Books – Page 31 – …on the B.L.

I’ll Have What She’s Having

May 19, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Difficulty: II
Length: III
Genre: NonFiction – Literary Journalism
Quick Review: Romcoms were changed by the iconic Nora Ephron when she began making her movies in the 1980’s.

Happy Birthday to Nora Ephron!

Erin Carlson’s I’ll Have What She’s Having is named after one of the most iconic lines in Romantic Comedy. Nora Ephron was a creative icon as she pushed the genre into the modern age and had a hand in some of the most talked about movies of their time and today as a talented journalist, screenwriter, producer, and director. I grew up on Ephron movies; some I didn’t even know were Ephron movies – My Blue Heaven. She was born in New York City, but moved to LA as her parents’ screenwriting career blossomed. Never getting over her love for NYC, she moved back and never really left. Her career started out as a hard hitting journalist. She went through the dissolution of two marriages including a high profile marriage to Carl Bernstein before marrying her true love Nick Pileggi. Ephron was propelled to even greater success as a screenwriter with When Harry Met Sally. It was the first of what would be her trio of iconic films: Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. Though, her Hollywood credits extended much further.

Carlson tells Ephron’s story through the making of the three iconic films. Although, it’s not the only story being told. The story of the actors, crew, and Hollywood were also unfolding throughout the book. Ephron was a unique woman combining type A personality, warmth, drive, ambition, inclusion, and so much more into a pint sized woman. One of the things that really stood out about her was her ability to collect talented people utilizing their ideas when it added to a project. Collaboration was a word people used to describe her. She was a legend in her own time. People simultaneously loved and were intimidated by her. There’s a sense of her being completely fabulous yet transparently flawed.

It’s hard not to be drawn into the book because so many of us have a special place in our hearts for these films. Carlson has a big story to tell, and she does a very good job of covering this topic. She writes with a strong sense of humor and a style that can be described as bouncy. It is apparent she has so much admiration for Ephron.

Carlson writes incredibly well with her own style. The book includes excerpts from the script, anecdotes, and tons of quotes. The quotes are funny, sweet, honest, and add so much depth to the book and Ephron. Carlson includes tons of pertinent facts about Ephron, crew, actors, companies, locations, and history. These are really wonderful. Due to the immense amount of quotes and excerpts used the style and syntax can get very complex. Carlson increases this complexity as she peppers the book with her own opinions and thoughts about certain aspects. She is fostering a feeling of friendship between herself and the reader, which supports the style of film Ephron made. However, these personal opinions made the syntax even more complex. Sometimes it detracted from the reading experience because I would get distracted by the interesting side notes. Footnotes might have been a more effective way of communicating some of the side information.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was wonderful learning so much history and backstory to some of my favorite movies growing up. I sped read this book in a day, a Sunday. After reading it, I had a movie marathon to watch all three of the iconic films because it truly made me nostalgic.

Memorable Quotes:
“Sleepless, Stressed, and Addicted to Starbucks.”

Title: I’ll Have What She’s Having; How Nora Ephron’s Three Iconic Films Saved the Romantic Comedy
Author: Erin Carlson
Publisher: Hachette Books
Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 9780316353908

Books

White Trash.

May 15, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Difficulty: II
Length: III
Genre: NonFiction – History
Quick Review: A deep look into the American class system from the colonial period through the present, and how this system has greatly affected the direction of the country while maintaining a nonexistent status.

I mentioned I was reading White Trash. The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg on Instagram, and so many people responded saying they enjoyed it. As I read, I understood why it was such a hit for my followers because I couldn’t put it down either. Isenberg wrote a book about the complex class system in the United States through history, but added a new preface to directly address the 2016 election. In the post-Trump election, the American class system, which has often been overlooked and undocumented, propelled the country and the election in a certain direction.

There is a common thought process as Americans that when we separated from England we escaped classism. Isenberg debunks this ideology as she tells a chronologic story of the American class system. Looking into the motivations, language, government, and more, it is impossible to ignore the existence of a society which has maintained a social order with a thriving class of “white trash.”

