Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)

I just finished "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. I read it more based on an "I need to grab something really quickly to read right now as I'm rushing out the door" instead of based on a recommendation or high praise. I remember that this book was getting quite a bit of publicity a few years ago, but I didn't read it at the time.

 

"Tuesdays with Morrie" is a true story told by the author, Mitch Albom, about one of his college professors. He became quite close to his professor, Morrie, during school, but then didn't keep in touch after graduating. One night, while flipping channels, he sees a show that features Morrie being interviewed because he has been diagnosed with ALS. Mitch starts to revisit and reignite the relationship between himself and Morrie, knowing that Morrie is in the final chapters of his life.  He visits Morrie every Tuesday to discuss everything from marriage to death to culture.

 

Immediately after finishing the book, I checked out the reliable goodreads for the thoughts of other readers. As with all books (or TV or movies, for that matter...), there are obviously those who are going to love and those who are going to hate. Many individuals thought that the book was very good and shed some good light on important life lessons, whereas others thought it was terrible (though this was mainly because of the readers didn't enjoy his style of writing).

 

What did I think? I agree that there are many good "life lessons" in the book. There were many quotable quotes that I jotted down while reading, and some questions or comments in the book that made me question some of the decisions that I am currently making in my own life or make you think a little deeper about the relationships you have with your friends and family. 

 

"Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, 'Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?'" (Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie)
 

This being the second Mitch Albom book I've read (the first one being "The Time Keeper"), I will say that I enjoyed "Tuesdays with Morrie" better than I enjoyed "The Time Keeper." This book was a little easier to follow and dealt with 'real situations.'

 

If you're looking for a book to help put things into perspective, this may be a good book for you. Who better than someone who knows that they are dying, to tell you what they look back on in their lives and wish they could have done differently? (Morrie did seem like a very well-respected teacher and friend, and you have to look at some of his qualities as you read and hope that you can be a little more like him.) As I said, there are many quotable quotes and many things to make you stop and think about whether you are living your life in the best way that you can.

"There is no such thing as 'too late' in life." (Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie)

Once Upon a Day (Lisa Tucker)

I grabbed Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker at the last minute on my way to a last minute supply teaching day.  I wasn't sure if it was the next book I wanted to read, but once I was about two chapters in, I was really intrigued.  (I stumbled upon this book at a bookstore and, even though I hadn't read anything by Tucker or really heard much about her, I decided to buy it after reading the blurb on the back...)

Nineteen years ago, Charles Keenan disappeared from his life with his two children.  Dorothea and Jimmy live with their father, Charles, in a huge house in the middle of nowhere.  He's a very overprotective parent - he won't let his children do anything that he thinks could result in them getting hurt.  That is, no tire swings, no cooking, no painting (because paint is toxic, you know!) and no leaving their property.  They are homeschooled, everything is delivered to them, such as food, and their doctor makes house visits to see them.  Jimmy decided to leave in his 20s to find his mother's family.  When Dorothea is 23, her father becomes ill and she goes out in search of her brother.  She's put into a world she has never known and begins to search for the truth about what really happened in her father's past.

"Tragedy, loss, and especially guilt: these were the real truths of the world, and Lucy knew it.  God help the person who didn't understand this, she thought.  God help themif they have to find out the hard way that the life they're taking for granted is as fragile as a naked heart."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 71)

I loved this novel.  Like really loved it.  I want there to be a movie that follows this story exactly as it's written.  I finished it, wishing that it wasn't over, wanting to know more and more and more.

The novel is written a little differently.  Some chapters used a first person narrative, whereas others used the third person.  Tucker had to let the reader see everything that was going on in different locations and what different characters were thinking and feeling.  I loved the bit of back and forth and really felt that I got to know most of the characters so well.  Tucker did a great job of recounting past stories that were important to the outcome of the novel and characters within it. 

I loved the idea of the story.  It kept me interested after a little hook at the beginning, when Stephen and Dorothea's stories start to mesh a bit.  There were so many angles that I thought were covered well and they were all included at exactly the right time in the novel.  I couldn't put it down once I was a third of the way through - I just needed to know what happened next!

"This is the charming coincidence.  When things in the world that are unconnected suddenly connect, and a pattern emerges."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 55)

At first, I thought the novel would be a bit like Room by Emma Donoghue.  Although it's similar in that there is a child who is basically restricted to where he/she is living, it's really quite different.  Dorothea, in this novel, does have a family who loves her and her father would have let her leave when she was ready (as he let her brother leave...).  Jack, in Room, has a mother who loves her, but he really is locked in a prison with his mom. 

Lisa Tucker has written a few other books, and I am anxious to read another one of her novels since I was so impressed with this one.

"[...] life is as much about what you believe as what seems to be reality."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 153)

A Wedding in December (Anita Shreve)

It seemed fitting to read this book since it is December and all.  I recently finished my first Anita Shreve book, so I decided to give this one a try too!

