The Summer Solstice and Other Stories by Nick Joaquin #booktrailadvent

Philippine folklore, religion, history packed in 3 short stories.

Synopsis of Summer Solstice and Other Stories by Nick Joaquin*: Widely regarded as the greatest Filipino writer of the 20th century, Joaquin continued to write literary and journalistic pieces until his death on April 29, 2004, at the age of 86. Stories in this volume: -The Mass of St. Sylvestre -The Summer Solstice -The Order of Melkizedek

My two cents

I am trying (trying being the operative word) to get more Filipino-penned books on my reading list, as well as reviewed on this blog. With The Book Trail's Advent, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to turn the spotlight on a book penned by a Filipino and set in the Philippines. (This book seems to be hard to find if you're not in the Philippines. I've scoured Amazon, Book Depository and a few other mainstream online book sources and there are so few places to buy this!)

I really enjoyed this collection of three very Filipino stories, all very different, by National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, Nick Joaquin. He is on my list of top Filipino authors ever since I read his short story collection May Day Eve which I absolutely pored over and gave me a better appreciation for my roots.

I am quite excited to share with you some of my thoughts on the stories in this collection, and thereby share a piece of my own culture and history.

The Mass of St. Sylvestre

Setting: Intramuros, Manila, Philippines

The first story, The Mass of St. Sylvestre, in all of eight pages, is a brief history of the emergence of folklore of how pope and confessor St. Sylvestre, whose feast falls on the last day of the year, appears on earth, opens the gates to the archiepiscopal cities, leads a grand procession and celebrates the first Mass. 

Touted as classic Filipino New Year's story, this is part history and part religious lesson melded with the folklore of Old Manila.

Folklore crosses into the mystical and magical when an American soldier, stationed near the ruins of Manila post-war in 1945, shares his recollection of the grand procession in Intramuros in all its glory ... only to realize that what he had witnessed was a mere illusion, or maybe a hallucination.

The detailed descriptions of the procession, the small trivia associated with the ceremony, and of course with a little bit of a folkloric twist, make this short story packed to the rafters for the reader. 

The setting is an important one as it takes place within Intramuros, which translates to "Walled City" in Spanish. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for over 300 years since the 1600s. Intramuros is a hub - the location of the country's capital Manila, guarded by the city's citadel Fort Santiago. It is also the location of many churches, including San Augustine Church, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

I have personally been to Intramuros many times and there is so much history to take in as one wanders around centuries-old Fort Santiago, the cobblestoned roads of Intramuros, and the beautiful San Agustin Church. I think the following Google Street View tours will give you a better sense of this:

San Agustin Church, built by the Agustinians in 1571.


Cobblestones streets in Intramuros



Baluarte de San Diego, a stone bastion in Intramuros.

The Summer Solstice

Setting: Paco, Manila

The Summer Solstice is a short story about the Tadtarin, a three-day fertility ritual held during the summer solstice. This pre-Hispanic religion celebrates the erotic woman and her dominance over man. The last day of the festival coincides with St. John's Day, highlighting how Catholicism and pagan religions are melded in Filipino belief systems.

A scene from Tadtarin, via Philstar Global

Taking place in the 1850s, Lupeng and her family are set to visit their grandfather on St. John's Day, only to discover that her cook Amada is in a frenzied sexual state. Lupeng speaks to Amada's husband Entoy, who is positively scared of Amada despite it being implied that he wields a heavy hand on his wife. Lupeng learns Amada participated in the Tadtarin ritual and that she is "possessed" with the spirit of the Tadtarin.   

The family runs into the St. John's procession en route, which features an all-male group carrying the image of St. John the Baptist. Lupeng later talks with Guido, her husband's cousin visiting from Europe, who had observed both rituals. Lupeng's modesty and subservience - a mark of a refined woman at the time - is challenged as Guido suggests Lupeng participate in the Tadtarin and even makes a point of it by kissing her feet in adoration. 

Lupeng joins in the final night of the Tadtarin and finds herself tapping into her inner woman. She wields her newly-found (or simply dormant) power of her husband, who reluctantly yet acknowledges and yields to her.

This is a story of juxtapositions - of the passionate female Tadtarin with the male arrogance of St. John's procession, of the power of women over men, of bucking the convention of male dominance, and a return to the primal over societal conventions. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this for its exploration of themes despite its simple storyline. The strong feminist message will likely resonate and challenge readers to understand the precarious balance in which we are in constantly. 

Links:

• Wikipedia: Summer Solstice
• I Talk Too Much - The Summer Solstice
• Women celebrate superiority over men
• Pista ng San Juan

The Order of Melkizedek 

Setting: Manila, with mention again of Intramuros

The third story, The Order of Melkizedek, is a mini-novella which surprisingly reminded me of a Dan Brown novel. It opens with toothbrush in hand at the Philippine airport, balikbayan Sid Estiva is kidnapped. Stumbling upon a conspiracy which preys on rich matrons and young, impressionable revolutionaries, Sid seeks to expose the inner workings of a secret society headed by a purportedly centuries'-old prophet, Melkizedek.

In a suspenseful turn of events, Sid's investigation is with littered death, pagan religions, plenty of Biblical backstory, suspenseful interviews and confrontations, including the involvement of his own younger sister, Guia. This is partially set in the churches and convents of Intramuros.

I enjoyed this for its exploration of traditional religions with Catholicism and how they can co-exist and even meld together. I also found fascinating the folklore of a man living over centuries, which I know is quite common across cultures.

Of the three, I liked this the least only because I felt it dragged on too long in comparison to the succinctness of the others. I also found some holes in the investigation and wondered how Sid was so easily able to come to making non-obvious connections.

Links:

• Wikipedia: Melchizedek

Verdict: This is a crash course in Philippine folklore, religion, and history packed in three short stories. As a Filipino, it gave me a newfound appreciation of the richness of my culture. I encourage everyone to read this, whether you want to read more diversely, want to discover a new Filipino author, or simply read outside of your usual fare. Happy travels!

Book Depository*

Nick Joaquin
Via

About Nick Joaquin
Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín (May 4, 1917–April 29, 2004) was a Filipino writer, historian and journalist, best known for his short stories and novels in the English language. He also wrote using the pen name Quijano de Manila. Joaquin was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines for Literature. He is considered most important Filipino writer in English, and the third most important overall, after José Rizal and Claro M. Recto.

Cave and Shadows by Nick Joaquin

Enter. 

About Cave and Shadows by Nick Joaquin*: A classic from National Artist for Literature, Nick Joaquin, Cave and Shadows was first published in 1983, and this literary whodunit is still considered a must-read by students of Philippine Literature. The novel is set in motion by a mysterious death, and thrust onwards by the search for truth and the solution of the crime. Joaquin expertly weaves multi-layered meanings by interspersing Philippine historical fact with fiction. In the end, readers discover faith, truth, and human nature.

