Madame de Staël, The First Modern Woman, by Francine Du Plessix Gray

Back when I could keep the threads of several plot lines alive at the same, I had a book I was reading in the bedroom, one in the living room, and yes, sometimes one in the bathroom. Now, I have the high-tech version of that. My work vice (ok, one of them) is that I read DailyLit every day on my computer. If you haven’t already heard about it, it’s a terrific service where you receive an email with five minutes of reading a day. You choose the story, the length, and the frequency of the installments.

When I first started using this service, it was free for most classics, and more current fiction was offered for a fee. Today, everything’s free. But, I was nervous. Wuthering Heights, with one hundred and forty-five installments, seemed a little ambitious, and could take half a year! Now, in the year or so that I’ve been a member, I have read over a dozen classic novels, as well as several short stories.

Madame de Staël, The First Modern Woman, by Francine Du Plessix Gray, would not have been something I picked up at Barnes & Noble. I am not a huge fan of historical biography, especially when it comes heavily footnoted. But, in a recent note from dailylit, I was alerted to the book that Diane Von Furstenberg was “sponsoring”. Each installment came with a tiny DVF band at the top, but honestly, I will support anyone who gives free literature to the masses.

The book, for me, was truly remarkable. I was not quite sure who Germaine de Staël was at the start of the book, and, by the end, I could not believe I’d only vaguely heard of her before. She was an immovable force – by sheer will and conversation she brought some of the greatest men in modern France (and Europe) to their knees. Most remarkable was the long string of lovers and worshippers she left in her wake – despite her oft-noted plain, and even ugly, overweight appearance. I loved reading about these famous men who met her, complained openly at the sight of her, and then the next day were begging for her attention!

A little history, for those so inclined. Germaine de Staël (1766 – 1817) was the daughter of Jacques Necker, Minister of Finances to Louis XVI. She was born into a life of politics, where intellectual conversation was considered an art. She became a best-selling novelist and the mistress of one of the most celebrated salons in France. During her impassioned battles with Napoleon, she was repeatedly exiled from her beloved Paris, and forced to stay at her family home in Lake Geneva. (honestly, “Coppet” sounded very luxurious so I didn’t feel quite so sorry for her.) If you are a history buff, you will enjoy the countless famous men and women who people her amazing story; including many whose careers she orchestrated. She was a political figure, but also a humanitarian, and she did whatever she could to save lives in the time of the “Terror”.

Before her marriage, at twenty, to de Staël, she said, “I regret that I have not joined my fate to that of a great man; it is the only possible glory for a woman.” In truth, it was the great men who found glory in joining their fate to her.

Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin

Obama is smart and charismatic, Clinton is bitter, Palin is clueless and McCain didn’t really want to run. On the surface there doesn’t seem to be much new to say about the 2008 campaign but reporters Heileman and Halperin, writers at New York and Time magazines, dug deep and found some

Tidbits like: Elizabeth Edwards, whom I have always admired (except for her choice in husbands, yuck) is a witch and a nightmare, described by insiders as: “abusive, intrusive, paranoid, a condescending crazy woman”. What bugs me about this revelation is that it may, in some twisted way, be used to justify her husband's disgusting behavior.

At the infamous moment in their debate when Palin walked up to Biden and said ‘Hey can I call you Joe’, she did so because, during rehearsals for the debate, she couldn't stop calling him ‘O’Biden’

And one of my favorites: In private with his staff, Obama loved to mockingly repeat Palin’s signature phrase “You betcha!’ Can’t you just seem him winking an eye and giving the thumbs up as he’s doing it a la Tina Fey? Priceless.

This gem of a book is filled with details like these and ends with the unimaginable moment when Obama offered Clinton the Secretary of State job and she accepted. “Obama had pulled off the greatest game changer of them all. On the brink of great power and awesome responsibility, he and Clinton were on the same team.” Brilliant politics.

The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

The title of this book, The Secret Scripture, made me think I was about to read a religious novel. I found this not to be the case. Of course, the root of the story does have religious underpinnings that are crucial to understanding the plight of the main character, Roseanne Clear; but mostly it’s a story of tragedy and mystery.

