He captures the high points in the NBA and the lowest points, the merger of the ABA and NBA, bad owners, and ideas to make the game better.   This is a MUST read for the basketball aficionado.  He goes into great detail on all his points and has strong opinions throughout.  Simmons loves the game and does a terrific job demonstrating his knowledge each and every step of the way.  This is NOT a quick read, but for those of my generation, you will remember most of the moments he shares.  The book keeps one’s attention from the first page.  I enjoyed it thoroughly.  For non-sports readers, I don’t think this will make your list. 

Of Human Bondage

Of Human Bondage

by W. Somerset Maugham

Driving in my car to Providence, RI, Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA provided a lot of time to listen to a fairly long audiobook, Of Human Bondage, by W. Somerset Maugham.  The story begins with the death of Helen Carey months after her husband’s death, leaving son Philip orphaned.  Philip, age nine, was moved to live with his aunt and uncle, Luisa and William, at their home.  William was a pastor and treated Philip as a student and eventually sent him to a boy’s boarding school.  The transition was difficult for Philip as he had a club foot, a physical deformity that haunted him throughout much of his life.  Philip was well educated, spending much of his time reading due to his physical handicap.  He was aloof and distant from his classmates, demonstrating a fierce independence that led him to leave the boarding school and his relative’s home for an adventure to Germany.  Much of Philip’s life consisted of exploring many potential careers while attempting to find a companion who would show him the affection he so desired.  Philip’s travels included Paris, London and other cities that he felt ‘called him to visit’.  Philip attempts a life as an artist, doctor, business, and midwife, all while he tries to find love.  Philip has bad luck with women – some of those who fall in love with him commit suicide when he doesn’t reciprocate the feeling, and one that he fell in love with, Mildred, uses him for his money.  This is truly a coming of age book that covers the story of a man who is searching for love and his dream career but finds himself settling for a career that is routine, marriage, and a comfortable life.  Maybe we should be satisfied with what is in front of us, rather than thinking it is always “around the corner”, somewhere else.  Somerset presents a complex character who we loathe but eventually learn to support. Perhaps there is a little bit of Philip in all of us.  Truly a classic.  Complete character development in a life that is worth living.  Kudos!

Mother Night

Mother Night

by Kurt Vonnegut

I have only enjoyed one of Kurt Vonnegut’s book, but I can now add a second, Mother Night, to the list.  Vonnegut’s far-fetched creativity makes for a very memorable book.  This is a pseudo memoir of Howard Campbell, Jr., a former American living in Germany during the Nazi occupation.  Campbell, born in the US, moves to Germany with his parents and remains in the country after his parents return home.  He works as a writer/playwright and later newscaster for Nazi radio, marries a German actress and is secretly approached by the US military to be a spy, sharing intelligence via his daily radio broadcasts. The story begins seventeen years after the war when he returns to the US, living in the West Village (right near NYU!).  Campbell had kept his life private through the help of the US intelligence agencies, but now word is out that the ‘Nazi sympathizer’ is living in New York City.  This wildly entertaining story tells of the quest to determine whether he is a spy or in fact a supporter of the Nazis and discusses his deceased wife, the leader of the White Supremacist group, the retired US military intelligence agent, and veterans from WWII who are out to kill Howard.  All converge to find Howard in a climax that involves him being tried as an anti-American spy.  Will he be found guilty?  Will the US secret intelligence save him?  Does he want to be saved?  Will Howard ever be able to understand his role in the Nazi downfall?  Only Vonnegut can capture this type of absurdity – yes, the absurdity of our lives.

