Overcome or be overcome by it

I remember a Thanksgiving long ago when our power went out just as the meal preparations were completed.  How lovely that Thanksgiving meal by candlelight seemed!  Then we waited for the power to come back on.  What started out as an adventure (cooking with an iron skillet in the fireplace, "camping" at night in our sleeping bags by the fire) became a long, agonizing wait for hot water, hot food, and clean clothes.  This event became known in the Pacific Northwest as The Thanksgiving Day Storm of 1983.  There are many of us who have memories of weather events turning family gatherings into marathons of perseverance against the elements.  These become epic tales passed down from generation to generation, often growing more fantastic with each new telling. 
After witnessing (from a safe distance through the magic of television) the havoc of "frankenstorm" Sandy, I started to think about preparing for disaster season in Wisconsin, commonly known as WINTER.  Most people throughout our fair land have certain tasks, like cleaning the rain gutters or washing the windows, that they schedule according to the time of year.  Growing up in the mild climate of the Pacific Northwest, I was not taught to pack sweaters or shorts away because one might need a sweater in June and a pair of shorts in December.  We used the same jacket all year round, generally a windbreaker with a hood, unless we were taking a day trip into the mountains for skiing or tubing.  Lately, it has occurred to me that perhaps it was time to think beyond mere winter preparation chores.  In a world of "here and now" not tomorrow, shouldn't we consider that help might not be immediately around the corner?
We may not end up on a desert island like Robinson Crusoe, or Tom Hanks but we could get stranded in our car.  Nor would any of us wish to end up on a remote mountaintop like the survivors of the Andes plane crash or in the middle of the Atlantic ocean at night like the ill-fated passengers of the Titanic.  Certainly in this day and age, we would never allow children to walk miles home during precarious or inclement weather.  How many of us would have the courage of Aaron Ralston to sacrifice a limb to save their own life when faced with a desperate choice?
Are these adventure stories or acts of desperation?  That's not always easy to determine.  Every reader experiences a book and its contents differently.  While one person may admire the will to survive, another may focus on the appalling actions taken by the characters or author to ensure survival. Life and our reaction to it is unpredictable.  None of us can accurately determine how we will behave when faced with a crisis.  Will we be noble and self-sacrificing, thinking more of others or will we use the weaknesses of those around us to stack the odds of survival in our own favor?  Everyone has a mental image of who they would like to be and how they would wish others to see them.  Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy (sometimes of immense proportions) to bring out our brave and noble characteristics.  All to often we find that we are not be the person we had hoped to be but that  
doesn't mean we should give up. 

Books about survival against the odds honor the indomitable human spirit.  They are about the "yes we can" attitude that is instilled into the genetic make-up of human beings.  These are the people who defy their own instincts to take care of themselves and instead take care of others without hesitation.  We don't know what may be around the corner or how we will handle it.  We can be glad that there have been others who were willing to do it for us.



I'm scared and I LIKE it

In late October, our thoughts naturally turn to the dark side.  Books like The Amityville Horror, Haunted Wisconsin, and The Salem Witch Trials Reader disappear from the non-fiction shelves.  It may not be for everyone, but there are many people who genuinely enjoy being scared.  To appease this "unnatural" reading appetite, here are a few books that may make you think twice about turning off the lights at night.
Old school or "classic" horror relies on building suspense instead of gore.  Take for example the author Ira Levin.  In Rosemary's Baby, The Stepford Wives, and The Boys From Brazil, the author depicts a normal world with average people in situations gone terribly wrong.  There is EVIL lurking just beneath the surface of their normality.  Books like Stephen King's Carrie with its realistic high school setting of a bullied, misfit girl versus her tormentors, Robert Harris' Hannibal Lecter series with its cannibalistic character, or Richard Matheson's I Am Legend resonate with the reader because there is a kernel of truth at the heart of the tale.  Who doesn't want their beloved family pet to come back to them as in Pet Sematary?  Doesn't being confined to the house and cut off from civilization during the winter months drive everyone a little nuts like in The Shining? 
Horror plays upon the natural or unnatural fears of the reader.  In The Exorcist, The Omen, and The Bad Seed, children are manipulated by evil or they are using evil to manipulate those around them.  Inside the reader the seed of doubt as to the actual innocence of those children is planted as their stories unfold.  Terrifying vampire stories have been around for decades thanks to books like Bram Stoker's Dracula and Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.  In those stories, a bite on the neck does not lead to undying love, it leads to unquenchable thirst for the blood of others or a painful death.  They love people only for their value as a food source. 

