The Book Worm&#039;s Library

Good Books Don’t Have To be Hard (Article)

This is another book that looked interesting to begin with, but I was hesitant because the last thing that I wanted to read was a Harry Potter wanna be. Most of the comments on the back indicated that this was a book that was the Harry Potter for adults. I guess that is one way of looking at it.

The story is about Quenton. A 19 year old high school student that while on his way to a college entrance interview, he finds himself diverted into a world that is far from what he had planned out for his future. Escorted into an entrance exam for the Brakebills school of magic — Quenten finds himself introduced into a world that reminds him more of his favorite series of novels, from his childhood, than he does in reality. Upon his acceptance to the school, Quenten starts a new life filled with the learning of magic, and meeting people that are finally his intellectual equals.

I would like to say that I was able to finish this book, but unfortunately I can’t. I got a little over half way through the book, before I couldn’t take any more. I felt like the entire book was another rendition of Harry Potter, only with all the profanity and gratuitous sex thrown in. When I finally reached the point of the students engaging in orgies as a means of escaping the frustration of the overwhelming nature of the studies they were working on, I had had enough.

There was very little in this book that would have set it apart from the Harry Potter series — at least story wise. The isolated school of magic, protected by ancient spells, the invading evil creatures that have to be fought with magic that the students hope to one day aspire too, the game exclusive to the magical world. What I read was really nothing more than a renaming of Harry Potter, deemed to be on an adult scale due to the adult content that was thrown in, as often as the author could find to fit it in there.

Overall, I would consider this book a pass. There just wasn’t enough to set it apart as its own story, and the adult content was over the top for my tastes.

For other information on this author, and his works, check out the websites below:

Lev Grossman

Interview with Lev Grossman

The Book Worm’s Library is affiliated with Indiebound, AbeBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. When you buy a product through these retailers, using one of our links, The Books Worm’s Library earns income from the sale. These sales are much appreciated, and this income is used to fund this blog site. Thank you so much for your readership and patronage.

Find this book from your favorite Independent Bookseller!

Category: Fantasy, fiction | No Comments »
Tags: Book, Fantasy, fiction, Paranormal

The Beach by: Alex Garland

Posted By Lisa on February 5, 2010

The Beach

Alex Garland; Riverhead Books 1997

This is one of those books that I really find quite disturbing. The subject material is one of those that challenges the moral groundwork of societies — and asks some of the really hard questions that we encounter in our world today.

The story is of Richard, a man that, while traveling through Bangkok, makes the acquaintance of a person that goes by the pseudonym of Daffy Duck. The encounter is brief — and ends with Daffy committing suicide. But prior to his death, Daffy leaves a map to a rumored beach, taped to Richard’s door. Intrigued with the prospect of discovering what is so exclusive about this beach, which only exists in rumors, Richard sets out with his friends, Francois and Etienne, to find this isolated paradise. But what they end up finding is more like the serpent in paradise story.

This is a story that would be considered the adult version of The Lord of the Flies, and I found it to be just as troubling. It explores what happens when all the traditional mores of society are removed, and the moral base begins to erode. As the cracks start to develop along the fault lines of the people living on this island — it becomes apparent that the breakdown is all encompassing, and just as destructive. And the base question at the bottom of this story is “can a man maintain all semblance of civility, when the moral attitudes around him begin to break down — or is it inevitable that he will follow the same path as everyone else.”

This book, to be honest, reminded me a lot of the high school experience. The divisive lines that create barriers that are impossible to cross. And as everyone ends up sub-dividing into base groups, it becomes a story of them and they against us. And this book is very good at portraying how dangerous, and damaging these divisions can be. These groups destroy the self esteem of all of the parties involved — by breaking down the self and forcing them to assimilate into the whole. And the whole is the group against the rest of the world. For all of the profession of self — there is no self in these groups. It is the gang mentality at the core. Everything is done for the group. Those that do not belong to the group — are considered outcasts, and treated as such. They are the ones that are dangerous, and must be shunned, if not forcibly removed from the society as a whole.

