Book News: Harper Lee Denies Memoir, Borders Closing, and Author Helps Tornado Relief

I've mentioned before that my friend Nicole met Harper Lee. That's right. I said met Harper Lee. Lee is fascinating to me, both because of her having written To Kill a Mockingbird and because I find her friendship with Truman Capote highly interesting. I also find her solitary lifestyle fascinating. It takes an unusual human being to shy away from the spotlight of fame rather than run towards it.

Harper Lee hasn't granted anyone an interview since 1964, except to tell the New York Times that she would always say "no" to interviews in 2006. According to the Guardian, a new memoir that purports to have "inside access" to Lee and her family has been discounted by Lee herself. The memoir, written by journalist Marja Mills, reportedly had the backing of Lee until Lee's stroke in 2007.

I have long been a Carrie Bradshaw fan. Yes, I loved Sex and the City long before feature films were made or the show traveled to syndication-land via TBS. I haven't always loved author Candace Bushnell's books, though. I usually stand by the old adage that books are always better than film adaptations, but in this one case I would have to disagree. However, I have recently become a YA reader, and Bushnell has recently become a YA writer with the publishing of The Carrie Diaries. I didn't read it, but now that she's written a sequel, Summer and the City, I may just have to try her YA books. Summer and the City shows readers Carrie and friends in 1980s NYC, and sounds simply fabulous -- especially for all the summer reading I plan on doing this year!

Last weekend, I finally went to a closing Borders (West End in Nashville). I have to say I was wholly  unimpressed by the sale. I mean, I know they want to make some money, but they had some books that were only marked 30% off. My local Books-a-Million store regularly marks new hardbacks down by 30%. All I bought was a book I would have purchased anyway -- the new Jefferson Bass novel The Bone Yard. Then I felt guilty about not supporting a closing bookstore. But then again -- it is closing. I'm not sure what paying almost-retail really did for them.

In terribly sad news this week, Alabama and northern Georgia were hit by major tornadoes on Wednesday. Dozens of people lost their lives, and damages will be in the millions. Author Shiloh Walker has launched a fundraiser on her website to raise money for victims of the storms. Visit there to find out more.

I can't even talk about the LA Times book page or their book blog Jacket Copy this week. All of their news is full of talk about the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and it makes me too sad that I'm not going. Seriously, it sounds like the best book festival around, and someday I will be there.

Until then, I will be attending going-away parties, family reunions, throwing baby showers, and (somewhere in there) reading books. It is a busy weekend, but one full of good times with friends and family. This weekend, whenever I have a free moment, I will be reading Beth Kendrick's The Bake-Off, Jean Kwok's Girl in Translation, and listening to Kathy Reichs' YA novel Virals via Audible on my iPod. Happy reading & enjoy your weekend!

Favorite Reads Giveaway: We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates

I have tried to be a Joyce Carol Oates fan. The truth is, I am not. Her writing and her books are as varied as they come. She has written adult, YA, essays, literary fiction, mystery, poetry, short stories -- you name it. As a result, I can never count on liking books by her. The style and subject matter vary so much that I just never know.

However, I read We Were the Mulvaneys way back in high school, and I absolutely fell in love. Written in semi-stream of consciousness, it was to me a successful attempt at writing something different. (This was in direct opposition to Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, also written in stream-of-consciousness and utterly baffling.)

A short synopsis (from Wikipedia):

"The Mulvaneys, a family living in the small, rural town of Mt. Ephraim, New York, during the later part of the 20th century, are the perfect family: four kids, the owners of a successful roofing business, and a high social status. We Were the Mulvaneys tells the tale of the demise of this perfect family—an incident that is hushed up in town and never spoken of again. It is this incident that shatters the family fabric with tragic consequences."

We Were the Mulvaneys is not a happy fairy tale of a book. It is, once again, not a book my mom would touch with a ten-foot pole. Although we often like the same books, she loathes the kind of books I so often love -- dark tales with small rays of hope.

This novel was, as many of my older favorite reads were, an Oprah's Book Club choice in 2001. It was also made into a Lifetime Television movie starring Beau Bridges and Blythe Danner, which received three Emmy nominations. It is available for purchase at Amazon. (This is such a cool thing I am discovering about my old favorite reads and film versions; often they can be found on DVD!)

