Redeployment

Redeployment Phil Klay 3/5	Published 2014 First Sentence "We shot dogs."
Publisher's Description: Phil Klay's Redeployment takes readers to the frontlines of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, asking us to understand what happened there, and what happened to the soldiers who returned. Interwoven with themes of brutality and faith, guilt and fear, helplessness and survival, the characters in these stories struggle to make meaning out of chaos. In Redeployment, a soldier who has had to shoot dogs because they were eating human corpses must learn what it is like to return to domestic life in suburbia, surrounded by people "who have no idea where Fallujah is, where three members of your platoon died." In "After Action Report", a Lance Corporal seeks expiation for a killing he didn't commit, in order that his best friend will be unburdened. A Mortuary Affairs Marine tells about his experiences collecting remains — of U.S. and Iraqi soldiers both. A chaplain sees his understanding of Christianity, and his ability to provide solace through religion, tested by the actions of a ferocious Colonel. And in the darkly comic "Money as a Weapons System", a young Foreign Service Officer is given the absurd task of helping Iraqis improve their lives by teaching them to play baseball. These stories reveal the intricate combination of monotony, bureaucracy, comradeship and violence that make up a soldier's daily life at war, and the isolation, remorse, and despair that can accompany a soldier's homecoming. Redeployment is poised to become a classic in the tradition of war writing. Across nations and continents, Klay sets in devastating relief the two worlds a soldier inhabits: one of extremes and one of loss. Written with a hard-eyed realism and stunning emotional depth, this work marks Phil Klay as one of the most talented new voices of his generation.
Dear Reader, I don't think I would have ever picked this book ever, no really, ever. So why did I come to read this? Well listen, I audio-booked this one. I've decided to try and challenge myself to read as many books from The Tournament of Books this year. What is this Tournament I speak of? Glad you asked! The "TOB" (as the followers like to call it) is the nerdy/bookish version of those sports brackets everyone likes to annoy you about at work. If you're like me, you roll your eyes and ignore the shenanigans during the month of March. Instead, I sit at my computer and follow the "TOB" which gives me that same crazy gleam in my eye BUT it's all about BOOKS instead of balls. So... if you love books, competition and reading out of your comfort zone, I suggest checking out the tournament. This is the first year I'm actively trying to read more books from the short list, so this should be fun! Enough with the rambling. I've established this isn't something I would ever pick up. I want that to be known, mostly to give you a little understanding behind my "so-so" rating of three stars. Klay can write, without a doubt. I even enjoyed (5 star enjoyed) at least three of the stories from this collection. Those stories didn't hit home or give me a feeling of relatability but they did touch my heart and/or cause me some form of distress over the emotional charge behind them. The ones I enjoyed, I really enjoyed. My favorite had to be the one about the priest, for some reason that story stuck with me until the end. Since I audio-booked this, I can't really recall the titles of the stories for you, sorry. I would say the other stories drifted between "hmm, this is interesting" and yawn inducing war jargon. That war speak, gets me every time... I start to nod off then shake my head awake wondering what just happened. So to be honest, this book is probably for someone else but I'm still glad I read it. I feel a little more connected with the knowledge of what someone going through the recent wars feels like. I think it's important that we have a book like this and that it does get recognized. I completely understand why it made the tournament short list and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in getting into the head of a soldier. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Knitting Yarns