As I reflected on this book, I found that this mentality of the group is so all pervasive in, at the very least the American society, that it is hard to determine where the self begins — or if it exists at all. For all of our self profession of personal liberties — the fact is the society is constructed on the basis of where we are the most comfortable — and that is in the group. It is where we draw our comfort zones — and then where we gravitate to for acceptance and inclusion. And it is this desire for acceptance and inclusion that eventually forces us to chose the group over the self. We learn it from a young age — through the lines that are drawn in the high school level. The jocks, the druggies, the cowboys, the hippies, the nerds. I’m sure the names have changed since I have been in school — but the concept hasn’t. All evidenced by the prevalence of the gangs that are inundating our society today.

And this book also challenges what happens when we submit our beliefs and moral barriers to the will and demands of the whole. Will we as individuals follow the path of least resistance, and simply go along with the group — even though it may lead to choices and actions that are contrary to what we would normally do when alone? As Richard demonstrates in this book — the answer is more often than not — yes.

This is not a book that would be acceptable to everyone. I found the language to be harsh, and it dealt with some very adult concepts — with some definite scenes of hard core violence. It also presents ideas that could be considered dangerous to some people. But it is a good read for the challenges that it presents, and the questions that it asks. So for that reason I would consider it a valuable book to read, but one that I would recommend with caution.

For more information on this book, and its author, check out the website below:

Alex Garland Interview

The Book Worm’s Library is affiliated with Indiebound, AbeBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. When you buy a product through these retailers, using one of our links, The Books Worm’s Library earns income from the sale. These sales are much appreciated, and this income is used to fund this blog site. Thank you so much for your readership and patronage.

I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Growing Up In The Holocaust

Category: fiction, literature | No Comments »
Tags: Book, Classic Literature, fiction, literature

Quote of the Day — Matthew Flaming

Posted By Lisa on February 3, 2010

They tell me that we’re living in an information age, but none of it seems to be the information I need or brings me closer to what I want to know. In fact (I’m becoming more and more convinced) all this electronic wizardry only adds to our confusion, delivering inside scoops and verdicts about events that have hardly begun: a torrent of chatter moving at the speed of light, making it nearly impossible for any of the important things to be heard. — Matthew Flaming

We live in a society where one of the catch phrases is “information overload.” Something that has never really been understood in any previous generations. And with all this information so readily available, I often step back and wonder if any of it is of any real value. Having facts — and understanding how they fit into a larger whole are two different things. And sometimes I think that just because we have all this information readily available, we don’t always understand how, or why it might be important — or if it is of any value at all.

Category: Quote of the Day | No Comments »
Tags:

I Have Lived a Thousand Years by: Livia Bitton-Jackson

Posted By Lisa on February 2, 2010

Livia Bitton-Jackson; Simon Pulse 1999

Article by Professor Bitton-Jackson

This is another one of those stories that is harrowing to get through — but I have always considered them essential reading, for all people. There is a reason that literature regarding the Holocaust continues to survive. It is because to forget history is not only a tragic offense against those that lost there lives to such senseless violence — but it is also imperative that if we do not wish to repeat history, we must understand it.

Ms. Bitton-Jackson’s presentation of her experiences of growing up in concentration camps, and surviving the horrors of the hell of Auschwitz and Dachau are a powerful tribute to the magnitude of this event in history. Her frank, and honest presentation, without all the synonymous euphemisms, tell a story that is not only amazing in the scope of its brutality, but also in the depth of her strength, and desire to survive.

I first encountered Ms. Bitton-Jackson’s writing when I read one of her other books, Hello, America, which presented the story of her immigration to America in the 1950’s. However, as fascinating as that story was, I could not fully appreciate the depth of that history, until I learned about all that had gone before, through reading this book.

This history, unlike some of the other diaries that have been published over the years, is a very stark account of life in concentration camps. It is a painful look at how much of a task it was, and the effort that was required to simply survive in the midst of horror and suffering. Told from the perspective of a thirteen year old girl, this book offers a painful look at how quickly a child can grow up, under such harsh and painful conditions. And yet once again, I was also struck at the depth of Ms. Bitton-Jackson’s faith, and her acceptance of the miracles that did occur, in order for her and her mother and brother to survive this nightmare.