A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve takes place throughout one weekend.  Seven high school friends (and a few of their life partners) are reunited when Bridget and Bill, high school sweethearts, get married after being apart for nearly two decades.  During this weekend, both good and bad memories are brought up.  All the characters seem to leave their reunion a different person than when they arrived. 

"A twenty-two-year marriage is a long story," Nora said. "It's... it's a continuum with moments of drama, periods of stupefying boredom.  passages of tremendous hope.  Passages of resignation.  One can never tell the story of a marriage.  There's no narrative that encompasses it.  Even a daily diary wouldn't tell you what you wanted to know.  Who thought what when.  Who had what dreams.  At the very least, a marriage is two intersecting stories, one of which we will never know."  (A Wedding in December, Anita Shreve, p. 151)

Meet the characters:
Nora owns the inn where the wedding is taking place.  She's a widow in this novel and has a past with Harrison.  Harrison is a publisher who is living in Toronto with his wife and two children.  He's been keeping a secret since his days at Kidd (their school).  Agnes is a writer and a teacher at her former high school, Kidd.  She's always been known as the "single one".  Bridget and Bill are the ones getting married after being apart for two decades.  Rob and Josh are both musicians.  Jerry and Julie have both have done very well for themselves since high school. 

"I just couldn't stand having you all leave after this weekend [...] and not know this about me.  That I have had a life.  It's a different life than most.  A life dispensed in moments.  But they were transcendent moments, never dull, intensely felt, full of joy.  How many of you can say that?  I have had riches.  I have had my share."  (A Wedding in December, Anita Shreve, p. 262)

This book was good.  It was an easy read, and you often wanted to know what would happen next in this busy weekend.  I liked that in different parts of the book, the narration shifted to different characters.  In one chapter, you heard about the wedding from three different points of view.  It gave you the opportunity to know what the characters were thinking about as they were about to reunite with their long lost friends.  There were lots of little secrets that were brought up at the reunion, things that either happened in high school or that had happened since.  In this way, the book wasn't entirely predictable.  I also liked how the reader is left with the ability to decide how some of the story lines will end. 

"If Harrison had learned anything about private lives, it was that anyone looking in from the outside could never know the reality."  (A Wedding in December, Anita Shreve, p. 151)

When reading some books like this, though, I do sometimes think that it's unlikely for these events to happen.  Who goes to a reunion weekend twenty years after high school and has this much drama occur?  Despite this thought, it was a good read. It makes you think of what your reunion with your best high school friends would look like, and it makes you wonder (at my age, anyway) where you will be in twenty years.

"The things that don't happen to us that we'll never know didn't happen to us," Harrison said.
"The nonstories."
"The extra minute to find the briefcase that makes you late to the spot where a tract trailer mauled another car instead of yours."  Harrison took a bite of buttery muffin and thought about his next cholesterol test.
"The woman you didn't meet because she couldn't get a taxi to the party you had to leave early from," Bill added.  "All of life is a series of nonstories if you look at it that way."  (A Wedding in December, Anita Shreve, p. 207-208)

(If you're expecting something winter-y and Christmas-y, this is not it!  It only takes place in December.)

A Soft Place to Land (Susan Rebeccca White)

I found this novel at a used bookstore in town.  I didn't really know what I was looking for when I went there...  I was checking out some authors that have been recommended to me and browsing some of the award winning books.  This novel was in with the fiction books and I initially pulled it out because the spine of the book looked like it was in perfect condition.  Then, I saw the cover and, of course, judged it.  I liked the look of it and, after reading the back, decided that it looked like an interesting story. 

"Just know that whatever feelings you shove down are going to have to come up again sometime. And some people think it's better to control when it comes up than to have it just one day boil over and take you by surprise." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 104-105)

A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White is the story of two half sisters, Ruthie and Julia, who have to deal with the devastating news that their parents were killed in a plane crash while they were on vacation.  Ruthie and Julia are surprised when they hear what is in the will.  Julia, 16, who still has one living parent (her biological father), will be moving in with him and his new wife (we'll call her the evil stepmom).  Ruthie, 13, who has now lost both of her biological parents, is now moving in with an aunt and uncle.  On top of losing their parents, these girls are now, in a sense, losing each other.  The novel, told mostly through Ruthie's story, spans across a few decades and shows the hard times and complicated-ness that is involved in this sister-sister relationship. 

"Her mother.  Her mother who was so alive and then - so quickly, so finally - was simply gone.  From matter to memory.  Like that."  (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 241)

When I first picked up the book, I noticed what Kathryn Stockett, the author of The Help, had said about this book: "A beautiful complicated love between two sisters.  Book clubs: This is your next pick.  I loved this book."  Considering how much I loved The Help, I thought that I would also enjoy this one. 

