Tai Pan by James Clavell

A while back, I reviewed Clavell's Sho-Gun, and that reiterated my interest in the author. I knew my brother had read some of his other books, so I decided to ask him for a recommendation and this was his top choice. Tai Pan is the story of Hong Kong, just after the British have taken control of the island. The main protagonist, Dirk Straun, is the Tai Pan, or supreme leader, of Noble House and the most powerful trader in China. I think one of the most interesting pieces of the story are the perceptions that each society has about each other - they both consider the other to be barbarians, incapable of understanding anything more than basic conversation and needs. Straun, like the main character in Sho-Gun, not only learns from the Chinese culture, but takes some of the teachings to heart, for example, bathing on a daily basis, which was not the norm in the 1840's. It's kind of funny looking back to see how naïve people were! The story has everything you can want in a good novel - backstabbing, love, freak weather, history, family issues, intrigue, etc. Even if you aren't interested in the time period, and I'll admit I was a little leery going in, you will still be captivated and swept up in the story.

The follow up to this story, Noble House, is one I'm going to try to read as well. It follows Straun's company into the future, and is being run by his descendants.

Overcoming Adversity

Here are a few books that have strong female characters who are struggling to overcome the adversity in their lives. They don't all have happy endings but should all have an impact on you.

The Breakdown Lane by Jacqueline Mitchard
This is the story of Julieanne Gillis, a wife and mother whose seemingly idyllic life is turned upside down almost overnight. First, her husband Leo, decides to take early retirement and move to upstate New York to live in a commune. He essentially disappears and she is left explaining things to her three children and struggling to make ends meet on her meager salary. Second, she is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and has to deal with everything that entails. And as if that weren't enough, her kids take off over spring break to try to find their "lost" father. The
story alternates points of view between the characters in the book which is a storytelling technique I personally like. The story is very emotionally moving and while slightly over the top, it will still make you think about your own life and relationship, in a sort of "could this happen to me?" kind of way.

You're Not You by Michelle Wildgen
Wildgen's debut novel will pull you in from page one with the relationship between Bec, a college student drifting through school, and Kate, a young married woman suffering from final stages of ALS. Becca is hired as a caretaker for Kate and over time takes on more and more responsibilities for Kate's care from her husband, Evan. Despite her paralysis and limitations, Kate is spunky, sarcastic and at peace with her life; much more so than Becca who is floating through life, having random affairs with her professors and with no clear idea of where she wants to end up in life. Over their time together, Kate teaches Bec how to cook fancy meals and gets her involved in raising money for ALS research. Bec is forced to move into the house when Kate kicks out her husband after she learns that he's cheating on her. This is almost a taboo subject - what are the moral and ethical responsibilities of family members of the terminally ill. While Wildgen strikes a hard line, and whether or not you agree with her, at the very least it will get you talking.

The Thirteenth Tale

If you enjoy British authors, you should enjoy The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, a prototypical English novel where a plain, bookish girl finds herself in a haunted house where she must uncover the salacious family secrets hidden there. Margaret Lea is a biographer and the daughter of a bookseller. She is contacted, rather out of the blue, by the elusive Vida Winter, an aging author who has decided that it is finally time to tell her life story. A life story which no one has yet uncovered, for Vida has given 19 different versions of her life story to journalists over just the past two years! Margaret agrees and moves to Angelfied to interview the dying author. There is a hint of Jane Eyre to this novel but there are also enough differences that you aren't thinking, 'haven't I already read this?' It will keep you entranced and you will want to know the mystery behind the Thirteenth Tale.