Roseanne, a 100 year-old mental patient at an old Irish asylum, is writing her autobiography. She tries to piece together from memories (which often change with time and trauma) the story of her life and people who impacted her. The deep love she has for her father, Joe Clear, and her loss of him in childhood, plays a major role in the woman she becomes. She writes, “How I would like to say that I loved my father so much that I could not have lived without him, but such an avowal would be proved false in time. Those that we love, those essential beings, are removed from us at the will of the Almighty, or the devils that usurp him. It is as if a huge lump of lead were lain over the soul, such deaths, and where that soul was previously weightless, now is a secret and ruinous burden at the very heart of us.”

Dr. Grene, the institution’s psychiatrist and Roseanne’s caregiver, shares his story as he investigates the reasons why Roseanne was committed. The asylum is scheduled to be destroyed and all those in it must be moved or set free. As Dr. Grene examines Roseanne’s life and how she came to be in such a place, he begins to unravel a gripping mystery born of ill-fated tragedies.

This Irish novel is beautifully written. As you read the lyrical prose you can almost hear the musical brogue in your head. The Secret Scripture, a finalist for the Man Booker Prize in 2009, in its search for truth shows us how unreliable memory can be; whether the uncertainty has to do with human motives, or the act of writing itself, is up to you to decide.

I cracked open THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins on the recommendation of my 13-year old daughter, my 15-year old neice, and my sister (I won't give her age ;-) Within a few pages, I had my doubts and almost bailed. The setting of this young adult book is post-apocolyptic North America in which an all-powerful Capitol is ringed by 12 subjugated Districts. The plot centers around an annual set of games in which each of the Districts randomly selects, at "the reaping," one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 who are then released into an arena to kill each other. The winner brings honor and riches to his or her District, and the entire games are viewed on television by all the residents of the Capitol and Districts. It is a reality show of the most sinister kind: part Survivor, part Roman gladiators, part Tri-Wizard Tournament from Harry Potter #4. The main character and first-person narrator is 16-year old Katniss Everdeen, a courageous and resourceful, but bitter young woman from the poorest section of District 12, in which mining is the chief industry. I liked Katniss and admired her survival skills and sharp wits, which serve her well when she finds herself a reluctant "tribute" in the Hunger Games.

I dragged my heels through the first half of the book, the chapters that contain the build-up and preparation for the games. My sense of dread and anger at the injustice of it all was second only to Katniss', and I kept asking my daughter how she could possibly have gotten through this and come out loving the book. She told me to be patient, stick with it, and try to put my feelings aside. I had difficulty getting past the fact that a central government could inflict such a horrible and inhumane punishment on its citizens: the required sacrifice of their youngest and brightest, their sons and daughters, their very future, to this barbaric game, and the passing it off as entertainment. Once the games began, however, I couldn't put the book down and I read the second half in one sitting. I had to grudgingly agree with my daughter that the excitement of the hunt, the complexities of the game, and the alliances that are formed made me (almost) forget what started it all. The 24 tributes must defend themselves against each other as well as hidden dangers in their environment. The "arena" containing miles of wilderness--forest, desert, lake, meadow--is actually fabricated by the gamemakers and constantly being manipulated to keep the games interesting. Ponds suddenly dry up, temperatures are dropped at night, and poisonous berries grow in plain sight. Hidden cameras are everywhere and spectators place bets. Sponsors may pay for special supplies to be dropped by silver parachute to their favorite tribute: a soothing salve for bee stings, a kettle of soup, a suit of armor.

I won't tell you how the games turn out, but I will say that the climax is worth the build-up, and that I've had some interesting discussions with my daughter after reading the book. We agreed that we don't know any teen (or adult) who could survive three minutes, let alone three weeks, of The Hunger Games. We also had fun trying to decide which tribute we most resembled in terms of our (real or imagined) skill sets. I recommend this book for anyone 13 and older, with some reservations for sensitive types, like me.