Knitting Yarns Ann Hood (editor) 3.5 / 5	Published 2013 First Sentence "When I picked up knitting needles for the first time in October 2002, I had no idea that I was jumping on a hot trend that had started to sweep the country after 9/11."
Publisher's Description: “The impressive collection of writers here have contributed essays that celebrate knitting and knitters. They share their knitting triumphs and disasters as well as their life triumphs and disasters…These essays will break your heart. They will have you laughing out loud.” —Ann Hood, from the introduction Why does knitting occupy a place in the hearts of so many writers? What’s so magical and transformative about yarn and needles? How does knitting help us get through life-changing events and inspire joy? In Knitting Yarns, twenty-seven writers tell stories about how knitting healed, challenged, or helped them to grow. Barbara Kingsolver describes sheering a sheep for yarn. Elizabeth Berg writes about her frustration at failing to knit. Ann Patchett traces her life through her knitting, writing about the scarf that knits together the women she’s loved and lost. Knitting a Christmas gift for his blind aunt helped Andre Dubus III knit an understanding with his girlfriend. Kaylie Jones finds the woman who used knitting to help raise her in France and heals old wounds. Sue Grafton writes about her passion for knitting. Also included are five original knitting patterns created by Helen Bingham. Poignant, funny, and moving, Knitting Yarns is sure to delight knitting enthusiasts and lovers of literature alike.
Dear Reader, I can say this with absolute certainty: this book would be a wonderful gift for a knitter in your life. How can I say this? Because it was gifted to me by my own sister (thanks, Bethany!)! It's funny, because I am not one to read knitting novels. Occasionally I will pick one up, but although the craft is a passion of mine, it's not something that is enhanced by reading books about knitting groups. Mostly because those tend to be "chick lit" - novels more about the lives of the women in the group than the knitting itself (and chock FULL of awful knitting puns! - and I do love me a good clever pun, normally). And honestly, it makes sense: how much CAN you really write just about the craft of knitting? It'd be boring. You have to write about the lives, or there really is no novel. However, this one (perhaps because it wasn't a novel, but a series of essays) was totally different. It DID make me laugh, and cry, and for sure it inspired me to knit more! I would be listening to the book while walking the dog, and get all eager to arrive back home so I could pick up my needles again. The stories in here are real stories about people who knit, people who wish they could knit, people who simply love being around knitters. They are stories about people who are experts and people who will always find bliss in knitting the most basic of garter stitch scarves, over and over again. It's not a book that judges your knitterly-ness. It is simply a book that celebrates the joys and the emotional power of knitting. I know, I know, how can it be emotional? But the things these people craft with their hands - to make for their loved ones, to make to offer comfort to those who have suffered loss - have truly brought peace to their chaos, in many cases. I loved the story about the mother and daughter who attempted to tackle all of those notorious knitters' banes: the unfinished projects. The ones that you were so gung-ho about beginning, but which got put aside for one thing or another and then languished in your knitting pile for ages - sometimes years. Every knitter has these. Just like every knitter has some sort of yarn stash. They're both something that we almost all have attempted to conquer at one time or another - only to recognize the absurdity of it all. Perhaps there really was a reason you abandoned that piece, be it consciously or not. It's one of the things we just have to accept. There were some great writers featured in this book, too - it was definitely a book specifically of writers on knitting, and you have to keep that in mind. There are plenty of wonderful other stories that could be told, I am sure. These are just the stories that Ann Hood solicited from professional writers. So you get pieces from Barbara Kingsolver, Sue Grafton, Andre Dubus III, Elizabeth Berg, Ann Patchett. All about various aspects of knitting. Not all of the authors even ARE knitters. And I kind of loved that! They still found something very important to write about the craft. My favorite thing about the book, though, might have been how two entirely different stories both had to do with two very unique concepts: one, parents who would not let their children sit still in front of the TV (hence they picked up knitting, among other things) and two, the concept of a non-knitter woman who MUST sit next to a knitter for the soothing benefits (I believe the repetitive ticking sound). Both are things I'd never heard of (although the former is something I kind of prescribe to, myself). Overall, this book is a treasure for those who want to be inspired both in the knitting craft and in life. (Normally I don't go for that kitschy stuff, either, but this worked on me!) Yours, Arianna

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The Witch and Other Tales Told

The Witch and Other Tales Told Jean Thompson 3.5/5	Published September 2014 First Sentence "My brother and I were given over to the Department of Children and Family Services after our father and his girlfriend left us along in the car one too many times."
Publisher's Description: A brilliant new collection of stories that put a modern twist on classic fairy tales, from National Book Award finalist and New York Times-bestselling author Jean Thompson. Great fairy tales are not necessarily stories designed for children. The lurking wolf in “Red Riding Hood,” the gingerbread house that lures Hansel and Gretel, the beauty asleep in her castle—these fables represent some of our deepest, most primeval fears, and satisfy our longing for good to win out over evil (preferably in the most gruesome way possible). In this captivating new collection, critically acclaimed author Jean Thompson takes the classic fairy tale and brings it into the modern age with stories that capture the magic and horror in everyday life. The downtrodden prevail, appearances deceive, and humility and virtue triumph in The Witch, as lost children try to find their way home, adults tormented by past unspeakable acts are fated to experience their own horror in the present, and true love—or is it enchantment?—conquers all. The Witch and Other Tales Re-Told is a haunting and deeply entertaining collection, showcasing the inimitable Jean Thompson at the height of her storytelling prowess.
Dear Reader, I reached out to the publisher to get this book early because it caught my eye as being "my thing". And it was but I've been reading so many short stories lately which had me craving a good novel. Without that trouble, I really did like this book. This is a compilation of revamped fairy tales and folklore, each one brought to the modern day (or almost all of them). Most of the stories don't have that "happy ending" and are steeped in actual tragedy within the world we live in. I really liked that realistic take on those magical stories we've grown up on. The introduction to the stories talks a little about the strong connection the Author has to these tales and how she wanted to do something a little different with them. She also introduces her "kid" self sitting in the dentists chair gobbling up a fairy tale painting with her eyes. Thompson explains that this beautiful print was called "The Land of Make Believe", it beheld a map of all the magical creatures and places any kid would want to visit or befriend. The original painting was done by Jaro Hess and can still be found to this day. I think it would make a wonderful "deluxe" edition to this book of stories and can only hope the Author and publisher think so too. Here is the map: How magical is that map? I wish I had it in my own house growing up. Talking about pictures, I LOVED the cover of this book and I can't really pinpoint why. Maybe because these "real" girls have a haunted look to them and they also exude fantasy too?! Whatever it is, the cover most definitely caught my eye. The stories had a great quality to them and stuck to those same lessons learned from the earlier tales. My only gripe would be the length of them, some of the stories I thought could have been better written as their own book (they ended so abruptly). For example, in "The Witch", just as things start to get dramatic, the story ends so abruptly. I could have seen this turned into a novella or something. Despite that, I did like what she did with the stories, modernizing them and giving them relatability. Overall, this story collection is worth a read. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Stone Mattress

