A Love of Reading: The Second Collection August 3, 2007

Adams, Robert.  A love of reading: the second collection, more reviews of contemporary fiction.  New York:  McClelland & Steward Ltd., 2003. 

In A Love of Reading: The Second Collection, literary critic Robert Adams presents the reader with reviews of 14 books.  It is evident when reading the reviews that these are books that he is passionate about, and has essentially fallen in love with.  Comparable to having a short english lesson, Adams leaves the reader with an explanation of the material, a rapturous literary description, historical reference.  Adams’ reviews work to sway the reader to read the books.

Adams is honest about the books, and portrays them in a way which depicts his passion and interest in fine literature, but points out the most compelling features of the books.  Adams’ short essays span approximately 10-15 pages, and provide the reader with an intriguing, insightful and indepth assessment of each of the books listed in the index. 

I would recommend this book for someone interested in reading any of the 14 books covered by Adams.  This book would  be a great readers’ advisory tool, as Adams includes the publication date of the materials reviewed, as well as the publisher and place of publication.  In addition to the full bibliographic information, Adams also provides the reader with some background information on the author and an extensive review of the text. 

Contents:

1.  Alias Grace Margaret Atwood

2.  The Hiding Place Trezza Azzopardi

3.  Disgrace J.M. Coetzee

4.  Cold Mountain Charles Frazier

5.  The Dress Lodger Sheri Holman

6.  The Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguro

7. A Gesture Life Chang-rae Lee

8.  No Great Mischief Alistair MacLeod

9. Fima Amos Oz

10. American Pastoral Philip Roth

11. White Teeth Zadie Smith

12.  Felicia’s Journey William Trevor

13. The Stone Carvers Jane Urquhart

14.  Aunt Julia and the Script-Writer Mario Vargas Llosa

Book Lust and More Book Lust — Pearl, Nancy August 3, 2007

Avid readers tend to be interested in other people’s opinions about books, whether it is a qualified opinion or not.  People are interested to know what everyone else is reading, and what it was about a particular book that someone liked.  I think many readers would enjoy a book like More Book Lust, (Nancy Pearl).  Pearl is a librarian who clearly defines her book tastes in annotation format in both Book Lust and the sequel More Book Lust.  After reading More Book Lust, I can’t imagine not finding suggestions here to suit almost any reader. Not only is there a thorought and clear index, where you can search for authors and titles, but it is absolutely ’browser’ friendly.  The only drawback is that Pearl did not include the publication dates. 

I would recommend this tool for people interested in doing their own readers’ advisory.  The table of contents is thorough and is subdivided into useful categories. 

In reading Nancy Pearl’s More Book Lust  (2005), I found one quotation in the introduction to be particularly interesting.  Nancy Pearl said “in addition to being an addicted reader, I have to confess that I am a promiscusous reader as well.”  (ix)  Pearl, like many other readers will read anything, so long as the characters are well developed, and it is well written. 

Looking on my book shelf, I have not only those books that are on my husband’s top 200 list, but mine as well, and combined, these materials make a mountain of resources.  Every now and again I take books from the bookshelf that are not mine, and being, what Pearl calls a “promiscuous reader”, I read and enjoy the books that are outside of my typical ‘genre’.  As I write this, I look at the bookshelf, which is piled high with books both fiction and nonfiction, and look at the wicker baskets surrounding the shelf which are spilling over with books. 

I will read basically anything, and I will definitely look to Nancy Pearl for recommendations in the future. Not only does Pearl appear excited about the books she is talking about, but seems even more thrilled to be telling others about them.  Though this RA doesn’t involve a 2-minute interview, she has about 2-minutes to get a reader to read her recommendation.  As well, another interesting aspect of this book, is that she encourages readers to email her suggestions about books, which makes the reader feel involved in the process of recommending books. 

Pearl, Nancy.  More Book Lust:  1000 new reading recommendations for every mood, moment and reason.  Seattle:  Sasquatch Books, 2005. 