This book is a beautiful example that even in the very depths of hell, faith, love, and humanity can still survive. Even it if is only through the hearts and lives of the survivors, it is still a great story of how powerful these characteristics are, and how hard they are to kill. I am always grateful to survivors that are willing to share their stories with others. Not only because they give me faith, and courage to face the challenges of my own daily life, by helping me to keep those difficulties in perspective — but also because they are willing to challenge man’s right to inflict this kind of suffering on other men. They are willing to fight to insure that this kind of nightmare never happens again.

This is a great, short read. And it is one of the great voices of the Holocaust survivors. This book stands as a great tribute to not only Ms. Bitton-Jackson, and her mother and brother. But it is also a great reminder of those that she lost, as well as the others that can only go on living through the memories that are handed down.

For more information on this book or author see the websites below:

Simon and Schuster

The Book Worm’s Library is affiliated with Indiebound, AbeBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. When you buy a product through these retailers, using one of our links, The Books Worm’s Library earns income from the sale. These sales are much appreciated, and this income is used to fund this blog site. Thank you so much for your readership and patronage.

Find this book from your favorite Independent Bookseller!

Category: Autobiography, Biography, Civil Rights, History, Holocaust, Non-Fiction, World War II | 2 Comments »
Tags: Autobiography, Biography, Book, Civil Rights, Concentration Camps, History, Hitler, Holocaust, Memoir, Nazi, Non-Fiction, World War II

The Kingdom of Ohio by: Matthew Flaming

Posted By Lisa on February 1, 2010

The Kingdom Of Ohio

Matthew Flaming; Amy Einhorn Books 2009

Matthew Flaming’s Website

What a fun, and unexpected find! This book is simply a pleasure to read, and I loved it. I am so glad I stumbled across this one — and I can’t recommend it enough, particularly for those hopeless romantics that believe in love, and its ability to overcome everything. If you loved the movie Somewhere in Time, then this book is one that you will rapidly make one of your favorites.

The story is of Peter Force and Cheri-Anne Toledo. Peter, a young man that has fled Idaho in the face of tragedy, eventually finds himself in New York, working on the New York subway project. Consumed with his passion of fixing machines, he rapidly finds himself out of the tunnels, and working for the mechanic repair crew. Until he encounters Cheri-Anne Toledo while walking in a park. The meeting is unexpected, and the story of how she came to be there is simply beyond understanding. As Cheri-Anne professes to need assistance to get back home to Ohio, Peter is drawn into her need, and proves willing to help. But it isn’t just the place she is trying to reach, but a time as well. Since Cheri-Anne, a young, beautiful, mathematical genius has managed to develop the means to travel through time. So, as the young couple pit themselves against the scientific geniuses of the time — men such as Teslo and Edison, not to mention the vast wealth and power of the magnate J.P. Morgan — Cheri-Anne and Peter are forced to find a way to prevent this technology from falling into the hands of corrupt men that would use it to change history — and still find a way to send her home.

The voice of this narrative is of particular interest. usually I don’t like books that have an unidentified narrator. But in this book, it proves to be a very effective instrument — and by the end, the reader comes to understand why the process of how the narrator came by his knowledge of the events that take place are so powerful. Presenting the whole story from the point of view of an old historian — the history of New York at the turn of the 20th Century becomes a fantastic presentation of the changing world, as America entered into the industrial age.

The historical presentation of this novel is also a powerful tool that helps to present this story, and it is written in such a way as to keep the reader wondering if this is history or fiction. Presented with footnotes, and other tools used by the historian narrator — to create the feel of the historical aspect of the story, it really is a successfully written work, with a powerful story to tell. The writing actually captures the magic that is New York City — in such a way that the reader becomes engrossed in the development of this amazing city — and comes to appreciate how it came to be one of the most recognized cities in the whole world. It also gives the reader a real appreciation for the magnitude of the subway project, as well as the minds and money that went into funding such an amazing feat, at a time when industry was just coming into the modern age.