I completely agree with Stockett - it was most definitely a nice story about "the complicated love between two sisters."  You never know what kind of effect tragic news, such as the sudden death of two young parents, will have on you.  Especially being right at the center of everything, these girls would have had a lot to go through.  It was nice to see the good and the bad of their relationship after the death of their parents.  Also, not only did it show you what events happened right after the girls hear the news, but the author provides you with chunks of information from different points in their lives.

"I've never felt more grateful for my life than I do today, but I think it's fair to say the gods have put me through some shit." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 327)

I would recommend this novel if you're looking for something real.  It can be a hard topic to think about, write about, or read about, but Susan Rebecca White gives you an honest look at the relationship between Ruthie and Julia.  There were some parts of the story that I found more interesting than others, and some parts that I found to be a bit slow, but it was a good read.

"Knowing that everyone has a story," Naomi would say, "I find it very hard to judge." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 262)

Rescue (Anita Shreve)

I just finished reading my first Anita Shreve book.  My mom had read Rescue recently and when I was searching for my next book through our baskets and bookcases full of novels, she suggested that I read it.

Peter Webster is a paramedic.  On one of his first shifts, he first encounters Sheila, who had been in a DUI accident.  He is particularly curious about her and so he makes a point of visiting her in the hospital.  The medic/patient relationship eventually turns into a bit more.  Eighteen years later, Webster is a single father raising his daughter, Rowan.  When things with his daughter start to go off track, he thinks that maybe he can't be everything that his daughter needs.  With the possibility of Sheila back in the picture, Webster tries to decide if this really is the best thing for his daughter. 

I motored through the novel in a few days because it was an easy read.  The novel is told from the point of view of Webster.  One half of the novel was a bit of a love story that allowed you to see into the relationship between Sheila and Webster.  It contained enough details about Webster's job as a paramedic that would keep some readers interested in the novel if they aren't as interested the relationship story.  The other half of the book was less about the love story and more about the father/daughter relationship in the Webster household. 

"Do you love her?" his mother asked.
Finally, an easy question.  "I do," he said.  "Very much."  But even as he said it, and as sure as he was that he did, he wondered if he really knew what love, in these circumstances, meant.
(Rescue, Anita Shreve, p. 67)

I liked the story.  It was a little bit predictable, but there were still some aspects that came as a surprise to the reader.  I found that it was a fairly realistic story...  Many households are just like the Webster home, with single parents, broken families, and secrets.  I thought it was neat that Webster was telling stories from his medic calls, although many of these calls had little to do with the storyline itself. 

If you're looking for a light and easy read, Rescue may be the one for you!  I think a few more Anita Shreve books may be on my reading list in the future.

Go slowly and be careful.  (Rescue, Anita Shreve, p. 282)

P.S. I am a person who often does judge a book based on its cover (although this isn't the only way I choose my books!).  I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this cover, but I liked the look of it.  Somehow, though, I didn't think the story really matched the cover.  Sure, there's a mother and a daughter, but things aren't quite like this in the novel... 

lullabies for little criminals (Heather O'Neill)

I'm not exactly sure what made me choose lullabies for little criminals by Heather O'Neill.  It could have been the bright green, happy-looking cover or it could have been the "Canada Reads 2007 Winner" sticker on the front.  

"Some guardian angels did a terrible job.  They were given work in the poor neighborhoods where none of the others wanted to go.  Every delinquent kid had one of these miserable angels who made sure that they made the worst of every situation.  These angels loved when people did the wrong thing or took risks.  You can't have that many bad things happen to you without some sort of heavenly design."  (lullabies for little criminals, Heather O'Neill, p. 285)

The story is told from the point of view of a twelve-year-old girl named Baby (who turns thirteen in the book).  Her parents had her when they were in their teens and her mother passed away when Baby was a year old.  She's living with her father in Montreal, moving from apartment to apartment trying to survive.  Her father is a drug addict and seems to go from highs to lows, and from nice dad to mean dad, on a daily basis.  You get a chance to see their relationship when it's at its best and when it's at its worst.  Baby has all the freedom that a twelve-year-old shouldn't have.  Throughout the novel, she gets sent to a detention center, gains a friend in a local pimp, and experiments with drugs and prostitution.

Maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset for this novel, but it wasn't my favourite and I found that it was a lot to handle.  You find yourself getting attached to Baby because she's such a young girl.  It makes your heart hurt when you hear about how she's doing drugs, selling her body, and basically living alone in the street.  At times, the content and descriptions in the novel almost made me feel uncomfortable.  (I feel like you could open to book to almost any page, read a random paragraph, and understand that she is leading a rough life.)  No young child should ever have to go through this, but the reality is that some children do have to deal with these types of obstacles.  This book made me thankful for my family, the environment that I grew up in and the experiences that I was able to have as a child. 