Don't have time to be scared to death by a book?  Nearly every one of the books mentioned have been made into a movie at least once.  Some of them, like Dracula, have been revamped and updated many times over.  They may not have an over-the-top "slasher" appeal but these are subtle stories that will wiggle down into your mind and make you think twice before you turn out the lights at night.

Share the Good Things

Several of us at the library have recently finished reading (or re-reading) 84 Charing Cross Road and sharing our thoughts about it during a book discussion.  It is a fascinating glimpse into the not-too-distant past that uses letters (less than 100 pages worth) which help the reader realize that living conditions in England in 1949 were still fairly sparse following the aftermath of World War II.  Nylons were not readily available and food like meat and eggs were strictly rationed.  Contrast that with people living in the United States, like the author, who were long past any such restrictions.  The letters reveal that a combination of a shared love of literature and the author Helene Hanff's outgoing personality resulted in a deep and lasting friendship which developed through letters.  When contemplating the idea of sharing a part of oneself through letters (the actual printed word, not an email or text), one cannot help feeling nostalgic or sentimental regarding the demise of the art of communication in this manner.

There is nothing wrong with being sentimental or feeling nostalgic.  Michael Perry makes this very clear in his latest book, Visiting Tom.  You do not have to be from the state of Wisconsin to appreciate the unique title character of this book.  Tom and his wife Arlene are a snapshot of a vanishing breed of people.  Reading this book was like visiting with my own grandparents.  As I was reading, I could picture my father-in-law (who is an avid collector of things-that-might-be-useful-in-the-future) digging out an old part from one of his many boxes or piles and using it to fix something for one of his kids or grand kids.  These are the type of people that even if they can't do the work themselves, they know how to get it done, and don't worry, they will tell you the right way to do it.

Stories of growing up in
Manitowoc, WI
that will make
you smile.

People like Tom (or Grandpa or my father-in-law) are not known as great communicators.  However, as is clear from Perry's book, given the chance, they will gladly share their stories with you.  They may not be comfortable with email, cell phones, or writing things down, but give them some unhurried moments, and they will share moments of their past with you that is not to be missed.  This art, storytelling, is a window into our collective history.  There will come a time when these stories will be shared not by the people who lived them but by the people who cared enough to stop and listen.  Visiting Tom displays the joys of living in a small, rural community and the personal ties that develop from an interconnected past.  In order to enjoy the true benefits of small community life, we need to take the time to stop and listen. 
Don't miss an opportunity to learn more about the history you share with your community, even if you haven't been born and raised there.  I learned so many interesting things about Manitowoc from Dave Crehore's book, Sweet and Sour Pie.  His childhood stories are laugh-out-loud funny and he describes a lovely Manitowoc that has not vanished completely.  We can share in this love and laughter as we grow together and build our future.

Movies to remember...they're swell!

Hey, you remind me of a man.  What man?  The man with the power.  Power of what?  Power of hoodoo.  Who Do?  You do! Do what?  Remind me of a man.  What man?  The man with the power.... 