As Americans, we see ourselves as a unique entity. In fact, many of our ideas about people and class include linguistic remnants from our time under British rule. Wording and context has changed with time, but many things have remained solidly intact. The idea of white trash comes from the term waste people meaning a class of people who under utilized their capabilities. These people were seen as lazy, empty, and disposable instead of being treated as products of their environment.

Throughout history, class and social standing has been inherently linked with land ownership, and this concept is still prevalent in our society. People are seen as having achieved success when they own a house.

I highly enjoyed how inclusive this book is. It does not glance over racial statistics or issues throughout history. Slavery and indentured servitude are often talked about. The faults and failings of the American founding fathers are highlighted throughout. It’s easy to overlook these traits, but Isenberg puts them on blast for the inequity they worked into the foundation of this country. Such as: voting laws, Jefferson trying to breed the black out of slaves, keeping the poor landless, and so much more. They, of course, had some good ideas, but they weren’t necessarily the awesome people we have been lead to believe they are.

I have spent a great amount of time in North Carolina, so I thought it was funny when Isenberg devoted three pages to talking about how the state is nothing but a dirty swamp. This did serve a very important function into explaining why North Carolina was populated by the impoverished because the rich, white guys didn’t want to live there, so they pushed everyone else that way.

As a linguist, there were tons of fabulous discussions about the history of language and how it was used to keep people in certain brackets. This idea isn’t something playing out solely in history; it is still prevalently used in today’s society.

Alright, so this book is really hard to concisely sum up because it covers such a wide range of topics. Isenberg must have spent an excruciating amount of time researching because it was incredibly well written. With a serious topic, she wrote with a compelling tone and just the appropriate amount of humor. It is well worth the read, and a seriously interesting look into American history.

Memorable Quotes:
“Language rules.”
“Beyond white anger and ignorance is a far more complicated history of class identity that dates back to America’s colonial period and British notions of poverty.”
“Parody was one way Americans safely digested their class politics.”
“The Fundamental Constitutions did more than endorse slavery. It was a manifesto promoting a semifeudalistic and wholly aristocratic society.”
“North Carolina forged a lasting legacy as what we might call the first white trash colony.”

Title: White Trash. The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America
Author: Nancy Isenberg
Publisher: Penguin Books
Copyright: 2016
ISBN:9780143129677

Bookstores, Houston, On the Town

Kaboom Books

May 13, 2018June 23, 2019 RaeAnna

Kaboom Books is an independently owned, used book store in Houston, Texas. This place is heaven. I’m not even joking. I found Kaboom almost a year ago. I don’t make it in as much as I would like… Probably because I would be broke if I frequented their establishment.Kaboom is located in the Woodland Heights area of Houston – very close to downtown. It is so beautiful surrounded by cute houses and a few neighboring stores. When you pull up, the entrance is between two large picture windows. The store takes up three more store fronts because who can have enough books? When you enter through the front door, you’re immediately greeted with that familiar book smell and wood from the countless shelves. The big windows let in tons of natural light and are home to a few bright green plants. Right inside the door is a counter and a chair usually occupied by one of the owners and sometimes the store cat.The first space you’re in is a nonfiction area. The next area holds a lot of their fiction, children’s books, and more. The third space is smaller and holds more nonfiction. The shelves line the walls and create mazes within the middle of the rooms. There is no wasted space here. They have filled it to capacity with books. Around 100,000 books! Holy wow. With 76 different sections ranging from fiction to art to science to poetry to a whole lot more you can find popular contemporary books to books out of print. There are comfy reading chairs and sofas calling you to have a seat, look at the books in your pile, and enjoy the beauty of this bookstore. If it weren’t so warm and cozy, the amount of books would be immense and intimidating. The bookshelves are tall, so there are ladders scattered throughout to help you reach the books even I can’t reach easily. Behind the store is a lovely seating area. They use this area to host events. I haven’t been able to make it to one… yet! One of these days, I will.