Standing Still

This book, by Kelly Simmons, came to me via a recommendation - from the author no less! She commented on one of my blog posts here and decided that since I liked Anita Shreve, I would also like her debut novel, Standing Still. And since you all know that I rarely say no to a book, I decided to give it a chance. This novel tells the story of Claire Cooper, a forty-year old mother of three who, when encountered with a kidnapper in her daughter's room, asks him to take her instead. Oddly enough, the kidnapper agrees and the majority of the novel takes place during this time period. Claire, however, isn't your typical soccer mom; she suffers from a panic disorder, has an irrational fear of "David" and is constantly assuming that the worst is about to happen. It's ironic that it actually does happen to her but it also felt a bit too contrived. Also a lot is made of Claire's panic disorder, yet she seemed to be relatively calm throughout most of her ordeal, which didn't quite ring true. Although a good first effort, and a semi-enjoyable read, it was only OK. Where the author does a good job, however, is in the gradual transformation of Claire from helpless victim to capable, empowered adult.

Other Favorites

There are several books I've wanted to cover for awhile now and just haven't gotten to it so I thought I'd do a long post and get them all out there. These are all books that I've really enjoyed reading and are always at the top of my list when I am asked to give recommendations.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
At the beginning of this book, we meet Jacob Jankowski, a ninety-something man who lives in a nursing home and hates it. But Jacob has a story - when he was a young man, he literally ran away and joined the circus. Not Ringling Brothers, which was the standard in circuses in depression-era America, but the Benzini Brothers, a poor imitation. The book follows Jacob's life in the Circus, from the brutal to the amazing to the mundane. The animals are abused and underfed and Jacob suddenly finds himself the manager of this menagerie when it is discovered that he has some Veterinary skills. Along with Jacob, we meet some very interesting characters in the Circus from Uncle Al, who bullies people because he can, to August, the paranoid schizophrenic animal trainer, to Marlena, August's wife, whom Jacob falls in love with. It is 0bvious from the onset that Gruen has carefully researched this book; the circus language and lore is all correct and really brings the story to life. The only complaint I have with this book is the end - I felt it was a bit too contrived, although it did fit in with the rest of the story.


The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
This story is told by the two main characters, Henry De Tamble, and his wife Clare, in alternating narratives. Henry is a librarian with "Chrono Displacement" disorder: with no advance warning, he randomly disappears and reappears in either the past or the present, usually to a point in time that is of some importance in his life. When he first meets his wife Clare, she claims she has known him all her life; he, on the other hand, has never seen her before. But then in his 40's, he travels to the past and meets a 6 year old Clare. The author does a great job of describing Clare's feelings of always being the one left behind, as well as Henry's confusion around where and when he'll appear next. It's an unusual premise and while we follow Henry on his jumps through time, we still get a chance to know each of the characters and see how their
relationships develop.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973." This is how we first come to meet Susie, the narrator of this novel, while she is adjusting to a life in Heaven, where she can have anything she wants except the only thing she wants - to be alive and back with her loved ones. Throughout the next few years, Susie objectively watches while her friends and family come to terms with her death. She is even able to see her murder-rapist and while she wants him caught, she is also fascinated by him. She
watches Ray, the first and only boy to kiss her, be initially blamed for her murder while still coping with losing his first love. While the first chapter is quite graphic, the rest of the novel is really a story of observation and despite it's rather morbid start, will speak to you in many ways. It's not a story about murder, it's a story about love and forgiveness and living life, even when you don't think you can anymore.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
The pivotal moment in this novel happens at the very beginning, when Dr. David Henry is forced to deliver his twins in the midst of a snowstorm in Lexington, KY. When the doctor sees that his daughter was born with Down Syndrome, he asks the nurse, Caroline Gill to take her away. When his wife, Norah, awakens, he tells her that the other twin died during childbirth. Instead of sending Phoebe, the child, to an institution, Caroline moves to Pittsburgh and raises her as her own. David's deception is the driving force behind this novel and propels the story through the next 25 years; David is eaten away by guilt and Norah cannot stop mourning the child she never knew. While the story can get a bit preachy, the overall tone is one of compassion and acceptance and will be one you will definitely enjoy.

The Eight

I first read The Eight when I was in high school - one of my best friends gave it to me. The second time I read it was about 8 or so years ago - I found it at a bookstore and it was cheap so I bought it. The third time I read it was over the past three days - and it's just as entertaining as it has always been. Katherine Neville wrote the story over twenty years ago and has recently decided to publish a sequel, titled The Fire, which will be out in October. Because of the sequel, The Eight is getting some much deserved publicity.