My two cents

I've only read Joaquin's short stories and have gotten a feel for how he melds Philippines folklore with history. This novel explores both, surprisingly within a political and religious whodunit.

The story opens rather surreally with protagonist Jack Henson in his hotel. Is he hallucinating when he sees a a naked girl walking by with a crab on leash? The weirdness continues as Henson's true mission is revealed: he wants to find out what really happened in a young woman's death in a cave that has a reputation for the mystical.

At the risk of making this convoluted, I wondered at how this whodunit unravelled as it takes one from pagan folklore, to religious fanaticism, to political vengeance, then is dashed with some romance, seeped in Filipino cultural references, and a lot of nationalism. It's a highly unusual and a packed book.

I liked

There is a lot going on, I admit, and at times I wondered where all this was going. Somehow it comes together quite nicely. You can never get bored.

Just how Filipino this is! I can't help but admire that Joaquin awakens a fierce sense of pride in the Filipino identity with his writing. If you're Filipino, I urge you to read this novel. I can see why this is recommended reading for Philippine literature. If you're not Filipino, then I urge you moreso to dip your toes into Philippine lit via this novel; at the least you'll be intrigued and appreciate the cultural richness of this novel. 

The exploration of religion figures quite heavily. There is paganism which was the dominant pre-colonial religion, then the heavy Roman Catholic influence under Spanish rule. This is then overlaid with the folklore and mythology which crosses over between pre-colonial and Catholicism; these little substories are woven into the plot which I thoroughly enjoyed, giving this novel such an otherwordly feel.

The whodunit wasn't as predictable as I expected it to be since there were shades of the supernatural that made me second guess myself.

Uh-ohs

The romance parts were slightly sappy but I kept reminding myself that this was written in the 1970s and Filipinos are apt to melodrama. I didn't quite like the dialogues which leaned towards slightly corny, and at the worst preachy (I remember rolling my eyes at one point because a certain line exasperated me).

Verdict: A worthy Filipino read which captures the intriguing worlds of pagan and Catholic religiosity in a nationalist whodunit. Enter the cave and discover it for yourself.

Book Depository*

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

The title says it all.

About A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews: Nomi Nickel lives with her father, Ray, in East Village, a small Mennonite town in Manitoba. She dreams of escaping to the big city, but since her mother and sister left home, it's hard to imagine leaving her father behind. As she begins to piece together the story behind her mother's disappearance, she finds herself on a direct collision course with the town's minister. With fierce originality and brilliance, Miriam Toews takes us straight to the centre of Nomi's world and the complicated kindness at the heart of family life.

My two cents

What a heartbreaker! This is probably one of the saddest, most tragic of books I've read. It's about the Nickels family who live in a very closed touristic Mennonite community in Manitoba, Canada. This is told in retrospect by Nomi who was born and raised there. 

Without going too deeply into the storyline, this tackles the challenges of living in and ultimately being (or feeling) stuck in a very small, closed community. It is also about the difficult and often painful decisions that need to be made to be able to break away from such a community. Tackling a hot button topic (religion does it all the time), here it is scrutinized and given life, with the impacts quite profoundly playing themselves out on the Nickels family in general and Nomi in particular. 

The Nickels family is an interesting study with the relationships within their nuclear family sweet, a little oddball, but with the wellbeing of the family always front and centre. The relationships within the community are much more tenuous since the Nickels are related to its leaders. As I pieced together the reasons for the breaking up of the tight-knit Nickels family, so too did I realize that this was not a straightforward story!  

In the beginning, I thought Nomi was pretty clueless and she seemed, well ... pathetic. But in her cluelessness, my heart went out to her. After all, she didn't know any other life than what she was born into. I also realized that Nomi is quite the spunky one; she's a character that grows on you. She's an innocent so it is difficult see how Nomi struggles to comprehend what is happening to her family and to her life.

I found that the storyline can get confusing. But when I digested what I had read, it was a huge "aha" moment for me, and it made things so much more tragic. It is about leaving, it is about staying, and the heartbreak associated with either decision; a predicament that is underscored by Nomi's innocence. Kudos to Toews for injecting some humour and quirkiness into her characters or this may have become quite depressing.

The title aptly captures the complexity of family life bound within a highly conservative religion and community.

Verdict: An inside look into the impacts of a closed community on family and individual life. I would highly recommend this to those who enjoy stories told from the viewpoint of young people, and those who like unexpected twists to their reads. If you have kids, this one will likely make you a highly empathetic reader. Read it.

To the business at hand—living. {The Dunning Man: Stories by Kevin Fortuna}

To the business at hand—living.

About The Dunning Man: Stories by Kevin Fortuna: The six stories in The Dunning Man feature anti-heroes who reject society’s rules. Characters from all walks of life—a rogue hip-hop star, a blackjack dealing mom, a middle-aged drunk plowing through his inheritance, and an empty-nester housewife trying to make peace with the past. They each exist in the here and now, living for what’s possible and what’s left—not what they’ve left behind. Redemption awaits all, but only along the rutted, gut-churning path of honest self-examination. Age quod agis.

Set in Atlantic City, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., the Hudson Valley and Manhattan, Fortuna’s stories depict the violent clash between society’s expectations and the chaotic arc of individual destiny. These are powerful tales of truth seekers imbued with larger-than-life personalities and the all-consuming need to find something worth seeking.

My two cents

Age quod agis. To the business at hand -- in the case of Kevin Fortuna's characters, it's simply about living. Everyone is interesting in their own right. But it does take a special type of person to recognize that, and tell a story, just like Kevin Fortuna has in his astute observations of six ordinary people.

This is by no means a happy collection of stories; they are a sad bunch, stuck in a rather humdrum existence and are merely just getting by, mainly drugged up, on alcohol, sexed up, or simply f*cked up. These read like real lives, gritty ones, with no sugarcoating. There is some bizarreness thrown in for extra measure, and I totally believed it hook, line and sinker. Life is not perfect, it's messy, it's gross, and it can also be ridiculous at times.

Here are quick summaries of his quirky characters:

Dead follows a youngish man on his way to a big date with a woman who he thinks is extra special. But it seems that the fates conspire against him.

In Weddings and Burials, an older couple's past is unwittingly unearthed ... and they come out with an interesting realization.

Sullapallooza is about the quintessential godfather and the group's black sheep. Pop everyone together in one event and you know something will happen.

Poor Jimmy sets you up to feel sorry for poor, hard-up, go-nowhere Jimmy. In a boys' night out,  Jimmy ends up doing something that turns the phrase "poor Jimmy" on its head.