Oates' book marks the fifth week of my Favorite Reads Giveaway series. Last week's winner of Connie May Fowler's Before Women Had Wings was Michael McNally. Michael, the email address I tried for you bounced back to me. Send me an email at awornpathbooks at gmail dot com with your mailing address, and I will send it out to you!

To win We Were the Mulvaneys, fill out the form below:

Skinny by Diana Spechler Examines Hunger and Grief

Gray Lachmann is a fabulously flawed main character whose story jumps off the page in Diana Spechler's new novel Skinny. Although some have billed it as a young adult novel, Gray herself is 27 years old. After her father dies, she spirals off the deep end, giving up everything important in her life in a quest to squelch her guilt. Because, of course, she claims to have killed him.

Gray has a successful business booking and selling tickets at comedy clubs, a career she embarked upon after meeting her long-term comedian boyfriend. She is good as what she does, and she looks every inch of successful -- thin, well-dressed. She gets her obsession with being fit and eating healthily from her mother, a woman who she claims can "eat a block of unseasoned tofu" for dinner.

These two are in direct opposition with the other member of their family -- Gray's father, who is hundreds of pounds overweight. Gray calls him a "active obese," however, as a man who still cannonballs into the swimming pool and jokes with friends at backyard barbecues. But his eating habits affect Gray and her mother in an extreme manner.

After his death, Gray goes over the deep end, eating everything in sight and gaining weight over the course of a few months. She withdraws from her boyfriend, looks into her father's private affairs, and embarks on a "fat camp" adventure as a camp counselor with an ulterior motive. Most of the story takes place at the camp, which Spechler peoples with bizarre characters who all seek some sort of miracle cure for their weight loss issues.

Things quickly seem a little off at the camp, but the entire tale spirals downward in unison with Gray's own dive into self-injurious behavior. Spechler makes important statements about grief, emotional eating, and self-esteem in Skinny. While Gray's actions seem over-the-top in some ways, I feel that Spechler successfully captured the emotional roller coaster that occurs with the loss of a parent. She also addresses eating topics from both sides -- overeating and eating disorders like bulimia.

 A (short, not boring) book trailer for Skinny:

Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes Tells Charming Irish Tale

In her latest novel released to the U.S., Roisin Meaney channels the best of one of my favorite authors, Maeve Binchy. Set in Ireland, her novel Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes boasts charming characters, a lovely small town setting, and a deftly-woven plot. Semi-Sweet is the Irish equivalent of a cozy mystery, minus the mystery. I suppose you could categorize it as "chick lit", although I often dislike that term; still, if ever a book fit that bill, this one probably did.

Meaney calls on a large cast of characters to populate Semi-Sweet. Although cupcake shop owner Hannah is arguably the novel's main character, her fictional town of Clongarvin is speckled with equally interesting characters: her parents, Geraldine and Stephen; Geraldine's boss Alice and Stephen's fellow dentist Tom; Hannah's best friend Adam and his sister Nora; Hannah's ex, Patrick and his new (pregnant) girlfriend Leah; Leah's mother (and Geraldine's fellow bridge player) Fiona; and musicians Wally, John, and Vivienne.

Readers get a glimpse into all of these characters lives, from their triumphs to their extreme failures. Through her rich characters, Meaney fairly brings Clongarvin, Ireland, to life.

The plot is (as most plots are) based around a series of problems, most of which sort themselves out in one way or another as the novel moves along. Hannah has just opened a cupcake shop, a daunting task in the slow economy. Almost at the same time, Patrick leaves her for his pregnant mistress Leah. Leah's mother Fiona is not exactly thrilled with either her daughter bearing an illegitimate child or with facing Hannah's mother Geraldine at bridge club.

To help with her expenses after Patrick leaves, Hannah's best friend Adam moves in with her and rents his own apartment to his sister Nora, freshly home from living in America. Alice and Tom face problems brought about by Tom's constant drinking. The musicians from the local wine bar insinuate themselves into the other characters' lives with one love affair after another. Geraldine and Stephen are almost narrators in the novel, as no action revolves around them, but they provide commentary on all the other characters' escapades.

Semi- Sweet and the town of Clongarvin are charming, as is Meaney's cast of characters. I highly recommend this novel, especially if you enjoy books set in Ireland as much as I do. Bonus: the cupcake recipe included at the novel's start.