Cary Grant (or Archibald Alexander Leach), is still dreamy.  Whether you happen upon him in black and white or color, his good looks will cause you pause on that channel.  If you watch him in action long enough, you will be caught up by his charisma, charm, and comedic abilities.  The other night I had the pleasure of viewing The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, a hilarious black and white comedy.  Cary Grant and Myrna Loy are perfect together and Shirley Temple turns in a fabulous performance as an overwrought, misunderstood, teenager in love with an older man.  One of the laugh-out-loud moments for me was watching the high school basketball scene from the movie.  It looked nothing like the basketball played today...and the uniforms are enough to give one the giggles.  You could never make a movie like this today since the mere thought of a family agreeing to allow an older man to date their high school aged daughter is alarming to say the least.  The beauty of this film is that the audience never once believes that anything will develop between Shirley Temple's character and her crush.  From the start, he is clearly meant for her age-appropriate older sister.  This allows you to relax and enjoy the silly situations and oddball dialogue without any fear that you are going to see something that will give you nightmares.
Years ago I read Shirley Temple Black's autobiography.  She started her acting career at a very early age and became a box office smash with a perfect image to maintain.  She was not allowed to be seen in public with a curl out of place or a tear in her eye.  If she lost a baby tooth, they glued a temporary one in to fill the gap.  As her body matured, she was forced to dress and act younger than her actual age until the studio could no longer hide the fact that America's "Little Darling" had become a teen.  Her book describes the highs and lows of the Hollywood life for a child actor.  The fascinating part of her life is how she remade herself and rebuilt her life after Hollywood.  Who could foresee that Shirley Temple, child actress, would go on to become a representative to the 24th General Assembly of the United Nations and a United States ambassador twice?
Myrna Loy is best known for her portrayal of Nora Charles in the six Thin Man films.  She is the perfect wife, impeccably groomed and always prepared with a witty remark.  Myrna herself was most proud of her work in The Best Years of Our Lives which is a dramatic piece featuring the return of three World War II servicemen from different backgrounds.  She had a lengthy and varied movie career but said she received the most satisfaction from her work as a Red Cross volunteer during World War II and later with UNESCO.  In her autobiography, she describes how her remarks against Hitler got her movies banned in Germany and earned her a reprimand from the studio.  According to the biography of Loy by Emily Leider, Myrna was one of the few Hollywood actresses who subscribed to a code of ethics when it came to relationships (other people's husbands).  As with all things Hollywood, we will never truly know the real Myrna Loy but we can enjoy her flawless comedic timing, and the lovely, glamorous persona that comes through when she is on the screen.
There have been several biographies of Cary Grant over the years and much speculation about his personal life.  I prefer to remember him as the suave, debonair good guy from Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest, the angel from The Bishop's Wife, or the heartthrob from An Affair to Remember.  I smile at the thought of Shirley Temple singing "The Good Ship Lollipop" or dancing with George Murphy and Bill Robinson.  I admire the aura of sophistication Myrna Loy gave to every one of her screen characters.  I am grateful that I don't have to wait for these people to randomly show up on my TV screen because I am at the mercy of a cable channel.  To paraphrase the remarks of a recent library patron-this library has an excellent movie selection, and they're FREE.  They don't make these kinds of movies anymore, don't miss out on the good stuff.

Please Stay

How do you say goodbye?  It's not painful when you know you will see that person again; it's just a little pinch to the heart.  It burns inside of you when you realize that it's likely a longstanding separation.  It lingers and aches when you know you will never see that person again.  Saying farewell is admitting that you are about to lose someone or something that is important.  Hence the difficulty that many of us have with monumental changes in our lives.
The Year of Magical Thinking is an outstanding example of the difficulty of accepting loss.  Anyone who has experienced the loss of a beloved person can identify with the author's expectation of seeing that individual occupying their usual place at the table or couch.  Accepting that the person is gone forever, is another loss.  Blue Nights is a different book of loss.  This is the anger. The inability to believe that a young person could be taken away.  Joan Didion shares the loss of her daughter and begins the process of acceptance while reminding us that the inevitable continuation of living our lives does not mean forgetting about what we've lost.
Beth Howard's book, Making Piece, about the loss of her young husband is a study in guilt.  Throughout their short married life, they experienced long periods of separation due to his employment and her unwillingness to move or live abroad.  On the day of his death, her husband was on the way to the lawyer's office to sign their divorce papers.  This was the second time they had attempted to go through the process.  Tragically, he died of a heart attack prior to signing the papers.  The author is convinced that she caused the death of her young husband.  She works through her grief and guilt by taking her hobby of making pie and sharing the love of that experience with others.





Goodbye is loss and starting anew.  Smashed by Koren Zailkckas, chronicles the author's struggles with the seductive power of alcohol which had been her social crutch for years.  She will have to give up the one thing she thinks she loves in order to connect with the real world.  In The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls tells her tragic story through the rose tinted glasses of childhood.  Life is an unpredictable adventure with her eccentric parents.  As an adult, she comes to realize that she must separate from her parents to find happiness and stability.  Nicholas Sparks' Three Weeks With My Brother is a window into the heart and soul of brotherly love.  Though they are on the travel adventure of a lifetime, the brothers spend time sharing the joys and woes of their childhood memories and mourning the death of their beloved sister.
As we move from summer to fall, perhaps now is the best time to pick up a "goodbye book".  Fall in Wisconsin is a lovely time of year.  We live for the Packers and the local football teams.  The foliage entices visitors to drive "up north".  We put away our boats, docks and swimsuits and unpack our winter coats, snowmobiles, snow blowers, and skis.  The kids head off to school, and mourn the end of their freedom.  We live in a state of quiet anticipation while we watch everything slowly go still and dormant around us.  Summer will return but unlike the reliability of the seasons, our lives may take drastic turns and we are left wondering how long we will be saying our goodbyes before we are able to move on.