Flogging Maggie is about two women, obviously attracted to each other but never going there, on a trip to their past of dashed dreams of rock-dom.

The Dunning Man is about a young man who simply wants to earn some honest money by leasing his apartments. Reads like a tall tale, with his array of strange tenants and the resulting conflicts he has to iron out. These involve an attractive single mom, a foreigner with a live show featuring a tiger, a philosophy-spouting pro-wrestler, and non-paying heiresses.

I love the cover which depicts a dead-end street, pretty much like the lives that are portrayed in this mini-collection. But wait ... is that a limousine?

Uh-oh

There are 6 stories and because they are so succinct, I found myself wanting more. Typically short story collections run from 10-12 stories and this felt like I was just warming up and then it just ended.

Verdict: I really enjoyed this collection of short stories that depict some very gritty lives. Fortuna has a special way of making the ordinary and lucklustre seem intriguing at least and provoking at best. I highly recommend this for those who love insightful characterizations, short story lovers, and those who aren't afraid to read about messy and sometimes bizarre lives.

About Kevin Fortuna

Kevin Fortuna lives in Cold Spring, New York. He obtained a Bachelors degree in English Literature from Georgetown University, where he graduated summa cum laude. He is the recipient of a Lannan Literary Fellowship, the Quicksall Medal for Writing, a Fellowship in Fiction at the Prague Summer Writers Workshop and a Full Fellowship in Fiction at the University of New Orleans, where he received his MFA.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in order to participate in this tour with an honest review. Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour here. 

Tales of Trenzalore: The Eleventh Doctor's Stand #RRSciFiMonth

Oh Christmas, I love thee. Signed, the Doctor.

Synopsis of Doctor Who: Tales of Trenzalore: The Eleventh Doctor's Stand by Justin Richards, Mark Morris, George Mann, Paul Finch: As it had been foretold, the armies of the Universe gathered at Trenzalore. Only one thing stood between the planet and destruction – the Doctor. For nine hundred years, he defended the planet, and the tiny town of Christmas, against the forces that would destroy it.

He never knew how long he could keep the peace. He never knew what creatures would emerge from the snowy night to threaten him next. He knew only that at the end he would die on Trenzalore.

Some of what happened during those terrible years is well documented. But most of it remains shrouded in mystery and darkness.

Until now.

This is a glimpse of just some of the terrors the people faced, the monstrous threats the Doctor defeated. These are the tales of the monsters who found themselves afraid - and of the one man who was not.

Tales of Trenzalore collects four of the Doctor's adventures from different periods during the Siege of Trenzalore and the ensuing battle: Let it Snow by Justin Richard, An Apple a Day by George Mann
Strangers in the Outland by Paul Finch, The Dreaming by Mark Morris.

My two cents

I have had this little paperback of short stories languishing on my TBR. I got it a year ago when I joined in the TLC Book Tour for the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who and with Sci-Fi November here once again, I decided now was the time to read and review!

Now, just so you know, I have no inkling about the Battle of Trenzalore, so I feel like a dweeb. Good thing there is an introductory piece at the start of this collection. Straight off, I'd recommend these for the already indoctrinated Who-vians who require little to no background or context. But for those who have some familiarity with the series, this will work out fine too.

These are short and sweet, featuring mini-battles between the Eleventh Doctor and all manner of aliens, some scarier than others. But always, always, the Doctor on the lookout for the well-being of the people of Christmas (great timing for this post, eh?). His wicked sense of humour and love of the people of Christmas (despite his nonchalance) really shines through!

Christmas is a tiny town on the planet Trenzalore, which is under perennial snow, making it a profitable business for its inhabitants who export snow to other planets. The Doctor has made his home here and taken on a status of great import to the Christmas-ians (I made up that word), protecting its inhabitants from danger that seems to fall from the skies on a pretty regular basis.

The Tales of Trenzalore has four adventures:

Let it Snow by Justin Richard starts when Crantle, one of Christmas's snow runners, observes some mysterious lights blazing in the sky. He goes out to investigate and encounters the Ice Warriors. But the Doctor is way ahead of the Ice Warriors and foils their well laid plans to take over Christmas. 

An Apple a Day by George Mann was my favourite story of the lot. It starts when an unusual seed pod crashes through the glass ceiling of an orchard. It was carrying the parasitic Krynoid and now it's out there, it's got the potential to infect everything in its path. Will the Doctor save the day? Of course! Not without lots of planning, running, and lots of humour.

Strangers in the Outland by Paul Finch starts with the daughter of a prospector is found in total shock, having seen her father killed at the hands of the unfeeling, invulnerable Autons (who apparently look like the Doctor!). The whole town rallies but the Doctor will have none of it; he keeps everyone out of danger as he shows a flicker (just a tad!) of desperation in his attempts to save Autons from taking over! (The most athletic I've seen the Doctor!)

The Dreaming by Mark Morris is pretty creepy and starts with some Christmas folk having nightmares ... nightmares that plant the insidious seed of doubt that the Doctor is not exactly on their side. This features the snake-like Mara who attempt to defeat the Doctor ... but not without a riproaring fight!

Verdict: Four short and sweet stories about the Eleventh Doctor and the battles he fought against all the alien baddies, to protect the people of Christmas, Trenzalore.  A must-read for Who-vians!

The Heart Does Not Grow Back by Fred Venturini (+Giveaway!) #RRSciFiMonth

Reality in the surreal.

About The Heart Does Not Grow Back by Fred Venturini:

EVERY SUPERHERO NEEDS TO START SOMEWHERE…

Dale Sampson is used to being a nonperson at his small-town Midwestern high school, picking up the scraps of his charismatic lothario of a best friend, Mack. He comforts himself with the certainty that his stellar academic record and brains will bring him the adulation that has evaded him in high school. But when an unthinkable catastrophe tears away the one girl he ever had a chance with, his life takes a bizarre turn as he discovers an inexplicable power: He can regenerate his organs and limbs.

When a chance encounter brings him face to face with a girl from his past, he decides that he must use his gift to save her from a violent husband and dismal future. His quest takes him to the glitz and greed of Hollywood, and into the crosshairs of shadowy forces bent on using and abusing his gift. Can Dale use his power to redeem himself and those he loves, or will the one thing that finally makes him special be his demise? The Heart Does Not Grow Back is a darkly comic, starkly original take on the superhero tale, introducing an exceptional new literary voice in Fred Venturini.

My two cents

My first thought putting this down: now that was weird. But I loved it, in a weird, wonderful way.

This felt like two books in one. The first part is all lad lit, in an innocent annoying sort of way. We are introduced to Dale Sampson, poor, the only son of a single mom sick with cancer, who is basically a nobody in his school and his town in the Midwest. He meets Mack, a star athlete, who unexpectedly sticks up for him, and they become fast friends.

