Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: Riding the Highway (Part 9)

New Mexico

Hosted by Wordless Wednesday

© Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty 2006-2009
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Review: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

We have been lost to each other for so long.
My name means nothing to you. My memory is dust. [except from prologue]

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Picador, 1997
Fiction (Historical); 321 pgs

Synopsis from the Publisher:

Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood—the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of her mothers—Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah—the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through a hard-working youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past. Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women's society.

Occasionally I come across a book I know I will read again. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is one such book.

I admit I was really hung up on the whole "biblical" side of the story before beginning my reading, and that was a bit off putting. As much as I love to explore religions of all kinds and their histories, reading a book about biblical figures isn’t exactly my cup of tea. Even with the reassurances of friends and fellow bloggers that I had nothing to worry about, I still hesitated. I dragged my feet and even considered not reading it just yet. But I voted for the book in a group read and it would not look very good if I did not at least give it a try. And, of course, just like everyone said, I had nothing to worry about.

I loved the prologue. It is one of those that grabbed my attention from the very first moment. I was sure I would love the book. As I continued on, however, I became disillusioned. The story itself was interesting, including the history of Dinah’s family, in particular that of her mothers and how they came to be with her father, Jacob. It was written in the style of a story being told to the next generation—the exact atmosphere the author was most likely hoping to achieve. And yet, I found my attention wandering. I wanted to be a part of the story, rather than just having it told to me (I blame that more on my mood than on the book itself). Not to mention I wanted to get to know Dinah. Her family history was interesting and all, but I wanted to know more about Dinah.

I can pinpoint the exact moment when the book completely won be over—when I knew I might end up loving it after all. It was about page 161 when Dinah was left behind by her family to serve her grandmother, Rebecca, in Mamre.

Despite my reservations about the biblical aspects of the novel, I couldn't help but think of the Bible stories I was raised on as I read; and I wish I'd remembered them a little more clearly. Throughout the early part of the novel, I repeatedly flipped back to the family tree at the beginning of the book, making sure I remembered who belonged to who and how they were all connected.

What drew me most to the story was the strength of the women and the joy and care they took in their traditions and beliefs. Even though they lived in a patriarchal society, their rituals and traditions were empowering. It was a time when a girl becoming a woman was celebrated; whereas the day would eventually come when it was something to hide and be seen as a curse. There was one moment in the novel in which Jacob learns of the women’s rituals surrounding a girl’s first menses. He becomes angry and violent. I couldn’t help but feel very sad at that point. It was a foreshadowing of what would come—not in the book so much, but in reality—such traditions eventually died out in many cultures and were no longer reveled in. Just as how the stories, once passed down from mother to daughter, seemingly became the realm of men. Or at least, their stories became the ones heard and repeated most often.

Dinah had a relatively happy childhood, but her adulthood was a difficult one, no thanks to two of her brothers. I most enjoyed the time we spent in Egypt together, although it was not always the happiest of times. It was during the second half of the book that I really felt I got to know Dinah, and became a part of her world. I cried with her and took joy in the happy moments. She truly is an admirable character and I am glad I got the chance to know her in The Red Tent.

The Red Tent reminded me a bit of one of my favorite novels: Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon. The two are very different books, of course, but they both feature strong female characters and touch on similar issues that women faced in our history as well as on a spiritual level.

By the time I finished the last chapter of the book, I felt satisfied. There is so much more I could say about this book. It is full of nuances I have not even begun to touch here. Even with those moments when I doubted the book would live up to my expectations, I can truly say this is a book well worth reading.

Rating:

(Very Good)

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: 2nds Challenge

To learn more about the author, Anita Diamant, and her books, visit her website.

Monday, August 03, 2009

Monday At the Movies: A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Monday's Movie is hosted by Sheri at A Novel Menagerie.

Sometimes I watch bits and pieces of movies. Friday was like that. My back was bothering me, sitting up was impossible, vacuuming like I planned was out of the question, shoe shopping didn't sound so good, and so I staked out a place to lie down in the living room while the animals and television kept me company. I should have read a book, I know. But I wasn't quite in the mood for that. And so the television and I got cozy Friday afternoon.

Movie: Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Directed By: Stephen Herek
Writers: Neil Landau & Tara Ison

From Netflix:

Thrilled to have Mom out of their hair, four siblings are ready to celebrate when she departs for an extended tour of Australia -- until, that is, their elderly babysitter shows up. As luck would have it, though, the woman dies on her first night. Not to worry: The eldest of the pack (Christina Applegate) quickly falsifies a resumé and lands a job as an executive assistant with a clothing company.