People do in fact read nonfiction for pleasure July 31, 2007

We learned in class tonight that many users read nonfiction for pleasure and do so not to meet specified needs or research.  As librarians we must be careful not to interpret nonfiction questions as not necessarily reference questions, but perhaps as readers’ advisory questions.  Typically, advisers approach nonfiction almost exclusively according to subject. 

As pointed out in class, there are three segments of nonfiction: (lecture, July 31, 2007, LIS 775)

1.  Nonfiction: any piece of prose writing in which the content is not imagined by the author

2.  Narrative nonfiction:  uses literary devices of fiction writing to take NF into the realm of storytelling

3.  Faction:  a new literary genre consisting of fictional narrative based on real events and/or characters, depicted without disguise. 

Some characteristics of narrative nonfictionare that they are based on fact, about real people, about real social events.  Typically, the authors immerse themselves in their research, from their exact surroundings (colour of wallpaper).  These are stories, and a significant portion of them are chalk full of elements of storytelling.  The characteristics of the story and the ability of the author to story-tell builds the text to the climax.  This genre is very significant in readers’ advisory, which is a genre which I had previously not considered as a viable option for many readers.  E.g. Memoir – someone remembering their life or the life of another. 

Nonfiction does have genres, and it does have appeal factors!

Bill Bryson In a Sunburned Country  “You see, Australia is an interesting place.  It truly is.  And that really is all I’m saying.”  Is it a travel book?  A history book?  A humorous book?  Well, the class was torn.  This particular book holds multiple genres, and is a great example of a material which crosses over multiple genres.  The genre can be the appeal for many readers. 

Alpert(2006) compiled a list of genres, including:  true adventure, true crime, science, technology, inventions, biography, memoirs, self-help, inspirational, travel, environmental writing, history, animal, sports, humour, popular culture, medicine, true medical accounts, travelogue etc..  (Lecture, July 31, 2007 LIS 775)

David Carr examined over 300 notable nonfiction titles from 2002-3 and found these to be the prevalent genres:

-  Biography, History (18%), Memoir (15%), Contemporary issues (10%), Travel (7%), Politics and government (6%), Science (6%), Essays and reflections (6%). 

I’m surprised, as were many of my classmates, that self-help and true-crime didn’t have a place in Carr’s list.  Though this list represents a range, it doesn’t reflect all reading tastes. 

Saricks (2005) — Nonfiction appeal factors:  pacing, characterization, story line or plot, frame or setting (AND … evidence/detail – presence of additional matter, tone, education). 

Cookbooks are as exciting to my professor as they are to me!  I too am interested in owing and thumbing through many different cookbooks, from ones with illustrations, to old ones, ones with photographs, menu suggestions, political agendas, exercise programs, etc. 

Physical format can be an appeal factor too (cookbook with a spiral binding).

Recommended Reading:

Sarah Cords.  The Real Story:  A Guide to Nonfiction Reading Interest.  Libraries Unlimited, 2006.

Neal Wyatt.  The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Nonfiction.  ALA, 2007

Robert Burgin, ed.  Nonfiction Readers’ Advisory. 

Review Sources:

Professional arenas:  Booklists, library journal, publisher’s weekly

Newspaper sections:  New york times book review

Popular Arenas:  Amazon.ca

Online Resources:

1.  Non-fictionConnection.com (subscription required)

2.  Book Bytes:  http://marylaine.com/bookbyte/real1.html

3. CODES RA Committee:  http://www.ala.org/ala.rusa/rusaourassoc/rusasections/codes/codessection/codescomm/codesreadadv/readersadvisory.htm

4.  Nonfiction that reads like fiction:  http://www.waterborolibrary.org

Awards Dealing with Nonfiction and narrative nonfiction:

Charles Taylor Literary Non-fiction prize

Governor General’s Award for NF

American Booksellers Association Award

Audie Award for Nonfiction Audiobook

Aventis Prize for Science Books

Lionel Gelber Prize

Lukas Prize Project

National Book Critics Circle

Pulitzer Prize Nonfiction

Samuel Johnson Prize

Reading Non-Fiction: July 31st, 2007 July 31, 2007

As librarians, we are well aware of how libraries treat non-fiction materials, and that is in a way that is very different from fiction materials. In reading an article by Dr. Catherine Ross, Reading Nonfiction for Pleasure: What Motivates Readers? in Nonfiction Readers’ Advisory ed. by Robert Burgin, I began looking at nonfiction in a whole new light. Dr. Catherine Ross found that many readers read both fiction and nonfiction for pleasure, and of course, some said that they never read nonfiction. Reading to inform oneself is a compelling feature of reading, fiction often offers escapism, and nonfiction offers information. Ross’s second finding was taht an interest in a particular subject can trump the distinction between fiction and nonfiction. A great readers’ advisor would help pair popular fictional genres with nonfiction genres that offer the same appeal, or answer questions or offer details about the information included in the fictional material. Ross uncovered that people are seeking “truth” in their lives (108) and aren’t interested in the fact that someone else has contrived the misinformation in fiction.

As librarians we should also recognize that sometimes nonfiction materials appeal to those people who don’t have long stretches of time to devote to fiction materials or novels, and are interested in leisure reading in short stints. Some complaints I have heard from the non-readers in class is that it takes them too long to read a book. Nonfiction materials may just be the solution, and offer readers a book which can be opened to almost any page, and set back down to be reopened (not necessarily on the same page). Nonfiction also doesn’t require the element of imagination to be used while reading. Fiction, on the other hand, requires that one enter the reading world and get to know the setting and characters.

It is also important to realize that “some readers feel they ’should’ read nonfiction to increase their knowledge” (110).

“Readers distinguish between two types of reading: reading for pleasure and reading to take something away” (111).

“The stance taken by the reader is not determined by the text” (112)

“Readers read nonfiction to follow up on their interests in and engagement with the world” (113).

“For some readers, a passion for a single topic is the impetus for reading” (114)

“Sometimes readers don’t want to do something they just want to read about it” (114)

“Part of the joy of reading is serendipitous discovery” (115)

“Readers read biographies in areas related to their interests or their own lives.” (116)

“Story is a key element in the appeal of many nonfiction books.” (118)

Implications for the Readers’ Advisory Transaction:

- Nonfiction represents a substantial share of the pleasure reading of avid readers.

1. Do the ra interview

2. Set up displays which aren’t going to overwhelm your reader – and about something they might know about (e.g. survival stories, successful people, etc.)

3. Start thinking about nonfiction books in terms of appeal factors (plot or storyline). Use reviews

4. Become aware of the nonfiction genres in the same way you know about fiction genres

5. Be aware of the nonfiction counterparts of popular genres of fiction (e.g. war, old west, true crime, horror/occult, westerns, etc.).

Black Hole: Charles Burns July 31, 2007

I read a graphic novel called Black Hole by Charles Burns for class this evening. Burns was both author and illustrator of Black Hole. Black Hole is about a group of Seattle teenagers of the 1970’s are suddenly faced with a devastating, disfiguring and incurable plague that spreads only through sexual contact. This book includes a great deal of sexuality, pot smoking and drug use, and lots of partying. The sexually transmitted disease causes strange mutations which are irreversible, for example, one guy grows a miniature mouth on his neck, a girl’s skin molts, and someone else grows a tail. Some can hide their mutations, but others are forced to live in the woods with homeless and homicidal people. This story follows Keith and Chris as they get the “bug”, and their perspective as high-school students while they watch the other students contract the disease.

The black and white illustrations work together with the text to evoke an eerily surreal tone. I found that Black Hole is a serious work of artistic and literary merit, I would absolutely place this book in the adult collection, rather than the YA collection.