By default, Dale's life is entwined in Mack's. Their lives revolve around Dale trying to fit into Mack's cool kid world, finding hot girls, and showing up their jock tormentors. But one day, in the midst of all the usual teenage drama, something shockingly disturbing happens ... and Dale discovers that his body can regenerate. Break a bone or two, no problem. Chop off his hand, it just grows back (cue Twilight Zone theme).

Which brings us to the second part which made for a more fast-paced story. This defining event is where Dale crosses into adulthood and where the book turns even more bizarre. With nowhere to go in life, Dale eventually decides to capitalize on his strange ability. He becomes the star of the strangest reality show ever, The Samaritan, where Dale donates body parts to those needing them, all captured on TV of course. People around his new celebrity make for a toxic mix of greed, ambition, and benevolence and while another whole other love story arc plays itself out, Dale has to make some tough decisions on where he wants to end up in his life.

***

The premise is all sci-fi'y and fantasy. It is also quite gritty, dark. I really enjoyed the originality of the premise of this book: a regenerating human being sounds like something that should be in X-Men, not in a literary read like this. When I was starting the book, I didn't quite know what to make of all the hints of Dale's powers every time he got involved in a skirmish. Creative and very unexpected!

I guess I just wasn't paying attention since I was really feeling the whole spin on friendship, first love and love lost, parental love and of coming-of-age. This storyline in itself would've been "good enough" of a read for me.

But no, Venturini pushes the envelope. I love him for taking the risk because it has made the story nothing like I've ever read, and certainly elevated it to another level. The introduction of Dale's superpower gives us a hyper-real, surreal story.

The weird spin on the regeneration theme is replete with metaphors for life, how life is lived, and what it means to use one's gift to benefit others. The power of regeneration becomes both a blessing and a curse. Dale initially thinks that his power will get him out of the hellhole he lives in. But while it brings him the much-needed cash, it complicates his life and he is forced to make decisions that test the balance between a selfless existence versus a life of what makes him truly happy.

This is weird. This is dark. This is lad lit. This is romance. This is sci-fi. It's all that and more because it's got a lot of heart and a lot of reality in the surreal.

***

Potential spoilers (will be as cryptic as possible): I loved the whole "twin spin." I always knew about R, deep inside. Dale was just dense ;)

I was initially pissed off though at the turn of events but now that I've let this percolate a bit more, I don't think I'd have it any other way. Alternate endings would just spoil it.

Warning: There are some rather graphic descriptions of general violence and sexual violence which may make for some uncomfortable reading. Good thing it is concentrated in just one part of the book and you can move on quickly.

Verdict: When you think you've read the weirdest book, I urge you to pick this up. Read it: weird, dark, lad lit, sci-fi, romance. It's all that and more because it's got a lot of heart and a lot of reality in the surreal. Loved this book and highly recommend to anyone looking for a dose of heart in their sci-fi reading (I hope you got the pun, if it wasn't obvious!)

About Fred Venturini

Fred Venturini grew up in Patoka, Illinois. His short fiction has been published in the Booked Anthology, Noir at the Bar 2, and Surreal South ’13. In 2014, his story “Gasoline” will be featured in Chuck Palahniuk’s Burnt Tongues collection. He lives in Southern Illinois with his wife and daughter.

Connect with Fred Venturini on Twitter.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in order to participate in this tour with an honest review. Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour here.  

Man V. Nature: Stories by Diane Cook

Disturbingly illuminating

About Man V. Nature: Stories by Diane Cook: A refreshingly imaginative, daring debut collection of stories that illuminates with audacious wit the complexity of human behavior, and the veneer of civilization over our darkest urges.

Told with perfect rhythm and unyielding brutality, these stories expose unsuspecting men and women to the realities of nature, the primal instincts of man, and the dark humor and heartbreak of our struggle to not only thrive, but survive. In “Girl on Girl,” a high school freshman goes to disturbing lengths to help an old friend. An insatiable temptress pursues the one man she can’t have in “Meteorologist Dave Santana.” And in the title story, a long-fraught friendship comes undone when three buddies get impossibly lost on a lake it is impossible to get lost on. Below the quotidian surface of Diane Cook’s worlds lurks an unexpected surreality that reveals our most curious, troubling, and bewildering behavior.

As entertaining as it is dangerous, this accomplished collection explores the boundary between the wild and the civilized, where nature acts as a catalyst for human drama and lays bare our vulnerabilities, fears, and desires.

My two cents

I've been on a short story binge as of late, and if ever there was a gold standard for short stories, this is one of them. I'm putting this collections among the best I have ever read, along with these fantastic authors. Now that I've got that in the open, raves shall follow.

***

I started these short stories with trepidation. The synopsis sounded daunting. What if I hate them? Or worse, what if I didn't "get" them? But here's what happened: this review has been languishing, a sure sign that I'm at a bit of a loss at how to capture all the emotions, the questions raised, the sheer impact of these stories.

Many of the stories have a grim, dark, dystopian feel to them. Each new story brings the feeling of uncertainty ... and then the story hits you in that raw, visceral part of you that is very unsettling yet also very satisfying in a primal way. (The question is whether you are actually going to admit that your satisfaction is primal ;) Like admitting you enjoyed taking that much-needed piss, or that you loved gorging on all that chocolate, or ...).

In each story, too, there is always a twist, something slightly off, something bizarre ... and it's scary too, figuring out exactly where Cook will take you. One thing is for sure: the journey will actually bring you somewhere so much more closer to home. Are you ready for some serious introspection? Be honest because these stories are open to so much interpretation, and you can only get into them if you're willing to open yourself up allow yourself to rise up to the provocation.

There is a recurring theme in these stories that distills human nature to its basest. Like an animal, or a tree, or any living thing where the rules of the game are simple: it's survival of the fittest. It's man vs. nature, or in my mind, it makes better sense for me to simply say man vs. human nature.

These stories are disturbingly, scarily illuminating. They explore what it means to be human. Only by reveling in the dark side can we realise that human nature is wonderfully, gloriously both imperfect and perfect, dark and light, ugly and beautiful, crude and polished.

***

There are twelve stories in all:

From the very first short story entitled "Moving On"... I read, I pondered and succumbed to what I'd call Cook's "dystopian dunking". This reminded me vaguely of The Handmaid's Tale: a young widow is sent off to a shelter for "placement". This simply means she will be married off to someone else who has the means to support her, apparently the norm of this weird world. This story lays out a visual landscape of what it means to grieve the loss of a loved one, coming to terms and healing, and eventually "placement." She does it with the help of lots of workshops and the community of other women in the shelter. But when is one ever ready to move on? 