I missed the first half hour of this film this time around. It was actually a re-watch for me. I saw the movie several years ago when I was on a Christina Applegate kick and I've seen bits and pieces of it again over the years while flipping through the channels. It's funny, sometimes, the movies that we stop and linger on. They aren't always the ones we might expect. This is certainly not one I would think would catch my attention again, but it did.

One of my favorite comedy bits in the film is when Christina Applegate's character is being lectured by her oldest brother about how neglected he feels, not to mention all the responsibilities she's left him with while she goes off to work every day. It's a stereotypical argument you might hear between a working outside of the home spouse and a stay at home spouse. And I love how Applegate's character reacts to her coworker's attempts to seduce her. She may not know what she's doing in the corporate world, but she does know how to stand up for herself and think on her feet.

This movie would never make my favorites list nor is it one that belongs in my DVD collection, but it was fun to revisit--and to giggle at the sight of all those huge shoulder pads.

Movie: Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Directed By: Colin Strause & Greg Strause
Writers: Shane Salerno

From Netflix:

Prepare for more mayhem as warring aliens and predators return for Round 2 of their no-holds-barred slugfest. This time, the intergalactic creatures do battle in a small American town, throwing local residents into harm's way. To save the planet, the humans must oust both types of unwelcome guests. This sci-fi sequel features tons of spectacular action sequences full of nifty new gadgets and gooey monster gore.

I confess that I am not a huge horror movie fan. All that blood and gore makes me burst out laughing rather than make me squirm. Psychological thrillers, on the other hand, are a different matter entirely. I have never actually seen a Predator movie. And while I liked the last Aliens movie, the ones before it made me a bit sleepy. So, why, you ask, would I sit through Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem? Good question. I can't say I have good answer. It was on. None of the other HBO movies looked good and so I thought, why not?

While I did catch this one from the beginning, I missed parts here and there as I wandered about the house visiting the animals in their various rooms, letting the dog out and then back in, and heating up my lunch. I don't feel I missed anything significant in the meantime.

I am really not sure what to say about this film. I had trouble telling apart the Predator from the Alien during the battle scenes. Colorado is a beautiful state, and I was sorry to see that it was targeted by these ferocious aliens. Lucky for the town, Reiko Aylesworth playing Kelly was home on leave from the military. She can really kick butt. She'll never be an Ellen Ripley though.

Does it make me want to go back and watch the first Aliens vs. Predator movie? No, not at all.

Movie: August Rush (2007)
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
MPAA Rating: PG
Directed By: Kirsten Sheridan
Writers: Nick Castle & James V. Hart (screenplay); Paul Castro & Nick Castle (story)

From Netflix:

After cellist Lyla (Keri Russell) and guitarist Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) share an enchanted night together, circumstances rip them apart, and the child (Freddie Highmore) produced by the union is raised by an opportunistic stranger (Robin Williams) who nurtures the boy's musical talent. Determined to find his parents, the boy -- known as August Rush -- relies on music to draw his mother and father to him. Terrence Howard co-stars.

I missed the first half hour of this movie earlier in the day. HBO was reshowing it on a different channel later that afternoon, and I caught 20 minutes of what I'd missed in the first viewing. Maybe someday I'll see the first 10 minutes.

Talk about a feel good movie. I watched the ending twice. In one day. Even so, I did not think this was a great movie, merely just a good one. I can't quite pinpoint what I did not like about it, other than I do not feel the movie and its characters were as fully developed as they could have been. Still, it was an enjoyable movie--the best I watched that afternoon. I loved the way the writers and director wove the music into the story. There is one scene in particular that especially mesmerized me, The one where Freddie's character is walking down the street, taking in all the city street sounds. Suddenly it's no longer just noise, but music.

I like Robin Williams, but he often has a habit of overdoing the comedy. He was perfect in this film, however. He was easy not to like, and yet I couldn't help but feel sorry for him too. I got the impression his character had a sad history--one that had turned him into the man he had become.

I can see myself watching bits and pieces of this one again when I come across it. And while the movie itself won't be added to my DVD collection, the soundtrack already has made it into my music library.

The Monday Movie Meme is brought to you by The Bumbles.

This week's movie topic is all about Reunions...

What are some of your favorite reunion type movies?

When Harry Met Sally (1989) - This is one of my husband's favorites, and after he introduced it to me, it became one of mine as well.

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) - This is one of the best reunion movies ever. Okay, so at least one of the most fun. I love the soundtrack anyway.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) - You know I had to work this one in somehow. This is the final movie in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I cry every time.