The story is non-linear and has a suspense-building storyline with full-frontal nudity, sex, disturbing imagery and swearing. The main premise of the story is that sex equates a life worse than death. The reader is left with the feeling that the “bug” is HIV and even a metaphor for sex, as something that taints the kids who do it and separates them from those who don’t partake in it.

Addendum: This book was purchased for the library where I work by a company in Toronto, who advises libraries and schools on their collections of graphic novels. It was almost immediately pulled from the collection, on the recommendation of a patron. It will be added to the adult collection or sold in the library book-sale, a decision which will be made by the librarian.

Graphic Novels Now July 31, 2007

Graphic Novels Now, Francisca Goldsmith

Less than two decades have passed since the popular notion was that graphic novels were simply comics, which had no place in the library. This was because “comics” were not considered to be “real” books, and because nobody with any “intellectual sense reads them anyways” (Goldsmith, 1). Well, it turns out that graphic novels are huge in public and school libraries throughout Canada, particularly amongst young adults. Goldsmith points out that many of today’s audience for graphic novels have specific traits including being “sophisticated consumers of image-based communications, including film, television, and, more recently, computers” (Goldsmith, 2).
“Graphic novel publishers, sellers, and reviewers struggle with the need to be aware of the wide variety of readers interested in their products, readers who — due to differences in age, ability and personal taste – may have few topics of interest in common. Thus, the notion that the graphic novel is a format, rather than a genre, is important. People who read, or potentially read GN may share little else intellectually or experientially, just like people who read magazines or watch movies.” (Goldsmith, 7)

It is interesting to consider that there is no term, to date, to replace the misnomer “graphic novel” when referring to nonfiction. In the library where I work, the fiction and nonfiction graphic novels are grouped together with manga, under the sign “Graphic Novels”. For now, then, graphic novel may be applied to works that are either factual or fictive.

One just has to open a graphic novel to see that it indeed includes pictures, but the images are different from comics as they must be integrated with the text so that together the narrative is richer than either the text or illustrations provide alone. Above all, a graphic novel tells a story through text and illustrations that work together.  I enjoyed reading a graphic novel, and would definitely revisit this genre. 

The environment for indirect RA July 11, 2007

June 5th, 2007:  Promotion and indirect RA – Book clubs and social reading

As discussed in class, passive readers’ advisory, non-mediated readers’ advisory and indirect readers’ advisory services are all ways to promote reading.  Librarians are responsible for creating and manipulating the environment to perform adequate readers’ advisory services for readers (not such an easy feat).  As librarian’s we must consider what draws us to a bookstore in the first place?  Is it the signage, themes, space, the display of book covers, or the social aspect?   Bookstores are very different from public libraries,  but in some ways can they be similar as well?

See the article by McKechnie, “Grand latte, no sprinkles”, environment in the public library.. .

Librarians can also provide indirect readers’ advisory by arranging the collection into  segregated genre collections, by offering the public and making use of RA tools (such as bookmarks/booklists), offering book oriented periodicals, and providing book displays.

As we learned in class, we must also incorporate some merchandising to promote RA in the library and to widen reader’s knowledge about books and related topics.  Something as simple as offering a patron the “return cart” … where the reader approaches the cart with no idea if anyone has read the books in front of them, but knowing only that someone has taken them out.  The item is considered “safe” and has been vetted.

The White Bone, Barbara Gowdy Booktalk #3 July 11, 2007

If you are at all interested in either Elephant Winter or Water for Elephants, try The White Bone, by Barbara Gowdy. This is a novel told from a very different perspective from either of the books we just visited.

The White Bone It is told entirely from the perspective of African elephants, following Mud and her family as they desperately struggle to survive the harsh drought and ivory hunters that threaten their lives. It is a maternal story about how elephants are slipping into extinction. The sacred white bone is what they search for, as it is supposed to lead them directly to safety.

Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen Booktalk #2 July 11, 2007

Gruen, Sara.  Water for Elephants.. Toronto: Harper-Collins, 2006.

He didn’t really expect them to show up—they never really do, and when they do show up, it seems like a chore, and they have a constant eye on their watch, waiting for five o’clock as if it can’t come soon enough.  “They” visit their dad irregularly.  It’s a chore to visit “dad” in the nursing home.  They assured him at the time that it wasn’t really a nursing home, rather an “assisted living” home, where he could get the help he needed after his fall.  He is a retired veterinarian and they are his 5 children and several grandchildren who he resents for having put him in this place rather than taking him into their homes to care for him.  He drifts in and out of memories.  He is Jacob Jankowski and he loves elephants.

Even though it has become rather difficult to remember some of life’s many details, the one thing that ninety-something year-old Jacob has been able to remember is that the circus is coming to town tomorrow, and he gets to go if his family remembers to visit and take him.  Should he count on them?

It has been nearly 70 years since the great Depression when he was 23 and writing his exams for veterinary school at Cornell University.  He didn’t finish. His parents were killed in a car accident, leaving him penniless, and he dropped out, walking out of his final exams and subsequently hopping a train.  He had thought he was in love.  But it turns out he was not.  Catherine, from back home was not the girl for him.

The train he hopped turns out to be a circus train.  Specifically, the train belonged to the “Benzi Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth”.  Luckily, he was able to parlay his expertise and experience with animals for a job with the circus.  He became the circus vet, where he cared for a menagerie of exotic animals, including an elephant, Rosie, who responds only to polish commands. 

He learned the ins and outs of the circus, through the treacherous ruling of Uncle Al, who cheats the Circus workers out of their wages, and fraudulently rips-off exhibits with false advertising.

In a series of revisited memories, he remembers having been engrossed in the circus…especially engrossed in Marlena, the horse-rider and wife of August.  Jacob falls for Marlena immediately.  The attraction between the two is inevitable, but the mental illness of August is threatening.  

Marlena isn’t the only love of Jacob’s life.  Rosie, the elephant is too.  To Jacob, Rosie is perhaps the most faithful of anyone at the Circus.   

Jacob remembers and reveals the richness of the circus and the leisurely recreation of the circus’s daily routine in a lovely and memorable way, and noted that the crewmembers seldom saw actual money but the performers and managers who party in the evenings, were able to drink champagne and dress in evening wear.  

He remembers the hippo pickled in formaldehyde, the four-hundred-pound “strong lady”, Rosie the elephant, who pulled free from her stake and drank the lemonade for the midway, as well as the tragedy of the Jamaica ginger paralysis caused by the consumption of adulterated ginger extract. 

He remembers these events just like they happened yesterday.  

Marlena and her husband August seem to be in love at first, but before long, he sees that August is a cruel man, who beats the animals, including Rosie, and who eventually beats Marlena as well.  Uncle Al tries blackmailing Jacob to reunite Marlena and August, for the sake of the circus—as both were invaluable members of the team. 

When Jacob fails, people start to die, and one by one this leads to the final blow up. 

Jacob refuses to lose his memories of the Circus—which for him was both his own hell, and his saving grace… visit Jacob at the Circus (read Water for Elephants).

Elephant Winter – Kim Echlin Booktalk #1 July 11, 2007

Echlin, Kim. Elephant Winter. Toronto: Penguin, 1998.

Elephants are among the world’s most potentially dangerous animals, capable of crushing and killing many other animals, including humans.  As I mentioned earlier, elephant social communication and perception is a relatively new concept and this pioneer research is highlighted in a novel that seems more real than fiction, Elephant Winter by Kim Echlin. 