The Way the End of Days Should Be opens with one desperate man after another knocking at one of the few houses left in a desolate wasteland of water that is the now world. The woman of the house refuses to take in any survivors save for one who becomes her protector. This got me pondering on how should the end of days be: safe, secure, fed, clothed yet alone? Or insecure but part of community that helps each other out? It's a difficult choice, as this story will highlight. Favourite lines:

"I'm wondering if he's heard me when he mumbles, "We're homeless." I don't know what he means. "Don't be absurd," I say. I'm certainly not homeless [...] But then I think I do understand his meaning, looking at the lapping endless sea, which for once stretches beyond metaphor and actually is endless. (p. 33, ARC)

If you're a parent, a mother, Somebody's Baby is bound to hit you in the gut. This tale of a woman who goes to great lengths to protect her young children from being stolen by the man (not the boogieman, but a real man who people have resigned themselves to his "normal" stealing of children). It will arouse all the tender feelings, the terror, the anger, the fierceness that mothers have for their young. Disturbing and with a very weird turn of events.

Girl on Girl is a twisted tale of teenage friendship that shows how nasty young women can be, as well as the drastic ends to which women resort to for friendship. I don't think I'll let my teenager read this, yet.

Man V. Nature is the the title story and follows three male best friends on their fishing trip turned disastrous, even deadly. In the process each man exposes his vulnerability as they learn their own little secrets, past and present, of their so-called friendship.

In eerily brutal tale of the survival of the fittest, Marrying Up shares the life of a woman who moves from one lover to another and finally settles down and becomes pregnant to the perfect man. While the husband and the child grow stronger, bigger, better than her, she comes to terms with the fact that she is not going to be one of the fittest.

It's Coming is a commentary on the viciousness of the corporate workplace. The alarm goes off and a group of executives are caught in their building ... there is a monster out to get them. In a wild chase throughout the building, these colleagues find out how they react and interact to one other in face of certain death.

A fatal attraction to her neighbour Meteorologist David Santana becomes a case of an obsession turned upside down as she discovers the truth about David's character.

I enjoyed the creepiness of Flotsam where baby clothes mysteriously appear in Lydia's laundry. Why? And what to do with these tiny baby things? Golden line:

They're following some instinct that has to do with morning.

All men should read A Wanted Man, a woeful tale of a virile man much sought after by women wanting to be impregnated and bear children with his great genes. But he no longer wants this life of sexual prowess, seeking the elusive security of a soul mate. Will he finally get the life he desires?

In The Mast Year, a woman experiences her mast year, similar to where trees have a year of abundance and animals are able to sense the abundance and flock to and gorge on the tree's offerings. Does living a life of giving make you happy? The dichotomy of life lived for others or lived for oneself is explored in what is one of my favorite stories.

The collection ends with quite the bang in the sinister The Not-Needed Forest, a Lord of the Flies-esque tale where the authoritarian State disposes of "not-needed boys" into the Not-Needed Forest. This is creepy, graphic, and underscores the theme of the survival of the fittest.

Verdict: An amazing collection of twelve short stories that mostly start out feeling like dystopian tales that slowly morph into an illuminating albeit disturbing introspection of human nature. Read it if you can take the darkness along with the beauty that makes up humanity.

This remarkable collection makes my list of top reads. I am hungry for more of what Cook has to offer.

About Diane Cook

Diane Cook’s fiction has been published in Harper’s Magazine, Granta, Tin House, Zoetrope, One Story, Guernica, and elsewhere. Her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times Magazine and on This American Life, where she worked as a radio producer for six years. She earned an MFA from Columbia University, where she was a Teaching Fellow. She lives in Oakland, California.

Follow Diane on Twitter.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in order to participate in this tour with an honest review. Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour here. 

Hardcover: 272 pages,  Publisher: Harper (October 7, 2014)

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Can they save Miss Peregrine ... and all peculiars?

About Hollow City by Ransom Riggs: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children was the surprise best seller of 2011—an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike.

This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.

My two cents

After having been left with a cliffhanger of an ending on Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, I was curious to find out what happened to Jacob and the peculiar children. Do they come out alive?

Of course they do, but the danger isn't over. In this second installment of a unique series based off an odd collection of vintage photographs, the world built up by Riggs becomes even more fleshed out as Jacob and company make their way to yet another fantastical island and into 1940s London.

This is a thriller-mystery taking place in alternate realities, peppered with more peculiars including peculiar animals. The good versus bad theme becomes even more pronounced and time is of the essence. The stakes are so much higher: can Jacob and his friends save their beloved Miss Peregrine ... and the entire peculiar race from certain destruction?

***

While I adored the concept of using vintage photographs for Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, it was a sore point for me because I thought it stifled the story. Not so with Hollow City which already had the benefit of the introduction of the world of peculiars in the first book. While bizarre photographs still make their appearance in this book, they are not the end-all or be-all of the novel. In fact, you can read this book without looking at the photos, not something I'd recommend for the first book.

I found the plot of Hollow City really engaging and so much more unpredictable. I didn't exactly know how this was going to turn out but the mixture of peculiar folklore and the more in-depth characterizations made for a huge surprise ending for me!

The same peculiar children make their reappearance in this book. And then some. This series has the potential for more strangeness, as this book shows by introducing peculiar animals and some children with even more strange powers. Exciting stuff!

Overall, I liked this book better than the first. I can only hope that the third installment will only get better!

Verdict: If you liked the first book, this is a must-read. Those new to the series will enjoy this fast-paced and unpredictable mystery-thriller ... all with a peculiar twist.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for honest review consideration.

Madame Picasso by Anne Girard

The woman behind the man.

Synopsis of Madame Picasso by Anne Girard: Novelist Anne Girard brings to life the mesmerizing and untold story of Eva Gouel, the unforgettable woman who stole the heart of the greatest artist of our time.

When Eva Gouel moves to Paris from the countryside, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Though young and inexperienced, she manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world. A brilliant but eccentric artist, Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva can't help but be drawn into his web. But what starts as a torrid affair soon evolves into what will become the first great love of Picasso's life.

With sparkling insight and passion, Madame Picasso introduces us to a dazzling heroine, taking us from the salon of Gertrude Stein to the glamorous Moulin Rouge and inside the studio and heart of one of the most enigmatic and iconic artists of the twentieth century.

My two cents

Mention the name Pablo Picasso and practically everyone knows who he is. Mention the name Eva
Gouel and you'll probably get a "Who?" At least that was my reaction.

I naturally gravitated to this book because I wanted to know more about Pablo Picasso. Having seen many of Picasso's nudes, I often wondered who these women were -- of course these women must mean something to him. I was intrigued that his muse and great love of his life would be the focus of this story.