A Corner of the Universe

A Corner of the Universe

by Ann M. Martin

When you think you know everything in your life, guess what: you may not.  So goes the story of Hattie Owen, who, at the age of twelve, learns she has an uncle, Adam, whom she never knew existed.  So begins the summer of 1960 in Ann M. Martin’s book, A Corner of the Universe.  Hattie’s family takes in boarders as their primary source of income while her father works as an artist. Hattie helps with small tasks around the house, engaging with her housemates each day, which adds to the intrigue in this novel.  Hattie overhears her mother speaking to her grandmother of some impending concern.  She suspects someone is very ill but is later told by her parents of Uncle Adam, a mentally challenged twenty-one-year-old who is returning home to live with her grandparents due to his school’s closure.  Hattie befriends him and the two become close, though his presence results in her being teased by classmates more so than before.  All of this occurs as the carnival comes to town where Hattie meets a new friend, Leila, the carnival owner’s niece. Adam’s behavior challenges Hattie’s grandparents, who try to contain his emotional swings.  Adam loves to wander through the neighborhood and eventually falls for Angel Valentine, one of the boarders in Hattie’s home.  Hattie’s birthday present, a free trip through the carnival with Leila, brings near tragedy when she sneaks Adam with her away from her grandparents’ house.  Adam joins the two girls on the rides, the food, and the shows, but trouble comes when the Ferris wheel breaks down.  Adam has a meltdown.  The two girls try to calm him down, but he attempts to leave the seat and almost falls to the ground as the police are called.  Hattie is later grounded for taking Adam out of the house.  The final event that changes the lives of all involved is when Adam brings flowers to Angel, the boarder.  He goes to her room, opens the door and finds her with her boyfriend in a very compromising position.  This enrages Adam, who runs away.  After a long search, Adam is found behind the house, having hung himself. 

Mental health issues are around all of us.  Hattie’s journey is one in which she befriends a family member she never knew, and it ends with her speaking at Adam’s funeral. She stood up against the intolerance shown towards Adam as a result of his mental illness, instead describing why he was such a good uncle, even though she hadn’t known him long.  This is a beautiful story with a message of love, acceptance and personal growth.  One never knows what can happen over a childhood summer vacation.  A great story for youth and anyone else who needs to see the power of love. 

The Book of Lost Things

The Book of Lost Things
by John Connolly

Finished a heart-warming story by John Connolly in his book The Book of Lost Things.  Twelve year-old David struggles with the death of his mother.  A few months later, his father finds a young woman, Rosa, who was an administrator at the hospital that David’s mother died.  David, a quiet and reserved young child, spends his time reading books and traveling deeply into his own mind.  David’s father ends up marrying Rosa and they all move in to her family mansion, providing a new space for David to deal with his demons.  David experiences much grief with the loss of his mother, a new step-mother, and then the arrival of a step-brother, Gregory.  His relationship with Rosa worsens and, after a verbal fight, he is forced to give up reading books and punished by being sent to his room, where a voice calls him to the backyard. There, he enters a hole in the garden wall leading to ‘another world’.  The journey leads David to believe he can find his mother but, the longer he is there, the more he wants to get back to his real life.  The journey includes meeting a woodsman, a eunuch, seven dwarfs, the ‘crooked man’, a huntress, and the need to find the King, whom he is told can give him the book of lost things to escape this underworld.  During his journey, David finds the strength within himself to fight back demons and other evil spirits that attempt to pull him down.  In the end, he learns that the ‘crooked man’ can only live if he has the soul of a child captured in his hour glass, and David needs to make the decision to give up his step-brother Georgie, or save himself to go back home.  David triumphs in the end and is returned home!  The author provides a brief overview of the rest of David’s life and how he becomes a writer.  The journey is thrilling and has twists and turns throughout.  A coming-of-age story that leaves the reader imagining how David will escape each and every challenge he faces – which he does!  A thoroughly entertaining piece that reminds one that books have a lot of lost things in them, including emotions that get developed through great writing.  Great story!

When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead

Rebecca Stead is the author of When You Reach Me, a book that chronicles the life of Miranda Sinclair, a twelve-year-old girl, who lives in NYC with her mother. Miranda receives some cryptic anonymous notes asking her to track her future actions.  She is unsure what this will mean but does becomes more conscious of her actions. She also pays attention to what happens to her good friend, Sal, who mysteriously removes himself from regular contact with her after being beaten up by fellow classmate Marcus after school one day.  While on the home front, Miranda’s mom and her boyfriend, Richard, spend time prepping her to be a contestant on the TV game show The $20,000 Pyramid.  They believe the winning funds would help them escape their current financial challenges, living in an apartment complex that is falling apart.  Miranda meets and engages with a homeless man, whom she dubs the “laughing man,” who later plays a pivotal role when Sal runs away from Marcus.  The “laughing man” saves Sal’s life when he runs in the street to an oncoming truck but loses his own.  Miranda realizes there is more to this man’s presence and starts to reflect on the cryptic notes she received earlier.  With the help of the concept of time travel, Miranda eventually realizes that Marcus and the “laughing man” are one in the same!  There was a lot put into this story, and it seems pretty complicated for a book aimed at young teenagers.  I did enjoy the chapter titles, which were the same as the categories in the $20,000 Pyramid.  Otherwise, a lot of build up for a story that just wasn’t all that interesting.