A Little 4x4 Monday Fun

I saw this over on Amused By Books, and I thought I would steal it. I seldom talk about much except for books; here's a chance for you to get to know me a little better: 

Four jobs I've had in my life:

1. After-school tutor at the housing authority in my hometown (high school): We provided a place for children living within the housing authority to do homework, have positive role models, and experience things they might not otherwise (field trips, guest speakers, etc.).
2. Preschool teacher (college): I worked with 15-24 month-olds for almost my entire time in college. Even after I left for another job (see #3), I still worked there in the summer. It was rewarding, but hard work! I loved my kids and my co-workers, but I knew I couldn't do it for the rest of my life.
3. Women's clothing boutique (college): My last two years of college, I worked in a store in downtown Chattanooga. We mostly sold items from small designers (but some bigger names, like DVF). Window and floor design were definitely my favorite parts of the job. Claim to fame: we were featured in Lucky magazine (windows that I helped dress!).
4. SunTrust Bank Call Center: I am not a telephone person. I hate even ordering pizza via phone! Also, I'm not really a business/financial-minded person. You can imagine how well this worked out. It's the only job I ever did for less than a year!

(Note: I also worked as a social worker in the mental health field, and now I am a teacher. I love(d) both!)

Four books I would read over and over:

The actual answer is: none! I hate re-reading books, re-watching movies, etc. So boring! But if I had to choose, I would choose the following series that I love:

1. Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse) series by Charlaine Harris
2. Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell
3. V.I. Warshawski series by Sara Paretsky
4. Spellman series by Lisa Lutz

Four places I have lived:

1. Smalltown, Middle Tennessee (trust me, unless you're from my hometown, you wouldn't have heard of it!)
2. Chattanooga, Tennessee (college)
3. Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia (just across the state line from Chattanooga; the only non-Tennessee state I've lived in -- also college)
4. Nashville, Tennessee

Four books I would recommend:

1. Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4. Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

(And many more, of course. But this is the 4x4 challenge, so only 4.)

Four places I have been:

1. Baja California, Mexico (mission trip)
2. Boston, Massachusetts (trip with my mom)
3. San Francisco, California (trip with my husband-to-be)
4. New Orleans, Lousiana (many trips -- my favorite city)

(I'm pretty well-traveled, but only within the continental U.S. Never Alaska, Hawaii, or any place outside the U.S. besides Mexico. I need to fix this!)

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Pasta!
2. Fruit
3. Yogurt
4. Almond butter (new love)

Four of my favorite drinks:

1. Coffee (black only!)
2. "Punch" from my childhood (ginger ale, topped off with OJ)
3. Dark Chocolate Almond Milk
4. Simply Grapefruit Juice

Four places I'd rather be right now:

1. On the beach with a book (and I will be in June!)
2. With my nephew, brother, and sister-in-law (in Africa)
3. A bookstore (I live miles from one, and the library for some reason closed for the entire Easter weekend -- both Friday and Saturday!)
4. San Francisco (a city I frequently mention as a place I would like to visit again)

Four things that are very special in my life:

1. Brent (and Caleb, my soon-to-be stepson)
2. Jude (my nephew)
3. Other family (lots!)
4. Friends (I have the best -- love them)

Later in the week, a new Favorite Reads giveaway, lots of reviews of new releases, and (of course) Book News on Friday. 

Book News: Goon Squad Wins Pulitzer, Lauren Graham Turns Author, and The Help Trailer

Boy, I hate to pat myself on the back (it's just unbecoming, isn't it?), but let's look back at my Book News post from two weeks ago:

"The Morning News wrapped up their 2011 Tournament of Books with Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad beating out the other finalist, Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. Egan's Goon Squad has made big headlines recently. I first heard about the book on the Book Lady's Blog. Then Egan was in the running for the National Book Critics Circle Award, in which she also beat Franzen's Freedom to win."

Now Egan's Goon Squad vaulted itself into world news headlines this week (yet again) by winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Egan spoke with Wall Street Journal blog Speakeasy about what being awarded this prestigious honor means to her. So basically? You can rely on me for all your book-related news, as I must have my fingers on the pulse. And, I'm going to have to pick up a copy of this book! As should you, obviously. Also, Galleycat reported this week that HBO is creating a series based on the novel. 

