BANNED, CHALLENGED, not easily forgotten

What would we have read in school if all the banned and challenged books had been permanently withdrawn from our schools and libraries?  The American Library Association website has several lists of frequently banned and challenged titles. Students might browse this list and express disappointment that so many of these books continue to survive.  Others may recall that they were assigned to read several books from the list which made a permanent impression on them (or possibly scarred them for life).
Anyone who  has read The Lord of the Flies will never forget characters like Ralph, Simon, Jack and Piggy.  Some might say that this book is a tale of adventure about the survival of the fittest. Others may believe that this book is a study of human nature.  Many have felt that the age of the characters and the violence in the story make this an inappropriate title, especially for students. However, in many ways this book could be thought of as simply a precursor to The Hunger Games.

The Catcher in the Rye is objectionable because it contains obscene language, sexual situations, and delinquent behavior.  (Instead of reading the book, one could watch "The Breakfast Club" or "Dead Poet's Society" to understand that this is teen angst at its finest.)  One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has been described as containing obscene language and glorifying criminal activities.  It also contains torture and violent behavior.  (One thing that anyone who reads this book will learn is that being committed to an asylum is not for the weak or faint of heart.)  The Lord of the Rings has hobbits, wizards and dwarfs that smoke.  It has magical creatures like elves, orcs, ents and dragons.  Due to the strong elements of magic, it is often objected to on the basis of its perceived Satanic themes.  (Because if kids read about Frodo smoking a pipe, they will definitely take that up when they embark on their next quest.)

Fahrenheit 451 has never been banned but it has been censored.  (Who would want to look so foolish as to ban a book about banning books?)  Many objections have been raised to this book due to offensive language.  Others have been upset by the political themes which are similar to another banned favorite, 1984. Anyone who has actually read these books should be able to discern that they are against totalitarianism and oppressive regimes (anti-communism, anti-fascism).  Perhaps the objectors were so caught up in the language they didn't understand the actual content.
The Color Purple and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings are two titles with similar themes that are often challenged.  They are often challenged over explicit sexual content, language, and inappropriate content for children.  Some have complained that the books are "anti-white".  They are both stories about young girls who endure brutal treatment throughout their early lives but manage to persevere and eventually thrive.
The people who want to ban books often focus on one thing; should a book exist in a curriculum or be available on a library shelf.  Shouldn't the question focus on why the reader has chosen the material?  Aren't these missed opportunities to talk about books?  Isn't this your chance to share your favorite banned or challenged book that Mr. ____________ assigned to you so long ago?

The Key to our Society is a Sweet Blue Skye

Occasionally you will meet a book that you love at first sight.  The cover is beautiful. The title is intriguing.  The form is something you've never seen before (or avoided because you weren't sure you'd like it).  Perhaps the subject matter is a combination of things that delight or intrigue you as a reader.  With one glance through the description, you know that the setting is where you would like to go on your next vacation.  From the very first page, you realize that this is a book you will recommend to all of your reading friends. When you start looking for something similar, you are devastated to learn that there are very few read-alikes for that title. The disappointment is frustrating and may cause you to choose unwisely the next time you visit the library.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has had the distinction of being a perennial favorite of our library patrons and staff since it first appeared in print.  (The title alone causes it to stand out in a crowd.)  The setting is Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands which was occupied by German forces during World War II.  The story, which is revealed through the correspondence of several characters, describes how the Islanders persevered under German rule and engaged in small acts of defiance.  The society for which the book was named was created as a cover for their meetings and activities but eventually lived up to it as those on the island sought entertainment, society, and a distraction from fear and hunger.    
Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole is another epistolary novel.  The correspondence begins in the years just prior to World War I.  David, a college student from America, sends a fan letter to Elspeth, a Scottish poet who lives on the Isle of Skye.  This exchange of letters gradually develops into a friendship that eventually evolves into something more. However, distance, war, and Elspeth's husband seem to be hurdles that they will never overcome.
Flash forward to early World War II.  Elspeth's daughter Margaret is introduced. After an air raid, she finds the letters from David and starts to put the pieces of her mother's mysterious life together.  This is a story of enduring love, sacrifice, and survival told through the letters of the characters.  The author gives each character their own unique voice and style, enhancing the convention of the novel through letters.
Another favorite of library staff is Jamie Ford's Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.  This too is a love story set during World War II.  It is not told through letters but through flashbacks.  It is the story of Henry, a Chinese-American boy growing up in Seattle.  The story begins shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and tensions are high.  Henry's parents have encouraged him to be as American as possible. This leads to major communication problems at home because his parents do not understand English nor do they speak it.  They have also sent Henry off as a scholarship student to an all-white school where his life is not pleasant.  
Things turn around for Henry when he meets Keiko, a Japanese-American scholarship student at his school.  She becomes Henry's only friend his age. Unfortunately, the politics of the time separate them when people of Japanese descent are sent away to internment camps.  What follows is the story of their friendship and enduring love as they attempt to hold on to one another across the years and finally, to reconnect.
History, mystery, and love can be used to create a story that is both fascinating and addictive.  Whether you enjoy the setting, the time period, or the difference in cultures, these reads can lead you back in time.  And if the above offerings are a little to sweet for your taste, try Tatiana De Rosnay's Sarah's Key, another library favorite that focuses on some less than heroic behavior during World War II.