Stone Mattress Margaret Atwood 5/5	Publication Date: September 16th, 2014 First Sentence "The freezing rain sifts down, handfuls of shining rice thrown by some unseen celebrant."
Publisher's Description: A collection of highly imaginative short pieces that speak to our times with deadly accuracy. Vintage Atwood creativity, intelligence, and humor: think Alias Grace. Margaret Atwood turns to short fiction for the first time since her 2006 collection, Moral Disorder, with nine tales of acute psychological insight and turbulent relationships bringing to mind her award-winning 1996 novel, Alias Grace. A recently widowed fantasy writer is guided through a stormy winter evening by the voice of her late husband in "Alphinland," the first of three loosely linked stories about the romantic geometries of a group of writers and artists. In "The Freeze-Dried Bridegroom," a man who bids on an auctioned storage space has a surprise. In "Lusus Naturae," a woman born with a genetic abnormality is mistaken for a vampire. In "Torching the Dusties," an elderly lady with Charles Bonnet syndrome comes to terms with the little people she keeps seeing, while a newly formed populist group gathers to burn down her retirement residence. And in "Stone Mattress," a long-ago crime is avenged in the Arctic via a 1.9 billion-year-old stromatolite. In these nine tales, Margaret Atwood is at the top of her darkly humorous and seriously playful game.
Dear Reader, Atwood has my heart, she is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. Remember how I said short stories aren't usually my thing? Atwood can give me short stories ANYDAY and I'd gobble them up. This grouping was surprisingly dark and gothic which always tickle my fancy. I'm also very partial to story collections that have central themes and this one had two big, fat themes; mortality and revenge. Both of those topics can be seductive and macabre at the same time. The first three stories relate by interconnecting characters, each one centralizing around the idea of growing older and leaving behind (or NOT leaving behind) old grudges. I loved how most of collection revolved around Authors, and I wonder if any of the stories speak a little about Atwood on a personal level. I have my favorites from this collections, like the story of an uprising younger generation bent on "taking care" of the elderly, and by "taking care" I don't mean feeding, clothing and sheltering them. The idea is this: the next generation of kids will hate us for what we've done to the world and the state we have left it in. Surprisingly, this exact theme is touched upon in David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks which I was reading consecutively. Is this something we should be worried about? Apparently some of the great minds in literature have been tossing around this theme and maybe we should pay a little more attention to it?! I have to commend Atwood for having given me a story collection to read that had me interested throughout the entire thing. Often, I find myself wondering if I should 'skip' to the next story (if I'm not quite fancying the one I'm reading). I NEVER did that with Stone Mattress, each story had me enchanted enough to keep my interest. I did have favorites but I can honestly say that I didn't dislike/hate any of them. I found something useful and interesting with every single one. I would highly recommend this collection to anyone who loves short stories and especially to those skeptics, this one might change your mind. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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The Palace of Illusions: Stories