Mystical Poems of Rumi

Mystical Poems of Rumi
by Jalal al-Din

A book of poems written in the 1200’s AD by Jalal al-Din, best known as Rumi.  The book is a series of translated poems, aptly called Poems. Rumi was a teacher and he shares his philosophy, wisdom, and life’s lessons through a collection of religious proverbs, imagery, and understanding of the human condition.  His work is deeply entrenched in the Muslim tradition. There are over 100 short poems and two-page stories.  Listed below are some of my favorite lines taken from his work:

If you don’t have enough madness in you, go and rehabilitate yourself

Fear is an attribute of the slave to lust and appetite

Listen when your crown reminds you of what makes you cold toward others, as you pamper the greedy energy inside

How many an evil that you see in others is but your own nature reflected in them

Rumi’s poems focused on what it means to be a human, frail and impure.  His poems give opportunity for reflection on how we can improve ourselves using a higher being as a guidepost for our own spiritual journey through life. 

The poems’ brevity allows the reader to quickly focus on the content and its meaning, unlike many of the books of poems I have read previously.  I never lost my focus reading and thought the translation into English was clear and easy to comprehend.  It provides great context into what was going on in the minds of the leaders in the day it was written.  A good read.

Yes Please

Yes Please

By Amy Poehler

I really enjoy reading (and listening, in this case) to books from comedians.  This time I entered the world of Amy Poehler through her book Yes Please. The book was published in 2014 and describes her rise from a college improv group (while attending Boston College), to waitress, to the Upright Citizens Brigade in Chicago, to bit parts in movies, to hitting it big on SNL, and then on to her TV show Parks and Recreation.  Poehler, who is not afraid to share her drinking, drugging, and sex-filled days, also shares the difficulties associated with being a working mom, going through a divorce, and growing up with a snoring problem.  She breaks the book into three sections: 1.) Say: whatever you want; 2.) Do: whatever you like; and 3.) Be: whoever you are.  For those who are Poehler fans, you get a ton of tidbits about her days struggling as an improv artist, her behind the scenes moments from SNL, and how she approached award nights and lowered the stress level for nominees.  Poehler doesn’t take herself seriously, but she takes her work seriously.  She offers insights to those looking to make a career in comedy and opens herself up to criticism.  I had many hearty laughs with this one and encourage others who need to smile to listen to her early development as an artist.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

By Kate DiCamillo

Time for a real “tear jerker” children’s book with The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo.   Young Abilene cherished her little rabbit china doll, whom she named Edward Tulane.  Edward, in his own voice, presents himself as a stoogie, older professor-type character.  One day, while on a boating trip with two of her male cousins, Abilene’s world comes crashing down when the boys take Edward away from her and throw him across the boat…causing him to fall in the water.  The rest of the story follows Edward’s journey, being saved from the ocean floor by some fishermen, serving as a “scarecrow” on a farm, traveling with a hobo and his dog on a train across the US, being there for a dying young girl, and then helping a vagabond young boy earn some monies as a “dancing rabbit.”   Edward’s last travel ends at a toy store after his face was shattered by the owner of a diner when his owner couldn’t pay the bill.  When a young girl walks into the toy store and asks her mother to purchase him, all comes full circle.  The mother of the young girl is none other than Abilene, whom he recognizes, as does she, by the necklace she wears!  All is good once again.  Beautiful story of the journey of a doll’s life.  I’ll purchase this one for my niece.

Shark Tales

Shark Tales

By Barbara Corcoran

After a long break, I’m back on the RA Favorite Books list.  Fun to read a “rags to riches” with Shark Tales by Barbara Corcoran of the Shark Tank reality TV show.  Corcoran shares lessons learned being born into a family of ten children from Hoboken, New Jersey.  The lessons come from the wisdom of her mother, who stayed at home raising her kids while her father worked to pay the household expenses.  Barbara had little growing up but never felt she was born into poverty, mainly because of her mother’s approach to life: enjoy it and find the hidden goodness in things.  Barbara left home at the age of eighteen on the arm of a man (Ray Simond) double her age.  Ray offered her $1,000 to start her career, at which point she decided to focus on real estate. She made that back working alongside her partner, and then much more after the partnership ended when Simond decided to marry the secretary.  Corcoran then built the most successful real estate company in NYC, the Corcoran Group.  The book later details lessons Corcoran learned from her life after selling her business and moving on to the world of reality TV.  I enjoyed Corcoran’s stories because they are based on her concrete, real-world experiences, and they have immense value to any young entrepreneur.  Worth picking it up!