Books to share with your friends who have an unusual sense of humor, or, my friend told me I had to write about this book

This photo of a Halloween decoration is a picture from Kevin Cotter's book, 101 Uses for my Ex-Wife's Wedding Dress.  When his wife left him, one of the things she left behind was her wedding dress.  When he asked her what to do with it, the response was along the lines of "whatever you want". Following the many and varied suggestions of family and friends, that is exactly what he did.  While it may have started out as a cathartic activity with the goal of finding 101 uses for the discarded dress, the quest became a hilarious blog which then segued into an extremely funny book.  Not only has the author reached his goal of over one hundred uses for the dress, he continues to take suggestions from his blog readers.

Doesn't that look comfy?

Although one may surmise that the book is going to be bitter and nasty, the author has managed to take a painful, life-changing event and create something incredibly funny.  His attempts to use the dress for a multitude of activities may be interpreted as his own method of (cheap) divorce therapy.  This "therapy book" comes with photographs and provides plenty of laughs for the reader.
The author was also left with all of the candles and accoutrements from the wedding.  Use # 75, Puppet Show Curtain, is not to be missed.  It contains a sock monkey, the dress, a doll wearing a replica of the wedding dress, and a Darth Vader mask.  The format of the book allows you to browse topics and uses randomly so that the reader can pick their favorites to share with friends.  The author's blog appears to still be going strong even as he moves forward with his life.  The list of suggested dress uses continues and readers submit their own divorce and wedding dress horror stories.  On the happily-ever-after side of things, the blog also contains a list of charitable organizations that use or resell wedding dresses for a variety of good causes.

There are other blogs that have become books for our perpetual enjoyment. STFU, Parents by Blair Koenig is a book created from the author's blog which speaks out against atrocities that occur every day on social networking sites.  A few of the categories she addresses are "MommyJacking" (the art of telling someone who is proud of their accomplished goal that they haven't accomplished anything until they've been a parent), "Bathroom Behavior" (posting awful photos and graphic descriptions of your child's bodily functions), and "Bun in the Oven" (featuring photos of pregnant bellies that should only be shared with close family and friends).
Another humorous blog that has made the transition to book format is Please fire me:  posts from the revolting workplace by Adam Chromy.  The blog is a list of reader-submitted posts by people who cannot leave their job and are dealing with awful bosses, co-workers, or working conditions.  Some of the posts will make you laugh out loud, others will send you searching for your hand sanitizer.  On the lighter side of things, there are also comic blogs such as The Oatmeal whose author has had a number of his comics turned into books.  Even a non cat-lover can find something to laugh about in How to tell if your cat is plotting to kill you.  In fact, Matthew Inman's book may hold more appeal for those people who are instinctively cautious around cats and their secretive ways. If your neighbor's cat is acting suspicious, this is the survival manual you are seeking.
Don't live in a state of perpetual feline fear.  Find the information you require at the library.  (No cats allowed.)

Bad Beginnings

Yummers! was one of the books that I read repeatedly as a child.  I can't say that there was any one specific thing about the story or illustrations that inspired me to revisit the story over and over.  The friendship between the two main characters (who accept one another despite their vast differences in diet and exercise philosophy) may have been the main attraction.  However, I believe that there was more to it.  As a child, I would study the illustrations and imagine that Eugene was casting longing, loving looks at Emily even as she gorged herself on a variety of foods.  Emily was completely oblivious to this simmering attraction.  To my child's mind, this was a lesson in unrequited love.  How could one not feel sympathy for Eugene who clearly cared about Emily and liked her just the way she was?

Mary Kay Andrews' often creates situations for her characters that seem almost insurmountable.  She uses a uniquely poor start to a relationship in her latest, Ladies' Night, an enjoyable, fun read.  The two main characters meet in a court-ordered divorce recovery group. The author surrounds her main characters with her trademark variety of oddballs who provide a perfect foil for the developing love story between the two "normal" characters.
Grace Stanton, a successful lifestyle blogger (think Martha Stewart), is betrayed by her philandering husband with her personal assistant.  She ends up locked out of their home which is in a gated community with very few personal belongings.  Her only option is to live with her mother in an apartment over a bar.  Instead of receiving her share of their property and income as the wronged party, Grace is sent to what she terms "divorce camp" because she made one tiny, little mistake when she discovered her spouse's infidelity.  As with most of her books, the author mixes in misunderstandings and intrigue to keep the story moving along.  Unlike Emily and Eugene's story, this one has a happily ever after ending.

