Wendy's Challenge Wrap Up

Thank you to Lisa at Breaking the Fourth Wall for hosting this challenge! My original reading list consisted of more books, but the rules state that participants must complete five (5) books at a minimum...and I have done that, so I'm taking credit for a finish on this one. Here are the books I read:

1. The Country of the Pointed Firs, by Sarah Orne Jewett (Completed August 26, 2007; read a review here)
2. The Echo Maker, by Richard Powers (Completed September 6, 2007; read a review here)
3. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck (Completed October 12, 2007; read a review here)
4. A Thousand Splendid Suns (Completed December 8, 2007; read a review here)
5. I Am The Messenger, by Markus Zusak (Completed December 17, 2007; read a review here)

My favorites were East of Eden AND A Thousand Splendid Suns - both of which I rated 5/5. There was not a "dud" in the bunch!

I still want to read many of the books on my original posting for this challenge...and will continue 'checking them off' and posting reviews as we move into 2008.

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Wendy's Book Review

"One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls."
-from a poem by Saeb-e-Tabrizi-

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a sweeping generational novel set in Afghanistan over the last thirty years from the Soviet invasion through the tortuous reign of the Taliban and the post-Taliban rebuilding years. Hosseini follows the lives of two women: Mariam and Laila. Mariam is a harami - an illegitimate child whose wealthy father casts her and her mother out of his home. When she is sold to the cruel Rasheed, a man who is easily 40 years her senior, Mariam's life becomes one of pain, disappointment, abuse and endurance...just as her mother had predicted.

"...There is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don't teach it in school. Look at me." "You should not speak like this to her, my child," Mullah Faizullah said. "Look at me." Mariam did. "Only one skill. And it's this: tahamul. Endure."
-From A Thousand Splendid Suns, page 17-

Laila is born in Kabul, only doors away from where Mariam and Rasheed live. When war arrives in the city, Laila finds her world turned upside down and a twist of fate brings her and Mariam together.

Hosseini's novel reveals the horrible effects of war, and the abuse and mistreatment of women under the Taliban. Heartbreaking in its scope, the novel touched my heart and had me choking back tears. As a woman born in the United States, it is hard for me to wrap my brain around the outrages done against women in other parts of the world. To imagine a life where one is not allowed outside without being accompanied by a man; cannot show her face in public; may be stoned to death for a perceived attraction to someone other than one's husband; may not read, paint or even laugh without the fear of punishment; may be repeatedly beaten by one's husband and have no recourse in the law...is almost beyond the scope of my imagination. And yet it has happened; is happening.

Hossein's novel is a must read - if only to remind us of the suffering of women in other countries, and the outrages of war. Beautifully written, fiercely powerful, and with a message about the redeeming quality of love and hope, A Thousand Splendid Suns is highly recommended; rated 5/5.

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I read this book from Becky R's list. She said:

Because the Afghanistan and Pakistan have fascinated me recently. I have read a couple fiction books recently and went to the movie A Mighty Heart. This week I am also looking forward to hearing Kahled Hosseini speak. I have developed a hobby of catching some of my favorite authors at bookstores. I think it gives a reader a special window into why they wrote a book and it always amazing to hear an author read from his or her book.

Thanks for the recommendation, Becky. This was a fantastic book!

East of Eden - Wendy's Review

**I read this book from Vasilly's original list. Thanks for the recommendation, Vasilly!


There is no other story. A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: was it good or was it evil? Have I done well - or ill? -From East of Eden, page 413-

I have yet to be disappointed by anything John Steinbeck writes ... and East of Eden is no exception.

Set in the heart of the Salinas Valley, the novel spans three generations of two families whose lives overlap - the Trasks and the Hamiltons. Samuel Hamilton, an Irish immigrant and dreamer who believes in the goodness of mankind, raises his family without financial wealth but rich with love and family unity.

He came to Salinas Valley full-blown and hearty, full of in inventions and energy. His eyes were very bulue, and when he was tired one of them wandered outward a little. he was a big man but delicate in a way. In the dusty business of ranching he seemed always immaculate. His hands were clever. He was a good blacksmith and carpenter and woodcarver, and he could improvise anything with bits of wood and metal. -From East of Eden, page 8-9-

Adam Trask descends from wealth, and the conflict of sibling rivalry and moral weakness.