The premise takes two events, in two time periods, the 1970's and 1790's, and weaves the stories together. Both are quests for the mystical Montglane chess set, once a gift to Charlemagne, which was reputedly buried at Montglane Abbey. These two women, in two very different worlds, must match wits against unknown enemies in a deadly game of chess - where the people are the game pieces. The chess set has unknown mystical powers and must be kept safe from those who would use its power for evil.

The main characters are Catherine "Cat" Velis, a 20th century, twenty-something New York City computer whiz; the other Mireille de Remy, a young novice of an 18th century French abbey. But the rest of the characters are where the fun really begins; Neville manages to incorporate some of history's greatest figures - from Catherine the Great of Russia to Napoleon Bonaparte; Muhammar Khaddafi to Voltaire and Wordsworth and Blake and Robespierre. They all come alive in this novel and all play critical roles in what is only referred to as "the game."

Even if you are not a chess fan, you can't help but be drawn into the story; I don't even know how to play chess but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story at all. Neville is a masterful storyteller and I would not be surprised if Dan Brown had read this book before writing The Da Vinci Code since the underlying premise is similar - the quest for the holy grail.

I will definitely review The Fire when it comes out - but until then, you have some time to sit down and enjoy The Eight.

The Book Thief

The reason I originally requested this book from the library is because I came across it while searching for WWII historical fiction. It's classified as a Young Adult novel but as you know, that certainly doesn't stop me from reading something!

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, follows the story of Liesel, a nine year old girl who is being taken by her mother to a foster family in Molching, Germany. Liesel arrives at her new home, she is clutching a stolen copy of "The Gravediggers Handbook" even though she is unable to read. It is with this book that her foster father teaches her to read and starts Liesel's love affair with books. Throughout the years, Liesel comes to love her new family and collects both more books (mostly stolen of course) and a motley assortment of friends - a Jewish refugee, a blond haired boy who thinks he could be Jesse Owens, the Mayor's wife, and most importantly, her foster father. The book is narrated by death, oddly enough, and it adds a very interesting subtext to the novel. This is a book that will definitely give you something to think about and you will truly care for the characters by the end. I highly recommend it to all and as an added bonus, it would be a great discussion book for any book club.

Breaking Dawn

I promised a review of the last book in the Twilight series once I'd read it and I can finally say I got my hands on a copy of Breaking Dawn. I've been in the library queue since the book first came out and it was such a hot commodity it took that long to get it to me. Anyway, Breaking Dawn picks up the story of Bella and Edward with their marriage soon after graduating high school. I won't get in to all the plot details because I would hate to ruin the story for anyone who hasn't read it, but needless to say, I feel like Stephenie Meyer did a good job wrapping up the series. I did feel like Bella had it a little too easy in the book - especially after all the postponements of marriage and even sex in the first three novels. A few pages into this one, and bam, the two of them are quickly checked off the list. Overall, though, I enjoyed the story, especially Bella coming into her own and the return of the infamous Voltari, Even if Meyer did wrap everything up a bit too neatly, I would still recommend the book to anyone who is reading the series - you have to find out how it ends after all, don't you?

Library - A Book Lover's Best Friend

If I could afford to buy every book I've ever read, I'd have to be a millionaire many times over. And I used to spend an inordinate amount of money on books, but I've gotten smarter as I've gotten older. One of the greatest recommendations I can make is to embrace your local library. I
belong to two where I live - New York Public Library and Queens Public Library. Both allow me to feed my reading addiction without going into debt. There is a branch right near my office and though it is small, they have access to every book in the collection. If it's not on site, I can go online and request it and they'll send it there for me to pick up. It's so easy and most of the time doesn't take that long (popular releases are a different story!). So if you don't currently belong to your local library, go out and join today, it is so worth it!