An author who creates unique female characters is Jennifer Weiner.  In The Next Best Thing, her main character is less than perfect physically and painfully aware of that fact.  With the loving support of her grandmother (and The Golden Girls sitcom characters), Ruth Saunders moves to Hollywood to pursue her dream of writing for TV.  Things don't always go Ruth's way as she learns how to navigate Hollywood and its people.  After a few small successes, she manages to pull together support for her own sitcom about a "normal" girl trying to make it on her own.  Unfortunately for Ruth, between the studio and the actors, her creation becomes the complete opposite of her vision.  Although the Hollywood stereotypes seem to come directly from Susann Jacqueline's Valley of the Dolls, the author manages to create characters with enough depth to keep the reader caring.  Ruth and her true friends persevere and she finds happiness with a man who, like her, is damaged physically but internally intact.
Unfortunately for Emily and Eugene, James Marshall never wrote a book about their simmering attraction for one another.  We will never know if the turtle and pig managed to work things out.  What we do know is that books by authors like Jennifer Crusie, Susan Anderson, Elizabeth Lowell, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Nora Roberts hardly ever let us down because unlike real life, things turn out the way we want them to even if they start with a bad beginning.

These pickles taste like love

More pickles please!

As a child, one of my favorite treats was the pickles my grandparents made.  We would usually visit my grandparents at least once a week.  Before we left our house, my mother would make sure to feed us so that her parents weren't burdened with feeding a bunch of hungry kids.  (We were also admonished not to ask for anything to eat.)  However, when we arrived, it didn't matter whether she told them we had just eaten or even if we had brought food with us, they didn't feel the visit was complete unless they fed us.  Sometimes they shared a big meal with us, more often it was a buffet of snacks. What we all looked forward to most was their homemade pickles.

Save it now to savor it later

Grandma and Grandpa's pickles were so delicious, they would give each of their grandchildren a $5 bill and a jar of pickles for Christmas and we all would jump for joy.  Their pickles were super-sour, extra-dilly, and very spicy.  (They would "sizzle" when the jar was first opened.)  We loved them.  Since I was known for eating my jar in one sitting, my extremely thoughtful grandparents would sneak an extra jar or two to my mom on the side.  I never got a stomach ache from those pickles (despite numerous warnings from the adults around me) nor have I found any that are as delicious.  Even though we have Grandma's recipe, no one in my family has been able to replicate those pickles.  I suppose the missing ingredient is my grandparent's love.  I don't recall Grandma or Grandpa ever eating very many of their own pickles.  I'm pretty sure they made them mostly for us.

Jams, jellies, pie filling and much much more

Pickles weren't the only things they made.  Grandpa used us as laborers when we visited them. He would send us out to pick raspberries with the admonishment to put more in the bucket than we put into ourselves. I'm positive we tried to obey, but I can't vouch for how much success we had in restraining ourselves. According to my mother, they made the best raspberry jam on the face of the earth.  They also put up jars of pickled watermelon and sweet pickles, both of which were an abomination to me as a child.  Watermelon was supposed to be sweet and pickles were supposed to be sour.  Occasionally they would find the time to make dilly beans which were a very close second in my eyes to their pickles.
I cherish those memories of sitting at my grandparent's table playing cards and snacking on their homemade treats.  They didn't have much, but what they did have they wanted to share with us.  Every time I taste a pickle or bite into a dilly bean, I think of them and their kindness, love and generosity. Taking the time to preserve the best of the harvest and share it with others is how sweet memories are made.  It is an art that has not been lost.  It continues to grow and expand as more people recognize its value.  The delicious tradition continues.       

