If You Like Books about Survivors...

One of the great things about reading books from other time periods and situations is that it gives you perspective on your own. All the books I'm featuring today, which are mostly geared toward grown ups, have strong, inspiring protagonists. There's something about reading a story about a pioneer or a Victorian era orphan when the world is going crazy around you. It reminds you that people have always faced difficulties, which often make our own look small.

 

JAYBER CROW by Wendell Barry

You can tell this author is a poet. Every word, every phrase is economical, and though his writing is lyrical, there is no purple prose here. What I loved about this book is that it gave me a slice of what life was like during the last century, from World War I to 1980s, roughly the time period of my great grandmother's life. I also learned a lot about the history of agriculture and how modern methods of farming affect small towns. And it has one of the most poetic and deep meditations on grace and the question of suffering (and why a good God allows suffering). It’s also a very unconventional love story with an enigmatic ending that I’m still puzzling over.  

AMY SNOW by Tracy Rees

Amy Snow is a fast read. It’s about a girl, who was left as a baby in the snow to die (hence the name), and the girl who finds her. They grow up together; Amy Snow being treated as little better than a servant. When the older girl dies, Amy Snow is kicked out of the house with nothing. It’s soon after that she gets a letter from her dead friend and then begins a treasure hunt throughout Victorian England to figure out the secret her friend kept from her family.  While I did figure out the “secret” fairly early on, what I loved about this book was not only it’s detailed Victorian setting and characters—reminiscent of Dickens in many ways—but the wonderful friendship between these girls. For whatever reason, I don’t find many deep female friendships in modern lit, and I wish I saw more. While I thought there were a few anachronisms and the male characters were not have as strong and charming as the females, it was still a completely engaging book, and I’ll be keeping an eye from more from this author. This is her debut. 

MRS. MIKE by Benedict and Nancy Freedman

I discovered this book at my local library. It was published in 1947, so it's not a new book. It's based on a true story about a 16-year-old girl who moves to Calgary for her health and ends up marrying a mountie. (She's a bit young to marry, but this does take place in 1907.) She follows him to the Canadian wilderness and adventures and hardships ensue. It's more about her conflict with the land and the people she encounters and life itself than her relationship with Mike, her husband. At one point, she decides she can't take it anymore and returns to civilization, but the wilderness has ruined her forever for stuffy and regimented society. This is one of those books you'll never forget. If you meet anyone else who's read it, you have an instant kinship. It's been called the Canadian Little House. (This book is often labeled YA and would be appropriate for most teens.)



What are your favorite books about survivors? Please leave your recommendations in the comments!

A Few Titles for Grown Ups

Ah, summer! Whether I'm stuck inside with the air conditioner or enjoying iced tea on the back porch, I’m often enjoying time with a good book. What better way to celebrate summer than to read outside my usual genre, kidlit.

Here are a few of my favorites for grown ups that I've read lately.

THE OPPOSITE OF FATE by Amy Tan 

I  hadn’t read any Amy Tan before I read this book, although I did see The Joy Luck Club. What I loved about this book is that it is part memoir, part writing advice. The book is not a narrative, but a series of essays, some for other publications about her life and her writing. The essay where she describes finding a Cliff Notes about her book is not to be missed--especially if you need a laugh. Her thoughts on being a multicultural author were interesting. Despite the fact that she writes what she knows, she’s constantly criticized for not portraying Chinese culture in a good light, for not providing good Chinese male role models, etc. I loved her response. Her purpose, as a writer is not to educate or to remake Chinese culture or people’s perceptions of it. Her purpose is to write what is true. May we all have the courage to do the same. 

GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles

I tend not to like most best-sellers, but this one astounded me. It has all the things I love: the backdrop of the Russian revolution, nods to some of my favorite classic literature, and a hero who loves manners and is a true gentleman. This was a book I savored for its lovely turns of phrase, wide scope (though it takes place in one location), well-drawn characters, and wit. Not to be missed!



THE AWAKENING OF MISS PRIM by Natalia Sanmartin Fenorella

This is a translation of a Spanish novel. I first heard about it on Faith's blog, Life is Art, and knew I would love it. It's sort of a modern Jane Eyre-esque novel with a librarian meeting a curmudgeon, who is a cross between Darcy and C.S. Lewis. I loved all the literary allusions, but also the frank discussions of philosophy and Christian thought I rarely see in fiction. I also loved this idyllic town where feminists support women working less hours (yay to that!) so that they can focus on their children and their gifts and passions. And the portrayal of homeschooling as a suitable alternative to regular education spoke to me as well. It's a very different novel--if you like philosophy and Jane Eyre, it might be your cup of tea.




Have you read any interesting books for grown ups lately?

P.S. I'll be taking a break from blogging for the rest of the month and the first week of September. I will be back on September 11th with a post about MARI'S HOPE--the final installment in Sandy Brehl's trilogy about a girl surviving the Nazi occupation of Germany. See you then!