This is one of the better historical fiction novels I have come across in a while. And while the love story is fun, and the history is fascinating, it is the two combined that make for a wonderful read. Additionally, it is for the most part clean, well written and full of twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing right through to the end of the book. Several of the legendary mysteries of the American continent are presented, or make appearances in this book — and it is a fun to speculate on some of these mysteries, as the book develops. A must read!

For more information on this book, check out the websites below:

Matthew Flaming on Facebook

The Book Worm’s Library is affiliated with Indiebound, AbeBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. When you buy a product through these retailers, using one of our links, The Books Worm’s Library earns income from the sale. These sales are much appreciated, and this income is used to fund this blog site. Thank you so much for your readership and patronage.

Medicus: A Novel Of The Roman Empire

Category: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, fiction | No Comments »
Tags: American History, Book, Fantasy, fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance

Medicus by: Ruth Downie

Posted By Lisa on January 29, 2010

Ruth Downie; Bloomsbury USA 2007

This is another of those books that looked interesting, when I came across it while looking for something else in the library. Unfortunately, this one didn’t work out to be as interesting as it looked. To be honest the book was more of a labor to read, than an enjoyment — at least in my opinion, and I only got a little over half way through it.

It is the story of a Roman doctor, Ruso, sent to work on the edge of the world, in Britannia, following his divorce — and apparently several years of service in Africa. While there, he ends up buying a young slave girl in order to save her from being beaten to death, and he also ends up in the middle of a string of murders of local prostitutes.

From the beginning the story didn’t seem to be going any where. The first murder occurred in the opening chapters — but then it just seemed to drop. Ruso, the doctor then spent the next 150 pages wandering the streets of the tiny little town in Britannia, bemoaning his ex-wife, and giving a litany of all the different patients he treated while on duty in the hospital. I never did get to the second murder — and the slave he took in never said anything more than ten words in that entire passage. But in those ten words it became clear that there could have been quite a back story to her as well, as she was very fatalistic. But again, we never got anywhere near what that story was either. The writing was awkward, and seemed to do a lot of jumping around. There wasn’t any smooth transitions from scene to scene — and in fact those transitions were so bumpy that I felt like I was watching a play — with the scene changes being done with all the lights up, and the audience is painfully aware that a change is taking place.

The characters were flat, and very stereotypical. Right down to the traditional complaints about how bad doctors handwriting is — and the usual complaints about how administration of a hospital never understands what it takes for the doctors to keep a hospital running. Frankly, I felt like I was watching a modern day hospital drama in the middle of the Roman age — it had so much more of a modern story feel, than it did being true to the setting it was suppose to have occurred in.

Overall, I would give this book a pass. It just wasn’t much in the way of a story, in my opinion. At lest not in the first half of the book — so if it does eventually go anywhere, it was well after the half way mark.

For more information on Ruth Downie, and her works visit the following website:

Ruth Downie Webpage

The Book Worm’s Library is affiliated with Indiebound, AbeBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. When you buy a product through these retailers, using one of our links, The Books Worm’s Library earns income from the sale. These sales are much appreciated, and this income is used to fund this blog site. Thank you so much for your readership and patronage.

Category: Historical Fiction, Mystery, fiction | No Comments »
Tags: Book, fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery

American Gods by: Neil Gaiman

Posted By Lisa on January 28, 2010

American Gods: A Novel

Neil Gaiman; W. Morrow 2001

[houdini]

I am always a little bit hesitant with book recommendations from others. Not because I don’t trust their opinions, but everyone has a different reading preference, and I have usually found that what someone will consider a good book is always subjective. This is one of those friend recommendations. For that reason I put off reading it for a while. However, once I got started with this one, I was hooked. I found the story to be captivating, and very creative. It was unusual and unique in its presentation. And while there were some parts that had particularly harsh language, and it was even crude in some parts, the story is one that I just couldn’t put down.