Enjoy the goodness all year round

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice....I turn off the TV

Who can forget PeeWee's infamous line in Eight Men Out?  "Say it ain't so Joe.  Say it ain't so." Wisconsin baseball fans are undergoing a similar disappointment with a fan favorite.  To add insult to injury, the Milwaukee Brewers as a whole have had a less than stellar season.  How to combat this empty ache inside that used to be enjoyment of the game of baseball?  Maybe it's time to focus on the lighter side of the sport.
in the movie
In 1976, the original Bad News Bears film featuring Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal was a surprise hit.  This is a comedy about the "dark side" of Little League baseball.  It featured characters that would probably be toned down or rewritten for the moviegoers of today.  Walter Matthau is a drunken, beer swilling coach of a team full of hapless baseball misfits.  (Matthau's character keeps his full beer cooler full and on hand throughout the movie.)  The team is so bad, they forfeit their first game because they can't get an out in the first inning.  In an attempt to make his team competitive, Matthau recruits a smart-mouthed girl who becomes their ace pitcher and a Harley riding troublemaker who happens to be the best athlete in the area.  The influence of the better players and their desire to win stimulates their teammates' growth.  The best part about this movie is that it doesn't end with trophies for the team and that's a good thing.  This absurd kid comedy masks a movie which is about the joy of baseball, teamwork, and learning about sportsmanship.  (If you've forgotten how funny and shocking this movie can be, click on the link to watch the trailer.)
The Sandlot appeals to the outsider kid in everyone.  Here again, baseball is more than just a game.  It is a way of life, or for some characters, a way to deal with the challenges of their lives.  Full of funny and poignant moments, the movie has a similar tone of adventure and camaraderie as Stand By Me.  The baseball game is a way to make friends, prove your worth, and test your mettle.  The game is a testing ground for the real game-life.
There are many uplifting and serious films about "America's game".  The list includes many well-known titles like The Rookie, Moneyball, 61*, A League of Their Own, Bang the Drum Slowly, Field of Dreams, The Natural, Bull Durham, The Babe, Mr. Baseball, Mr. 3000, and most recently 42.  Some of these films are based on true stories like The Pride of the Yankees.  This is a story that shows baseball and its players in a positive and noble light.  Other films, like Rookie of the Year are about baseball dreams and possibilities. For those fans who just can't bear to watch anymore baseball this season, there's always golf.

Guys get Cussler, Girls get Chick Lit

What is Chick Lit?  A quick definition would be that is a novel with a lead female character who is dealing with the issues of modern life. These issues are usually specific to women. People may sometimes refer to Chick Lit as Mommy Lit.

Popular authors of this genre include Sophie Kinsella, Lauren Weisberger, Jennifer Weiner, Meg Cabot, Jane Green, Katie Fforde, Mary Kay Andrews, Emily Giffin, and Claire Cook. One of the key distinctions that determines whether or not a book would be considered Chick Lit is that the main character is generally between the ages of 20-40.  Thus the appeal to "Chicks" (younger female readers).

One could take a book such as Catherine McKenzie's Arranged and label it a romance.  The story is exactly what the title and cover art would lead you to assume about the book.  Two people pay for an arranged marriage.  They are advised to start out as friends.  They quickly fall in love.  This is followed by a betrayal of trust but naturally love conquers all.  Kudos to the author for finding a believable way to use the arranged marriage device in a modern setting and incorporating elements of Anne of Green Gables into the story.  Anyone who enjoys contemporary romance would like this book.

Novels such as Kinsella's Shopaholic series address an issue that has affected women since the Stone Age.  (People of a certain age will remember the batty cry of "Charge it!" whenever Betty and Wilma from The Flintstones went shopping.)  Titles like Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada or Katie Fforde's The Perfect Proposal are the stuff of women's fantasies.  Who would not want to get a complete makeover free of charge and be allowed to borrow high end clothing as needed?  Not to mention finding the spine to stand up to your boss and strike out on your own successfully.  In Fforde's title, her quirky character is eventually swept off her feet by a modern Mr. Darcy type leading man.  (Cue the mental image of Colin Firth cooling off in the lake at Pemberley.)  Katie Fforde uses humor and sticky situations that cause her characters to grow.  Lauren Weisberger takes a more serious approach as she allows her character to be overcome by her situation until she finds the courage to break free.  The similarity between the two is that both female leads must decide what they want and how to get it.
Another author who has tapped into what women want is Mary Kay Andrews.  In Spring Fever, she managed to mend a marriage that was never meant to be broken.  In Ladies' Night, she allows her heroine to hit rock bottom after being betrayed by her spouse.  From the ashes of despair, she builds a new life with supportive friends and an interesting romantic prospect after her divorce.  She also throws in a little revenge on the unfaithful ex.  These are serious life events that the author approaches with humor. Books like Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green take a more serious approach.  Regardless of whether or not the author uses humor or other devices to move the plot along, the heart of the story remains the same. "Ladies, life is often not going to go your way.  Find a way to deal with it."

Chick Lit, in simple terms, is a blending of several appeal factors that are specific to women. There is often an element of romance.  Sometimes there are family troubles that must be overcome.  Maybe secrets from the past must be addressed.  Whatever the issue, setting, or diversity of characters, these stories are about things that universally affect women of all ages.  Don't think of them as "books for Chicks"; think of them as books that you might like to share with your best friend, or maybe even your mom.