   

Old Friends

Comfortable books.  Old friends.  The tried and true.  Favorite reads.  Those authors that you keep track of in anticipation of their next volume.  Sometimes we get on a reading treadmill and it feels like we can't keep up nor are we able to get off.  Those of us who earn our keep staying current on the latest popular authors, genres, and other book trends are in a never ending reading race.  However, it would be foolish of us to forget about old friends whose meaning and message have not faded with time.
I don't know how many times I've read Pride and Prejudice (or some variation of it).  I am not ashamed to say that I have read several Jane Austen books multiple times.  My favorite fantasy books are still J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy followed closely by C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.  According to a close friend, Ender's Game is above and beyond the best science fiction book ever written which is why he tends to read it again at least once a year. 
Gone with the Wind, The Red Badge of Courage, and The Killer Angels are books I revisit for a taste of the Civil War.  One of my all-time favorite historical books is The Autobiography of Henry the VIII written by Margaret George.  This book is written from the point of view of the court jester who has an interesting take on the various intrigues of Henry the VIII's court.  On a visit to my parents when I ran out of my own books to read (gasp!) and was tired of re-reading Agatha Christie, I was introduced to Caleb Carr's The Alienist.  
Come to think of it, most of my "comfort books" came to me through my mom.  I introduced her to The Help and she gave me Bernard Cornwell.  She leaves books like David McCullough's 1776 and Hampton Side's Ghost Soldiers at my house and I recommend Stephen Ambrose and Sarah Vowell to her.  Last time she visited, I sent a battered copy of Sarah's Key home with her for her plane ride as the fictional companion to Caroline Moorehead's A Train in Winter which she read at my house for two days straight.
Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that being in the business of books is not about how fast you can read or if you can remember the hottest new author.  Reading for pleasure and connecting with other readers is about finding the story that means something to you personally.  It may be that the book you need at the moment is NOT the latest and greatest but an old friend who will take you on a journey through the back roads of your memory to a familiar place you've visited before.  Like grandma's house, the smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies, a favorite sweater, your comfortable jeans, a hug when you need it most, a "comfort read" is the old friend that you can still relate to and want to share with others.   

The Boys of Summer and Other Hits

It has been a number of years since my husband read Bob Uecker's book about his less than illustrious baseball career and laughed out loud in the process.  Since then, I have tried to tempt him with a number of other non-fiction books but success has been limited.  Yes, despite my best efforts, he does not consider himself a "reader".  When we take a trip with a longer drive, I can normally get the entire family engrossed in a book on CD (as long as there isn't a Brewers or Packers game to listen to).  Following that, there will be a short burst of dedication to reading a book but it is usually cut short by some other distraction like the television (after all, there is probably a game of some sort on SOMEWHERE) or video games.  I have found that there are many people with busy lives who feel they don't have the time to read, and there are many people who don't consider reading to be a relaxing activity.   

Here are a few things that HAVE sparked an interest with my difficult-to-engage reader.  On our way out west, we listened to Bob Greene's Once Upon a Town with tears in our eyes and regret in our hearts when it was over.  Andy Rooney's My War, (sadly, available only on audio cassette) was filled with his trademark wit and social criticism made all the more potent because he was the narrator.  We once listened to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and could not stop singing the Tom Bombadil song for at least three days.  I have also discovered that teen and children's fiction can keep the entire family from squabbling their way through Montana.  Series such as Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, Harry Potter, and Brian Jacques' Redwall can help maintain the peace in an enclosed space for hours.  The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle had us so engrossed that we almost missed the last rest area for the next 82 miles.

Back to the sport of baseball, which has many inspirational stories based on reality.  Everyone loves an impossible comeback or to cheer for the underdog.  Jim Morris' book, The Oldest Rookie, inspired the movie, The Rookie starring Dennis Quaid.  The book (and movie) Moneyball might give hope to any baseball fan, even a Milwaukee Brewers' fan.  Stories and movies like Eight Men Out or Cobb remind us that baseball is more than a game and the people playing it are fallible human beings.  However, don't we all want to remember the boys of summer through the rosy light of a Field of Dreams?

Next time you want to tempt someone into a book, try making it a shared experience by using an audio book in the car.  Or, instead of Friday night pizza and a movie, bring home the book too.  It may be the inspiration you're looking for to get someone reading again.