The Palace of Illusions: Stories Kim Addonizio 4/5	Published September 2014 First Sentence "Annabelle puts her hand in the water and scoops out one of the goldfish she got at the county fair."
Publisher's Description: In her new collection, gifted poet and novelist Kim Addonizio uses her literary powers to bring to life a variety of settings, all connected through the suggestion that things in the known world are not what they seem. In “Beautiful Lady of the Snow,” young Annabelle turns to a host of family pets to combat the alienation she feels caught between her distracted mother and ailing grandfather; in “Night Owls,” a young college student’s crush on her acting partner is complicated by the bloodlust of being half-vampire; in “Cancer Poems,” a dying woman turns to a poetry workshop to make sense of her terminal diagnosis and final days; in “Intuition,” a young girl’s sexual forays bring her closer to her best friend’s father; and in the collection’s title story, a photographer looks back to his youth spent as a young illusionist under the big tent and his obsessive affair with the carnival owner’s wife. The stories in this collection have appeared in journals ranging from Narrative Magazine to The Fairy Tale Review, and include the much loved "Ever After," which was featured on NPR's "Selected Shorts." Distracted parents, first love, the twin forces of alienation and isolation: the characters in The Palace of Illusions all must contend with these challenges, trafficking in the fault lines between the real and the imaginary, often in a world not of their making.
Dear Reader, This was a very special book of stories which connected with me on many levels. The Palace of Illusions is the perfect title for this grouping, or maybe the Author picked the perfect group of stories for the title. Whichever is true, everything fit perfectly. I've read many short story collections that had me stopping halfway through or maybe picking up one story and leaving the rest for another time. I felt The Palace of Illusions had a larger story to tell once you put everything all together. I love THOSE kinds of short story books the best. Maybe because I'm not the "short-story" kind of gal and I love myself a great big honkin' novel... but whatever the case, I fell in love with over half these stories. I thought the Author started off very strong and stayed that way for the first half of the collection. I wonder if it feels that way to me because she grouped them so that the first few might have been more my "type". Anyways, I would say that my favorite stories were: Beautiful Lady of the Snow, Breath, Night Owls, The Other Woman and In the Time of the Byzantine Empire. I took some notes on a few of the front runners before I started to see the connection. Without giving much away, I'll give a rundown of a few of the stories. The first story, "Beautiful Lady of the Snow", is told in the eyes of an innocent, it tells of the corruption surrounding her that starts to envelop her. The story is tragic yet at the same time you start to really understand how easy innocence can rot and can start to crumble apart. I won't say anymore, but this might have been my favorite story of the collection. "Breath" is about a woman attending a yoga session, and this was something I can totally relate to. So, you know how the yoga/meditation instructor tells you to release your thoughts and give your mind a blank slate... yeah? Does this ever work for anyone? Not for me and apparently, not for the main character in this story. I loved that, I loved the relatability and comradeship that this gave me, I AM NOT ALONE! Pretty spectacular is all I'm saying. Lastly, "Night Owls" is a cool take on the inner thoughts of a love triangle, with the 'grass is always greener' moral to ponder over. Taking all of these stories together (the whole collection) you begin to see a pattern and theme emerge. I love it when that happens, the "OH, I got it!" moment. The narrators of many of these stories aren't great people, they've done things most people would look down upon (if spoken aloud). These 'sins' throughout the stories connect so that we get to see those inner thoughts and relate to the mishaps (maybe we've done something similar but wouldn't like to admit it). The beauty of it lies within the looking glass, we get a different perspective, which ultimately unveils the illusion that surrounds these 'sins' or 'wrong deeds'. People are not perfect, you are not perfect, I'm not perfect... we all make mistakes. The title of this collection The Palace of Illusions is exactly that, a giant palace that houses many types of people (not perfect, very flawed and normal) and each person is very sweet on the outside (what you see) but then the layers pull away as the story unravels and you see the real stuff behind the illusion, the sour stuff within EVERYONE. You may call this bleak, sad, troublesome, etc... but I see it as real, she is giving us the real human condition served on a giant platter of candy. Enjoy! Happy Reading, AmberBug

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My Man Jeeves

My Man Jeeves P.G. Wodehouse 4/5	Published 1919 First Sentence "Jeeves - my man, you know - is really a most extraordinary chap."
Publisher's Description: Who can forget our beloved gentleman's personal gentleman, Jeeves, who ever comes to the rescue when the hapless Bertie Wooster falls into trouble. My Man Jeeves is sure to please anyone with a taste for pithy buffoonery, moronic misunderstandings, gaffes, and aristocratic slapstick.  Contents:  "Leave It to Jeeves"  "Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest"  "Jeeves and the Hard-boiled Egg"  "Absent Treatment"  "Helping Freddie"  "Rallying Round Old George"  "Doing Clarence a Bit of Good"  "The Aunt and the Sluggard"
Dear Reader, Many have pushed me to read P.G. Wodehouse (Arianna included), and I FINALLY decided to give in to the awesomeness. The clever, cute and charming loveliness of the book didn't come as much of a surprise to me since I've been told about these books so many times before. My favorite characters had to be Jeeves and Bertie, so quirky and reminiscent of that slapstick humor that is greatly lacking in media today. The jokes are clever and simple but so much fun. I just wish all the stories revolved around Bertie and Jeeves, they stole the show. The other stories in the book were good, but it's hard to start of a collection with the best... my interest towards the end started yearning for another one of Jeeves' brilliant ideas. Wodehouse clearly knows how to finish off a good joke, he has such a great way of saying "Tada! Look how clever". I think everyone should pick up a Wodehouse book or two, I've clearly become a fan and can't wait to read the next one (but maybe in a few months - the stories tend to meld and I don't want them to lose the magic). Happy Reading, AmberBug

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