The owners of Kaboom are a lovely married couple. I have been able to chat with them on a few occasions, and they are the sweetest and so knowledgeable. They originally owned bookstores in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Eight years ago, they moved to Houston and opened Kaboom.

Other than the absolute Instagram worthy bookshelves, they have so many great books. It’s hard finding books in French, but they have a great selection, which I very much appreciate.

If you’re in the Houston area or will be, you should stop by. Truly!!! You will definitely not regret it. For as huge as Houston is, there is a severe lack of independent bookstores. I am a firm believer in supporting small businesses, and this is one of my favorite to support. Even after eight years, it still feels like a hidden gem.

Kaboom Books
3116 Houston Avenue
Houston, TX 77009
(713) 869-7600

Books

Lilac Girls

May 11, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Difficulty: III
Length: IV
Notable: New York Times Bestseller
Genre: Fiction – Historical Fiction
Quick Review: Based on a gut wrenching true story, Lilac Girls follows three women impacted by WWII and somehow involved with the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp.

I was a little hesitant about this novel. It could have gone either way from the description. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly is an impressive historical fiction novel following three women’s complicated journeys during and after WWII.

Three women of varying ages tell their stories in alternating chapters. Caroline, an American working at the French consulate in New York, is in her late thirties when the war breaks out. Kasia is a teenager experiencing love for the first time when the Germans invade her country, Poland, putting their headquarters in her hometown before she is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Herta is a young doctor and staunch supporter of the Nazi cause, but blinded by the propaganda, she doesn’t see the truth until she begins working at a concentration camp.

Ravensbruck was the only female concentration camp during Hitler’s reign. A group of Polish women from the camp were medically experimented on forever changing their lives. Their legs were mutilated. These women became known as The Rabbits because they hopped around the camp and they were the Nazi test rabbits. Several died from the experiments. Lilac Girls centers around these events.

Caroline (a real woman) helps from the US by sending care packages to orphans and helping the families she can in the US. She ends up in Paris as the war is winding down where she finds out about the Ravensbruck Rabbits through her advocacy work. Kasia (a composite of several real women) was a survivor of Ravensbruck and the cruel experiments. Herta (a real woman) is a German doctor. Due to Nazi regulations, she had a difficult time finding work as a doctor, so she took a position at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. The characters are all very complex and strong women. They each have their own motivations personal and environmental, which pushed them into the lives, decisions, and actions they made for themselves. They were flawed and survivors. Reflecting humanity: it’s complicated.

I would describe more, but the plot is complex and very intertwined. If I say too much, I will be giving a lot of things away. Although if you’re a history buff like I am, you’ll probably already know a lot of the facts because Hall Kelly does a very good job researching the history, women, and everything in between. Do remember this is historical fiction, so a lot of things have been changed to make it an engaging work.

It is incredibly well written. Each woman has her own style, thought process, and narrative. There were a few grammatical mistakes throughout, but they do not impede the reading in the slightest. There are a great deal of feminist themes, which I appreciated. Hall Kelly explores the often overlooked Anti-Semitic attitudes the US had during the time. I found the supporting characters to be more relatable than the main characters, but they were not placed in the difficult situations the main characters found themselves in. At times, the anti-semitism was nauseating, but that is exactly how it should be.

I found Lilac Girls to be an impressive novel exploring lesser known experiences of WWII. Though it is not a light read, it’s the perfect book to dive into over a summer vacation because you’ll want to invest some time in it.

Memorable Quotes:
“No one said they were selling items taken from the Jews, but we all knew.”
“”Somewhere in the corner of our hearts, we are always twenty.””
“Why does a woman’s women’s voice so often not command the respect it deserves?”

Title: Lilac Girls
Author: Martha Hall Kelly
Publisher: Ballantine Books (Random House/Penguin Random House)
Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 9781101883082

Books

Envy

May 8, 2018 RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Difficulty: III
Length: I
Quick Review: A Russian classic examining the socialist society it was written for.