Eva - from the author's website

I liked the rich, detailed peek in the cultural milieu of France during the Belle Époque period (1871 to pre-World War) and of the vibrant arts scene. The novel reimagines Picasso's entry into the French art scene, and the people and places he frequented, including the Moulin Rouge where he first meets Eva.

I also enjoyed getting to know both Picasso and Eva. I guess I was expecting more bells and whistles, more excitement, more passion for the storyline, as if it weren't enough, somehow. But I think this is because the icon of Picasso looms much too large in my mind. The story in itself is a bittersweet one -- the author has filled in the blanks very carefully based on careful research and this is a beautiful love story, in all its glory and tragedy. It just so happens that this is a love story of one of the century's greatest artists and his most beloved.

Verdict: I highly recommend this richly detailed historical fiction novel that conjectures on the little-known love story of Pablo Picasso and Eva Gouel. A non-sensationalised recounting that highlights what it means to love, and to lose someone you love.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher for honest review consideration.

Friday 56 and Book Beginnings 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Anne Girard is a writer and historian with degrees in English literature and clinical psychology. She has spent extensive time in Paris and lives in California with her husband and children.

Visit her official website.

Follow Anne Girard on Facebook.

How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran

A book a mother doesn't want her 14-year-old to read. But mom: YOU read it.

About How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran: What do you do in your teenage years when you realize what your parents taught you wasn’t enough? You must go out and find books and poetry and pop songs and bad heroes—and build yourself.

It’s 1990. Johanna Morrigan, fourteen, has shamed herself so badly on local TV that she decides that there’s no point in being Johanna anymore and reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde—fast-talking, hard-drinking gothic hero and full-time Lady Sex Adventurer. She will save her poverty-stricken Bohemian family by becoming a writer—like Jo in Little Women, or the Brontës—but without the dying-young bit.

By sixteen, she’s smoking cigarettes, getting drunk, and working for a music paper. She’s writing pornographic letters to rock stars, having all the kinds of sex with all the kinds of men, and eviscerating bands in reviews of 600 words or less.

But what happens when Johanna realizes she’s built Dolly with a fatal flaw? Is a box full of records, a wall full of posters, and a head full of paperbacks enough to build a girl after all?

Imagine The Bell Jar—written by Rizzo from Grease. How to Build a Girl is a funny, poignant, and heartbreakingly evocative story of self-discovery and invention, as only Caitlin Moran could tell it.

My two cents

This is the book a mother doesn't want her 14-year-old to read. But it is the book a mother needs to read precisely to remember what it was to be a teenager and to know what her daughter is going through.

This reminded me so much of the movie Almost Famous which features a young boy who travels with rock bands and writes about them. Except this one features the whippersnapper Johanna who gives the novel such a great voice.

She is the everygirl who trips, fumbles, and tumbles through her teenage years, remaking herself from the plain old boring Johanna to her alter-ego Dolly Wilde who is larger than life with her brash mouth and riproaring sex life. It's a wild ride, a trip in fact, to hear Johanna speak about her life, her family, her sex life, her journey to becoming a music journalist in unedited, profanity-laden prose. It's like eavesdropping on a internal teenage conversation and I found myself laughing a lot but mostly ... cringing. (You know what I mean, teenager-hood is meant to be cringed at decades later!)

Granted that Johanna at 14 is probably smarter, spunkier and braver then most girls her age. With her  circumstances of being in a family on welfare, a disillusioned musician-father, her depressed mother, and two brothers, I felt sorry for her yet I just kept cheering her on; I knew she would come out ok!

I especially loved her descriptions of her family. While not exactly model parents, the honesty of their relationships stands out. Her brothers Lupin and Krissie are endearing in their own way and the openness of their relationships are enviable. 

There's even more to love if you're into music, have any illusions (erm) of being a music journalist, or hail from the working class. I'm betting you'll give this extra brownie points too if you hail from the UK.

Uh-ohs

I'm not a prude by no means, but as fair warning: There is a lot of profanity. And there is a lot about sex -- self-satisfaction (in fact the book starts with Johanna masturbating), Johanna's first sexual experience, and thereafter all her sexual conquests (including descriptions of fellatio).

Maybe three-fourths into the book, the Dolly alter-ego started to grate on me. I felt that the experimentation was feeling a tad drawn out: the profanity was starting to feel put on, the constant "sloganeering" was feeling overused, and the insistence of sleeping around was getting a little annoying for my taste. Gritty started taking on a feeling of vulgarity. 

Towards the end, the book took a turn which slightly pissed me off. After all is said and done -- and after a first-person, in-the-moment unfolding of Johanna's life -- the tone shifted and it sounded like a mom lecturing her daughter. What a let-down.

Verdict: There's something quite special about this book but overall it was a mixed bag for me. I liked so much about it ... I kept going Oh my gawwwd in my head (in a good way) because I found Johanna's innocence, her uncertainty and her tentative steps to self-discovery and self-making so endearing. I can relate and I know a lot of women will be able to relate. Towards the end of the book, I started to feel that the grittiness turned vulgar and I disliked the sudden voice shift. 

About Caitlin Moran

Caitlin Moran was named the Columnist of the Year by the British Press Awards in 2010, and Critic and Interviewer of the Year in 2011 for her work at the Times of London. Her debut book, How to Be a Woman, won the 2011 Galaxy Book of the Year Award and was an instant New York Times bestseller.

Connect with Caitlin through website, or follow her on Twitter.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in order to participate in this tour with an honest review. Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour here. 

Hardcover: 352 pages, Publisher: Harper (September 23, 2014)

Salted by Aaron Galvin

Slavery under the sea in a fantastic modern selkie tale.

Synopsis of Salted by Aaron Galvin: Life isn’t better under the sea. Lenny Dolan is all too familiar with this reality. A Selkie slave in the realm beneath the waves, he has no choice when charged with leading a crew ashore to capture an elusive runaway. If unsuccessful, the loved ones kept behind will pay for his failure with their lives.

But when their target leads Lenny and his crew to deeper, darker secrets, the Selkies are faced with a moral dilemma.

How Lenny and his crew answer the question will teach them the harshest truth of all. Only through the loss of innocence does one become Salted.

My two cents

This is bit of a change in my reading fare as I read very few young adult books, plus I don't normally read urban fantasy books. But the cover and the originality of the concept intrigued me. As a child, the fairy tale The Little Mermaid has always fascinated me: who wouldn't fall in love with the idea of an ancient world under the seas?
 
But this is nothing like I imagined it would be. This is a thoroughly modernized selkie tale that felt like a movie unfolding! There is lots of action and it has a Transformers or X-Men-like feel to it (little wonder as the author hails from the movie industry.)