These usually bought land, but good land, and built their houses of planed lumber and had carpets and colored-glass diamond panes in their windows. There were numbers of these families and they got the good land of the valley and cleared the yellow mustard away and planted wheat. Such a man was Adam Trask. -From East of Eden, page 13-

Narrated in the philosophical voice of Samuel's grandson (who flavors this all-American classic with his thoughts and observations of the politics and economics of life in America at the turn of the century), Steinbeck uses the timeless story of Cain and Abel to draw his characters - and with this adds a greater depth to a novel rich with symbolism.

As in all of Steinbeck's novels, the characters drive the story. Lee, a Chinese servant, surprises and delights the reader with his wisdom and gentle nature. Cathy (later Kate) surpasses the stereotypical evil character, allowing reader empathy to exist side by side with revulsion and demonstrating no one is all good or all bad. The overriding message of East of Eden seems to be that man (or woman) are free to choose their path regardless of inheritance or circumstances - in fact, perhaps in spite of them.

And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. -From East of Eden, page 132-

Now there are many millions in their sects and churches who feel the order, 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in 'Thou shalt.' Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But 'Thou mayest'! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win. -From East of Eden, page 303-

Steinbeck's fine sense of place resonates throughout the novel. It is easy to see why East of Eden is considered his greatest work.

A classic which is a must read, this novel is highly recommended; rated 5/5.

Review: PLACE LAST SEEN

Author: Charlotte Freeman

Review on my blog here.

I picked Place Last Seen from Wendy’s list near the beginning of summer. I just got around to reading the book and couldn’t remember why she had picked it. I decided instead of going to check I would read the book and then go back and look. While I was reading I kept asking myself: Does she have a child with Downs? Does she live near the Sierra Nevada’s? Does she like to hike? Did she lose someone? It never even crossed my mind that she might be a member of a search and rescue team, especially one of the dog handlers.

So what does this book tell me about Wendy? In my opinion, she is one tough chick mentally and emotionally. The search and rescue team from the book was out in the rain, snow, cold, worked steep rocks, late into the night, started early in the morning. They took time off from work or used their vacation days (the volunteers). Those conditions aren’t only tough on your body, they are tough on your mind. Speaking of emotional toughness, at one point in the book they find one of Maggie’s shoe. How would it feel to come across that shoe? How do you handle that? The highs and lows of finding or not finding someone are something I can’t really imagine.

My other thoughts are that Wendy probably loves dogs and is as dedicated to them as she is to her search and rescue.

Overall I did enjoy the book though I thought it moved a little slow sometimes. I would recommend it to someone who wanted to read it but probably not as a book “out of the blue”

The Echo Maker - Wendy's Review

My original review of this book may be found here.

All the humans revered Crane, the great orator. Where cranes gathered, their speech carried miles. The Aztecs called themselves the Crane People. One of the Anishinaabe clans was named the Cranes - Ajijak or Businassee - the Echo Makers. The Cranes were leaders, voices that called all people together. Crow and Cheyenne carved cranes' leg bones into hollow flutes, echoing the echo maker. -From The Echo Maker, page 181-

Richard Power's novel - The Echo Maker - is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and winner of the National Book Award. Beneath a simple story lies complex questions about self and memory. How does memory define who we are? Is our sense of self and the larger world just a series of synapses and neurons firing or is it something bigger?

The novel begins with a horrific car accident along the Platte River during the annual crane migration. Mark Schulter survives the crash, but is left with a rare and devastating brain injury called Capgras Syndrome. Believing his sister, Karin, is really an imposter who is pretending to be his sister, Mark's recovery from his injuries takes the reader along a winding path of self-discovery, misidentification, conspiracies, and the complex and sometimes fragile nature of relationships. Powers constructs the novel around four major characters: Mark Schulter, his sister Karin, a renowned scientist named Gerald Weber, and Barbara Gillespie - a nursing home aide who is surrounded by mystery. It is not only Mark who struggles with his identity. Karin, a woman who has tried unsuccessfully to shed her past, finds herself searching to re-define it.

