Happiness is...a good book.

So sorry I've been absent. I'm going to blame it on the turkey coma. Three times over. (I love leftovers!) If the turkey excuse doesn't work for you we can try the hours of shopping, hanging out with my mom and sister, being hugged by my amazing grandpa or entertaining the two cutest little nephews in the entire world.  Oh yeah, and reading!

I've been on a bit of a dry spell in the reading department. Nothing's really floated my boat lately. But the last week or so I kind of hit the jackpot.  Here's a sampling:

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption

Author: Laura Hillenbrand
Pages: 473
Age Range: Adult
Published: 2010
Genre: Biography
Cover Score: ***
Overall Score: *****
Rating: PG-13 possibly R (there are a few instances of quoted strong language including an f-bomb or two, violence, cruelty, graphic descriptions, intense situations and so forth)

Louis Zamperini began life with a rough start full of thievery and fighting despite loving and supportive Italian immigrant parents. In his teen years his brother helped him focus his efforts on running and he became a record breaker and an Olympic hopeful. His dreams were dashed by the onset of WWII and he was forced to give up thoughts of running in exchange for gunning in a B-24 bomber.

The war time exploits are enough to make a gripping movie; near misses, miraculous escapes, a plane riddled with holes and running on empty that makes it back to base with no men lost and more. Then on a rescue mission the plane crashes.  All but 3 men are killed and after a harrowing 47-day existence at sea in an emergency raft surrounded by man-eating sharks only Zamperini and Russell Phillips remain. And then on top of that, he escapes the sea only to be captured by the Japanese and subjected to inhumane cruelties and degradations that are unfathomable.

When he returns home he obviously has some demons to work through and eventually does so (after some stints with the bottle, all encompassing thoughts of revenge) with the help of a remembered promise to God.

Most of my knowledge of WWII is surrounding the events in Europe so it was an eye-opening experience to read about the goings on in the Pacific, especially since that's where my grandfather served. And Hillenbrand is an amazing writer. She weaves the narration, historical background, facts and figures together seamlessly to re-create the story and keep you riveted from page one. 

If you have any interest in history, the WWII era, biographies, Japan, running, sharks, airplanes or anything at all really, I highly recommend this book.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Author: Rebecca Skloot
Pages: 369
Age Range: Adult
Published: 2009
Genre: Biography
Cover Score: ***
Overall Score: *****
Rating: PG-13 (some violence, intense and graphic descriptions and some strong language)

In the 1940s a black woman went into Johns Hopkins for cancer treatment. Before she died they harvested some of her uterin cells. Those cells had an uncanny ability to multiply and live forever, something that had never been discovered before and would prove immensely useful to science. Her cells have gone on to be studied for cancer cures, immunizations and a million other things but her family was never told about it until many years later when they found out accidentally. Being from poor black ancestry there was a lot they didn't understand, only that some part of their mother was still alive and being used for medical tests. They became wary of doctors, hospitals and anyone claming to be a scientist. 

The writer had first heard Lacks' name mentioned in passing in a science class and set out to find out the truth of who she was. The next decade was full of tennuous back and forth communications and relations with the family as she struggled to understand what had happened and more importantly to help the family understand. This was a very interesting look at the science/medical community, the changes that have come about over the years in regards to patient privacy and rights, racism and more. Your heart aches for the things the family went through and yet at the same time can understand and appreciate what the medical community has done with the help of HeLa cells.

I read this as part of my church book club this past month. It's one of those that had never been on my radar and I don't know that I would have ever read or picked upon my own. But I'm so glad I 'found' it. I've thought about it and talked about it and re-thought about it over and over. I'm amazed at Skloot's dedication to the writing process and my mind still reels at some of the things that poor family has gone through. Word on the street is Oprah has bought the rights so we may see a theatrical version sometime in the future.

A House in the Woods
Author: Inga Moore
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4-7
Published: 2011
Genre: Picture Book/Fiction
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: *****
Rating: G (nothing offensive)


Two pigs live happily in their little shelters in the woods but when they go out for a walk they come home to find Moose and Bear living in them. The invaders are so large that they inadvertently break the huts. The animals are all friends so there are no hard feelings but now they have nowhere to live.  They decide to hire the beavers to make one large house where they can all live together. 

The illustrations are soft and old-fashioned. The animals are charmingly anthropomorphic but thankfully Moore refrains from dressing them which adds to their subtle quirkiness. Cooperation, friendship and the process of creating a happy home are the understated messages delivered without a note of preachiness. Simply delightful! It's one that will stand up to multiple readings. I read it four or five times before I reluctantly handed it back over to the library and I've put it on my list of books to add to my permanent collection. 