In this novel, Canadian author Kim Echlin tells the story of thirty-year-old Sophie Walker, the Elephant-keeper.  When Sophie returns home from Zimbabwe to rural Ontario to care for her mother who is dying of cancer, she can’t fight the curiosity to meet her unlikely neighbours.  Directly behind her mother’s house is a safari, with 5 elephants and the animal-keeper, Jo. 

Sophie is intrigued, to say the least, and is inspired by the elephants’ daily discourse to record and explore elephant language.  The results of which are transcribed and included throughout the book in the form of an Elephant-English Dictionary.  Sophie begins regular visits to the safari and ends up falling in love with the elephants living next door. 

The elephants aren’t the only things Sophie fell in love with — Jo, the animal-caretaker, also listens to the elephants.  He is one of them.  He sleeps in a cot next to the elephants—waiting for one elephant in particular, Kezia to give birth.  Sophie and Jo fall quickly into bed, and continue with an “easy” relationship.  Sophie’s life becomes complicated when she becomes pregnant.  Sophie is a nurturer by nature, not only caring for her dying mother, but the elephants, her unborn baby and her lover as well.       

Sophie’s mother is a wildlife painter who lived a rather unconventional life and is now dying a slow and painful death.  The reader gets a chance to enjoy the last stages of Sophie’s relationship with her mother.  Once an active person, her mother is now withdrawn to the seclusion of her bedroom, visitors have ceased and she is now relying on Sophie. 

Sophie knows she is going to lose her mother, and learns quickly how to best spend what little time they have left together. 

Seemingly out of nowhere, a strange man appears, who says he knows Jo without the details of how he knows him.  He’s a mute, but he carries with him a slate which he uses to converse.  His name is Alecto and he too, knows elephants.  Alecto is a highly publicized scholar and animal physiologist whose reputation is premised upon performing sadistic experiments and has a history of massacring elephants to perform autopsies.  His presence is heavy and he seems to wait around in anxious anticipation for one of the elephants to expire.  When a male elephant turns violent, Alecto kills the elephant, which saved Jo’s life, but ruined his spirit.  He is interested in himself, paying no attention to the “sounds” of the elephants, or the discourse, which is taking place.  To Alecto, elephants are merely tools for learning, ready to be sliced and reported on. 

Seriously wounded, Jo leaves Sophie to deal with not only the elephants, but also her impending birth. 

Sophie records the animals.  In this passage on page 160:

“The Safari directors put me in charge of the elephants and asked me to do Jo’s work.  I told them I didn’t know enough, didn’t want to work so much, couldn’t do it, but they shook their heads and said, “There’s no one else”.  I couldn’t submit and I couldn’t leave and I couldn’t die.  There were elephants hungry and needing exercise.  There was Kezia, pregnant, and the Safari would open soon.  I didn’t know all I needed to know to take care of them.  Slowly Kezia accepted me as her keeper and I felt her wondering, What do you ask?  I often didn’t know what to answer but I pretended.  I want you not to hurt me.  I want you not to kill me.  I want you to hold your foot ready to work on.  I want you to walk out into the elephant yard with me.  I want you to stand while I bathe you.  I want you to sleep.  I want you to allow me to put the howdah on you, to bear weight, to raise your trunk, to walk beside me and safely carry small children.  She had the power to do all these things.  When I was too tired to go on I stood among them and felt their graceful acceptance of a life they had not chosen.  I made our daily routine as simple as I could.  More and more I recorded their silence, took the tapes back to my mother’s house and when she was sleeping I listened to their low rumbles.  One afternoon when I recorded, not knowing if they were speaking or quiet in the dark barn, I whispered to them, “What do you want?” And on the tape I heard for the first time the lowest of all their calls, aaaaaaaaa, a sound I have come to understand as mercy.”  (p. 160, Water for Elephants)

The climax of the book comes with an attempted rape, an elephant charging, an elephant birth, Sophie’s birth, the death of her mother and an elephant escape … all capturing the compassion of animals.                     

Only Kim Echlin could put Sophie’s love for elephants into words.