A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

I just finished "A Reliable Wife" recently and liked it so much, I thought I should post about it. The novel is by Robert Goolrick and has been on the Top 10 NY Times Bestsellers list for weeks now.

The story is set in 1907 Wisconsin and begins with a man (Ralph Truitt) posting an ad in the paper for a "reliable wife". A mysterious woman (Catherine Land) replies and we are immediately told that she has no interest in falling in love with this man, but instead plans on leaving him once she has secured his fortunes. However, both people share secrets that the other is not aware of and those secrets begin to soon surface and changes the course of both of their lives.

I don't want to say anything more because I'm recommending that you read this, but I do have to say that this novel is one sweeping drama that takes you on a very fun ride. Read it!

To Kill A Mockingbird - Novel to Film #4

We read "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee a few months ago, but since no one has posted about it yet, I thought I should start the conversation. I feel like everyone who goes to school in America ends up coming across this novel at some point in their academic history, so that alone separates this novel from others. It's a classic, a "must read". And while I had read it a very long time ago, it was nice to read it again and refresh my memory of the characters. I also re-watched the film that starred Gregory Peck (which one him an Oscar) and while there are a few things that are omitted from the novel, I think it stays true to what the core of the novel is about.

I love that the novel is centered around the two children, Scout and Jem. You see things so much simpler through their eyes and they question things is such an honest way. They are children, but they are able to see right and wrong better than the adults because they aren't jaded or influenced by life's lessons yet.

I also appreciated how the novel deals with race relations in such a tender, yet firm hand and there's never any ambiguity that choosing to treat others differently based on the color of their skin is acceptable or fair. But it's presented in such a way that says that although things are the way they are now, that doesn't mean that they'll be that way forever and you shouldn't be discouraged against your belief in the good of people. I will definitely be adding this to my children's bookshelf for them to read when they are old enough.

What did everyone else think of the novel? Did anyone else see the film? What were your thoughts?

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

Water for Elephants is a historical novel by Sara Gruen. The novel centers on Jacob Jankowski and his experiences in a travelling circus called The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. This one had been on my "to read" list for a while now since it was on the NY Times Bestsellers List, but once I heard that it was going to be turned into a film, it quickly rose to the top. Hehe.

The novel is told through Jacob's perspective when he is an old man living in a nursing home reminiscing about his time working in the circus in his early 20s. The dynamic that develops between Jacob, the dysfunctional foreman, and his beautiful wife is the main cause of drama in the novel and had me turning the pages quickly to find out what was going to happen. I don't want to give too much away because I would definitely recommend this for you ladies to read. The film will star Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz, and Reese Witherspoon, so as I was reading the novel, I visualized them as the characters and I think it made the story come more alive for me.

What do you think about reading novels that already have a film adaptation or one in production? Does it help you get a clearer image of the characters or would you rather be able to come up with your own visual of the characters?

Another Lisa See: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

From my post last month about Shanghai Girls, it is clear that I am thoroughly enamored with Lisa See. I finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan this week--another informative read. Like Shanghai Girls, Snow Flower and the Secret Fans is a sorrowful read.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan takes place in the 1800s and centers around the relationship of two loatong, "old-sames." Snow Flower and Lily signed their laotong contract at the age of seven basically agreeing to be best friends for life. Having a laotong raised one's status and marriageability and enabled Lily and Snow Flower to have a friendship that went beyond their childhood "daughter days" into their adolescent "hair-pinning days" into their married "rice and salt days." Most women's friendships ended when they got married and moved to a new village, but laotong, like Snow Flower and Lily, communicated through letters using nu shu--phonetic writing exclusive to women.

In addition to following the joyous, sorrowful and surprising moments of Lily and Snow Flower's friendship, the book also gave graphic and fascinating accounts of foot binding and a picture of the women's realm in 19th century China. While men where (and are?) clearly favored in Chinese society, the women had a unique culture all their own.

Have you ever heard of nu shu? Does anyone know when both Chinese women and men began to use the same alphabet?

Shanghai Girls

I've spent the last month reading like a mad woman. While I'm really enjoying school, it's so nice to be able to read for pleasure. Of the books I've read in the past few weeks (I may blog about a few of the others later), Shanghai Girls by Lisa See was by far the most fascinating.

The book follows the lives of two sisters from (you guessed it) Shanghai from the 1930s to the 1950s. I don't want to give away too many details about the story because I think those of you who choose to read it will enjoy discovering them for yourself, but anyone with a sister or a close friend will appreciate the relationship between the two sisters Pearl and May. The story of Pearl and May travels from Shanghai to the U.S. after a suprising turn of events.

In addition to its engaging narrative, I particularly enjoyed learning a little bit about Chinese history from Shanghai Girls. I wasn't aware of the turbulent relationship between the Chinese and Japanese in the late '30s and '40s, and while I was somewhat aware of the immigration challenges in the U.S. mid-century, Shanghai Girls provided me with additional insight and perspective.

During my visit to Florida last weekend, I borrowed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, also by Lisa See, from my grandmother (we did a Lisa See book exchange), and I am excited to get started on it sooon.

Has anyone else read any books by Lisa See? If so, what are your thoughts?

Summer Reading!

So I've had THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE sitting on my bookshelf for a full 2 years and this summer I decided that I had to read it once and for all. I had heard so many great things about it (hence why I bought it in the first place), but the thought of reading over 800 pages really bogged me down and I knew that unless I had a good chunk of time to read it, it wasn't going to happen. Then of course, we decided to take an extended break from the bookclub and the opportunity presented itself.

I have to say, I am SO happy that I read this novel! It was such an interesting story and the historical period it was set in (Victorian England) just added another layer of intrigue to the novel as a whole. The lead character, Sugar, is a prostitute who lives in a brothel managed by her own mother. She's an extremely smart girl but opportunities had never presented themselves to her until one day she meets an unusual client and her entire world is turned upside down. I won't say any more since I hope that my raving will propel at least one of you to read it...

Can't wait to see you all at the next bookclub meeting!

Happy reading!

Tiff

Pillars of the Earth

This whole blogging thing is new for me. I contribute to my work blog, but that is a whole different species of blog. So it just took me about 10 minutes to figure out how to post. I am really enjoying these book reviews. I read about the Twilight books somewhere, but the Gargoyle book is new to me. I'm not usually into fantasy, though the book I am currently reading (while I too wait for the library to send me Out) Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet seems to me to be somewhere between fantasy and historical fiction. For my recent trip to Israel, I thought it would be a good idea to travel one really big book instead of a few smaller ones. I am now about 1/2 way through the almost 1000 page book.

Anyway, back to the book. Have any of you read it? It takes place in the 12th century, and it's main characters are a builder/mason, the daughter of a disgraced earl and a prior. It all centers around the building of a cathedral. While I am not enthralled by the book, I am certainly engrossed. I think it is because though the book takes place almost 1000 years ago, the characters act and express themselves no differently than we do today. There is a certain fascination that presents itself in reading about these characters that act and feel just as we do today. I'm not sure what I expected; maybe I assumed 1000 years ago society was less materialistic. Thoughts?