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous
Author: Georgia Bragg
Pages: 184
Age Range: 10-14
Published: 2011
Genre: Biography
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG (some violence, gruesome details)

Short biographies of 19 famous people, detailing particularly how they died. From King Tut to Einstein and several chronologically in between, there is a brief set up and then info on what caused them to die, with comments on what could have been different with more advanced medical knowledge and so forth.  There is also a final page (for each entrant) giving some additional information on various aspects of the story. King Tut has info about mummifcation, uses of mummies, Ceasar has info on autopsies, the calendar and words from his name, Darwin's has a list of various phobias, his experimental water treatments and more.

Written with some dark and snarky humor, perfect for a slightly older reader, particularly sarcastic and all-things-gross loving tween boys. This is a great resource for history, biography and random gruesome facts. Disgusting and interesting.

Tuesdays at the Castle
Author: Jessica Day George
Pages: 227
Age Range: 9-12
Published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG


Tuesday at Castle Glower is Princess Celie's favorite day because that's when the castle makes new rooms, corridors, and passageways. Some ancient power enchants the castle and Celie's family has been its ruling family for the last 10 generations. But when her parents and older brother suddenly go missing, their caravan attacked and believed dead, the royal advisors and several uninvited guests take it upon themselves to decide who should rule next, disregarding the castle's opinions and eventually going so far as to 'kill' the castle itself. But Celie doesn't believe it's dead (nor are her parents) and it's up to her, her older sister and older brother (the regent crown prince) to find out the truth and save the day. The castle loves Celie and bends its creations to fit her wishes often and it's her love for and belief in the castle that brings the family success. 

George has been a favorite since I first read her Dragon Slippers. Some I've loved more than others but she has quite the knack for creating worlds and conjuring up old-fashioned fairy tale magic.  This is one of her best. Enchanting!

Neville
Author: Norton Juster

Illustrator: G. Brian Karas
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4-7
Published: 2011
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Cover Score: ***
Overall Score: ****
Rating: G (nothing offensive)

A boy moves into a new neighborhood, somewhere he doesn't want to be and where he doesn't know anybody. Convinced he'll never make friends his mother encourages him to walk around the block so he trudges down the street, stands on the corner and proceeds to shout "Neville" as loud as he can. A boy comes up behind him and offers to help. Together they shout for Neville and soon there's a whole crowd gathered. The kids all speculate on who Neville is and what he's like. When it's time to go home they promise they'll all come back tomorrow. The boy goes home feeling a bit lighter than before and his mom tucks him in wishing him "goodnight Neville."

This is a cute little story of friendship and making things work. Karas' illustrations are the perfect blend of childlike scrawl and whimsical sophistication. It would make a great read-aloud and kids will love figuring out who the mysterious Neville might be.

And speaking of Neville...

You're welcome!

The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Pages: 372
Age Range: 12 up
Published: 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery/Paranormal
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: *** 1/2
Rating: PG-13 (violence, underage drinking, some language and mild sexual references)

Rory is from deep Southern stock, a quirky family that lives in a swampy town outside of New Orleans, but finds herself transplanted to London for her senior year of High School. Not only does she have to adjust to new vernacular and cultures (boarding school and roommates, hockey, GCSEs, A levels) but the day she arrives a Jack the Ripper-esque murder is committed, sending the country into chaos. When he strikes again it’s clear a copycat is at work but none of the countless CCTV cameras have captured anything and there are no witnesses or leads. And then Rory begins to see people no one else can…

This was kind of a fun twist on the rampant paranormal genre, using plenty of facts and theories about 1880s London and the Jack the Ripper cases in a modern day school/romance/mystery story with a healthy dose of ghosts, intrigue and conspiracies. It wasn't one I would read again but it kept me entertained and I can see teens loving it.

That about covers it.  Now, any suggestions for what I should read next?

As far as NaNoWriMo goes, well it's pretty much a bust.  I'm still writing but it's pretty safe to say I'm not going to make the 50,000 mark anytime soon, definitely not by tomorrow. Current total: 11127

And that's the last you'll hear about it until it's getting published! (Well, okay, I can't actually promise that, but it will probably be months at least before I mention it again.)

Conclusion: Don't give up even if you don't reach your goals the way you'd hoped. Go read something. And happy late Thanksgiving!