When Mark was himself again, she would restart them both. She'd get him on his feet, listen to him, help him find what he need to be. And this time she'd take him away with her, someplace reasonable. -From The Echo Maker, page 26-

Making herself over, personality du jour. Imagination, even memory, all too ready to accommodate her, whoever her is. Anything for a scratch behind the ears. Scratch from anyone. She is nothing. No one. Worse than no one. Blank at the core. She must change her life. From the mess of her fouled nest, salvage something. Anything. -From The Echo Maker, page 407-

Gerald Weber is shocked to discover that perhaps he is only defined by the way others perceive him - that perhaps his life's work is no more than a critics review: He'd let his critics convince him. Something had eroded, the core pleasure in his accomplishment. - From The Echo Maker, page 315-

This novel is meant to be read slowly - it is a thoughtful novel, and one that is challenging on an intellectual level. Powers deftly constructs a story which questions the very core of who we are and how self is defined - a fascinating treatise about what makes us human. The backdrop of Nebraska and its incredible crane migration - an astounding feat of migratory memory and ritual - is a fitting symbol of the novel's thematic content. With a surprising twist at the end, the novel is ultimately a satisfying read.

Recommended. Rated 4.5/5

Why I Read This Book:

Michelle (3M) recommended this book. Here is what she said: "This book is set in Kearney, Nebraska, where my sister currently lives and is not too far away from where I grew up. Powers did a good job of describing the remoteness of the region. The main "something about me" here, though, and this is getting a little too personal, is that the main character suffered from Capgras' and Cotard's Syndromes. Capgras Syndrome is the belief that your loved ones have been "replaced" by imposters, while Cotard's Syndrome is the belief that you have already died. I experienced these two syndromes while I was in college. Freaky, huh?"

I'm happy I read the book - and it gave me tremendous insight into both of these syndromes while at the same time learning something about Michelle! Thanks for the recommendation, Michelle!

The Country of the Pointed Firs - Wendy's Book Review

We were standing where there was a fine view of the harbor and its long stretches of shore all covered by the great army of the pointed firs, darkly cloaked and standing as if they waited to embark. As we looked far seaward among the outer islands, the trees seemed to march seaward still, going steadily over the heights and down to the water's edge. -From The Country of the Pointed Firs, page 29-

Sarah Orne Jewett published her best known novel, The Country of the Pointed Firs, in 1896 - first in a serialized version for the Atlantic Monthly, and later in book form by Houghton Mifflin. It was an instant success. After reading this wonderful novella, I can plainly see why.

The narrator of the story remains unnamed, but through her we are introduced to an endearing cast of characters who reside in the fictional seaside town of Dunnet Landing, Maine. Arriving in early summer, the narrator lodges with the central character - Mrs. Almira Todd - and spends the long, warm days writing and getting to know Dunnet's people and environs. She visits the surrounding islands, attends a joyous family reunion, and has tea with a local fisherman. The story ends with the narrator bidding farewell before boarding a boat bound for her home in London.

Having spent many years on the coast of Maine, I found myself smiling, nodding, and laughing at the accuracy of Jewett's dialog and characterizations.

"There was good singers there; yes, there was excellent singers," she agreed heartily, putting down her teacup, "but I chanced to drift alongside Mis' Peter Bowden o' Great Bay, an' I couldn't help think' if she was as far out o' town as she was out o tune, she wouldn't get back in a day."-From The Country of the Pointed Firs, page 99-

"You can never tell beforehand how it's goin' to be, and 't ain't worth while to wear a day all out before it comes." -From The Country of the Pointed Firs, page 76-

When the narrator writes:I had suddenly left the forbidding coast and come into a smooth little harbor of friendship (page 102), the reader finds herself nodding in agreement. From Captain Littlepage with his outrageous stories of Arctic travels, to Elijah Tilley pining eight years for his dead wife, to elderly Mrs. Blackett and her daughter, the effervescent herbalist in the guise of Almira Todd - Jewett's characters come to feel like old and dear friends.