Yury Olesha is known as a great Russian novelist. Not only was Envy his debut novel, it became one of his most recognizable works. Olesha had an immense talent for appearing pro-Soviet but, in actuality, was critiquing the Communist government when read with an eye for detail. The Soviet’s played hardball when it came to censorship because Olesha subtly critiqued the government through satire, he was able to avoid punishment or jail.

Nikolai Kavalerov is a young and slightly bitter young man. After being tossed out of a bar, Andrei Babichev rescued Kavalerov allowing him to sleep on his couch. Babichev manages a sausage factory and is the perfect Soviet citizen. When Babichev’s brother, Ivan, returns, everything is turned on its head.

I love this little book. I read it in Russian awhile ago. Under 120 pages, it is a dense story filled with a tons of nuance, meaning, history, and culture. Through the character of Babichev, the story is a paragon of communist values. Olesha is not only critiquing the Soviet government but also capitalism. It is also an interesting look into the psychology of the characters. It is also interesting to note how well it was received by his contemporaries. Enjoyed by all the Soviet literary greats, Envy was also in high regard by Pravda, which was run by the state.

I love this book. It’s a great one. If you want to dip a toe into Soviet literature without committing a ton of time, this is great for a night in or quick weekend read.

Memorable Quotes:
“I spoke, horrified by what I was saying.”

Title: Envy
Author: Yury Olesha
Translator: T.S. Berczynski
Publisher: Ardis Publishers, Inc
Copyright: 2004
ISBN:9780882330914

Books

The Book of Tea

May 5, 2018 RaeAnna

Difficulty: II
Length: I
Quick Review: A beautiful look into the history and importance of tea from a master and historian.

Written by and for the tea lover. This incredibly short book is jam packed with teaism. In reality, The Book of Tea isn’t a book at all but a long essay by the Japanese scholar Kakuzo Okakura. Written in English for the Western world to pear inside the world and history of Japan through tea. Tea is a central component of Japanese and Asian identity. It has played a major role in their culture for a millenia and some. With a beginning in the religious and medicinal worlds, tea evolved into a staple beverage in Asia and eventually the world. As times changed so did tea. It has lived a life in three different stages with three different preparations. Boiled Tea came from a cake or brick of tea, which, at one point in time, the ingredients included salt and even onions. After that period, Whipped Tea was concocted from a powder forever leaving behind salt and onion. As technology progressed, tea arrived in its modern form of Steeped Tea utilizing the leaves. Whipped Tea or powdered tea is still present but not popular.

The first traces of tea, as we know it, arriving in Europe was documented by Marco Polo in 879. Tea gained immense popularity in the sixteenth century as access increased and cost decreased. Tea became a drink of the people no longer reserved for the filthy rich and royal.

Okakura talks extensively about the history and significance of tea. It embedded itself in the Asian cultures and religions. Tea plays a significant role in Taoism and Zennism. The tea ceremony has evolved as Tea Masters have mastered the art. Okakura discusses the masters in length before describing the tea ceremony. The efforts required to hold the ceremony are extensive starting long before one even begins. The tea room must be built from the best materials, flowers must be just so, the tea must be grown correctly, so on and so forth. Like many things in Japan, the tea ceremony is executed with precision and mindfulness.

Okakura’s first language was Japanese, but he wrote The Book of Tea in English. The language is simple, elegant, and captivating. He draws the reader into his world. Through focusing on tea, he is able to allow the Western world into a culture vastly different than our own. His words are about more than tea; they are about appreciating the beauty in life.

Memorable Quotes:
“Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage.”
“In joy or sadness, the flowers are our constant friends.”
“He only who has lived with the beautiful can die beautifully.”

Title: The Book of Tea
Author: Kakuzo Okakura
Publisher: Dover Publications, Inc
Copyright: 1964
ISBN: 9780486200705