Galvin invents a whole new underwater world, with a complex hierarchy and playing on themes of racism, slavery and class: to be "salted" is to be part of this caste system. The merpeople don't just swim around in their underwater world but can transform from  their sea form (seals, otters, dolphins, sharks, etc.) and move amongst humans, with only an ordinary-looking hoodie (yes, everyone wears a hoodie these days) as a telltale sign that they are "salted."

The storyline is told at a neckbreaking speed and it's dizzying at how fast I read through this! The cast of characters are numerous with life stories are as interesting and as complex as the imaginary world Galvin has built. 

My only gripe is that since this is the first book in a series, just getting my head around the concepts of this new world demanded a steep learning curve and it it felt overwhelming at times.

Verdict: A creative and thoroughly modernized take on the myth of selkies, with compelling world building and interesting array of characters. Action-packed, this promises to be a unique and exciting series.

I recommend this to late teens to young adults who enjoy fantasy and are looking for a good creative spin on merpeople. Also recommended for those who love their movies like Transformers or X-Men.

Addendum: 
The cover is beautiful wildlife photography, don't you agree?

I am now really curious to know what Lenny looks like in his human form, and I need to hear his Boston accent ;)

Also, I can totally see a movie being made and the merchandise that this series can spawn: I am thinking different hoody styles!


I received a copy of this book from the author for review consideration.

About Aaron Galvin


SALTED is Aaron Galvin’s debut novel and the first in his Salt series.

He first cut his chops writing original stand-up comedy routines at age thirteen. His early works paid off years later when he co-wrote and executive produced the 2013 award-winning indie feature film, Wedding Bells and Shotgun Shells. He is also an accomplished actor.

Aaron has worked in Hollywood blockbusters, (Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, and Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers), and starred in dozens of indie films. Aaron is a proud member of SCBWI. He lives in Southern California with his wife and daughter.

• Find out more about Aaron Galvin on his Website/Blog.
• Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter
• Read an excerpt of Salted

Juliet's Nurse by Lois Leveen

Spicier and more engaging retelling of one of the greatest love stories

Synopsis of Juliet's Nurse by Lois Leveen: An enthralling new telling of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"--told from the perspective of Juliet's nurse.

In Verona, a city ravaged by plague and political rivalries, a mother mourning the death of her day-old infant enters the household of the powerful Cappelletti family to become the wet-nurse to their newborn baby. As she serves her beloved Juliet over the next fourteen years, the nurse learns the Cappellettis' darkest secrets. Those secrets--and the nurse's deep personal grief--erupt across five momentous days of love and loss that destroy a daughter, and a family.

By turns sensual, tragic, and comic, "Juliet's Nurse" gives voice to one of literature's most memorable and distinctive characters, a woman who was both insider and outsider among Verona's wealthy ruling class. Exploring the romance and intrigue of interwoven loyalties, rivalries, jealousies, and losses only hinted at in Shakespeare's play, this is a never-before-heard tale of the deepest love in Verona--the love between a grieving woman and the precious child of her heart.

In the tradition of Sarah Dunant, Philippa Gregory, and Geraldine Brooks, "Juliet's Nurse "is a rich prequel that reimagines the world's most cherished tale of love and loss, suffering and survival.

My two cents

When I had to read Romeo and Juliet in school, I didn't exactly enjoy it. I found it difficult to read (and frankly, thought Romeo and Juliet were a bit stupid). But such is the story of Shakespeare's  lovelorn youths.

This book turns everything upside down in so many ways and I absolutely loved it!

Gone is the stuffiness and over-romanticized version by Shakespeare. This is told from a very unlikely source, Juliet's nurse, Angelica. This retelling is coloured by her class perspective, her loving personality, and her own rather tragic life story.

The love story between Romeo and Juliet seems to be an afterthought. Rather this is a poignant relationship between a loving woman and her ward, with an intriguing twist in this all. The story kept me on tenterhooks as to whether the "secret" would actually come to light. (It's a secret, so I can't spoil this whole book for you!)

This main arc alone would've kept me turning the pages at a fast clip. But there was so much more to enjoy: Juliet and Tybalt's tender childhood friendship, Angelica's own love story (and love making!) as well as rather tragic desire for motherhood, the complicated dynamic between classes, and the machinations of the church in Verona, Italy's everyday life during the Renaissance.

This reminded me so much of my first time reading Philippa Gregory's work where she brings dreary history out of the dregs with the sexual escapades, the intrigue and the conspiracies of the noblemen. It's probably not Shakespeare's intent (especially downplaying Romeo who is quite annoying here) but the story retold from the nurse made this so much more interesting for me!

Verdict: Alternately funny, heartbreaking, and tender, richly layered and wonderfully researched, it puts one of the most beloved love stories in a totally new light. I loved everything about this classical retelling.

If you like Philippa Gregory or are just curious about how Romeo and Juliet can become spicier and even better reading, get a copy.

I received an advanced reader copy from Goodreads First Reads.

Gutenberg's Apprentice by Alix Christie

The suspense, thrill, the secrecy of the printed word!

About Gutenberg’s Apprentice by Alix Christie: An enthralling literary debut that evokes one of the most momentous events in history, the birth of printing in medieval Germany—a story of invention, intrigue, and betrayal.

Youthful, ambitious Peter Schoeffer is on the verge of professional success as a scribe in Paris when his foster father, the wealthy merchant and bookseller Johann Fust, summons him home to corruption- riddled, feud-plagued Mainz to meet “a most amazing man.”

Johann Gutenberg, a driven and caustic inventor, has devised a revolutionary—and, to some, blasphemous—method of bookmaking: a machine he calls a printing press. Fust is financing Gutenberg’s workshop, and he orders Peter to become Gutenberg’s apprentice. Resentful at having to abandon a prestigious career as a scribe, Peter begins his education in the “darkest art.”

As his skill grows, so too does his admiration for Gutenberg and his dedication to their daring venture: printing copies of the Holy Bible. But when outside forces align against them, Peter finds himself torn between two father figures—the generous Fust and the brilliant, mercurial Gutenberg, who inspires Peter to achieve his own mastery.

Caught between the genius and the merchant, the old ways and the new, Peter and the men he admires must work together to prevail against overwhelming obstacles in a battle that will change history . . . and irrevocably transform them all.

My two cents

"Books everywhere .. Imagine how the world would look if anyone could buy one."

And so that has come to pass. I know little about Gutenberg other than the commonplace knowledge that he invented the printing press. Being a bibliophile, I naturally have a love affair with the printed word, so why not read this book about Gutenberg?

This read more like a suspense-thriller to me than historical fiction! In this day of instant-everything, who could have ever imagined that printing a book (and the Bible at the that!) would demand much innovation, expense, time, and so much secrecy? It's mind-boggling, it's humbling, and we should be so lucky to be benefiting from an invention that has such a lasting impact on humanity.