Rich with setting, the novel places the reader on the rocky Maine coast with the sting of salt in the air and the dark green firs thrusting into an azure sky. It is a book meant to be read slowly while sipping tea and gently rocking on an old farmhouse porch. When the narrator writes: At last I had to say good-by to all my Dunnet Landing Friends, and my homelike place in the little house... (page 111), the reader will wish the summer were longer.

This is a book that will stay on my bookshelf forever and grow dogeared and ragged from re-reading.

Highly recommended. Rated 5/5; my original review here.

Note: I read this book as recommended by Megan. Megan wrote in her nomination: "I was trying to find some good New England writing. Something that had really spoken to me. The writing in this book is absolutely overwhelming." I agree Megan! Thanks for the recommendation!

Wendy's Challenge List

With only a few more days before the official start of this challenge, I thought it was time to post my list of books I will read. To see a complete list of books I've read in the past (a total of 38), as well as those I want to read eventually (a total of 65 - including those I intend to read during the challenge period as well as alternates) you can check out my blog.

Books to be read during the challenge period (books highlighted in red have been read):

1. The Echo Maker, by Richard Powers (3M - Michelle)
2.The Country of the Pointed Firs, by Sarah Orne Jewett (Megan)
3. The Amateur Marriage, by Anne Tyler (In memory of Nattie)
4. The Robber Bride, by Margaret Atwood (Ellen)
5. Marley and Me, by John Grogan (Lynne)
6. The Essays of E.B. White (Dana)
7. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck (Vasilly)
8. I Am The Messenger, by Marcus Zusak (Jill)
9. A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Housseini (Becky Rech)

Alternates/Extras During the Challenge period:

1. Rebecca, by Daphne Du Marier (Christina)
2. She's Come Undone, by Wally Lamb (Bookworm)
3. Harvesting the Heart, by Jodi Picoult (Heather)
4. The Awakening, by Kate Chopin (Pattie)
5. The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri (HeidiJane)
6. Biblioholism, by Tom Raabe (Twiga)
7. Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte (Suey AND Trish)

Wendy's List

Here's the final list!

1. Place Last Seen, by Charlotte McGuinn Freeman - This book is a touching novel about a lost child and the search which ensues to find her. It represents me on a couple of levels. I have been involved in Search and Rescue for almost ten years now (the first 7 of those years was with a my Search and Rescue dog - Caribou- and now I'm a certified Tracker I for my county team). In addition, the child in this novel has Down's Syndrome. As a licensed Physical Therapist, I work with children and adults with developmental disability. McGuinn Freeman does an outstanding job of portraying both the search teams and the family of this little girl.

2. A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson - A non fiction memoir of the author's trek along the Appalachian Trail. I am a hiker and a lover of nature, and I have a good sense of humor. Bryson's account is hysterically funny and I found that although I have never hiked the Appalachian Trail, I could relate to his escapades!

3. In The Shadow Of Man, by Jane Goodall - Non fiction book about Jane Goodall's work with chimpanzees in Gombe National Park in Africa. As a child I wanted to be Jane Goodall! I love animals and her job seemed like the perfect job to me. I was lucky enough to meet Ms. Goodall several years ago after she gave a talk at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, California. I had a lot of things I wanted to ask her, but I was struck dumb in her presence! She is an incredible woman. My copy of this book is autographed, so I treasure it even more!

4. The Borrowers, by Mary Norton - This was one of my favorite books as a child. I loved the idea of a family of little people living under the floorboards - with my wild imagination, I could almost hear them in my own house! I actually read the entire series several times, borrowing the books over and over again from my local library. I have vowed to get a copy of this series for my home library - I can't believe I don't have it already!

5. The Hotel New Hampshire, by John Irving - This was the first Irving book I read and the one that made me a die-hard fan of his. I grew up in rural New England (New Hampshire) and I was captivated by Irving's quirky characters. I think I relate to John Irving's novels because of his character development; the way he captures the eccentricities of people; the way he demonstrates the fine balance of weaknesses and strengths. And who can resist a book about a family with a pet bear?

Glad to Be Here

I'm really happy to be a part of this interesting challenge! I have some book nominations ideas, but will take a few days to think about them before posting. Looking forward to hanging out and getting to know all of you a little bit better.