You may have already see the video I’m about to share, but if you haven’t, you’re about to find out yet another reason why I adore John Green.
Last week Huffington Post shared the following video of John Green discussing self publishing and chatting about the value of having a publisher and editor to help fine tune a books success.
Take 2 minutes and watch this captivating video.
Writing a book review for a book that leaves you in shambles is a really intimidating task. I think the reason I’ve found it so difficult to write my thoughts on Claire Messud’s The Woman Upstairs is because the book scared me in a lot of ways. Obviously, it’s not a mystery book and it didn’t leave me wanting to add an extra lock to my door. It more or less scared me in a “I don’t want this scenario to happen to me” way. It’s at this point that I feel I should add a little context, so here goes nothing…
Nora Eldridge is a thirty-seven old woman. She’s an elementary school teacher and she’s really, really angry. Case in point, the first sentence of the book starts with the sentences:
How angry am I? You don’t want to know. Nobody wants to know about that.
Of course, you’re automatically intrigued as to why she’s so angry, but Claire Messud isn’t going to give you the punch line right away. She makes you work for it. As you read on, you get to know Nora and you enter her little world. A world that may appear very fulfilling to an outsider, but in truth is filled with loneliness with a mix of despair. Things take a drastic turn when Nora meets the Shahid family. She makes an early connection with Reza, a boy in her class whom gets bullied by his peers. It’s through this horrific act, that Nora meets both Sirena and Skandar. Her connection with Sirena is immediate when they both realize their interested in creating art. Together they decide to open a studio that will allow them both to find their creative voice and escape from parenting (in Sirena’s case) and from all the chaos that surrounds Nora each day at the elementary school.
For the first time, in a long time, Nora starts to escape what she once thought was her inevitable fate of spinsterhood. She now has friends, dinner dates and her relationship with Reza fulfils her want and need to have a child. What was once such a void, has now been filled with what she thinks is happiness. But is happiness defined by filling in the gaps that you think are missing? This is the real question that conjures up for the reader after reading The Woman Upstairs.
There were many times I found myself feeling bad for Nora. There were times I understood why she chose to supplement a family and become so entwined in their lives. But what happens to her really left me feeling sorry for her. I kept wanting to reach into the pages to tell her that it was going to be okay. I wanted so badly to sit down with her and have a chat and try to help sort through some of her anger. This want and need to help her is what left me so distraught and so incomplete. That being said, I wasn’t dissatisfied with the plot or the ending, I just wanted more. I wanted to know that she was going to heal. Clearly I’m a sucker for an ending that’s tied up in a neat bow.
This was my first time reading Claire Messud, but it definitely won’t be the last. She clearly knows how to develop a character in such an intricate way that the character’s story, their flaws and strengths become personal to the reader. Somehow their story finds a way into your heart in a way that you never see coming, which is solid proof that Claire Messud is a master of her craft.
Do you like books that take you on an epic journey?
Great. You’re in the right place.
When I picked up Amy McCulloch’s debut novel The Oathbreaker’s Shadow, I didn’t really know what was in store. I knew from in-house meetings that it had to do with scarring, fire and broken promises. And yes, the novel does involve those three components, but in such an intricate way, you’ll find yourself never wanting to make another promise as long as you live.
At this point, you’re likely looking for a little more context as to what the heck I’m speaking about. Fair enough. I’m going to refer to the publishers website, because it was their description that really sold me on committing to read the book in the first place:
In the world of fifteen-year-old Raim, you tie a knot for every promise you make. Break that promise and the knot will burst into flames, scarring your skin and forever marking you as an oathbreaker. Raim has worn a simple knot around his wrist for as long as he can remember. No one seems to know where it came from or which promise it symbolizes, and Raim barely thinks about it at all—especially not since he became the most promising young fighter ever to train for the elite Yun guard. But on the day that he binds his life to that of his best friend (and the future king), Khareh, the rope ignites and sears a dark mark into his skin. Scarred now as an oathbreaker, Raim has two options: run or be killed. He chooses to run, taking refuge in the vast desert among a colony of exiled oathbreakers. Will he be able to learn the skills he needs to clear his name? And even if he can, how can he keep a promise he never knew he made in the first place?