"I don't know why I was upset about not being an adult.  It was right around the corner.  Becoming a child again is what is impossible.  That's what you have legitimate reason to be upset over.  Childhood is the most valuable thing that's taken away from you in life, if you think about it."  (lullabies for little criminals, Heather O'Neill, p. 77)

The Help (Kathryn Stockett)

I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett during the summer and LOVED it! It had me laughing at many points and also had me in tears today as I was sitting outside enjoying the sunshine. I loved the rollercoaster of emotions I felt as I was reading this book.

For those of you who haven't heard about the book (which, I guess, is probably a low percentage considering the amount of publicity the new movie "The Help" was getting), it's a book about a town in Mississippi, where the coloured maids, alongside a friendly white lady, secretly write a book about their experiences working in white households. I loved how the chapters in the book were written from different points of view - it reminded me of how Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper" was written.

Here are some of my favourite (and most memorable) quotes from the book:

"Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, 'We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought.'" (The Help, Kathryn Stockett, p. 492)

"'I guess I got to go,' I say, even though I'd rather spend the rest of my life right here in Aibileen's cozy little kitchen, having her explain the world to me. That's what I love about Aibileen, she can take the most complicated things in life and wrap them up so small and simple, they'll fit right in your pocket." (The Help, Kathryn Stockett, p. 369)

"Skeeter look away from me, try to smile. 'I don't care about any of that ole stuff, anyway.' She kind a laugh and it hurts my heart. Cause everybody care. Black, white, deep down we all do." (The Help, Kathryn Stockett, p. 346)

I highly recommend this book. I loved it so much that I rushed out to see the movie. While the movie was decent, in this case I definitely thought that the details provided in the book provided for an even better story than what was shown on the big screen...

Open (Andre Agassi)

I am on a roll with my non fiction books lately.  The most recent one being Open by Andre Agassi.  I'm a tennis fan, so I read this book despite the fact that he was starting to quiet down his tennis career just as I was starting to regain interest in (watching) the sport. 

On the book, Time described the book as "One of the best sports autobiographies of all time.... One of the better memoirs out there, period."  Can't go wrong by reading this, right?

The story is about Andre Agassi. He struggled in school, hated the sport that was forced upon him by his father, and worked hard trying to find out who he was as a person.  He discusses everything from his lowest points to his highest points in the game, specific points in a match (really), his changing relationships with coaches, trainers, and girlfriends, and his struggles with his physical self and injuries.

It surprised me how much you really learn about Agassi in this book.  As fans, we cheer on our favourite athletes, sometimes thinking how lucky they are to be able to play hockey, tennis, basketball, whatever, for a living.  Never do we think that they don't want to be doing what they're doing.  Based on Agassi's interviews with the press at the time, you assume that he's being honest... wrong.  He's human, and when times are hard sometimes it's easier to just let people think what they want to think.  And hopefully you don't let it affect your game, right?  It must be difficult to live a life where your every move, comment, decision and relationship are right out there for the public and media to criticize and comment on.  It was an eye opener.

"If I had time, if I were more self-aware, I would tell journalists that I'm trying to figure out who I am, but in the meantime I have a pretty good idea of who I'm not.  I'm not my clothes.  I'm certainly not my game.  I'm not anything the public thinks I am.  I'm not a showman simply because I come from Vegas and wear loud clothes.  I'm not an enfant terrible, a phrase that appears in every article about me.  (I think you can't be something you can't pronounce.)  And, for heaven's sake, I'm not a punk rocker.  I listen to soft, cheesy pop, like Barry Manilow and Richard Marx." (Open, Andre Agassi, p. 117)

I found the book to be a bit of a rollercoaster.  I found some sections of the book more interesting than others.  He's writing about his career - which is tennis - so it makes sense that a majority of the story will be about just that - tennis.  There were some sections that were very... tennis.  Kudos to the fact checker who made sure that the tournament name, opponent name, round number, and match scores were accurately represented in the book!  I found I kept reading, waiting for the next piece of information about his relationships! 

I think you really need to have an appreciation for tennis or a love for Andre to fully appreciate this book.  If you don't have a love for either, I'm not sure that it would be on the list of your top reads.  I enjoyed reading Open, but I can see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. 

There were many quotable moments in his book... I'll leave you with this one.

"It's no accident, I think, that tennis uses the language of life.  Advantage, service, fault, break, love, the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature.  Even the structure of tennis, the way the pieces fit inside one another like Russian nesting dolls, mimics the structure of our days.  Points become games become sets become tournaments, and it's all so tightly connected that any point can become the turning point.  It reminds me of the way seconds become minutes become hours, and any hour can be our finest.  Or darkest.  It's our choice."  (Open, Andre Agassi, p. 8)