A bit less exciting, but if you are fan of either Gilmore Girls or NBC's current drama Parenthood, you should be excited about this: Lauren Graham is writing a semi-autobiographical novel titled You'll Never Make It. I have long been a Graham fan; I've seen every Gilmore Girls episode ever made. Then she was fantastically funny in the (not-family-friendly) Billy Bob Thornton movie Bad Santa. Now she absolutely rocks in one of my favorite shows (Parenthood). Her witty manner and clever way of delivering lines should translate into excellent writing.

I was fortunate this week to be able to review Marcia Clark's new crime novel Guilt By Association for new imprint Mulholland Books of Little, Brown and Company, and the book has made news headlines all over the place. I don't generally re-visit books I've already written about, but I wanted to give you the chance to see where else this book was gaining buzz:

• USA Today's "Marcia Clark returns to court in first novel"
• NPR's "Simpson Prosecutor Marcia Clark Takes on Fiction"
• LA Times' "Marcia Clark metes out justice in murder-mystery novel"
• Jen's Book Thoughts blog
• Linus's Blanket blog 

Sadly, the New England mansion that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby was razed this week. The 20,000 square foot home had fallen to disrepair, and the community sold it to make way for new mansions to be built. According to the LA Times book blog Jacket Copy, many famous celebs partied there, including Fitzgerald himself, Winston Churchill, the Marx brothers, and Dorothy Parker. To see more pictures taken in recent years (and right before its demolition), click here.

Last but not least, the trailer for The Help was finally released:

What do you think? The music seems a little upbeat to me. Then again, there are some very funny parts in the book. I just don't want the important themes in the book to be trivialized by Hollywood. It did give me chills to see some scenes brought to life.

You may have noticed that this week's Book News is a day late. Good Friday was a day off for me, but a busy day. As a result, you get a Saturday post rather than a Friday one. I am almost finished listening to A.S. King's knock-out novel Please Ignore Vera Dietz, but I am listening veeeeerrrry sloooowly, as I do not want it to end (or to have to say goodbye to Vera). I am also reading Slow Dancing on Price's Pier by Lisa Dale. It is an easy, fun read, which I am enjoying more for its sporadic coffee tidbits and facts as much as anything else. Dale begins each chapter with an excerpt from a coffee column the main character writes for the local paper, and they are both interesting and informative. Have a fabulous weekend, and happy reading!

Diane Chamberlain's The Midwife's Confession Is Excellent Women's Fiction

Repeat after me: I will not call it chick lit. I will not call it chick lit. I will not... You get the picture. For some reason, "chick lit" has gotten an extremely bad rap. To me, women's fiction is some of the best writing out there. But the term "chick lit" seems to carry with it the connotation that it is somehow less-than in terms of writing quality, that it is only about things women care about (i.e., handbags and make-up?), and that it is generally shallow rather than deep in terms of theme.

I suppose that Diane Chamberlain's new novel The Midwife's Confession could be termed "chick lit" by some. It is, after all, written by a woman. It is also (mainly) about female characters. It deals with "women's issues": pregnancy, motherhood, etc. However, it is also much more than that. The Midwife's Confession also explores themes of loss, relationships, depression, and guilt.

Noelle is a midwife; her mother was a midwife before her. When she takes her own life, friends Emerson and Tara are left to pick up the pieces. They are put in charge of her estate, of cleaning out her house, even of throwing one of her friends a birthday celebration that had been planned for some time. Em and Tara are shocked by their friend's suicide, but they are also surprised at the unfinished business she left behind. They soon learn that Noelle hid more than she shared, and her secrets will affect them all.

The Midwife's Confession contains a multi-layered plot that keeps the action moving at a frantic pace. While the midwife's story is the main plotline, Chamberlain weaves into that several other side plots. One involves the head of the Missing Children's Bureau, Anna Knightly, whose daughter Haley fights leukemia from a hospital bed in Washington, D.C. Another flashes back to the three friends' college days. Yet another reveals the death a few weeks prior to the novel's beginning of Tara's husband Sam, and follows the progression of her and her daughter Grace's grief.

Chamberlain expertly tells the story of all of these intertwined plots through a variety of narrative voices. She gives readers the opportunity to see the story from multiple perspectives; some tales are told by Noelle, others are narrated by Emerson or Tara, and still others are related by Anna or by the teenage Grace. Each voice reveals much about the narrating character and creates a landscape rich with dynamic characters.

Chamberlain was new to me as an author. She will be an excellent author to read at the beach, where I will be at the beginning of June! I look forward to reading her previous novels. (And, of course, she is a southern author, which doesn't hurt!)