The story of Raim and his journey to find the truth about who he really is, is one that will have you hooked on page one. Not only has he been exiled from his home, but he’s forced to walk away from his sister, his best friend and his mentor. With little to no direction, Raim stumbles upon a group of people, known as the Alashan. Luckily, they thrive in the desert, where Raim is barely hanging on. Their “guidance” (if you can call it) save his life and allow him to try to figure out the truth about who he is and what the searing mark on his skin actually means.
You’ll find yourself rooting for Raim. You’ll fall in love with not only his determination, but his heart. Because, at the end of the day, all this young boy really wants is to be a part of something. To belong to a family.
Amy McCulloch’s writing is intelligent and has a distinctive confidence wove into each page. The world of Lazar is described in such great detail, that you’ll find it hard to believe it’s a fictional location. This is a great book for people of all ages that enjoy the likes of Philip Pullman and/or George R.R. Martin.
You can connect with Amy on Twitter @AmyMcCulloch and be sure to visit her blog, where she not only provides you with an excerpt of The Oathbreaker’s Shadow, but she also shares her (adorable) reaction to seeing her book in print for the very first time!
If you’ve been following this blog for awhile, it’s not a secret that I’m a fan of a good celebrity memoir. I don’t know what it is about celebrities, but I’m no stranger to buying a $2.99 magazine to stare at pictures of the Angelina/Brad family and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I like to keep up to date on the love saga of Justin and Selena. When a celebrity writes a memoir, I feel as if they’re giving me an invitation to peek into their lives when we’re so often given little access to the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Some have chosen not to write a memoir yet, but I continue to wait with baited breath for the day when they do.
In no particular order, here are the celebrities I’d like to see write a memoir.
1. Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker has been in the “biz” for quite some time, which only solidifies the reasons as to why she needs to pen a memoir. I’d love to read about the behind the scenes on the set of Footloose and that little gig she did for HBO would definitely conjure up some great reading material.
2. George Stroumboulopoulos
When I was in high school, Strombo was a VJ on Much Music. I would watch in my Nova Scotia home and wish that one day I would be living in the big city of Toronto. He (and I) and I have come a long way. He now hosts one of the most successful late night talk shows here in Canada, called The Hour and I always feel a little smarter when I hear him speak on any subject. This is one memoir I want to happen. Like, yesterday.
3. Lauren Graham
Okay, this is a bit of a stretch, because as many of you know Lauren Graham just wrote her first novel Someday, Someday, Maybe, which is the story of a young woman trying to make it in NYC as an actress. Obviously, there is a bit of Lauren Graham’s story infused in her fictional story, but not enough unfortunately. What I want from Lauren Graham is a look at her journey from commercials to Gilmore Girls. Someday, someday, maybe will get a memoir out of her!
4. Margaret Atwood
We’ve read her fiction, we’ve read her poetry, now all we need is a memoir from the woman behind some of the best literature in the market. If you’ve ever read Margaret Atwood’s Twitter feed, you know she’s a woman with lots to say. Now if we can just get her to write a memoir more than 140 characters, we’d be in business!
5. Kristen Wiig
I always thought Kristen Wiig was funny on Saturday Night Live, but then when she wrote and starred in Bridesmaids, she took on a whole new level of funny. Like many of her SNL comrades, she got her start in the improvisational comedy troupe, the Groundlings. Her rise to fame has been a comedy filled one and someone as talented as she is definitely has to share her story sometime soon!
6. Britney Spears
What can I say? I like a little gossip. It’s been no surprise Britney Spears has been through hell and back in the last ten years. Impromptu marriages, legal problems, a shaved head, etc. We’ve all watched it play out like a bad episode of Jersey Shore and I want to know the answers to all of our unanswered questions. I completely understand why she hasn’t released a memoir as the media loves her and they’d probably eat her alive, but I know that with some time, she’ll write a memoir and I know it’ll everything I want it to be.