THE HUNGER GAMES was Book One of a trilogy. Book Two, CATCHING FIRE, came out in September and my reservation already has been placed at the library. I'm hopelessly hooked.

A Reminder

A few weeks ago, Lucy made a reference to the book Angle of Repose. Her post was actually a review of America America but the same friend had recommended both books to her and she suggested her friend never went wrong. At the time, I was making a wish list for Christmas gifts and included Angle of Repose on my list. The book tells the tale of a disabled professor who returns to his childhood home to write the story of his grandmother who was an early western settler.

As I read, I was reminded of how rarely I read stories of times past. Susan's story was a fascinating glimpse into our country's past. I was also reminded of the fact that Pulitzer Prize winning writing (as Angle of Repose is) can be at times, dense and harder to read than some of the lighter fare that I tend to prefer. I rose to the challenge but there were certainly nights when I craved something "easier."

I should finish my latest easier read shortly with a review to follow. A hint: I did move onto to lighter writing but I stayed in the past. There will be much royalty in my next review...

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

Chevalier was once a reference book editor, which I love, having been a fact checker myself. She paid attention to historical detail in “Girl With a Pearl Earring” and does so as well in her new book “Remarkable Creatures”, the story of 2 women in the English seaside town of Lyme Regis in early 19th century England, Mary Anning, a young working class girl and Elizabeth Philpot, a ‘spinster’ at age 25. Elizabeth is moved to Lyme from London (with her unmarried sisters) after her brother marries. She quickly becomes fascinated with collecting and classifying fossils on the beach. She also has a unique way of categorizing people she meets. “I have long noted that people tend to lead with one particular feature, a part of the face or body. My brother, for instance leads with his eyebrows. It is not just that they form prominent tufts above his eyes, but they are the part of his face that moves the most… My sister Margaret, leads with her hands. She is given to waving her hands about when she dances.. My sister Frances has been the only sister to marry and leads with her bosom – which I suppose explains that.” Wonderful, wonderful descriptive writing throughout the book.

Mary Anning, who was struck by lightening as a baby, has an eye for spotting unusual fossils embedded in cliffs and on the beach. The two women forge an uncommon friendship, which sees them through the tongue wagging of townsfolk and Mary’s fossil finds which throw into question the very nature of religion. How could God create creatures that no longer exist? How could these fossils once have been animals that existed hundreds of thousands of years ago when the earth is only 6 (or so?) thousand years old. Because of the time period and because Mary is a woman, she is not given credit for her discoveries and when men of science step in and try to take credit for her findings, the result is a wonderful story of friendship and resilience between these two women.

Chevalier discovered the real Mary Anning while touring a dinosaur museum in Lyme Regis, took the ‘bones’ of her life, much of which is recounted here (Elizabeth was also a real person) and put together a wonderful story of loyalty, camaraderie and a fascinating moment in history. I loved this book.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery is a wonderful, intelligent book that pays tribute to Beauty in many forms; language, art, music and literature. The two eccentric voices of the story, Renee, a fifty-four year old concierge, and Paloma, an adolescent with intellect and wisdom beyond her short twelve years, share a kindred soul. Both of these fascinating, yet unbelievable, characters challenge the reader with philosophical reflections on the meaning of life and death, beauty and art, language and literature, and love and hate.

The story takes place at 7 Rue de Grenelle, a Parisian residential building of eight luxury apartments, owned by several wealthy and elite families. Much of the beginning of the book contains Renee and Paloma’s daily observations about the people and pets who occupy the building; weaved into their remarks are their own personal philosophies and sensitivities. Not until the end of the book do Renee and Paloma form a friendship which is life-altering for them both.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I must admit, at the start, I was a bit concerned about the ostentatious language, but quickly realized that it was part of the character development and not an obnoxious attempt at a work of great literature. I particularly enjoyed the way in which Barbery weaves life’s deeper questions into the story. Of course the answers to those questions depend on your perspective; but one thing is certain, none of it means anything without meaningful relationships.