The story is about Shadow, a man just released from prison, whose returning home to bury his wife who recently died in a car accident. On his way home, he is offered a bizarre job offer from a man in the seat next to him, during the flight. The job offer launches Shadow into a world of the pending battle between the ancient gods, once brought to this country in the minds of those that immigrated here, and the new gods of this country — technology, money, credit, and entertainment. As the battle lines are drawn Shadow finds himself in a world of strange people, and even stranger events. And as the relationship between himself, and Mr. Wednesday — his new employer, a grifter, down on his luck god — Shadow finds that Mr. Wednesday’s designs may not be exactly what they appear to be. With appearances from Odin, Loki, Easter, Indian gods, African gods, and myriad others, the book takes on a plot of surreal presentation. And by the end of the book, the reader finds that there is a subplot that is running through the story — that turns out to be one of the best mysteries I have ever read — due to the sleight of hand of the author — which made the reader look to one story line, and not realize that another one had developed until the end of the book.

From the moment I started this book I found that I was hooked. It was just strange enough that I found I couldn’t put it down. The characters are beautifully written, and they add as much to the story as the plot itself does. The story appears to be a classic story of good vs. evil — with the ultimate battle warped into the modern world, with the lines being drawn not on the standard premise of what we would normally class good or bad, but rather the elements of our society that represent two different sides of our world. The “spiritual” and the “profane.” This story helps to change the perspective of what we consider to be gods in this world. The original concept of godhood — the supreme being that takes some form of interest in this world, (depending on your belief system), and the new concept of godhood in this country. Those things that we “worship” regularly — money, power, status, and amusement. It is an interesting story that has some intriguing ideas about the different perceptions that Americans have about God — and their belief systems. And what in this country impacts those belief systems. As this idea is present by Mr. Gaiman,

Now, as all of you will have had reason aplenty to discover for yourselves, there are new gods growing in America, clinging to growing knots of belief: gods of credit card and freeway, of Internet and telephone, of radio and hospital and television, gods of plastic and of beeper and of neon. Proud gods, fat and foolish creatures, puffed up with their own newness and importance.

This is an idea that I have always had — but have never had the ability to express as eloquently as Mr. Gaiman has managed to do. The theme that runs through this book is that this is a country that is hard on “gods.” Meaning that the old belief systems — carried here from the original travelers — died a slow death as they were forgotten in the face of a rapidly developing society that had different priorities. These priorities have drawn the attention of the decedents of the original travelers away from their first belief systems, and supplanted them with a new set of values, ideals, and concepts that eventually eroded the old gods from memory, and culture, which ultimately lead to the “death” of the gods.

This book also broaches the subject of the question of right in the battles fought in this world. The concept that this battle is being fought between two sets of “gods” that believe they are each right — and there is no room for the other’s belief systems. This is a concept that frequently is found in every war that has ever been fought in this life. The concept that there is always a right side and a wrong side. This concept, dangerous if followed through to its ultimate conclusion is one that plagues society even today. The ideology that there cannot be multiple belief systems that can exist simultaneously, and coexist in harmony.

There’s never been a true war that wasn’t fought between two sets of people who were certain they were in the right. The really dangerous people believe that they are doing whatever they are doing solely and only because it is without question the right thing to do. And that is what makes them dangerous.

This is the ideology that drove the crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, The war on Terror, and terrorism itself. This idea that we are right, and you are wrong — and the two different beliefs cannot exist in the same world — together.

This is a book that has a lot of commentary on the society in which we live today — and the premise of the story has been presented in an intriguing, and captivating form. This is a fascinating book — and one that I found to have a lot to think about, and contemplate on. An excellent read.

For more information on Neil Gaimon check out the sites below:

Neil Gaiman Website

Neil Gaiman Interview

The Book Worm’s Library is affiliated with Indiebound, AbeBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. When you buy a product through these retailers, using one of our links, The Books Worm’s Library earns income from the sale. These sales are much appreciated, and this income is used to fund this blog site. Thank you so much for your readership and patronage.