7. Hannah Hart
Maybe it’s better to say ‘My Drunk Kitchen‘ as opposed to saying Hannah Hart when I talk about my next pick. If you’re not following her on YouTube, there is no time like the present. Hannah’s life took a 180 turn when she decided to make a funny video of her drinking and cooking for her friends birthday. That one video changed her life and she is now one of the biggest YouTube sensations on the web. She’s currently touring the United States and Canada in an RV (vlogging the whole experience of course) while she meets her fans and cooks with all of them. I know that this amazing, positive and outgoing individual will be published in no time.
8. Will Ferrell
It’s shocking me that he doesn’t already have a memoir. Someone needs to make it happen, STAT. On the other hand, Will Ferrell has been busy making hilarious films, so I suppose it’s okay. Like Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell really hit his stride on Saturday Night Live and has been on a role ever since. When it does happen, you’ll be able to say, that you heard it here first.
9. Oprah
There have been biographies (some really juicy ones to be exact), but there has never been a memoir penned by the Queen of Talk. We know Oprah loves recommending books, but it’s about time that she shares her story with all of us! We know she has one hell of a story to tell and we can only hope that one day, she decides to share it with us. In the meantime, I’ll just continue reading everything she recommends to read.
10. Sarah Polley
I’m fascinated by Sarah Polley. She’s this amazing young woman who’s not only a fascinating actress, but she writes and directs fantastic films that go above and beyond the norm. Her newest film, Stories We Tell, is the closest thing we have to a memoir thus far, as it examines the fact that her Mother had an affair and the man she thought was her biological Father, isn’t actually the case. I can respect and understand the reasoning as to why this story is being shown on film and not in print. But my hope is that one day, she shares this story and the story of her days of going from actress to director in writing, because I know it would be an outstanding read.
Share with me in the comments below which celebrities you’d like to write a memoir?
As many of you know, I’m a big fan of Twitter. I love it’s ability to connect you with authors, brands, even celebrities. But you know, as well as I do, that if you miss a conversation, you’re likely never hear about it again. Unless it has a hashtag that you regularly follow or it involves Rob Ford, your apt to miss out on a tweet from your friends about their most recent read. That’s why I’m such a fan of a new website called BookVibe. Essentially, BookVibe does all the heavy lifting for you when it comes to finding out what books your Twitter friends are reading in an easy to use and visual way.
As their website indicates,
BookVibe analyzes the books your friends are talking about on Twitter and Facebook (coming soon) to help you discover new books.
Their formula for consolidating all your followers book chatter in one place not only makes it easier to get excited about new books, but it allows you to connect with your followers hours after their original tweet was created.
Another component that has me really excited is that once logged in, you can click on EXPLORE andperuse through a variety of categories; such as, technology leaders, top authors and leaders in publishing. On this page, you’re able to click on an admired individual and see what their followers are reading too! The fact that you’re not limited to your followers was a huge plus for me, because it’s an added bonus that there is room to create new connections and hear about new books that I might be interested in reading.
Make it part of your routine to login to BookVibe to find out what your friends are saying about new and old pieces of literature and be sure to connect with BookVibe online by giving them a follow on Twitter: @BookVibe
~Happy Reading
ENJOY!
I thought it might be fun to show you one of the books closest to my heart on my bookshelf. It is a collection of short stories titled Victory Meat. Not only does it include stories from Lisa Moore, Christy Ann Conlin and George Elliott Clarke, but it’s edited by one of my favourite Atlantic Canada authors Lynn Coady. Oh and one more thing – the cover image was photographed by my Mother. That’s right, my Mom’s name is in print!
Back in 2003, when this collection hit the bookstores, I was in my first year of University. I was highly influenced by talented writers and creativity and the fact that my own Mother’s creativity was published, inspired me to continue to strive towards a career in the arts. Of course making it my favourite book on my shelf.
I’d love you to share with me your most cherished book. Leave a comment below or feel free to tweet it to me @reederreads