Grosse Point Blank (1997) ~ Who can resist John Cusack? In this film, his therapist convinces him to return home for his 10th high school reunion. While he's there, he can take care of a little business too, assassinating his latest target. If he runs into his old flame, even better.

The Princess Bride (1987) - When true love is involved, nothing can keep them apart.

© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Sunday Salon: 100 Best Beach Books Ever

The summer season is not all that different for me than the rest of the year. I go to work every day just as I always have. The weather is warmer, certainly. And the sun is out longer. I may take a vacation or I may not. My reading pretty much stays the same regardless of the season.

I suppose that is why I have never fully appreciated the term "beach read". When I first heard it, I took it at its literal definition. A book you would want to read on the beach, one you would not mind getting sand between the pages. And I suppose that is, in part, where it got its start. In a broader sense, I think quite a few people think of "beach reads" as light reading, those books that don't require your full attention or much in the way brain power. However, I've discovered that there are those who choose to think of "beach reads" as those more serious tomes they can finally pick up and give their full attention to. National Public Radio (NPR) conducted a survey recently to see what books their audience would select as the best beach reads. As you can see, the 100 Best Beach Books Ever list has books that span a wide spectrum.

What does a "beach read" mean to you? What kinds of books would you take along with you on a vacation? Any thoughts about NPR's list?

NPR's 100 Best Beach Books Ever
1. The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling*
2. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee*
3. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini*
4. Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding
5. Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen*
6. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells
7. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald*
8. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams*
9. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg*
10. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver
11. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
12. Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
13. The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan*
14. The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien*
15. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger*
16. Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
17. Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett
18. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien*
19. Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides*
20. Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen
21. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain*
22. The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver
23. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith*
24. The World According to Garp, by John Irving
25. Catch-22, by Joseph Heller*
26. The Prince of Tides, by Pat Conroy
27. Like Water for Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel
28. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman*
29. The Accidental Tourist, by Anne Tyler
30. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer*
31. A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole
32. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
33. The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant*
34. Beach Music, by Pat Conroy
35. One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez*
36. Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier
37. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
38. Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry
39. The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough
40. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon
41. Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett*
42. Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy*
43. Interview with the Vampire, by Anne Rice*
44. Cold Mountain, by Charles Frazier
45. Empire Falls, by Richard Russo*
46. Under the Tuscan Sun, by Frances Mayes
47. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
48. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, by Tom Robbins
49. I Know This Much Is True, by Wally Lamb*
50. Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie
51. Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
52. The Stand, by Stephen King
53. She's Come Undone, by Wally Lamb*
54. Dune, by Frank Herbert
55. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
56. Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
57. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
58. Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov
59. The Godfather, by Mario Puzo*
60. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
61. Animal Dreams, by Barbara Kingsolver
62. Jaws, by Peter Benchley
63. Good in Bed, by Jennifer Weiner
64. Angle of Repose, by Wallace Stegner
65. Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson
66. The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway*
67. The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand
68. Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut
69. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
70. The Big Sleep, by Raymond Chandler
71. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway*
72. The Hunt for Red October, by Tom Clancy
73. Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns
74. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding*
74. Bonfire of the Vanities, by Tom Wolfe [tie]
76. Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte*
77. Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
78. The Shell Seekers, by Rosamunde Pilcher
79. Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver
80. Eye of the Needle, by Ken Follett
81. Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck
81. The Pilot's Wife, by Anita Shreve [tie]
83. All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy
84. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
85. The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupery
86. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
87. One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich*
88. Shogun, by James Clavell
89. Dracula, by Bram Stoker*
90. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera
91. Presumed Innocent, by Scott Turow
92. Franny and Zooey, by J.D. Salinger
93. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
94. Dead Until Dark, by Charlaine Harris*
95. Summer Sisters, by Judy Blume*
96. The Shining, by Stephen King
97. How Stella Got Her Groove Back, by Terry McMillan*
98. Lamb, by Christopher Moore
99. Sick Puppy, by Carl Hiaasen
100. Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson

(I put an asterisk next to the ones I've read--31 of the titles--just for the fun of it. Whether or not I read them in the summer, I cannot say.)

In Reading Mews:

Reviews Pending:
The Glass Devil by Helene Tursten (written, just not posted)
The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies (polishing off review)
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (still in rough draft stage)

Currently Reading:
Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey

New Additions to my TBR collection:
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo (from LibraryThing's Early Review Program)
Holly's In Box by Holly Denham (from the author)

Other Posts of Interest This Week:
Monday at the Movies: Road Trips & A Trip to the Theater: Fiddler on the Roof
Wordless Wednesday: Riding the Highway (Part 8)