Category: Fantasy, Mystery, Religious, fiction | No Comments »
Tags: Book, Fantasy, fiction, Mystery, Mythology, Paranormal, Serial Killer

Hate List by: Jennifer Brown

Posted By Lisa on January 24, 2010

Hate List

Jennifer Brown; Little, Brown And Co. 2009

Overview of School Violence

This is one of those books that it makes me sad that there is a place for them at all. But in the post Columbine era — I suppose that the subject needs to be addressed. However, I found myself wondering if finding this kind of book in the young adult fiction category, doesn’t give as many ideas, as it does possible solutions. I remember going to school and having the running list of people and things that I didn’t like. And weather it was an actual physical list, or just one that was running in my head — I don’t think I was so different from any other kid. I think we all had that growing up. It is a time of struggle and difficulty. And as each person is searching for the concept of who they are, and what they want to become — they have to do it among a school filled with others doing exactly the same thing. Emotions run high, and peer pressure combined with the need to belong will always be the definition of high school. But something has fundamentally changed in our society, when those emotions can no longer be channeled into something more productive than taking a gun to school.

This story is about Valerie and her boyfriend Nick. Two of the class outcasts that are struggling to find themselves amid the myriad groups of the local high school. Together they start forming a list of things and people that they hate — those that have oppressed, or made fun of them. It is made up of the people that irritate them and belittle them in one form or another. However, Valerie never realized just how serious Nick was about this list — until he opens fire with a gun in the commons of the school one morning. As Valerie has to struggle to come to terms with this incident, and how it has dramatically changed her life forever, she starts a journey of self discovery, and re-evaluation of herself.

I found a lot of this book to be fatalistic, and it was only in the end that I felt like Ms. Brown added an ending that might be a little more up beat. I realize that teenagers always struggle with parents, school, peer pressure, and their place in the world. However, it is tragic that we have come to a point where when teenagers are acting out they are no longer just talking back, with petty fights, and rebelling against the rules that are enforced on them, but they are engaging in serious, criminal activity that will ultimately end lives — and dramatically destroy others. And it saddens me to see that we are now making a place in our literary world for this kind of activity. Do I think it is wrong — that is not for me to say. But I do think it is sad that violence in schools has risen to a point where there is a place for it in our literary presentations.

I was particularly troubled by the presentation of Valerie’s parents in this book. The complete disconnect from their children, and their unwillingness to support and give guidance for Valerie through a time of extreme emotional turmoil. And I find the presentation of the parents in this book not only tragic — but horrifying, particularly that of her father. This book would make a good argument for when things fall apart in the home — they end up falling apart everywhere else, particularly in the lives of the children that it impacts.

Overall this book presents some serious issues, and ones that are now pertinent to our society today. But it is a tragic commentary on a society gone wrong — and a demonstration on how far things have deteriorated over the last couple of generations.

For more interesting information on this topic, check out the websites below:

National School Safety and Security Services

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Jennifer Brown Blog
The Book Worm’s Library is affiliated with Indiebound, AbeBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. When you buy a product through these retailers, using one of our links, The Books Worm’s Library earns income from the sale. These sales are much appreciated, and this income is used to fund this blog site. Thank you so much for your readership and patronage.

Find this book from your favorite Independent Bookseller!

Category: Young Adult Fiction, fiction | 1 Comment »
Tags: Book, Depression, fiction, School Violence, Young Adult Fiction

Quote of the Day — Ruiz Zafon

Posted By Lisa on January 23, 2010

Books commonly burned by the Nazis

It is difficult to hate an idea. That requires a certain intellectual discipline and a slightly obsessive, sick mind. There aren’t too many of those. It’s much easier to hate someone with a recognizable face whom we can blame for everything that makes us feel uncomfortable. It doesn’t have to be an individual character. It could be a nation, a race, a group. . .anything.

This is an idea that is found in Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s book The Angel’s Game, and one that I have found to be particularly pertinent to our world. Do we hate the person, or category of people that are the face or symbol of the ideology — or do we hate the ideology behind the face? To hate the face brings senseless pain and suffering — to hate the idea gives us the ability to fight the true source of evil in this world.

Category: Quote of the Day | No Comments »
Tags: Censorship, Civil Rights, Quotes

Still Alice by: Lisa Genova

Posted By Lisa on January 21, 2010

Still Alice

Lisa Genova; IUniverse, Inc. 2007