The breadth and depth of this novel is quite ambitious and I found each facet fascinating.

First, the personalities: the egocentric and explosive Gutenberg, the longsuffering and painstaking scribe Peter Schoeffer, the good-willed financier and Schoeffer's father-figure Johann Fust -- and don't forget the women in their lives. Then there are the lesser characters who make up the crew that did all the dirty work. Their lives so entwined in this venture and so entwined in this group.

Second is that this highlights the five critical years of trial-and-error of developing the printing process. The author is a letterpress printer and this novel lovingly describes the nuts-and-bolts (literally) of book printing. While some may find the detail a bit much, I devoured it: I loved hearing about things that make up printing -- the script behind the type, the individual letters that were individually shaped, the painstaking job of typesetting, and the backbreaking work of pressing metal to vellum or paper.

Third, I thought this was an especially intriguing piece because of the details of medieval politicking and machinations. Taking place in Mainz, Germany, I was fascinated with the shroud of secrecy that surrounded this new process, the buying off of guilds to protect this secret, and moreso the profound influence of the church with the very idea a process like printing would be viewed as as heretical.

***

I got pretty hooked on this novel and found it highly informative, engaging, and extremely readable. I loved how the layout of the book celebrates the beauty of old typography in each of its opening chapter pages.

Verdict: I recommend this to anyone who loves their printed books or those who love a good meaty historical fiction read. Find out in this homage to the famed Gutenberg, the lesser known Schoeffer and Fust, and all the people involved in this fictional recounting of how the Gutenberg Bible, and consequently all books, were birthed into this world.

About Alix Christie

Alix Christie was born in California, spent her childhood summers in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, and has lived in Paris, San Francisco, and Berlin. She has been a widely published journalist for thirty years, with work featured in the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, The Guardian, Salon, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Her short fiction has been published by Southwest Review and Other Voices. A letterpress printer since her youth, Alix Christie currently lives in London, where she reviews books and the arts for The Economist.

Connect with her through her website, Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in order to participate in this tour. Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour here. 

Hardcover: 416 pages, Publisher: Harper (September 23, 2014)

Daring: My Passages by Gail Sheehy

Trailblazing feminist

Synopsis of Daring: My Passages by Gail Sheehy: The author of the classic New York Times bestseller Passages returns with her inspiring memoir—a chronicle of her trials and triumphs as a groundbreaking “girl” journalist in the 1960s, to iconic guide for women and men seeking to have it all, to one of the premier political profilers of modern times.

Candid, insightful, and powerful, Daring: My Passages is the story of the unconventional life of a writer who dared . . . to walk New York City streets with hookers and pimps to expose violent prostitution; to march with civil rights protesters in Northern Ireland as British paratroopers opened fire; to seek out Egypt’s president Anwar Sadat when he was targeted for death after making peace with Israel.

Always on the cutting edge of social issues, Gail Sheehy reveals the obstacles and opportunities encountered when she dared to blaze a trail in a “man’s world.” Daring is also a beguiling love story of Sheehy’s tempestuous romance with and eventual happy marriage to Clay Felker, the charismatic creator of New York magazine. As well, Sheehy recounts her audacious pursuit and intimate portraits of many twentieth-century leaders, including Hillary Clinton, Presidents George H. W. and George W. Bush, and the world-altering attraction between Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Sheehy reflects on desire, ambition, and wanting it all—career, love, children, friends, social significance—and lays bare her major life passages: false starts and surprise successes, the shock of failures and inner crises; betrayal in a first marriage; life as a single mother; flings of an ardent, liberated young woman; her adoption of a second daughter from a refugee camp; marriage to the love of her life and their ensuing years of happiness, even in the shadow of illness. Now stronger than ever, Sheehy speaks from hard-won experience to today’s young women.

Her fascinating, no-holds-barred story is a testament to guts, resilience, smarts, and daring, and offers a bold perspective on all of life’s passages.

My two cents

I started reading this around the time that Harry Potter's Emma Watson spoke about gender equality at the UN Assembly as its ambassador for women, with a speech that blows the conversation wide open on just how loaded the term "feminist" is ... to this day!  The fact that Gail Sheehy is among those women who made a difference in this movement really shows how far we have gotten, and how far we still have yet to go.

I have to admit that I didn't know who Gail Sheehy is before hearing about this book. But upon reading the synopsis and her short author bio, I wanted to know more! This memoir-autobiography tromps through Gail's private and professional lives, both of which are generously sprinkled with interesting people, travels throughout the world, and challenges that a woman of less daring or courage would probably shirk at.

Gail is a pioneer of a woman who has become quite the advocate for feminism even before the term "feminist" was coined. She is among the first women journalists (along with contemporaries such as Gloria Steinem) who broke into the male-dominated hard news clique, breaking ground with New Journalism covering civil rights issues and exposing women's issues in health, prostitution, and the female psychology in the family and society in general. She later became renowned for her probing yet personable profile of movers and shakers like Hilary Clinton and Margaret Thatcher, among others.

She also penned a groundbreaking work entitled Passages which puts a spotlight on women's life stages (during a time when all that was written about was men!). Although I am unfamiliar with the work, based on what I am picking up on the interwebs this is a much-beloved work that resonated with many women during the 1970s.

This book is more than one women's memoir: it's bigger than that! Gail has lived through key historical moments in America: the cusp of the feminist movement, living through it, contributing to it, and still an advocate until today.

For all her accomplishments in journalism, I loved how Gail lets us into her personal head space as a mother, wife, lover, colleague and friend, tracing her entire life "passages." It makes for touching reading and is a reminder that well-known personalities are living their own private battles too. Peek into her life through her photos scattered throughout the book.

***

Warning! This is a chunkster of a book (close to 500 pages!) and when the book was late getting to me, I honestly balked at the idea of getting through it in a week and having to write a review. But the writing is easy and conversational, funny and warm—Gail's voice is clear, strong, accessible and I fairly breezed through this. 

Verdict: I really enjoyed reading this memoir and am thankful that Gail Sheehy has taken the time to document her fascinating journey as a woman and journalist through the past fifty years. A feminist advocate whose body of work all women today are indebted to, I recommend this memoir to anyone interested in the feminist movement in the US, New Journalism, or has an interest in the life stories of inspiring women.

About Gail Sheehy

Gail Sheehy is the author of sixteen books, including the classic New York Times bestseller Passages, named one of the ten most influential books of our times by the Library of Congress. A multiple award-winning literary journalist, she was one of the original contributors to New York magazine and has been a contributing editor to Vanity Fair since 1984. A popular lecturer, Sheehy was named AARP’s Ambassador of Caregiving in 2009. She lives in New York City.

Connect with her through her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in order to participate in this tour. Don't forget to check out the rest of the tour here. 

Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (September 2, 2014)